....thief

I heard the touching story of an Indian chief who had a reputation for being a really great leader. In fact it was said that he was always just, but he was also always loving. 

There had been some theft in his tribe and he needed to get to the bottom of it. So he set a trap with some goods that were left out, and he hoped that those would trap the thief. He only told two braves, and then those two braves waited. At dawn, they came to the chief's teepee. One brave entered, and said, "We have caught the thief." The chief said, "Good! We will sentence him to 20 lashes with the whip. Bring him in." 

To the shock and horror of the chief, when the braves brought in the thief, they brought in the chief's mother! Word spread very quickly through the tribe, because there was to be a punishment of 20 lashes with the whip. And the people began to say, "Well, now we'll find out which is greater, his justice or his love." 

At noon his mother was tied to a stake in the middle of the encampment, her garment was loosened to expose her back, and a warrior drew back his arm with the whip. And suddenly there was an order that cam e from the chief, "Stop!"

The people began to talk to each other and say, "Well, he's setting aside his justice for his love, isn't he? His love is greater than his justice." And that's when something happened that no one there would ever forget. The chief took off his robe, so that his back was exposed, placed his body between his mother and the whip and gave a two-word order, "The whip!" And that day, the punishment fell - 20 lashes, not on the one who deserved it, but on one who loved her enough to take the punishment that she deserved. That is what God's one and only Son did for you and for me.

"He carried our sins in His own body on the tree so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed."1 Peter 2:24

We've all broken God's laws; we've all broken God's heart by running the life He gave us to live for Him. There's a death penalty for that. I deserve the whip of God and so do you. But He said, "Take Me instead." When Jesus went to the cross, the punishment of God fell not on the one who deserved it (that's me), but on the one who loved you and loved me enough to take the punishment we deserved. God's love sent His one and only Son to die in your place.

John 3:16 says, "Whoever believes in Him will not die but will have everlasting life." Have you ever done that?  - in the sense of like grabbing Jesus consciously like a drowning person would grab a lifeguard. 

The Son of God has stood between you and the punishment of God. Now He stands in front of you with outstretched hands, nail-pierced hands. He's waiting for you to respond to His love. Please don't wait another day. 

.....living

Our Salvation is clearly a gift from God; "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith" (Ephesians 2:8). We did nothing to earn our Salvation and there is nothing we must now do to keep it, we simply must truly believe; "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

Though our sins are forgiven and Jesus is fully sufficient for Salvation - though we walk in grace and are absolutely free of condemnation - sin in our life still causes temporary separation and tension in our relationship with God. Therefore, over and over in scripture, we are called to a life of holiness: "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do" (1 Peter 1:14-15). Holiness is to receive top priority in our life; "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy" (Hebrews 12:14).

So why such an emphasis on holy living? After all, if we are saved by grace, our effort toward holiness plays no part in our Salvation. Right? The answer is found in examining our purpose for life beyond Salvation: "Therefore, I urge 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).

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love."2 Peter 1:5-7

After we are converted, we live to worship and glorify God; but this can only be done by growing in our faith and presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice. For any sacrifice to be pleasing to God, the sacrifice itself must be pure, and the one who presents the sacrifice must be holy. So when we "make every effort" toward a life of holiness, we don't do so in order to earn or maintain our Salvation; rather, we strive for holiness because we desire to truly worship our Heavenly Father with every heartbeat of our life.

We must never lose sight of God's wonderful gift given purely by His grace. But now our Father's plan is for us to be conformed to the likeness of His Son and live in a continual state of worship. His design for our life is that we mature in our faith and worship Him by living a holy life. 

....loved

 "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light." 1 Corinthinas 1:9-12

As Paul prayed for his disciples in the churches of Ephesus, Colosse, Philippi, and Thessalonica, he asked God to do what only God could do, to take the written word and make it a living epistle in their transformed lives. These are personalized, paraphrased scriptures which are powerful swords of the Spirit. Pray them for the many people for whom you are concerned that they keep growing up to maturity in Christ. God will delight to answer the desires of His own heart as you pray His own words for them.

Colossians 1:9-12

Father, I pray that You will fill (my loved one) with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

   that (they) may live a life worthy of You, Lord,

   that (they) may please You in every way,

   that (they) will bear fruit in every good work,

   that (they) will grow in the knowledge of You,

   that (they) will be strengthened with all power according to Your glorious might,

   that (they) may have great endurance and patience,

   that (they) will joyfully give thanks to You, Father, who has qualified them to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Today by Your Spirit may they  their inheritance in Christ Jesus be real.

.....restoration

When God sent His Son as the final sacrifice for our sin, He gave one basic command: "Believe in the one He has sent" John 6:29. Those who do not obey this final command (those who do not believe) are condemned to an eternal separation from God. But those who believe in Jesus Christ are restored!

"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." Hebrews 8:10

Relationship with God has always been based on belief - a belief that what God said is true. But for this belief to be real it was always expected to produce obedience. The wonder of our relationship today is that God gives us His law written on our heart and He gives us His Spirit to guide and strengthen us to obey; "And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws" Ezekiel 36:27.

