August 1, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Anything that one imagines of God apart from Christ is only useless thinking and vain idolatry. - Martin Luther
Jesus: To Believe or Not to Believe
John 1:1-5, 9-14
Jesus is often referred to as Savior, Messiah, Christ, and High Priest, just to name a few titles. The most important and accurate description of Jesus, though, is one that we do not often understand: Jesus is God.
We say "Jesus is Lord," but what exactly does that mean? If Jesus were not fully God, then it would be blasphemous to ascribe total lordship and sovereignty to Him. However, Scripture clearly shows that Jesus is, in fact, wholly God.
In John 1:1-5, we see that Jesus is not only present at Creation, but He is also one with the Creator. Everything in the universe that exists came to exist through Jesus. He is the Word that was present at the beginning. (John 1:14)
Jesus Himself spoke of the complete unity and harmony that He shared with the Father. In John 10:30, He asserts, "I and the Father are one."
In John 8:57-58, Jesus shocked the Jews by claiming to have known Abraham. When they asked Him to explain, He replied, "Before Abraham was born, I am." "I AM" is the divine name that the Father communicated to Moses; by using this expression, Jesus claimed to be God.
Finally, Jesus shows His involvement within the Trinity in John 15:26. There, He explains the unified purpose with which the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit function.
If you trust in God's holy Word, then you must recognize that Jesus is fully God. For Christians, this makes His atoning sacrifice even more amazing. Praise Him today for His sacrificial love for you.
Charles Stanley
www.intouch.org/
Copyright � 2002, In Touch Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
August 2, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Persons are to be loved; things are to be used. - Reuel Howe
The Positive Power of Love
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Our modern culture has created a twisted, distorted view of love. Popular movies, songs, and romance novels picture love as fiery and passionate, burning brightly and usually briefly. Stories such as the popular American film "The Bridges of Madison County "depicts love as something shared by strangers in a secret weekend extramarital affair. Is this how God intends us to understand the power of love?
The answer, obviously, is no. In 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul lays out the framework for a believer's understanding about love. He describes it as patient, kind, humble, selfless, forgiving, enduring, hopeful, faithful, and truthful. The keynote throughout this description is commitment.
Too often, we enter into relationships for impure reasons. Sometimes, it is strictly physical desire. Other times, it is simply because we are lonely or because we want something they have. These motives are all self-centered. In no way do these instances portray a desire to help, strengthen, and encourage the other party. We are becoming a world of selfish lovers.
This is not the love of God! We should love others the way that God loves us: with honor, grace, and the other's best interests at heart. Love is not a prize or an accomplishment; rather, it is the fruit of a well-cultivated, committed relationship, whether between a man and a woman, friends, or family.
Think about the people in your life. Do you love them with the love of Christ? Reveal His heart to them today.
Charles Stanley
www.intouch.org/
Copyright � 2002, In Touch Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
August 3, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Outward as well as inward morality helps to form the idea
of a true Christian freedom. We are right to lay stress on inwardness, but
in this world there is no inwardness without an outward expression.
-
Meister Eckhart
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"'I Love You' At The Finish Line"
Titus 2:4,5
My regular routine doesn't allow me as much exercise as I'd like. So when we get a few days away, I enjoy picking up the pace a little with some biking or hiking that I don't usually get to do. Of course, I can usually feel that I haven't been doing it enough. The next morning I'm hurting in places I didn't even know I had places. I remember one time we were away at the shore, and I did this sunrise jog on the beach. I felt so healthy - and so beat. I was pounding back on the sand, all tired and sweaty and out of breath, thinking about walking the rest of the way. Suddenly, I saw my wife Karen in the distance. And suddenly my motivation was back! I picked up my pace like an Olympian. Now I had almost reached her when I saw what she had written in huge letters in the sand, "I love you, Ron." Oh! What a happy ending to a long, hard run!
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "'I Love You' At The Finish Line."
Actually that's a happy ending for any man ... on any day. So there's something real special about today's word for today from the Word of God, Titus 2:4, 5. Paul is speaking about the older women when he says, "They can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the Word of God."
Now, Paul is describing here two generations of loving wives, with the veterans teaching the rookies about that kind of love. Women whose husbands know they are really loved, end up reaping what the Proverbs 31 woman did. "Her husband", it says, "has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life ... Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband, also, and he praises her."
The first instruction from the older women to the younger women is to be about how to "love their husbands." Now that day when I was running on the beach is a picture of many days in the life of a man close to you - your husband, or your father, your brother. He reaches the end of his day tired from the run. And few things mean more to a man than to know he'll find an "I love you" at the finish line.
A man can handle almost any stress, any disappointment, if he's sure he'll be safe and appreciated and loved when he gets home. Because all's well that ends well. There are many men who are loved by their wife, but they don't feel loved by her because she is not loving him in his language of love. And if you don't feel loved, it's the same for you as if you aren't loved.
So, tell him you love him - tell him often, even if it's not your style. Touch him. Do the little things that reassure and restore him: that favorite meal, a card, a note, a compliment, a love letter. And as much as possible, try to provide some peace at the end of his race.
Now loving your man like this may be hard for you because you've run a long run today, too. I would encourage you to pray the kind of prayer I've had to pray so often to be the man my wife needs, "Lord, please give me Your strength to put him first when I feel like being first myself." To do that is to do what Jesus would do. In fact, it's what He did over and over. By the way, it is equally important that a wife be welcomed by a man who is putting her needs first. This kind of sacrificing love is a blessed two-way street.
When the man in your life has been pushing hard, you as a woman have a tremendous opportunity to show your love for him, to build your relationship with him, to keep him going when he feels like giving up. As a woman who goes out of her way to make him feel loved, you may well be the deciding factor in whether or not he even makes it across the finish line. That "I love you" in the sand never means more than at the finish line after a long day's run.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
August 4, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Christ's character was more wonderful than the greatest miracle. - Tennyson
"Why a Guru When we Have Jesus?"
"Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths." - Psalm 25:4
Many North Americans, especially young people who have dropped out of the church, profess to benefit from the instruction of a guru. A guru is a religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism.
One is prompted to ask, What can a guru teach us that we cannot learn better from Jesus? In His time Jesus was considered a teacher, a rabbi, and, if you will, a "guru." He taught the people on many occasions -- on the mount, by the seashore, in the wilderness, in the synagogue. He counseled with individuals.
Is it inner peace that troubled people desire? Jesus not only talks about peace but also imparts it: "Peace I leave with you: My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives" (John 14:27).
Is it harmony with God that people desire? Jesus not only discusses such harmony but also conveys it: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).
Is it freedom from the prison of oneself that people desire? Jesus not only extols freedom verbally, but also outlines a simple program for achieving it: "If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).
Are people troubled because they know they did what was wrong, left undone what was right, and can do nothing to make restitution? Jesus not only has words of wisdom but also imparts salvation: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).
Taken from "Each Day with Jesus"
Copyright 1994, Concordia Publishing House.
August 5, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well,
it is well, with my soul.
- Horatio Spafford
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"Carrying It Alone"
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12
OK, I couldn't put it off any longer - we had to move the piano. Now, in spite of my Arnold Schwarzenaegger-build (this is radio; you'll never know), I decided it wouldn't be a good idea to move that monster alone. In fact, I remember my dad needed surgery after he helped move a piano once! So the time we moved the piano was determined by one thing: what time could some guys be there to help? As we eased that piano slowly down the front steps, I was so thankful for those other guys. I had my hands full just carrying my corner! This was something that was obviously never meant to be carried alone.
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Carrying It Alone."
That could be a mistake you're making right now - maybe you've been making for a long time. You have some things in your life that are pretty heavy, and they are really weighing you down, maybe even crushing you sometimes. But the problem isn't just how much that monster weighs. It may be that you're insisting on carrying it alone. You won't do what I did when I had something that was too heavy for me alone. I called for help.
Well, our word for today from the Word of God reminds us that going it alone is unnecessary, it's unwise, it's unprofitable. Ecclesiastes 4 beginning in verse 9: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. Pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! ... though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves."
You get the picture. God says, work with someone else on it. Walk with someone else. Fight the battle with someone else. Notice, Jesus even sent the early disciples out two-by-two. The involvement of some people who shared my load made the difference in whether or not I could carry what I had to carry on piano day. That same equation could make all the difference for you.
Could it be that you've been overwhelmed by your pain, by your issues, by your burden because you've insisted on trying to deal with it yourself? When you fall, you stay down because you've not let anyone in that can pick you up. When you try to carry something heavy alone, you end up injured, or you end up with more pain. You can even be paralyzed.
Maybe it's your pride that's kept you from sharing the burden you're carrying. Or the fear of what someone might think. Or a victim mentality that sort of perversely thrives on feeling like a martyr. Maybe it's hard for you to trust because of past betrayals. But whatever the risks are of asking someone to help you with this, the risks are far greater of being crushed by it alone.
