Looking for the Messiah (part 1)

by Max Lucado

SUPPOSE JESUS CAME to your church. I don’t mean symbolically. I mean visibly. Physically. Actually. Suppose he came to your church.

Would you recognize him? It might be difficult. Jesus didn’t wear religious clothes in his day. Doubtful that he would wear them in ours. If he came today to your church, he’d wear regular clothes. Nothing fancy, just a jacket and shoes and a tie. Maybe a tie … maybe not.

He would have a common name. “Jesus” was common. I suppose he might go by Joe or Bob or Terry or Elliot.

Elliot … I like that. Suppose Elliot, the Son of God, came to your church.Of course, he wouldn’t be from Nazareth or Israel. He’d hail from some small spot down the road like Hollow Point or Chester City or Mt. Pleasant.

And he’d be a laborer. He was a carpenter in his day. No reason to think he’d change, but let’s say he did. Let’s say that this time around he was a plumber. Elliot, the plumber from Mt. Pleasant.

God, a plumber?

Rumor has it that he fed a football field full of people near the lake. Others say he healed a senator’s son from Biloxi. Some say he’s the Son of God. Others say he’s the joke of the year. You don’t know what to think.

And then, one Sunday, he shows up.

About midway through the service he appears in the back of the auditorium and takes a seat. After a few songs he moves closer to the front. After yet another song he steps up on the platform and announces, “You are singing about me. I am the Son of God.” He holds a Communion tray. “This bread is my body. This wine is my blood. When you celebrate this, you celebrate me!”

What would you think?

Would you be offended? The audacity of it all. How irreverent, a guy named Elliot as the Son of God!

Would you be interested? Wait a minute, how could he be the Son of God? He never went to seminary, never studied at a college. But there is something about him …

Would you believe? I can’t deny it’s crazy. But I can’t deny what he has done.

It’s easy to criticize contemporaries of Jesus for not believing in him. But when you realize how he came, you can understand their skepticism.

Jesus didn’t fit their concept of a Messiah. Wrong background. Wrong pedigree. Wrong hometown. No Messiah would come from Nazareth. Small, hick, one-stoplight town. He didn’t fit the Jews’ notion of a Messiah, and so, rather than change their notion, they dismissed him.
He came as one of them. He was Jesus from Nazareth. Elliot from Mt. Pleasant. He fed the masses with calloused hands. He raised the dead wearing bib overalls and a John Deere Tractor cap.

They expected lights and kings and chariots from heaven. What they got was sandals and sermons and a Galilean accent.

And so, some missed him.

And so, some miss him still.

From A Gentle Thunder Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1987) Max Lucado

A Renewed Mind

by Charles R. Swindoll

Those people should realize that our actions when we arrive in person will be as forceful as what we say in our letters from far away. Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!
2 Corinthians 10:11-12

No hypocrisy, no competition. Wouldn't that be refreshing to live such a life? It all comes to those with a "renewed mind" . . . those who determine they are going to allow the Spirit of God to invade all those walls and towers, capturing the guards that have kept Him at arm's length all these years.

I can't recall the precise date when these truths began to fall into place, but I distinctly remember how I began to change deep within. My fierce tendency to compete with others started to diminish. My insecure need to win—always win—also started to fade. Less and less was I interested in comparing myself with other speakers and pastors. This growing, healthy independence freed me to be me, not a mixture of what I thought others expected me to be.

And now my heart really goes out to others when I see in them that misery-making "comparison syndrome" that held me in its grip for so many years. Not until you start thinking biblically will this independent identity begin to take shape.

It is when God is in control of the servant mind that we can realize as never before that life's greatest joy is to give His love away to those poor souls who are still stuck in the rut of comparative living.

The more you give, the more you'll get!

Excerpted from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll, Copyright © 2000 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers). All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

God Gives Us a Desire for Our Work

You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands Job 14:15 (NKJV)

Did you know that God has already pre-wired you for the work He created you to do? We all have things inside of us that excite us when we think about it. God is the source of this passion. However, our career path may require many stepping stones before we reach the work that we were ultimately created for. The psalmist says "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (Ps 139:16).

When the ark of the covenant was to be designed to contain the sacred ten commandments, God prepared a man to perform the important work. "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts -- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship'" (Ex 31:1-6).

We do not know much about Bezalel, but you can be sure he had many jobs leading up to this most important assignment. He was also the first man mentioned in all of scripture to be "filled with the spirit of God."

When your work is empowered by the Spirit of God you will be hand-picked for some of the most important assignments. He says the skilled worker will even serve before kings (Prov. 22:9). God will see to it that your skills will be used for His ultimate purposes. This is the call of God for each of us -- to be fulfilled in our work and to use our work to fulfill His purposes on the earth.

He seals the hand of every man, that all men may know His work Job 37:7 (NKJV).

by Os Hillman at www.marketplaceleaders.org.

The End of Every Man

Ecclesiastes 7:2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart.

As this verse in Ecclesiastes reminds us, knowing that we will die someday should affect how we live today.

Unfortunately, many people never seem to understand what's important in life until they are faced with the end of it. A few years ago I received a letter illustrating this truth:

Frank was a wonderful man, but he was also stern and stoic; he taught his three boys to be strong, tough, no more tears, no more hugs and only manly handshakes at bedtimes. He liked things done his way. He was not a good listener.

Frank [developed] an incurable form of cancer that spread from his legs to his lungs, spleen and various parts of his body. He was 43 years old. Within days of learning he had cancer, he gave his life to Jesus. Frank began to trust in Jesus Christ and go to Him for strength and courage.

Hugging and loving his sons became a daily absolute in their lives. He shared from his heart with the boys, cried with them, told them how proud he was of them and how very much he loved them. He became the listening, loving husband every wife dreams of.

His last four months here on earth were filled with laughter and good times with his family. Even though the cancer was taking over his body, God gave him a quality life to the end. Frank prepared his family for his death and for the task ahead of them, so that they, too, would one day reach the goal and stand before the Throne.

Frank was fortunate to learn his true priorities while he still had a chance. I can't help but think of Senator Paul Tsongas, who said after his third bout with cancer: "I think of all the fathers who have young children and play golf all day Saturday and Sunday. They've never had cancer. I think of the husbands who never voice their affections for their wives. They've never had cancer."

Prayer: That God would give you the ability to live by those priorities.

Discuss: What would you do if you learned you had only one year to live?

Proof

2 Thes. 2:13: But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth (NIV).

We do not always know how faithful we are until we are tested. Trials have a way of exposing those areas where we are trusting in ourselves instead of relying on God. Paul encouraged these believers by showing them the value of God's sanctifying work in their lives.

The purpose in sanctification isn't to reveal a person's heart to God. He already knows! Rather, it is to reveal the heart to the person himself. This can be painful at times as we are confronted with the depths of our sin and challenged to mature spiritually

Pray for God to expose the "logs" in your eyes and the strength to embrace the sanctification process. Difficult times provide an opportunity to become more Christ-like and to be a humble example for our family.

Trials expose our weaknesses and challenge us to grow spiritually.

