Water From Christ

Inner mind. Good or evil?

2009-11-21T16:48:00.001+08:00

He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
(PROVERBS 24:26)

During one of his sermons, Hudson Taylor, pioneer missionary to China, filled a glass with water and placed it on a table in front of him. While he was speaking, he pounded his fist hard enough to make the water splash onto the table. He then explained, "You will come up against such trouble. But when you do, remember, only what's in you will spill out."

That's worth thinking about, isn't it?... When we live under the control of the Holy Spirit, we will show it by the way we react to the joing trials and temptations of life. If our heart is full of the Savior's love, we will respond to the jostling...with patience and kindness.

Money

2009-11-20T00:00:00.002+08:00

Godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Timothy 6:6)

Over the past fifteen years, a New Jersey businessman has anonymously given away more than $600 million to universities, medical centers, and other beneficiaries. When a legal complication forced him to reveal his identity, he explained his generosity by saying, "Nobody can wear two pairs of shoes at one time. I simply decided I had enough money." A friend...described him as a man who doesn't own a house or a car, flies economy class, wears a $15 watch, and "didn't want his money to crush him.".....

It seems so natural and sensible to grasp rather than to give. Money is what you make it--a master or a servant.

Now we know there is a God in heaven!

2009-11-19T23:53:00.002+08:00

He who has seen Me has seen the Father. (John 14:9)

When he was only 13 years old, violinist Yehudi Menuhin [performed] with the Berlin Philharmonic,...[playing] some of the most difficult compositions by Beethoven, Bach, and Brahms. The response was so enthusiastic that the management called in the police.... Albert Einstein, who had listened with utter delight..., avoided the authorities by running across the stage into Yehudi's dressing room. He embraced the surprised violinist and exclaimed, "Now I know there is a God in heaven!"

While the beauty of music does indeed bear witness to God's reality, only through the supernatural life and ministry of Christ...are we able to know God with unshadowed certainty. We read the Gospels and...exclaim with...adoration, "Now we know there is a God in heaven!"

Surrender my life to God

2009-11-18T23:49:00.002+08:00

The will of the Lord be done. (Acts 21:14)

In the early 1940s, the president of Dallas Seminary, Lewis Chafer, gave a very brief banquet speech. Introduced after a long program, he announced his subject: "The Reasonableness of Fully Surrendering Our Lives to God." Then, because of the lateness of the hour, he gave only the three points of his message, Reason 1: God is all-wise and knows better than anyone else what is best for my life. Reason 2: He is almighty and has the power to accomplish what is best for me. Reason 3: God loves me more than anyone else does.

Chafer concluded, "Therefore the most logical thing I can do is surrender my life to God. What more can I say? What more need I say?"

Wait on the Lord

2009-11-17T23:46:00.000+08:00

Those who wait on the Lord...shall run and not be weary. (Isaiah 40:31)

Astronaut Michael Collins described the problem of trying to link two orbiting space vehicles. When two airplanes rendezvous for an in-flight refueling, the plan behind simply increases speed until it catches the other aircraft. In outer space, however,...acceleration puts the trailing spacecraft into a higher orbit, causing it to move away and widen the gap. Therefore the ship's commander must act against all natural instincts and slow down, dropping his craft into a lower orbit, which enables him to catch up, maneuver into position, and make contact at precisely the right moment.

So it is with the busy child of God. Taking on more activities can mean losing ground as a result of lost time with the Lord. To get ahead, we must slow down and wait on the Lord.

True success = Doing God's will.

2009-11-16T12:27:00.002+08:00

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus. (Daniel 6:28)

Oswald Chambers...showed so much artistic promise that he was invited to study under Europe's greatest masters..... But [instead] he...enrolled in a little-known Bible school where he eventually became a teacher. Later, he went to Egypt and ministered to...British soldiers. Chambers died there when he was only in his forties, but he left to the world a rich legacy of devotional literature.

Daniel began his career as a young captive in Babylon. Repeatedly he put his life on the line to remain faithful to the Lord. He refused to compromise, and God elevated him to a position of prominence. Both men made doing God's will their prime objective; both achieved success.

God-fearing people are God-loving people

2009-11-15T12:20:00.002+08:00

The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear. (Isaiah 8:13)

On June 6, 1944, five thousand ships departed from England for the Normandy coast and the greatest invasion of World War II.....[One] skipper...lectured his crew on fear, and said, "Fear is a very healthy thing." A third-class yeoman yelled in reply, "Captain, you're looking at the healthiest sailor in the United States Navy."

We tend to associate fear with punishment and danger, but...[actually] perfect fear comes from our sense of awe and wonder as we get glimpses of God. John says, "Perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). Fear, for the Christian, is not so much about punishment as love. God-fearing people are God-loving people.

Look unto Jesus

2009-11-14T12:16:00.000+08:00

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)

Every workman takes pride in a project completed and well-done. I thought of this recently when I visited the site of a new house my friend was building. The foundation had been laid, the walls erected, and the wiring and plumbing installed, but the structure still wasn't a house. It needed the finishers. Without the woodworkers, the cabinetmakers, the carpet layers, and the painters, the building was incomplete.

We as Christians need a "finsiher" too. The sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, which began at conversion, must continue until the One who began the transformation finishes it. And that can happen only by trusting and obeying Jesus.

Teamwork

2009-11-13T13:15:00.002+08:00

Father, keep...those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. (John 17:11)

Mike Barker told me that the obstacle course in Air Force basic training changed his life. On his first attempt, he completed the course far ahead of everyone else, but he was immediately confronted by his drill sergeant, who demanded, "Where are all your buddies?" "Back there, sir," Mike replied. "I won!"

The sergeant barked, "The obstacle course isn't about coming in first! It's about finishing! Everybody finishes or nobody wins. Go back and run it again, and this time help the guys who are struggling along the way!" That began Mike's transformation from a lone competitor obessesd with winning into an encourager whose goal was to build teamwork.

Fear the Lord

2009-11-12T00:01:00.001+08:00

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him. (Psalm 33:18)

William Cowper, though a Christian, had sunk [into] despair. One foggy night he....asked to be taken to the London Bridge.... He intended to commit suicide. After two hours of driving through the mist, Cowper's coachman...confessed he was lost. Disgusted..., Cowper [set out] on foot. After walking a short distance, he discovered he was at his own doorstep.... Recognizing the restraining hand of God and convicted by the Spirit, Cowper realized that the way out of his troubles was to look to God, not to jump into the river. With gratitude he sat down and wrote....: "God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm."

Wisdom + Knowledge

2009-11-11T10:00:00.001+08:00

Now give me wisdom and knowledge. (2 Chronicles 1:10)

When offered one wish, Midas...asked that all he touched might turn to gold. His golden desire granted, Midas realized as soon as he wanted to eat that the gift was a curse, not a blessing. Although he got what he wanted, he didn't want what he got.

King Solomon also was offered one wish, but...he asked for wisdom that he might judge God's people justly. He asked not for his own benefit.

Wise people know how to learn...[and] to talk; they speak the truth in love. They know how to act; they pursue justice to evade evil. They balance their words and actions. They say and do the right things at the riht time for the right reasons.

The handwriting of God

2009-11-10T00:00:00.003+08:00

This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

Blind and deaf from the age of two, Helen Keller was asked by a young boy, "Isn't it the worst thing in the world to be blind?" Smiling, she replied, "Not half so bad as to have two good eyes and see nothing."

Many people with sharp eyesight and acute hearing seem totally unaware of the beautiful sights and...sounds all around them. They never notice the majesty of stately trees, the tranquility of a quiet lake, or the splendor of starry skies. They fail to hear the melodies of singing birds or the gentle rustling of leaves.

Learn to enjoy nature's beauty--it's the handwriting of God.