Through belief in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sin, we become a "new creation" 2 Corinthians 5:17 with a new heart and new strength. What an awesome blessing!! By His grace we are completely restored into the relationship for which we were created - a relationship of love, a relationship of trust, and a relationship of obedience.

God's Word is true! If He is calling, do not turn away; "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts" Hebrews 3:7. Today, if you hear His voice, believe and be restored.

- steve troxel

....pavement

On one occasion when Jesus sent the disciples across the Sea of Galilee, a horrendous storm whipped up. They were afraid the waves would overtake them and drown them. It was so bad that they despaired of life. Then suddenly they saw Jesus walking to them on the water.

Commenting on this story, the great Bible teacher G. Campbell Morgan said, “He is coming over the very waves you are most afraid of. The very waves that threaten to buffet and break you to pieces are the pavement for His blessed feet.”

Sometimes the very things we fear the most are the tools that God will use in our lives to bring us closer to Him. 

- greg laurie

......playing

The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Paslm 121:8

One of my church members told about the time she was trying to put her three-year-old son to bed for a nap.When she was unsuccessful, she put him in her bed and laid down with him to encourage him to rest. She fell asleep, but he didn't. 

When she woke up, she saw him sitting on a chair at the end of the bed, and asked, "Luke, what are you doing?""I'm playing God," he replied.

"Playing God?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "I'm watching over you while you sleep."

Children understand more than we do sometimes. God IS watching over us. Jesus gave that promise here in talking about the coming of the Holy Spirit. Not only will God watch over us but through the presence and reminder of the Holy Spirit, we will be reminded of what it means to "Love Jesus and keep his commands." And God will help us to create the environment of love, grace, faith and security that we need for our homes today. 

Our challenge is to listen to the Holy Spirit and to trust Christ.

- billy d. strayhorn

....assurance

For forty years in the desert, the Israelites moved or stayed based on the movement of God's cloud. Being able to recognize God's "cloud" and sense its movement is one of our great challenges. For this challenge there is no answer but to draw closer to God through prayer, study, and worship. He will reveal Himself if we will wait and place all our hope and trust in Him. But when we hear Him call, we must be prepared to look beyond our ability and trust He knows our strengths...and our weaknesses.

After His death and resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples and many others. He called them to believe and tell the world of the truth. But with Peter, Jesus took time to speak directly and personally.

"When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you truly love Me more than these?'"John 21:15

Jesus used the word "agape," meaning absolute, unconditional love. With one simple question, Jesus was forcing Peter to analyze his faith. Peter had previously stated; "Even if all fall away, I will not" Mark 14:29. And even more boldly, he said; "Even if I have to die with You, I will never disown You" Mark 14:31.

And yet, Peter failed Jesus in the garden: "Are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?" Mark 14:37. Peter failed again when he denied Jesus three times - the third denial being violent: "Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, 'I don't know the man!'" Matthew 26:74. Peter knew how his actions had fallen tragically short, so he answered Jesus using the word "fileo" to say his love was more of a deep affection - a brotherly kind of love - not "agape."

Jesus continued His questioning until Peter finally replied; "You know all things, You know that I love You" John 21:17. In this statement, Peter was humbly saying that Jesus knew from experience his level of love...or his lack! But even with a complete understanding of Peter's weaknesses, Jesus still called: "Follow Me!" John 21:19. Jesus had a plan for Peter that would not be hindered by Peter's failures.

As we grow to a better understanding of God's love, we will ultimately face how small our love is by comparison. But let's take comfort that God knew our weaknesses when He called us into His Kingdom. He has a wonderful plan and will always provide what we lack in order to accomplish all He desires. 

There is nothing hidden from God. 

He knows everyone He calls; so let's boldly follow, in spite of our weaknesses! 

- steve troxel

....grace

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast Ephesians 2:8-9

I left work early so I could have some uninterrupted study time right before the final in my Youth Ministry class at Hannibal-LaGrange College in Missouri. 

When I got to class, everybody was doing their last minute studying. The teacher came in and said he would review with us for just a little bit before the test. We went through the review, most of it right on the study guide, but there were some things he was reviewing that I had never heard of. When questioned about it, he said that they were in the book and we were responsible for everything in the book. We couldn't really argue with that. 

Finally it was time to take the test. 

"Leave them face down on the desk until everyone has one and I'll tell you to start," our prof instructed. When we turned them over, every answer on the test was filled in! The bottom of the last page said the following: 

"This is the end of the Final Exam. All the answers on your test are correct. You will receive an 'A' on the final exam. The reason you passed the test is because the creator of the test took it for you. All the work you did in preparation for this test did not help you get the A. You have just experienced... grace." 

He then went around the room and asked each student individually, 

"What is your grade? 

Do you deserve the grade you are receiving? 

How much did all your studying for this exam help you achieve your final grade?" 