Pursue the Virtue of Contentment

by Max Lucado

A businessman bought popcorn from an old street vendor each day after lunch. He once arrived to find the peddler closing up his stand at noon. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

A smile wrinkled the seller's leathery face. "By no means. All is well."

"Then why are you closing your popcorn stand?"

"So I can go to my house, sit on my porch, and sip tea with my wife."

The man of commerce objected. "But the day is still young. You can still sell."

"No need to," the stand owner replied. "I've made enough money for today."

"Enough? Absurd. You should keep working."

The spry old man stopped and stared at his well-dressed visitor. "And why should I keep working?"

"To sell more popcorn."

"And why sell more popcorn?"

"Because the more popcorn you sell, the more money you make. The more money you make, the richer you are. The richer you are, the more popcorn stands you can buy. The more popcorn stands you buy, the more peddlers sell your product, and the richer you become. And when you have enough, you can stop working, sell your popcorn stands, stay home, and sit on the porch with your wife and drink tea."

The popcorn man smiled. "I can do that today. I guess I have enough."

Wise was the one who wrote, "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income" (Eccles. 5:10 NIV).

Don't heed greed.

Greed makes a poor job counselor.

Greed has a growling stomach. Feed it, and you risk more than budget-busting debt. You risk losing purpose. Greed can seduce you out of your sweet spot.

Before you change your job title, examine your perspective toward life. Success is not defined by position or pay scale but by this: doing the most what you do the best.

Parents, give that counsel to your kids. Tell them to do what they love to do so well that someone pays them to do it.

Spouses, urge your mate to choose satisfaction over salary. Better to be married to a happy person who has a thin wallet than a miserable person with a thick one. Besides, "a pretentious, showy life is an empty life; a plain and simple life is a full life" (Prov. 13:7 MSG).

Pursue the virtue of contentment. "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6 NIV). When choosing or changing jobs, be careful. Consult your design. Consult your Designer. But never consult your greed.

From Cure for the Common Life Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2006) Max Lucado

Psalm 139

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! 8
If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave,[a] you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—
12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me,[b] O God. They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers!
20 They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name.
21 O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you?Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you?
22 Yes, I hate them with total hatred, for your enemies are my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Footnotes:
a. Psalm 139:8 Hebrew to Sheol.
b. Psalm 139:17 Or How precious to me are your thoughts.

The Difference

by Charles R. Swindoll

Teaching about Salt and Light - “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Matthew 5:13-16

Ours is a hell-bound, degenerate world, and you know it. Political corruption abounds. International peace, a splendid ideal, continues to blow up in our faces. The crime rate escalates as domestic violence and gang wars and drug traffic and overcrowded jails continue to plague society. Pending legal cases choke the courts of our land with an endless litany of litigation. And even when cases are finally brought to trial, no courtroom or prison cell can remove madness from minds or hatred from hearts.

Satan, our relentless enemy, has a game plan, and it's on the board. Knowing that his days are numbered, knowing that he has an appointed amount of time before the scoreboard counts him out, he holds the world in his lap and gives it directions, implementing his strategy day after day.

If our Christian message is a mirror image of the message of the world, the world yawns and goes on its way saying, "What else is new? I've heard all that since I was born." But if the Christian lifestyle and motivation and answers are different, the world cannot help but sit up and take notice, thinking: How come they live in the same place I live, but they are able to live a different kind of life? Why is their love so deep and lasting and ours so shallow and fickle? How is it that she can forgive and never hold a grudge? Why do these people have so much more compassion, kindness, integrity, and patience than anyone else I know?

Do you get the message? It's the difference that makes the difference!

Think about it: Do people feel more alive when they're around you? Do you create within them a thirst for God? Does anyone ever wonder why you are so unselfish, so thoughtful, so caring? Do the neighborhood children want to be in your home because of the way you treat your children?

What do people see when they look at you? Do they see your good works? Do they hear your courtesy? Do they detect your smile? Do they notice that you stop to thank them? Do they hear you apologize when you are wrong? Do they see every visible manifestation of Christ's life being normally lived out through you? When they see all that, Jesus said, they "will glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).

Isn't it a pleasure when someone says to you, "Why are you like that?" And isn't it a natural thing to respond, "I'm glad you asked. Let me tell you what's happened"?

"When the Church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it. It is then that the world is made to listen to her message, though it may hate it at first" (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones).

Excerpted from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll, Copyright © 2000 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers). All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

Transformed by the Power of God

Do you truly believe that God can and will transform you? Are you willing to allow God to mold you as He desires?

Romans 8:29 “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

We all know that one day when Christ returns for us, we will be transformed into our heavenly bodies. But in the mean time, He is shaping us day by day on this earth, so that we can mirror his image to a lost and dying world. “Who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Philippians 3:21

God is the Potter and we are His clay. He shapes us as He wishes for His glory and we have no reason to ever question Him. “But who are you, O man, to talk back to God?”Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?” Romans 9:20. The sooner we decide to trust Him to finish the work he began in us from salvation, the sooner we become more supple in His hands, and glorify Him more with our actions. The world begins to see a willing servant whose only desire is to obey their master.

“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 learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” Romans 12:2. By trusting and allowing the Potter (God) to willingly mold and shape us, we actually please Him. And while God tolerates us questioning and wrestle with God at times, nothing pleases God more than a willing and trusting heart that seeks to serve others in a Christ-like manner Romans 14:18. God simply wants us to have faith in His love for us and His faithfulness to finish the work He began in each of us at our birth. “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

We all make mistakes and fall short of God’s glory, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard”. Romans 3:23 We must learn that we can always count on God to turn our mistakes into miracles for His glory, when we humble ourselves, pray and turn to Him from our wicked ways. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land”. 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Lord, please draw us into more of Your love today. Lets us feel Your presence, Your forgiveness, Your love and Your Hope. Keep us from evil discouragement, depression and our pride. Keep us humble and close to You. Thank You for our faithfulness and how much You love and care for us.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Have another powerful and prosperous day of trusting God’s faithfulness to transform us in the workplace and at home!

The Easiest Thing To Do Is Nothing

"Let us not lose heart in doing good."

Galatians 6:9

It's no secret that America is in the midst of a spiritual and moral crisis. Polls today indicate that most Americans are deeply concerned about the direction our nation is heading. The real problem is a critical shortage of people who care enough to get off the sidelines and are determined to make a difference. Sometimes it only takes one person to turn the flow from negative to positive.

Take, for instance, Babe Ruth, the most famous baseball player of all time. The Babe finished his career in a slump, and according to one legendary story, he was jeered mercilessly one day in Cincinnati. As he made his customary trot off the field to the dugout, the fans began to yell obscenities at him. The booing intensified until a little boy jumped a fence and ran to his hero's side.

The child threw his arms around Babe's legs, crying as he fiercely hugged him. Moved by the young lad's display of affection and emotion, Ruth gently swept the boy upwards and into his arms. As they walked off the field, the man and boy cried together.

Suddenly, the hoots, howls and curses ceased. And the eerie silence was replaced by a thunderous ovation. Fans of all ages now began to weep. One small boy's courageous actions had changed the behavior of thousands of people.

