....worry

Several years ago a submarine was being tested and had to remain submerged for many hours. When it returned to the harbor, the captain was asked, "How did the terrible storm last night affect you?" The officer looked at him in surprise and exclaimed, "Storm? We didn't even know there was one!" 

The sub had been so far beneath the surface that it had reached the area known to sailors as "the cushion of the sea." Although the ocean may be whipped into huge waves by high winds, the waters below are never stirred.

This, I believe, is a perfect picture of the peace that comes from Christ's Spirit. The waves of worry, of fear, of heartbreak, cannot touch those resting in Christ. Sheltered by His grace and encouraged by His Spirit, the believer is given the perfect tranquility that only Christ can provide.

-adrian dieleman

....hardest

Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you Ephesians 4:32 

One day when Jesus was talking about forgiveness, Peter thought he would impress Him. So, he asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” Matthew 18:21.

Maybe Peter expected Jesus to say, “Peter, that is pretty good. Let’s give Peter a round of applause.”

Instead, Jesus told him, “No, not seven times . . . but seventy times seven!” (verse 22). In other words Jesus was saying, “You should forgive endlessly. There should be no limits to your forgiveness.”

Then Jesus went on to tell a story about a servant who owed millions of dollars to a king. The king gave the order for the servant, his wife, their children, and their possessions to be sold for compensation. But the servant pleaded with the king for another chance to repay the debt. The king, touched by the servant’s attitude, decided to completely forgive what he owed.

But it wasn’t long before the man found a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars, and he demanded that he pay it back immediately. And when the servant asked for more time to repay his debt, the man had him arrested and thrown into prison.

Someone saw what happened and told the king about it. The king called for the man and said, “You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?” verses 32–33. Then the king sent him to prison.

If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, then He has forgiven your sins. The Bible tells us, “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” Ephesians 4:32.

We must forgive because we have been forgiven. And God will bless us for obeying Him. 

- greg laurie

....key

Behold! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me. Revelation 3:20

Zig Ziglar tells the story about an elderly man playing an organ in a cathedral in Europe. He was playing sad and melancholy music. It was sad because this was his last day as organist of the cathedral. He was being replaced by a younger musician.

 

At dusk, somebody stepped into the cathedral. Seeing the younger man, the organist stopped playing, locked the organ and slipped the key into his pocket. He was approached by the young man, who simply said, "Please, the key." 

On receiving the key, the young organist went to the organ and began to play. 

While the old man had played beautifully and skillfully, the young man played with sheer genius. Music such as the world had never heard came rolling out of that beautiful old organ. 

This was the world's introduction to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. The old man, with tears in his eyes, said, "Suppose - just suppose - I had not given the master the key!" 

Have you given "The Master" the key - the key to your heart and to your life?

....word

Jeremiah was in an extremely lonely position. He had faithfully preached God's message to his fellow countrymen but received only rejection in return: "{I am} a man with whom the whole land strives and contends...everyone curses me" Jeremiah 15:10. This rejection caused Jeremiah to also feel rejected by God, so he tried to remind God of his deep commitment and devotion.

"Do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for Your sake. When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear Your name, O Lord God Almighty."Jeremiah 15:15-16

Jeremiah hungered for God's Word and often thought of his next "meal" with the Lord. Though he was frustrated with his ministry effort, Jeremiah loved God and desired to diligently serve Him. God saw the devotion in Jeremiah's heart and encouraged him to continue on the path of faithful service; "I will restore you that you may serve Me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be My spokesman" Jeremiah 15:19.

What type of devotion and hunger does God see when He looks inside our heart?

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to take an extended hiking trip with my son. We hiked 120 miles in ten days and ate mostly nuts, raisins, and peanut butter. As we hiked along the beautiful trails of Northern Maine - through woods, across streams, and over mountains - I spent many hours thinking of scripture verses. But I confess I also spent many hours thinking about neapolitan pizza with extra cheese. By the end of the trail, I had a DEEP hunger for pizza; a longing that made my mouth water; a hunger which had to be filled...immediately!

We must approach God's Word with this same anticipation and hunger. We must recognize the world's diet as being filled with empty "snacks" which ruin our appetite for real Food! The Word of God is a nourishing and satisfying meal which deserves our full attention as well as our appreciation. We ought to sit down and eagerly clean our plates; we should not play with our food and nibble around the edges. We must also be careful not to over season with doctrinal spices which tend to overpower and mask the natural flavor.

Many of us are spiritually starving and yet keep His life-giving Food sitting on the shelf! Let's pray for an increased hunger - a focused hunger which is satisfied only in our Heavenly Father. Let's commit to being a well nourished Child of God and passionately consume The Word.

- steve troxel

....enabled

 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

Most people own a calendar or an appointment book in which they record details of future commitments. A Christian friend of mine uses one in the opposite way. He doesn't record key activities until after they've taken place.

Here's his approach: Each morning he prays, "Lord, I go forth in Your strength alone. Please use me as You wish." Then, whenever he accomplishes something unusual or difficult, he records it in his diary in the evening.

