The Water Of Life

Revelation 22:12, 17---And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.

You have come to end of Through the Bible Daily Devotional. Be sure to read the whole story, the Bible. It is a story upon which all other stories are based. Jesus is the superhero of all superheroes. He is King that was separated from His kingdom but returned to set things right. He is the one who conquers the dark power of evil. He is the handsome Prince that has come to rescue His damsel in distress, but He is greater than every story that imitates this true story. We could not imagine a more wonderful King, Groom, and Friend. It is such a wonderful story that at times we wonder if it is really all true. Will it really turn out this way? Is He really coming soon with our reward? Then the assurance of the Spirit that He has deposited within us says, "Yes! I have not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Not one small mark will fail until ALL is fulfilled. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Listen! The Spirit within you says, "Come!" When you think of the end of the curse, the reward that awaits you, and of being forever in His presence, you say "Come!" Everyone that reads the Book or hears the story says, "Come!" Every thirsty soul that wishes may come and drink freely of this gift, the water of life.

Our God Can Deliver Us

Daniel 3:17-18, 25---If it is so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the highest God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came forth of the midst of the fire.

Nebuchadnezzar's dream went to his head. That was a pun. The head of gold was symbolic of him, so he made a 90-foot high gold statue. When his instrumentalists played, everyone had to bow and worship the image. Some think this is a foreshadowing of the image of the beast that the Antichrist will one day set up. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down because they worshipped Jehovah alone. The king gave them a second chance. No doubt, he had heard of their faithful service and promotions Daniel had given them and knew the other officials were envious. They told the king plainly, "Our God can save us, but if He does not, we still won't worship the image." Consider those words. God can work a miracle if He chooses. If He does not choose to, it shouldn't change our minds. What is right is right, regardless if God intervenes or if we suffer. Sometimes we insist that God work on our behalf. Do we have the conviction that if He chooses not to, that He knows what is best, even if we lose our business, loved one, or even our life? He is able! But we don't always know beforehand what He will do. Will we do what is right regardless of what God determines is best? The furnace was heated 7 times hotter than normal. The guards that threw them in were killed from the heat. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were walking in the fire unharmed. The king saw the fourth man in the fire that appeared to be like a son of the gods. They came out without even the smell of smoke.

The Eternal Kingdom of Christ is Coming

Daniel 2:44-45---And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon when Daniel went into captivity. Daniel had been through their re-education program to serve the king as a man of wisdom and counsel. This group of people also practiced magical arts, but Daniel and his friends continued to seek the one true God alone. When Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him, he called for this group of counselors to interpret the dream. Apparently, he was wise to their trickery and really wanted to know the truth about this dream. He asked them to first tell him what he had dreamed. Then he would know that they had special wisdom from the gods. When they could not help him, he commanded them all to be executed. Daniel asked his friends to pray for a revelation from God. Daniel was given the interpretation. Nebuchadnezzar dreamt of a great statue. Its head was of gold, arms, and chest of silver, belly, and thighs of brass, and the legs, feet, and toes were part iron and part clay. A rock was cut out of a mountain and flew into the image, breaking it in pieces. These metals and parts of the image were symbolic of coming kingdoms. The metals were the main metals the coming kingdoms used. The rock is the Kingdom of God. When the world of man's governments comes down to the final ten nations, the toes, Christ will return and set up the Kingdom of God. Man's governments will end.

Who Are You In Christ?

Daniel 1:7-8---Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Daniel was one of the young men from the court of the king of Judah who was taken to be re-educated to serve as a eunuch for the king of Babylon. Daniel served the kings of Babylon and Medo-Persia as a government official until the return of the Jews, seventy years later. One of the first things Babylon did was to try to change the identity of these men. Daniel means 'God is the judge', but his new name means 'Bel will protect'. Hananiah means 'the LORD is gracious', but his new name is 'inspired by Aku'. Azariah means 'the LORD is my help', but his new name is 'servant of Nego'. Mishael means 'who is like God?', but his new name is 'belonging to Aku'. These incredible Hebrew names were changed to the names of idols! That is exactly what the world wants to do to you. A name meant the identity of the person, their destiny and heritage. It was a part of the program of Babylon to cause the youth to forsake their culture and beliefs and adopt those of Babylon. Who are you in Christ? What is the name He has given you? Converts of the first century changed their names upon conversion to match with their new identity. In heaven, the overcomers will receive a white stone upon which is written their new name, an identity in God. Babylon was doing just the opposite. Can you see how the world would like to change your identity to one who belongs among them?

What Is Your Fruit?

Ezekiel 47:1, 9, 12---Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. And it shall come to pass, that everything that lives, which moves, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and everything shall live whither the river cometh. And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat and the leaf thereof for medicine.

There are two popular interpretations for this passage. In the coming Kingdom of God upon the earth, there will literally be a river that springs up from under the threshold of the temple. We could say that the course of this river, defined so clearly in this passage, is an indication of its literal fulfillment. What a change that would make to Israel! The Jordan today is a muddy little creek. The Dead Sea level drops every year. The people were always dependent upon God bringing the rains early and late in the year. It was a part of their struggle between Jehovah and Baal. Baal was said to be the god of rain. Their survival depended on rain. In this coming day, there will be an abundance of provision. This is extraordinary water! It brings life wherever it goes. Trees on those shores bear fruit every month. Fisherman cast nets in it and harvest an abundance of fish. The Dead Sea will no longer be salt water. In that day, there will no longer be a struggle for provision for the people of God. There will be abundance. We could also look at this passage in a figurative sense. Jesus is the chief cornerstone of the temple of living stones. Out from Him flows the Living Water. He told the woman at the well that she should ask Him for this amazing water. Wherever the water goes it does bring life! It brought life to her. It brought life to her village. Jesus probably took this route from Jerusalem to Jericho, after leaving one of the feasts in Jerusalem. Remember the man that was healed with the mud made from spit? He first said that he saw men walking as trees. Those who drink of the River of Life do bear fruit on a regular basis because the water of the sanctuary flows to them. Their leaves are for the healing of the nations. What a description of lifestyle evangelism!

Put His Word Into Practice

Ezekiel 33:31-32---And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.

They were going through the motions of worship without letting it transform their hearts. It wasn't that they didn't attend. It wasn't that they deleted the Word from their worship. It was a matter of the heart's desire. They had ears, but they did not hear with their hearts. There is even more condemnation toward those who sit and hear the Word read, yet go out without letting the Word change their hearts. They know they are acting in opposition to the Word. They know what God expects and yet are refusing to have anything to do with His right to Lordship over their lives. They are likened to those watching a performance. God has a lovely voice. He plays His love song so beautifully. "What a great performance! Now let's go home and go on about our lives." We choose to forget how intensely personal His song of love is. We refuse to allow it to penetrate our hearts, for there it would create a love that demands a response. We would lose some of the control of our life. We would surrender some of our decisions to the One we love. What an honor to be loved by Him, yet how lightly we take it. The next time you enter into a place of worship, whether it is a Bible study or a church service, consider this passage. Take a moment to bookmark it right now to remind you. Corporate worship is not a performance. It is about your Creator's intensely passionate love for you.

What Is Your Portion?