Now I am not a crier by any stretch of the imagination, but I had to fight back tears when answering those questions and thinking about how the Creator has passed the test for me. 

Discussion afterward went like this: "I have tried to teach you all semester that you are a recipient of grace. I've tried to communicate to you that you need to demonstrate this gift as you work with young people. Don't hammer them; they are not the enemy. Help them, for they will carry on your ministry if it is full of GRACE!" 

Talking about how some of us had probably studied hours and some just a few minutes but had all received the same grade, he pointed to a story Jesus told in Matthew 20. The owner of a vineyard hired people to work in his field and agreed to pay them a certain amount. Several different times during the day, he hired more workers. When it was time to pay them, they all received the same amount. When the ones who had been hired first thing in the morning began complaining, the boss said, "Should you be angry because I am kind?" Matthew 20:15. 

The teacher said he had never done this kind of final before and probably would never do it again, but because of the content of many of our class discussions, he felt like we needed to experience grace. 

Have you thanked your Creator today because of the grace you have experienced? 

....embroidery

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

When I was a little boy, my mother used to embroider a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. Looking at her work from the underside, I told her that it looked like a mess from where I was. 

As I watched her work within the boundaries of the little round hoop that she held in her hand, I complained to her that it sure looked messy from where I sat. She would smile at me, look down and gently say, "My son, you go about your playing for awhile, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on my knee and let you see it from my side." 

I would wonder why she was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so jumbled from my view. A few minutes would pass and then I would hear Mother's voice say, "Son, come and sit on my knee." This I did only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset. I could not believe it, because from underneath it looked so messy. 

Then Mother would say to me, "My son, from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing." 

Many times through the years I have looked up to my Heavenly Father and said, "Father, what are You doing?" He has answered, "I am embroidering your life." I say, "But it looks like a mess to me. It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can't they all be bright?" The Father seems to tell me, "'My child, you go about your business of doing My business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on My knee and you will see the plan from My side."

- david langerfeld

......command

When God led Moses and the people of Israel out of Egypt, He had many lessons for them to learn. While on the journey to the promised land, God taught His chosen people about living a life of worship and holiness; but He especially taught about the need for obedience and trust.

Though we often refer to Israel's forty years in the desert as a time of wandering, their movement was very carefully controlled. God gave directions through a cloud which settled over the tabernacle. The cloud appeared as a normal cloud during the day, and at night "the cloud looked like fire" Numbers 9:15. The movement of the people was directed by the movement of the cloud.

Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. At the Lord's command they encamped and at the Lord's command they set out.Numbers 9:22-23

During those forty years, God taught an entire generation the importance of looking to Him for their daily direction. When they set up camp, they did not know how long they would stay; and when they began to move, they did not know where they were going or how long they would travel. The importance of the journey was in the lessons of obedience and trust - in learning how to follow God's leading - not in the actual steps taken along the way.

Today, we are also on a journey to a land of promise, and God still has many lessons for us to learn: lessons of worship, holiness, trust, and obedience. We may not have the benefit of a cloud, but if we listen very carefully we can still "hear" His direction. The same God who directed the Israelites is directing us today, and He longs for us to trust Him and obediently follow.

One of our hardest lessons is to understand that God does not need us to move, nor does He need us to stay. God will accomplish ALL He desires with or without our assistance. But He does invite us to join Him and witness the awesome movement of His hand. He invites us to follow and walk with Him for all of our days.

Our Father is able to direct our steps much better than we can direct them ourselves. We must learn to listen for His leading by drawing near and living in His presence. Then, whether He says to stay or go, we must trust Him with all our heart and obediently move at the Lord's command. 

- steve troxel

....soaring

God often uses storms in our life to shape and mold us "to the likeness of His Son" Romans 8:29. James says that storms (or trials) are used to make us "mature and complete, not lacking anything" James 1:4. So when will all our storms end? Not until the process is complete. 

But there is certainly much more to our Christian walk than storm survival. As we mature and grow closer to our Heavenly Father, we will see more clearly His purpose and learn to actually rejoice during our times of difficulty. Rather than fight the wind, we will allow it to teach us and cause us to soar! The storms will continue to be a part of our life, but we will also experience seasons of great victory.

These seasons of victorious soaring WILL come! For they are as much a part of our journey as the storm. But they are equally a time of teaching - a time where we must be reminded to keep our eyes on Jesus and trust the guidance of His Spirit.

The Israelites had wandered forty years in the desert and were now ready to cross into the promised land of Canaan. But Moses warned them to never stop praising and trusting God: "When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God" Deuteronomy 8:10-11. Moses warned that when we fail to trust God during the peaceful times of blessing, we tend to forget and quickly become susceptible to our sinful pride.

"You may say to yourself, 'My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.' But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant."Deuteronomy 8:17-18

We must continually "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5. We must trust as the storm approaches and as the waves threaten to sink our boat; but we must also trust as the wind and waves are calmed. In fact, we must focus on trusting Him even more when the storm ceases. In difficult times, we are continually reminded of our need for God, but times of blessing can cause us to trust our own ability...and forget.

