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Billy Graham
A Gentle Kindness
Jesus was a gentle and compassionate person. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and opened the eyes of the blind. He commanded His disciples, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 19:19), and taught them to observe what we have come to call the Golden Rule: "In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you" (Matthew 7:12). Wherever true Christianity has gone, His followers have performed acts of kindness, love, and gentleness.
Do others see Christ's gentleness and compassion in you?
Peacemakers
To have peace with God and to have the peace of God in our hearts is not enough. This vertical relationship must have a horizontal outworking, or our faith is in vain. Jesus said that we are to love the Lord with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves.
If we have peace with God and the peace of God, we will become peacemakers. We will not only strive to be at peace with our neighbors, but we will be leading them to discover the source of true peace in Christ. Is the peace of Christ in your life overflowing to others?
A Clear Conscience
Benjamin Franklin composed this little rhyme: "Keep conscience clear, then never fear." George Bernard Shaw, the great Irish writer, said, "Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world."
If conscience was such a vital concept to these secular writers, how much more concerned should we as Christians be that our consciences are "without offense toward God and men"? Without conscience, we would be like rudderless ships at sea or missles without a guidance system.
God has given our conscience to us. Its very presence is a reflection of God in the human soul. Sin, however, can dull or even distort our conscience, silencing its voice and leading us astray. But God's Word can purify and sharpen our conscience--and when that happens, "He leads (us) in paths of righteousnesses for His name's sake" (Psalm 23:3). Is this happening in your life?
No Harmless Lie
A lie might not seem important to us—but in God's eyes there is no such thing as a harmless lie. In the Old Testament, one of the Ten Commandments declares, "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16). The New Testament says, "Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor" (Ephesians 4:25).
Why is this? Let me answer by asking you another question: Have you ever asked yourself why you lie—even when it seems unimportant? One reason may be to build yourself up in the eyes of others—to make yourself seem more important, for example, or to get them to like you. Or perhaps you lie to get yourself out of some difficulty—a difficulty you've gotten into because you failed to do something you should have done.
But whatever the reason, have you ever asked yourself what really happens when other people realize you're lying to them? The answer is obvious. Instead of thinking well of you, they look down on you and realize you can't be trusted. Instead of winning their love and respect, you end up with their scorn. The Bible says, "What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar" (Proverbs 19:22).
Begin a new life today by giving your life to Christ and asking Him to come into your heart. Then ask Him to watch over your tongue and help you always speak the truth.
Anger
Have you ever asked yourself what happens when you're angry with someone? Yes, anger can lead to violence, but, even when it doesn't, it still does harm in other ways.
For example, look at the harm anger does to your relationship with the other person. As long as you are angry and filled with hatred toward someone, you are alienated and separated from them, and that isn't God's will. You'll even be hoping something bad will happen to them, which is the opposite of love. The Bible says, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18).
But I wonder also if you have ever realized how much anger hurts you. Anger easily gives birth to other emotions, such as bitterness and hatred, and these are like an acid eating away at your soul. The Bible wisely says, "Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming" (Proverbs 27:4).
I urge you to bring your anger to Christ, and give it and your life to Him. He has every reason to be angry at us, for we have ignored Him and turned our backs on Him. But He still loves us, and the proof is that He was willing to go to the cross so we could be forgiven. Don't let anger or any other sin control you any longer, but by faith open your heart to Christ.
Loving Others
Who could disagree with the idea that we need more love in the world? We live on a planet that is torn by anger, greed and prejudice, and this world would certainly be a better place if we learned to love and accept each other.
It isn't just a matter of telling people they ought to love others. If that were all it took, we would be at peace already, because almost every pop singer and movie star proclaims the value of love.
No, our problem is far deeper. Our problem is within ourselves--within our own hearts and minds. Jesus said, "For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts" (Mark 7:21). That is why we don't just need good advice. Instead, we need to be converted--to be changed on the inside. That is why we need God. Only He can take away our selfishness, pride, and greed and replace them with His love and mercy.
And this can happen as we open our hearts and minds to Christ. God loves us, and He wants to transform us from within. And He will, as we turn from our sins and invite Christ to come into our lives. Don't be content with anything less than Him.
Praying for and Encouraging Your Pastor
If God brought your pastor to your church, then he is God's choice for that position, and he should be respected as long as God has him there. The Bible tells us "to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 5:12). Gossiping and backbiting will only hurt God's work in a church.
The most important thing you can do for your pastor is to pray for him and encourage others to pray also. A praying church is a harmonious church, and the reason is because everyone is seeking God's will instead of their own. Prayer is essential in God's work, and most of all we should be praying regularly for our pastors. Paul's plea could be echoed by almost every pastor: "Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored" (2 Thessalonians 3:1).
Then encourage your pastor. Go out of your way to thank him for his sermons; remember his birthday or other special occasions; let him know you are praying for him. Encourage him also to strengthen his gifts and grow in his abilities. We all need encouragement, and your pastor is no exception.
Finally, ask God to help you be a peacemaker in your church, and urge others to do the same. The Bible says, "There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace" (Proverbs 12:20).
Gossip
Have you seen those bracelets and T-shirts that young people began wearing a few years ago with the letters "WWJD" on them? As you probably know, those initials stand for, "What Would Jesus Do?"
Do you think Jesus would gossip? Of course He wouldn't. The Bible says, "A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much" (Proverbs 20:19).
Why is gossiping wrong in God's eyes? One reason is because it always distorts the truth. The Bible is clear: "The Lord detests lying lips" (Proverbs 12:22). Another reason is because gossip tears people apart instead of bringing them together and it is never motivated by love. The Bible points out that "a gossip separates close friends" (Proverbs 16:28).
Why do some people tear others down? One reason, I'm convinced, is because they think it makes them better than other people. In other words, if you tear everyone else down, who is left standing? You are, and it makes you feel superior to everyone else. Behind this is pride--the kind of pride that says, "I am better than you are."
But this attitude is wrong, not only in the eyes of other people but also in the eyes of God. The Bible warns, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). It also declares, "Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence" (Psalm 101:5).