For example, he may write, "Today I was enabled to share my testimony with a friend." "Today God enabled me to overcome my fear through faith." "Today I was enabled to help and encourage a troubled person."

My friend uses the word enabled because he knows he couldn't do these things without God's help. By recording each "enabling," he is giving God all the glory. Relying constantly on God's strength, he can testify with the Apostle Paul, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13.

As you enter each new day, ask God to strengthen and use you. You can be sure that as your look back on your day, you'll praise and glorify the Lord as you realize what He has enabled you to do. 

- paul vangorder

....fall

When my daughter was beginning to ride her bike she discovered an all-important truth. After a particularly difficult afternoon she came inside and said; "Daddy, you know the hardest part about riding a bike? It's learning how to fall!" At five years of age she had discovered that falling was an inevitable part of the riding experience; but to have a "successful" experience, she needed to learn how to fall without causing damage to her body.

When we follow the call of God and step into the great unknown, we are ALWAYS successful. We are successful because success is defined as being obedient to His call, regardless of the physical results or accomplishments. We must never evaluate our walk with the Lord based on worldly criteria. Rather, we are to walk by a faith which is lived out each day through trust and obedience.

When John the Baptist was in prison he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" Matthew 11:3. This question indicates some great turmoil. John preached a message of repentance to "Prepare the way of the Lord" Luke 3:4, and he described Jesus as, "one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie" Luke 3:16. And when John baptized Jesus, he heard a voice from Heaven say, "This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased" Matthew 3:17. But while in jail, John needed to ask, "Are You really the One?"

"Jesus replied, 'Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear... Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me.'"Matthew 11:4-6

The first part of this reply is what we expect. Jesus is saying, "Of course I'm the One! Don't you see the evidence?" But then Jesus answers John's real question with "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me." John was doubting because he had been sent to jail for following Christ. He had taken a discouraging fall and was questioning his chosen path. Was it possible that he should experience such hardship if Jesus was really the Christ?

Our walk with Jesus is never promised to be easy - it is promised to be eternal! 

We are never promised success in the eyes of the world; we are promised the true success which only His peace can give, as well as an eternal glory in the presence of God! His plans and purposes are perfect and will most surely include aspects we cannot understand, include times when we become discouraged and appear to fall. These are times we must fall without falling away! 

In falling we must fall closer to Jesus and learn to trust Him even more. We can have a successful journey even through apparent failure; we will always be successful if we continue to follow where He leads and learn how to fall.

- steve troxel

....standing

My friend Arthur had some reading materials on his hospital bedside table: a couple of novels, a newspaper, a magazine, and one small, tattered volume with a worn cover and pages that needed to be held together by a rubber band.

 

Arthur's surgery had been a success and he was feeling better than he had in months.   "Do you have enough to keep you busy?" I asked."I think so," he gestured toward the bedside table. I held up the slim volume that was falling apart. "Maybe you could afford to get a new copy," I joked.

"I like it just as it is. Take a look."

I slipped the rubber band off and was amazed. Every page had markings on it - underlinings, checks, circled words, comments in the margin. This book hadn't just been read; it had been a constant companion, a source of comfort and inspiration. I read a passage to myself - profound words by a writer who had thought deeply about faith and the human condition.

"I see why you like it," I said.

"I could not have gotten through the last 25 years without it." Arthur replied. 

Leaving his hospital room, I remembered a quotation I'd seen on a church bulletin board:

"Show me a Bible that's falling apart and I'll show you someone who isn't!"

- rick hamblin

....shortcut

Many times we see what appears to be a shorter route, and we leave His path. These perceived shortcuts are filled with weeds that entangle us and slow our walk with Christ to a pathetic crawl; "But the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful" Matthew 13:22. All our time spent away from God's path clearly hinders our relationship and diminishes our ability to produce anything of lasting value for the Lord.

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His Law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither."Psalm 1:1-3

To remain on God's path and continue to bear good and lasting fruit, we must be wise regarding the counsel we seek. Many people willingly give advice on following a "successful" path and yet ridicule any path directed by God. This counsel must be avoided since the very definition of success is in error! A truly successful path IS the path directed by God!!

Staying free of the weeds requires an active pursuit of God; "on His Law he meditates day and night." If we do not consume ourselves with the ways of God, we will, by default, become consumed by the ways of the world. Jesus made a similar statement to His disciples: "I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit" John 15:5. Remaining in the vine is a process of clinging to Christ and loving Him with ALL our heart. Our life then becomes defined and consumed by the life of the vine.

As we allow God's Word to flow through our life - as we become planted by the stream of His water - we develop deep roots. These roots become a solid anchor which will not be pulled up during the storm nor dragged along by the swift currents of temptation.

God's path is perfect and His burden is light; but remaining on His path and staying free of weeds requires commitment, perseverance, discipline...and a strong reminder that there are NO shortcuts!