I can't help but wonder how long the boy sat there listening to the cursing, angry crowd before he did something. Probably not very long.

And today, how much worse must our nation become before individuals are moved by compassion and conviction to get out of their seats and decide to make a difference?

As I pray for our nation and its families, I continue to sense that the battle will be won by laymen and women like you. As Paul says in Galatians 6:9, "Let us not lose heart in doing good."

Prayer: That God would burden your heart with the need to be involved in the battle.

Discuss: In what ways are you concerned about the direction our country is headed?

Freedom From Sin's Grasp

11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. 12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

Romans 6:11-14

Years ago, I found myself taking on too much responsibility. At first, I thought that revealed motivation and obedience. As weariness set in, however, I realized that I was actually adding my own tasks to what God was truly asking of me. In searching my heart, I recognized my true motive behind the excess work: an attempt to prove that I was adequate.

Insecurity, a sense of inadequacy, and lack of self-worth often lead to transgression. And the Bible tells us that a recurring pattern of wrongdoing indicates captivity to sin. So how can we break free from its hold?

Of course, freedom is impossible without Jesus. His death and resurrection bridged the gap that sin caused between us and God. With the Lord's help, we take these steps and walk on the road of restoration:

• First, recognize enslavement to sin. This can be difficult, as we may have a blind spot to things that are obvious to others.
  
• Second, trace sin to its root. Many times a lack of intimacy, identity, or self-worth will work its way to the surface, and we try to satisfy or escape those feelings.
  
• Third, choose to be free. This involves believing God's promise that He can liberate us. It also means becoming familiar with the truth of who Christ is—and who we are in Him.
  

Some people find freedom quickly, while others must embark on a journey toward liberty. But one thing is clear in both situations: The Lord will follow through on His promise. Do you believe He can break the enslavement of sin in your life? Choose freedom by faith in almighty God.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.

Whom Do You Trust?

In Psalm 118:8-9, we are told this,

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

There are a lot of applications to this passage, but let me talk to you about just one. And that is this: You do not want to trust the state of your eternal soul to any man.

Ma’am, maybe your husband prays. Maybe he has a “real deal” relationship with God. Do not expect that to gain you any merit or to somehow get you to heaven. You have to have a relationship with the Lord yourself.

Sir, perhaps you have a praying wife. She is on fire for God. Do not expect that to get you a seat at the marriage supper of the Lamb. You must be born again. You have to be trusting in the Lord yourself. You have to have your own living, breathing, walking, talking, relationship with the Savior, or you will not get in!

When I was in my early twenties, there was a plethora of gurus and eastern mystics people were following. Some of my friends gave up all of their earthly possessions and became disciples of certain “holy” men.

But you know what? If you follow a man, when he perishes, you will perish just like him. Psalm 146:3-4 says,

Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish.

If you put your trust in men, you will perish just like they do. But if you put your trust in God through His Son, Jesus Christ, you will gain eternal life.

Put your trust in God alone!

Act Medium

by Charles R. Swindoll

Matthew 20

The children worked long and hard on their little cardboard shack. It was to be a special spot—a clubhouse, where they could meet together, play, and have fun. Since a clubhouse has to have rules, they came up with three:

• Nobody act big.
• Nobody act small.
• Everybody act medium.

Not bad theology! In different words, God says the very same thing: "Let each of you regard one another as more important than himself" (Phil. 2:3). "Through love serve one another" (Gal. 5:13).

Just "act medium." Believable. Honest, human, thoughtful, and down to earth. Regardless of your elevated position or high pile of honors or row of degrees or endless list of achievements, just stay real.

What is it Solomon said? "Let another praise you . . . a stranger, and not your own lips" (Prov. 27:2).

Meaning what? Meaning no self-reference to some enviable accomplishment. Meaning refusal to scratch a back when yours itches. Meaning no desire to manipulate and manufacture praise. Meaning authentic surprise when applauded.

Like the inimitable Principal Cairns, headmaster of an English school, who was walking onto the platform along with other dignitaries. As he stepped up, a burst of spontaneous applause arose from the audience. In characteristic modesty, Cairns stepped back to let the man behind pass by . . . as he began to applaud his colleague. He genuinely assumed the applause was for another.
But one final warning: Don't try to fake it. False humility stinks worse than raw conceit.

The answer is not in trying to appear worthless or "wormy." The answer lies in consistently taking notice of others' achievements, recognizing others' skills and contributions . . . and saying so. That's called serving others in love. And that's what Christ did.

"Nobody act big. Nobody act small. Everybody act medium."

Such good advice from a clubhouse full of kids who, by the way, are pretty good at practicing what they preach.

Make yourself a little plaque with this rule on it and put it in a place where you will see it every day.

Excerpted from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll, Copyright © 2000 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers). All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

Costly Discipleship

This devotional was written by Jim Burns

He called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" —Mark 8:34-36

To pick up the cross and follow Jesus means to be willing to go anywhere and do anything for your Lord. It means that you want God to do His will in and through you. There is a cost to being a disciple of Jesus Christ, but the end results are well worth it. I recently heard of a business executive who said, "I spent my entire life climbing the corporate ladder only to find when I got to the top that my ladder was leaning against the wrong building. I have wasted my life with trivia." Are you passionately pursuing Christ? Don't waste your life in a trivial pursuit when you have at your fingertips the Lord of life to guide you into greater depths and a more meaningful lifestyle.

To be a disciple of Jesus means to pursue Him like the pursuit of a lover and the passion of a romance. Christ is worth your every thought and breath. In Him you will find your reason for living. Remember that He gives you His Spirit but wants you to give Him your body, mind, and soul.

GOING DEEPER:

Reread Mark 8:34-36. What does it mean for you to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus?

What will it cost you to truly be a disciple of Jesus? Are you willing to pay this price?

FURTHER READING:

If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. -Matthew 10:38-9


And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. - Luke 14:27

Divine Sufficiency

Corinthians 3:4,5

And such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.

It's so easy to feel overwhelmed by life. When we consider our responsibilities in marriage, family, work, church and extended family, feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness can rise suddenly and envelop you like a thick fog.


Yet you can keep from being overwhelmed by focusing on the sufficiency of Christ. He is alive today, and He stands ready to guide you along the way.


There's a great poem that says:


Lord, I crawled across the barrenness to You with my empty cup


Uncertain of asking for any small drop of refreshment


If only I would have known You better,


I would have come running with a bucket.


God wants us to know Him and to receive His blessings and to live a life of peace, purpose and pardon. The Bible contains many wonderful principles and truths, but these principles will be only stale dogma and doctrine to you unless you allow the person of Jesus Christ to be at the center of your life. As A. W. Tozer states, "The most important thing about you is what you think about God."


No matter how inadequate you feel in helping your mate, God is completely able to do what appears impossible. His power is most evident when we are weakest. As Paul says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."


Why not submit to Him today and ask Him to be your sufficiency and your strength?


Prayer: That you would be able to trust in God's sufficiency even when you feel you are unable to do anything worthy on your own.


Discuss: In what areas do you feel inadequate? How has God proven His sufficiency to you in the past?