Let someone in, won't you? Let your wife or your husband into this aching part of you; or your mom or dad. Or open it up to the help of a spiritual leader or a spiritually mature friend. Maybe you need to talk with a pastor or counselor who can bring some objectivity and experience to sorting it out. They have probably walked this road with others before you.
Now you may be the one a hurting person calls on for some help. And if they do reach out and ask you to help carry the load, realize what a trust they are giving you. Don't ever betray their confidence, don't condemn, and don't take it lightly. Listen a lot before you talk. Pray with them about it. Look for practical ways that you and others can help.
Maybe you're carrying the load of many years right now, or of a recent blow. It may be something you've wanted to be a secret, but that secret is like a cancer eating you up inside. You've got to let someone in. You've carried this alone long enough. With the loving help of someone lifting the other end, you can finally make progress on what has been unmoveable until now.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
August 6, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: There is neither encouragement nor room in True Christianity, the religion of the Scriptures for feeble desires, listless efforts, lazy attitudes. All must be strenuous, urgent, ardent. Inflamed desires & impassioned, unwearied insistence are the things that delight heaven. God would have His children unalterably in earnest & persistently bold in their efforts. Heaven is too busy to listen to half-hearted prayers or to respond to hasty, thoughtless calls to God. Our experience & revelations of God are born of our costly sacrifice, our costly conflicts, our costly prayer. - E.M. Bounds
Tragedy in the Church
Matthew 7:15-23
"A righteous man hates falsehood." - Proverb 13:5a
Every Sunday millions of people leave church feeling very confused about the Christian life. They listen to the message, participate in church activities, and believe they are going to heaven. But sadly, many of these people are listening to the words of false teachers.
The only hopeful aspect of this predicament is that it can be easily avoided by recognizing churches and study groups that support false teachings, and by warning others.
Today's Scripture passage from Matthew provides a helpful method for identifying false teachers. "You will know them by their fruits" (v. 16), it says, reminding us that not everyone who claims to know Jesus and act in His name will enter into heaven. Verses 21-23 bring further clarity, distinguishing those who do the will of God from those "who practice lawlessness." In other words, we must carefully observe the actions, habits, and attitudes of our teachers.
In your prayer time today, examine the teaching you are receiving. Does your current church or study group preach salvation by faith alone? Does your pastor frequently promote the importance of a personal relationship with Christ? Do the organization's teaching materials coincide exactly with Scripture?
Ask God to reveal to you any false teaching that is in contradiction to His Word as soon as you hear it. Also, pray for the people in your life whose ears have been deafened to God's truth.
Charles Stanley
www.intouch.org/
Copyright � 2002, In Touch Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
August 7, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Adversity may be a blessing in disguise! - Anonymous
Defeating Discouragement
Nehemiah 1:3-11
Do you sometimes feel that a dark cloud of discouragement is following you no matter what you do? Have your peace and joy been replaced by feelings of hopelessness and frustration?
Certainly the prophet Nehemiah experienced great discouragement as he learned of the distress and destruction in Jerusalem. Verse 4 tells us that in response to this news, he "wept and mourned for days . . . fasting and praying before the God of heaven."
The interesting part of this passage is the description of what Nehemiah did next. After his period of mourning, he offered a four-part prayer to the Lord.
First, Nehemiah offered praise to God for His faithfulness and lovingkindness. (v. 5) Next, he confessed the collective sins of his people. (v. 7) Then, he acknowledged the appropriateness of God's judgment. (v. 8) And finally, he asked God to show him success and compassion. (v. 11)
Nehemiah's heartfelt petition contains valuable insight for the discouraged: no matter what happens in the physical world around us, God is in control. He is able to work all things, including our failures, into His plan for our good.
If you are discouraged today, use Nehemiah's words to create your own prayer to God. Give Him praise, confess any sin in your life, acknowledge the authenticity of His Word, and request His favor as you get up and try again.
The Lord is faithful in all things. Don't let discouragement block your view of His awesome love and power.
Charles Stanley
www.intouch.org/
Copyright � 2002, In Touch Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
August 8, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: A man may be an heretic in the truth, and if he believes things only because his pastor says so, or the assembly so determines, without knowing other reasons, though his belief be true, yet the very truth he holds becomes his heresy. - F.W. Farrar, History of Interpretation, xvi
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"Flowers But No Fruit"
Luke 13:6
In much of America, spring announces its arrival with an explosion of color. Those yellow forsythia flowers start popping out on our bushes, the daffodils start to poke their heads through the ground, and the trees around our Headquarters suddenly color the landscape with their delicate white flowers. Now, my wife, who must be a certified plantologist, tells me that those are ornamental pear trees. When I asked her about the "ornamental" part, she pointed out to me that while they produce beautiful flowers, these pear trees produce no pears. I guess that's why they're ornamental.
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Flowers But No Fruit."
You know, God has people in His family who are like those pear trees. They look good, but they don't produce fruit. And fruit is what Jesus is interested in, not just spiritual decorations on the outside.
That's pretty obvious in our word for today from the Word of God in Luke 13, beginning with verse 6. "And Jesus told this parable: 'A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"
Now, Jesus is the owner who comes looking for fruit. He isn't interested in all our spiritual flowers that may impress other people. Oh, it's nice that we sing His songs, go to His meetings, give to His causes, and put Him in our schedule. But that's obviously not what really matters to Him. He is looking for a life that is producing lasting fruit, not just parading impressive "flowers."
So, when Jesus looks at you, does He see a follower who is fruitful, or mostly decorative? When Jesus looks at your ministry, your church, does He see the fruit of changed lives or just the flowers of a busy program and a smoothly running religious machine?
Jesus wants to know what lives you're touching for Him, what lost people you're introducing to Him, how you're investing the talents He gave you in the work He wants done, whether you're living to make an impression or to make money, or whether you're living to make a difference. Including the ultimate difference you can make in anybody's life - pouring yourself into the lives of lost people around you so you can help some of them go to heaven with you.
What if Jesus came to you like it says here in the parable and He said, "I've been coming to look for fruit here for a long time and I haven't found any." I wonder if He would say to you, "One more year. Let's see what you do with these next few months ahead. I'll be back then to see what kind of fruit you have to show for all that I have poured into your life."
You can't have any of those fruitless years back. They're gone - they're over. But you can decide today that you are going to make a far greater difference with the rest of your life than you've ever made before!
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
August 9, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: He loved us not because we were lovable, but because He is love. - C.S. Lewis
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"The Shower Of A Lifetime"
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Our son Doug had just arrived in the southwestern United States to begin his work with Native Americans. In fact, his supervisor in his non-profit work was a Native American. And Doug was eager to show that he was coming with a servant spirit, you know. He had a tremendous opportunity to do just that. His supervisor needed his help in cleaning out a septic system. The job began with just Doug's hands having to work in that sewage. But the job got more and more involved - and so did Doug's body. Before he was finished, he was in that septic sewage up to his waist! Needless to say, he never felt more disgusting in his life. And then came the shower - that long, wonderful, heavenly shower! Now, he said he'd never been that dirty, and it had never felt better to be clean!
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Shower Of A Lifetime."
Getting really clean after you've felt really dirty is a wonderful feeling. One that you might be ready for - on the inside.
So many of us carry inside the awful burden of the mistakes we've made in the past, or the people we've hurt, the wounds we've inflicted, the damage we've done. There are regrets and guilt that weigh us down - maybe for some destructive choices we've made or some compromises or some sin we wish we could go back and erase. Sometimes it can feel disgusting - like all that dirt that covered our son that day. We wonder if there's any way to get clean, to finally be free of the weight, the dirt, the guilt, the shame.
When Mark Twain was asked what were the two most important words in the English language, here's what he said. "Not guilty." But when we know we're guilty, how can we ever experience the freedom of those two glorious words?
There is wonderful, cleansing news in our wonderful word for today from the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. God is talking to people who've got a past. He mentions "the sexually immoral... idolaters... adulterers... homosexual offenders... thieves... the greedy... drunkards... slanderers... swindlers." And He delivers the bad news that those kind of people will never make it to heaven. It sounds hopeless - until God turns on His cleansing shower in the next verse.
He says, "And that is what some of you were." Were? You mean I can be free from the guilt and shame of the past? How? Well, He says, "But you were washed, you were sanctified (that means you were made special), you were justified (that means you were made right with God) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." Now, the liberating message God has for you and me is this - whatever you've done, whatever you've become doesn't ever have to matter again. Jesus Christ offers you the shower of a lifetime, to forgive every sin you've ever committed, to declare you "not guilty," to open the doors of heaven to you as a new, spiritually clean person.
And how can this be? Because, as the Bible says, Jesus "bore our sins in His own body on the tree." (1 Peter 2:24) In simple words, you did the sinning and Jesus did the dying for it. It's all been paid for.