Music from the Lord

2009-11-09T19:53:00.002+08:00

Make a joyful shout to the Lord...come before His presence with singing. (Psalm 100:1-2)

An old Jewish legend says that after God had created the world, He called the angels to Himself and asked them what they thought of it. One of them said, "The only thing lacking is the sound of praise to the Creator." So God created music, and it was heard in the whisper of the wind and in the song of the birds. He also gave man the gift of song....

Music is one of those good things...we take for granted. Yet it is a blessing from the Lord. It soothes troubled hearts and motivates us to live for Christ. And through it we lift our hearts in praise to the Lord.

The Best Artist

2009-11-08T00:00:00.001+08:00

Create in me a clean heart, O God. (Psalm 51:10)

The walls of one room [in an old Scottish mansion] were covered by sketches made by distinguished artists. The practice began after a pitcher of soda water, spilled accidentally on a freshly decorated wall, left an unsightly stain.... At that time, noted artist, Lord Landseer, was a guest.... One day when the family went to the moors, he stayed behind. With a few masterful strokes of a piece of charcoal, the ugly spot became the outline of a beautiful waterfall, bordered by trees and wildlife. The artist turned a disfigured wall into one of his best depictions of Highland life.

God does more than the artist did with the stain.... God removes the blot of sin entirely.

Trust vs Believe

2009-11-07T00:00:00.002+08:00

Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. (Psalm 16:1)

People touring a [coin] mint...[were told] that if a person were to dip his hand into water and then have someone pour the [molten metal] over [it], he would neither be injured nor feel any pain... [The guide] asked [one couple] if they would like to prove [it]. "No, thank you," the husband quickly said... But his wife responded..., "Sure, I'll give it a try." ... She thrust her hand into a bucket of water and then held it out as the molten metal was poured over it. The hot liquid rolled off harmlessly.... The host turned to the husband..., "Sir, you claimed to believe what I said. But your wife truly trusted."

Envy

2009-11-06T21:42:00.002+08:00

Wrath kills a foolish man, and envy slays a simple one. (Job 5:2)

A painting by the Renaissance artist Glotto...depicted Envy with long ears that could hear every bit of news of another's success. He also gave to Envy the tongue of a serpent to poison the reputation of the one being envied. But if you could look at the painting carefully, you would notice that the tongue coils back and stings the eyes of the figure itself,...destroying itself with its own venomous evil.

If we resent the success and accomplishments of others and...[strike] out at them with damaging words or insidious innuendoes, we have a problem with jealousy. God wants to administer the antidote of love. That alone will keep us from becoming jealousy's victim.

Let the past be past.

2009-11-05T13:53:00.002+08:00

You will forget the shame of your youth. (Isaiah 54:4)

Two men...decided to take a shortcut...through a field where...cattle were grazing...[and then] forgot to shut the gate behind them. A few minutes later one of them...ran back to close the gate. As he did, he remembered the last words of an old friend...[to] his children...: "As you travel down life's pathway, remember to close the gates behind you."... Problems, difficult situations, heartbreaks, and failures were inevitable, but he wanted his children to know that they didn't have to allow those things to follow them through life.

This is especially true for believers. Once we were confessed a sin and have done what we can to right the wrong, we must put the incident behind us.

Main goal

2009-11-04T13:49:00.000+08:00

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

A picture of a rugged wagon train...drawn into a circle for protection...[shows] the men...gathered around the campfire...[arguing] about which way to go next.... The leader, with weary determination, has placed one finger on the end of the black line [showing their route thus far, a zig-zag but always westward]. With his other arm he is pointing toward the shadowy mountains. He seems to be saying, "We may have to go south around a mountain, or north across a river, but our direction will always be west." ...

If we keep our eyes on the goal by "looking unto Jesus," we will not stray from the path [God] has outlined [for us].

Holy

2009-11-03T13:46:00.003+08:00

Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 6:3)

As a holy God, He is:
Perfect in His righteousness--we can fully surrender to His will, bcause we are confident that He will always do with us what is right.
Perfect in His justice--we can know that His judgment will be unquestionably fair.
Perfect in His faithfulness--we can take Him at His Word.
Perfect in His truthfulness--we can depend on Him. He will never let us down.

We can have absolute confidence in our righteous, just, truthful, and faithful God. He is holy.

He knows

2009-11-02T13:36:00.002+08:00

Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (Matthew 6:32)

In Bristol, England, George Muller operated an orphanage for two thousand children. One evening, knowing they had no food for breakfast the next morning, Muller called his workers together and explained the situation. After two or three prayed, Muller said, "That is sufficient. Let us rise and praise God for prayer answered." The next morning they could not push open the great front door.... They went out the back door and around the building. Stacked up against the front door were boxes filled with food. One of the workers later remarked, "We know Who sent the baskets, but we do not know who brought them!"

God often sends His help by way of human hands.

Pride

2009-11-01T13:32:00.000+08:00

For I say...to everyone...not to think of himself more highly than he ought. (Romans 12:3)

A man who had just been elected to...Parliament brought his family to London and was giving them a tour of the city. When they entered Westminster Abbey, his 8-year-old daughter seemed awestruck.... Curious, [the proud father] asked, "And what, my child, are you think about?" She replied, "Daddy, I was just thinking about how big you are in our house, but how small you look here!"

One thing that stands out in the Word of God is that the Lord despises the haughty... If we ask the Holy Spirit to help us see ourselves as we really are, He will enable us to control our foolish pride.

Thanks for everything

2009-10-31T01:59:00.001+08:00

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

The Feast of Weeks in ancient Israel...was a week of joyous celebration and feasting in gratitude for the harvest. Even today, as farmers gather their crops, many give thanks to the Lord for the abundance of their harvest.

But what if untimely and persistent rain keeps the farmer from getting his machines into the fields and harvesting the ripe grain? What if a sudden hailstorm flatterns the corn? Or a summber drought dries up the fields?...

The Jews were instructed to celebrate the Feast of Weeks whether the crops came in or not. Likewise, we are to give thanks to the Lord "in everything."

Superabundance

2009-10-30T21:06:00.003+08:00

In Him we have redemption...according to the riches of His grace. (Ephesians 1:7)

Last year I visited Niagara Falls for the first time and was awed by the sight and sound and overpowering sense of it all. Every minute, about 200,000 tons of water plunge into the Niagara River gorge in a thunderous ovation to the lavish, generous nature of God.

The Lord could have used a lot less water...[or] made the falls lower, but He [didn't].... And because they are what they are from the creative hand of God, people come from all over the world to see Niagara Falls.

What a picture of God's grace,...not...carefully rationed,...[but] a Niagara of superabundance so lavish that we marvel at its display!

The Traveler's Psalm

2009-10-29T12:32:00.001+08:00

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in. (Psalm 121:8)

Scottish people called [Psalm 121] "The Traveler's Psalm." Whenever a family member, a guest, or a friend was leaving on a journey, this psalm was read or...sung at family prayers. When my father left the "old country"...to sail alone to the United States, he was bidden farewell with this psalm.... In World War I, he carried [its] words with him into battle, and then...in a hospital for almost a year.... In verse 1, the psalmist looked beyond the hills to the God who made them. My father lived in the toughest section of New York City [but] held to the assurance that the God of the hills was also the God of the dangerous city streets.

What do you feed your mind with?

2009-10-28T12:24:00.000+08:00

Eat honey because it is good, and the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste. (Proverbs 24:13)

The adsent-minded professor strode into his freshman zoology class with a paper bag in his hand and a twinkle in his eye.... He proudly announced, "I have brought a frog, fresh from the pound, that we might together study its outer appearance and later dissect it." With that he opened the bag and carefully unwrapped the contents. To his complete puzzlement, there was a ham-on-rye sandwich. "That's strange," he said. "I distinctly remember eating my lunch."