Hope from God's Word
A missionary in China who was imprisoned by the Japanese during World War II managed to take a forbidden Gospel of John with her into prison. She carefully hid it, and each night, when she went to bed, she pulled the covers over her head and memorized one verse. She did this until the day she was freed.
When the prisoners were released, most of them shuffled out, but the missionary was so chipper someone said she must have been brainwashed. A Life magazine reporter who had interviewed her said, "She's been brainwashed for sure. God washed her brain."
I urge you not only to read God's Word but to memorize it. You may find it hard at first, but, as you repeat a verse or a group of verses over and over to yourself, you will find they begin to take root in your soul. The Psalmist declared, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11). Then when adversity or troubles arise, those verses will come back and give you hope.
Is God's Word stored up in your heart and mind for the future?
Apologizing
I’m afraid many people find it hard to admit when they’ve been wrong, especially when they have hurt someone (either by their actions or their words). But when we fail to apologize and ask that person’s forgiveness, we only make the situation worse.
Why do you find it hard to say you are sorry and apologize for what you’ve done? There may be several reasons — but the most important is pride. You hate to admit you were wrong, and you hate to lose face in the eyes of other people. The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
How should you deal with this? First, realize just how damaging pride can be. Pride cuts us off from other people — and most of all it cuts us off from God. The Bible warns that “God opposes the proud” (James 4:6). Confess your pride — and all your sins — to God, and ask Jesus Christ to come into your life to forgive you and cleanse you. God loves you, and He doesn’t want you to go through life hurting both others and yourself.
In addition, ask God to help you control your tongue, and to use it for His glory. Let the Bible’s admonition be your guide: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29).
Ruth Bell Graham
Tipping the Scales
Over the years, many people had an influence on our children. My parents; our pastor, Calvin Thielman; and several of Bill’s associates were among them. But not everyone was an inspiration.
At one conference, one of our sons watched a difficult Christian leader repeatedly rebuke, correct and embarrass an older Christian who happened to be working under him.
Someone once said: “No person is absolutely unnecessary. They can always serve as a horrible example.”
Day after day, our son quietly watched and listened, unable to intervene.
Not once did the older man show anything but Christian graciousness and humility. Never once did he get angry and complain. Not once did he strike back. He was a perfect illustration of J.B. Rotherham’s translation of Proverbs 24:25: “To reprovers, one should be pleasant.”
Neither the horrible example nor the gentle saint was aware he was being observed. Neither knew that the scales in one young heart were being tilted inevitably toward the Savior because of an older man’s close resemblance to Him when under attack.
Charles Stanley
Playing the Blame Game
Playing the blame game can be a consuming problem. If a person persists in maintaining that someone else is to blame for his wrongdoing, this perception can radically distort his view of reality. What makes the blame game such a spiritual threat is that it has become a part of the thinking of our culture at large.
Many believe that a criminal is not responsible for his crime because he is really the victim of society or a bad upbringing. Others say that we should be allowed to say anything we want to in public, no matter how ugly, because we must express our emotions to be healthy. If this "no fault" thinking is carried to its logical conclusion, then ultimately no one is responsible for his behavior at any time.
This tendency to blame others isn't a new one, however; the very first man and the very first woman tried it in the Garden of Eden. Do you remember what Adam said when God approached him shortly after his sin? Instead of admitting what he had done, Adam said: "'The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate'" (Genesis 3:12).
Then God turned to Eve, and she said: "'The serpent deceived me, and I ate'" (v. 13). The fact is that both of their statements are true. Adam was tempted by Eve, and Eve was presented with a deliberately deceitful argument. However, sin is never justifiable. It does not make any difference what motivated or prompted it. In God's eyes, sin, or disobedience to Him, is never acceptable.
God forgave Adam and Eve, and He even gave them the hope of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. But He held them responsible for their sin in that He treated them as free moral agents who each made the personal choice to disobey Him. Therefore, they each needed to be forgiven and restored to fellowship with Him.
Why is it so much easier to do what Adam and Eve did, to "pass the buck" as the saying goes? Sin is shame and guilt-inducing. Adam and Eve ran to hide when they heard God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. (Genesis 3:8). Instinctively, they knew they were wrong, and the fears of exposure, failure, and change seemed too much to bear. Because these fears are so large and ominous, it feels less painful to live with a false sense of blamelessness rather than own up to the truth.
Blaming others encourages you to sin more. If you do not admit your own responsibility in the situation, it is common to adopt a "victim" mentality, the belief that someone is literally forcing you to do something you would not choose otherwise. Often, the process of rationalizing sin leads to a weakened view of the sin. You might begin to harbor thoughts such as, "Oh, it's not so bad"; "No one would blame me"; or "Anyone in my position would do the same thing."
Blaming others promotes disharmony and bitterness. The spiritual principles that operate here can be a little more complex and subtle, especially when the emotional influence is serious.
If you walk with a friend past a store, and she pressures you verbally to take something because no one is looking, you experience an emotional influence to commit an offense. You may choose to give in and then blame her for your wrong, with anger and bitterness at her for trying to push you into sin. As persuasive as this friend's influence was, it is much easier to sort through the issues here than to get to the real problem—your own desire to steal.
Be honest about your sin. You don't have to run and hide when you sense the Spirit of God telling you that you are wrong. God tells you because He wants you to come to Him with the problem. When thoughts of blaming others come to mind, refuse them.
Never Admitting You're Wrong
Nobody likes to admit they're wrong. But James 5:16 instructs us, "Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed." I've been blessed with some tender moments and rich teaching opportunities with my kids, when I've managed to swallow my pride and apologize.
Every time we "blow it" is a chance to teach our children about the Father's forgiveness and grace.
1 John 1:9 tells us, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Ephesians 4:32 urges, "And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you." If we never messed up, we'd never have a chance to model these principles for our kids.
"Perfection is not a Biblical mandate," says Leslie Parrot, Co-director of the Center for Relationship Development at Seattle Pacific University and author of Realrelationships.com. 2 Corinthians 12:9b says, "My strength is made perfect in your weakness." One of the most powerful things we can do is listen to feedback. If you've hurt someone's feelings, listen carefully, then offer a sincere apology. When you do that, you're teaching him or her that their feelings and opinions are important to you and that you'll listen when they talk. They will see that you're someone they can confide in and trust, and that just because you sometimes disagree, that doesn't mean you don't love each other.