God desires far more than to just be available during our times of great need. He desires to walk with us in an intimate relationship every moment of the day. Let's continue to trust Him while we are sailing through the storm. 

- steve troxel

....discipline

Although not all storms are from God, He sometimes sends us into difficult situations to get our attention and draw us closer to Himself. These storms may be used to teach us basic truths or gently nudge us back onto His path. But the storms may also be used to make major corrections in our course or adjustments in our character. Each is a form of discipline. Each is given with His perfect love. And each should be viewed as a wonderful opportunity for growth.

"The Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?"Hebrews 12:6-7

The discipline we endure while in the storm teaches us who we really are, who God really is, and the importance of our eternal relationship with Him. When we receive the gift of Salvation through faith in Jesus, we are adopted as children of God; "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ" Romans 8:17. Our Heavenly Father loves us simply because we are His children, not because of what we do or accomplish. He desires nothing more than for His children to say, "I love You, Daddy!" But He also loves us enough to shape and mold us until we are "conformed to the likeness of His Son" Romans 8:29.

None of us have yet been perfected. We are all flawed vessels with many rough edges, and the process of being conformed to the likeness of Jesus - the process of smoothing rough edges - can be quite uncomfortable: "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" Hebrews 12:11.

We have so much "self" that gets in the way of our relationship with God, so many hindrances to truly loving Him and following where He leads. We must desire a closeness with God above all else. So much so, that we are willing to pray: "Heavenly Father, do NOT withhold Your hand of discipline from my life. I submit to Your molding and shaping and ask that You remove anything which stands between us."

His hands of discipline are always purposeful and precise, and administered with great love. They are never out of control like so many angry hands of the world. His hands welcomed us into His Kingdom by grace and are now there to guide us on a wonderful journey. Our values and goals will begin to change as we draw closer to God and keep our eyes focused on Jesus. But along the way, as our rough edges are continually smoothed, we must learn a joyful submission to His loving hands of discipline.

- steve troxel

.....unexpected

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose Romans 8:28

During World War II, a man in Sussex, England, sent some money to the Scripture Gift Mission.  He enclosed a letter saying that he longed to give more, but the harvest on his farm had been very disappointing because of a lack of water. He was also fearful because German bombs were being dropped in the area, and his family and farm were at risk. He asked the workers of Scripture Gift Mission to pray that no bombs would fall on his land.

Mr. Ashley Baker wrote back from the mission and said that while he didn't feel led to pray that exact prayer, he had prayed that God's will for their lives would prevail. Shortly after, a huge German missile crashed down on the farm. None of the man's family or livestock were harmed, but the bombshell went so far into the ground that it liberated a submerged stream. The stream yielded enough water to irrigate the man's farm as well as neighboring farms. The next year, due to a bountiful harvest, the man was able to send a large offering to the mission.

Sometimes even "bombs" are blessings. They fall from heaven, make a lot of noise, and liberate something wonderful within us - streams of living water that refresh us and draw us closer to Christ.

- david jeremiah

.....circled

 "You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north." Deuteronomy 2:3

Will the second half of this year be any different than first half?  

Will you "press on" in your faith this year or will you continue to wallow in self-pity or live in the "Land of  What If" or the "Land of If Only"?  Will you focus on what lies ahead or will you continue to focus on your past?

Ruth Graham penned this challenge.  "Either we can be victimized and become victims, or we can be victimized and rise above it. Often it is easier to play the victim than take off our masks and ask for help. We get comfortable with our victim status. It becomes our identity and is hard to give up. The Israelites often played the victim card, and I love what God finally tells them, 'You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north' Deuteronomy 2:3.  

Turn north! It's time to move on! Self-pity, fear, pride, and negativity paralyze us. Taking off our masks takes courage, but if we don't do it, we will remain in our victim status and end up stunted."

What about you?

Do you keep talking and talking and talking about something you just can't get over?

Are you living in the past because you just can't "let it go"?

Do you keep wallowing in self-pity wondering what "could have been"?

Have you discussed it over and over with different people, but you've never taken action?

Have you worried and worried about it, but you've never done anything?

Are you still living in misery because it's something you can't forgive or forget?

Have you circled and circled and circled this issue all of your life?

    The time has come!!!

    You have circled this mountain long enough.  Now turn north!!!

- david langerfeld

.....storm

Immediately after feeding five thousand men, plus women and children, with five loaves of bread and two fish, "Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side" Matthew 14:22. The disciples had begun to cross the Sea of Galilee when a storm arose which caused them to "strain against the oars" Mark 6:48. It was the middle of the night, and after already rowing about three and a half miles they found themselves fighting against the wind and waves.

Why had this happened? The disciples had done exactly what Jesus told them to do and now they were facing a major struggle. They had clearly heard and obeyed but they were still confronting a very difficult situation. Jesus walked on the water, called Peter out of the boat to join Him, and then miraculously calmed the storm. But couldn't the struggles have been avoided by telling the disciples to simply wait until morning to travel?