Are we careful what our minds feed on. Is [it] pure and true and honoring to God? We must be careful that our lives are not marked by an absent-mindedness that we will someday regret.

The Right Path

2009-10-27T15:03:00.001+08:00

The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright. (Proverbs 11:5)

My daughter was coming home from college...to play the piano at her friend's wedding.... I sent her an e-mail directing her to take an alternate route instead of the one she usually travels...because on that road a few weeks earlier my wife and I had been delayed for two hours by construction crews.

As parents, we must provide alternate routes in life as well. We've observed the wrong highways others have traveled or perhaps the foolish ways we have taken, and we know they lead to delay or danger.... In Christ there is...a route that will lead our children away from the struggles we know they'll face on any other road.

What's your condition?

2009-10-26T12:17:00.003+08:00

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11)

The Navy SEALs...[use a] color-coded system...to indicate levels of combat readiness. Each level has a parallel in spiritual warfare.

Condition White: The soldier is relaxed and daydreaming, unaware of his surroundings. (Christian...easy prey for Satan.) Condition Yellow: The soldier is relaxed physically but alert mentally. (Believer...may sense trouble coming but...not ready to confront it.) Condition Orange: The soldier is physically prepared, mentally alert, and ready to fight. (Believer...has on the full armor of God.) Condition Red: [Again,] the soldier is ready to fight. The difference is experience. (Battle-seasoned Christian knows quickly what to do because of his experience and familiarity with Scripture.)

Surprises.

2009-10-25T12:14:00.002+08:00

God...has begotten us...to an inheritance...reserved in heaven. (1 Peter 1:3-4)

When [political cartoonist] Mike Peters won the Pulitzer..., he wasn't expecting the honor. He...[said], "It is like you are asleep and it is two in the morning and you are hugging your pillow and you are in your funny pajamas and somebody bursts through the door and they come over and start shaking you and they say, 'Wake up, wake up!' And you say, 'What is it?' And they say, 'You have just won the Boston Marathon!' And you say, 'But I'm not running in the Boston Marathon.' And they say, 'Doesn't make any difference, you won.'"...

Heaven too will hold some surprises, [including] honor and glory...for behavior that was so natural, so undistinguished, and so noncompetitive.

Slowly...

2009-10-24T12:08:00.002+08:00

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season. (Psalm 1:3)

People who don't want to wait...for a...Norway maple to grow in their front yard can buy a thirty-foot specimen from a New York nursery for $42,000. A fifty-foot European beech is a "bargain" for only $20,000. In spite of the prices, the country's leading nurseries report soaring sales of mature trees. As one customer put it, "I can't wait for a banana to ripen...[much less] a tree [to] grow."

We humans are always...looking for shortcuts to skirt the process and grasp the product. Sometimes we also expect instant maturity in our Christian walk.... What a contrast to the enormous leisure of God in His dealings with us!

Meditation.

2009-10-23T12:04:00.000+08:00

Your law...is my meditation all the day. (Psalm 119:97)

Meditation on God's Word doesn't have to end when your devotional time is over.... Some people memorize a passage or write it on a card so they can have it available to read when they get a few moments. An engineer uses his coffee breaks to continue his reflection on God's Word. Homemakers attach verses to the refrigerator or bathroom mirror. Truckers put portions of the Bible on their dashboard....

When the Word of God is in our minds from morning to night, we'll be more likely to obey it and far less likely to violate it. That's the value of ongoing meditation.

Nice to know Him.

2009-10-22T12:00:00.000+08:00

No longer do I call you servants...but I have called you friends. (John 15:15)

Rene Lacoste [was] the world's top tennis player in the late 1920s.... His friends called him "Le Crocodile"...for his tenacious play on the court. Lacoste...had a tiny crocodile embroidered on his tennis blazer [and later] added it to a line of shirts he designed.... While thousands of people around the world wore "alligator shirts," the emblem always had a deeper significance for Lacoste's friends, who knew its origin and meaning.

The cross, an emblem of Christianity, holds special meaning for every friend of Christ.... It speaks to us of Christ's tenacious determination to do His Father's will by dying for us on Calvary. What a privilege to know Him.

The happiest moment in life.

2009-10-21T00:37:00.003+08:00

Whoever believes in [Jesus] should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:15)

What a night for the Minnesota Twins baseball team...! They had just defeated the Detroit Tigers and won the American League pennant for the first time in twenty-two years. More than 50,000 people, young and old, crowded into the Metrodome to welcome their victors home from Detroit..... One reporter...called out to Greg Gagne, the Twins' star shortstop, and commented, "This has got to be the greatest moment of your life." Quietly Gagne replied, "Actually, no. That was the moment I asked Jesus Christ into my life."....

Our times of triumph are less than dust compared with the moment we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. It's a decision that changes our destiny forever.

Stronger, better, wider, larger.

2009-10-20T07:38:00.002+08:00

I pray that your love may abound still more and more. (Philippians 1:9)

One day Michelangelo...[examined] the work of his students. As he came to the painting of one of his favorite pupils, he stood and looked at it for a long time. Then,...he suddenly took a brush and wrote one word across the canvas...amplius, meaning "larger." Michelangelo was not rejecting the work, for it...was good as far as it went. But the small size of the canvas had made its design appear cramped. It needed to be expanded.

The Lord may have to write the word amplius across many of our lives.... He wants to increase the dimensions of our spiritual lives, widen our outreach, and strengthen our witness.

Call upon His help

2009-10-19T14:49:00.001+08:00

With us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles. (2 Chronicles 32:8)

Napoleon's massive army was preparing to attack [Feldkirch, Austria on Easter Sunday]... [The citizens had] to decide whether they should try to defend themselves or...surrender.... The pastor,...said, "Friends, we have been counting on our own strength, and apparently that has failed. As this is the day of our Lord's resurrection, let us just ring the bells, have our services as usual, and leave the matter in His hands."... The enemy, hearing the sudden peal, concluded that the Austrian army had arrived during the night to defend the town. Before the service ended, the enemy broke camp and left.

We too [must]....call out to the Lord and depend on His almighty power.

His love is much deeper!

2009-10-18T14:46:00.001+08:00

We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Nansen, the Norwegian explorer, tried to measure an extremely deep part of the Arctic ocean. The first day, he used the longest measuring line but couldn't reach bottom. He wrote in his log book, "The ocean is deeper than that!" The next day, he added more line but still could not measure the depth, and so again...he wrote, "Deeper than that!" After several days of adding more and more pieces of rope and cord to his line,...all he knew was that it was beyond his ability to measure.

So too, we cannot plumb the depths of God's love... Both now and forever,...we may well exclaim, "It's deeper--much deeper than that!"

No restart required

2009-10-17T14:43:00.000+08:00

Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God. (Romans 5:1)

As a kid I played a game called "Aggravation." To win, you had to be the first to get your four mables from start to finish. But if an opponent's marble landed on a space occupied by one of yours, you had to go back to the beginning and start all over....

Some Christians...believe that they advance in their Christian life until they sin, then they have to start all over. Yet if that were true, we could never be secure in our relationship to Christ, for we all sin every day.

When we sin, we don't need to go back and start all over again--just repent and keep on going.

Treasures in heaven

2009-10-16T13:28:00.003+08:00

Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. (Matthew 6:20)

George W. Truett, a well-known pastor,...[had] dinner [with] a very wealthy man.... After the meal, the host led him to a place [with] a good view of the surrounding area. Pointing to the oil wells punctuating the landscape, he boasted, "Twenty-five years ago I had nothing. Now, as far as you can see, it's all mine." Looking...at...sprawling fields of grain, he said, "That's all mine." Turning...toward huge herds of cattle, he bragged, "They're all mine." Then, pointing to...a beautiful forest, he exclaimed, "That too is all mine."

