February 1, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: It is true that love cannot be forced, that it cannot be made to order, that we cannot love because we ought, or even because we want. But we can bring ourselves into the presence of the lovable. We can enter into Friendship through the door of Discipleship; we can learn love through service; and the day will come to us also, when the Master's word will be true, "I call you no longer servant, but friend." - Hugh Black
Encouraging Word For The Week From Brother Steve
After I was married for a short time, I learned about a significant difference that my wife and I had as a result of our raising. Her family always made a big deal about holidays, birthdays, and other special days.
I was raised by loving and nurturing parents who gave gifts for all the major celebrations, but didn't hold such days in high esteem.
My first birthday as a married man fell about 35 days after I had said, "I do". So, what does my wife do? She invites all of my friends and family over to our one bedroom apartment and throws me a surprise party. She got my best buddy to distract me for several hours by taking me to a movie. As we arrived back at my honeymooner hangout, the next thing I heard was a synchronized shout of "Surprise!"
A few months later, it was time for her birthday. Her expectation for the big event was probably similar to what I had received. She was envisioning her twenty-second birthday as a high time in the early days of our marriage. Unfortunately, the same friend who took me to the movie also asked me to ride with him to Florida as he was investing the possibility of attending a Bible College near Panama City. Since I saw a birthday as just another day, I said, "Sure", and left her alone and distressed. I didn't appreciate what I had done until I had gotten back.
Nearly fifteen years later, I am still learning to highlight the importance of special days and events. It is through these celebrations that memories are made. Such moments have corresponded to the mountaintops of our marriage and our family. I am a better husband and father for having recognized this.
In my spiritual life, I have done a better job of looking beyond the monotony of the daily grind, and have sought out occasions in which to have special encounters with God. One such event took place on Monday and Tuesday as I attended the Louisiana State Evangelism Conference.
Tammilee and I spent these two days at Louisiana College and thoroughly enjoying the presence of God. The worship was wonderful. The preaching was challenging and empowered. The atmosphere was heavy with expectancy.
I could speak in detail about the quality of all that was presented. There were wonderful stories that were shared about God's movement that I could repeat that would stir your heart. All of these are worthy of being heard, but would dilute the point of today's message.
What I want to impress upon you is the importance of making time and planning unusual encounters with God. This is why events outside of the norm are important. Participating in special conferences, retreats, concerts, mission trips, and other ministry opportunities allows me to open myself up in a way that is different than the typical Sunday morning service. These encounters with God must be chosen, planned, and sacrificed for in order to be experienced. As a result, I am more apt to approach them with a supernatural expectation.
Although I have no control over the way in which God moves, I do determine if He is invited. God would hardly pass up an opportunity to be in the midst of a people who are desiring His presence. If I come hungry, he will feed me. If I'm willing to be broken, he will fix me. If I come lifting Him up, he will enhance my joy.
I'm not saying we cannot experience God in such a way Sunday after Sunday, but instead that when I seek a special encounter with God and make an assertive effort to find Him, I usually do. These amount to the "birthday parties" and "anniversary outings" of my salvation.
Let me encourage you to be in God's house faithfully for Sunday worship. He'll bless you for your commitment. Beyond this, please take time during the year to make memories with the Lord by gathering with His people in special ways such that He will walk in on you and "Surprise" you with an experience beyond you expectations. You'll be glad that you did.
Remembering the Mountaintops,
Bro. Steve
First Baptist Church, Doyline, LA
February 2, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Through His will, loved and done, lies the path to His love. - Andrew Murray
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"The Strongest Nails In The World"
Galatians 2:20
My friend Alan was working with a carpenter friend of his on a building project. Out of the blue, Alan sprang this rather unusual question on the carpenter - "Do you know what the most powerful nails in the world are?" The craftsman paused on his ladder for a moment and then he replied, "I don't know - US Steel?" Alan said, "No. The strongest nails in the world are the three nails that held Jesus Christ on His cross." And then Alan just walked into the other room. A few minutes later, the carpenter called for Alan. He said, "Man, you gotta help me. Every time I drive a nail now, it's like I'm nailing Jesus to the cross." My friend responded, "In a way, we did."
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "The Strongest Nails In The World."
For some people, Jesus' death on a cross is just history. For others, it's a religious event. But to some of us, the brutal death of Jesus on that Roman cross is a deeply personal event. I hope it is for you - or soon will be.
In Galatians 2:20, our word for today from the Word of God, there are two words that are literally life-changing ... even eternity-changing. They're the difference between someone who has Christianity and someone who has Christ. Between someone who has a Christian religion and someone who has a personal relationship with Jesus. Ultimately, these two words are actually the difference between heaven and hell.
Galatians 2:20 says, "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." There's those two words - "for me." One of my associates was on a plane recently with a man in his 30's who talked pretty openly about his years of spiritual searching. He said that as a young man he moved beyond his boyhood church and began experimenting with a buffet of spiritual beliefs and experiences. But nothing satisfied the restlessness in his heart. Then one day he came back to visit the church he grew up in. He said, "As soon as I walked in the door, I saw something I had seen hundreds of times as a boy - the cross at the front of the church. But suddenly I was overwhelmed with something I had never realized before. I said out loud, 'For me. What Jesus did on that cross was for me.'" He said his search ended that day, and the hole in his heart was finally filled.
My guess is that you know about Jesus dying on the cross ... you know He died there to pay for our sins. But you somehow may have missed that life-changing moment when, in your heart, you walk up to that cross and say those words - "For me, Jesus. What You did there is for me." When my friend said that in a way we all did help nail Jesus to the cross, he was right. Because it's our rebellion against God and His ways, all our "my way" choices that left us cut off from God and under His death penalty - until Jesus came and did the dying for the sinning we did. And, in reality, it wasn't the nails that kept Him on the cross. After all, He's the Son of God! No, it was His deep love for you that kept Him there 'til your bill was fully paid - with His life.
If you've never had your "for me" moment with Jesus, it could happen today. Right now. Right where you are. Tell Jesus you are taking for yourself what He died to give you ... that you're pinning all your hopes on what He did on that cross - for you.
In your heart, you're standing there at the foot of the cross where God's Son died for you. This could be your moment to finally make the Savior your Savior.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
February 3, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: In my daily life I am to ask "How would Christ have acted in my circumstances? How would He have me act? How would Christ fulfil my duties, do my work, fill my place, meet my difficulties, turn to account all my capacities and opportunities?" This is to be the law and inspiration of my whole life; not only of my outward acts, but of all my inward thoughts and desires. There is to be a manifestation of the Divine Nature in me. - A. C. A. Hall
I Need My Pain
By Brenda Seefeldt
Every once in a while I have this daydream. I am meeting with a bunch of youth pastors and as I stand up, someone shouts, "Wait a minute. I've heard about you. What are you doing here? What are you doing in the ministry? I know about your past. You do not belong here!"
That daydream has me frozen. All those statements would be true except for one thing--I've been forgiven. And from the pieces of my life, God has made me who I am today.
I know people who after coming to Jesus try to separate their pasts from their present. Some people even change their names. They are now this new creation and not one essence of the past exists. It has just vanished.
True, the past no longer exists due to God's grace but God cannot make a new creation unless He has pieces to make one with. He takes the pieces of our pasts and makes us new. You have to give Him those pieces of your past.
Captain Kirk stumbled upon a great truth concerning this. Yes, Captain James Tiberius Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. Actually, it wasn't Captain Kirk. It was the writers. But if you like Star Trek like I do, you like to think it was him.
This truth came out in the fifth of the Star Trek motion pictures. Sybok was a renegade Vulcan and half-brother to Spock. He would gain his following by releasing people of the pain of their pasts. In this wonderful scene, Sybok had already gained the loyalty of the crew. Even Dr. McCoy had been convinced to follow. An attempt was made on Spock. Of course being a true Vulcan, Spock was unmoved. Next was Captain Kirk and this great truth. In reference to having his pain taken away, Kirk said to Sybok, "Do what? (Regret that) I've made the wrong choices in my life. I turned left when I should have turned right. I know what my weaknesses are. I don't need Sybok to take me on a tour of them...You know that pain and guilt can't be taken away with a wave of a magic wand. They are the things we carry with us. The things that make us who we are. We lose them we lose ourselves. I don't want my pain taken away. I need my pain."
As painful as my past is, I need my past and my pain. My past has made me who I am today. And my past is just that--past. Through the grace of God, I have been forgiven. He has taken the pieces of my past and made a new creation.