This wasn't the first time the disciples faced a storm with Jesus. During a prior boat ride, Jesus had been asleep when the storm arose: "The disciples went and woke Him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!'" Matthew 8:25. When Jesus calmed the wind and waves of this first storm, the disciples asked each other "What kind of man is this?" Matthew 8:27. During the first crisis, the disciples saw Jesus as an amazing man. But now, in the middle of the night as their faith continued to grow, when Jesus again calmed the storm, the disciples began to understand.

"Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, 'Truly You are the Son of God.'"Matthew 14:33

I do not believe that all storms are directly from God; but as was the case with the disciples, Jesus often sends us into a storm for the purpose of revealing Himself and drawing us closer to His side. While in the middle of a storm, we can see God's love and witness His ability to protect, strengthen, and guide. "These {storms} have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" 1 Peter 1:7.

Our Father loves us very much. He loves us enough to give us His Son as a sacrifice for our sin; enough to give us His Spirit as our guide; enough to never leave us, and enough to finish the good work He began in our lives. Let's receive His love and learn to rejoice in ALL things. Let's learn to look with new eyes and see His hand working around us each and every day. Let's praise Him and look for new revelations of His love, even as we are sent into the storm.

- steve troxel

....telling

Many years ago some prospectors were panning for gold in Montana when one of them found an unusual stone. Breaking it open, he saw that it contained gold. Working eagerly, the men soon discovered an abundance of the precious metal. 

With an unrestrained delight they shouted, "We've found it! We've found gold! We're rich!" 

Before going into town for supplies, they agreed not to tell a soul about their find. While in town, not one of them breathed a word about their discovery. 

When they were about to return to camp, though, a group of men had gathered and were ready to follow them. "You've found gold," the group said.

"Who told you?" asked the prospectors.   "No one," they replied.  "Your faces showed it!" 

It's much like that when a person discovers Christ. The joy of sins forgiven and a new relationship with Him shows on that person's face and in His transformed life. 

Those miners, of course, wanted to keep quiet about their find, but we as Christians should be eager to let people know about ours. Finding Christ is life's greatest discovery, and our joy increases when we share it with others.

As believers, our highest delight is both in finding and telling. 

 

....follow

When Jesus walked on the earth, He called a few select people to follow Him as He ministered. There was something irresistible about His call, something that opened eyes to a new reality and caused a radical change.

"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?"Luke 9:23-25

Peter, James and John were partners in a small fishing business on the Sea of Galilee. This was their source of support for themselves as well as their families. Yet when they heard the call to become "fishers of men," they eagerly responded; "So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him" Luke 5:11.

Matthew (also called Levi) was a tax collector - a Jew appointed by the Roman government to collect taxes from his Jewish brothers. As a tax collector, Matthew made a good living, but he walked away from his life of security when Jesus called: "'Follow Me,' Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed Him" Luke 5:27-28.

In the Old Testament, Abraham moved his entire household to follow God without even knowing where he was being sent Genesis 12:1-5. Moses, at eighty years old, left the peaceful life of tending flocks to follow God's call to confront Pharaoh (Exodus 3). And Elisha completely destroyed his old way of life when Elijah called: "He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people. Then he set out to follow Elijah" 1 Kings 19:21.

Answering the call to follow will always require a change, but the change may not be in physical location, profession, or status. The change may not always bring hardship. King Solomon followed God and was the richest man on earth. Joseph followed God and was the second most powerful man in Egypt. 

There is definitely a change involved with taking up our cross and following, but the real change occurs in the heart. It's a change where we learn "the secret of being content...whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" Philippians 4:12. It's a change where we leave our old values and priorities and find complete fulfillment in Christ.

As we draw closer to our Heavenly Father, we will find His call to be irresistible. We will learn the freedom and power of daily being led by His Spirit. And, as with many others who have gone before, we will NEVER regret answering the call to leave everything and follow.

- steve troxel

.....will

During the late 50's and early 60's, a man by the name of Bobby Richardson played second base for the NY Yankees. Bobby Richardson was nominated as MVP of the American League nine times. 

He played in seven All-star Games. He won five Gold Glove Awards. And he was the only man in baseball history to ever win the World Series MVP Award while playing for the losing team.

In the later years of Bobby Richardson's career, he coached the baseball team at Liberty University. The reason such a great player was willing to coach at a Christian university was because Bobby Richardson was himself a committed follower of Jesus Christ.

During a speech at a meeting of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Bobby Richardson was called upon to pray and here is his prayer:  "Dear God, Your will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. Amen."

May that be our prayer today.  "Dear God, Your will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.  Amen." 

- david langerfeld

.....others

I heard a story about a student named Donald MacDonald from the Isle of Skye (in Scotland), who was admitted into the prestigious Oxford University, and was living in the hall of residence in his first year there. His clan was so excited that one of their own had made it into the upper class of education, but they were concerned how he would do in "that strange land."  After the first month, his mother came to visit.