He paused, expecting Dr. Truett to compliment him.... Truett, however, placing one hand on the man's shoulder and pointing heavenward with the other, simply said, "How much do you have in that direction?"

The Best Gift which is free!

2009-10-15T13:00:00.002+08:00

By grace you have been saved through faith...: it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

During the Spanish-American War, Clara Barton was overseeing the work of the Red Cross in Cuba. One day Colonel Theodore Roosevelt came to her, wanting to buy food for his sick and wounded Rough Riders, but she refused to sell him any.

Roosevelt was perplexed.... When he asked someone why he could not buy the supplies, he was told, "Colonel, just ask for it!" A smile broke over Roosevelt's face. Now he understood--the provisions were not for sale. All he had to do was simply ask and they would be given freely.

God's forgiveness is free for the asking. Nothing we can do will ever earn it.

Look at yourself first

2009-10-14T13:57:00.001+08:00

Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? (Luke 6:41)

Late one night...[John] picked up a hitchhiker. As they rode along, he began to be suspicious...[and] checked to see if his wallet was safe in the pocket of his coat...but it wasn't there! He slammed on the brakes, ordered the hitchhiker out, and said, "Hand over the wallet immediately!" The frightened hitchhiker handed over a billfold, and John drove off. When he arrived home, he started to tell his wife, but she interrupted...."Before I forget, John, do you know that you left your wallet at home this morning?"

Let's...not...form our opinions about others until we have all the facts...and have taken an honest look at ourselves.

Afflicted

2009-10-13T00:00:00.002+08:00

It is good for me that I have been afflicted. (Psalm 119:71)

A man who was deep in debt...walked past the door of a wealthy businessman [each day on his way to work.] When the rich man learned of the debtor's plight, he decided to help him. One day as the poor man walked by, the wealthy man threw a heavy bag out the door and unintentionally struck him, slightly injuring him. When he picked up the bag, he heard the clinking of coins. Opening it, he was amazed to find that there was more than enough money to pay off his debt....

Sometimes life's troubles hit us like that heavy bag...but God can bring great gain into our lives through our burdens and trials.

Knocking since 2000+ years ago

2009-10-12T20:52:00.003+08:00

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. (Revelation 3:20)

A Welshman had fallen in love with one of his neighbors and wanted to marry her. But they had quarreled, and she refused to forgive. Shy and reluctant to face the offended woman, the persistant suitor slipped a love letter under her door every week. At last, after forty-two years, he summoned up courage, knocked on her door, and asked her to become his wife. To his surprise and delight, she consented. So they were married at the age of seventy-four!

God is also a persistant lover.... Now, having opened up the way for reconciliation..., He stands at the door of everyone's heart, knocking and asking all to accept Him.

Rest

2009-10-11T20:50:00.001+08:00

Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. (Mark 6:31)

According to tradition,...the apostle [John's] hobby was raising pigeons..... On one occasion another elder passed his house as he returned from hunting and saw John playing with one of his birds. The man gently chided him for spending his time so frivolously. John looked at the hunter's bow and remarked that the string was loose. "Yes," said the elder, "I always loosen the string of my bow when it's not in use. If it stayed tight, it would lose its resilience and fail me in the hunt." John responded, "And I am now relaxing the bow of my mind so that I may be better able to shoot the arrows of divine truth."

Absolute Justice

2009-10-10T20:46:00.000+08:00

Great peace have those who love Your law. (Psalm 119:165)

A philosophy professor [asked] his class, "Do you believe it can be shown that there are absolute values like justice?" The free-thinking students all argued that everything is relative and no single law can be applied universally.... At the end, [the professor] concluded, "Regardless of what you think, I want you to know that absolute values can be demonstrated. And if you don't accept what I say, I'll flunk you!" One angry student got up and insisted, "That's not fair!" "You've just proved my point," replied the professor. "You've appealed to a higher standard of fairness."

Biblical values are not outdated. They are good for any age because they originate with an eternal, unchanging God.

Tune of Spiritual life

2009-10-09T20:43:00.000+08:00

Search me, O God, and know my heart. (Psalm 139:23)

Years ago, a radio station received a letter from a sheepherder who lived on an isolated ranch.... Never before had the station received such an unusal request.... "Will you please strike 'A' on the piano in your studio? I am far from a piano, and the only comfort I have is my fiddle. Just now it is out of tune. Will you strike 'A' so that I can get it in tune again?"....

That is a picture of us when our lives get out of tune with the Savior.... The Spirit through the Word gives us the sure note to which we can tune our lives.

Christian fellowship

2009-10-08T20:39:00.001+08:00

They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship. (Acts 2:42)

In his book Why Christians Sin, J. Kirk Johnston tells about a young Russian woman who, before the collapse of the Iron Curtain, was allowed to visit her relatives in Canada. She was a devout Christian, and her friends assumed that she would defect and seek asylum in Canada or the US because of the religious oppression in the USSR. But they were wrong. She wanted to go back to her homeland.

This Russian woman said that people in the West were too busy acquiring material things and not concerned enough about their relationships. In her homeland, Christian fellowship essential to their faith because it provided the support and encouragement they so desperately needed.

Adoption

2009-10-07T12:25:00.002+08:00

[God] predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself. (Ephesians 1:5)

A Christian woman who had adopted a Jewish daughter...explained that...the Nazis came to her village to round up Jews. She had been shopping near the train station where German soldiers were loading Jews into rail cars....
A soilder [was] pushing a Jewess toward the station and [saw] a little girl toddling behind. He...demanded, "Is she your daughter?" The terrified mother looked straight into the Christian woman's eyes,...and said, "No, the child is hers." From that moment the Christian woman took the Jewish girl as her own daughter.

By grace God has claimed us for His own.... We were once alienated; now by faith adopted!

Support

2009-10-06T18:24:00.003+08:00

Moses' hands became heavy...and Aaron and Hur supported his hands. (Exodus 17:12)

In 1989 paraplegic Mark Wellman climbed the sheer granite face of Yosemite's El Captain. On the last day of his climb, the Fresno Bee ran a picture of Wellman being carried triumphantly on the shoulders of climbing companion Mike Corbett. The caption read, "Paraplegic and partner prove no wall is too high to climb." What the story did not say is that in helping Wellman scale El Captain once, Corbett had to make that difficult, demanding ascent three times!...

Moses'...upheld hands brought God's help in a crucial battle. But don't forget Aaron and Hur. They had to climb the same mountain themselves, and their support of Moses' arm took time, strength, and commitment on their part.

Spiritual checkbook

2009-10-06T18:12:00.002+08:00

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)

Some evening when you have a spare moment, get out your old checkbook registers and read through the entries. You may find it interesting, and perhaps somewhat startling, to discover just how the money you've earned has been spent.

The entries...chronicle every major event...and quite accurately reflect your tastes, habits, and interests.... The total spent in each category will pinpoint the things that make the greatest demands on your income--either because of need or by choice.

Such a checkbook checkup might also show our spiritual temperature. The contributions given to the work of the Lord compared with the expenditures for the unnessary things of life offer some clues.

Sing praises to our God

2009-10-05T18:19:00.002+08:00

It is good to sing praises to our God. (Psalm 147:1)

Musical talent is not one of my gifts. I discovered this at nine...when I was outside one day singing lustily. My mother opened the door and asked, "Is one of the calves sick? I think I just heard one."

[That has] never kept me from praising God in song, however... (making sure, of course, not to stand too close to the microphone). God's great salvation fills me with gratitude, and one way to express my joy is to sing about it. That's why I'm puzzled by people who say they are Christians but admit that they seldom attend church...and find singing hymns and listening to sermons boring.

A heart in tune with God will sing His praise.