Jack W. Hayford
God's Love in a Sinful World: Light in the Darkness
The Bible instructs us to "speak the truth in love" (Cf. Ephesians 4:15). In confronting sin, we need both truth and love. But people will listen to the truth only when they first see love.
The only thing that will touch people in a world blinded by sin is evidence of what they want most: love. We will not win the world by persuading people we are pure and holy; we will win others by showing love, as Jesus did. Where people see love's vitality, worth and attractiveness, they will inquire into the truth that produces it. We have not been made agents of our heavenly Father's anger but of the love behind it.
God's "wrath" is His fury against the self-destructive things done by His children that hinder Him from fulfilling the good He intends for them. His heart breaks over human bondage, just as His Son's body was broken to provide redemption and deliverance from each person's self-imposed program of death.
You and I cannot pray with power if we don't love what or whom we're praying for. The flow of power in our lives is directly proportionate to the flow of our love--love that comes from God. He demonstrated "His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, NKJV). God knows that we live "in a crooked and perverse generation" (Philippians 2:15, NKJV); it's the same world into which He sent His Son. Yet, while Jesus had no illusions about the nature of humankind, He did not come executing judgment; He came reaching in love.
Furthermore, in those of us who have come to Him, there is something of the recovery of what God has in mind for all of humanity. When people see healing and restoration occurring in our lives, it awakens hope for peace and wholeness in their own. The light of Jesus' righteousness enables us to examine our own lives and to attract others to Him by warming them with His love. We are not called to shine it as a searchlight in their faces, telling them to "measure up."
We are called to holiness, but we are not called to apply that measure to the world. It's a measure we're called to require of ourselves as we grow in the life of Christ. When we grasp this, something different will take place in the Church today. The ultimate measure will always be how the love of God is manifest in us.
Adrian Rogers
BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.” 1 Peter 3:16
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Have you ever been criticized? Maybe blamed for something you didn’t do? Or been unjustly slandered? You are not alone. Jesus was the whipping boy of much criticism and slander in His day. Was He worried? No. You, too, must not worry when others speak falsely. Just give that to the Lord. Jesus tells us, “When they criticize you, just roll that over onto Me. I understand and I am in charge. You just trust in Me.”
ACTION POINT:
Lift up your hands as a gesture of giving to God those people who have criticized or judged you. Ask Him to forgive them. Ask Him to give you grace and strength to love them.
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BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Matthew 5:24
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Jesus tells us to leave our offering and make things right with a brother before we can worship. No one can be right with God and consciously wrong with his brother. Now, notice that Jesus doesn’t say that you need to leave your tithe and go reconcile with a brother if you have something against him. Here, Jesus is saying that you need to get things right with a brother who has something against you. Before you sing, before you pray, before you teach, before you give, before you worship, the Bible says you are first to be reconciled to your brother. There is no offering on earth that can substitute for getting right with your brother. As far as you know, is there someone who is harboring ill feelings toward you? Then, the Lord says, “Leave it there and go get it right.”
ACTION POINT:
Before you do anything else, right now, this very minute, ask God to show you if there is anyone with whom you need to reconcile. Then, go and do it my friend.
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BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
There are some people who think that you can lose your salvation once you have it. I have one truth that will dispel that idea. Whether or not you can lose your salvation depends upon how you got it. If you were saved by your good works, then you can lose your salvation by your bad works. But, God’s Word is very clear on this point. Titus 3:5 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” How is someone saved? By grace. And if it is by grace, then you’re kept by grace. Salvation is not rooted in the merit of man, but in the mercy of God.
ACTION POINT:
Praise God for the regenerating work of His Holy Spirit, for the atoning blood of His Son, and for His calling upon your life.
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BIBLE MEDITATION:
“The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Psalm 23 speaks of the “valley of the shadow of death.” For every shadow, there must be light. Christ said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). A shadow may frighten you, but a shadow cannot really hurt you. I dare say that a shadow at one time or another has spooked many of us. But, thank God, death is but a shadow if you know the Lord Jesus Christ. If you keep your face toward the light, the shadow will fall behind you. You won’t even see the shadow. God doesn’t bring us to a valley to leave us there. He always brings us through. God is never closer to you than when you are in a dark valley. He is especially near.
ACTION POINT:
Are you in a state of confusion or despair today? Do you feel hopeless about a situation you are in? Read Psalm 23:4, and praise God that He takes you “through” the valley and doesn’t leave you there. Ask Him to give you wisdom to learn what He wants you to learn, to stay focused on Him, and to witness to others of His strength in the valley.
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BIBLE MEDITATION:
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
You are either a helper or a hurter when it comes to reaching the world for Christ. Why? Because whether you like it or not, the world is watching your Sunday “go to church” behavior and wondering how it compares to your Monday “go to work” behavior or your Saturday “rest and relaxation” behavior. I’ve always said that the greatest argument for Christ and the greatest argument against Christ is the life of a Christian. “Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave! Some poor fainting struggling seaman you may rescue, you may save” (Philip P. Bliss).
ACTION POINT:
Do your neighbors see you give your time and resources to help them when they need help? Do they witness how you treat your family or how you entertain your friends? Do you even know their names? Friend, the finger pointing at you has three pointing right back at me! Let’s bring a soul to Jesus for Him to save today!
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BIBLE MEDITATION:
“And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” 1 Chronicles 4:10
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Jabez wanted his influence to be enlarged. God can stretch you, as well. Psalm 4:1 says that God enlarged the psalmist when he was “in distress.” If you ask to be enlarged, you can expect that God may use distressing circumstances to do that. And the pain will be worth it all. When God enlarges you, He does so to fill you with more of Himself. Don’t be satisfied with God’s filling a small place if God wants to fill a larger place. Are you ready to say, “God I want more. I want You to enlarge my coasts. I don’t want a blessing. I want a blessing indeed.”? We need to pray big prayers to a big God.