The forgiveness Jesus died to give you becomes yours when you tell Jesus you're trusting Him to be your Rescuer from your sin. And at that moment the shower of God washes you completely clean for the first time in your life - and forever.
So many people have told me how they felt when they made Jesus their Savior. They've said, "It's like a huge weight was lifted off my back." That can happen to you right now, right where you are. And you can know how good it feels to finally get clean.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
August 10, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: The Present is the point at which Time touches Eternity. Of the present moment -- and of it only -- humans have an experience analogous to the experience which God has of reality as a whole; in it alone, freedom and actuality are offered them. He would therefore have them continually concerned either with Eternity (which means being concerned with Him) or with the Present -- either meditating on their eternal union with, or separation from, Himself; or else obeying the present voice of conscience, bearing the present cross, receiving the present grace, giving thanks for the present pleasure. - C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), The Screwtape Letters
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"The Collapse Of A Two-Legged Bridge"
2 Corinthians 5:19, 20
When Mitch visited Honduras, he left a mark no one there will ever forget. We're talking, of course, about Hurricane Mitch, a Category 4 storm that hammered Honduras in November of '98. Whole villages disappeared as dams broke and mudslides buried everything in sight. At least 10,000 people died from Mitch's assault. And then came the battle for the survivors. Food and clothing and medicine and all kinds of emergency supplies poured into Honduras. But there was a problem: most of the infrastructure of the country was destroyed. Roads were gone. Bridges were gone. So, on one side you have starving people; on the other side, there were trucks loaded with what they needed to survive. But without a bridge, how do you get them together?
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Collapse Of A Two-Legged Bridge."
Our word for today from the Word of God is about life saving. It's from 2 Corinthians 5:19, 20. It's about people who need life and what it takes to get that life to them. The Bible says, "God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation (bringing them together). We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." God says here, you are the carriers of His love and His life to the people around you.
OK, now here's a mental picture. There's a wide chasm. Jesus is on one side. Someone you care about - a friend, a family member, a neighbor, a co-worker - is on the other side. Now, what will it take to get the life-saving Savior and the dying person together? A bridge. The bridge is you - Christ's ambassador to your workplace, your neighborhood, your school. If the bridge is out, they may die without the rescue that was almost in their reach ... because of the bridge.
Are the people you influence moving toward Jesus because of you, or are they as far from Him as ever? Is it possible that their bridge to Jesus has collapsed? Sometimes that happens because of busyness, which leads to spiritual neglect, which becomes weeks and months and years - and then an eternity. Or maybe it's fear that keeps the bridge from functioning. But shouldn't the greatest fear be not what a person you love may think of you, but that they may be lost forever?
I'll never forget that day in college when my clock radio woke me up with the morning news. I sat straight up in bed because I heard Sharon's name. Now, Sharon and I had been good friends in school - nothing romantic, but we'd been really good friends all through school. Now the night before I heard this newscast, a young man had walked into the student union at a local university and shot Sharon to death on the spot. Sharon and I had talked about everything - except Jesus. And now, in one violent moment, she had gone into eternity.
I was the bridge, and I collapsed. I can't help but wonder if somewhere in the corridors of eternity, someone we knew on earth won't cry out to us, "Why didn't you tell me?"
For the people around you, there is still time. Jesus is standing with outstretched arms on one side of that chasm. Someone you care about is on the other side, restless for a relationship that will fill the hole in their heart. And all they need is a bridge. And the bridge is you.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
August 11, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: All our vain (failed) efforts are the needful preparation for His ENTERING into us in divine power -- to give and BE IN US what He has TAUGHT US TO DESIRE. - Andrew Murray
"More Free Time -- For What?"
"My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am
working."
- John 5:17
The scarlet pimpernel, a plant in the primrose family, has interesting habits. At the approach of cloudy or rainy weather it closes up, making it the "poor man's weather glass." Further, it seems to observe hours on the clock, opening its flowers at seven and closing them at two.
The plant has counterparts in human society. Some people close up at the approach of adversity. What is more, the hours the scarlet pimpernel keeps are reminiscent of the shorter hours we have to work these days to make a living, thanks largely to our technology. In comparison with the former six-day work week with its 14-hour days, we seem to observe "bankers' hours," to say nothing of our long holiday weekends and generous vacations.
Freed from the drudgery and slavery of long work days, we enjoy more leisure. What are we doing with it? We can use it for R and R -- rest and recreation. But even then there is time left over. Leisure hours can be put to constructive use: spending more time with our families, carrying out do-it-yourself projects at home, reading and continuing one's education, doing community work. Especially can we do volunteer work for Christ and His church.
By both our labor and our leisure, we show our thankfulness to Jesus Christ, who, unlike the scarlet pimpernel, did not close shop at the approach of adversity, did not observe a schedule of set hours. He had work which the heavenly Father had given Him to do, namely, proclaim the Good News of the kingdom, heal the sick, cast out demons, and especially do the work of our salvation. That He did -- all the way to Calvary's cross.
PRAYER: Lord God, direct me to the profitable use of my free time. May it be used for You and Your church. Amen.
Taken from "Each Day with Jesus"
Copyright 1994, Concordia Publishing House.
August 12, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Man's chief work is the praise of God. - Augustine of Hippo
Praising the Lamb of God
Psalm 34:1-3
Although the Psalms are filled with songs of praise to the Lord, there are certainly times in life when we may find it difficult to relate to this level of exuberance-even toward the Lord.
When tragedies occur and burdens weigh heavily on our hearts, our emotions may range from worry to depression. Needless to say, in the midst of hardship, praise can seem impossible.
But even during affliction, we have a reason for praise and a "formula" for peace. John 16:33 encourages, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
Knowing that Jesus has conquered every worldly trial we will face is grounds for celebration. But there are many more reasons to offer praise to the Lamb of God. Essentially, the closer we get to Jesus, the more we will want to praise Him, for both who He is and what He has done. When our days are filled with moments of intimacy with Him and times of meditation in His Word, we will soon find our skepticism fading, giving way to joy.
What is preventing you from praising Christ today? Do your circumstances seem overwhelming? Are you too busy?
Take a moment to be still before God. Meditate on the person of Jesus-His love, His friendship, His work upon the Cross, and His desire to establish a deeper relationship with you. Are you ready to praise Him?
Charles Stanley
www.intouch.org/
Copyright � 2002, In Touch Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
August 13, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: As the veil of the temple was, at the death of the Saviour, rent asunder, in the same way our communion with the Crucified puts aside all the curtains separating us artificially from the rest of the world, and removes all sense of privilege and exclusiveness. It is this explanation of justification by faith only which leads us to the true depth of what the Gospel has contributed to this world. To live by grace and to die by grace, to live in forgiveness every day, every hour and every moment, means to identify oneself with those who do not share our faith, and to realize all the debts we owe them. Let us not be afraid that this will reduce the Gospel to relativism. Its depth is in proportion to its breadth. The deeper it is, the broader and fuller it becomes. - J. L. Hromadka
Prodigal Tidbits
You know, the Bible is like a gold mine and even the passages which you think have been thoroughly picked over can still yield more treasure! This has been my experience time and again. I'm convinced that it's because the Bible is unlike any other book in the history of the world. The Bible is a living book (see Hebrews 4:12) and as we read it the Holy Spirit breathes God's immanent and personal truths into those words for you and for me.
The following are some insights I gleaned from a well-known Bible story which still speaks to me today: Prodigal Tidbits from Luke 15:11-32
Life apart from God is death. God is love, but there are consequences to sin. While his son was away, the prodigal's father counted him as lost and even dead. This was not coldness of heart, as we can see from his joyful embrace when his son returned, but it was a cold, hard reality for the father which caused him to grieve as our Father grieves over our sin.
Life apart from God is death. The Astroturf on the other side of the fence may look greener than the real thing but that's because it's fake. A cow or sheep trying to eat Astroturf is going to die, plain and simple! Life without God results in death, plain and simple. It's just a matter of time.
God allows us to choose. Our Father doesn't force us to obey Him. The father in the parable didn't tie his son to a chair and say, "You're going to do what I tell you to do, like it or not!" He let his son go and he also let his son suffer the consequences of his choices.
I believe this truth applies to our Christian walk just as much as to the "unsaved". Sometimes we sometimes desire the grass on the other side of the fence. We feel like the younger son: "What am I doing here in my father's house when I could be out there eating what I want to eat and doing what I want to do?" And if you've chosen to break your relationship with the Father you've also experienced the lost blessings of being in His presence. When we're with Him we're saying "Wow, those people over there are having a whole lot more fun than I am" but when we're away from Him we're saying "I wish I had never left. I didn't realize how good I had it."