Lamentations 3:22-24---It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

The book of Lamentations is Jeremiah's woeful song about the destruction of Jerusalem. What once was the joy of the whole earth became a smoldering pile of ruin. The roads would no longer be full of joyful pilgrims heading to the appointed feasts of the LORD. The priests would no longer offer the daily sacrifices. Their world had come to an end because of their insistence on idolatry. Even the remnant that remained rejected the warning of Jeremiah and went to Egypt where they offered incense and baked cakes to the Queen of Heaven. They insisted the problem was that they had forsaken her, not Jehovah. Most scholars believe the remnant finally killed Jeremiah in Egypt for constantly warning them about impending judgment. In the midst of Jeremiah's song of woe, he reminds us that even though all seems lost, it is only because of the LORD's great love that we are not consumed. The creatures are rebelling and insulting the One who made them and who carefully laid out guidelines for their good. It is amazing that He doesn't instantly vaporize them, but His compassions never fail. Every morning His compassion is renewed, hoping that we will turn back and restore our relationship with Him. Could there be a more faithful God? Why would we turn to any other? Jeremiah declared that His portion, his inheritance, his appointed part in life, was the LORD. He wasn't looking for wealth or power or fame. He just wanted the LORD. Therefore, he determined to wait in expectation (hope) on Him. He wasn't looking for anything in this life as a goal. The LORD was his goal.

Calling Out To God

Jeremiah 33:2-3---Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Are you in turmoil about a situation in your life? Is it hard to understand the reasons and purposes God has for you at present? Does it seem that God has removed His hand from your circumstances? Ask the Creator who formed you. Go to the One who knows all things and has all things in His hands. Listen to His word as He speaks to you. It declares that He works all things together for good to those who love Him, who are called according to His purposes. (Romans 8:28) Call out to Him and He will answer. He doesn't say He might. He doesn't say when, but He will answer. Our problem is that we cannot see all the factors and events of the future. They are all present before God. They are unsearchable to us, but they are the work of His hand. Your loving Father invites you to ask Him. He will not reveal them to us unless we ask. He will reveal parts of His great plan, and we will see parts of the great puzzle of life fall into place. His revelation will not always give us complete understanding, but it will give us peace knowing He is on the throne of heaven, ordering all things, and working out all things for our good. He is always at work. Watch for His hand. When things don't make sense, call out to Him.

Devoting Ourselves To Be Closer To God

Jeremiah 30:21-22---And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD. And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

"He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." (John 1:10)  In the promises of restoration, there are a number of prophecies concerning the coming Messiah. In this one, the Messiah is prophesied to rise from among them. He would not land in a spaceship or come from another land, neither would He be another type of creation. He would be an Israelite human. But what is it that makes Him different? God says that the He will draw the Messiah near; He will come close. God draws us all near. The great difference is the Messiah never resisted the closeness of God. He yielded every time and came near. He devoted Himself to be close to His Father. Because of that, the church was born. That is how we became His people. Jesus' obedience, even unto death, made a way for us to be the people of God. He made it possible for God to be our God. "But as many, as received Him, to them He gave the power to become the sons of God." (John 1:12) He also made it possible for the promise of the Father to be poured out, the Holy Spirit. Now we, too, can draw near to God. But it is our choice! Will we draw close? Will we devote ourselves to be close to Him? How much time will we spend in communion with Him in prayer and the Word? You can see those that do. They are easily distinguishable by their passion and love for God. In a life-changing way, God has become their God.

Purify Yourself In Christ Love

1 John 3:1-3---Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

You can't see the greatness of this love unless you see how depraved man is in contrast to how holy and good God is. It is only in the contrast that the enormity of love is realized. Have you seen parents that patiently endure the destructive time of experimentation that their teenager goes through? They take care of the child's every need, love and nurture them through the years and are paid back by rebellion. Now multiply that love to an infinite degree, and multiply the rebellion to the end of your imagination, and you might come somewhere close to understanding how great is the love the Father has lavished on us. He loves us so much that He will see us through until we are transformed into His likeness. The work is in process today, but it will culminate when your eyes behold Him. You won't have to use your imagination any longer. You will see Him as He is. The very sight of Him will transform you. The caterpillar will emerge from his cocoon and spread his wings and fly. What do we do with this amazing hope? We purify ourselves even as He is pure. We set aside the desires for worldly things, and focus on this transformation. Though we know we will not break free from the cocoon until our eyes behold Him, we allow His transforming work to continue in us daily.

What Do You Crave?

1 John 2:15-17---Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

John breaks down for us three categories that describe everything in the fallen world: cravings of sinful man, the lust of the eyes, and boasting of what he has and does. When the Bible speaks of the world, there are several meanings. One is mankind itself. The other is this definition that God has given. If we love the world that John has described or anything in it, the love of God is not in us. The love that comes from God will be in direct contrast to worldliness. The world is focused on selfishness and pride, but God's love is giving and humble. We must keep ourselves in check, watching to see if love for the world is slipping into our lives. This is a command to refuse to allow that to happen because it is part of what is passing away. Not only is worldliness destructive, but it is shortsightedly temporal. It is an investment in a doomed venture. By contrast, investing your life in the will of God, allowing the love of the Father to flow through your life, is an eternal investment. It is a manifestation of eternal life within you. It will reap dividends forever and ever.

The Lord Is With You

Jeremiah 20:8-9,11---For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.

Jeremiah complained that God didn't tell him all that he was getting into when he was called to be a prophet. God never tells us everything upfront. God will tell us what we are able to hear when we are able to hear it. Jeremiah was proclaiming a message among people who hated what he had to say. This made him the object of mockery and scorn. There were even plots to assassinate him. Jeremiah would have liked to just quit speaking God's words. There was one problem. The word was in his heart like a fire. If he tried to hold it in, it would weary him with the effort. He just couldn't keep quiet. Jeremiah was proclaiming destruction and misery, but we have the words of life. How blessed we are that our message is one of hope and salvation. Yet, it is also a message of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In that sense, it is like Jeremiah's message. We are preaching the need to surrender. People will mock and scorn us as they did Jeremiah because they do not want to change their ways. We may want to quit speaking the truth, just as Jeremiah did, but His word is in us like a pent-up fire.

Walking In Christ Light

1 John 1:6-7,9---If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God is light. There is no darkness in Him at all. If we claim to be in vital communication with God, and yet reserve an area of darkness for ourselves, we lie. We are not living in truth. God will not tolerate that darkness. It will have to go, or it will keep you from God. When we give up those areas of darkness, we find we are free to share our lives with one another. We no longer have anything to hide. Jesus in our brothers and sisters challenged us to forsake the darkness. That is why we avoid being with them when we have those reservations. We make all kinds of excuses about their problems, but the real problem is that Jesus in them challenges us to give it all up. In fellowship with the body of Christ, our lives are continually cleansed and transformed in an ever-increasing way. When we see that darkness has invaded our thoughts or desires, we should confess and forsake it. Then we experience forgiveness and increasing purification. You can know that God will always be faithful and just to honor what Jesus did for you on the cross. Don't fall for the condemnation of the enemy. Stay in fellowship with God and your spiritual family.