- ellena k kalinga

....feeding

In one of my early pastorates I asked one of my church members how she was getting along in her Christian life. She replied: “Very poorly. My life is a disgrace to me and to the church; it is a disgrace to Jesus Christ. I don’t understand why it is.” 

“Do you study your Bible every day?” I asked. “Oh, no; but I study it occasionally, when I have time.” 

A little baby was lying in a baby-carriage near by, and I said: “suppose you should feed that baby once in two hours today and once in six hours tomorrow, then let it go without eating at all for three or four days because you were busy, and then go back and feed it every two hours the next day, and keep up that process; do you think the child would grow?” 

The point was obvious and she understood.  No other words needed to be spoken.  Just as babies and children need regular nourishment, we, God’s children, need spiritual nourishment on a regular basis as well.    

- steve blair

 

.....snake

 A young man was out on a quest one fall day trying to decide what task he could undertake to prove his manhood.  He came upon a tall mountain, topped with the first snow of the year. "This will be my test", thinks the young man to himself. as he started to climb.

The climb was hard and long but the young man finally completed his task. Then, as he rested on top of the mountain, he heard a soft voice... "Help me!" it said.  The young man looked for the voice, and there he found a rattlesnake dying in the snow. 

The snake pleaded with the young man to save him from the cold.  But the young man said, "No, mister snake. For if I pick you up, you'll bite me and I'll be the one that dies". "No, No!", said the snake.  "I wouldn't harm the one who saves me. For if I do, then surely I will die in this cold." 

The young man gave this some thought and decided to help the snake.  So, he picked up the snake put him in his shirt and started his long climb down the mountain. 

When they reached the valley below, the young man removed the snake from his shirt and gently placed it on the ground.  Then, the snakestruck coiled up and bit the man. "Why did you bite me?" pleaded the man?  "I saved you.  You promised me you wouldn't hurt me!"

The snake just looked at him and said, "You knew what I was when you picked me up!" 

Temptation always comes from the enemy to test our faith and knowledge.  The Bible says in James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." The devil will make promises he never intends to keep and he will encourage you to do things you know you shouldn't be doing, promising you that you will never get hurt. He will never let you see the end result of the path that he tries to get you on, because if he did, you would never consider sinning against the Lord.

- david langerfeld

.....eternity

Ruth lived in the land of Moab just east of Canaan. She was not an Israelite but she married one of the sons of Naomi who had recently moved to Moab from Judah because of a famine. After ten years, Ruth's husband died. Naomi was going to return to her homeland and thought Ruth should remain with her people in Moab. But Ruth loved Naomi and desired to stay by her side.

"Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried."Ruth 1:16-17

Life back in Canaan was difficult for Naomi and Ruth. Without anyone to care for them, Ruth had to pick left over grain from the fields simply to have enough to eat. Fortunately, Jewish law made provisions for this type of charity to the poor. As a poor foreigner in a strange land, this was a very humbling time for Ruth.

After two harvesting seasons of faithfully gathering food for herself and Naomi, Ruth married Boaz who owned the field where she worked. They soon had a son, and Naomi was allowed to help care for the boy. Their life had suddenly, and wonderfully, improved. And though Ruth must have been relieved and pleased to have a son, imagine her amazement when she is allowed to look back and view the results of her life from God's perspective.

Ruth's husband, Boaz, was an Israelite from the tribe of Judah. Their son was named Obed: "He was the father of Jesse, the father of {King} David" Ruth 4:17. From this same family line (fourteen generations later), Mary would give birth to a boy named Jesus.

Our view of God's Kingdom is VERY limited. No matter how much we desire otherwise, there are simply pieces of the puzzle we are unable to fit together. While we walk this earth and breathe this air, we most likely will never see the purpose of our struggles. Yet, we must closely follow the One who leads and give ourselves wholeheartedly to each task we are given. We must learn to trust His perfect plan!

A shining light will always penetrate the darkness. And though we may not see the impact we have on others, one day we will stand with our Heavenly Father and rejoice as He reveals how we were used for His glorious purpose. One day we will watch our life unfold and clearly see the use of every helping hand, every encouraging word, and even every smile we shared in the midst of our trials. The shining light of our life has great meaning and purpose - true meaning and purpose which we will joyfully witness when we are allowed to look back from eternity.

- steve troxel 

.....sacrifice

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at Stanford Hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liza who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her five-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. 

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liza."

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?" 

Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give her all his blood.

 

What are you willing to sacrifice?  

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2

- david langerfeld

 

.....answer

Why are so many "believers" content to live a life of mediocrity in Christ - a life partially devoted to following God and partially devoted to following the ways of the world? Without question, some have only put on the face of a Christian and have never given their heart to God through a saving faith in Jesus. But others are true believers in desperate need of a spiritual kick in the pants!

Paul's letters comprise much of the New Testament. They were written to give instruction on the Christian faith and to encourage perseverance through times of testing. Paul often wrote of the simplicity of the gospel message; "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" Ephesians 2:8. But he also wrote to encourage those who truly put their faith in Jesus to live a life of service, holiness, and unity.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we begin a new life. We are set free from the bondage of sin Romans 6:22 and are called to follow Christ as we are conformed to His image Romans 8:29. But Paul saw many believers sitting on the sidelines of the Christian life; "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received" Ephesians 4:1.