Brenda Seefeldt
www.wildfrontier.org
www.elev8r.org
February 4, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Let every one consider what his weak point is; in that is his trial. His trial is not in those things which are easy to him, but in that one thing, in those several things, whatever they are, in which to do his duty is against his nature. Never think yourself safe because you do your duty in ninety-nine points; it is the hundredth which is to be the ground of your self-denial. It is with reference to this you must watch and pray; pray continually for God's grace to help you, and watch with fear and trembling lest you fall. Oh that you may (as it were) sweep the house diligently to discover what you lack of the full measure of obedience! for, be quite sure, that this apparently small defect will influence your whole spirit and judgment in all things. - John Henry Newman
Obsession with Obscenity
"What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,'but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'" - Matthew 15:11
In our day the preoccupation with sex -- mostly abnormal sex -- is both amazing and disgusting. Stores featuring pornographic books and magazines proliferate. The movie that does not feature either violence or sex, or both, is a rarity. Obscenity is an obsession. It is also big business. The pornography industry, as one newspaper put it, "makes dirty dollars out of dirty books."
Obscene language is not for Christians. Saint Paul keeps reminding his readers that immorality, in thought, word, and deed belongs to their former lives as pagans; for Christians it is now out of place.
The apostle writes, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your nature; sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires....You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips" (Colossians 3:5-8). Note how obscene language, oral or in print, is not treated as innocuous; it is a form of immorality -- cut out of the same cloth with immoral deeds.
For language to improve, it is necessary for the heart to be cleaned up first, for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks or the hand writes. The human heart is changed when through the Gospel the Holy Spirit brings a person to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior, to love Him as the best friend, and to serve Him as one's beloved Lord. Then all things become new with that person. Saint Paul writes, :"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).
From "Each Day with Jesus"
Copyright 1994, Concordia Publishing House.
For more information on this and other devotional materials, call
1-800-325-3040.
February 5, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Throw open all the windows of your soul to the influence of Jesus. By prayer, thought, and action, let His divine power move in and through your life; and be sure that a mighty work is within His power and your possibility. Not that of lifting you into ordinary spiritual vitality, but of transforming you through and through with His Spirit.- William Lawrence
All Of The Time?
Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, "What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?" - 1 Kings 17:17-18
Great story above. In full (1 Kings 17:7-24), Elijah goes to this woman who is gathering wood to cook her last loaf of bread for herself and her son before they give up and die of starvation. Times were tough.really tough. Elijah shows up and asks her to share some of that bread with him. She complies and God performs this incredible miracle of an endless supply of flour and oil and so they are taken care of.daily bread by the very hand of God. Way kewl!
But at the point of the story quoted above, the woman's son has become very sick and then he dies. And all that with Elijah watching! How can this happen? How can this be? Why did God, who provided her daily bread, allow her only living relative to grow sick and die?
Isn't it interesting how life works? God is good. He has certainly been there for me in my life. But there have always been times and will likely always be times where I find myself saying "God, where are You?" Have you ever felt that way? I was feeling that way last week when my car broke down in Chicago. "You took care of me on the trip to Milwaukee.what's going on this time?"
This is nothing new: partly because of our human (sin) nature and partly because we live in an imperfect (sinful) world. Remember the Israelites at the shores of the Red Sea? Moses had just led them out in victory from their Egyptian oppressors. Songs of joy! Playing the tambourines! The guys in back doin' the wave! (If you haven't seen the Ten Commandments with Charleton Heston as Moses.go rent it now!!)
Yeah! Things are looking good! God is on our side! But how long did it last? A couple of days maybe? Victory in the LORD turned to fear when the Egyptians showed up and there was nowhere to run baby, nowhere to hide! The cheers turned to jeers: "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Shame on you Israel! Yeah.and shame on me, cuz' I've had the same kinds of thoughts in my life's journey.
God came through for the Israelites and parted the Red Sea. If you read the rest of the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, you will see that He came through for her as well. God has come through for me in the past.countless times. Truly countless! But as long as I live in this body, I know that it ain't over yet! Becoming a Christian was a good thing, but all my problems didn't disappear.in fact, I think I've got problems I never would've had as an unbeliever.but that's another story for another time.
The point is: God is sovereign and He knows what's going on all of the time. There are no surprises for God. He knows when a sparrow falls from a tree. Jesus said we're worth more than sparrows. He clothes the fields with beautiful flowers. Jesus said we're worth more than flowers. He knows the number of hairs on our heads. Certainly our souls are worth more than to God than the hairs on our heads. God didn't lead the Israelites out of Egypt to die in the desert. God didn't bless the widow of Zarephath with endless bread just so that her son would die. God hasn't lead you this far in life just to drop you and forsake you. God is good all of the time.you can hold onto those words all of the time.because He will never leave you or forsake you, any of the time.
God bless you all!
Gary Zanow
The Grace Cyber Cafe
www.new-mercies.org
February 6, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: If we see a speck in a brother's eye, we must first see if there is a log in our own eye; perhaps that speck in our brother's eye is only a reflection of the beam in our own. - David Watson
Encouraging Word For The Week From Brother Steve
Last Thursday, my family got into the technological fast lane as we received our new home computer. We have had a PC for personal usage for the last six years, but in comparing the old and the new it is like having a drag race between an Amish four-wheeler and a Ferrari street machine. They both get you where you are going but with a considerable difference in time.
Our new system has a lightning fast Pentium 4 processor that runs at the blazing speed of 1.6 gigahertz. Our old machine had 100 megahertz and taught you the patience of Job. The new system has an enormous forty gigabyte warehouse of hard drive capacity as compared to its predecessor's one "gig" closet. When I get online, I now have a supersonic 56K modem that out performs my former setup by a factor of four.
In addition, the monitor is bigger. The colors are sharper. The speakers produce tremendous sound. And, unlike the other machine, it can burn compact discs, too.
I'm not seeking to bore you with techno talk, but to demonstrate a point.
I am typing this week's "Encouraging Word for the Week" on this new computer. Yet, as you receive it, you do not notice the new speed of my system, or the crisp colors of my 17-inch monitor. In fact, you probably can't tell a difference from this writing as compared to the one I wrote last week on the church's much older and slower machine. Why? The computer is only a tool that a man uses to communicate the truths of God's Word. It does nothing on its own. It may help me produce paragraphs more efficiently, and correct my spelling and grammar, but it can suggest nothing in terms of content.
In the work of the church, we can build new buildings, buy new vans, upgrade our sound systems, purchase new furniture, and a host of other things to make the work of the church more efficient. However, none of this will cause a person to come to faith in Jesus Christ unless a messenger with flesh and blood delivers the truth.
The history of our country teaches us that some of the greatest harvests of souls occurred when people traveled by horse and communicate strictly by mouth or pen. These were days when you couldn't press "send" on a computer screen and deliver a note across the ocean. In contrast, these seasons of blessings resulted from men and women having a heartfelt burden for people to the point of telling them face to face that Jesus loved them.
I wish that our capacity for evangelizing the world was directly related to our tools of communication. Under such a scenario, conversions to Christ would be multiplying exponentially. If furnishings, equipment, and the ambiance of our church campuses were the determining factors in people coming to the Lord, then throughout America souls would be following Christ in unprecedented numbers.
Unfortunately, it is not where communication systems are best that people are turning to Christ in masses. Instead, it is in third world nations where the harvest is being reaped. Souls are being convicted and lives changed where they haven't even heard of AT&T or AOL. The greatest response to the gospel isn't occurring on cushy altars in finely adorned buildings, but in open fields, under the blistering sun, as thousands gather to hear of the "True God".
Ultimately, the fulfillment of the Great Commission will occur when we go to people who need Jesus. Therefore, we don't need to upgrade our computers as much as we need to renew our vision for lost people. The apostle Paul was correct when he said, "How shall they hear without a preacher?" and "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." He knew that Jesus was the answer and that he was the communicator of this truth.
Let me encourage you to examine your commitment to seeing others come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
A few years ago there was a song that gave us a similar challenge. It said, "You're the only Jesus some will ever see. And you're the only words of life some will ever read. So let them see in you the one in whom is all they'll ever need. 'Cause you're the only Jesus, some will ever see."
Seeking an upgraded heart,
Bro. Steve
First Baptist Church, Doyline, LA
February 7, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: If one could talk absolutely humanly about Christ, one would have to say that the words: "my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" are impatient and untrue. They can only be true if God says them, and consequently also when the God-Man says them. And indeed since it is true, it is the very limit of suffering. - Soren Kierkegaard
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"Your Visa And Your Passport"
Philippians 2:20-21
After terrorism on American soil became a reality, there was increased talk about students who are in the United States on temporary visas. Now, the vast majority are simply here to study in this country. I've traveled with one of those temporary visas in other countries, so I know a little bit about that. And it lets officials know that you're in their country for a specified and a limited amount of time. And in my case, that's always been just fine. See, my passport is what tells you where my home really is. If I got knocked out and couldn't remember what country I'm from, my passport would save me. That temporary visa would only tell you where I'm visiting, not where I live.