The good news is that you're always just a prayer away from your Father. Like the prodigal's father, our heavenly Father waits for us to return, not that He might punish or even rebuke us, but that He might receive us back with open arms. Like the prodigal's father, our Father isn't sitting in heaven waiting to strike us down but is waiting for us to call upon His name that He might embrace us. Unlike the prodigal, we don't have a long journey back home. All we have to do is turn away from our sin and return to God (repentance) and He will receive us back. No matter how far you run, you're always just a prayer away from forgiveness and reconciliation.
Same temptation, different responses. Both brothers were tempted to believe the outside world had something better to offer than life with Dad. The younger son gave in to temptation and found out it was all a sham. The older son stayed true to his father but pondered in the back of his mind whether or not he had made the right choice.
Isn't that how it is for some of us? Maybe you grew up in a Christian home and never strayed, and yet you wonder "What's the good of all this? I pray, I go to church, I read my Bible, I tithe, I don't curse, I'm kind to others and yet I'm not blessed. Godless and selfish unbelievers are living it up and I'm struggling just to get by! What's the use of being a Christian? Where's this victorious, prosperous life I was promised?"
How different is that from the words of the older brother: "Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends."
There's really no comparison. Listen to the words of the father to his oldest son: "My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
Think you're getting the short end of the stick? Fellowship with God means He is always with us and everything He has is ours: His presence, His love, His mercy, His grace, His kindness, His word, His truth. The folks living on the other side are missing out on all of these things.
And if you've been on the other side and now you're feeling "I am no longer worthy to be called Your child" take a look at the heavenly Father Jesus revealed through this parable: Not a father standing with his arms crossed, tapping his foot, staring beneath a furled brow with anger flashing in his eyes, but a father who dropped everything and ran to embrace his child; a father who didn't even wait to hear "I'm sorry" before he welcomed him back with new clothes and a feast.
God is good all of the time; and all of the time, God is good. Both sons in the parable missed this truth; and sometimes I miss this truth as well and need a reminder, but it is true nevertheless: God is good ALL of the time; and all of the time, GOD IS GOOD
Gary Zanow
The Grace Cyber Cafe
www.new-mercies.org
August 14, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: We are made for action, and for right action -- for thought, and for true thought. Let us live while we live; let us be alive and doing; let us act on what we have, since we have not what we wish. Let us believe what we do not see and know. Let us forestall knowledge by faith. Let us maintain before we have demonstrated. This seeming paradox is the secret of happiness. Why should we be unwilling to go by faith? We do all things in this world by faith in the word of others. By faith only do we know our position in the world, our circumstances, our rights and privileges, our fortunes, our parents, our brothers and sisters, our age, our mortality. Why should Religion be an exception? Why should we be unwilling to use for heavenly objects what we daily use for earthly? - John Henry Newman
Encouraging Word For The Week From Brother Steve
The last two months have been a blur of busyness. Between going on vacation, children's camp, my brief trip to the west coast, Vacation Bible School, and the mission trip to Bunkie, there has been a constant change in my daily pattern of life. Sometimes this is good. Such change allows us to get out of our ruts and and not be complacent. On the other hand, juggling more balls than you can keep in the air also has the potential to cause one to become lax on what's important.
I can personally testify to this reality in the area of my quiet time. Throughout the Summer my daily time with the Lord has been very sporadic. I have met with Him several times a week, but far from what I know is necessary to maintain the relationship I desire. Some of this is due to an altered schedule while the rest is a result of having difficulty getting alone. Ultimately, the responsibility rests on myself for not being disciplined enough to make the time for private moments with God.
Well, the Summer is over. School begins tomorrow. Daily routines will now be easy to put in place. Making a concerted effort to be with the Lord each day will once again become more simple.
However, this privilege comes with peril. Getting back into a routine of waking up, cleaning and dressing, having a quiet time, going to work, coming home, and going to bed can place me into a rut. Doing the same thing every day can become nothing more than a predictable assembly line of activity. This is especially true in the area of a daily quiet time. If I'm not careful, I will pray and read my Bible at the same time each day but somehow miss out on meeting with God.
This is the distinction between being in a spiritual discipline and a religious rut. The first is something that I control, whereas the second controls me. One is about moving closer to God and the other about going through the motions.
As important as it is to spend time daily with the Lord, we must be careful that we don't substitute activity for intimacy. Success is not found in reading through the Bible in a year or not missing a day in my devotional book for six months, but in developing a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ with each encounter I have with Him.
Being undisciplined and missing out on my daily time with the Lord is a problem. Similarly, a daily time in spiritual activity without experiencing God's presence is just a bad. OUR GOAL IS KNOWING GOD PERSONALLY.
In Matthew 14:23 we are told that Jesus "went up on a mountainside by himself to pray". The Lord understood the importance of being with His Father. These encounters were certainly intimate and personal. Also, on the night of His arrest, the scriptures tell us in Luke 22:39 that "Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives". Apparently, this was a place where he held his "quiet time" when in Jerusalem. Jesus considered his time with God to be of utmost importance.
I'm glad the summer is behind us and am looking forward to falling back into a state of consistency and predictability. However, I realize that I must determine if my relationship with God is living and vibrant. I'm excited about the challenge of making it so on a daily basis.
Let me encourage you to do the same. I realize that a lot of you have had busy summers, as well, and like myself you need to recommit yourself to regularity and intimacy in your daily quiet time. God deserves it and you need it, so do what is necessary to make it happen.
Seeking freshness,
Bro. Steve
First Baptist Church, Doyline, LA
August 15, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: A lost reputation is the best degree for Christ's service. - C. T. Studd
Are Your Sins Biting You?
This saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners.
- 1 Timothy 1:15
If you feel your sins biting you, and your heart is wavering and beginning to tremble, take your place on the side where the tax collectors are standing, for they are the people for whom the Gospel is intended.
Do this quite joyfully and say, "Dear God, according to Your own words there is greater joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. All the angels and the righteous are interceding for this sinner and covering his sin. Now, dear God, here I am and I feel my sins. My case is already decided. All I now need is a shephered to seek me out; I will entrust myself freely to Your Gospel.
So you come to God and you are already the sheep that God has taken on His shoulders; you have already found your shepherd. You are the coin already lying in the hand; you are the one over whom all the angels of heaven are rejoicing.
Whether you feel all this right away or not must not disturb you in any way. Sin falls away gradually, and the bite in your conscience will impel you to keep on seeking God. You must fight with your faith against your feeling and say, "Dear God; I know what You have said; to this Word I will cling. I am the sheep and the coin; You are the shepherd and the woman."
Christ is the shepherd and He is also the woman. It is Christ who has lit the lamp, that is, the Gospel, and it is Christ who walks about in the wilderness, that is, the world, and who sweeps the house seeking the lost sheep and the lost coin. He does this seeking with His Word so that first of all sin is proclaimed to us and, thereafter, grace and mercy.
When sinners come to Christ in response to the invitation of the Gospel, He does not reproach them with their sins, He remains silent and covers their sins. He could put us to shame and trample us underfoot as the Pharisees do; but He does not do that. At the Last Judgement He will certainly come forth, and all that has remained hidden will be revealed.
We must follow the example of Christ. A maiden must place her garland of chastity upon a whore, a pious wife must give her vail to an adultress, and we must be prepared to use any of our garments to cover sin. Every man will have his sheep and every woman her coin. All our gifts must be placed at each other's disposal.
In God's judgement there is no greater sin on this earth than that committed by pious men, women and maidens when they despise those who are held fast in their sins. At the same time, they are under the delusion that their natural endowment can help them out. They blow themselves up with their own perfections and self-importance and despise their neighbor.
The correct Christian procedure is to fall down and become completely linked with the "sinner", no matter how deeply immersed in the mire of sin. This sin you must take upon yourself and wallow your way out of the mire with it, treating it just as if it were your own sin. Reproach and chastisement are necessary, and the whole matter must be treated in all earnestness. You must never despise a sinner, but love him with all your heart.
Martin Luther, from a sermon on the Gospel of Luke chapter 15:3-10
August 16, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: There are doubtless many reasons for the degeneration of Christianity into churchiness, and the narrowing of the Gospel for all mankind into a set of approved beliefs; but the chief cause must be the worship of an inadequate god -- a cramped and regulated god who is a 'good churchman' according to the formulas of the worshipper. For actual behaviour infallibly betrays the real object of the man's worship. All Christians, whatever their Church, would of course instantly repudiate the idea that their god was a super-example of their own denomination, and it is not suggested that the worship is conscious. Nevertheless, beneath the conscious critical level of the mind it is perfectly possible for the Anglo-Catholic, for example, to conceive God as particularly pleased with Anglo-Catholicism, doubtful about Evangelicalism, and frankly displeased by all forms of Nonconformity... The ultra-low Churchman on the other hand must admit, if he is honest, that the God whom he worships disapproves most strongly of vestments, incense, and candles on the altar. The tragedy of these examples -- which could be reproduced ad nauseam any day of the week -- is not difference of opinion, which will probably be with us till the Day of Judgment, but the outrageous folly and damnable sin of trying to regard God as the Party Leader of a particular point of view. - J. B. Phillips, Your God Is Too Small
"Who is Your God?"
"Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent."
- John 17:3
Visitors in Rome are shown the Pantheon, a temple built about 2,000 years ago by Agrippa, the son-in-law of Caesar Augustus. As the name implies, it was a temple dedicated to all the gods. It is now a Christian church.
The God who has revealed Himself in Holy Scripture and who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the one true God; there is none beside Him. When we worship Him, we need not be concerned as to whether we have overlooked any other deity. This seems to have worried the heathen from time to time. As said, Agrippa built a temple to all the gods; and in Athens, Saint Paul saw an altar dedicated to the unknown god. People then tried to make sure that no supposed god or goddess was slighted.
The problem of many people today is not service too many gods but serving none at all -- neglecting the one true God who made them, redeemed them, and gave them everything they have.
There is another aspect to the problem. Although most people do not formally worship the gods once honored in the Pantheon, they in effect do have idols with whom they populate their secular temples. These little gods are things or ideas which they regard as their highest good -- things like money and ideas or purposes such as self-love or self-fulfillment at the expense of everything else.
Who is your God? Whom do you really love and serve? Surely it can be none other than He who speaks to you in the Bible -- the heavenly Father who has revealed His love in Jesus Christ. To believe in Him is to bring life and happiness, as our Lord prayed the night before His death, "This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent" (John 17:3).
Taken from "Each Day with Jesus"
Copyright 1994, Concordia Publishing House.
August 18, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Religion is the possibility of the removal of every ground of confidence except confidence in God alone. - Karl Barth
"Redeeming the Time"
"Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." - Ephesians 5:15-16
What can you do if, for various reasons, you are confined or are taken away from your regular activities? Held in protective custody at a castle known as the Wartburg, Martin Luther began his translation of the New Testament Bible. The bird man at Alcatraz studied bird life and used this knowledge to good advantage. While in a Philadelphia prison for his failure to pay his debts, Charles Goodyear began making experiments in rubber.
The apostle Paul was also active in prison. There he carried on his work for Christ by writing epistles to mission congregations and evangelizing the prison guards. He reported that the cause of the Gospel had "become clear throughout the whole palace guard" (Philippians 1:13). He set us a good example of redeeming the time, of making the most of every opportunity.
People say, "Here we are, confined in hospitals or other institutions -- some of us sick, some weakened by advancing age, some in situations where there is no access to resources. What can we do to redeem the time?"
Whatever our circumstances, we can all pray, for ourselves and for others. We can do some up-beat, creative, positive thinking -- like the psalmist, who meditated on God's Word and wonderful works. We can write letters -- if not long epistles, then shorter notes that express our appreciation for the good others have done. We can have friendly chats with people who feel down and out. We can do someone a favor or lend a helping hand. We can develop our skills and talents. We can read.
The best example of redeeming the time is our Savior Jesus Christ, who did the heavenly Father's work in our behalf. That work was preparing for and then performing the task of our redemption. Christ's love to us prompts us to make the most of our time.
Taken from "Each Day with Jesus"
Copyright 1994, Concordia Publishing House.
August 19, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: We must not encourage in ourselves or others any tendency
to work up a subjective state which, if we succeeded, we should describe as
"faith," with the idea that this will somehow ensure the granting of our
prayer. We have probably all done this as children. But the state of mind
which desperate desire working on a strong imagination can manufacture is
not faith in the Christian sense. It is a feat of psychological gymnastics.
- C. S. Lewis
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"The Last Roller Coaster Ride"
1 Kings 20:23, 28
I'll never forget the day when I was a little boy when my Dad took me to Riverview, the big amusement park in Chicago. We had a ball until he insisted on taking me - against my serious objections - on "The Bobs." That was Riverview's biggest roller coaster. I had seen the people on the TV commercials screaming like death was near, but he persuaded me to go. And I was not a happy camper. Oh, I didn't scream, I didn't cry. I didn't do anything. I just froze. I gripped the safety bar, I stared straight ahead, I never blinked, I never spoke the entire ride. My Dad was frantically trying to get me to say something, but I just couldn't. It was a long time after before I ever rode a roller coaster again. I was so glad to get off!
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Last Roller Coaster Ride."
A roller coaster ride that isn't much fun - that's how a lot of Jesus' followers feel about their Christian life. Maybe you've had your share of spiritual highs, and the view at the top is exciting. But you've also had the bottom drop out and plunge you down into the valley of spiritual mediocrity and defeat. And a whole lot of people are tired of this up-and-down faith. They're ready for something more consistent. They're ready to get off the Christian roller coaster.
Well, then consider the formula for consistent spiritual victory in our word for today from the Word of God. Now, in 1 Kings 20, the Aramean army had attacked Israel and had been routed, but immediately they began planning another assault the next year. 1 Kings 20:23 says, "The officials of the king of Aram advised him, 'Their gods are the gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.'"
Sure enough, the Aramean army came against Israel the following Spring, sure that the Jews had a God that was only good on the hills. Listen to what God's prophet tells the king of Israel: "This is what the Lord says, 'Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord.'" And sure enough, God proved to be the God of the valleys every bit as much as He was God of the hills.
Maybe the devil has looked at you and said, "She's got a God that only works for her during the high times." As long as you've had the "fix" of the latest retreat or concert or church meeting, oh yeah, you've stayed close to Jesus, you've walked the Jesus-way. But when the roller coaster of your feelings takes a plunge - as roller coasters do - so does your walk with Christ. You're hard to beat on the mountains, but you're all too beatable in the valleys.
But see, your God is God of the valleys, too. You just need to start anchoring your life to your unchanging relationship with Jesus instead of your ever-changing feelings. Spiritual consistency - the kind where you keep gaining ground instead of just gaining and losing the same ground over and over again - that kind of spiritual consistency is anchored first to this daily, non-negotiable time with Jesus in His Book. The fuel for your faith has to be a daily time in His Word, looking for a practical step of obedience for that 24 hours. Your life is days. Your relationship with Christ has to be anchored to a source that is daily, not occasional.
Spiritual consistency also means a fresh, daily surrender of your life and the things that really matter to you. An annual rededication or occasional spiritual rush will probably not give you lasting spiritual progress. Each new day you give you - and specific parts of your life - to Jesus.
And you have to learn the power of resisting the devil instead of just allowing him to manipulate you through your feelings. You say, "I know who this is, and I'm not falling for it!" Remember, if you "resist the devil," then "he will flee from you." (James 4:7)
If you'll make each new day a new beginning with Jesus, then you can quit trying to keep the last high alive. You've ridden this spiritual roller coaster long enough. Make this the day you get off the roller coaster, and the first day of a lifetime of days when you walk instead on solid ground.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
August 20, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: When Christ reveals Himself there is satisfaction in the slenderest portion, and without Christ there is emptiness in the greatest fulness. - Alexander Grosse
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"Why You Can Make It The Rest Of The Way"
Isaiah 46:3, 4
There's something about the Olympics that's just larger than life, and there are those images of past Olympic performances that we'll never forget. One of those happened in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Derek Redmond was representing Great Britain in the 400-meter event. Unfortunately, he went down on the backstretch with a torn right hamstring. And the medical attendants started to approach him, but he managed to fight his way to his feet. Maybe you remember seeing this. He set out hopping around the track, desperately trying to finish the race. When he reached the stretch, a large man in a T-shirt came out of the stands, and literally threw aside a security guard, and ran to the injured runner, and hugged him. It was Jim Redmond, Derek's father. Derek was weeping and in excruciating pain, and his Dad said, "'Derek, you don't have to do this." To which Derek said, "Yes, I do." And Jim Redmond said, "OK then, we're going to finish this together!" And they did. They had to fight off security men ... the son's head was sometimes buried on his father's shoulder ... but they stayed in Derek's lane all the way to the end - as the crowd stood and cheered and even wept.
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Why You Can Make It The Rest Of The Way."
The other day I got one of those phone calls that make you feel like you've been kicked in the stomach. A good friend called to tell us that his teenage son had died from injuries that he had received in a traffic accident. He asked me to speak at the funeral where, by the grace of God, some of his son's friends gave their hearts to Christ.
Five minutes before my friend called, I'd been reading in Isaiah 46. In light of the devastating blow that had just hit that family, I had to share Isaiah 46:3, 4 with my friend. They are our word for today from the Word of God. "...I have upheld [you] since you were conceived, and have carried you since your birth. ... I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." Through all the pain of the funeral and its aftermath, I watched this Heavenly Father come down to the field where my friends were in so much pain, and keep His promise to sustain them.