ACTION POINT:
Ask God to keep you aware of His presence all day, to bless your witness for His glory, and to keep you from evil.
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BIBLE MEDITATION:
“I, even I, am the LORD; and beside Me there is no Savior.” Isaiah 43:11
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
It takes more of God’s power to save a soul through the cross of Jesus, than it does to do any other thing. God had no difficulty creating the universe. The Bible tells us that He spoke and it was so. But, when God wrote salvation’s story, He went to great difficulty. Let me illustrate. What if I held a service and had the power to straighten a cripple’s legs or to bring sight to the blind? The next service would be standing room only. Now, I certainly want God to heal, but let me tell you something else. What if I held a service and a little girl walked down the aisle and professed that God had saved her? That is a greater miracle than opening the eyes of the blind because the Son of God had to hang on a cross in agony and blood to purchase her salvation! Jesus did not come as a great healer or teacher, He came as a Savior.
ACTION POINT:
How would you define what happens when God saves a person? Can you put it into words? Ask God to show you in His Word what salvation means and then try to put it into your own words. Share it with someone this week.
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BIBLE MEDITATION:
“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance.” Proverbs 15:13
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
What is a smile? Here is something from an anonymous source: “A smile costs nothing, but creates much good. It enriches those who receive it without impoverishing those who give it away. It happens in a flash, but the memory of it can last forever. No one is so rich that he can get along without it. No one is too poor to feel rich when receiving it. It is rest to the weary, daylight to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad and nature’s best antidote for trouble. Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen.”
ACTION POINT:
When you get dressed this morning, don’t forget to put on a smile. Wear a smile all day from the inner joy that only Jesus can bring to your heart. Don’t feel an inner joy? Then, ask for one!
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BIBLE MEDITATION:
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:6
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
What did our Lord mean when He said, “Enter into your closet to pray?” The word “closet” simply means somewhere that you can shut the door on the world and open the windows to heaven. As you study the life of Jesus, you’ll discover that Jesus sought times to be alone. Sometimes He would go on a mountain, sometimes into the wilderness, and sometimes into a garden. It is the secret place that is the sacred place. The mark of your prayer life is not really how well you pray in public, but in private.
ACTION POINT:
When you enter your closet to pray, spend some time in silence. Clear your mind. Then, listen for His Words of edification, encouragement, and exhortation.
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Returning Good for Evil
Christians are not to return evil for evil. But sometimes our minds tell us we need to get even ...
First Peter 3:8-9 says, "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing."
There are three levels of living:
1. To return evil for good. That is devilish.
2. To return evil for evil. That is human.
3. To return good for evil. That is divine.
I heard of a lady who went to the doctor. The doctor examined her and then got a serious look on his face. She asked him what was wrong and he said, "I hate to tell you this, but you have rabies." Well, she got out a notebook and started to make out a list. He said, "What are you doing? Making your will?" She said, "No, I'm making a list of people I'm going to bite."
That's the human nature in us. But the Bible says that we are not to return evil for evil.
David Jeremiah
The Misery of Sin
Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man!"
2 Samuel 12:7
The great theologian and preacher of the Second Great Awakening in New England, Jonathan Edwards, described what happened in his work, A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God in the Conversion of Many Hundred Souls in Northampton (1736): "Many that came to Town, on one occasion or other, had their Consciences smitten, and awakened, and went home with wounded Hearts . . . ."
A guilty conscience in the presence of the holiness of God is not a happy situation for the guilty one. Just the very presence of purity, joy, honesty, and love is enough to cause conviction to arise. Part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). It can happen without a word being spoken, or it can happen when God uses a righteous person to confront the sinner as Nathan the prophet did with King David after he concealed his sin for almost a year. Either way, nothing makes a guilty sinner more miserable than the presence of the righteousness of God.
If you are harboring sin in your heart, you no doubt feel guilty whether you are a Christian or not. The only solution to such misery is to confess that sin to God and receive His forgiveness.
Guilt is the gift that keeps on giving.
Garrison Keillor
Champions: Elisha
Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.
2 Kings 3:11
Good to Great, the best selling leadership and management tome by Jim Collins, talks about Level Five Leaders, men and women in the business world who effectively combine humility with drive. Level Five Leaders aren’t concerned about claiming credit for success, and they genuinely care for others; yet they passionately want their companies to succeed, and work hard to make it happen.
Elisha was a Level Five Leader, one of the most powerful and effective men in the Old Testament. He was a miracle worker who stood unflinchingly in an evil nation of Baal worshippers and God haters. We first see him, however, described as Elijah’s servant (1 Kings 19:21). He was later portrayed as the man who poured water on Elijah’s hands—Elijah’s attendant. His willingness to perform menial tasks prepared his heart for his later exploits for the Lord.
Don’t worry about claiming credit for any success that comes your way. Don’t be concerned about being well-known or popular. The real question is are you pouring water on someone’s hands? Are you helping another person with their own work today? Are you a servant?
I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble.
Helen Keller
Means and Ends
Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
Proverbs 19:1
Through the ages, ethicists have debated the connection between means and ends: Can immoral actions be justified in order to achieve moral outcomes?
Fortunately, the Bible offers insight into this difficult question. When David, the new king of Israel, wanted to return the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, a man was killed by God for handling the ark inappropriately. Earlier in the ark’s history, seventy men died when someone removed the lid and looked inside the ark (1 Samuel 6:19). Why the harsh treatment? Specifically, because Israel needed to regain a lost fear (awe) and respect for God’s holiness. Generally, because God is as interested in how we do things as in what we do. From God’s perspective, the end doesn’t justify the means: Wanting to do something good doesn’t excuse doing something bad.
If you are planning an action, look as closely at the "how" as the "what." Make sure both bring honor to God.
Success without honor is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your hunger, but it won’t taste good.
Joe Paterno
I Promise
He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.
Proverbs 10:9
Political candidates are famous for making promises they find impossible to keep once elected. Given the complexities and variables of governing, no one is really surprised when election promises go unfulfilled. But at the personal level, when we fail to keep our word to another person, we demonstrate a lack of integrity, trustworthiness, and dependability. Ecclesiastes 5:5 says it’s better not to promise than to promise and not pay. Even if we say "I will . . ." instead of "I promise . . ." we commit ourselves to a child, spouse, friend, or coworker. When we fail to follow through, our integrity suffers.