Paul gives encouragement by "urging" a life worthy of Salvation. This has nothing to do with earning our way to Heaven; rather, we are encouraged to live in holy thankfulness for the gift we have received. The word Paul uses for urge can also be translated as beseech, beg, implore, exhort, or challenge. He's not giving a gentle pat on the back which says, "You're doing well, keep running a good race." Rather, Paul is presenting a firm challenge to draw nearer to God and give our lives more fully to Him. Paul uses the same word in his letter to the Romans.

"Therefore, I urge{beg, implore, exhort, challenge}you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship."Romans 12:1

We have been set free and made new! We are a new creation and CANNOT continue to walk with one foot on God's path and the other being allowed to tiptoe along worldly desires. These simply have no place in the life of a worshipper of the One True God!

Today, we are being urged (challenged) to trust God more; to talk with Him more and seek His presence more diligently; to not get pulled away by the lies of the world! We are being challenged to love Him with ALL our heart, soul, mind and strength Mark 12:30. As we face this day with its multitude of struggles, let's live a life worthy of the calling we have received and forevermore answer the challenge! 

.....everything

When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I'm such a sinful man.” For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

Jesus replied to Simon, “Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. Luke 5:4–11

Why should we be willing to drop everything and follow Jesus Christ? And what happens when we do? I can think of at least six reasons:

1. Jesus chooses not to minister to others all alone, He deliberately chooses not to. 
• He could have rowed that boat Himself. 
• He could have dropped those nets over the side Himself. 
• He could have pulled up the nets choked with fish. Instead, He had the disciples do it. 
• He categorically stated, "From now on you will be catching men."
2. Jesus uses the familiar to do the incredible. He came to their turf (lake, boat), their place of work (fishing), and had them use their skills (nets). In a familiar setting, He made them aware of incredible possibilities.
3. Jesus moves us from the safety of the seen to the risks of the unseen. He led them "out into the deep water" where nobody could touch bottom before He commanded, "Let down your nets." Nothing spectacular occurs in shallow water.
4. Jesus proves the potential by breaking our nets and filling our boats. When God's hand is on a situation, nets break, eyes bulge, deck planks groan, and boats almost sink. It's His way of putting the potential on display.
5. Jesus conceals His surprises until we follow His leading. Everything was business as usual on the surface. Boats didn't have a halo; nets didn't tingle at their touch; the lake water didn't glow; a chorus of angelic voices didn't thunder from the sky. No. The divinely arranged surprise came only after they dropped the nets. Remember, it wasn't until he followed Jesus' instructions that Peter changed "Master" to "Lord."
6. Jesus reveals His objective to those who release their security. He could read their willingness in their faces. Then—and only then—did He tell them they would be engaged in "catching men." And guess what—they jumped at the chance!

- charles swindoll

.....applause

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing" 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Dr. Ernest Mellor wrote how he and his wife, "were listening to an outdoor performance by young Suzuki violin students. After the concert, an instructor spoke briefly on how children as young as two, three and four years old are taught to play violin." 

"'The first thing the children learn, he said, is a proper stance. And the second thing the children learn - even before they pick up the violin - is how to take a bow. If the children just play the violin and stop, people may forget to show their appreciation', the instructor said. 'But when the children bow, the audience invariably applauds. And applause is the best motivator we've found to make children feel good about performing and want to do it well.'"

Adults love applause too. Being affirmed makes us feel wonderful. If you want to rekindle or keep the flame of love glowing in your marriage through the years, try showing and expressing your appreciation for your mate. Put some applause in your marriage and watch love grow.

Meaningful applause - whether by hand clapping or with our words - is one the most effective and easiest ways to encourage one another. The word "encourage" comes from "en" meaning in and "courage." It means to put courage into another...  and that's something every one of us can do...  and let's do it often.

....new

A Christian is "made" by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; a Christian is defined as a child of God who will spend eternity in His presence. And while these are true statements, it still seems there is something about Christians which make them different from the rest of the unbelieving world; "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17.

The moment we truly believe in Jesus Christ and accept the forgiveness offered through His sacrifice, we are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit and become a "new creation,"  called a new birth. The transformation is done on our heart when we receive His Spirit, but there still remains a long process of maturing and allowing this transformation to consume every area of our life.

"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" Ephesians 4:22-24

These verses are part of a three chapter passage Ephesians 4-6 which begin with "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received" Ephesians 4:1 and includes teaching about unity, love, humility, anger, purity, husbands, wives, parents, children, slaves, masters, and the full armor of God - all teaching about what is meant by the new self! 

Some find it hard to understand that a Christian must be taught and urged how to live, but Paul understood, in the original language that Paul is saying to put on the new self...and to KEEP putting it on!!