It may be that right now you're struggling to finish. You were running OK, but now you're hurting, you're limping, you're wounded. Maybe you're disillusioned. You're burning out, you're wearing out, and you feel like dropping out. You look down the track at the ground you've still got to cover, and you wonder if you can possibly make it feeling like this. It hurts so bad, you're so depleted, it's tempting to give up your calling, or your marriage, or your commitment, your loved one, your dream.
But someone very strong has left the stands to join you on the field. He's your Heavenly Father who loves you passionately and unconditionally. And His arm is around you. God the Father is hugging His wounded child. After all, He did say, He is a "very present help in time of trouble." (Psalm 46:1) He knows you can't finish this race alone. Listen to Him as He says, "My child, we're going to finish this together."
But you literally may not have the strength or the spirit to even walk another step. Well, that's why His promise is so precious, "I have made you and I will carry you." When a child can walk no further, he says, "Daddy, carry me." That's what God is waiting for you to say. That worn-out child can go farther and faster in his father's arms than he could ever go on his own feet. So can you - in your Heavenly Father's arms.
You can finish the race you started - not with your resources, but because your Almighty Father is saying, "We're going to finish this together!"
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
August 21, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: In academic study or in athletics, every student needs determined purpose to succeed. Christianity requires, and indeed deserves, not less but more intense devotion. If anything, surely the love of Christ needs the whole heart. It is this fixed decision to secure Christ's presence that will overcome every temptation to be unfaithful or superficial in the keeping of our pledges. - Andrew Murray
Encouraging Word For The Week From Brother Steve
In the last few months, we have been doing quite a bit of sprucing up around the church. Last week, for instance, we had an outside contractor strip and wax all of our floors in the sanctuary and Family Life Center and made them shine beautifully. This week, painting has been done to enhance some doors that were experiencing a lot of peeling paint. The difference is very noticeable.
In addition, 2002 has brought extensive renovations to our children's and preschool building. Everything from carpet to painting to boarders to furniture have been improved. Even greenery has been added to our platform area in the sanctuary to make it more attractive. There is also currently some serious talk about upgrading our restroom facilities in the main building and making them more accessible to more people.
Why has our church gone to the expense of making these changes? Ministry requires constant renovation in order to be relevant and effective.
In the case of facilities and equipment, renovations and upgrades take place less frequently. It would be poor stewardship to replace the carpet and furniture each year. However, these do need to be looked at periodically.
On the other hand, the renovation of those doing the ministry should take place daily. It makes no sense to get better tools and yet not improve our craftsmen. In the long run, you and I are far more important to the effectiveness of ministry than any shiny floor or colorful room.
In renovating your spiritual life, let's ask the same questions that were asked before making the changes in our facilities.
1) Is the appearance dull or in need of repair?
When people look at your life, does Christ reflect back? Is your light shining? Is the joy missing and your attitude poor? If so, you need a spiritual facelift.
2) Is it out of date?
Certainly the gospel never changes, but my growth in it must change daily. Being relevant to a lost world requires that I communicate an ancient message with a modern understanding. Has your inflexibility to change made you unusable to God?
3) Is it unsafe?
Just as church furniture can become unsafe with wear, so too can people become dangerous examples for others to follow. I must constantly evaluate my life and ask if I'm a stumbling block that prohibits others from seeing Jesus. Repentance is the cure to such a condition.
I'm thrilled with all of the beautiful changes around our church campus. I'm sure that these will enhance our ability to reach others and give those within the fellowship a better attitude about where they serve the Lord. However, if we stop with the improvement of things we'll have limited results. It is only when God is allowed to spruce us up personally that spiritual fruit results.
Let me encourage you to do an inventory of your heart and mind and see where additional work is needed. In prayer, tell God what David did in Psalm 139:23 -- "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Then, you'll know what to do in order to have God renovate you into what you need to be.
Sprucing up,
Bro. Steve
First Baptist Church, Doyline, LA
August 22, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: I cannot pray in the name of Jesus to have my own will;
the name of Jesus is not a signature of no importance, but the decisive
factor. The fact that the name of Jesus comes at the beginning does not
make it a prayer in the name of Jesus; but this means to pray in such a
manner that I dare name Jesus in it, that is to say, dare to think of Him,
think His holy will together with whatever I am praying for.
- Soren Kierkegaard
Words from the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness
"And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." ' " Revelation 3:14-22
Words from the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God. As He is faithful and true, so are His words faithful and true. Praise God.
These are hard words, difficult to hear, even harder to apply. Am I lukewarm? Neither cold nor hot? I can think of specific times I've tried to ride the fence, but I always seem to wind up on one side or the other, and by the grace of God that side is usually His side. ;-)
I really didn't bring up this verse to focus on lukewarmness or to set anyone in a personal tailspin over whether they're righteous enough or pleasing enough to God. The fact is, and we all know it, none of us is righteous enough by ourselves; but by the grace of God revealed in His daily steadfast love and new mercies He sees us as completely righteous AND leads us to increasing levels of personal righteousness through the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives (see 2 Corinthians 3:16-18).
What I really wanted to focus on, my redeemed brothers and sisters in Christ, are those wonderful words in verse 19: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten."
Here, in the midst of an obvious rebuke, we still see the heart of Jesus and that heart is full of love towards us, even when we're disobedient and unlovable! He loves us, that's why He rebukes us. He doesn't give up on us and walk away as long as there's any chance that we might repent. And as far as I can see THAT is the overarching theme of the entire book of Revelation. God sends tribulations for what purpose? That sinners might cry out to Him and be saved. Eternal damnation is real, and God doesn't take pleasure in anyone's damnation.
But He loves us and calls us and knocks at the door of our hearts, promising to come into our lives and fellowship with us; even when we've disappointed Him.
God loves you. Hear what I'm saying: He really, really loves you and He wants you to know that and to be so sure of His love that nothing can shake you away from Him. If you need to repent, repent. If you need to weep, weep. If you need to get down on your knees, then get down on your knees. But don't get up and walk away merely hoping that God can forgive you and wondering if He still loves you; because He DOES forgive you and He DOES love you and that's just the truth and it will not change. God loves you and He's knocking on the door because He wants to be in your life. Go ahead and open the door; trust me, you won't regret it.
Gary Zanow
The Grace Cyber Cafe
www.new-mercies.org
August 23, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: The center of God's will is our only safety. - Corrie Ten Boom
The Kingdom Suffers Violence
"The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and every man entereth violently into it" (Luke).
"Here is the spirit of citizenship in that Kingdom--"by force." Why? This is not merely an appeal to be in earnest--though it certainly includes that, seeing what a tremendous thing this Kingdom is, and what an immense loss will be suffered if we do not take it seriously. But you see, the Lord Jesus is speaking as in the midst of things which are constantly opposing. There is a whole organized system expressing tremendous prejudice. There is everything, from devil and men, to obstruct. To enter in requires violence. If you can be hindered, you will be hindered. If you are going to be easy going, you will give antagonistic forces all the ground they want to put you out.
"That is why I pointed out that it is not going to be a once-for-all entering into that Kingdom, but a continuous entering. The Kingdom is so much bigger than conversion. Of course, if you are going to be saved at all--I mean saved initially--you will have to mean business for that. You will have to make it a desperate matter, because there will be everything to stop you. But the Kingdom means a very great deal more than merely getting into it, far more than being converted. There is a great deal more in the purpose of God for our lives than we have ever imagined, and if we are going to enter into that, violence has to characterize us. We must desperately mean business, and come to the place where we say: "Lord, I am set upon all that You mean in Christ. I am set upon that....I am going right on with You for all Your purpose. I am going to do violence to everything that would get in the way." It calls for violence and we have to do a lot of violence to get all that God wills for us.
"How easily many lives are side-tracked, simply because they are not desperate enough! They are caught in things which limit--things which may be good and some of God in them, but nonetheless are limiting things....The only way for us to come into all that the Lord means--not only into what we have seen but into all that He has purposed--is to be like that? Well, if we are passive, there is everything to be lost. If we mean business, there is everything to be gained. The Lord make us men and women like that, lest we be numbered among those of whom it is said that they "have ears to hear, and hear not" (Ezekiel)
Written by T.A. Sparks from "The Kingdom Suffers Violence"
August 24, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: The Church knew what the Psalmist knew: music praises God.
Music is as well, or better, able to praise Him than the building of a
church and all its decoration; it is the Church's greatest ornament.