It Is Good to Give Thanks to God

Psalm 92

A psalm. A song to be sung on the Sabbath Day.

1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to the Most High.
2 It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
your faithfulness in the evening,
3 accompanied by the ten-stringed harp
and the melody of the lyre.

4 You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!
I sing for joy because of what you have done.
5 O Lord, what great works you do!
And how deep are your thoughts.
6 Only a simpleton would not know,
and only a fool would not understand this:
7 Though the wicked sprout like weeds
and evildoers flourish,
they will be destroyed forever.

8 But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever.
9 Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish;
all evildoers will be scattered.
10 But you have made me as strong as a wild ox.
You have anointed me with the finest oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents.
12 But the godly will flourish like palm trees
and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
13 For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house.
They flourish in the courts of our God.
14 Even in old age they will still produce fruit;
they will remain vital and green.
15 They will declare, “The Lord is just!
He is my rock!
There is no evil in him!”

Throughout the Psalms, we are reminded and even commanded to give thanks to the Lord. Thanksgiving Day should never become a substitute for the daily expression of gratitude to God for all that He has done.

Because our culture is largely characterized by ingratitude, we need to work at developing a grateful heart. Even in prayer, we can become self-centered and drift from one petition to another without a word of praise to God. Giving thanks refocuses our attention onto the Lord as we remember His love and faithfulness and praise Him for who He is and what He has done.

Thanksgiving refreshes our souls as we spend time with God, concentrating on His goodness and grace. Anxiety is replaced with peace, and despondency with joy. If you wake up each morning and thank the Lord for deliverance from the power of sin, provision for all your needs, and guidance for the day ahead, what is left to cause worry or discouragement?

Gratitude to God for His faithfulness in the past increases faith and strengthens trust in Him for the future. Remember how He carried you in times of pain, helped you in periods of weakness, and supplied all your needs. You can trust Him with whatever lies ahead.

To establish a habit of thanksgiving, recall God's lovingkindness in the morning, and recount His faithfulness at night. Thank Him for blessings—and also for the deep work He is doing in you through difficulties. As you start to see situations from His perspective, your gratitude and trust will grow.


Extra: On Thanksgiving

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, that my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever" (Ps. 30:11-12).

"Then you will say on that day, ‘I will give thanks to You, O Lord; for although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me'" (Isa. 12:1).

"And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me'"(Luke 22:19).

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Cor. 9:15).

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Phil. 4:6).

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness" (Col. 2:6-7 NIV).

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Col. 3:15-16).

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.

Righteous Anger

My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your words.

—Psalm 119:39

Have you ever looked at the way our culture is going, especially what our youth are buying into, and found that it made you angry? Did you know there is a place for righteous anger? Even Jesus, who was God among us, was angry. We know that He displayed anger when He drove the merchants and money changers out of the temple, because they were ripping off God's people. There is a place for righteous indignation.

Indignation rose within the apostle Paul when he saw the way the culture was going. We read in Acts that while he was in Athens, "his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols" (Acts 17:16). The word "provoked" could be translated "exasperated," "irritated," or even "roused to anger." Paul was grieved to see the absolute absence of the living God and, in His place, every conceivable substitute.

If we want to reach our culture for Christ, then we must first have a burden for the people we are seeking to reach. The problem is that far too often, those outside of the church only know us for what we are against. They don't know what we are for. They know what we oppose, and I think there is a place for that. But do they know what we believe?

We could talk all day about various techniques we can employ in telling others about Christ. We could address the difficult questions unbelievers raise and how to best answer them. But none of that will really matter if we don't care about lost people. Do you have a burden for those who do not yet know the Lord?

The world needs to hear about Jesus. And we need to tell them about God's love.

Copyright © 2009 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Running the Race of Faith

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

The runners in a marathon must all follow a clearly marked course. Suppose one of the athletes decides to pick his own path. He keeps to the 26-mile race standard and sets his finish line in the same spot as the official one, but he runs through neighborhoods with fewer hills and across less crowded parks. His plan seems excellent to him, but when he crosses the finish line, there will be no medal or ribbon waiting.

What a silly thing for a person to do! Yet, believers fall into this very trap when they decide the course for their life instead of running the race God sets. By submitting to His will—doing what He says and going where He leads—we remain on the right path. But the moment we revert to our old habits and start making decisions based on our own wisdom, we go far afield.

For believers, the finish line is the same whether they run the race God's way or their own way—namely, heaven. However, the difference is what we have to show for all the energy expended getting there. No one wants to look back and say, "I didn't really accomplish anything of value." Regardless of how grand a legacy someone leaves, the only truly lasting and worthwhile deeds are those done for the Lord and in the power of His Spirit.

Thankfully, no matter how far off course we veer, the Holy Spirit is still present. He reminds us of the right path—as well as the power available to get back on it and persevere. Your route is set; your choice clear. Run the race set before you and finish well (Acts 20:24).

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.

Relying on God's Grace

The irony of the theology of meritorious suffering is that it tends to produce the very opposite effect from its original intention. What began as a call to humble willingness to suffer became an insidious tool for self-righteousness. Perhaps the most difficult task for us to perform is to rely on God's grace and God's grace alone for our salvation. It is difficult for our pride to rest on grace. Grace is for other people—for beggars. We don't want to live by a heavenly welfare system. We want to earn our own way and atone for our own sins. We like to think that we will go to heaven because we deserve to be there.

All the suffering I could possibly endure could not earn me a place in heaven. Nor can I merit the merit of Christ through suffering. I am altogether an unprofitable servant who must rely on someone else's merit to be saved.

With Paul we can rejoice in our sufferings if they enhance the glory of Christ. We can rejoice in our persecutions and look forward to the promised blessing of Christ. But the blessing Christ promised, the blessing of great reward, is a reward of grace. The blessing is promised even though it is not earned.

Augustine said it this way: "Our rewards in heaven are a result of God's crowning His own gifts. Sola gratia."

Coram Deo: Living in the Presence of God

Give thanks to God for your heavenly rewards, which are the result of God's crowning His own gifts.

For Further Study

Romans 8:18: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

The mission, passion and purpose of Ligonier Ministries and Dr. R.C. Sproul is to help people grow in their knowledge of God and His holiness. For more information, please visit www.ligonier.org or call them at 800-435-4343.© R.C. Sproul. All rights reserved.

The Spirit and Our Walk

Galatians 5:16-26

Have you ever felt like quitting the Christian life? Perhaps you have tried to be the kind of person God wants you to be. You've established a consistent quiet time with the Lord, reading the Bible and praying. But still you seem to have one struggle after another. So you think that you might be missing something—or that maybe this life isn't all it's cracked up to be. Let this be a comfort: many believers, myself included, have toiled through a period of defeat.

The key to living a life of joy, peace, and victory is found in Galatians 5. Notice that I did not say a life without conflict or one free of temptation, trial, or heartache. Those are part of the human condition. But we can triumph through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In fact, today's passage makes clear how vital it is for believers to live a Spirit-filled life. When a person trusts Jesus Christ as Savior, he or she is saved and steps from darkness into light. But believers do not then just stand around. As followers of Christ, we fall in step with the Holy Spirit, who teaches us to stay on our feet when we are wobbly, to move uphill without tiring, and to stand again after we have fallen. We rely upon Him as our strength, guide, and comforter.
Does getting through a defeat feel more like crawling than walking? Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is right with you, and He has all the encouragement and power necessary to get you on your feet again. The Christian life can't be lived alone—rely upon God's Spirit to escort you each step of the way.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.