Purge All Darkness

1 John 1:1-2, 5---That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

John was writing decades after he saw Jesus ascend into heaven. During that time, strange beliefs and theories about Jesus had sprung up. One of them was the thought that Jesus was not a physical being, but an apparition. John knew it was important for Christians to understand that Jesus became a man. They heard Him with their ears, saw Him with their eyes, and touched Him with their hands. He was the Word of life made flesh. He was forever with God. He is Eternal Life. He was manifested so that we could know the love of God. It is important to understand that as a man, He took back what Adam gave up in the Garden. By living a perfect life, He became the perfect sacrifice who could take our sins because He had none of His own to die for. The Seed of the woman crushed the authority of Satan and took back dominion over the earth. God is light! He does not have some hidden darkness within His character. There are no secret attributes that would make us shudder. There is absolutely nothing of darkness in Him. He is utterly holy. He is love. He has nothing to hide. What a God! It is not possible to imagine a more perfect God.

Finding True Peace With The Lord

2 Peter 3:14-16---Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Peter had just warned his readers that the world would be destroyed by fire. Since everything here will go up in smoke, we should be looking forward to the new heaven and earth, a home of righteousness. How should that affect our daily lives? We should be endeavoring to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with our Lord. This does not mean that we are earning our salvation, but that when our time comes, we have nothing left of the world that will be destroyed. Christians whose hearts are still set on things of the passing world will not find the transition as wonderful as those who are at peace with the Lord. Peace with the Lord means our affections are toward Him and not the things of the world. Peter adds that Paul has written the same thing. He makes an interesting comment in regards to Paul's letters. He compares them to sacred writings. Peter writes that the unlearned distort the meaning of both. We will always have people who use the sacred writings for their own personal desire and advantage. Actually, it is to their disadvantage, though they do not realize it. They twist the Scriptures to justify an attachment to worldliness, to pleasures and wealth. What they set their heart upon will perish.

God Cannot Ignore Evil That Goes Unrepented

Jeremiah 6:13-15---For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

God's cry against the people was that there could not be found one righteous in Judah. He declared that Israel was not as bad as Judah had become. The passage today lists some of the specific sins they were guilty of. It is hard for us to relate to the idolatry, worshipping carved images, but we can readily relate to the greed for gain. The greed for gain had permeated the entire nation from the beggar to the king. When our eyes turn from God to the things that He has made, we seek security in possessions. We should be looking to God who is the giver of all good things. Instead, we trust in His gifts and focus on how to attain them. The prophets and priests were all practicing deceit. The very ones people looked to for truth were deceiving the people in the name of God. In this generation, we have seen a number of big-name religious personalities who were caught in their deceit. How many more go uncaught? Only God knows. Consider their way of life and the fruits of the Spirit in their lives, not just their ability to impress you. The religious leaders preached peace when destruction was coming upon them. When they should have been preaching conviction of sin, they taught that everything was fine. The heartbreaking thing is that it did not even bother their conscience. They had done it for so long that their hearts were hardened against God. A comfortable today was their only goal. They were about to face judgment.

God Has A Plan For Your Life

2 Peter 1:20-21---Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The Scriptures are not just the ideas of man. They did not originate in the will of man. There was a much greater power guiding and carrying their speech and writings. The world would call them inspired. That literally means breathed into. In this passage, we have more of a sense of being picked up by a hurricane and carried. Certainly, there was the personality of the prophet involved, but the hand of the omnipotent God was moving his thought and speech. It was not that they were robots without a will, but neither did the ideas and words originate in them. God works in the same way with us today. He uses the personality that He designed to fit into the purpose for which He created us. We think we came up with a wonderful idea, but all along it was planned before we were created. The Spirit of God carries us into places of ministry and divine encounters that we might think had their origin in our will but were always a part of His marvelous plan. Keep your eyes open to the wonderful workings of God in your life. Realize that He is intricately involved in the details of your life. When something amazing happens, know that He planned it before He created you. Rejoice in the wonderful plans He prepared in advance for you.

Praying For Your Shepherd

1 Peter 5:2-4---Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Peter is addressing the elders that read the letter to the local church. You will find that the New Testament always addresses elders in a city in the plural. The elders were the overseers of each church. They are to serve willingly, not out of obligation. Shepherding a congregation has many difficulties. It isn't a job that was readily desired, for it means going above and beyond in service. It means a life that exemplifies the life of Christ. The elders are not chosen for their status in life. Some might come from a low-income level and find the financial support of the believers to be more than they made in their former employment. Usually they end up living on substantially less income. Finances should never be a factor in whether they accept a call or not. From rich or poor backgrounds, elders should serve because God wants them to. An elder's chief desire should be to please the Lord. The elders are not to throw their weight around in an authoritarian way. In everything, they should be an example to the flock. Even when discipline is necessary, they should do it with love and gentleness. For this life of service and sacrifice, there is a promise to look forward to.

The Chief Shepherd will give the faithful ones a crown of glory that will never fade.

Let His Good News Transform You

Isaiah 61:1-3---The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Jesus began reading this passage in the synagogue of His hometown. He said it was being fulfilled as He read it. The passage was about Him. At first, they marveled. It wasn't that they were upset at His claim of being anointed, for they had watched Him grow up and knew He was different and wanted the Messiah to be from their town. They became angry when He said they would not receive Him but that the Gentiles would. Why was the Spirit of the Sovereign LORD on Him? He was anointed to preach the good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, and to proclaim freedom to captives and prisoners. His message of God's love for the humble was a joy to the poor who thought God had rejected them. The priests of that day gave the impression that those who were blessed materially and physically were blessed because they kept all the rules. That implied that the handicapped and poor and sick were unacceptable to God. Jesus' teaching was just the opposite. He declared that they were the ones that God was near. Do we have Jesus' perspective? God loves and cares for the hurting. He wants to give a garment of praise in place of a spirit of despair. Hear the good news. Jesus was anointed so that His healing, liberating touch can be upon your life.

God's Amazing Love For You

Isaiah 52:13-15---Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Isaiah gave a number of prophecies about the suffering servant. They so beautifully describe the life of Jesus that it is a wonder some cannot see it and that the Jews of that day did not recognize Him. The wisest thing Jesus could have done for those He loved was to lay down His life. In the passage today, we see the cross raised, lifted into place, and the Son of God highly exalted. Though His body was beaten and torn beyond human recognition, He became the sacrifice whose blood would be our atonement. Kings bow before the wonder of His sacrificial death. They cannot speak in the presence of One whose love is so great that He would die to give them life. Pilate did not know the prophecies were being fulfilled before his eyes. Kings have not heard the Gospel and yet somehow will know that God has made a Way. God has revealed His Arm, Christ Jesus, and ever since the world has looked in awe at the wonder of His life and death in our place. Who would ever have guessed that God loved us to that extent? We sit in silence pondering the amazing love of God and our lack of gratitude for it. How could He love us so? The suffering Servant bore our sins that we might forever be right with God. Let the wonder of it grow within your heart.

Are You Backsliding With A Bible Under Your Arm?