If you have said, "I will" but failed to keep your word, why not fulfill that promise and restore your credibility today.
Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones.
Phillips Brooks
Stand Out in the Crowd
And [Joseph’s] master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand.
Genesis 39:3
In the food industry, separating the good from the bad is important. Workers watch as conveyor belts stream by, loaded with a harvest of fruit. Their trained eyes look for blemishes; their quick hands reach out and cull the unacceptable items. Because the vast majority of the fruit is good, when an imperfect sample appears, it stands out from the crowd.
"Standing out" works the opposite way as well, especially with regard to people. For instance, the Bible says Jesus of Nazareth was not noticeable for His outward appearance (Isaiah 53:2), yet He stood out in the crowd in first-century Israel. Indeed, He stands out in the crowd of humanity as the most unusual person in history. Among His followers, those who are most like Him will stand out as well. The more of God’s character that is revealed in us (the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23), the less like "the crowd" we will be. And people will notice. Has anyone ever told you there is something different about you? If they haven’t, and if you continue to be conformed to Christ, they will.
Make it your goal in life to be so like Christ that people will be attracted to Him through you.
Preach the Gospel every day; if necessary, use words.
Francis of Assisi
The Truth, the Whole Truth . . .
Has God indeed said, "You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"
Genesis 3:1
A person's native language is the one he is most comfortable speaking, the one he reverts to impulsively, the one by which his values are most easily communicated.
The Bible says that Satan's native language is lies (John 8:44). Whenever he opens his mouth - or motivates someone else to open his or her mouth - it will also be a distortion of the truth.
Twisting the truth is what Satan did with Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Distorting God's instructions is what Saul did when he was supposed to destroy the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15).
When we find ourselves coloring the truth or distorting God's Word to serve our own interests, we know automatically the source of that motivation. Sometimes we try to treat the truth like notes in music. If the truth is "A," but we tell it like it's A-flat or A-sharp, we say, "But it's still an A!" It doesn't matter. It may be close to the truth, but it's not the truth.
If you are ever tempted to embellish, exaggerate, distort, color, hide or otherwise not tell the truth - stop!
The truth is the currency of the kingdom. Lies are like counterfeit money - they render all transactions meaningless.
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.
Winston Churchill
Knowing What to Do
For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know
what to do, but our eyes are upon You.
2 Chronicles 20:12
Cultural rebels have always waved the "Me Against the World" banner. It’s one thing to choose to stand alone, but entirely another thing to find yourself standing alone when it is none of your doing. That’s what happened to one of the kings of Israel. His solution is worth imitating today. He stood before God, then stood against his enemy.
Jehoshaphat was a godly king of Judah. When word came to him that the armies of Moab, Ammon, and Edom were coming to attack Judah, he was humanly helpless. Judah had no military resources sufficient to repel such an invasion. He gathered the people of Judah and led them in prayer in the temple, and concluded with these famous words: "We [don’t] know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." In answer to his prayer, a prophet of the Lord brought a word from God (20:15): "Do not be afraid . . . for the battle is not yours, but God’s." The next day, God gave them victory when the invading forces turned on each other. The next time you don’t know what to do, pray Jehoshaphat’s prayer to God: "My eyes are on You."
Your eyes have to be somewhere. Focus them on the Solution instead of the problem.
Faith isn’t faith until it’s all you’re holding on to.
Unknown
Not a Time to Be Casual
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Matthew 24:44
"Second Coming Type" is the largest type size that will fit in a newspaper's headline, reserved for earthshaking events. In Are We Living in the End Times? Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins explain how "Second Coming Type" got its name: "The reason, of course, is that there IS no bigger event than the second coming of Christ.
Ironically, when He comes, Second Coming Type will sit unused on the presses. Why? Because there will be no time to put out a flash edition to announce His return."
That's right - the return of Christ will happen suddenly at an unexpected hour. Only those who are living in light of the promise of His return will be ready. Unfortunately, many today are living casually and cavalierly, assuming there is plenty of time to "get ready." But just as Noah's neighbors had years to prepare for the Flood, but didn't, so many will find themselves unprepared for the appearance of Jesus when He comes. Take Jesus' words to heart: He is coming at an unexpected hour. Live a Second Coming-type of life.
The times you least expect Jesus might return are examples of the times He is most likely to return. Be ready!
In our modern world, our real danger comes not from irreligion, but from mild religion.
D. Elton Trueblood
Identify Yourself
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you are disqualified.
2 Corinthians 13:5
In Iraq, a current strategy of the anti-government insurgents is to dress as Iraqi soldiers or policemen in order to infiltrate high-security zones. The mere profession of authority - even possession of uniforms and badges - is no longer sufficient to establish identity.
Jesus warned about spiritual imposters - wolves dressed in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15). He was referring to the danger of judging spirituality based on external appearances. Christians need to take these words to heart and follow Paul's admonition to examine ourselves to see if we are indeed in the faith. The goal is not to create doubt but to create confidence! But confidence cannot be enjoyed without a thorough examination to see whether one has truly been born again. Has your life changed? Do you have an increasing sensitivity to sin? Is pleasing Christ daily your chief pursuit?
Don't be afraid to look closely at your spiritual life so that you may rest confidently in your eternal life.
We need to rediscover the almost lost discipline of self-examination; and then a reawakened sense of sin will beget a reawakened sense of wonder.
Andrew Murray
A Working Faith
Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
James 2:18b
Ask the average man or woman on the street what the prerequisite for a person to go to heaven is, and the response you are likely to receive is that he or she must "be a good person." This view might be termed the "merit system" of salvation. On a practical level, this belief is untenable because it is impossible to know in this life how many good works are sufficient to win paradise. But more importantly, the "merit system" of salvation is contrary to the clear teaching of Holy Scripture.
The Bible says that "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23), and that a man is justified - that is, has had his sins forgiven and has established a right relationship with God - by faith alone in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16) apart from good works.