The Secret of Endurance

This devotional was written by Jim Burns

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that Your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. —1 Peter 1:6,7


There is no doubt that you will experience trials in your Christian life. Some new Christians mistakenly believe that being a Christian means living a life free of hassles and struggles. God never promised us freedom from trials; He promised us that He would walk with us through the trials and help us to endure our hardships. No one looks forward to trials, but trials can produce a stronger faith. You can withstand anything that comes if you remember that every trial is actually a test. Before gold is pure it must be tested in the fire. The trials which come your way will test your faith, and out of your struggles your faith can emerge stronger than it ever was before.

The rigors which the athlete has to undergo are not meant to make him collapse but to help him develop strength and staying power. For the Christian, our trials are not meant to take the strength out of us, but to put the strength into us. Endurance through trials produces strength.

GOING DEEPER:

• Reread 1 Peter 1:6,7. What effect do trials have on our faith?
• Are you experiencing trials right now in your life? You have a choice of how to deal with them: you can let them get you down or you can see them as a way to test and strengthen your faith. How will you deal with your trials?
  

FURTHER READING: Romans 5:2, 1 Peter 5:10, James 1:2, Job 23:10, Psalm 66:10, Proverbs 17:9

God Does Big Things with Small Deeds

by Max Lucado

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin”
Zech. 4:10 NLT

Begin. Just begin! What seems small to you might be huge to someone else. Just ask Bohn Fawkes. During World War II, he piloted a B-17. On one mission he sustained flak from Nazi antiaircraft guns. Even though his gas tanks were hit, the plane did not explode, and Fawkes was able to land the plane.

On the morning following the raid, Fawkes asked his crew chief for the German shell. He wanted to keep a souvenir of his incredible good fortune. The crew chief explained that not just one but eleven shells had been found in the gas tanks, none of which had exploded.

Technicians opened the missiles and found them void of explosive charge. They were clean and harmless and with one exception, empty. The exception contained a carefully rolled piece of paper. On it a message had been scrawled in the Czech language. Translated, the note read: “This is all we can do for you now.”

A courageous assembly-line worker was disarming bombs and scribbled the note. He couldn’t end the war, but he could save one plane. He couldn’t do everything, but he could do something. So he did it.

God does big things with small deeds.

Against a towering giant, a brook pebble seems futile. But God used it to topple Goliath. Compared to the tithes of the wealthy, a widow’s coins seem puny. But Jesus used them to inspire us. And in contrast with sophisticated priests and powerful Roman rulers, a cross-suspended carpenter seemed nothing but a waste of life. Few Jewish leaders mourned his death. Only a handful of friends buried his body. The people turned their attention back to the temple. Why not?

What power does a buried rabbi have? We know the answer. Mustard-seed and leaven-lump power. Power to tear away death rags and push away death rocks. Power to change history. In the hands of God, small seeds grow into sheltering trees. Tiny leaven expands into nourishing loaves.

Small deeds can change the world. Sow the mustard seed. Bury the leaven lump. Make the call. Write the check. Organize the committee.

Moses had a staff.
David had a sling.
Samson had a jawbone.
Rahab had a string.
Mary had some ointment.
Aaron had a rod.
Dorcas had a needle.
All were used by God.
What do you have?

God inhabits the tiny seed, empowers the tiny deed. He cures the common life by giving no common life, by offering no common gifts. Don’t discount the smallness of your deeds.

From Cure for the Common Life
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2006) Max Lucado

Do for Others What God Does For You

by Max Lucado

You and I have the privilege to do for others what God does for us. How do we show people that we believe in them?

Show up.

Nothing takes the place of your presence. Letters are nice. Phone calls are special, but being there in the flesh sends a message.

Do you believe in your kids? Then show up. Show up at their games. Show up at their plays. Show up at their recitals. It may not be possible to make each one, but it's sure worth the effort. Do you believe in your friends? Then show up. Show up at their graduations and weddings. Spend time with them. You want to bring out the best in someone? Then show up.

Listen up.

You don't have to speak to encourage. The Bible says, "It is best to listen much, speak little" (James 1:19 TLB). We tend to speak much and listen little. There is a time to speak. But there is also a time to be quiet. That's what my father did. Dropping a fly ball may not be a big deal to most people, but if you are thirteen years old and have aspirations of the big leagues, it is a big deal. Not only was it my second error of the game, it allowed the winning run to score.

I didn't even go back to the dugout. I turned around in the middle of left field and climbed over the fence. I was halfway home when my dad found me. He didn't say a word. Just pulled over to the side of the road, leaned across the seat, and opened the passenger door. We didn't speak. We didn't need to. We both knew the world had come to an end. When we got home, I went straight to my room, and he went straight to the kitchen. Presently he appeared in front of me with cookies and milk. He took a seat on the bed, and we broke bread together. Somewhere in the dunking of the cookies I began to realize that life and my father's love would go on. In the economy of male adolescence, if you love the guy who drops the ball, then you really love him. My skill as a baseball player didn't improve, but my confidence in Dad's love did. Dad never said a word. But he did show up. He did listen up. To bring out the best in others, do the same, and then, when appropriate:

Speak up.

You have the power to change someone's life simply by the words that you speak. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov. 18:21 NKJV). That's why Paul urges you and me to be careful. "When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger" (Eph. 4:29).

Earlier I gave you a test for love. There's also a test for the tongue. Before you speak, ask: Will what I'm about to say help others become stronger? You have the ability, with your words, to make a person stronger. Your words are to their soul what a vitamin is to their body. If you had food and saw someone starving, would you not share it? If you had water and saw someone dying of thirst, would you not give it? Of course you would. Then won't you do the same for their hearts? Your words are food and water! Do not withhold encouragement from the discouraged. Do not keep affirmation from the beaten down! Speak words that make people stronger. Believe in them as God has believed in you.

From A Love Worth Giving
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2002) Max Lucado

The Fallacy of Full-Time Christian Work

By Os Hillman

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" Colossians 3:16,17

Jonathon was a twenty-five year old son of a pastor who was working in his local Christian bookstore. He started seminary but was unable to finish because of a lack of finances. He was OK with working in the store, but felt it was second-best. In fact, sometimes he felt he had "missed his calling."

Then one day a young woman wondered into the store. She was distressed. She was not a believer. Her husband had just left her and she did not know where to turn. She was walking through the mall when she noticed the store. She decided to walk in, not knowing why.

"Hello, may I help you?" said Jonathon. "Well... I don't know. I saw your sign and just came in." Right then, she began to cry. She told Jonathon about her plight, not knowing why she would do such a thing with a perfect stranger. Jonathon listened and began to talk with her. Before the conversation was over, Jonathon had prayed with the woman and led her to faith in Christ.