The blood of Jesus

2009-10-03T18:06:00.000+08:00

The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

One night...[John Wesley]...was robbed.... As the bandit was leaving, Wesley called out, "Stop! I have something more to give you." The [man] paused. "My friend," said Wesley, "you may live to regrt this sort of life. If you ever do, here's something to remember: 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin!'"...

Years later, Wesley...was approached by a stranger... This visitor, now a believer in Christ and a successful businessman, was the one who had robbed him years before! "I owe it all to you," [he] said.... "Oh no, my friend," Wesley exclaimed, "not to me, but to the precious blood of Christ tha cleanses us from all sin!"

Dedicated to God

2009-10-02T18:03:00.000+08:00

As long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord. (1 Samuel 1:28)

When Hannah dedicated Samuel to God, she meant business. She didn't just take him to the temple for dedication.... She turned him over to Eli to bring him up in God's service.

As I listened to a preacher talk about Hannah's commitment, I began to wonder who gets our children today?... Is it TV and movies? How many hours of instruction [do they provide our children] each day? Is it school? Do we know what is going on in the classroom?....

Is it the Lord? How much time and effort do we spend to make sure our children know that a relationship with the Lord is the basis for security, peace, and contentment?

Up

2009-10-01T10:25:00.002+08:00

He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. (Psalm 18:33)

The bighorn sheep in...Rocky Mountain National Park will often allow visitors to approach them from below and take...photos. But don't try to et above them or the entire herd will run away. [Their] escape route from predators is always upward. On level ground a bobcat or cougar can easily overtake the wild sheep, but scrambling up a boulder-strewn slope, the bighorns will get away every time.

Years ago I heard a speaker say, "No matter what danger you face from trouble or temptation, don't let it get between you and God." As Christians, our escape route is always upward toward the Lord, never downward into sin or self-pity.

He works!

2009-09-30T14:45:00.002+08:00

We know that all things work together for good to those who love God. (Romans 8:28)

A shipwreck...survivor...prayed for God to rescue him, but help didn't come. Eventually he built a hut out of driftwood for protection from the elements. One day he...found his hut in flames, the smoke rising into the sky. Angrily he cried, "God, how could You do this to me?" The next morning he was awakened by rescuers. "How did you know I was here?" he asked. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

The next time it seems as if your last hope has gone up in smoke, remember what "we know" to be true. When God says that all things work together for good to those who love Him, He means all things!

Nothing lasts forever but God

2009-09-29T14:42:00.001+08:00

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)

You don't have to live very long in this world before it becomes painfully clear that nothing lasts forever. The car you were so proud of...is spending too much time in the shop getting fixed. Those clothes...are now in the hand-me-down box.... The roof eventually leaks, the appliances break down, the carpet needs to be replaced.

Nothing lasts forever-nothing but God's mercy, that is... Think of what this means. When we sin and need forgiveness,...when our lives seem a jumbled mess that we can't control,...whenever life seems overwhelming, we can still praise the Lord, as the psalmist did--for God's mercy is always new and fresh.

You can't put God away...

2009-09-28T14:37:00.002+08:00

I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have give me life. (Psalm 119:93)

Bible reading and the teaching of Christian values are no longer permitted in many school systems in the Western world. This is not the case in Eastern Europe, however. Speaking at the American Christian Educators convention in November 1992, a Russian delegate said, "Seventy years ago we closed God out of our country, and it has caused so many problems in our society that we cannot count them. We must put God back into our country, and we must begin with our children."...

Getting the Bible back into our individual lives is the first step in getting it back into our classrooms and into society.

Obeying Him naturally

2009-09-27T06:00:00.000+08:00

Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1)

A man...retired after many years in the British Army. One day...as the old soldier walked down the street with his arms full of packages, [a prankster] sneaked up behind him and shouted, "Attention!" Without hesitation, the military man dropped his arms to his side, and every package went tumbling to the sidewalk. Without a conscious thought, [he] was doing what comes naturally for a soldier.

Similarly, as believers in Christ, we should respond in a manner that corresponds with our new life.... Let us develop the habit of submitting to God's Word. Then, in every situation of life we will increasingly find that obeying Him is "doing what comes naturally."

The Mirror of Truth

2009-09-26T06:00:00.002+08:00

We..., beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

An African tribal chief...was presented with a mirror by a visitor. He peered curiously into the glass and commented on the ugliness of the person he saw. When he realized he was looking at himself, he became enraged and smashed the mirror on a rock....

God's Word [is] a mirror in which we can see ourselves reflected.... In our fallen condition we are spiritually ugly.... But when we are spiritually reborn...[and] look into God's Word, we see ourselves as God sees us--our ugliness...transformed into the beauty of Christ's likeness. And we grow in His likeness from that point on.

Speed is not the essence

2009-09-25T06:00:00.001+08:00

The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. (Ecclesiastes 9:11)

The newspaper headline read, "Jockey Beats Horse Over Finish Line." The jockey beat the pack by twenty lengths and his horse by one length when he was catapulted out of the saddle and over the finish line. His horse, who had tripped, followed soon after. But the victory went to the second-place finisher..... A race official said that the jockey "was so far in front that only a freak accident would stop him,...and that's what happened."

Life is filled with [the] unpredictable.... Man is not the master of his destiny, as he so often thinks he is. [We need] to depend on the Lord who alone knows the end from the beginning.

Teach them to live for Christ.

2009-09-24T00:07:00.003+08:00

Bring [your children] up in the training and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

In years past, an apprenticeship...began while the learner was still [quite] young. He moved right in with his teacher and...was with the master [tradesman] twenty-four hours a day, watching his every move and following his harsh instruction. He learned the skill, but he learned much more than a profession. He [learned] a whole way of life.

This total-life concept is built into the word translated "training" in Ephesians 6:4. It means much more than teaching the Bible and Christian belief, though those are involved. The expectation is that though word and personal example parents will nurture their children and teach them what it means to live for Christ in a practical, daily sense.

Every drop counts.

2009-09-23T00:01:00.002+08:00

He who does these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15:5)

Hong Kong was blanketed with posters showing a single drop of water splashing into a pool. Each poster bore the words Hong Kong Against Corruption. The message was clear--integrity or dishonesty permeates a city one person at a time.

It's easy to compromise in little things because they seem to make no difference.... We think, "Why shouldn't I alter the truth, pad my expense reports, or use my employer's time for personal projects when everyone else is doing it? I'm just one drop in the bucket!" Exactly....

What would it mean to our families, our neighborhoods, our cities if you and I lived with integrity according to God's guidelines?... Every drop counts.

God is anywhere.

2009-09-22T23:58:00.001+08:00

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him. (Psalm 145:18)

When I was 7 years old, my grandfather was caretaker of a wooded estate. One fall evening I took my toy gun, called for my dog Pal, and headed...bravely into the woods. Soon, though, it began to get dark and I panicked. "Granpa!" I shouted. "I'm right here," he said calmly, only a few yards away. He had seen me go into the woods and had followed me to make sure I was okay. Talk about being relieved!

As followers of Christ, we sometimes venture into unfamiliar territory. We try new things [or]...take on responsibilities...that are bigger than we've ever attempted before. It can get pretty scary. But wherever we go, God is there.

The Tree of Life

2009-09-21T21:27:00.002+08:00

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. (Proverbs 15:4)

A newspaper obituary caught my eye...: " Services for affable fix-it man are today." ...The article [was about an]...appliance repairman who was known for his integrity, character, and unquenchable happiness. The president of the [man's employer] said, "Half of his job was to go to people's houses and fix the appliances, and the other half was to fix the people. We had a lot of people with problems who requested him by name. He was very jovial, very friendly, and always had a kind word."

No matter what our job, perhaps the most important work we do is helping and encouraging people, especially by what we say.

The Best and Greatest Achievement ever...