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Your Visa And Your Passport."
It makes no sense to build yourself this big empire in a place where you've only got a temporary visa. Sadly, many of God's people are making that very mistake - and neglecting to invest seriously in the place that's really home - where their spiritual passport is from.
Paul talks about our temporary visa and our permanent passport in Philippians 2:20-21, our word for today from the Word of God. He talks about many who "live as enemies of the cross of Christ ... their mind is on earthly things." Since they cannot know that heaven is their eternal home, Paul is saying here that they live as if earth is all there is. Their passport says, "Earth." "But," Paul goes on, "our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ" - who, Paul says, has the power "to bring everything under His control."
Once you give yourself to Jesus Christ, God issues you a new passport. It says "Heaven" - you can now call heaven your home forever. Now, that's one of the amazing things about belonging to Jesus - that you can actually know, right here and now, that you are going to heaven when you die. You don't have to wait 'til you die to find out where you're going - because you have trusted Jesus Christ to forgive and remove the only thing that could keep you out of heaven - your sin. That's what He died for.
So, now you have a temporary visa that says "Earth" and a passport that says "Heaven." So why are we so bound up in building this kingdom for ourselves in a place where we are just visiting? We're so entangled with earth-stuff that we neglect the things that will matter forever. In the Old Testament, when God wanted His people to focus on rebuilding His temple, they couldn't see the eternal for all the earth-stuff they were involved in. God said, "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin? My house remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house." (Haggai 1:4, 9)
So here we are, citizens of eternity, mired in a place where we're only passing through. We are fascinated with what the pop culture says is exciting ... we're accumulating as much earth-stuff, as many earth-toys as we can ... we're plowing the best of our energies and our resources into building things that will only be important during our brief earth visit. And meanwhile, we have relatively little left to invest in what will matter forever - building people's lives, getting the Good News about Jesus to as many people as possible, using what God has given us to take others home with us to heaven some day.
If you're a citizen of heaven living mostly for earth-stuff, you'll never be fulfilled - you'll always be restless because you're just visiting here. You're building the wrong kingdom. You're spending the best of yourself on things that have little or no value where you're going to live forever. Citizens of heaven can never be satisfied by things that will not last. This is not home!
The old hymn was right - "This world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through." Don't build your kingdom in a place where you're just visiting - your passport says "Heaven"!
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
February 8, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Wealth, which leads men the wrong way so often, [should be] seen less for its own qualities than for the human misery it stands for. The large rooms of which you are so proud are in fact your shame. They are big enough to hold crowds -- and also big enough to shut out the voice of the poor! ... The poor man cries before your house, and you pay no attention. There is your brother, naked, crying, and you stand there, confused over the choice of an attractive floor covering. - St. Ambrose of Milan (339-397)
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"The Music That's Always There"
Acts 16:25
We were in our seats, waiting for the curtain to open in this great, family-oriented stage show. I knew it had to be show time - the lights went down, and unobtrusively the live band quietly filed into the orchestra pit. Most people were focused on the stage, but I was fascinated by something I saw going on with that band. One woman in the band had the arm of a fellow band member in her arm. She was obviously leading him to his position at the keyboard. Finally, I realized with some amazement that the keyboardist was blind. He put on his big headphones and, as the curtain opened, he started playing with all his heart. It was awesome.
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "The Music That's Always There."
I tell you, it was really inspiring. That musician cannot see - but he can still hear the music ... he can still play the music! I hope you can, too - no matter what limitations you're facing right now.
Look at the model Paul and Silas gave us in our word for today from the Word of God in Acts 16, beginning with verse 25. The preceding verses tell us that these two missionaries have been attacked by a crowd who were incited by false accusers. The Bible uses these words to describe what Paul and Silas had to go through: they were "stripped," "beaten," "severely flogged," and "thrown into prison." Then the Bible says they were put "in the inner cell" and their feet were "fastened in the stocks."
Now, that is enough to beat the song out of anyone. But according to our word for today, "about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." The Bible goes on to report that when an earthquake shook that prison, the jailer himself came running to Paul and Silas for help. And he and his whole family came to Christ that night!
There's something very compelling about someone who refuses to be taken down by the worst of circumstances, who can still hear God's "music," who can still play God's "music" no matter what. Now, that "music" is a positive attitude - that quality of "unsinkability" the Bible calls joy - the "music" is conversation that keeps finding things to thank and praise God for instead of things to complain about.
Maybe you're in a season right now when you've been sidelined. You feel set aside, held back or restricted. You're in a situation or maybe you have a condition that is making you very aware that you're really limited. Not all prisons have physical walls. It's easy to get frustrated, self-pitying, negative and bitter. But you can choose, as Paul did, to continue instead to enjoy your Lord ... to still make His music for others. In fact, people will listen to what you have to say about Jesus because of what you're going through.
Centuries ago, the poet Richard Lovelace wisely observed, "Stone walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage." He went on to say, "If I have freedom in my love, and in my soul am free, angels alone, that soar above, enjoy such liberty." Now, your soul can be free, no matter how imprisoned the rest of you may be.
Paul later said, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair ... struck down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:8) Yes, he had a lot to handle - but that didn't stop him from hearing God's music; from playing God's music. No matter how blinding, how deafening, how paralyzing your situation, the music of God is always there for those who choose to hear it.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
February 9, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: If by doing some work which the undiscerning consider "not spiritual work" I can best help others, and I inwardly rebel, thinking it is the spiritual for which I crave, when in truth it is the interest and exciting, then I know nothing of Calvary love. - Amy Carmichael (1867-1951)
In and Out
By John Fischer
"In it, not of it," the statement was made As Christian One faced the world, much afraid. "In it, not of it," the call was made clear, But Christian One got something stuck in his ear. "Not in it, or of it" was the thing he heard. And knowing the world was painfully absurd, He welcomed the safety of pious retreat, And went to the potluck for something to eat.
Now Christian Two, he knew what to do, He'd show those fundies a thing or two! How will the world ever give Christ a try If we don't get in there and identify? So "In it, and of it," he said in his car, As he pulled in and stopped at a popular bar. "I'll tell them the truth as soon as I'm able To get myself out from under the table."
Now along comes Christian Three jogging for Jesus, In witnessing sweats made of four matching pieces. His earphones are playing a hot Christian tune About how the Lord is coming back soon. "Not in it, but of it," he turns down the hill And stops in for a bite at the Agape Grill. Like the gold on the chain of his "God Loves You" bracelet, He can have the world without having to face it.
While way up in heaven they lament these conditions That come from changing a few prepositions. "Not in, or of it," Christian One thought. But who in the world will know that he's not? "In it, and of it," thought Christian Two. But who in the world will know that He knew? "Not in it, but of it," thought Christian Three. But who in the world watches Christian TV?
And Jesus turns to Gabriel, shaking His head. "'In it, not of it,' wasn't that what I said?"
John Fischer
From "Real Christians Don't Dance"
February 10, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Our knowledge of God is paradoxically not of him as the
object of our scrutiny, but of ourselves as utterly dependent on his saving
and merciful knowledge of us. It is in proportion, as we are known to him
that we find our real being and identity in Christ. We know him in and
through ourselves in so far as his truth is the source of our being and his
merciful love is the very heart of our life and existence.
- Thomas Merton
(1915-1968), The Climate of Monastic Prayer
Living With Sin's Consequences
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. - Romans 12:19
Forgiveness does not mean that you must tolerate sin. Isabel, a young wife and mother attending one of my conferences, told me of her decision to forgive her mother for continually manipulating her for attention. But Isabel tearfully continued, "She is no different. Am I supposed to let her keep ruining my life?"
No, forgiving someone doesn't mean that you must be a doormat to their continual sin. I encouraged Isabel to confront her mother lovingly but firmly, and tell her that she would no longer tolerate destructive manipulation. It's okay to forgive another's past sins and, at the same time, take a stand against future sins. Forgiving is not a co-dependent activity.
Forgiveness does not demand revenge or repayment for offenses suffered. "You mean I'm just supposed to let them off the hook?" you may argue. Yes, you let them off your hook, realizing that they are not off God's hook. You may feel like exacting justice, but you are not an impartial judge. God is the just Judge who will make everything right (Romans 12:19). Your job is to extend the mercy of forgiveness and leave judgment up to God.
Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another person's sin. Suppose that someone in your church says, "I have gossiped about you. Will you forgiven me?" You can't retract gossip any easier than you can put toothpaste back into the tube. You're going to live with the gossip this person spread about you no matter how you respond to the gossiper.
We are all living with the consequences of another person's sin: Adam's. The only real choice we have in the matter is to live in the bondage of bitterness or in the freedom of forgiveness.
Heavenly Father, I give up my right to seek revenge or harbor resentment. I want to enjoy the freedom which comes from forgiving others.
Neil Anderson
http://spiritual.crosswalk.com
February 11, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: For some extraordinary reason, the Church moves in an atmosphere of antiquity. I have no doubt that it makes for dignity; I have also no coubt that there are times when it makes for complete irrelevance; for, if there is one thing that is true of religion it is that it must always be expressible in contemporary terms. Religion fails if it cannot speak to men as they are. - William Barclay (1907-1978), In the Hands of God
A Word With You
By Ron Huthcraft
"The Biggest Mistake Of All"
Hebrews 10:29
Amy Biehl was 26 years old, and she really wanted to make a difference. Her graduate studies took her to South Africa in the turbulent days when the repressive system of apartheid was coming down and that nation's first all-race elections were approaching. She actually helped develop voter registration programs to help black South Africans participate in a system that had always shut them out. She was driving three black coworkers back to the township where they lived when a group of youths pelted her car with stones and forced it to stop. Dozens of young men surrounded the car repeating the militant chant, "One settler, one bullet!" They pulled Amy from the car, hit her with a brick, beat her, and then stabbed her in the heart. During the attack her black friends were yelling that she was a friend to black South Africans - all to no avail. Amy died from her wounds.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Biggest Mistake Of All."
Someone who knew Amy underscored the tragedy of her death this way: "She was killed by some of the very people she had come to help." Some of those she came to help loved her - but others attacked her. And it's an ugly thing to brutalize someone who has come to help you. It happens to Jesus all the time. Often at the hands of people who have no idea that's what they're doing - people who have actually come close to Jesus, people who know a lot about Jesus.
That's the sobering scenario described in our word for today from the Word of God in Hebrews 10:29. These verses talk about what happens "if we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth." The Bible appears to be talking here about people who know about Jesus but keep on running their own lives. And that person, according to Hebrews 10:29, "has trampled the Son of God under foot ... treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him ... and insulted the Spirit of grace." Man, that is heavy-duty stuff. In fact, Hebrews 6:6 says that those who have tasted what Jesus offers and then go live their own way "are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace."
I'll tell you, if you know that Jesus has died on the cross to pay for your sin, if you've been "into Jesus" to some extent - and remain unchanged, it is very serious business. And even though you're for Jesus and agreeing with Jesus, you may be missing Jesus. The only response worthy of the sacrifice He made for us is to fall on our knees and give ourselves completely to the One who gave Himself completely for us. Anything less than a life-changing personal commitment to Jesus amounts to "trampling the Son of God under foot" and "crucifying the Son of God all over again" - in essence, turning on the very One who came to help you, to save you.
And that is the greatest mistake anyone can ever make. This isn't about Christianity or Christians - it's about Jesus. And maybe right now, Jesus is speaking to you in your heart saying, "Don't do this. Don't come this close to Me and miss Me. I love you, and I'm giving you this chance to make things right with Me. Come on home." If you're ready to finally give yourself completely to Jesus, you can tell Him that right where you are - He's been waiting for you.
Please - don't risk another day away from Jesus.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
February 12, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: It's not life that counts but the fortitude you bring into it. - John Galsworthy
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"Living Up To Your Name"
Exodus 20:7
Alexander the Great conquered most of the then-known world by the age of 33. One of the reasons for that was the iron discipline that he insisted on among his troops. That's why a young soldier was so terrified as he was hauled into Alexander's tent to answer for charges of cowardice and desertion in battle. The general was seated at a table, and the accused soldier was standing before him. Alexander said, "Soldier, you've been accused of deserting during a battle - guilty or not?" "Guilty," he replied almost inaudibly. The general followed up then by asking, "What's your name, soldier?" The answer came back - "My name is Alexander, sir." It was at that point that Alexander the Great leaped to his feet, reached across the table, grabbed the soldier by the collar and shouted, "Either you change your life or you change your name!"
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Living Up To Your Name."
I wonder if Jesus doesn't feel that way about some of us. We're carrying His name around - a Christian ... a Christ one. And we're reflecting on His name by the way we're living, the way we're treating people, the way we're doing business, and the way we're reacting. Does the life live up to that holy name we carry?
Suddenly, we're looking at one of the Ten Commandments in a different light than we usually do. In Exodus 20:7, our word for today from the Word of God, He says, "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who misuses His name." Now, that commandment is usually used in the context of not using the Lord's name as a swear word or using it lightly or irreverently. And that is sure included in what God meant. We are supposed to always use the name of our Lord with great respect.
But swearing or irreverence are not the only ways to "misuse the name of the Lord your God," or, as the King James Version says, "take the name of the Lord your God in vain." When you claim to be a "Christ-one" and you live or talk in a way that is the opposite of what Christ is like - you're discrediting the name of the One you claim to serve. There's an example of that in Romans 2:24 where Paul says of his fellow Jews, "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."
And we all know that the inconsistencies and hypocrisies of a believer give unbelievers a reason not to come to Jesus. Probably the most common reason people give for rejecting Jesus is another Christian. And probably the most common reason people come to Christ is because of another Christian. Before most people start believing in Christ, they believe in a Christian they know.
You're not an island. You're being watched - especially if you claim to be a Christian. And someone is sizing up Jesus based on what they see in you. They can't see Him - they can see you. What a horrible thought - you or I might be a reason for someone we care about to miss Jesus - and to miss heaven forever.
So look at your life in light of the holy name of Jesus that every Christian carries. What kind of feeling are you giving your children about Jesus, based on how you treat them? How about your coworkers? Your employees? Your fellow students? Your friends?
In heaven, they bow down at the name of Jesus. One day every being in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will bow down at the name of Jesus. It is to Almighty God the highest, the holiest name. And you, as His follower, carry that name. If your life is dishonoring the name, it is time to change your life.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
February 13, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: By getting caught up in the day-to-day details, we sometimes lose sight of where we want to be going. - G. Lynne Snead
Encouraging Word For The Week From Brother Steve
Gold, Silver, and Bronze are the colors that are the focus of the hundreds of athletes competing in the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. They have trained and sacrificed with the hope of standing on a platform, having a medal placed around their neck, and watching their nations flag raised in honor of their accomplishment. Such a reality would be the fulfillment of countless dreams and tears.
Most of us, however, will only see the Olympics through a television and have no chance of competing. It is unfortunate that they do no have such events as potato chip eating, leaf raking, and hefty bag hauling. If they did, many of us would have a chance at a medal.
The closest I have ever come to competing in an Olympic-type event would have been the annual "Field Day" when I was in Middle School.
"Field Day" always occurred in the middle of May. Each homeroom class was to assign different students to run in a variety of races. There were sprints, relays, and even some longer races. The boys would run against the other boys from the homerooms in their grade and the girls would do the same. The only catch was that no student could participate in more than one race. Therefore, as the different heats were being assigned, they would start with the fastest students and work their way down to the slowest, until all the events were filled. Because of this, there would usually be students left out each year.
Of the four years I spent at N.P. Trist Middle School, there was only one year I was asked to run. It was not because of my speed or agility, but because they had a slot open and I was the only boy left in the class who was available. If I remember correctly, I was assigned to the 50-yard dash.
When my event came up, no one in my class was excited about the prospect of victory, including me. I didn't want to run, but as a loyal member of my homeroom, I did it anyway. Guess what? I came in second to last. I DID BEAT SOMEONE! He happened to be the last choice of another homeroom and they placed him in the same race. I was thrilled. Why? I finished the race and didn't come in last. Even my classmates and teacher congratulated me on my "victory". After a few minutes on an oxygen tank and a unit of IV fluids, I reveled in the moment, too.
Most of the Olympians know that their chances of receiving a medal are very slim. They are certainly hoping for a win, but their joy comes in doing what they do best as a representative of their nation. The privilege comes in just being able to stand at the starting line.
As a Christian, I must always remember that it is only because of God's amazing grace that I get to run in His race. I'm not in the arena because I'm the smartest, fastest, or the most gifted athlete. I'm only in the race because of the Father's invitation to represent His cross. God is not looking at the finish line. He could care less about what place I come in. His greatest concern is that I'm running it to the best of my ability for the sake of His Holy Name.