That night Jonathon pondered what had happened that day. He realized he had personally led a woman into eternity by being available in his workplace. He felt a new sense of purpose behind what he thought was simply a job to put food on the table until he could get to his real ministry. He confessed to the Lord his wrong view of his work. For the first time, he realized it was ministry too.

We have incorrectly elevated the roll of the vocational Christian worker to be more holy and committed than the person who is serving in other arenas. Yet the call to any workplace is as important as any other calling. God has to have His people in every sphere of life. Otherwise, many would never come to know Him because they would be separated from society.

Wherever you are called, serve the Lord in that place. Let Him demonstrate His power through your life so that others might experience Him through you today.

Stop Talking to Yourself !

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 48-49; Hebrews 7

You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:3

Does God want to be involved in every decision we make? Is it necessary to pray about every little detail? Many would say that God doesn't care, He saved you and He gave you a mind to think things through for yourself. I would completely disagree. After spending years of praying over the details in life, I have come to appreciate all He does for me just by including Him and looking for His fingerprints in my life.

But how does this work? Well, for a great starter, stop talking to yourself and start talking to the Lord. If you are late, talk to God about it. If you are confused, include God in it. Talk to Him as a friend, a counselor and a companion. He says that He is all those traits so get to know Him in those ways. In every relationship, there needs to be two-way communication. Prayer obviously is your part in the communication process with the Lord. But the Bible is God's way of speaking back to you. So let's say it is on your heart to buy a new car. Start talking to Him about it. Ask Him to change your heart if it is not His will or to lead your heart in the car buying process. Next, go to the Bible and ask the Lord to give you verses to guide you in this decision. If some verse pops out to you, pray over it and ask God to make His message clearer through that verse. If He does give you the go ahead, do further research with that promise. Keep talking to Him and keep going back to the Word, asking for specific direction. Whatever you include Him in, the Lord will work with you from dealerships to your finances. As you grow in the knowledge of God's guidance, you will gain a peace in your decision of what to purchase. Regardless of the outcome, you will have assurance of God's hand in the process. Walking through these decisions in our lives with God is the only way to assure peace. The more we include Him in every decision, the more we grow in our knowledge of Him, which leads to a closer walk with the Lord.

Are you in the midst of a trial or major decision in your life? Are you searching for answers in various places? Knowledge can bring peace, but the knowledge of God brings everlasting peace that continues to surpass our understanding. Start out everyday in God's Word. Take time to put His Word in your heart and mind. Before the day is through, you will need to hear from the Lord on something that crosses your path. The knowledge of His Word will give you peace and assurance in ways you could never imagine. Try it and see what God will do.

Our mission is to evangelize the lost and awaken the saved to live empowered lives by the Work of God and His Holy Spirit. Daily Disciples Ministries makes a difference for the kingdom of God by teaching and training believers how to be in God's Word, how to pray and how to walk with Jesus every day, as His daily disciple.

Daily Disciples Ministries, Inc.

John 1:1-18 (NLT)

Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word

1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, [a] and his life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b]

6 God sent a man, John the Baptist,[c] 7 to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 8 John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

14 So the Word became human[d] and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.[e] And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

15 John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”

16 From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.[f] 17 For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God,[g] is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

Know What You Believe

That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return. Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.

2 Timothy 1:12-14

All people have a belief system, whether they realize it or not. Even those who claim there is no God have faith that He does not exist. What we believe affects every area of our lives and shapes every decision we make, yet few of us take the time to really think about what we accept as true.

All belief systems have a foundation. Some people base their convictions on what fits their lifestyle, reasoning, and desires. However, Jesus calls His followers to adapt life to their faith in Him and the authority of His Word.

Anytime we add other philosophies or ideas to Scripture or pick and choose which parts of the Bible to believe, we create our own version of faith based on personal reasoning. God's Word is the only true and reliable foundation for belief, because it contains the recorded thoughts of an eternal, all-knowing God. All other concepts must be measured against it to determine their validity.

Knowing what the Bible says is essential for developing a sound system of beliefs founded on the truth and wisdom of God. This world will offer you a variety of philosophies which sound good but are laced with lies. A faith anchored in the Scriptures is your protection against deception.

Each time you face a problem or decision, search for the answer in Scripture. Begin your day by reading the Word and asking God to help you understand what He is saying. He loves communicating with you, and as you spend time with Him, He'll open your mind to know His thoughts.


For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.

A Sacred Interruption

This devotional was written by Leslie Snyder

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. —Proverbs 3:5-6


Twentieth century theologian and philosopher Reinhold Niebuhr penned the following prayer, now commonly referred to as "The Serenity Prayer." It reads:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen

Most people are familiar with the first four lines of this prayer as it has been made into wall hangings, bookmarks, prayer cards and other Christian resources. However, most are unfamiliar with the second stanza, which seems to carry the fuller meaning of the prayer. In a hurried world in which we keep a breathless pace, it feels almost sinful to stop and rest. Every day advertisers plead with us to purchase "security" for our futures. Investors encourage us to plan for our retirement and our children's education. Every day, thousands of hardworking employees are "downsized" or let go, resulting in chaos, instability and loss of confidence. How then are we to experience this type of "serenity" when our world seems out of control? Psalm 46:10 reads, "Be still and know that I am God."

A popular bumper sticker says it this way, "I know God and you ain't Him!" So often we attempt to orchestrate our lives in such a way that there is no room for God to interrupt with His own plans. When we follow this prayer, we create some margin, some sacred space for God to penetrate our over-scheduled, busy, restless lives. As you look over your calendar today, is there room for God to "interrupt"? The Scriptures declare, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

GOING DEEPER:

• What can I cut from my schedule today to allow for God to interrupt?
• Am I open to the sacred interruptions God brings my way?
  

FURTHER READING: Matthew 6:19-34

The Attitude of Obedience

Today I want you to see the underlying attitude of obedience, modeled by our Lord. It is found in Philippians 2:5-9,

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name

When Jesus coexisted with the Father in eternity past, the Father said, “Son, we need You to go down and be born in a stable, be raised in a poor carpenter’s home, and give up Your life.”

Jesus could have said no, but He didn’t. He said, “Yes, Father.”

And as He prayed in Gethsemane, agonizing over the thought of being separated from the bright presence of the Father, He said, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

He could have said no. But He said, “Yes, Father.”

And even hanging upon the cross, having been beaten and disfigured, gasping for every breath, knowing that the end was near—He became obedient to death.

He could have said no. But He said, “Yes, Father.”

Through His attitude of obedience, we can receive eternal life. I am so grateful our Savior obeyed the Father!

That is the same attitude of obedience that should be in us.

A Call to Common Courtesy

by Max Lucado

Perhaps you've never placed the word courteous next to Christ. I hadn't until I wrote this chapter.

But you know how you never notice double-cab red trucks until your friend says he wants one—then you see a dozen of them? I had never thought much about the courtesy of Christ before, but as I began looking, I realized that Jesus makes Emily Post look like Archie Bunker.

He always knocks before entering. He doesn't have to. He owns your heart. If anyone has the right to barge in, Christ does. But he doesn't. That gentle tap you hear? It's Christ. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock" (Rev. 3:20 NASB). And when you answer, he awaits your invitation to cross the threshold.