By Dr. Adrain Rogers
“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”
Philippians 3:10-11
Did you know that you can backslide with a Bible under your arm? I had more difficulty maintaining my spiritual life when I was in seminary than any other time in my life.  I’m not putting down seminary. It wasn’t their fault. It was my fault. I started reading the Bible like a math book instead of a love story. You can know the letter, but the letter kills if you are not clean. The test of your Bible Study is not how many facts you know or how fast you can take apart a Greek verb and put it back together. The test is: Are you becoming like Jesus because you spent time in His Word? May God help us as teachers, soul winners, disciples, and deacons to be using the Word of God to clean us, convict us, and challenge us to be more like Christ.

Fixing Our Eyes On The Eternal

James 4:13-15---Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

In the first century, there were more Jews living outside of Israel than inside its boundaries. God gifted them with a good sense of business. Cities that were being founded in remote areas would offer incentives to begin a business there. It gave Jews an opportunity to make large sums of money. The expression in the passage was quite common. In our world, it is just as common. A business idea captures our imagination. Things start to fall into place, and before you know it, we are boasting about the great success we are about to experience. Our heart becomes enthralled with what we expect to take place. James is warning us that life is transitory. Our vision needs to be fixed on the eternal. If God wills, we may have financial success, but we must always keep it in balance with the fact that it is temporary. When we keep our eyes on heaven, the business of this world cannot steal our hearts from what is truly important.

The Beginning Of Eternity

Isaiah 26:19-21---Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

In Isaiah 26, the prophet contrasts the hopelessness of the world with the hope of the people of God. He tells us that the world's great ones come and go, forgotten. Their kingdoms rise and fall. God disciplines them, but they do not learn. He chastens them, but they refuse instruction. The people of God are different. When God deals with them, they learn righteousness. Though they are oppressed and downtrodden by the world, they have the hope of this passage. The day is coming when God will do the treading upon those who do evil. He will come to judge the earth. No murders will be unsolved. No crimes will be hidden. There will be retribution for all evil that is not repented of. The people of God will rise from their graves. They will meet the LORD in the air. The world thinks it will silence the righteous by killing them, but they will return. The wrath of God will be poured upon the earth, and then they will return to rule and reign with Christ. Are you looking forward to the hope that is set before us, or are your eyes set in the earth, on the passing things? Do you think evil will go without justice being met? All sins will be dealt with, either by the redeeming blood of Jesus or the wrath of the Lamb. If you have chosen repentance and redemption, you will one day wake up and shout for joy. Your death here is only the beginning of eternity in God's presence. We have this hope!

A Bright Hope For All Who Believes

Isaiah 9:6-7--- For unto us a child is born, unto us a son, is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

In the midst of all of Isaiah's prophecies of doom and gloom, he predicted a bright hope. He begins chapter 9 telling us the region of the coming Messiah's ministry will be humbled now but honored in the future. He says they will see a great light and have joy. Why this turn around? A child will be born. God will be incarnated. A son will be given to us, the Son of God. The government of the Kingdom of God is on his shoulders. One day all the government will be on his shoulders. We call Him our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Isaiah said we would call Him by those names, and we do. None else could dare to claim any of those sacred titles. The end of Judah was coming, but there would be no end to the government and peace of the Messiah's kingdom. We experience that even now. Two thousand years later the Kingdom of God has only grown. Though the world is at war, we have peace in our hearts. He will reign on David's throne. The nation of Judah had forgotten righteousness and justice, but the kingdom of the Messiah will uphold and establish them. How will this come to pass? The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish it! It is not a work of man. Consider: The miraculous birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus was accomplished through the zeal, that white-hot burning love, that God has for us.

Dying To Self and Living For Christ

James 2:14-17---What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Faith produces action. The early church must have had just as much trouble as we do today when they realized that they were saved by faith in Christ. People looked at it as a magic formula. They thought if they understood what Christ did for them and voiced their acceptance of it they had a guaranteed place in heaven. James is trying to tell them that genuine faith will result in actions. You can't separate faith and actions. The actions don't save us, but they will accompany the faith. Jesus said the same thing by declaring that you will know a tree by its fruit. If someone has a real faith in Christ, then their actions will be like those of Christ. James' illustration was of meeting physical needs. You can tell a person to be fed and clothed, but it won't do any good unless you take some kind of action to see that they receive the food and clothes. The analogy says that saying you have faith means nothing. The evidence of genuine faith is a transformed life. If you have believed you were right with God but continued in your old lifestyle, then you must come to the realization that you are fooling yourself. Repentance is a change of direction. To accept Christ as Lord implies that you are no longer the master of your life. Consider: Is your faith alive? Is there enough evidence in your life to convict you of being a Christian? If not, go to the cross and die with Christ, and be raised to a new life in Him!

Seeking And Waiting On The Lord

Isaiah 8:19-20--- If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

One of God's complaints against his people was their willingness to seek direction from mediums and spiritists. When people turn their heart away from God, they will want to know what the future holds so that they can prepare for it. Their fear is not their impending judgment, but circumstances they hope to avoid. They will not inquire of God because God would tell them to change their ways. This fascination with knowing the future stems from a lack of faith and trust in God. If a person is walking in the Spirit, they trust God for each day. If there is a need to inquire about direction in life, they wait upon the Lord. The Great Shepherd cares for His sheep today and in the future. Only those who are wandering from the sheepfold will be desperate to know what tomorrow will bring. King Saul was such a person. He dared not inquire of God for he would not repent, so he sought out a witch to act as a medium. Evil sources of information will often contradict what God has said. In this passage, Isaiah was told to not be like the people he lived among. He was told to continue to fear the Lord. The mediums will often bring up a person who will speak in contradiction to the word of God. They had no light in life, and they have none in death. The dead have finished their time in this life. How can they help others where they failed? Jesus is the one that is victorious in life and death. Wait upon the Lord. Seek Him. He will be our guide, even unto death.

Stepping Into The Light

Isaiah 6:3-5---And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

In Isaiah chapter 5, Isaiah was pronouncing words of woe to the corrupt society in which he lived. In chapter 6, the king had died. Isaiah went into the house of God and saw a vision of God's throne. Angelic beings were flying about the throne singing to each other, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." The sound of their voices was so powerful that the doorposts and foundations shook. Isaiah was no longer pronouncing woes on others. There in the presence of God, in the light of His holiness, Isaiah saw his own sinfulness. He pronounced woe upon himself. A vision of God's holiness reveals the depths of our sinfulness. The realization of his own depravity caused him to say he was ruined. The Hebrew word can be translated 'unraveled'. Like a rug that had come unwoven, Isaiah felt as if he had fallen apart. The first thing he noticed was the words he had spoken. The words we speak reveal our wicked heart. We live around people who are constantly speaking unkind, corrupt, and ungrateful words. We tend to speak like those we are around. In the light of God's perfections, Isaiah saw this as his most blatant rebellion against God. We need a greater revelation of God to see by contrast how great our sin is and how desperately we need to change. Consider: Jesus said that whoever loves truth comes to the light. Step into the light and let your need be revealed.