In Hebrews 12:1-3, we hear the following admonition: "...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 God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Unlike the Olympics, life doesn't have a definite finish line. We don't know we have finished until it is over. Therefore, instead of looking for a physical ribbon that marks the end, we must focus on Jesus. He, in effect, becomes our finish line, our goal. When I make running to Him my focus, every day of life becomes a new awards ceremony. I stand in awe as He raises the banner of the cross, and I hear the angels singing the anthem of my faith -- "Victory in Jesus". Then, I look into the Father's eyes as he smiles and says, "Well done. Keep on Running." I leave the platform, get on the field and continue the race with anticipation.
What else can I say? On your marks. Get set. Go for Jesus!!!!
Running for My King,
Bro. Steve
First Baptist Church, Doyline, LA
February 14, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Accept His will entirely, and never suppose that you could
serve Him better in any other way. You can never serve Him well, save in the
say He chooses. Supposing that you were never to be set free from such
trials, that would you do? You would say to God, "I am Yours. I my trials
are acceptable to You, give me more and more." I have full confidence that this is what you would say, and then you would not think more of it. At any rate, you would not be anxious. Well, do the same now. Make friends with your trials, as though you were always to live together, and you will see that when you
cease to take thought for your own deliverance, God will take thought for
you. And, when you cease to help yourself eagerly, He will help you.
- Francis de Sales
Does God Speak Today?
How do you listen for the voice of God? How do you gain a sense of His direction, with an assurance you are being sensible and not merely sensual?
I'm not appealing for a mystic's answer, and I don't need a rebuke from a literalist impugning my suggestion that God speaks in any other way than through the Bible. Of course you and I know and affirm that God's written Word is the final authority on how we interpret or apply any prompting we may receive by His "voice." The Scriptures are the grid by which all words, visions, dreams or other guidance are to be measured for truth or counsel.
But that point of wisdom doesn't discount the fact, nor should it ever discourage our expectancy, that God does "speak" to people today.
I don't think I've ever met an effective man whose plans and pursuits aren't influenced by "leadings"--that is, to use my terminology, "the voice of the Lord." While His ways and means of dealing with us differ, and how we may each describe His "speaking" is widely varied, I believe most of us depend on "a word from God" with regularity.
How do you receive or "hear" His voice to you?
(Excuse me a moment, the phone just rang.)
(OK, I'm back now.)
My personal focus on the subject is born of a deep desire you probably share with me: I want to be "on target"--tuned to God's heart and purpose--in my life. Still, I've just gone through a recent season of struggling in my own soul as I have waited on God for His direction. The candid truth is that it often takes me months to gain peace on a matter--to find a restful confidence that I have the Lord's mind on major issues I face, personally and pastorally.
(Oops-phone again, and just as the garbage truck is grinding its compactor in front of my house, too.)
Further, while engaged personally in my own pursuit of God's will, I've wondered a good bit about impressions I receive from the Bible-and from some leaders I've listened to. I mean, does it ever seem to you that everyone but you has access to a hot line to heaven? ("And God said, 'Abraham, Abraham,' and Abraham answered and said..." [See Genesis 22:1.])
GAINING CERTAINTY
I certainly don't begrudge anyone the blessing of instant, perfect direction if and when they get it. But as often as I do receive spontaneous insight, wisdom and promptings during church services or messages (and witness the Holy Spirit's confirmation), I don't find that major issues in my personal life are usually addressed very quickly.
Gaining certainty that I've "heard right" takes me time to process--sometimes weeks of simply leaving a matter before God's throne, while recurrently coming back there to wait silently until His peace gradually settles a matter in my heart and mind.
But silence is hard to come by.
Just this morning, having risen early, I stepped outside in the relative stillness of the dawn-hoping for an "in the garden" experience (you know, "and He walks with me, and He talks with me"). But the distant, dull groan of the freeway traffic a mile away crept in and around my neighborhood, distracting me from the peacefulness of my otherwise quiet yard.
BE STILL AND KNOW
Oh, I know God isn't restricted to idyllic settings when communicating His will and way to us. I'm not looking for a mood in order to receive a message. But I am concerned for all of us who lead today--concerned that we not lose the sensitivity to our Sovereign that only comes in times of silence before Him.
"Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10, NKJV). "'In quietness and confidence shall be your strength'" (Isaiah 30:15). "Wait, I say, on the Lord!" (Psalm 27:14). These are still in the Book--and like so much of our life in Christ, the rewards of promise only proceed from the disciplines of obedience.
Yet "being still" doesn't come easily. In fact, the actions, words and styles of some leaders I've observed seem to suggest they'd consider this order of stillness pass�-or unnecessary for those who are "really tuned-in."
I began to list things I see that seem to hinder our spiritual sensitivity as leaders. Amid the plethora of information downloading over our heads and the numbing-to-the-soul "noise" of everything from events shouting for our attention to jets thundering overhead (one just did, here), a prophet's ear for the voice of the Lord is hard to cultivate.
(Excuse me, the doorbell.)
(I'm back. It was the UPS man with new speakers for the stereo.)
I want to emphasize that these words aren't a whimper of complaint. They are a call born of my own recent soul-searching, a statement, of sorts, declaring my intent not to be caught in the vortex of converging sounds or the furious whirlwind of activities, however righteous. The shaping of everything from this Sunday's sermon to the balance of my life requires waiting--waiting in the Presence, stilled and seeking, listening for the whispers.
So if any of this encourages you-either hearing how my noisy world sounds much like yours or noting that my concern resonates with your own spirit's quest for seeking Him, in silence, in the secret place of His holy pavilion--then I'm grateful.
At the very least, may your heart be assured that "to wait on God" at times, hesitantly and cautiously, is not a surrender to a wimpish walk with the Almighty. It's often a noisy one with clattering or disrupting distractions, but the "waiting and listening" soul will always be rewarded. His voice is still louder than the tempest.
That's it. I'll be quiet.
Peace.
Jack Hayford
Taken from his book "The Leading Edge" (Charisma House)
February 15, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: We fling aside the weight and sin, Resolved the victory to win; No shrinking from the desperate fight, No thought of yielding or of flight; With the brave heart and steady eye, We onward march to victory. - Horatius Sonar
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"A Life That Depends On You"
Jude 23
There are so many stories that put a face on the World Trade Center tragedy of September 11, 2001. I saw a particularly moving first-person story of one woman who miraculously survived the collapse of the North Tower that awful day. She tried to make her way down the long stairwell from her office on the 64th floor, and she made it to the 13th floor. And that's when the entire tower began to crumble. She fell to the ground as the building continued to collapse around her. She dropped thirteen floors and ended up with her head pinned between two concrete pillars, her legs trapped in a staircase. She said, "I saw that no one came, and I wasn't hearing any noises around me. So I thought, 'I'm going to die here. I'm going to see myself slowly die here.'"
The young mother prayed, slept, prayed some more - at one point, asking God for a miracle. That's when she heard noises. She yelled out, and someone answered back. She had been trapped under tons of debris for 27 hours. Here's how she described what happened next: "I took a piece of concrete and I knocked the stair above me. And then they heard the knocking, and then they started to come closer. And then I put my hands through a little crack in the ceiling, and I felt the person hold my hand. The fireman found my hand and he said, 'I've got you.' And I said, 'Thank God.'" She was the last person pulled alive from the wreckage.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Life That Depends On You."
There is no scene more powerful than a rescue. Whether it's a firefighter pulling someone out of tons of debris - or a spiritual rescuer leading someone from an eternity without hope into the life that only Jesus can give. Someone will live instead of dying because someone else took the risks to go in for the rescue.
If you've been rescued by Jesus, then your orders couldn't be more clear. Listen to our word for today from the Word of God in Jude 23. "Snatch others from the fire and save them." See, someone snatched you from the fire of God's judgment, and now it's your turn to rescue some folks within your reach who have not yet grabbed the hand of Jesus.
Now, I'm not saying it's easy to tell someone else about Jesus. But, then, since when has rescuing someone ever been easy? When has there been a rescue that didn't involve the rescuer taking risks, going beyond where it's safe? So many fears keep us from telling the people we know about Jesus - the fear of being rejected, the fear of messing it up, and the fear of not knowing all the answers. But there needs to be a fear far greater than any of the others - the fear of this person we know spending all eternity in hell, forever away from God. It's that fear of losing someone forever that finally says, "I cannot hold back any longer. If I don't go in, they may die. If I do go in, they have a chance to live."