And when he enters, he always brings a gift. Some bring Chianti and daisies. Christ brings "the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). And, as he stays, he serves. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve" (Mark 10:45 NIV). If you're missing your apron, you'll find it on him. He's serving the guests as they sit (John 13:4-5). He won't eat until he's offered thanks, and he won't leave until the leftovers are put away (Matt. 14:19-20).

He is courteous enough to tell you his name (Exod. 3:15) and to call you by yours (John 10:3). And when you talk, he never interrupts. He listens.

He is even on time. Never late. Never early. If you're checking your watch, it's because you're on a different itinerary. "There is a time for everything" (Eccles. 3:1). And Christ stays on schedule.

He even opens doors for you. Paul could preach at Troas because "the Lord had opened a door" (2 Cor. 2:12 NIV). When I asked my dad why men should open doors for women, his answer was one word: "respect." Christ must have abundant respect for you.

He knocks before he enters. He always brings a gift. Food is served. The table is cleared. Thanks are offered. He knows your name and tells you his, and here is one more.

He pulls out the chair for you. "He raised us up with Christ and gave us a seat with him in the heavens" (Eph. 2:6).

My wife has a heart for single moms. She loves to include a widow or divorcée at the table when we go to a restaurant. Through the years I've noticed a common appreciation from them. They love it when I pull out their chair. More than once they have specifically thanked me. One mom in particular comes to mind. "My," she blushed, brushing the sudden moisture from her eye, "it's been a while since anyone did that."

Has it been a while for you as well? People can be so rude. We snatch parking places. We forget names. We interrupt. We fail to show up. Could you use some courtesy? Has it been a while since someone pulled out your chair?

Then let Jesus. Don't hurry through this thought. Receive the courtesy of Christ. He's your groom. Does not the groom cherish the bride? Respect the bride? Honor the bride? Let Christ do what he longs to do.

For as you receive his love, you'll find it easier to give yours. As you reflect on his courtesy to you, you'll be likely to offer the same.

From A Love Worth GivingCopyright (Thomas Nelson, 2002) Max Lucado

Good and Stressful

Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches.

2 Corinthians 11:28

We refer on more than one occasion in this book to the stressful nature of modern life. Or is it just a modern issue? It's obvious from this Scripture that Paul faced pressure, too. How was he able to bear it so well?

I've found that pressures come from two directions: What others expect of us and what we expect of ourselves. It is so easy to let yourself be driven by the agendas of other people. Externally, their voices form a deafening chorus, incessantly telling us what we ought to do. But Paul had an inner settledness that enabled him to affirm, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13).

Dr. Hans Selye, a leading pioneer in the study and treatment of stress, described something called "eustress." This pressure is actually good for you. Then there is "distress"-pressures that overload your system and prey on your weakness and vulnerability.

There is no such thing as a pressure-free life. Perhaps in heaven we'll feel no pressure-only total peace and contentment. But here and now we have responsibilities, and responsibilities create pressure and stress.

We can, however, allow that pressure to point us to Jesus Christ and draw upon His strength. J. Hudson Taylor, the veteran missionary to China, said this: "It matters not how great the pressure is, only where the pressure lies. As long as the pressure does not come between me and my Savior, but presses me to Him, then the greater the pressure, the greater my dependence upon Him."

Spiritually, what is pressure doing to you? If you and God are not as close as you used to be, then don't be deceived about who moved!

Prayer: That the Lord as "God Almighty" will strengthen your ability to eliminate unnecessary stress and empower you to turn remaining stress into positive forces that press you against Him.
Discuss: Evaluate with your spouse, friends or accountability partner how you handle pressure. Discuss how you'd like to handle it.

Pettiness

by Charles R. Swindoll

This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.

Galatians 2:4-5

Few things turn our crank faster than being around big-minded, enthusiastic, broad-shouldered visionaries. They are positive, on the move, excited about exploring new vistas, inspired, and inspiring. While others are preoccupied with tiny tasks and nit-picking squabbles, these people see opportunity in every difficulty and helpful lessons in every setback.

Few things turn us off quicker than being around small-minded, pessimistic, narrow-world, tedious frowners. Engrossed in the minutiae of what won't work and remembering a half-dozen worst-case scenarios, they can throw more cold water on a creative idea than a team of firefighters snuffing out a candle.

It's not caution we resent. Caution is necessary and wise. Caution keeps the visionary realistic. No, it's the tiny-focused, squint-eyed, tight-lipped, stingy soul that drives us batty. The best word is petty . . . as in petty cash, petty larceny, petty minded.

"Pettiness," writes George Will, "is the tendency of people without large purposes."

Petty people are worse than stubborn; they are negative and rigidly inflexible. While we work overtime to come up with some soaring idea, they've already thought up eight reasons it won't fly.

Whatever or wherever or whoever manifests pettiness isn't my concern, however. Stopping its effect on us is. Why? Because the church seems to be the breeding ground for this legalistic disease.

Pettiness takes a terrible toll. It kills our joy!

I have been studying the lives of several of the great visionaries of the church. They were extremely different, yet they all have one common denominator: Not one was petty. I mean not one.

Let me remind you of Paul's reaction to those who "sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus." He declares, "We did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour" (Gal. 2:5). Nor should we.

Count on this: You will encounter petty types. So when you do, shrug it off and just keep on honoring God as you pursue those large purposes.


Excerpted from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll, Copyright © 2000 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers). All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

The Authority of Christ (Part Three)

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.

Luke 4:18,19

When we give Christ authority in our lives, we also discover that He has the authority to make our lives so much better than they would be without Him. Just look at the verse from Luke, for example.

Are you brokenhearted over a child, a relationship with a family member or something happening between you and another person? These heartbreaks and sorrows are a part of life. I have faced too many of them and found myself without any word for them. But Jesus said to give Him our hurts and sorrows.

Will you take your broken heart with you to the grave and end up hopeless? Or will you take your broken heart to Christ and let the Great Physician heal you on His authority? Jesus said He can heal the brokenhearted.

In addition, Jesus has authority over sin. Nothing gives us freedom and heals our sorrows more than forgiveness of sins. Look at Mark 2:5, where Jesus says to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." And then, to squash grumbling among the scribes who said only God has such authority, He proved who He was by healing the same man!

Finally, He has authority over death. We see this in the raising of Lazarus in John 11 and then, of course, through His own resurrection.

Knowing you have eternal life because of Christ gives new meaning and hope to your years on earth. As Jesus said, "O death, where is your victory?" (1 Cor. 15:55).

Prayer: That God will give you hope and joy in the midst of troubled times.

Discuss: What is causing heartbreak and sorrow in your life right now? Have you spent time talking with God about it?

The Authority of Christ (Part Two)

And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."
Mark 1:17

In Mark we find Christ meeting Simon and Andrew as they were casting fishing nets into the sea. He challenges them to follow Him, and they spend a couple of weeks making their decisions-figuring if it would cost them financially, determining if it would damage their reputations.

Wrong. Simon and Andrew immediately left the nets and followed Him. They instantly recognized Christ's authority in their lives.