This is the most important, yet also the most neglected, teaching of the church today. The Christian life is designed to be a radical transformation process which lasts all the rest of our days. The call to "come as you are" is also a call to prepare for, and expect, change.

The new life we have been given is not like the old; it is "created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." 

Let's rise up every day and be determined to put away the old and live according to the new. 

Let's show the world that our walk is different, that we walk hand in hand with Jesus, and that we have and will continue to put on the new self by His grace.

.....strengths

If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12 

Have you ever noticed that when the great men and women of the Bible sinned, they seemed to always fall in the areas of their greatest strength?

Take Abraham for example. He was a man of faith. But did he ever have lapses of faith? Yes. He asked his wife, Sarah, to lie and say she was his sister, because she was very beautiful. He was afraid Abimelech would take her away and kill him in the process. Abraham was known for great faith, yet he fell in the area where his faith was lacking.

The Bible describes Moses as the meekest man on the face of the earth. Yet there was an occasion when he lost his temper and struck a rock that God had told him to only speak to. Then he personally took credit for what God had done up to that point, incurring God’s wrath. As a result, he couldn’t enter the Promised Land.

Peter was known for his great courage, and justifiably so. After all, he was one of the first to publicly follow Jesus Christ and lay it all on the line for Him. Yet he underestimated his own weakness when he said to Jesus, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will” Mark 14:29.

Not only that, but he was flatly contradicting what Jesus had said: “All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, ‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered’ ” verse 27.

We can do the same. There may be a certain area of our lives that we’ve had under control for a long time, so much so that we don’t even guard it anymore. And because we think we’re strong in that area, we begin to lower our defenses.

An unguarded strength can become a double weakness.

- greg laurie

....steadfast

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong 1 Corinthians 16:13 

Why is it so hard sometimes to read the Bible? 

Why is it so difficult to pray? 

And why is it so tough to make it to church?

Because Satan will stop us. He doesn’t always do this with obvious, demonic things. He uses little distractions in our lives—even things that seem to make sense at the time.For instance, when you’re getting ready for church, he says, “It’s a beautiful day. Are you sure you want to go and sit in some building? Enjoy the splendors of God’s creation! You can always go next week.” Then next week comes, and there’s a little drizzle outside. But you just washed your car, and you don’t want to get it wet. So, you sit it out again. The following week you have a little sniffle and think, “I’d better not go to church.”

Or, let’s say you reach for your Bible. The devil says, “You don’t need to read that again, do you? Didn’t you just read it in church four weeks ago? Why do you need to read it again?”

When it comes to prayer, he says, “You don’t need to pray. You prayed before breakfast. That’s good.”

He will do everything he can to keep you away from going to church, reading the Bible, and praying. Why? Because at church you get recharged with God’s people. And when you read the Bible and pray, you strengthen yourself in the Lord.

The devil knows that if he can separate us from God, we will become weak and vulnerable. That way he can pick you off, like a lion going after the weakest and most vulnerable animal in the herd.

We need steely determination that says, No, 

I’m going to church

I’m reading the Word of God

I’m spending time in prayer

....slowly

My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart Proverbs 4:20-21

Writer Charles Swindoll once found himself with too many commitments in too few days. He got nervous and tense about it. "I was snapping at my wife and our children, choking down my food at mealtimes, and feeling irritated at those unexpected interruptions throughout the day," he recalled in his book Stress Fractures. "Before long, things around our home started reflecting the patter of my hurry-up style. It was becoming unbearable."

"I distinctly remember after supper one evening, the words of our younger daughter, Colleen. She wanted to tell me something important that had happened to her at school that day. She began hurriedly, 'Daddy, I wanna tell you somethin' and I'll tell you really fast.'  "Suddenly realizing her frustration, I answered, 'Honey, you can tell me -- and you don't have to tell me really fast. Say it slowly.' "I'll never forget her answer: 'Then listen slowly.'"

How many times do we find ourselves overwhelmed by all of the different commitments we have on a daily basis? Far too often, we allow the busyness of life to consume our time, energy, and attention making us lose sight of people or things that are truly important. This includes the most important thing… spending time with our Heavenly Father.

God longs for a close relationship with His children. He enjoys the time we spend talking to Him through prayer and listening to Him through Scripture. But if we are focused on the busyness, we will easily miss what He is telling us. He speaks to us constantly, not only through His Word, but through His Holy Spirit who is always with us.

The next time you find yourself rushing from here to there, working on deadlines, or just doing what needs to be done, stop and take a moment to listen slowly.

.....yours

O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help. 2 Chronicles 20:12 

King Jehoshaphat had the right idea when he was leading the army of Judah into battle against an enemy that greatly outnumbered them. He prayed, “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help” 2 Chronicles 20:12.

In other words, “Lord, we’re depending on You. We’re standing in You. We’re looking to You.”

Then the Bible tells us that “the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah. . . . He said, ‘Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s’ ” verses 14–15. That is the best place to be—in complete dependence on God.