The man who rescued that young woman from the World Trade Center debris first had to touch her. You need to be doing whatever it takes to touch the life of someone you hope to take to heaven with you - build that relationship, go out of your way to get to know them, to serve them. Be there for them in critical moments. Touch them so you can save them. And ask the Lord, who is ultimately the One who rescues every person, to open up natural opportunities for you to explain a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
There is someone in your personal world whose life, in a very real way, depends on you - every bit as much as a trapped young woman's life depended on the firefighter who risked to save her. And there is no greater thrill, no greater joy than being able to reach out to a lost person, and to be able to say "I've got you" ... to help them move from death to life.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
February 16, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you everybody else, means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting.- E.E Cummings
God's Love
God's love is based on nothing, and the fact that it is based on nothing makes us secure. Were it based on anything we do, and that "anything" were to collapse, then God's love would crumble as well. But with the God of Jesus no such thing can possibly happen. People who realize this can live freely and to the fullest. Remember Atlas, who carries the whole world? We have Christian Atlases who mistakenly carry the burden of trying to deserve God's love. Even the mere watching of this lifestyle is despressing. I'd like to say to Atlas: "Put that globe down and dance on it. That's why God made it." And to these weary Christian Atlases: "Lay down your load and build your life on God's love." We don't have to earn this love; neither do we have to support it. It is a free gift. Jesus calls out: "Come to me, all you Atlases who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you."
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness." - Jeremiah 31:3
Written by Brennan Manning
Taken from "Reflections For Ragamuffins"
Copyright 1998
February 17, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: It's important the people should know what you stand for. It's equally important that they know what you won't stand for. - Mary H. Waldrip
The Incarnation Of Compassion
The numerous physical healings performed by Jesus to alleviate human suffering are only a hint of the anguish in the heart of God's Son for wounded humanity. His compassion surges from the bowels of his being and operates on a level that escapes human limitation. Jesus resonated with the depths of human sorrow. He became lost with the lost, hungry with the hungry, and thirsty with the thirsty. On the cross he journeyed to the far reaches of loneliness so that he could be lonely with those who are lonely and rob loneliness of its killing power by sharing it himself.
He did then and he does now. Jesus vibrates to the hope and fear, the celebrations and desolations of each of us. He is the incarnation of the compassion of the Father. The fifteenth-century mystic Meister Eckhart wrote, "You may call God love, you may call God goodness, but the best name for God is compassion." When we speak of Jesus Christ as Emmanuel, God with us, we are saying that the greatest lover in history knows what hurts us. Jesus reveals a God who is not indifferent to human agony, a God who fully embraces the human condition and plunges into the thick of our human struggle.
Jeses called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way. - Matthew 15:32
Written by Brennan Manning
Taken from "Reflections For Ragamuffins"
Copyright 1998
February 18, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Nothing discourages me, not even discouragement. - Ionesco
The Bible Leads us to Christ
The holy Scriptures ... are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" - 2 Timothy 3:15
Some years ago Dr. Nelson Glueck, then president of Hebrew Union College -- Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, stated that the copper mines of King Solomon had been found in the southern part of Judea, and that a copper mining industry had been established there. He said the presence of metals had been indicated in Moses' words that the Promised Land was "a land where the rocks are iron" (Deuteronomy 8:9). Glueck added, "I have always gone on the assumption that the historical statements of the Bible are true."
Long before Glueck, when the Wise Men came to King Herod to ask where the newborn Messiah could be found, the biblical scholars in Jerusalem acted on the conviction that the prophetic statements of the Bible were true. Since the prophet Micah had said that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, Herod sent the Wise Men to Bethlehem -- and there they did in fact find Him.
The Bible can be depended on -- above all, to lead us to the greatest treasure of all: Christ the Savior. No one ever goes astray when he or she accepts as true that all people are sinful and in need of the Savior. You will never be disappointed when you follow the Scriptural road signs that direct you to Jesus Christ. When He calls Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life, believe it! When He bids you, burdened with many a care, to come to Him for rest, believe it and go! When the unanimous voice of the apostles proclaim Him the Lamb of God offered for the sins of all, also your sins, believe it!
Remember: The statements of the Bible concerning Jesus are true!
Taken from "Each Day with Jesus"
Copyright 1994, Concordia Publishing House.
February 19, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Wins and losses don't matter, all that matters is following the quest. - Don Quixote (from "The Man From La Mancha")
Carrying the Torch for Christ
"You shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life." - Philippians 2:15-16
In preparation for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, more than 10,000 relay runners took turns carrying the Olympic torch on a 9,000-mile journey across the United States -- through 41 major cities in 33 states.
Similarly, our Lord wants His Gospel -- a light, a burning torch -- to be carried to all nations to dispel the darkness of sin. To that end He appointed 12 apostles, telling them to make disciples of all people by teaching and baptizing them. In addition, He called Saint Paul as an apostle to the Gentiles.
But the apostles needed other Gospel runners to assist them and eventually succeed them. They enlisted men and women who, like Olympic torchbearers, carried the light of the Gospel to many communities, especially to cities on the seacoast and along Roman highways. Saint Paul too covered a lot of ground himself. But he couldn't keep on doing this, so he named many helpers: Timothy, Titus, Silas, Mark, and Luke among others. And Paul prepared people everywhere for spreading the Good News about Jesus -- how He died to redeem all sinners, rose again from the grave, rules in heaven, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Because generation upon generation has passed on the torch, you and I have come to know the love of Jesus. How happy we are that we are not orphans and victims of blind fate, but are the children of our heavenly Father!
It would be tragic, however, if the progress of the Gospel stopped with us. Then ever so many people would never see the light. We don't want that to be so; therefore we pass the torch of God's truth on to others -- to our children, neighbors, co-workers, and the like. In doing this, we keep the torch moving as it leads people to the ultimate destination: to their heavenly home.
Taken from "Each Day with Jesus"
Copyright 1994, Concordia Publishing House.
February 20, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Jesus Christ is of no importance unless he is of supreme
importance.
- Rabbi Abraham Heschel
Encouraging Word For The Week From Brother Steve
One of the men in our church just bought his first computer. Ray McCormick is nearly 60 years old and has absolutely ZERO knowledge about modems, megabytes, and monitors. So, he came to me to help him get started.
Since my wife and I had recently purchased a computer over the Internet and had been doing pricing through local retail stores in the Shreveport-Bossier City area, Ray felt he could save time and use our shopping experience to his benefit. Therefore, he decided to buy the same system we did. He came to my house and I ordered it for him. We went through the dozens of options that were offered and customized a system that would meet his needs.
When it came in, I went to his house and set it up for him. I installed his printer and activated his Internet service. In fact, yesterday, I went by his house to answer some questions that he had about how to operate his machine. These are questions he didn't have a week ago because these are areas he just learned that he was ignorant of.
My experience with Ray has been good for me in considering the lostness of man. As Ray was with computers, so are many people with Jesus Christ. They go for years knowing a little bit about him, but they are unwilling to make the commitment to possess Him in their lives. Basically, they are ignorant of his love, grace, mercy, and compassion. They don't know the joy that he gives to the heart, and the peace he provides in the midst of the storms of life. They believe the Christian life is for some people, but not them. It seems too complicated to follow and they don't want to make the changes that are necessary to make Christ personal in their everyday living.
When we in the church consider the lostness of man, the assumption is that they know about Jesus but are just running from Him. We are so exposed to the elements of the Christian life that we can't understand how people in our community can miss it. Certainly it must be their fault that Christ isn't real to them. We think, "There are churches everywhere. If they want to know Christ, they are welcome to come." Instead, the truth is that most lost people don't know enough about Christ to be drawn to our pews and altars. We assume too much. They know too little.
My experience with Ray brings this out. Until last week, he had never written an E-mail. The Internet had been a concept that was foreign and intimidating. Frankly, he still doesn't know where to "click" on most of his programs. Without help from others, he finds himself in a world of great potential, but also one that can become frustrating very quickly.
Most of our American population over the age of 50 was raised with some exposure to Jesus Christ. Probably the majority of these made a Profession of Faith at some point in their lives. The terms of Christianity are familiar and the culture of the church is comfortable. The things of God are part of the fabric of their upbringing.
Most Americans under the age of 30 were raised with computers. They had them in their classrooms in kindergarten or in their living rooms at home. They know the language of Microsoft and understand how to download files unto their hard drive. Computers are as much a part of their education as Shakespeare and Dickens were in generations past. If you were to ask them, they would tell you that they can't understand why anyone wouldn't have a computer of their own.
One generation is predominately ignorant about a need for computers, and another doesn't see its need for Jesus. In both cases, they don't understand why the other doesn't get it.
Friends, my point today is that Jesus is only as accessible as we are. Most lost people will only make the step to Christ if we serve as their bridge. The problem is not ignorance, as much as it is assistance.