I believe that one of the reasons why we don't see more people leaving their nets and following Christ is because we in the Church have not presented the authentic, real, living Lord Jesus in all of His splendor, majesty and glory. When we see Him for who He is, no possession, no worldly honor or success can compare with the King of kings.

Not all who see Jesus continue following Him. John 6 records that, after Christ made some difficult and challenging statements, "Many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore" (v. 66). Then Jesus says to the remaining 12, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" (v. 67).

And Peter makes a profound statement: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life" (v. 68). He had come to the conclusion that there was no other to follow.

The longer I am in the Christian life, the more I see there is nothing else that matters other than Jesus Christ and His Word. In recent days I've asked Him to infuse my life with the conviction that He alone is worth following.

Prayer: That you will grow in your hunger and thirst for knowing the One who has the words of eternal life.

Discuss: Do you know of someone who has withdrawn and no longer follows Jesus? How has that decision affected his or her life? And those around him or her? Have you left your nets to follow Jesus?

The Authority of Christ (Part One)

Ephesians 1:22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church.

I once found a fascinating quote by A.W. Tozer that went like this:

The present position of Christ in the gospel churches may be likened to that of a king in a limited monarchy. He is lauded, supported. But his real authority is small. Nominally that king is head over all, but in every crisis someone else makes the decisions. On formal occasions he appears in his royal attire to deliver tame, colorless speeches put into his mouth by some real rulers of the country. The whole thing may be no more than good-natured make-believe....

Then he draws the parallel to Christ and the Church. Read carefully:

Among the gospel churches, Christ is now in fact little more than a beloved symbol. All hail the power of Jesus' name is the church's national anthem and the cross is her official flag. But in the week by week services of the church and the day by day conduct of the members, someone else, not Christ, makes the decisions.

I believe Jesus Christ has been robbed of His authority in the homes today. To have authority means to have the right to rule, to take the rightful responsibility, power and ownership of ruling, and to give it to another person who has authority to rule you 100 percent. We haven't rejected Christ; we've just cordially reduced Him and robbed Him of the ownership He deserves within our individual lives.

No, we haven't rejected Christ outright. Instead we have simply modified Him. When God's Word gets too hard, we begin to modify and reinterpret those things as they best fit us.

But He wants much more. In the next two devotions I'll continue discussing Christ's authority.

Prayer: Honestly go to Jesus Christ in prayer right now. Pray about His authority in your life and home.

Discuss: How do you think your life and marriage would be different if you gave Christ authority in your life?

The Freedom to Fail

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

At our house we have experienced plenty of failures, both great and small. For years, a meal without a spill was nothing short of miraculous. The milk may have gone shooting across the supper table or formed a lazy river that cascaded over the edge, splattering onto the floor. We've seen some classic spills: two simultaneously, four at one sitting, and one glass of chilled apple juice that spilled perfectly into Dennis's shoe (while he was wearing it). Our favorite phrase for the children became, "It's okay. Everybody makes mistakes."

One evening, I spilled my drink during dinner. A little hand patted my arm, and Rebecca (then a five-year-old) reassuringly said, "It's okay, Dad. Everybody makes mistakes."

When you give your mate the freedom to fail, you begin to remove the pressure to perform for acceptance. You free your mate to set aside his or her fear, to trust God. Failure then becomes a tutor, not a judge. In the presence of freedom, we learn from failures instead of being condemned by them.

For years, we talked about moving to the country. The thought of the children having room to roam sounded inviting, but moving a large family is a chore. More importantly, it was a risk. What if we didn't like driving back and forth to town? What if we didn't like being isolated from friends? So we put off the decision.

Then one day Barbara said, "So what if we decide we don't like it? We can sell and move back to town!" Her statement clicked; it gave me the freedom to make a decision-even a wrong one! We decided to try it, and we love it. It's important to note that the freedom to risk making a decision came only after we had given each other the freedom to fail.

Prayer: That God will increase your faith to match the challenges you face, and that He will teach you how failures have helped you mature in Christ.

Discuss: Share what you would consider to be your greatest failure. How has that impacted your decision-making process today? Discuss a decision you are facing and how the fear of failure is influencing that decision.

Worship Sets Us Free

And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone¹s chains were loosed. Acts 16:23-26

Worship sets people free. How much do you worship? When do you worship? Are you able to worship when your circumstances are the very worst, your patience has failed and your confusion is maxed out? Do praise songs come to your mind at the most stressful times? We need to assess our ability to worship because worship will change our lives. We need to train ourselves to worship in all circumstances.

Paul and Silas were beaten, thrown in the inner prison and their feet were fastened in stocks. They were probably in too much pain to sleep, so at midnight they broke out in worship. They did not have a worship leader, instruments, power point, or a radio to sing along to. They probably could not even tap their feet to keep the beat. Paul and Silas may not even have had good singing voices. But from the wellspring of their hearts, their mouths worshipped the Lord despite their circumstances. As a result, other prisoners listened to them and even better, everyone¹s chains were loosed. Worship set prisoners free.

In many ways, you may feel like a prisoner. You may have habits that you cannot break, you may find yourself in circumstances that have not changed, you may feel that God isn¹t answering your prayers. What are you to do? Worship. Worship when you are sad, feel bad, and after you were mad. Worship every day, at work and at play, worship any way. Worship will change your life and if you sing loud enough for others to listen, your worship may set them free as well.

Lord, teach me to worship. Lord, bring songs to my mind so that worship can be my way of life. Change me through worship and allow me to see the fruit of worship in the lives of others around me.

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 1-2; 1 Timothy 3

Are You Listening?

Psalm 51:1,2 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

King David had sent a man to his death so he could take that man's wife for his own. But when the prophet Nathan rebuked him for this terrible sin, David had a choice: He could turn from God (perhaps even finding a way to blame others for what he had done), or he could admit his offense and repent.

As we all know, David recognized that God was speaking to him through Nathan, and he decided to repent. The beautiful words of Psalm 51 speak of his broken heart.

I wonder how many people hear God speaking through another person yet make the wrong choice? What if Chuck Swindoll, in that defining moment in his kitchen during his tenth year of marriage, had refused to listen to his wife's cry of pain? What if he had continued in his selfish ways?

One of two things probably would have occurred. First, he might have continued to progress and achieve fame and notoriety-only to have his life and ministry fall apart at a later date. Second, God might have clamped shut the working of the Holy Spirit in and through him, and today he'd be ministering somewhere with very little impact.

Sooner or later, a man who continues on the path of selfishness and rebellion will end up empty and defeated. If he is fortunate, he will listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, often speaking through his mate, early on and save himself years of misery.

When Cynthia Swindoll told Chuck that she didn't feel part of his ministry, "It was like a light clicked on in the room." He told himself, "Swindoll wake up. This is the best thing you could be hearing. This could be the making of your marriage."

You can thrive in a marriage when you commit to create a partnership under the guidance of the Holy Spirit-and when you're willing to listen to Him speaking.

Prayer: Take your wife's hand and genuinely thank God for her.
Discuss: What has God taught you through your mate? In what situations has the Holy Spirit used your mate to help you become more Christlike?