2009-09-20T21:08:00.003+08:00

The Word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8)

Secrecy, lawsuits, and technological advances are part of a news item some have called "the greatest achievement of the past 1,000 years." This isn't a recent story of spy satellites or computer programs. It's the story behind Johannes Gutenberg's first-ever printing press--in 1455!

Gutenberg had tried to keep his invention top secret until it was completed, but a lawsuit by heirs of one of his investors revealed what he was working on....

When Gutenberg finished his press, the first book he printed was the Bible.... Why?... And why are millions still printed every year? It's simple--the Bible is a supernatural book, the written revelation of God to man. God inspired it and preserves it.

Our Life leader.

2009-09-19T20:53:00.003+08:00

Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:10)

My wife and I love to travel roads we've never been on before. Last fall we drove down a country road in northern Wisconsin. The autumn colors were near their peak, and every turn brought us a thrilling new sight....

One of the many exciting aspects of walking with Christ is that we don't know what's going to happen next. At times we may be uncomfortable with the twists and turns, but God reserves the right to lead us wherever He wants... We can trust Him with our lives in this great adventure called life.

2009-09-18T20:23:00.002+08:00

What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? (Mark 8:36)

When the...Titanic sank..., it was rumored to have gone down with a fortune in jewels and gold. That...myth was dispelled, however, by the discovery of the ship's manifest, which showed that the ship was carrying raw feathers, linen, straw, hatter's fur, tissue, auto parts, leather, rabbit hair, elastics, hair nets, and refrigerating equipment.

There is another persistent rumor about riches--that a wealthy person should be honored and valued, even though he may be ungodly.... David, the author of Psalm 37, [cautions us] not to be envious of the rich and prosperous.... They have no lasting treasures. Instead, wait with patience for your eternal reward.

Blind to the truths.

2009-09-17T20:16:00.002+08:00

The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

A visitor [to Switzerland]...observed: "Some guidebooks name the time when rainbows may be seen on many of the waterfalls.... One day...I went to the famous Staubbach Falls and watched and waited...[but] went away quite disappointed. The next day...[a friend] said he would show [me] how to find the rainbow. I went again and saw a lovely one, and stood almost in the center of it. Then I found that...a rainbow...could be seen and enjoyed only at a certain point."...

In the spiritual realm,...a person who...is "in Christ"...can see Jesus as He really is.... But those who [are not] remain blind to eternal truths.

Our Bridge to the Father

2009-09-16T17:18:00.002+08:00

I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him. (2 Timothy 1:12)

A tightrope walker inched his way across Niagara Falls. The crowd cheered when he accomplished the feat. Then he turned to a man and said, "Do you think I could carry someone across?" "Sure," the man replied. "Let's go then!" "No, thanks!" the man exclaimed. Then the tightrope walker asked another man, "What about you? Will you trust me?" "Yes, I will," he said...[and] climbed onto his shoulders... With the water roaring below, they reached the other side....

Christ is the bridge over the chasm of sin. We must repent and trust Him with our lives.

Good testimony for God.

2009-09-15T00:30:00.002+08:00

You shall be witnesses to Me...to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

Missionary Keith Gustafson was found to leave the Congo [by] the civil war that erupted in 1997. He reported that, as the fighting spread, people in [his] remote area...knew that soldiers were approaching because of [drum messages]...that warned of danger. The drums...are also used to alert the tribes when there's been a death,...a birth or to call a meeting. They serve as a general news alert; a messenger follows up with additional information.

We have the opportunity to deliver a news alert to the people with whom we come in contact every day. Our manner of speech and our moral standards can help prepare the way to share the gospel.

He knows it all.

2009-09-14T00:27:00.002+08:00

Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (Matthew 6:32)

I [was] talking with a man who farmed nearby. "Sure need rain," he said. "Don't know what we're gonna do if it doesn't rain."... Then he paused and said, "You know, I've been farming around here for 41 years and it's always the same--either too wet or too dry. I don't know why I bother to talk about it in the first place!"

We laughed together and I went on my way, pondering what he had said.... God would be pleased to have us trade worry for trust and say, "Thank You, kind heavenly Father. You already know what I need. So I'll trust You to take care of me."

Our Refuge

2009-09-13T00:23:00.001+08:00

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27)

Etty Hillesum was a young Jewish woman living in Amsterdam in 1942.... The Nazis were...herding [Jews] off to concentration camps. As she awaited inevitable arrest, and with a fear of the unknown, she begin to read the Bible--and met Jesus. She simply put her hand in God's hand and found rare courage and confidence.

Etty wrote in her diary: "Soon the ring will be closed and no one at all will be able to come to our aid. But I don't feel that I am in anybody's clutches. I feel safe in God's arms...whether I am sitting at my beloved old desk...or in a labor camp under SS guards."

Actions speak louder than word.

2009-09-12T00:15:00.002+08:00

Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:18)

A young woman...encounted another woman hobbling down a mountain trail. On one foot she wore an improvised shoe made of green twigs wrapped with a strip of cloth. "Lost one boot crossing a stream," she explained. "Hope I can get down the mountain before dark." The first hiker reached into her own pack and took out a sport sandal. "Wear this," she said. "You can mail it to me when you get home."...

A few days later the scandal arrived in the mail with a note saying: "I passed several people who noticed my predicament, but you're the only one who offered any help. It made all the difference."

Me and all this people

2009-09-11T00:10:00.001+08:00

Go over this Jordan, you and all this people. (Joshua 1:2)

Modern society emphasizes efficiency and convenience but minimizes interaction among people. For example, a person using the phone may hear recorded message: "For account information, press 1," At the tone, leave a message." "For flight information, press 2."

Although we may think life would be easier if we didn't have to deal with troublesome, time-consuming relationships, God calls us to operate from a different perspective. As followers of Christ, we are to remain in the people business....

[If I were Joshua,] I might have questioned the Lord, "This group has a terrible track record. Wouldn't it be easier to leave the complainers and second-guessers behind?" .... But the Lord had said, "You and all this people."

Keep your eyes on Him

2009-09-10T00:02:00.002+08:00

Let your eyes look straight ahead. (Proverbs 4:25)

I had always heard that if a farmer keeps his eyes on a distant object while he's powing, he'll make a straight furrow. I tested the principle when I mowed my lawn. Sure enough, my first cut was a straight swath....

Surely the principle should also be true of life--especially if the object on which you fix your gaze is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

According to Proverbs, the wise person can walk the straight path and not be diverted. In fact, the whole book of Proverbs is about following a straight path. But the Bible doesn't just advise, "Be wise!" It introduces us to Jesus Christ. The truly important question is our relationship to Him.

Be content anytime, anywhere.

2009-09-09T23:57:00.002+08:00

I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. (Philippians 4:11)

During World War II, [Austrain psychiatrist] Dr. [Viktor] Frankl was imprisoned at Auschwitz, where he was...forced to work as a common laborer. His father, mother, brother, and wife died in the concentration camps. All his notes, which represented his life's work, were destroyed. Yet Frankl emerged from Auschwitz believing that "everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms--to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances."

We may not be able to choose our circumstances, but we can choose our attitude toward them. Whatever our circumstances may be, we can draw on the power of Christ for the strength to face them.

The Workers

2009-09-08T23:41:00.000+08:00

The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. (1 Corinthians 12:7)

A well-known coach was once asked, "How much does college football contribute to the national physical-fitness picture?" "Nothing," the coach replied abruptly. "Why not?" the startled interviewer asked. "Well," said the coach, "the way I see it, you have twenty-two men down on the field desperately needing a rest and 40,000 people in the stands desperately needing some exercise."

A similar situation exists in many churches.... When you compare the members who merely attend with those who actively participate, you often find...a small group of diligent Christian workers struggling "down on the field" while others in the congregation act like spectators.

Tell Him your trouble.