Sometimes it seems as though you can’t overcome the sin you’ve been struggling with for so long. It seems as though you can’t break free from the addiction that has had a hold on your life for many years. And it seems as though you can’t get out of that lifestyle you are trapped in.

God is saying that you can—but not in your strength. You can do it in His strength. So, admit your weaknesses and inadequacies. Then ask God to help you utilize the principles for spiritual battle from His Word.

Realize that in Jesus Christ, you belong to the family of God. Don’t let the devil cheat you out of that truth. The Bible says, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” James 4:7.

Live as a child of the King and walk in close fellowship with Him.

- greg laurie

....art

Do you ever wake up and wonder if you are where God wants you? Do you ever wonder if you are really following God's plan for your life? These are normal questions and ought to be asked by every true believer in Jesus Christ. We should desire to follow His plan; and the only way to know is to ask, listen for direction, and obediently follow.

The most important part of God's plan is that we trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin; "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" 2 Peter 3:9. God wants us all to repent, turn to Jesus, and receive His gift of Salvation. He wants us to step from eternal death to eternal life through faith in His one and only Son!

But many people receive His gift and then continue life with no real change, no new direction. This should not be! When we receive God's gift of Salvation, something wonderful occurs; "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17. When we place our life in His hands, He wipes away the ugliness of our sin and begins to grow and mature us into the likeness of His Son Romans 8:29. This process of maturing growth IS His plan!

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."Ephesians 2:10

When we become a new creation in Christ, we become God's workmanship. The Greek word for workmanship is "poiema" - it's where we get the word poem. And though it might be difficult to think of our life as a poem, the idea being presented is that God is creating something beautiful, something almost poetic which touches His heart.

It might be easier to switch analogies and think of God as the Master Painter. When we give Him our life, we hand Him our old canvas covered with the grotesque ugliness of sin. But by grace, the canvas is wiped clean, and the Artist begins to paint a work of art with Jesus as the model. Every stroke of His brush is to make our canvas look more and more like Christ.

Are we where God wants us? Are we following His plan? To help find the answer we should ask: Is the likeness of Christ beginning to form, or is my canvas still filled with ugliness and confusion? Am I allowing Him to paint, or am I trying to take the brush at every opportunity?

God really is the Master Painter, and He really does know what He is doing. If we will allow Him to finish His work, the end result will be better than anything we can imagine!! Let's give Him our canvas and allow Him to paint. 

Let's follow His plan and allow our life to become His work of art.

- steve troxel

.....aim

There's an old legend about a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old shotgun and three shells.  So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill something to eat for dinner. 

As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit and he shot at the rabbit and missed it. Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. As he went further, he saw a wild turkey in the tree and he had only one bullet left, but a voice came to him and said "Pray first, aim high and stay focused." 

However, at the same time he saw a deer, which was a better kill. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake. Still, the voice said to him, "Pray, aim high and stay focused.'"

 

So, the man decided to follow the voice. He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it. And when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond of water.

 

When he got up to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and turkey to eat for his family. The snake was dead simply because the man listened to God: Pray first, Aim High and Stay Focused. 

The Moral to the Story: Pray first before you do anything, aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God and His will for your life and He will meet your needs.  

- dave langerfeld

....future

The longer we walk with the Lord, the more we realize that we really don't know what each new day may bring. A phone call can come in the middle of the night shattering our joy. Suddenly everything changes. It's amazing what a knock at the door can bring or what the opening of a letter can do.

I don't say these things to conjure up fear in our hearts, but simply to remind us that God alone knows our future. And there's no safer, no better, no more rewarding place to be than in the nucleus of His will, regardless of where that may be.

We are only finite human beings. We can only see the present and the past. The future is a little frightening to us. So we need to hold on to His hand and trust Him to calm our fears. And at those times when we're stubborn and resisting and God shakes us by the shoulders to get our attention, we're reminded that we don't call the shots, God has a plan for us, mysterious though it may seem, and we want to be in the center of it.

All the risks notwithstanding, the center of His will is still the safest place on earth to be. 

- charles swindoll

....base

 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power Ephesians 6:10

God is omnipotent. God is omniscient. And God is omnipresent.

On the other hand, Satan is none of those things. Although he is a spirit being and has demons doing his dirty work, he is far from God’s equal. He has clear limits on his power. God, however, can do anything that He wants to do, anywhere, and at any time. While God is omniscient, Satan doesn’t know all things. His knowledge, though vast, is still limited. In addition, he can only be in one place at one time.

God can be present everywhere at the same time. Satan is not the equal of God. And he wants to stop us from doing what God wants us to do. The apostle Paul wrote, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” Ephesians 6:12.

We are in a spiritual battle against the devil and his demons, who seek to hinder God’s purposes and extend Satan’s power.

When the enemy is attacking, it should cause us to turn to the protective care of Jesus and cling to Him all the tighter, like a small child who clings to a parent when danger is near. We must realize that in our own strength, we are no match for the devil. He is far more powerful than we are. That’s why we need to turn to God for help and strengthen ourselves in Him.