But have good works no role to play in our salvation? Yes, they validate and make manifest to others that the faith we profess is indeed a saving faith in Jesus Christ. And because this kind of faith produces good works, those who view our actions will also see the light of Jesus and glorify God the Father (Matthew 5:16). So let your faith be revealed in your actions today.
We are justified by faith alone, but by a faith that is not alone.
John Calvin
The Touch of the Master
Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him.
Matthew 8:3
In his book, How to Really Love Your Child, Dr. Ross Campbell extols the power of touch. Hugging is important, of course, but so are pats on the back, gentle pokes in the ribs, tousling their hair, and appropriate rough-housing or high-fiving. One of the ways parents convey love for their children is by appropriate physical contact.
That's true for us all. The next time you read through one of the four Gospels, notice how often Jesus touched people. His power and love were conveyed through the touch of the Master's hands.
There are few things more loving or affirming than the right physical contact with another human being. We have a biblical warrant through the example of Jesus.
Have you hugged your husband or wife today? Have you given your child a friendly tussle? Have you warmly greeted a friend by an outstretched hand and a hearty handshake? Have you rested your arm around the shoulder of someone needing cheer? Have you given a few pats on the back along the way?
Remember - you can't give a hug without receiving one in return. Today reach out and touch someone!
A hug is a handshake from the heart.
Anonymous
What’s Done Is Done
It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.
Psalm 119:71
The Chicago Tribune reported that on March 3, 1995, a 38-year-old man walking to his job decided to take a shortcut across eight lanes of the Tri-State Tollway. After making it across the four northbound lanes, the wind blew off his hat it went back into the lanes he had just crossed. When he tried to retrieve it, he was struck by an 18-wheeler and killed.
Life is strung together by choices. Like pearls on a thread, our choices are linked one to another until the strand of our life is complete. Every time we come to a fork or crossroads in life, the choice we make eliminates those we could have made. And the results are undoable. When we make the right choice, that’s good. But when we make the wrong choice, what’s done is done. It can be forgiven, but not changed. When David was running from Saul, a village that gave him assistance was later massacred by the king. David no doubt grieved the rest of his life over choosing to endanger those innocent people. If you have made a choice that led to sorrowful consequences, accept God’s forgiveness and resolve to learn from your mistake.
What’s done in life is done. But that doesn’t mean it has to be done again.
Between two evils, choose neither; between two goods, choose both.
Tryon Edwards
Victory Lane: David’s Sling
David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.
1 Samuel 17:49-50
How like God!
He uses little things to defeat large enemies. "God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence." (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).
If you think you don’t have much to offer, think again. Often we don’t witness as we should because we’re afraid we don’t have all the answers. We don’t volunteer for church ministry because we’re afraid we can’t do it as well as another. But the Lord isn’t looking for giants with gleaming armaments. He’s looking for a few people who will trust Him, gather a handful of stones, and tackle the devil with a slingshot in the name of the Lord God of the armies of Israel.
That can be you!
The greatest ability is avail-ability!
Not Drops or Dribbles
If you . . . know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!
Luke 11:13
Recently a newspaper ran a column describing the world’s greatest cheapskates. One man, for example, went grocery shopping with his wife. As she filled the cart with goods, he strolled over to the card section and selected a beautiful birthday card for her. Finding her among the pickles and relishes, he gave her the card, watched with joy while she read it, gave her a little hug—then returned the card to the rack!
That’s not the way the Lord gives.
Take the Holy Spirit, for example. The moment we receive Christ as Savior, the Father pours His Spirit into our hearts. It isn’t a drop or a dribble. Jesus compared the Holy Spirit to rivers of waters flowing from our hearts (John 7:38-39). We’re born again by the Spirit, indwelled by the Spirit, empowered by the Spirit, illumined by the Spirit, comforted by the Spirit, taught by the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, and sanctified by the Spirit.
How grateful we should be that God has given us His Spirit, and that Jesus by His Spirit will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
Jesus, fill now with Thy Spirit hearts that full surrender know
That the streams of living water from our inner self may flow.
Mary Maxwell
The Holiness Habit
Get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that He plants in your hearts.
James 1:21
Holiness is a habit. It’s much more than that, of course. It’s a characteristic of God himself, displayed perfectly in Christ and imputed to our accounts by grace through faith. But in practical terms, holy living means daily discipline. We form habits, then they form us.
That’s why we must weed out bad habits regularly, just as we weed our yards. An untended garden soon deteriorates into a weed patch, and an untended life does the same. It requires the discipline of the hoe to produce hollyhocks in our fields and holiness in our lives.
In his book How to Say No to a Stubborn Habit, Erwin Lutzer writes: "We are responsible for our own sin—including those sins ‘which so easily beset us.’ The fact that we do something wrong habitually does not relieve us of responsibility. On the contrary, it may make the sin all the worse. So we must take personal responsibility for our own habits and not shrink from calling them sin."
Ask the Lord to help you identify "weeds" in your life, confess them, turn from them, and replace them with holy habits that produce a crop of righteousness.
The Christian must see that bad habits are ultimately spiritual issues.
Erwin Lutzer
Early Warnings
I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.
Acts 24:16
In Ewa Beach, Hawaii, sets a rather plain-looking white block building with a small ramp leading to the front door. It is unimposing, but what happens there could save thousands of lives. It’s the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, established in 1949. Its purpose is to continually monitor the Pacific Basin for seismic activity and provide early warning flashes for possible tsunamis.
The human heart also has an early warning system, established in the soul, which continually monitors for the seismic activities of sin in our lives. It’s called the conscience, and the apostle Paul’s desire was to serve Christ with a pure conscience (2 Timothy 1:3).
One man quipped, "Conscience is that still small voice that is sometimes too loud for comfort."
Are you listening to your conscience? The Bible warns that if we don’t heed this still, small inner voice, it may become seared and defiled (1 Timothy 4:2, Titus 1:15). When that happens, it’s like disconnecting the sirens and signals from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
If your conscience is speaking to you about some matter, hear it and heed it!
There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience.
French proverb
The World’s Patina
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.