2009-09-07T23:35:00.000+08:00

In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

An old farmer...plowed around a large rock in his field year after year. He had broken one cultivator and two plowshares by hitting it. Each time he saw that obstacle, he grumbled about how much trouble the rock had caused. One day he decided to dig it up and be done with it.... He found to his surprise that the rock was less than a foot thick.... He smiled to think how that "big" old rock had caused him so much needless frustration.

Not every trouble can be removed as easily as that stone. But prayer is an effective way to handle difficulties of all sizes.

Working in the background.

2009-09-06T23:12:00.000+08:00

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! (Romans 11:33)

While learning to use a new computer, I was troubled by a faint clicking sonud that indicated it was working even though nothing was happening on the screen. The manufacturer's representative on the help hotline said, "No problem. The computer is probably running an application you can't see and is working in the background."

As I thought about the phrase "working in the background," I begin to realize how visually oriented I am in my relationship with God. If I can't see something, I assume it's not happening. But...even though it may appear that nothing is happening, God is at work--behind the scenes, in the background, accomplishing His purpose.

Mark Your Word

2009-09-05T22:52:00.000+08:00

Let your "Yes" be "Yes", and your "No", "No." (Matthew 5:37)

The Duke of Burgundy was presiding over the Cabinet Council of France. A proposal was made that would violate an existing treaty but would secure important advantages for the country. Many "good" reasons were offered to justify this action. The Duke listened in silence. When all had spoken, he closed the conference without giving approval. Placing his hand on a copy of the original agreement, he said with firmness in his voice, "Gentlemen, we have a treaty!"

It's a strong temptation these days to abandon our word in favor of personal advantage or financial gain. As believers in Christ, however, our responsibility is to remain true to our word so that our Lord is glorified.

He meant it good.

2009-09-04T22:48:00.000+08:00

You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good. (Genesis 50:20)

Charles M. Sheldon wrote [In His Steps] in 1896, and it was first published by a religious weekly magazine. The magazine's publisher failed to meet copyright regulations, so Sheldon lost legal ownership of the book. Scores of publishers then sold million of copies, and the author couldn't claim any royalties. Forty years after Charles Sheldon "lost" his book, he said, "I am very thankful that, owing to the defective copyright, the book has had a larger reading on account of the great number of publishers."

Joseph too experienced losses.... Yet he did not blame anyone. Instead he recognized that God had orchestrated the events of his life for the eventual good of others.

The right direction

2009-09-03T22:43:00.000+08:00

Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 16:25)

A man who habitually slept [late]...awoke one day even later than usual... He bolted out of bed, threw on some clothes, splashed cold water on his face, quickly combed his hair, gulped down a glass of milk, grabbed his briefcase, gave his wife a kiss as he ran out the door, and raced to catch the bus.... Dropping a coin in the meter, he lurched down the aisle toward a seat. Suddenly he looked around and breathlessly blurted out, "Where's this bus going anyway?"

This story reminds me of many people today. Taken up with the rush of everyday activities, they neglect to make sure they're headed in the right direction.

Bear His name

2009-09-02T23:23:00.000+08:00

I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother. (2 Timothy 1:5)

When a team of Christians visited Stavropol, Russia,...to hand out Bibles, a local citizen said he recalled seeing Bibles in an old warehouse,...confiscated in the 1930s, when Stalin was sending believers to the gulags. Amazingly, the Bibles were still there.

Among those who showed up to [help] was a young agnostic...just wanting...a day's wage. But soon he slipped away from the job to steal a Bible. A team member...found him sitting in a corner weeping. Out of the hundreds of Bibles, he had picked up one that bore the handwritten signature of his own grandmother....

Better than having children beat your name is to have them bear Christ's name.

He brought us with His life!

2009-09-01T13:17:00.000+08:00

You were...redeemed...with the precious blood of Christ. (1 Peter 1:18,19)

All America waited anxiously. Many of us prayed. Captain Scott O'Graddy's F-16 had been shot down...[in] Serbia.... Five days passed. On the sixth day another pilot picked up a faint message from O'Graddy's radio. He was alive, managing somehow to hide from hostile soldiers. Immediately all the resources needed...were set in motion. O'Graddy was snatched up to safety by a helicopter--and the US rejoiced. Newsweek magazine reported that the weapons and machinery used for the rescue...were valued at $6 billion.....

We could never calculate the price God paid to rescue us.... If all the stars in all the galaxies were changed into platinum, that incalculable sum could not begin to purchase our salvation!

He who have came

2009-08-31T00:28:00.003+08:00

We...declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father...was manifested to us. (1 John 1:2)

When Apollo 11 neared the moon in July 1969, the editors of the New York Times...asked Pulitzer Prize-winner Archibald MacLeish to write a poem. The day after Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin Jr. walked on the moon, the front page contained these words: You were a wonder to us...a light beyond our light, our lives--perhaps a meaning to us...our hands have touched you in your depth of night....

The apostle John wrote...about an even more significant historical event--the visit of God's Son to this planet! He wrote, "That which was from the begining,...which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled" (1 John 1:1,3).

Go Home

2009-08-30T12:08:00.000+08:00

We are...pleased rather to be adsent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8)

Musicians hired to play for the Duke of Austria's summer festivities were ready to go home...but the Duke kept them there.

Franz Joseph Haydn was sympathetic and composed a unique symphony that began with full orchestra. As[it] progressed, fewer instruments were included... As their parts were finished, the musicians...walked off the stage. By the end...only two musicians remained...playing a beautiful duet. The Duke got the point..... To this day Haydn's Symphony No. 45 is known as "The Farewell Symphony."

God's people are part of another farewell symphony. One by one, God is calling His people home. And one day soon the trumpet of GOd will sound for all who believe.

It is finished

2009-08-29T23:45:00.000+08:00

Jesus...said, "It is finished!" (John 19:30)

Outside Madrid stands an ancient monastery where the kings of Spain have been buried. The architect designed an elongated arch so flat that the reigning monarch insisted it could not hold the structure above it.

Against the architect's protest, the king ordered that acolumn be placed underneath the arch as a safety precaution. After the king died, the architect revealed that he had deliberately made the column a quarter of an inch too short--and the arch had never sagged!

Nothing need be, or can be, added to the finished wokr of Christ on Calvary to sustain the weight of the world's salvation. With utter assurance, then, we can rest our eternal hope on that one all-important word, finished!

Signs of God

2009-08-28T23:21:00.000+08:00

Fulfill my joy by being like-minded....being of one accord. (Philippians 2:2)

Long lines of cars were filling up the huge parking lot of a church where I was attending a conference. As I parked, I noticed the word Love on a light post.... In another area, I saw the word Faithfulness. The next day I saw Patience on another sign. Like numbers in a mall parking lot, these words help people find their cars.

No doubt these signs served another purpose. After each session, some people were in a hurry to get home--even cutting others off to get out of the lot. Patience wore thin and tempers flared. How appropriate those signs are!... It's amazing how quickly the love we have for our brothers and sisters in Christ can disappear in a parking lot!

Wisdom > Knowledge

2009-08-27T23:12:00.000+08:00

The Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come wisdom and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6)

An investment company's full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal began with these words: "Information is everywhere. Insight is all too rare. For insight goes beyond information to discern underlying truths."

Today, we are long on information and short on insight. Television offers scores of channels. Encyclopedias and world atlases are on compact disks. Online datebases give us the temperature in Hong Kong and the baseball score in Birmingham. We're wired and tired from trying to grasp the meaning of all we know.

Years ago, a friend encouraged me to read a chapter from Proverbs each day.... "You can get knowledge in college," my friend said, "but wisdom comes from God."

Guide the way.