Satan recognizes that our power base is in our relationship with God. Thus, he will do everything he can to separate us from the Lord. The only thing the devil fears is the power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. That’s why we must stand in God’s strength and not our own.

- greg laurie

.....new

In the last hours of His earthly ministry, Jesus spoke with His disciples and gave a command which was considered new: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" John 13:34.

Should this command really have been new? Shouldn't the disciples have known they were to love one another? Or is it possible to spend three years with a Master Teacher and yet not understand that learning must translate to action, and that we teach truth by first being an example of truth? 

If we desire to teach love, we must first be loving; to teach the concept of grace, we must first be gracious; and in order to "make disciples of all nations" Matthew 28:19, we must begin by first being a true disciple!

Our spiritual growth must never be measured by how much we know, but by how much we are transformed - by how much the Word penetrates to the innermost part of our heart. We have all been blessed by God's love far more than we deserve. We must now better understand this love and then learn how to become His expression of love to others.

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge Ephesians 3:17-19

The ultimate expression of love was that God gave His Son to an undeserving world so "that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. This is a love we will never fully understand.

Paul had such a deep appreciation for the love contained in God's plan of Salvation through the sacrificial gift of Jesus, that he was often completely overwhelmed; "When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father" Ephesians 3:14. When we begin to truly grasp His love, all we can do is say, Thank You!

Let's pray for a greater understanding of His love and then return His love through a devoted life of worship. Let's make His love real by demonstrating love to those He places in our path. Let's begin to grasp, and then give back and share, the true love of Christ.

- steve troxel

....guard

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7

The word “guard” in Philippians 4:7 is used in 2 Corinthians 11:32 to describe how the governor of Damascus guarded the city gates to keep Paul from escaping. The same word is used in 1 Peter 1:5, where it says we “are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time”.

According to Philippians 4, we have the transcendent peace of God protecting our hearts and minds. The Peace that “passes all understanding”.  Our part is explained in verse 6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”.

The worries and cares of life can overwhelm us at times, but when we bring our worries to God in prayer, His peace guards our hearts and minds like a soldier guarding a city. 

Trust Him to guard your heart and mind today.

- david jeremiah 

....contend

We are challenged to continually share God's miraculous gift with those He places in our path, mainly from the aspect of sharing what God has done in our life, and continues to do, as we walk with Him. But we are also responsible to share the absolute truth about God and His unchanging plan of forgiveness, grace, faith, and love.

Jude wrote only one short letter [25 verses] of the Bible. He began the letter with a desire to encourage believers with the joy of Salvation; but as he sat down to write, he realized God was directing him to write a different message.

"Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints." Jude 3 There is great joy in our Salvation, a joy which must be shared. But we have been entrusted with the truth of the gospel message, and this truth is often under attack!

As we draw closer to God and begin to understand His perfect holiness, we are also made aware of the utter sinfulness of man and our hopelessness without Jesus. Each of us is born with a sin nature, and if left to ourselves we would become "filled with every kind of wickedness" Romans 1:29. It's not surprising how much evil abounds in the world. To a large degree, the world has rejected the Light of Jesus Christ and is living in an empty and confusing darkness.

The church is definitely not immune to the darkness of the world. We are attacked from those who are openly outside the church, but we are also under attack from those who have "secretly slipped in among you" (Jude 4a). These are people who claim to be called by God, but live an immoral life and "deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord" (Jude 4b). They seek to cause division and "follow their own ungodly desires" (Jude 18). We are told to fight this form of attack by strengthening our faith; "build yourself up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit" (Jude 20).

We must know the truth, protect the truth, and share the truth. 

If we are to become a light which leads others to the saving grace of Jesus, we must not allow the gospel which has been entrusted into our care to become distorted for personal gain or diluted for greater acceptance. 

We can personally fight this battle on a daily basis by drawing closer to the presence of God and knowing Him better through study and prayer. And we can fight as groups of believers as we encourage one another to live without compromise. Let's test all teaching against His Word. Let's share the absolute truth of our Lord and Savior and be prepared to stand as we contend for the faith.

- steve troxtel

.....thermostat

It was very cold in our house. I was the first one awake that morning, and as I scampered through our personal Arctic I checked the thermometer. It said 50 degrees... I called Mr. Furnace to come.   In the meantime, I turned on the kitchen stove, I opened the door, and i sat in front of it to have some personal spiritual time. My kids told me that with my eyes closed it looked like I was praying to the stove! 

Well, Mr. Furnace came and finally figured it out. See, the problem was the thermostat, not the thermometer - that just reflected the temperature. It was the thermostat, which, of course, controls the temperature! 

The fact is, you're either a thermometer - or you're a thermostat!!! 

Thermometer people tend to reflect the temperature of the people around them. "If you're hot, I'm hot. If you're cool, I'm cool. If you're nice, I'm nice. If you yell, I yell." Thermometer. 