"And how do you find the English students, Donald?" she asked.

"Mother," he replied in his thick brogue. "They're such terrible, noisy people.  The one on that side keeps banging his head against the wall, and won't stop.  The one on the other side screams and screams and screams, away into the night."

"Oh Donald!  How do you manage to put up with these awful noisy English neighbors?"

"Mother, I do nothing.  I just ignore them.  I just stay here quietly...   playing my bagpipes..."

Sometimes it helps to realize that when we find people to be so irritating, it may well be that they find us to be the same (and perhaps for better reason).  Even deeds done with the best of intentions can be irritating, Solomon said, "He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it will be counted a curse to him." Proverbs 27:14

I suppose we could ask ourselves the question, "What am I doing that may be irritating others around me?"  But I think we would be better served to ask it in a more positive way:  "What am I doing to be a blessing to others around me?"

"A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!" Proverbs 15:23

- david langerfeld

......shine

After walking with His disciples for three years, Jesus gave the command to "go and make disciples of all nations" Matthew 28:19. Jesus taught them the full gospel message and revealed the wonderful truths about our Heavenly Father; "I have made You known to them and will continue to make You known" John 17:26.

The disciples had been blessed with an awesome knowledge of the truth and now had the responsibility to take this message to all the nations, "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" Matthew 28:20. But this was not a new command. Toward the beginning of His ministry, Jesus taught about the need to share our true life in Christ.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men."Matthew 5:14-16

When we place our faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin we are "rescued from the dominion of darkness" Colossians 1:13. Where darkness once ruled, the Light of Jesus now reigns supreme; "Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life" John 8:12. Receiving His free gift of light allows us to see His path. It should also light the path for others to follow!

Being given the Light of Christ is an awesome blessing, but with this gift also comes a very real responsibility. Every day God gives us opportunities to share our faith, to share our light. But when we keep silent, we cover our lamp and deprive our flame of vital oxygen. It doesn't take long for such a flame to begin to weaken, flicker, and die!

We must keep the fire going by sharing our faith! As a child of God, we have become "Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us" 2 Corinthians 5:20. Though God doesn't need us to accomplish His work, He has invited (even commanded) us to play a part in His wonderful plan. The world was spiritually dark when Jesus arrived, and there remains many areas of darkness today. We have the responsibility, and the privilege, of helping to light one small corner, of pushing back the darkness with our light.

Let's faithfully share the truth of Jesus wherever we are sent. When we receive the Light of Christ, we should no more keep it to ourselves than we should keep our breath inside our body once we are born (neither are very healthy). This precious gift, given by grace through faith, comes with a command. We must continue to hold the Light high and let it shine! 

- steve troxel

.....way

And he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.  Matthew 13:58

It sure was frustrating, but it turned out to be my own fault. Let me explain. I was standing in front of the television set trying to get a new DVD to play. The DVD began to play, but when I would walk away, it would abruptly stop playing. The power to the DVD player would turn itself off and the entire screen would go blank.

I walked back to the silly thing and tried it again. And again the process repeated itself. It worked fine for a while, and when I walked away - it shut down once more.

Finally, I was determined to get the thing working right. I stood there and turned the thing on again. (I was getting pretty good at it by now) I watched the FBI copyright warning scroll across the screen. The Menu Window appeared. I selected a scene. I pressed the Play button. And I watched for a full 30 seconds to make certain it really was going to work this time. The movie was now in full swing, so I walked away.

And the power shut itself off and the screen went blank once again! Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!  If I had any hair left, I'd pull it out. I looked at my wife -- who by now was bent over laughing herself silly -- and then I looked over at my desk. And then I saw it. I had inadvertently laid my laptop down on top of the DVD remote control. And it was pushing the OFF button. When I walked to the television set to turn the DVD player on, I walked into the path of the remote control, thereby blocking the OFF signal it was sending. Everything worked fine until I moved out of the signal path and the OFF message was once again transmitted. I had gotten in the way -- and that caused my frustration.

You know, sometimes we get in the way of God, don't we? We do it when we have a lack of faith.

In the Bible, we read of a specific incident where the people doubted the power and authority and position of Jesus Christ. And the Word tells us "And He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief." Matthew 13:58

I think that happens a lot in our lives today. God wants to do mighty works in, through and around us - but we get in his way by doubting. Think about it. How many times have you heard this... "We've never done it that way before" or "This is how we've always done it in the past." That's another way of saying "We're going to limit what we allow God to do by putting guidelines on how He can work - He's got to do things like we've always done before." 

Or, how many times have you felt the Lord leading you to do something, but you don't do it because reason says it's illogical and doesn't make any sense at all to us. That's another way of saying "We're going to limit what we allow God to do by only attempting man-sized tasks that make sense to man's logic and can be accomplished by man's ways."