Asking For Godly Wisdom

James 1:5-7---If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

What a wonderful promise we have in this passage! We are always in need of divine wisdom. James says that all we need to do is ask, but he also encourages us that God doles it out generously. God does not only give it to the perfect, holy person, but to whoever would ask. He is just waiting for us to ask. Wisdom that is from above will lead us in the way of righteousness. That is why you don't have to have attained some state of perfection to ask for it. It is the path to a righteous life. It is a revelation of the ways of God. Lest we think we can ask in any state of mind, James warns that the one thing that is required is to believe and not doubt. Perfection is not required, but belief is. God will not inspire you with wisdom when you will doubt the wisdom He is ready to give. The picture is of a wave blown and tossed by the wind. It is not that you must attain to some great state of faith, but you need to believe in the character of God. If you ask and doubt what He gives, you will treat His wisdom with skepticism and be worse off than when you started. That is an indication of self-trust. Then, with your own wisdom, you will weigh what God has given as just one of many choices. That makes you more accountable for ignoring His direction. If you are going to ask for wisdom, believe it is coming and accept it without wavering. He is glad that you asked and glad to give it.

Prayer: Lord, I need Your wisdom each day of my life. Help me to understand what is of You and by faith to follow it explicitly.

His Love For Us

Song of Songs 8:5-7---Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee. Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

The bride has lost her identity in her lover. As He approaches, she clings to Him and is not recognizable apart from Him. This is where Christ longs to draw us. It is a place where those who see us associate us with Christ. We frequently find our place alone with Him and give Him our love. There is time for corporate worship, but if you do not spend time alone with Him, how can you say you truly love Him? She asks for Him to place her like a seal over His heart, like a seal on His arm. He has done both. The pierced side and arms will forever be a seal of His love for us. He is at the right hand of the Father with those marks that proclaim His love. We could call them love wounds. When He first met with His disciples He displayed those marks to ease their fears. It is a love as strong as death. No greater love has anyone than to lay down their life for the one they love. If He loves us like that, He will jealously guide us away from anything else that would compete for our affection and attention. That zeal for us is like a blazing fire. He would consume all else so we would be completely His. That is the picture you see as Jesus cleansed the Temple with a scourge of cords.

Meditation: What a love He has for us! You cannot purchase it. You cannot earn it. He has set His love upon you, and nothing can turn it from you. How will you respond?

Being A Blessing To Others

Hebrews 13:15-17---By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

The great sacrifice that was pleasing to God has already been offered, but we can still bring a sacrifice of praise. It is not a sacrifice for us unless it comes from difficulty. A difficulty is common in Christian life, but praise should be just as common. The difficulties refine us and prepare us for eternity. We can always praise God in the difficulty because He is our sufficiency. He meets every need and sees us through every trial. Each one should strengthen us. Sometimes, praise alone is enough to lift our hearts to victory. Another sacrifice that the writer encourages is doing good to others. It usually costs us something to do good and share. When we do it as unto the Lord, it is a sweet smelling sacrifice to Him. Do you want to do something to put a smile on God's face? Bring a sacrifice of praise or of doing good and sharing. Verse 17 is rarely uttered by a humble leader to his own flock, but by a shepherd to another fold such as the case here. Your pastor most likely will not tell you to stop making His work such a pain or to submit to your God-appointed authority, but let us hear it from the writer of Hebrews. It is not good for either of you when you are a burden by constant criticism or insistence on your personal preferences. Be a joy, not a pain! Meditation: Your praise, good deeds, and sharing can be a sacrifice to God. Be a joy to your elders, not a pain.

We Will All One Day Give An Account Of Our Lives To God

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14---Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Solomon searched out all the avenues of life to find something of meaning. He encouraged mankind to enjoy his labor and the simple pleasures of life but to avoid extremes. Everything he looked to for fulfillment, he concluded was meaningless. But here in the last two verses of this book, he gives us his conclusion of all his seeking. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. A healthy fear of God will deter us from evil. His commandments are given for our good. If we will let God's word direct our lives, we will certainly be better off than if we had ignored it. The Word is a lamp to our feet and a light unto our path. We sometimes get confused about what God would have us do. This sentence helps make the will of God an idea we can grasp. "If I will fear God and keep His commands, I will have done all that I should." That is our whole duty in one sentence. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. The temptations of life lose their attraction when we consider standing before God to answer for them. There is nothing hidden from His eyes. God will reward the good and punish the evil. Those in Christ can thank God that their sins are covered with His blood. There is still the judgment of reward for us, but many of our deeds may be determined to be wood, hay, and stubble. Those done by the Holy Spirit through us will be the precious stones that endure. Consider: Is your life in keeping with the duty of man described here? Do you live in the light of the fact that we will all one day give an account of our lives to God?

Being At Peace With All Men

Hebrews 12:14-15---Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

One of the great struggles of the flesh and spirit is over relationships. We expect reciprocal kindness from those with whom we share our life. We often bare our soul to them and that makes us very vulnerable to them. So when a family or church member turns against us, whether through misunderstanding or difference of opinion, the conflict often becomes very personal and painful. The author of Hebrews asked the flock to make every effort to live in peace with all men. It is easier to live at peace with a semi-hostile world than it is with those who are close to us. To give us some direction, the writer included holiness along with the effort to be at peace. Then, to put the screws on, he added that without holiness we wouldn't see the Lord. (Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.) Then, to give the flesh a final deathblow, he added that we are missing the grace of God if we let bitterness grow. Not only that, but our bitterness will end up defiling many. How can we let willful conflict continue when we see these consequences? The way out of this downward destructive cycle is to be merciful. You have received mercy you did not deserve; pass it on! Be to others as God is to you. Make every effort! You may not be reconciled, but making every effort means that you will always desire reconciliation even if it means agreeing not to agree. Take the situation to God in prayer. Get inside the other person's shoes and try to understand them, rather than insisting on being understood. The peacemaker is blessed and will inherit the earth.

Giving Your All For Christ

Hebrews 12:1-3--- Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

The picture that the author is painting is of a great arena. The faithful who have died in Christ are occupying the stands. You and I are still here on the track running our race, staying in our lanes. The Greek runners ran in the nude so as not to be hindered by their clothing, but we seem to have all kinds of things on us. We carry some of the things of our past life, the life before we came to Christ. We need to drop it all and run! Keep your eyes on our hero and role model, Jesus. Look at the amazing race He ran. If that doesn't inspire you to drop everything and run, nothing will. He fixed His eyes on the joy of seeing you transformed. With that vision, He was able to finish His run on a shameful cross. That was the victory tape. When He burst through He found Himself the winner of all time, seated at the right hand of the throne of God. That is where we need to keep our eyes. When the race gets tough when you are tired and tempted to just give up, look at Jesus. What a race He ran! What a victory He won! He started you on this race, and He will help you finish it.