What most of us would like to be is a thermostat - someone who controls the temperature in our situation. Your family sure needs for you to be a thermostat; if everyone's a thermometer, it's chaos there. The people you work with, your friends - they need someone who is under control, who doesn't go off with the stress, who's steady and caring and peaceful. Those thermostat people are rare - and valuable. 

My friend Mark runs a rapidly growing, highly-pressurized company that services some of America's largest corporations. In the heat of battle one day, one of Mark's execs came in and said, "Man, how do you handle all this pressure?" Well, Mark is like the eye of a hurricane - a center of calm in a swirling storm. Actually, Mark explained his thermostatic peace in one word. "Jesus." 

In John 14:27, Jesus is talking to His closest friends on the most stressful night of His life, just before His arrest and execution. And it's on the eve of what is about to be the most stressful chapter in their lives. If stressful is a fair description of your life right now, these words from Jesus are for you, too. Here's what He says. "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." 

I'm sure I don't have to make a list of the uncertainties in our world that could make any of our hearts "troubled" or "afraid" right now. And you probably have a pretty impressive list of your own. But in the midst of combat conditions, Jesus says, "I give you My peace - like nothing, like no one on earth can give you." 

A love-relationship with the Son of God is the secret of my friend Mark's peace under pressure. It's a peace that I have experienced over and over again... from hospital rooms, to gravesides, to doctor's offices, to airplanes in trouble, to out-of-control weeks. The anchor is that relationship with Jesus Christ. 

And when you know you belong to Him, you can be a thermostat instead of a thermometer because you know you have an identity and a security that is rooted in something that you can't lose. The freedom of knowing that whatever's at stake in this situation isn't all there is - you're anchored to Jesus Christ, His unloseable love, and His unstoppable plans. 

Jesus makes a thermometer person into a thermostat - who has His inner power to set a whole new temperature. And He's waiting for your invitation. 

- ron hutchcraft 

....real

“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. ” Romans 8:37 

The Bible often uses the examples of military battle, fighting, and warfare as a picture of the Christian life. Paul exhorted Timothy, “Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” 2 Timothy 2:3

Paul also wrote that he had “fought the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7). Anyone who chooses to be on the side of the Lord Jesus Christ will face severe opposition from Satan and his followers. On the day you put your faith in Jesus Christ, a very real spiritual war begins in your life.

We will either fight or suffer defeat. We will either gain ground or lose ground. But we must be involved in the spiritual battle. And if we try to be spiritual pacifists, we’ll be knocked down. Therefore, we had better suit up. We had better put on our spiritual armor and learn principles from God’s Word that teach us how to be more than conquerors in Christ.

Jesus told the disciples that the gates of Hell would not prevail against them as the church Matthew 16:18.

We may not fully understand what this means today. But in their first-century culture, they would have known that one of the primary strategies for attacking a fortress was to knock down the gates with a battering ram, rush in, and defeat the opposing army.

In the same way, we as the church are marching on, even against the fortresses of the enemy. And their gates will not prevail against us. Those gates eventually will fall, and we will triumph. We may lose a skirmish here and a battle there, but we will win the war. There’s no doubt about it. The truth of the gospel ultimately will prevail. Meanwhile, it’s up to us to fight the good fight of faith.

- greg laurie 

....forget

After wandering through the desert for forty years, Joshua led the nation of Israel across the Jordan River and set out to conquer the land of Canaan. Joshua had seen God lead the nation out of slavery in Egypt. He had witnessed the parting of the Red Sea and God's provision of food while in the desert. As the Israelites were led into the promised land, Joshua and the entire nation saw God answer their prayers and give them many victories in battle.

During this time of conquest, the nation was relatively united as they worshiped and served God. This generation had first hand experience of His majesty and power, of His love and concern for His children. However, when Joshua and the current generation died, things quickly changed.

"After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what He had done for Israel."Judges 2:10

In a single generation, the people forgot! In a single generation, the people lost their respect for God, their desire to worship, and their belief that the Lord was the one true God. How could a generation who walked in fellowship with God fail to transfer the message of truth? How could parents who knew God with such intimacy fail to teach their children who He was and how to love Him? How could an entire nation forget that their purpose for existence was to honor God and be a light to the world?

We who have been brought into the Light of Christ must diligently share our faith with others; "Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation" Joel 1:3. Our children and our friends will never receive the gift of eternal life because of OUR faith; rather, they must be told of God's love and come to Him through a deep and personal faith in Jesus.

We all know specific individuals who desperately need to know of His saving grace. We all know fellow believers who need to be encouraged in their faith; "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" Hebrews 10:24. Our churches are often gatherings for the depressed and troubled who have forgotten (or never heard) of the miraculous and loving works of God. May we never become silent about what He has done and continues to do!

We must never lose the awe of the incredible gift we have been given in Jesus. His sacrifice radically changed our eternity! An understanding of this gift ought to so fill our heart that we are compelled to share His ongoing gift with those we love and those God places in our path. We who have begun our walk with Christ should continually share our walk with others. We serve an AWESOME God! 

Let's be a light to the world and never let them forget.

- steve troxel