2 Peter 3:14
Bronze mentioned in the Bible was an alloy of copper and other metals such as tin. Today, copper is widely used in cookware, vases, sinks, pots, and for ornamental purposes. Over time, bronze and copper, exposed to the elements, develop a patina a greenish sheen, highlighted by dark spots that creates an appearance of age. Some people find the patina on copper highly desirable.
The spotting of ornamental copper objects might be desirable, but there is another category of spotting that is not: when Christians become spotted by the world. The apostle Paul says that Christ’s goal is to keep His bride, the church, from becoming spotted or blemished (Ephesians 5:27); and Peter says every believer is to be diligent about being found in Christ, unspotted and blameless (2 Peter 3:14). We become spotted by the world when we become friends with it (James 4:4).
Are you developing a worldly patina? The world will compliment you for it; but compared to the purity of Christ, the difference will be unattractive.
We avoid spotting by living in Christ being in the world but not of the world.
The ship’s place is in the sea, but God pity the ship when the sea gets into it.
Unknown
Champions: Dorcas
Dorcas . . . was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.
Acts 9:36
If there were a race named "Kindness Klassic" or "Good Deeds Derby," Dorcas would have been the champion. She made garments for widows and sewed the buttons on many a child’s coat. When she died, the whole town turned out in grief; and someone sent for Peter. The Bible says, "Peter . . . knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, ‘Tabitha, arise.’ And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up" (Acts 9:40).
In 1982, Berkeley writer Anne Herbert coined a simple phrase: Random Acts of Kindness. The idea was: Imagine what would happen if there were an outbreak of kindness in the world, if everybody did one kind thing on a daily basis. Now Random Acts of Kindness is an international movement wherein thousands of people seek to adopt a stray animal, smile at a bus driver, compliment a stranger, return shopping carts to the store, treat local police officers to coffee, and give up their places in the grocery line to someone with just one item.
If anyone should be kind, it is the followers of Jesus. Today, be a Dorcas and commit a random act of kindness.
The best portion of a good man’s life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.
William Wordsworth
I’m Willing
All on the altar . . .
Leviticus 1:9
Musician John W. Peterson, who penned some of the twentieth century’s most popular Christian songs and hymns, wrote in his memoirs of his surrender to Christ. Shortly before graduating from high school, someone gave John several biographies to read. As he read the stories of D. L. Moody and Charles Finney, he longed to give his life to God in a special way.
Then he read the stirring, tragic story of John and Betty Stam, who were martyred for their faith in China. "As I turned the last page of that book," Peterson recalled, "something broke inside me. How could it be, Lord, that this bright, promising couple should be cut down at the very outset of their ministry? Why?"
But John realized that God did want people to lay their lives on the line for Him. After several hours of intense inner struggling, Peterson prayed: "Here I am, Lord. I don’t know what You want of me, but even if it’s China and martyrdom, I’m willing."
Toward evening, an inexpressible joy and peace filled the bedroom of that old house in Kansas, and it set the direction of the young man’s life.
Have you ever prayed like that?
Here I am, Lord. I don’t know what You want of me, but even if it’s China and martyrdom, I’m willing.
Commitment must be total, or it’s no commitment at all.
John W. Peterson
Clarify Your Life
It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.
Psalm 119:71
Between his cancer diagnosis in 1996 and winning his first Tour de France bike race in 1999, seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong endured a refining process that made him stronger in the end. In his book, It's Not About the Bike, he tells not only about the grueling brain surgery and chemotherapy, but wrestling with whether to race again. Once he made that decision, he became a different kind of champion one with a purpose and focus he couldn't have had without going through the refining fire of cancer.
It seems to be the universal testimony of those who suffer that it is a clarifying experience. Pain is a type of preparation like no other, allowing the unimportant to fall away and the critical to rise to the top. Moses was prepared for eighty years forty in Egypt and forty in the wilderness before being called into divine service by God. When he returned to Egypt to free the Hebrew slaves, he was focused and faithful, something he might not have been at a younger, more pain free point in his life.
All of our yesterdays are preparation for today and tomorrow. Let God prepare you for what only He knows is coming. Let pain bring clarity to your life and vision.
Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.
Roy L. Smith
Power of the Book
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void.
Isaiah 55:11a
The first state constitution written in America was the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639). It was based on the Bible, and it became a model for other state constitutions as well as the Constitution of the United States. Since the American Revolution (1776), America's biblically based constitution has remained in place. France, by comparison, has had seven constitutions since the French Revolution (1789) that were based on Voltaire's anti-biblical, humanist philosophy.
The influence of the Bible is seen throughout America's government. The founding fathers devised a three branch system of checks and balances because of their acknowledgement of the depravity of man man's inability to govern himself. It is hard not to connect America's declining moral state with the removal of the Bible from its original central place in our nation's government and schools. Christians understand that the Bible is alive and powerful; remove it, and its life changing power is negated (Hebrews 4:12).
Moral and spiritual decline happens to individuals before it happens to nations. Commit to keeping God's Word at the core of your life.
Apply yourself wholly to the text; apply the text wholly to yourself.
John A. Bengel
Revive Us Again
Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?
Psalm 85:6
One rabbi who survived the Holocaust described it well when he said that at Auschwitz it was as though there existed a world in which all the Ten Commandments were reversed. Evil days are characterized by a reversal of values. Isaiah 5:20 says, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil."
Our American society is increasingly accepting evil as good, and rejecting good as evil; and the Ten Commandments are pried from the walls of courthouses and public buildings across our nation. It's easy to become alarmed at the moral deterioration of our times.
We should be alarmed, but earnest prayer is a more urgent priority. It's in times like these that God sends His great revivals.
Vance Havner once wrote, "Throughout the history of the Church, when clouds have hung lowest, when sin has seemed blackest and faith has been weakest, there have always been a faithful few who have not sold out to the devil . . . . These have besought the Lord to revive His work in the midst of the years, and in the midst of the fears and tears, and in wrath to remember mercy. God has always answered such supplication, filling each heart with His love, rekindling each soul with Fire from above."
Let's begin praying earnestly for revival!