- Igor Stravinsky
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"Always 'On'"
John 4:4-7
When we moved to New York City, one of the first landmarks I wanted to see was the Statue of Liberty. A guide actually told me an amazing fact about that lady in the harbor. From that first day in the late 1800's when her light was first lit up, right up to that moment he saw her, the lamp of liberty has never gone out. Even when everybody else's lights went out - like, say in the daytime, for example - Lady Liberty has always had her light shining. During World War II, all of New York City was under a blackout for security reasons, but they kept this little 60-watt light bulb glowing in liberty's torch. And the night all the lights went out in New York because of a power blackout, the light still stayed on because it's powered by electricity from across the river in New Jersey! As wave after wave of immigrants sailed into New York Harbor, they'd strain for a first look at that Statue, the symbol of the freedom that they had risked so much to find. And whenever they arrived, they saw the light of liberty. It was always, always on.
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Always 'On.'"
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from John 4:4-7. "Now Jesus had to go through Samaria. So He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar ... Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour (noon). When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, 'Will you give me a drink?'"
Now, this encounter starts a chain reaction that, in turn, starts a massive revival in this Samaritan village, and much of the village comes to Christ as Savior. It started at a time when Jesus was feeling tired, and thirsty, and ready for some rest. It was one of those seemingly "off duty" moments, the kind of times when we want to post a sign like buses sometimes do: "Out of service."
But along comes a woman who needs Him, and He opens up her life to His claims. Now here's Jesus, totally worn out, but as "on" at this resting spot as He is in a crowd on a sunny hillside. In fact, it is, humanly speaking, Jesus' thirst that puts Him at the right place at the right time. And that's the same way God is directing your steps. He wants to use the everyday events of your life to position you to affect someone else's life, if you're willing to do the Statue of Liberty thing, and never turn off your light.
You never know how God will get you to be at the right place for someone who needs you - for someone who needs him! It's important to be "on" for Jesus when you go to lunch, when you're in a store, when you're waiting in line, when you're in a cab or on a plane. If you're going to be like your Lord, you can't put your service into little compartments: "OK, it's ministry time now." When isn't ministry time? Today, in the middle of your journey, there is someone who needs Jesus, someone who needs encouragement, someone who needs a hand, someone who needs to be prayed with.
Life really becomes an adventure when you consciously open up your day to God's sovereign bringing you together with other people for His glory and for their good. In fact, it's exciting to begin each day, praying something like this, "Lord, use my everyday activities today to put me in the path of someone who needs me, who needs you." Like that lady in New York Harbor, you never know when you'll be holding the light that someone is desperately looking for. Just be sure that your light is always on!
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
August 25, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Jesus is the yes to every promise of God. - William Barclay
How to Claim a Promise from God
2 Peter 3:8-13
Many people see God as a simple "blessing dispenser," and some even teach that His love for us is marked by the amount of "stuff" we own. In view of these misconceptions, it is important to understand when we should properly claim something as a promise from God.
Here are some simple questions to ask yourself when faced with the issue of when to claim a promise.
Does it meet my particular need or desire?
Is it in submission to God's will?
Will it honor God?
Will it harm someone else?
Does the Holy Spirit bear witness with my spirit that God is pleased?
Will it contradict the Word of God?
Will it further my spiritual growth?
God's blessings are always intentional. This means that what He gives us has particular relevance to our lives. Taking hold of what He desires for us must therefore be done out of respect for Him, not out of personal greed or the hope for self-advancement.
Also, God's promises and blessings will never contradict anything presented in his written Word, the Bible. If you feel God calling you to something that is obviously unbiblical, pray for clarity and for protection against what might be the subtle workings of the Enemy.
If you believe you have heard from the Lord, examine the message prayerfully. God wants to bless you, but you must be careful to step wisely and be sure your path is the one God has set for you.
Written by Charles Stanley
www.intouch.org
Copyright � 2002, In Touch Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
August 26, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: The defenders of the Jargon and phrases of the Church's tradition hold that there must of necessity be a specialized vocabulary, just as there is in any other specialized form of human activity, whether it is music, architecture, or electronic engineering. To me, at least, this is a thoroughly unsound argument, for Christ did not come into the world to bring men "specialized activity," but life, fuller and more satisfying than it had been ever before. If the churches have made Christianity appear to be some kind of specialized spiritual performance so much the worse for them. The real purpose of Christ, the real relevance of the Gospel, is surely to enable men to live together as sons of God. Human beings, like children, love to have secrets, love to be "in the know." But the Christian religion was never meant to be a secret recipe for living, held by a few. It is Good News for all mankind and, because it is that, the more clearly and intelligibly it can be presented, the more faithfully it is following its Master's purpose. - J. B. Phillips
"Keeping Our Spiritual Health
"From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." - 2 Timothy 3:15
Health books, those dealing with diets and physical exercise, sell well these days.
The Bible can be called a book concerned with one's spiritual health -- with one's total well-being, for spiritual health has a wholesome effect on the body also. The Bible speaks on spiritual diets. Saint Peter tells beginners in Christianity, "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation" (1 Peter 2:2). This "pure spiritual milk" is the word of God. Its basics are the Law and the Gospel -- the Law that convicts us of sin, and the Gospel to declare Jesus Christ to us as the Savior, crucified for our sins and risen from the dead.
In everyday life, adults also drink milk; it's not just for children. So also in our spiritual lives we adults are nourished by the Gospel; we never outgrow it.
While the ABCs of the Christian faith are important, so are also its DEFs, in fact the rest of the alphabet. God desires that we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For this we need solid foods, the meat and potatoes of God's Word. This points to continuing, life-long Bible study.
The Bible is also God's book for spiritual exercises. Such exercises help us get rid of the flab of sin and build up the muscles of faith. Saint Paul tells us, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).
Here is a resolution in which all Christians join: "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Taken from "Each Day with Jesus"
Copyright 1994, Concordia Publishing House.
August 27, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Bibles read without prayer; sermons heard without prayer; marriages contracted without prayer; journeys undertaken without prayer; residences chosen without prayer; friendships formed without prayer; the daily act of prayer itself hurried over, or gone through without heart: these are the kind of downward steps by which many a Christian descends to a condition of spiritual palsy, or reaches the point where God allows them to have a tremendous fall. - J. C. Ryle
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"Summoned To The Source"
Matthew 28:10
When we went with our Native American team to Alaska, I probably ate more salmon and learned more about salmon than I had all the rest of my life. One day in the Kodiak area, our host took us out to a swimming area with this charming little waterfall. And I saw a salmon trying to jump up that waterfall to the stream above it. And eventually, he made it. I thought, "Man, that's the gutsiest fish I've ever seen!" Our host explained to us that the salmon was actually heading home - back to where he came from originally. Apparently, after a salmon is spawned, he heads downstream and ultimately out to sea where he spends a lot of his life. But eventually he seems to hear the call - to go back to where he came from, even though it means a rugged upstream swim. Something summons him to fight his way back to where he began.
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Summoned To The Source."
I believe that the same Creator who summons salmon back to where they began does that same thing in His children. In fact, He may be issuing that call in your heart lately. It's something Jesus had in mind for His first followers as He prepared them for His return to heaven.
It's in our word for today from the Word of God, Matthew 28:10. Jesus has just won His awesome victory over death and now He meets the devoted women who came to the tomb that first Easter. As the women fall down in worship and amazement at their risen Savior, He says, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me." Jesus' message for His disciples: go back to Galilee. Verse 16 tells us their response. "Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go." And there those original followers of our Lord received their Great Commission to take His message to a dying world.
Now, when Jesus sent that "meet Me in Galilee" message to them, they were in Jerusalem, some 90 miles from Galilee. So, why Galilee? That's where they had first met Jesus, where they were called into His service, where they first experienced His love, His power, and His miracles. So Jesus is summoning them back to where it all began - so they can experience Him as they have never experienced Him before.
Jesus is still calling His followers back to their Galilee. Like a salmon returning to where his life began, it may be time for you to get back where your life in Christ began - that first love, that first passion, that first excitement. Since those early days in your relationship with Jesus, you've covered a lot of miles, maybe even swum in the big ocean out there. But what was once so warm has become cool. What was once so simple has become so complicated with layers of activity and even theology. There was once a time when you had a lot of Christ, but not much Christianity. Maybe now you've got a lot of Christianity, but not a lot of Christ.
So, after all the experiences and knowledge and scars you've accumulated in that big ocean out there, Jesus is summoning you back to the simplicity of where you started. Because then it was all about Jesus - it was all about a relationship. So, you just talked openly with Jesus in simple, childlike faith that He'd meet your needs, He'd heal your hurts, and move your mountains. He wants you back there again.
At the source, you were hungry to be with Him by being in His Word. You just naturally wanted the people around you to know this One who had brought you the greatest love in your life. You were eager to do anything for Him because you were responding to that love. Jesus wants you to have that again - to have that passionate "first love" relationship that is, no matter how many miles you've journeyed, what this whole Jesus-thing is all about. But that simplicity is so easy to lose.