A Relationship With God Changes Our View Of Life

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 9-10---Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Solomon set his heart to find the meaning of life. He tried pleasure of all kinds. He tried to find satisfaction in wealth, in building projects, and in increasing his great wisdom. In the end, he concluded it was meaningless. A million men had come and gone before him, and nothing had changed. He grieved over the fact that those men are not remembered nor would he be. We don't know what Solomon looked like. We can't know him personally. All we have are a few pages of history and some of his sayings of wisdom. Is that all there is to life? He had the wisdom to see that everything that is promoted as new is just a different face on an old product. A man still tries to find pleasure in the same things he looked to millenniums ago. He'll still be seeking the same things tomorrow. What Solomon in all His wisdom did not see was the coming of Jesus. Though the promise was made to his father, and though as the son of David he was a foreshadowing type of Christ, he did not see his descendant would be the Messiah. Could he have said that all is meaningless if he knew God was going to show us how to live and die through the sacrifice that makes us fit for heaven? To seek the things of the world and personal satisfaction is always meaningless. To come into a relationship with your Creator and find His purpose for your existence is filled with eternal significance. Solomon knew we were to fear God and keep His commands, for there would come a day of judgment. What he missed was a deepening daily relationship with that God, which lays up treasures in heaven that do not perish.

Lord, Increase My Faith

Hebrews 11:1-3---Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Faith, it is a difficult thing to describe. The Bible's definition is to be sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This chapter in Hebrews goes on to give us numerous examples of faith demonstrated in the lives of people in Scripture. The introduction to the chapter says that the possession of this sureness and certainty is what made the lives of the saints commendable. We often think that great deeds done are the reason that God would approve of a life, but this passage says it is the source of the deeds, faith. One could have faith and not have opportunity to express it, such as the thief on the cross next to Jesus. In most cases, faith expresses itself in unusual action that the world considers crazy or worthless. What has your faith motivated you to do that made no sense to the world? What is it motivating you to do today? The first illustration of faith is creation. How was the universe formed? Honest science says there is more than the forces we understand at work. Faith simply reads the Word of God and declares that God said it and it was. Science must declare matter to be eternal for it is a "scientific" fact that nothing comes from nothing. Faith says matter came from the Creator. Which takes more "faith"? If everything you see was formed at God's command, what does your faith tell you of the hope of sanctification and heaven? Is it any easier for God to speak universes into existence than it is for Him to bring you to heaven perfected in body, soul, and spirit? (1 Thessalonians 5:23) Faith declares, "God said it, and I believe it." It is being sure of our hope, and certain of what we can't see. God can finish the work He started, crowning His creation with purified believers.

Prayer: Lord, increase my faith. Help me have the certainty that You will finish the work You started in me.

Being In A Fellowship Of Believers

Hebrews 10:25, 35-36---Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Cast not away, therefore, your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

It is an epidemic in the church today. The worldly attitude of not being bothered has found a place in the hearts of many Christians. Stay at home Christians probably outnumber those that worship together. For many, it began when they were offended by something that happened where they found fellowship. It may have been a pastor that was immoral, an accountant that cheated, or power struggle that got ugly. Instead of realizing that flesh had gained one small victory, they counted the war for encouraging fellowship lost. Instead of striving all the more to make that fellowship strong and safe, they retreat to the comfort and predictability of their home. "I can watch a TV preacher." It was a problem in the first century also, (minus the TV) because people are prone to sin. Fellowship isn't safe! Neither is God! God and the fellowship of believers will challenge you, test you, and change you. We need that to grow and mature. Instead of allowing the trials and tests to grow us, we often retreat to our cave and hole up so that our heart won't be hurt again. That is the way of stagnation. There is a fellowship of believers that needs you, and you need a fellowship of believers. The trials will strengthen and grow you. If you aren't in a fellowship of believers now, ask yourself why. Don't throw away your confidence in what God can do in you and through your brothers and sisters in Christ. Stick it out! Pray it through. Be a part of the positive, encouraging transformation of your local fellowship. God has promised to bless you for it. The author of these verses warned us that as we approach the Lord's return, it is all the more necessary to meet together for encouragement. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. Consider: How can I encourage others where I fellowship?

More Blessed To Give Than Receive

Proverbs 21:3, 27---To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

God doesn't need your offering in the plate, but you need to give it! Sometimes we get the idea that if we give to God or make some kind of sacrifice, God is indebted to us. Maybe then He will overlook our sins that we refuse to forsake. The justification in our minds goes something like this: "I don't want to give up this thing that I know is wrong, so instead, I will give to the needy." Good deeds don't nullify evil ones. They don't earn you points in heaven. We are expected to do good when we are able to. That is simply the right thing to do. Not to do so is evil. God owns everything, even the things in your temporary possession. When you sacrifice of your time or money, you are merely giving what is God's into the hands of another. That is liberating for you. It helps you stay free from enslavement to the love of money. God gave it to you so you could pass it on to those in need. It is more blessed to give than receive. God is the greatest giver. When we give we are like Him, if we give from pure motives. Some would give expecting influence or favor in return. That is to sacrifice with evil intent. Giving should have no strings attached. It is simply a transfer in stewardship to those with a greater need. God is not after your possessions. He is after your heart. He wants you to be increasingly conformed to His likeness. That includes giving from a pure heart of compassion for the need of others, or giving at the direction of the One you love. Samuel told Saul that to obey was better than sacrifice, and to listen to God than sacrificial ram's blood. If God has your heart, then your sacrifices come from pure motives. Consider: Am I unconsciously putting strings on my gifts?

Being Made Holy

Hebrews 10:12-14---But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

This passage is reminding us that Jesus' work of redemption is finished. He is now seated at the right hand of God, the place of power and authority. What He did cannot be undone. Meanwhile, God is putting everything under Christ's feet. That is an often-repeated theme of Scripture. Part of the process of putting all things under His feet is described in verse 14. Many Christians do not understand why they continue to sin. If Jesus made us perfect if we are a new creation in Christ if our heart has been made new, then why am I still struggling with the flesh? Why do I have to crucify it daily? All those things are true of you. You have been made perfect before God. A transaction has been made. You gave your sins, past, present, and future, (for all time) to Jesus upon the cross. You received His righteousness like a credit to your account. It is not yet what you express in your daily life, but it is what the Father counts as yours. The last line of our passage sounds like a contradiction if we do not understand this idea, "made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Remember that God sees all time presently. The work is done and yet it is in progress. You are being made holy in your daily expression, yet you are perfect before God from His eternal view. Our daily struggle with sin, our daily crucifixion of our old nature, is putting the enemies under the feet of Jesus. We are being made holy, and will only be finished when we see Him. (1 John 3:2) It is the process of sanctification, and it will be completed. Don't despair of the struggle. Battle on! It is God putting all enemies under the feet of your Savior. The last enemy will be death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26). Don't be discouraged. It is a work of God.

Meditation: How can I cooperate today with God's work of making me holy?

Learning To Listen Instead Of Speaking

Proverbs 13:3----He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

Proverbs 17:27-28---Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Today there seems to be an effort to speak the most words and dominate any conversation. I have often listened to conversations in which two people speak at the same time, as if they were vying for airtime. Does our society consider the silent one to be the wise one? It seems the one who gets his point across the clearest and most convincingly is considered the winner. But does it matter how it seems? Ultimately, for you to come to a correct conclusion, an understanding of God's view is really the important thing. Do you find yourself falling into our cultural norm of saying too much and then wishing you'd shown more restraint? The proverbs we are considering today teach that guarding our lips is guarding our very life. It is the man of knowledge who shows restraint. One appropriate word can demolish an edifice built by a thousand rash words. Restraint gives you time to consider the validity of what is said and to search out any faults in an argument. Language has a number of patterns that are designed to build a case. Many of them have flaws that are easily pointed out. The Holy Spirit can show them to you if you are listening. If you are trying to speak just to make your point, you will miss that quiet voice of the Spirit. There is nothing wrong with saying nothing and speaking another day after considering the matter. You don't have to win every discussion. Consider: We have two ears and one mouth. Does that tell us something about the ratio in which they should be used?