God is a great big God and He wants to do "mighty works" -- but sometimes we get in the way. We think in terms of the traditions we've gotten accustomed to, or we analyze things by man's abilities instead of God's. And then we wonder why the screen goes blank and the power shuts off. Maybe it's because we stopped believing that God can accomplish the miraculous.

Christian, our God is an awesome God. And I believe He wants to do "mighty works" in our midst even today. What about you and me? Will we put our complete faith in Him and see what He will do... or will we get in the way?

- david langerfeld

.....through

It's a great privilege to be part of God's creation. Through the beauty of this world we have the honor to view "God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature" Romans 1:20. Every plant and animal; every hill, valley and body of water; every star in the sky and every man, woman and child declare the glory of God and attest to His majesty. And yet, as glorious as this world may be...it is not our home.

"Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body." Philippians 3:19-21

When we place our trust in Jesus, He provides a way for us to be united with God and "adopted as His sons" Ephesians 1:5. We are adopted by grace and become "fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household" Ephesians 2:19. If we could gain even a small understanding of "God's household," we would hold very loosely any of our attachments to this world.

Abraham lived his life by faith. When God called Abraham to pack all his household and move, he obeyed "even though he did not know where he was going" Hebrews 11:8. Abraham was never concerned with his earthly dwelling; he was "longing for a better country - a Heavenly one" Hebrews 11:16. Abraham honored God through faith while remaining an "alien and a stranger on earth" Hebrews 11:13.

We have been placed in this world with all its beauty and with all its temptations. In fact, when we give our life to Christ, we are sent into the world for a purpose; "As You have sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world" John 17:18. But we must NEVER become identified by the values of the world or driven by anything it can offer. We are sent into the world, but we must not be part of the world system; "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it" John 17:16.

Our home is defined as the place we feel most comfortable, the place we store our treasures and find rest for our soul. If we are a child of God, our eternal home is in His presence and we ought to be able to say, "Take everything I own but leave me Jesus and I will have enough!" 

This world can be VERY beautiful, and our lives in this world should always be a productive expression of worship for our Lord. But we must remember that our citizenship is in Heaven, and for all the days we walk this earth, we must walk as though we are just passing through!

- steve troxel

.....question

We seem to spend an enormous amount of time evaluating questions about our future: what school we will attend, what job we will work, who we will marry, and where we will live. These are important questions and deserve careful consideration. But have we given proper thought to the question which determines our eternal future?

If the Bible is simply a collection of stories and the thoughts of crazy men, then there is no eternity and you need read no further - the next several years are all we have, so make the most of them. But if the Bible is, in some form, a message from and about God, then there is nothing of greater importance! His message says we continue to live long after our physical body ceases to breathe. Though we pass from this earth, we continue to live - we either live in eternal joy and peace, or eternal anguish and separation. There is no greater question: Where WILL we spend eternity?

When Jesus died, He was nailed to a cross along with two other men. These men were thieves and both mocked Jesus for claiming to be the Son of God. But at some point during those long hours on the cross, one of the men demonstrated a changed heart and had his eternal future radically altered.

"'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.'" Luke 23:40-41

In the last moment of life, this common thief pointed the way to eternal peace. He recognized his sin and understood he deserved death. We ALL sin and fall short of God's standard; and this sin deserves death, eternal separation from God. But praise God we need not dwell in this hopeless state. The thief turned from his sin, toward Jesus as the One who would conquer death; "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom" Luke 23:42.

Though the thief had nothing to give, he surrendered ALL. God's Word never says there are specific acts which determine our eternal future. We are simply told to believe in Jesus with such a belief that we call out with complete surrender. When the thief recognized and turned from his sin, with humility toward Jesus as his only hope, Jesus answered as He promises to answer us today; "I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise" Luke 23:43.

In that moment, the thief had his answer. No longer a thief but a Child of God, he would live forever in joy and peace. Let's not allow another day to go by without knowing where we will spend eternity! 

Have we recognized and turned from the sin within our heart? Have we humbly placed our life in His hands? 

Do we really believe? 

Today, let's make sure we know the answer to the most important question.

- steve troxel

.....legacy

"Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, "This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.' Therefore, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me.'"Jeremiah 35:18-19

 

Imagine being part of a family in which every generation has served the Lord going back thousands of years! Such is the case of Jehonadab's family. He is first mentioned in 2 Kings 10 and a second time in the book of Jeremiah chapter 35. We know little to nothing of his ancestry and even less about his descendants — except for one very important detail: 

"… Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me." 

Every generation from that day forward would serve the Lord. This is the desire of every godly family ever! Because his sons obeyed their fathers' instructions faithfully, God blessed them with this enormous detail. 

Today, it is very common to hear young people speak of their ancestral customs as old-fashioned; how they lived has no place in today's world. Today's young men and women have strayed from churches, and from God, because that was their parents' religion and, therefore, not for them. It is disheartening to see churches emptied of youth because serving the Lord is outdated. I would love to meet a descendant of Jehonadab today and ask them how they are doing it! 