In Acts 18, Paul finds himself in the city of Athens as he encounters an altar dedicated to "An Unknown God". He uses this image as a springboard to explain to these people that Jesus is the Savior they are looking for. In describing God's purpose in Jesus, he says, "God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. (Vv. 27-28)
Paul exposed who Jesus was. He explained how the Lord had made a significant impact in his own life. Then, he invited others to receive him, too. Why did he do this? He knew that they were ignorant and believed that unless he shared Christ with them there would be no other way for them to get saved.
I encourage each of you to stop assuming that those around you know enough about Jesus to follow him. Take it upon yourself to make sure that they have a clear understanding of the gospel. Instead of blaming them for seemingly ignoring the Lord's invitation, we need to take the responsibility of sharing it on Christ's behalf.
I hope that Ray enjoys his new adventure on the computer and that it benefits him in ways he didn't anticipate. In order to bring this about, I'm going to have more than hope for him, and give direction and help to him.
It is my prayer that each of us will do the same with Jesus by make every effort to make Him known.
Giving away good news,
Bro. Steve
First Baptist Church, Doyline, LA
February 21, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: I implore you in God's name, not to think of Him as hard to please, but rather as generous beyond all that you can ask or think. - Abbe de Tourville (1842-1903)
Getting Dirty for Christ
"I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." JESUS - Luke 15:7
In a sermon on the Parable of the Lost Sheep, Martin Luther spoke of the Pharisees who were "immersed in holiness over their ears" and the open sinners and tax collectors who were "immersed in sin over their ears." He said that Christ calls us "saints" to load up the "sinners" and carry them on our shoulders to help them out of their sins. Here's what he said:
"The correct Christian procedure is to fall down and become completely linked with the 'sinner', no matter how deeply he is 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. You must never despise a sinner, but love him with all your heart. If you are proud and despise a sinner there is no hope for you; you stand utterly condemned." (end quote)
This convicts me to the bone. It's far easier for me to condemn "sinners" than to identify myself with them and lead them out of the pit I was once in myself. Following Christ can be "dirty work" ---but I need to stop worrying about getting stains on my good clothes, good reputation or whatever and get about doing the work He has called me to do. Jesus will cover the laundry.
Gary Zanow
The Grace Cyber Cafe
www.new-mercies.org
February 22, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: The Bible is like a telescope. If a man looks through his telescope, then he sees worlds beyond; but if he looks at his telescope, then he does not see anything but that. The Bible is a thing to be looked through, to see that which is beyond. - Phillips Brooks (1835-1893)
Why the Bible Was Written
This grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. - Ephesians 3:8
In bringing his gospel to a close, Saint John states that he did not include everything Jesus said and did, for that would have made his book too voluminous. With the Holy Spirit guiding him, John was selective in the data he presented. Yet his purpose was clear: "These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name" (John 20:31). Not only John's gospel but the entire Scripture was written for this purpose. Even Jesus said, "The Scriptures...testify about Me" (John 5:39).
The Bible was not written primarily to be a textbook of ancient history, although its history is accurate, purposeful, and instructive. Nor is its poetry offered for its own sake, though it is edifying. Nor is its psychology written to teach us that skill, though it is most profitable to take its lessons to heart.
Again, the purpose of Holy Scripture is to lead us to faith in Jesus Christ, "God's Son and our Savior, and from Him receive life in its fullness, eternal life.
"Do you know what's in the Bible?" a teacher asked the class.
"Yes," said a youngster. "Our Bible at home has in it a picture of my grandfather, my grandmother's last letter, and some dried flowers."
As a book, the Bible may have its extra uses, but its main purpose is to lead us to Christ.
Taken from "Each Day with Jesus"
Copyright 1994, Concordia Publishing House
February 23, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: If souls can suffer alongside, and I hardly know it, because the spirit of discernment is not in me, then I know nothing of Calvary love. - Amy Carmichael (1867-1951)
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"The Bad News About Being Religious"
Matthew 7:21-23
If you consider yourself a religious person, boy, have I got good news for you! Recent research indicates that those who consider themselves religious tend to have lower blood pressure than the rest of the population, and they're less likely to be obese or to have cancer or to be hospitalized, and they have a 29% greater chance to live longer! Oh boy! And religious people tend to have lower rates of depression, less suicide, greater sexual satisfaction in their marriage, and overall a greater sense of well-being. What do you know - Jesus was right when He said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness," and "Blessed are the pure in heart." (Matthew 5:6, 8) Yeah, lots of good news if you're a religious person - and some very disturbing bad news.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Bad News About Being Religious."
That bad news comes through loud and clear in our word for today from the Word of God in Matthew 7:21-23. Jesus is describing some horrible surprises when some religious folks stand before God.
Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only He who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.'" The unsettling bad news is this: some very religious people will be stopped at the gates of heaven.
These are clearly people who know a lot about Jesus ... who have done a lot of things in Jesus' name ... who are, no doubt, considered to be Christians by the people who know them. Except for one thing - Jesus says, "I never knew you." Somehow, in the middle of lots of Christianity, it is apparently possible to miss Christ. It is possible to be very religious, very involved with Christian things, and to miss Jesus ... to miss heaven!
How does this happen? Jesus said that what these people missed was "doing the will of My Father in heaven." Well, in John 6:40, Jesus tells us exactly what that is. "My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life." Now, that's what God the Father wants ... that what He demands as the only way to get into heaven. It's not doing Christian things or believing Christian beliefs or observing Christian rituals. It's putting your total trust in His Son as your only hope of having eternal life.
And that's the problem with some of us church folks - we're actually counting on our Christianity, our church attendance, our religiousness, our spiritual track record as the thing that will make us right with God. But none of that can do it. That's why Jesus came. Your sins and mine carry a horrible, eternal death penalty in hell - one which cannot be paid by any amount of human goodness - only Jesus' death on the cross can do that. And it may be that for all your years of being around Jesus, of agreeing with Jesus, you've never grabbed Jesus like a drowning person would grab a lifeguard. You've never told Him you're abandoning any trust you have in your religion or your goodness and you're putting your total trust in Him to be Your rescuer from your sin.
If you've never taken that step that makes all the difference, please - do it today.
Jesus said some very religious people would not make it to heaven because they never looked to Him and Him alone to take them there. Today, He's calling you again - one more time - to make Him your Savior. He doesn't ever want you to hear those awful words - "I never knew you."
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
February 24, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work
miracles in unkindness.
- Mother Teresa
The Primary Laboratory
Wives, be subject to your husbands . . . Husbands, love your wives . . . Fathers, do not exasperate your children. - Colossians 3:18-21
God works in our lives primarily through committed relationships. Your family is the primary laboratory for your character development. This is precisely the order of Scripture: Establish your identity in Christ, then focus on living out who you are at home. Notice the order in Colossians 3:10-25;
* God's great goal for His children is that we conform to His image: "Put on the new self" (verse 10). Our identity is no longer in racial, religious, cultural or social ties: "There is no distinction . . . but Christ is all and in all" (verse 11).
* Character is the focus of development once identity is established: "Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" (verse 12).
* Character is developed in the context of relational living: "Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other" (verse 13).
* Love is the highest level of character development: "Beyond all these things put on love" (verse 14).
* The means by which all this is accomplished is Christ in you: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts . . . Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you" (verses 15, 16).
* The primary setting for character development is the home: "Wives, be subject to your husbands . . . Husbands, love your wives . . . Children, be obedient to your parents . . . Fathers, do not exasperate your children" (verses 18-21).
As a parent, you are not just shaping your child's behavior, you are developing his character. Training a child means discipling him to be Christlike. Don't be a phony at home; your spouse and children will see right through it. You can't model perfection, but you can model growth.
Lord, help me be the spouse and parent You want me to be by remaining committed to be a growing child of God.
By Neil Anderson
www.ficm.org
February 25, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Be patient, not only with respect to the main trials which beset you, but also under the accidental and accessory annoyances which arise out of them. We often find people who imagine themselves ready to accept a trial in itself who are impatient of its consequences. - Francois de Sales (1567-1622)
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"The Excitement Of Being A Builder"
Ephesians 4:15
When you've got young grandchildren, you keep learning about these "heroes" they have from children's videos and television programs. In America, you get acquainted with characters like Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber from "Veggie Tales," and "Blue's Clues," and "Bob the Builder." Now, he was the cause of some major excitement last Christmas. An aunt and uncle gave our 3-year old grandson Bob the Builder coveralls - see, Bob wears this yellow hardhat and blue coveralls, with yellow tools hanging from a tool belt. Well, these coveralls even have the belt, with a yellow plastic hammer, a plastic screwdriver, a plastic wrench - you get the idea. When our grandson emerged from the bedroom as Bob the Builder, man, he just lit up with excitement.