Go To The Throne Of Grace And Ask

Hebrews 4:14-16---Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Why should we endure in this faith that we profess? It's because Jesus has gone through the heavens and into the very presence of God to intercede for us. Having gained such a great victory for us, all we must do is endure. What a tragedy if we fall away after He has done and is doing so much for us! Cling to your faith. After all, this faith that we have is like no other. This faith declares a God that feels our suffering with us. Having endured every temptation we face, He can speak to our hearts the solution that He proved works. He can show us the way out of each and every temptation we face because He found the way Himself. After blazing that sinless trail for us, He gave us His righteousness while taking our sin to the death of the cross. It is with His righteousness that we can confidently approach the very throne of God. It is a throne of grace to us who have received His mercy through the blood of Christ. There, before the throne, we not only receive grace, that which we do not deserve, but also mercy, that which we do not deserve in the place of judgment that we do deserve. Asking for the gifts we need to endure and to be what we are called to be is asking for grace. Asking for continual cleansing for our shortcomings and for gifts in spite of the fact that we did not use them properly when last given is asking for mercy. We can confidently ask for both because of our Great High Priest. There is no need to wallow in condemnation.

Going In The Direction He Leads

Proverbs 16:9 and 25---A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

We often go through life guessing which way is best. A man who wants to please the LORD will ask for His direction and help in decisions. Sometimes the answer comes clearly, and at other times there seems to be no answer at all. Yet, because of our situation, we must make the choice we think is best. Scripture declares that the LORD has already planned our steps. He has ordained each day of our lives to teach us and draw us closer. We often fret over our decisions, but what a peace to know that when we choose what we believe to be the LORD's will, we will either have His instruction that we have made a mistake or we will go on in the steps He has already ordered.  The other side of this coin is the second verse above, which is repeated in the proverbs. To merely go by what looks good or seems right, may end in disaster. Only God can see all the consequences from a decision. We need to take the time to seek God's direction. Just because it looks good to men, or even maybe a success in the eyes of the world, doesn't mean it is good for you. So what are we to do? Commit your way to the LORD. Seek to know His will. Get the counsel of godly people. Make your decision with a heart surrendered to God. Then, trust that if you have erred, the LORD will make it clear to you and show you how to correct your error. It is not as if God cannot get through to us. As long as we have a surrendered heart that is listening, He can make His will clear to us.

God Knows How You Feel

Hebrews 2:14,17-18---Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

It is important for us to understand that Jesus was all man. That does not change the fact that He was all God, but in every way He was made like us. He was one of us. He had flesh and blood. He had Mary's lineage. He was tempted. He had to endure just like we have to endure. When Adam lost the dominion of earth to the devil in the Garden, God promised the offspring of the woman would one day crush that devil's head, his authority. That offspring had to be flesh and blood to take back what flesh and blood gave up. He is the Second Adam in that He took back what the first Adam lost. The sin of the first Adam brought death to all. The Second Adam came and provided life to all, by destroying him who held the power of death. As a man enduring all the temptations and sufferings that we face, He can give the perfect counsel. He faced the same things and yet came through in sinless victory. What better priest could we hope for? All others have failed like us. How can we be sure of the answers they give us? But Jesus became the merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, giving us God's direction and presenting our requests to God. As He intercedes, He can convey our feelings and difficulties in complete harmony with how we mean them, because He has been where we are. That is why He is the one person that can help you in whatever your need is. He is the One that can perfectly understand your heart and present it to God with mercy and faithfulness. He made it possible through the atonement that He provided in His flesh and blood body.

Reaction To Rebuke

Proverbs 9:8-10---Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

It takes a humble heart to receive correction. You can almost gauge your spiritual growth by how well you take rebuke. When we are prideful and immature, our first response is to pick out the wrong in the one who has come to instruct us. We may even voice what we think is wrong with them, just to show them that they are not without fault. As we grow and God deals with our pride, we tend to listen without responding, and we may even thank the one who has taken the effort to correct us. But later, behind their back, we tell others how arrogant they were to pick out our fault when they have so many of their own. We may acknowledge some truth to their statement, but we console ourselves with justifications for our weakness. "After all, who is perfect?" we ask. When we have failed like this a number of times and the voice of the LORD begins to get through our walls of our pride, we begin to understand that the LORD and His love for us is what makes us of value. Then, when a voice of correction comes, we may still flinch with pain from the blow, but we no longer look at the messenger. We know God allowed the messenger to come for our good. We take the message to the LORD and examine our condition. As we discern how much of the rebuke is true, we ask the LORD to help us express His life in that area, and not self. We take that old nature to the cross and leave it there. Then we can rejoice that the LORD has drawn us closer to Himself. We may even sincerely thank the messenger and ask for their help.

Hearing From God

Hebrews 1:1-3---God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Hebrews is an incredible letter, but we don't know who the author was. It tells us of Jesus' superiority over angels, prophets, and Moses. It declares that His sacrifice was the fulfillment of all sacrifices and that He is now our Great High Priest. It gives us a number of important warnings. It encourages us in the importance of faith. Hebrews begins by telling us that God no longer speaks to us as He once did. In the past, He used prophets that prophesied in many different manners. Some told parables, some acted out their prophecies, and some wrote poetry. The author of Hebrews declared that now God is speaking to us in Jesus. His life and words are the final and full message of God to man. If you need to hear from God, look to the life and words of Jesus. The Holy Spirit's ministry is to remind us what He has said. (John 14:26) Jesus is the heir of everything. He is the instrument of creation. He is the outshining of God's glory. He is the exact representation of God's being. Everything is sustained by his powerful word. What an incredible and glorious description of the Son! This powerful declaration goes on to say that Jesus provided purification for sins. This letter will explain why His blood was necessary for our purification. Now, He is sitting in the place of power, at the helm of the universe, at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. Hebrews declares Jesus to be our wonderful Savior, but it also declares His awesome superiority over all His creation. It encourages us to go to Him to access God, but to do so with reverent respect.

Christian Qualities In Our Lives Are Important

Titus 1:5-7---For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

This is the beginning of the list of the qualifications of an elder. Another list can be found in 1 Timothy 3. The first century church did not have a single man that led the local congregation, but a group of elders. Notice that in the above passage elders is plural, but town is singular. The Christians in each city, even though they may have met in several different homes, were considered the church of that city. Paul, Timothy, Titus, or one of the other church planters appointed the men who met the qualifications and were called of God as elders. We have an example of how they functioned in the first verses of Acts 13. Instead of having "board meetings", they met together in prayer and fasting. As they worshipped, they sought God's heart. Though some individuals may have led out, the head of the meeting was the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit. They were following the pattern of the synagogue worship that they came out of. Those who had an understanding of God's word were given opportunity to speak. It wasn't always assigned to one man. The word elder, overseer, and shepherd/pastor were interchangeable in the first century. (Acts 20) Together they oversaw the flock of God under the Great Shepherd. They may not have all had the gift of preaching and teaching, but they were all pastors who were ready to share God's word. This is why the qualifications of an elder are important enough for us to have twice in Scripture. Though the interpretation varies among groups, we can see that the standard of an elder is very high for a reason. They should not be elected in a popularity contest but appointed because of their reputation as men that live and teach God's word while looking out for God's sheep.