So, listen to that pull in your heart right now, that homing instinct from your Creator. He's summoning you back to where you began. Even if you have to swim upstream to get there, it's the only place your heart can really call home.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
August 28, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Resist temptation by making prayer of first importance. - John Owen
Encouraging Word For The Week From Brother Steve
Last week, my wife and I ate lunch at a restaurant that had a "fifteen minutes or its free" policy. They place a stop watch on your table and start it after taking your order. During much of the time while we were waiting for our meal to arrive, we stared at the watch.
When it read "10:00" we didn't think much of it. We assumed that it would take at least this long to prepare our order. When it hit "13:00", we started looking around to see where the waitress was. We knew that as long as she was somewhere else being busy that she wouldn't be delivering our food.
As the digital readout crossed the all-important "15:00" mark, Tammilee and I looked at each other and smiled: Lunch was on the house.
When our food finally arrived, about twenty minutes after being ordered, the waitress immediately volunteered the fact that she was buying our lunches. We were very grateful and enjoyed our meal somewhat more than we would have had the bill been on us.
Few things in life are free. When I was in college economics, I remember the professor saying, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." I suppose he never ate where I did last week. Actually, he went on to say that everything in life costs your time, energy, or money. Economics has more to it than dollars and cents.
To become a Christian, I receive salvation as a free gift. Unlike the restaurant that says, "We'll pay the price if we mess up and take too long", Jesus says, "I paid the price because you messed up." What a concept -- sacrificing when it's not your responsibility.
There is a major difference in these two approaches. The restaurant gave away a free lunch out of obligation. They had set a time policy for service, failed to meet it, and then had to honor it. In the case of Jesus, he died on the cross based upon love. His atoning work on Calvary was an act of grace.
The next time I go to this restaurant at lunch time, you can be assured that I'll not forget their policy. Why? I have already benefited from it once and would like to do so again. Maybe, just maybe, they'll be so busy or understaffed the next time that I go there that the stop watch on the table will be my friend again. However, there is no guarantee that it will be free. I'll make sure that my wallet is adequately stocked to cover the cost, but I'll not walk in assuming the price is zero.
Every Sunday when I come to church, admission is free. When I get on my knees to pray, no ticket is required. Every aspect of my relating to the Lord comes without a monetary cost. However, because Jesus is Lord of my life, He has the right and authority to control every moment I'm alive. His Lordship gives Him dominion over my checkbook and calendar. His sovereignty and my sinfulness make Him the master and me His servant.
In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." With these words, the Lord makes the price of being a disciple very plain. Anyone can follow Him freely. Being born again costs nothing. However, the rest of the verse shares the expense required to be a disciple. Such a person has to give up everything to follow Jesus.
Some of you reading this have eagerly received the "free" part of Christianity. You enjoy the idea of going to heaven and receiving eternal life. Yet, if that is all you accepted during your "salvation experience", then your encounter with the Lord wasn't complete. A relationship with God that costs you nothing isn't worth having.
I find that the joy in my salvation comes when I give Him more and more of me. Singing praises to Him lifts up His name and edifies my spirit. When I give financially to His work I am blessed to know that I have had a part in spreading His gospel. Being part of His body and serving others gives me a fulfillment that cannot be gotten through having others solely serve me. In Christianity, you only receive by paying and find freedom in surrender. This is why we call Jesus our "Lord".
Honestly, I hope I get a free lunch every time I go to the above mentioned restaurant. It wouldn't hurt my feelings at all. At the same time, I hope that my faith in Christ costs me more and more everyday. If it does, then this reflects the fact that I'm denying self, taking up my cross and following Him.
Let me encourage you to pay the price -- follow Jesus completely.
Counting the cost,
Bro. Steve
First Baptist Church, Doyline, LA
August 29, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Our actions disclose what goes on within us. - Thalassios the Liban
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"You Cannot Go Unnoticed"
Luke 8:42-44, 47
I was about nine years old when my parents took me to meet Paul Bunyan. Actually it was this giant statue of that legendary lumberjack seated on this huge chair. My dad went to the ticket booth, paid for us, and then I went through the turnstile and into Paul's big yard. And there he was in his red plaid shirt and a little log cabin at his feet that showed how huge he was. And then came the heart attack. Suddenly this big voice boomed out for everybody to hear, "Hello, Ronnie." Man, for one of those rare moments in my life, I was ... I was totally speechless! How could I know that the ticket guy had asked my father my name and then relayed it to a man in that little log cabin - a man with a very big microphone. I was just amazed that someone that big actually knew me!
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "You Cannot Go Unnoticed."
For many people, life has been a lot of not being recognized, not being acknowledged, not being known. Until, much to their amazement, like me as a little boy with that giant, they find out that the biggest Person in the world - in the universe - really knows and cares about who they are. And there comes that moment when it's as if He seems to call you by name.
It happened to a woman in Jesus' day, and it can happen to you - no matter how you've been treated in your life. Our word for today from the Word of God is found in Luke 8:42. "As Jesus was on His way, the crowds almost crushed Him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped." Now Jesus goes on to ask who touched Him, which surprises His disciples that He could sense an individual encounter in such a crowd of people.
And here's the part I love. "Then, the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet." She was utterly amazed. This woman, who had been ignored and passed over by so many people, had been noticed by the Son of God.
So have you. In fact, you have no idea what you mean to Jesus. First, because you're His one-of-a-kind creation. In the words of the Bible, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:10) You are very special to Jesus. He made you. But not only are you His unique creation, you are His very expensive purchase. When Jesus went to that brutal cross, it was literally to die in your place, to absorb all the guilt and the death penalty for every sin you've ever sinned. He took your hell so you could go to heaven.
So no matter how excluded or unimportant or lonely you may feel, the most important person in the universe never stops thinking about you; never stops loving you. God says, "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast? ... Though she may forget you, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands." (Isaiah 49:15, 16) Every time Jesus looks at His hands He sees the nail prints left by the price He paid for you.
The question isn't whether Jesus has noticed you, it's whether you have noticed Him. That woman in the Bible received what Jesus had because she reached out in faith to Him. Has there ever been a time when you reached out to Jesus and said, "Lord, You are my only hope of knowing God, of being forgiven, of going to heaven. I'm yours." You'll never experience His love or His life until you do.
Even while you've been too busy to notice Jesus, He has been reaching out to you. Today His nail-scarred hand is reaching your way one more time. Don't miss Him.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
August 30, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: No faith is so precious as that which triumphs in adversity. - C. H. Spurgeon
Advancing Through Adversity
Philippians 4:10-13
How do you normally respond when the world seems to turn against you? What is your natural reaction when you fall upon the rocky shores of life?
There is a right way and a wrong way to respond. The wrong way, sadly, is what we most often experience. This is marked by bitterness, doubt, depression, and hopelessness. These feelings seem to mount up, causing the pressure of adversity to increase more and more.
This pressure is usually released in one of several common ways: we look for someone to blame, develop a deep desire to escape, deny the problem, or fall into depression. These are certainly not the results God wants to see in our lives!
In contrast to these wrong responses, there are a few things we can do to make the best of hardships in our lives. First, we must strive to view everything from God's perspective. His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8), and He wants us to examine the issue from beyond our normal, human point of view.
Second, we must pray, Father, what is your goal for my life in this adversity? Remember: God can turn any time into a teaching moment.
Third, we must surrender to the will of God and then rest in His faithfulness to see us through the ordeal.
Sometimes, our lives require a major disruption in order to realign our thoughts with the Lord's. Though sometimes painful, these times can become our most life-altering moments, depending on how we respond.
Charles Stanley
www.intouch.org/
Copyright � 2002, In Touch Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
August 31, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: By trials God is shaping us for higher hings. - H. W. Beecher
Advancing Through Adversity
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
We do not usually enjoy times of adversity. However, we need to understand that if God is indeed sovereign, then He allows the adversity in our lives. Therefore, we need to take a fresh look at these periods of hardship and try to discover what the Lord may wish to teach us during these times.
Although we may not realize it, adversity reveals what we truly think about God. Sometimes we get angry at God for our troubles, and other times we excuse Him altogether, saying, "Oh, God had nothing to do with this." The danger in this statement is that it detracts from God's total control over the universe. His sovereignty means that He either causes or allows everything that happens in our lives.
Adversity also reveals what we think about ourselves. At times, failure and heartache are necessary tools for shaping our character into a more Christlike image. Without adversity, we would be too quick to laud our own advancements and accomplishments. Therefore, our trials help keep our egos under control. A final benefit of adversity is its effect on our capacity to be steadfast. Just like a muscle, our spiritual lives grow and strengthen when put under pressure. We must be prepared to stand up to our trials so that we can emerge with a more developed faith in God.
These lessons are not easy. Pray for God's help in opening your eyes to the value that may be hidden in your current adversities.
Charles Stanley
www.intouch.org/
Copyright � 2002, In Touch Ministries. All Rights Reserved.