2009-08-26T23:02:00.000+08:00

The father shall made known Your truth to the children. (Isaiah 38:19)

It's time...again for school to start. But there's more to getting the children ready than filling their backpack and getting them to the bus on time. They must also be prepared spiritually. Before they hit the books, they need to know that the most important things they will ever learn come from the Book: the Bible....

There are many ways this can be done. One family takes time before school to have Bible reading. While Dad and the kids eat, Mom reads a chapter as they work through the whole Bible.... Some parents use the night before to share scripture truths.... If children are to find their way to God, someone must point the way.

Made by Him

2009-08-25T22:51:00.000+08:00

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

Biphysicist Harold J.Morowitz...[estimated] what it would cost to make a human body. Taking into consideration the proteins, enzymes, RNA, DNA, amino acids, and other complex biochemicals that make up the stuff of life, Dr.Morowitz states, "Fashioning this chemical shopping list into human cells might cost six quadrillion dollars. Assembling the resulting heap of cells into tissue, the tissue into organs, and the organs into a warm body might drain all the treasuries of the world, with no guarantee of success."

We are astounded at the wisdom and creative power of the Lord who made us. But...God has also given each of us an eternal soul that is worth more than the whole world!

Read His Book first

2009-08-24T22:45:00.000+08:00

Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors. (Psalm 119:24)

Several years ago, these words appeared on the cover of the Grand Rapids telephone directory: "Look in the book first." It was a reminder to check its pages for numbers before calling the operator....

Before we meet any challenge or seek the Lord's blessing on our lives, we should look fisrt in His Book for His direction and guidance.... O.T Gifford [suggested], "If you're getting lazy, read James. If your faith is below par, read Paul. If you're impatient, consider the book of Job. If you're a little strong-headed, go and see Moses. If you're weak-kneed, have a look at Elijah. If there is no song in your heart, listen to David."

Kind is the essence.

2009-08-23T22:41:00.000+08:00

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. (Ephesians 4:32)

Avaluable tool was missing from [a young worker's] toolbox. Later he recognized it in the toolbox of a fellow employee. The young man was the only Christian in the shop and wanted to have a good testimony for Christ. So he said, "I see you have one of my tools, but you may keep it if you need it." Then he put the incident out of his mind.

During the next two weeks, the person who had taken the tool trid to soothe his conscience...[by offering] something of equal value, [then] help on some home projects. Finally he slipped some money into his coat pocket. Eventually, [they] became good friends, and the one-time tool thief admitted he couldn't resist the man's kindness.

The Clothes of God

2009-08-22T22:38:00.000+08:00

Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering. (Colossians 3:12)

Ken Robinson, who is not a pastor, at one times served as a police officer. He said people treated him differently when he was in uniform than when he was off duty..... Something about the badge gained him instant respect and authority. He was often addressed as "Sir." When he told people something, they believed him. And when he gave an order, they were quick to obey. Robinson concluded, "I guess the clothes made the differenc. And in uniform, I acted with more confidence."

Paul told followers of Christ to put on a new uniform..... In place of anger, wrath, slander, dirty language, and lies, we are to put on mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love.

We, the citizen of Jehovah.

2009-08-21T21:43:00.000+08:00

Our citizenship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:20)

One of the terms used often during the 1992 Summer Olympics was dual citizenship. One athlete with dual citizenship was Martin Zubero. Born in the United States, where he was lived nearly all of his life...he was swimming under the colors of Spain. Why? His father is a citizen of Spain and so Martin is too. At the Olympics, he chose to represent his father's nation, to whichhe felt greater allegiance.

Christians too have dual citizenship. We are citizens of this world, and citizens of heaven. We have all the rights and privileges that accompany being a child of God. He is not only our heavenly Father but our King, and our first loyalty must be to His kingdom.

All we need.

2009-08-20T23:49:00.000+08:00

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (3 John 4)

Joni Tada...wrote, "At four, I was too young to have my own house...so when we went...riding, I sat behind my father.... I'd hang on to the back of his belt and away we'd go. I'd bounce up and down in the saddle, sliding this way and that, but as long as I had a strong hold on that belt, I knew I was safe."

God's truth is like that belt. It's strong and reassuring, and we can hold on to it amid the turns and bumps of life. He is our all-loving, all-powerful God, and He does not change. He will give us all the help we need.

Gentle is the best

2009-08-19T23:52:00.000+08:00

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

President Harry Truman appointed Newbold Morris to...keep a close check on crime and mismanagement in goverment affairs. On one question, however, Morris was called before a Senate subcommittee to answer questions about the sale of some ships by his own company.... The interrogation became intense and emotions ran high.

Then Morris remembered a note his wife had given him that morning. Sensing the need to calm everyone down, he called out..., "Wait a minute. I have a note here from my wife." Pulling it out of his pocket, he read..., "Keep your shirt on." There was a burst of laughter and the tension was eased.

The BEST security we could ever have--God

2009-08-18T12:47:00.000+08:00

The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in...forevermore. (Psalm 121:8)

One of my friends who had looked forward to receiving a substantial monthly benefit at retirement is now without a job. The company he worked for went bankrupt. Moreover, the retirement funds no longer exist. Suddenly the future for him and his wife is far less secure than he thought.

Another friend, a man with financial security who had anticipated a decade of more of happy reitirement, is terminally ill. The good years he was anticipating are not going to become a reality.

As I reflect upon these two people, I realize that in this world we have no absolute security about either our finances or our health. Our only complete security is in God.

2009-08-17T13:05:00.000+08:00

[God] comforts us..., that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

A mother who lost her son asked...[a] philosopher how to overcome her deep grief. "I can help you, but you must first bring me some mustard seed....[from] a home where there has never been any loss or sorrow.".....

The woman started her search, but in every home she visited was someone who had known some heartbreaking loss. Returning..., she exclaimed, "How selfish I have been! Sorrow is common to all."

"Ah," said the philosopher, "you have learned a valuable lesson. Because you know sorrow, you can sympathize with others and comfort them. And when you do, your own sorrow will be lessened."

2009-08-16T13:01:00.000+08:00

Remember that Jesus Christ...was raised from the dead. (2 Timothy 2:8)

Franciszek Gajowniczek was...in Auschwitz when a fellow inmate escaped.... Standard discipline...was to select 10 men....to starve to death. When Gajowniczek heard his name read, he sobbed, "My wife and my children."... A Franciscan priest and fellow inmate named Kolbe stepped forward and said, "I will die in his place. I have no wife or children."... Since that time Gajowniczek has gone back every year to...[honor] the man who died for him..... And in his yard he has placed a plaque...to remind others of his great sacrifice....

Paul [reminded] his young paster friend Timothy...that the Savior's death and resurrection provided hope, confidence, and the prospect of glory...[and] told him to remind others of these wonderful truths.

2009-08-15T12:57:00.000+08:00

We know...we shall be like Him. (1 John 3:2)

Another day. Another strip of wallpaper goes up. Another wall gets painted.... That's the way it's been around our house for the past year or so as we've tackled a major remodeling project.... It can be a frustrating experience. But once in a while we can visualize the finished product... [and] we have hope....

Hope. Completion. Those two words are even more meaningful to Christians. Our lives always seem to be in a state of remodeling. We are often frustrated.... But...we as believers can keep going because we have the sure hope that someday we will be like the Lord Jesus.

The power of prayers.

2009-08-14T12:52:00.000+08:00

By prayer and supplication...let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

A man [prepared] to open the first tavern in...town. The members of a local church were strongly opposed [and] began to pray that God would intervene. A few days before the tavern [opened], lighting hit the structure and it burned to the ground. The people of the church were surprised but pleased--until...the would-be tavern owner [sued] them. He contended that their prayers were responsible for the burning of the building. They denied the charge... At the [first] hearing, the judge wryly remarked, "At this point I don't know what my decision will be, but it seems that the tavern owner believes in the power of prayer and these church people don't."