Let God's Ways Become Your Ways

Proverbs 3:5-7---Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

One of our greatest temptations is to trust our self. We say, "If you want it done right, do it yourself." We look to our own experiences, our own insights, our own intellect when it is not even comparable with the infinite wisdom of God. Is it because we don't think God will answer us? Or perhaps we think He will not answer in a way that will please us. Why can't we trust Him to answer us in a way that is ultimately best for us? That is to place trust in His nature, in His heart. If I refuse to do that, I must ask myself why. Either I do not believe He is who the Word declares Him to be, or I prefer to make my own decisions and be my own lord. If I love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, I should trust Him with all my heart as well. The LORD intricately plans all your ways. Do you see His hand? Can you see the abounding mercy? We should acknowledge His grace in our lives, and let Him reveal to us what He is doing. When we look to His direction, the crooked paths become straight. Life becomes a wonderful interaction with our Maker. He touches the world through us, and in the process, transforms our lives. To be wise in our own eyes is to deceive our self. It is a refusal to acknowledge our frequent mistakes and our real condition. We desperately need the LORD for guidance and discernment. If we think we can do it on our own, we have no fear of a just God, who, like a father, will discipline us.

A Righteous Rebuke

Psalms 141:3-5---Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties. Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

This could be our daily prayer. Our mouth seems to be the most likely member to join in with the sin of others. It is most likely to express any evil in our own heart. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. When we hear someone slandering a person who has caused us harm, or whose ideas and goals are different from ours, we have a tendency to jump right in and join in the slander. James teaches that if we can control our tongue, we can control our whole body. We need the Holy Spirit to be the guard over our mouths, to keep the door of our lips sealed, unless we can speak words that build up and encourage. (Ephesians 4:29) Our world is full of slander and complaints. Let us be a voice of encouragement and praise. David prayed his heart would not be drawn toward evil. After his fall with Bathsheba, he no longer trusted his own heart. Do you realize how easily your heart can be drawn after evil? It is always there to entice us with a lie. It offers us a delicacy, but that delicacy will take us further than we wanted to go and cost us more than we wanted to pay. This is similar to the Lord’s Prayer when He prayed, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One." We need the blows of a friend to wake us up when our mouth or desires are out of control. True friends love you enough to warn and correct you. Fair weather friends will never confront you. A true friend will risk the friendship to tell you the truth. Receive it like anointing oil. Don't be offended! In the last line David does not pray against the people, but against their evil deeds. Those deeds can cause pain and suffering in other's lives. Our battle is not against people who have fallen for the delicacies offered by Satan, or we may find ourselves praying against ourselves. It is against the actions that lead to destruction.

God's Word Equips You For Service

2 Timothy 3:16-17---All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The Jewish religion divides up what we refer to as the Old Testament into levels of inspiration. The books of Moses are the most revered. They are said to come from the mouth of God. Paul knew this as well as anyone. He is flying in the face of their tradition when he declares that it is all God-breathed. Peter declared that Paul's letters are a part of Scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16). Certainly the Gospels are also God-breathed. Our entire Bible is the breath of the Spirit through godly men. We have the words of communication that God chose to speak to mankind. All of it is useful! We sometimes ignore some of the more mysterious or historical references, but it is all useful. Paul tells us that it is to be used for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. We have so many other teaching materials. We need to use the Word of God to teach. Most churches readily accept teaching, but are offended if anyone is rebuked or corrected. "How dare you think you are so spiritual that you can say what applies to me!" Very few elders will love enough to rebuke and correct. It is love because it risks rejection and ridicule for the spiritual growth and equipping of the flock. Most modern church attendees will leave and go to another fellowship rather than to face the correction of elders. The response is often to find fault in the elders rather than to receive correction. When the Word rebukes and corrects, there is always the hope of restoration, but if it is personal or political motive, it is always out of desire to dominate. All the uses of the Word lead to one purpose, equipping the man of God for every good work. Whatever our calling, we need to be equipped for it by the Word of God. The God-breathed Scriptures will show us how, correct our errors, rebuke our failings, and correct and train us in righteousness.

In God's Time

"For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry"   (Habakkuk 2:3).

Mercy may seem slow, but it is sure. The LORD in unfailing wisdom has appointed a time for the outgoings of His gracious power, and God's time is the best time. We are in a hurry; the vision of the blessings excites our desire and hastens our longings; but the LORD will keep His appointments. He never is before His time; He never is behind. God's word is here spoken of as a living thing which will speak and will come. It is never a dead letter, as we are tempted to fear when we have long watched for its fulfillment. The living word is on the way from the living God, and though it may seem to linger, it is not, in reality, doing so. God's train is not behind time. It is only a matter of patience, and we shall soon see for ourselves the faithfulness of the LORD. No promise of His shall fail; "it will not lie." No promise of His will be lost in silence; "it shall speak." What comfort it will speak to the believing ear! No promise of His shall need to be renewed like a bill which could not be paid on the day in which it fell due-"it will not tarry." Come, my soul, canst thou not wait for thy God? Rest in Him and be still in unutterable peacefulness.

By C.H. Spurgeon

Unity Makes Everyone Look Anointed

Psalms 133:1-3---Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

That is the whole psalm. It is one of the most beautiful expressions of the blessing of unity in Scripture. Most of us have witnessed very little of this type of unity. We are such demanding individuals in the flesh that, while in our flesh, this type of unity is impossible. The only way to arrive at this wonderful blessing is to do as the Apostle Paul said, "Esteem others better than yourself." Only when a group of people comes to real humility in Christ can they find this blessing. In most assemblies, we find more division and disunity than anything else! I have witnessed unity in a couple of different settings. One was in a cult. All members gave up their individual beliefs and preferences to follow the leader and submit to his teaching. That is not the unity written about here. This unity in the psalm has the blessing of God, life forevermore. The other setting was amongst a group of pastors who focused on Jesus and His salvation, the need to win the lost, and to touch their town with His love. They differed on the interpretation of Scripture, on style, and even on how best to get to the goal, but they were united in purpose. They humbled themselves to listen to one another in hopes of the LORD leading them to the victory they so longed for. They realized that if one of them was successful that they were all going to be blessed. Verse two compares unity to the anointing of Aaron for the priesthood. The anointing oil, a picture of the Holy Spirit, ran down over his beard and dripped on his priestly robes. When we humble ourselves and experience unity, we will see an overflowing of the Holy Spirit, not just a drop. Then he compares it with dew on Zion. The heights of Mount Hermon would have dew when the rest of the nation was dry and dusty. Unity is attractive because it is so rare. The morning dew must have made the buildings on Zion glisten as if they were all made of silver. Unity makes everyone look anointed, shining because Jesus is able to shine through.