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Excitement Of Being A Builder."
Yes, our grandson was really excited about being a builder. It's supposed to be an exciting role for all of us. No, you don't have to wear the coveralls and the belt with plastic tools. But God would love to have you think of yourself this way: "I'm ___________ (put your name in the blank) the Builder!" Not the kind who builds things - but the kind who builds people ... like your husband or wife, your son or daughter, your fellow workers or fellow students. You build up your friends. You build your employees. You build the people you serve the Lord with.
God describes the construction project He wants you to help on in on our word for today from the Word of God. In Ephesians 4, beginning with verse 15, God says, "Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body (that's all the people who belong to Him), joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Now Jesus is building every person who belongs to Him - and He wants us to help Him with that building - all of us. Including you. God wants you to be a part of His program of building the lives of the people you know.
Ephesians 4:29 calls us out of the business of demolishing people and into the business of constructing people - "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths (By the way, I wonder how would a tape of your last week's conversations would sound in light of this command?), but only what is helpful for building others up ..." Only what builds them up - that ought to be our goal for the things we say to others and about others.
You build up people in your world when you make them feel valuable when they're with you, when you compliment them ... when you take interest in what matters to them ... when you pray with them ... when you tell them what you appreciate about them. How are you doing on using those building tools in the lives that are closest to you? By the way - the people who are most difficult in your life are probably the people who need your building up the most. They may very well be acting the way they do because they've been torn down so much.
Building has another dimension - holding up a mirror to someone you care about, and showing them things about them that may be hurting them and hurting others. See, you win the right to "speak the truth in love" - positive or negative - when you've consistently let them know how much you value them.
It's no accident you're with the people you're with. God placed you in their life to help Him build them, encourage them, grow them. Don't miss one of the big reasons you are where you are. My grandson thinks being a builder is exciting. I hope you do, too.
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
February 26, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: The love I bear Christ is but a faint and feeble spark,
but it is an emanation from himself: He kindled it and he keeps it alive;
and because it is his work, I trust many waters shall not quench it.
- John Newton, in a letter [1776]
The Original 'Jesus' People'
"When [John the baptizer] saw Jesus passing by, he said, 'Look, the Lamb of God!' When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus." - John 1:36-37
Some years ago, groups of young people who acknowledged Jesus as Savior and changed their lifestyle accordingly were called "Jesus people" or, less elegantly, "Jesus freaks."
The real Jesus people have been here for nearly 2,000 years. The first converts were two sets of brothers: Andrew and Peter, James and John. Then came Philip and Nathanael and the rest of the original 12 disciples.
After Christ's ascension into heaven the followers numbered 120 men and women. On Pentecost Day the number suddenly increased by 3,000 newly-baptized Christians, and soon the figure jumped to 5,000. Much to the dismay of the authorities in Jerusalem, the Jesus people filled all the city with their doctrine. Then other cities were evangelized. "The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch" (Acts 11:26).
To be the people of Jesus is both a hard task and a pleasant privilege. It is often hard to confess Jesus' name boldly and articulately before the general public; it may bring ridicule. But it is also an honor to bear His name, for He honored and accepted us, sinful as we were, redeemed us with His blood, and made us God's children. It is a privilege to be associated with Jesus, to think His thoughts after Him, to speak His words, and to live His kind of life.
As true Jesus people we continue in His Word. Then we shall know the truth, and the truth will set us free -- free from fears and anxieties, free for a life of joyful service to Him.
Taken from "Each Day with Jesus"
Copyright 1994, Concordia Publishing House
February 27, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Mercy We receive it best when we realize how much we need it; We see it most when we behold a cross, an empty tomb, and a risen Savior; We keep it forever when we give it freely to others; We live it thankfully when we know that, without it, we cannot live. - Melanie Adele Davis April 24, 1992
Encouraging Word For The Week From Brother Steve
Today is the windiest day I can remember us experiencing in some time. Earlier in the day, I was driving on the Teague Parkway in Bossier City and I notice the road signs swaying from the excessive gusts. Going across bridges, I felt my vehicle wanting to drift as the wind led it where it willed. The odd thing is that I never saw the wind, but only felt its effects.
This reminded me of what Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:8 -- "The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
This concept is also true on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:2 -- "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting."
In Ezekiel 37 we read the vision of the valley of dry bones. In the passage, God says to the prophet, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet -- a vast army." This is one of the most vivid images of God giving life to that which is dead through the wind of His Holy Spirit.
I seldom, if ever, discuss Hebrew and Greek words, but when it comes to the wind, there is something you need to know. The Hebrew word for wind is "Ruach". It is the same word that translates into "Spirit". In the Greek, the word for wind is "Pneuma" and it also translates into "Spirit".
In God's wonderful way of communicating truth, He knew that the best way to understand the working of the Holy Spirit was to understand the wind. Both are powerful forces that must be felt rather than seen, and can't fully be appreciated until their impact is experienced.
Yesterday, I watched the weather report on the local news and knew that today would be very cold and exceptionally windy. Why? We are experiencing the effects of a front moving through the area.
Generally speaking, when a weather front moves in, the result is an increase in wind speed and often a change in wind direction. So, if you want to feel the wind, go where there is a front penetrating into a new location..
The same is true of the presence and power of God's Holy Spirit. If you want to feel His wind, then go to those places and meet with those people that are experiencing the movement of God in their lives.
Henry Blackaby, in his modern classic "Experiencing God", makes a profound statement. It is the foundation of his study. He says, "See where God is working and join Him." Instead of doing our own thing and asking God to bless it, he encourages us to see where God's wind is blowing and jump into its path. Such will lead to a life that is always experiencing the evidence of the movement of God.
This week, let me encourage you to look for the wind, feel the wind, and commit the rest of your life to living where God is blowing.
Looking for that wind-blown look,
Bro. Steve
First Baptist Church, Doyline, LA
February 28, 2002
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Groanings which cannot be uttered are often prayers which cannot be refused. - C. H. Spurgeon
A Word With You
By Ron Hutchcraft
"Never a Day Without a Sunrise"
Zephaniah 3:5
I'm one of those morning people - you know, the kind the Bible is talking about when it says, "If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse." (Proverbs 27:14) Even if you can't stand us morning people, you have to admit that there are some advantages to those early hours of the day - getting started on things before there are interruptions, beating the world to the punch - and, best of all, those sunrises. I've got a nice view out the east window of my study, and I never tire of watching that sun start to climb above the trees. Sure, once in a while I can't see the sun rising ... I may be feeling sick or well, excited or "blah," up or down - but take it from a long-time early morning eyewitness. That sun always rises.
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Never a Day Without a Sunrise."
For me, those sunrises are a visible symbol of a spiritual fact that is really "make it or break it" truth for your life and mine - that God Himself lights every new day, no matter what that day holds. And days are God's fundamental building blocks in our life.
Our word for today from the Word of God is only seven words. But at the beginning of this year, I asked our whole team to build the year on this promise. Zephaniah 3:5 simply says, "Every new day, He will not fail." Maybe I could just read that over and over for the rest of our time together. I mean it's what makes every day - every day - doable. Your coworkers will fail you some days, your boss, your family, your mate, your church, fellow believers, even spiritual leaders. But "every new day, He will not fail."
I'm so glad God has based some of His central promises on daily delivery - because we don't experience our life as weeks, or months, or years - we do a day. And so does God. He meets our needs in the form of "daily bread." (Matthew 6:11) "His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) - all you have to do each morning is grab your mercy basket and go pick up what you need, just like that Old Testament manna. In Psalm 68:19, we're told that God is our "Savior, who daily bears our burdens." That's a good thing - because that's how we experience our burdens - the weight of this particular day.
Deuteronomy 33:25 promises us that "your strength will equal your days." You will never have a day for which you do not have matching strength - even if some days give you more to carry than you've ever carried before. The Apostle Paul tells us one big reason why we never need to "lose heart." In his words, "Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly, he says, we are being renewed day by day." So, no matter how battered you got yesterday, God has promised that He will give you a renewing, rejuvenating, re-energizing touch each new day.
Look, some days you're going to wake up anxious. Some days you're going to wake up dreading the day. Some days you're going to be excited about what's ahead. Other days overwhelmed by what's ahead, or some days you may be discouraged, or eager, or exhausted. But however you are - no matter what the day holds, that sun is going to come up again. It always does. And God is going to light this day, no matter what. So why don't you claim God's seven-word guarantee for yourself. In fact, say it with me now because you need to hear yourself say it. "Every new day, He will not fail!"
Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.
www.gospelcom.net/rhm/
Copyright (c) 2002, Ron Hutchcraft