The greatest need in America is an old-fashioned, heaven-born, God-sent revival.
Vance Havner
Attitudes Are Contagious
Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name.
Psalm 18:49
A bumper sticker recently said: "Attitudes Are Contagious. Mine Might Kill You!"
Well, attitudes are contagious, and it's important to have the kind that spreads cheer and strength to those around us. Philippians 2:14 says, "Do all things without complaining and disputing"; and we're told in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
James warned, "Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so" (James 3:10).
Take a moment to ask yourself whether your words have been uplifting to others, or discouraging to them. Has the fountain of the tongue sent forth sweet waters or bitter?
Thanksgiving isn't just a holiday; it's an attitude, a way of life, and a disposition of heart. Try putting on a fresh smile. Try speaking a cheerful word. Try spreading a good feeling. Try thanksgiving!
Thou hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days,
But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.
George Herbert
Lemonade
Indeed it was for my own peace that I had great bitterness.
Isaiah 38:17
The financial panic of 1907 started with a run on the Knickerbocker Trust Company of New York, exhausting the bank's reserves in a day and a half. In a matter of weeks, the panic had spread across the country and banks everywhere closed. One family was especially hard hit. Their investments and business enterprises foundered, and their dreams for the future evaporated. But they were resourceful, for they had two assets they could still use. The first was the mother's cooking skills, and the second was an old adobe building near the train station.
And so the Hilton family opened their first hotel.
There's an old saying that if life hands you a lemon, make lemonade. Problems bring possibilities to us that would not have otherwise occurred, and it's important to prayerfully consider how we can turn liabilities into assets.
In Isaiah 38, King Hezekiah suffered a debilitating illness; but by the end of the story, much good had come from it, including an extension of his life and a song of praise. If you're suffering through bitterness and pain now, remember that God has promised to work all things together for good to those who love Him. Look ahead in hope, and look around in resourcefulness. Make some lemonade.
Every problem has a purpose.
Rick Warren
Credits: Only One Right Way
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
2 Timothy 4:2
Son of famed NASCAR driver Ned Jarrett, Dale Jarrett grew up in church, but drifted away from the Lord as a sports-star teen. He began driving at age twenty and advanced rapidly in the sport, though still with little spiritual direction. When he joined Joe Gibbs Racing in 1992, things turned around: "Here was a man [Joe Gibbs] . . . that is very strong in the Lord, and his influence on me helped get my life back to where it should be. My wife and I dedicated our lives to the Lord . . . . There's a lot of different ways to live your life; but there's only one right way, and that's to live for the Lord."
We never know when a "chance" encounter will change a life ours or someone else's. We may not think of ourselves as spiritual mentors or examples; but to someone who is less spiritually mature than we are, our life can make all the difference in theirs. God can use us to challenge them, especially by our lifestyle, to consider how they are living their lives.
Look around at the people with whom you are in contact regularly. Are those less spiritually mature than you changing as a result of your presence?
Preach the Gospel. And if necessary, use words.
St. Francis of Assisi
Max Lucado
Forever Young
"Whoever tries to keep his life safe will lose it, and the man who is prepared to lose his life will preserve it." LUKE 17:33
“There are two ways to view life,” Jesus is saying, “those who protect it or those who pursue it. The wisest are not the ones with the most years in their lives, but the most life in their years.”
What Annie Dillard says about writing in The Writing Life is true about life: “One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, play it, lose it all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now.”
There is a rawness and a wonder to life. Pursue it. Hunt for it. Sell out to get it. Don’t listen to the whines of those who have settled for a second-rate life and want you to do the same so they won’t feel guilty. Your goal is not to live long; it’s to live.
Jesus says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry and safe. You can’t get hurt if you never get out, right? You can’t be criticized for what you don’t try, right? You can’t fall if you don’t take a stand, right? You can’t lose your balance if you never climb, right? So, don’t try it. Take the safe route.
Or you can hear the voice of adventure—God’s adventure. Instead of building a fire in your hearth, build a fire in your heart. Follow God’s impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn’t safe, but what is?
You think staying inside out of the cold is safe? Jesus disagrees. “Whoever tries to keep his life safe will lose it.” I like the words of General Douglas MacArthur when he was seventy-eight: “Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old by deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul.”
James MacDonald
Say It With Grace
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29
Ready to be convicted about something that could improve your relationships for the rest of your life? It's all about the words that come out of your mouth.
Ephesians 4:29 says it straight up: "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."
"Corrupt" means to break down; cause decay. This verse says: don't say what tears people down. Just don't. The measurement of what words should be spoken is this question: Will it build them up?
This is critical to understand: God is building something in the life of every follower of Jesus Christ. He has a personal construction plan for your life that targets where you need to grow and change. Most of the time those areas that need improvement are also noticeable to the people around you. When you insert your critical words into the middle of what God is working on in someone else, you are in essence tearing down what God is doing in their life.
Ephesians 4:29 says, just don't do it.
Instead, say what is good. Speak words that are helpful to God's construction program in their life.
Now generally speaking, you're either a verbal or a non-verbal person. If you're non-verbal, you may be thinking, "This isn't so convicting for me, but I sure hope those verbal people hear it." And if you're a verbal person, you've been thinking, "I am such a loser. I say things I shouldn't say all the time." Good, take this word to heart.
But listen up, non-verbal person, there are sins of not saying things as well as sins of saying things. May I encourage you to open your mouths with words of blessing? I praise God for such encouragers-people who say to one another, "I appreciate what good work you're doing. God is really changing you, isn't He?" Step up, non-verbal people. God can use your word fitly spoken (Proverbs 25:11).
So why should we say what builds people up? Ephesians 4:29 ends with this thought: Because we all need grace. God gives it to us in amazing measure. He sets our feet in a wide place (Psalm 119:45). In His grace, He puts us where we're not in danger of tripping off the edge. If our mouth gets us in a spot where we shouldn't be, we won't fall off with God; He just reaches out and pulls us back. That's grace.
Let's put each other in a wide place where there is a lot of room to grow.
1. Don't say what tears people down . . .
2. Say what builds them up . . .
. . . Because we all need grace.
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