In my family, serving the Lord began with my parents. My siblings and I have carried the torch for a second generation. Our greatest desire is that our children, too, will serve the Lord; not because we did it, but because we instilled in them a love for their Lord and Savior. 

I don't think that Jehonadab was looking to leave a legacy for his children, rather he wanted his children to obey the Lord's commandments. I am positive that he led by example and that is why his children had no problem doing the same. He left a legacy of obedience and love for the Lord - and that is the very best thing we could do for our children, and their children…   

....trust

Hezekiah became the king of Judah soon after the northern tribes of Israel had been taken captive by the Assyrians. Judah was now being threatened by this same Assyrian army. Hezekiah was young and had a strong desire to do right in the eyes of God, but his faith was being greatly tested.

Seeing his kingdom would soon be under attack, Hezekiah sought help through an alliance with Egypt. Though this alliance was not wrong in itself, the action was taken out of fear and without consulting God. This action was not only foolish, it was sin!

"Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord." Isaiah 31:1

Hezekiah made the same mistake all too common among believers today. We say we believe God's Word is true, but fail to trust Him with the real trials of our life. It was easier for Hezekiah to place his trust in what he could see, than in the Hand of God which he "believed" but remained unseen.

When the Assyrians actually attacked Jerusalem, Hezekiah's faith had greatly increased. As he spoke with his soldiers, Hezekiah demonstrated full confidence in God.

"Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." 2 Chronicles 32:7-8

Where do we turn when the enemy threatens? If our faith is restricted to the inside of church walls on Sunday morning, we are definitely ill-prepared. We must learn to walk in the presence of God all through our day so we KNOW God is with us.

When we trust Him and love Him with ALL our heart, we begin to walk in victory regardless of the physical outcome of a particular battle. God may certainly direct us to protect ourselves, avoid conflict, or seek the best medical treatments available; but with our eyes firmly set on Jesus, we must understand the real war has already been won. 

This truth is worth repeating! Regardless of the outcome in each of life's many battles, the end of the Book has already been written...Jesus wins!! When we are under attack, let's put substance to our faith and allow our lives to demonstrate in Whom we trust!

- steve troxel

...all

 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help[at all times] in trouble." Psalm 46:1 [words in italics are mine]

Stress. Discouragement. Sadness. Fear. These and many more have the power to make us feel as if God has completely abandoned us to our own fates. They attack our joy, our home, and our self-esteem, BUT God is present in every one of our darkest circumstances; leaning in to comfort us and be our strength. As we seek God's face and learn to rely on Him, we have but to look up and see Him in all His wondrous Creation!  

 

Uncertainty has been the new stress in many of our lives in the last few years as we have seen an increase in pandemics and natural disasters. I have heard more "end time" conversations out of church than ever before. Christians and non-Christians alike are fearful of what disaster may come next. They nervously watch the news wondering if our country will be struck with the next devastating earthquake, or tornado, or if the tsunami waves across the ocean would be strong enough to reach our shores. 

I, too, have been among that audience and have found myself drawn into the worry of unpredictable weather and precarious illnesses. If you find yourself among the fearful and uncertain, then I pray that Psalm 46 can be a source of encouragement for you today. 

This Psalm is a song praising the Almighty; God in all His glory! Our Lord who controls the wind and the seas obey His voice; our God who moves the mountains with His mighty hand says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  

I believe that all that is happening in our world today is God trying to call us back to Him; that we might allow Him to be our refuge in times of trouble. Know that our God, in all His power, wisdom, and love, is the Lord of all and He will give you the strength you need to face all the uncertainty today might bring. 

....kind

"One day an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.  'Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'  Jesus replied, 'What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?' The man answered, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 'You have answered correctly.' Jesus replied. 'Do this and you will live!'". Luke 10:25-28

There is a quote I have often seen which says: "Be kind. For everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about." It can be easy to fall into the routine of life; the little mundane things that we do without thinking and not be aware of others. However, one thing we should always remember is to be kind and take a moment to be as Jesus to those we encounter. Whether it be to the cashier who is trying to hurry through a long line of customers, the person who cuts in front of you on the freeway, or even your own children as they ask the 100th question of the day! BE KIND. 

As the quote above says, everyone is facing a battle. Some may be experiencing sadness and grief as they remember their loved ones who have passed away. Others may struggle with loneliness or depression. Some may feel additional stress as they may be struggling financially. The truth is we don't know what every person is experiencing. 

But just as the good Samaritan took a moment to stop and show compassion on the wounded traveler, so should we be ready to show compassion to those around us… our neighbors.  

......fear

In these times of great uncertainty - with concern about things like war, terrorism, the economy, our health and the health of our children - let's always remember, our Heavenly Father is the Creator of the Universe. He formed the Heavens and the Earth out of nothing, and, as we place our trust in Him, He has given a basic promise: "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). His desire is for us to draw nearer in our love and worship, and allow His Spirit to remove all fear.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."Psalm 46:1-3

Although we are uncertain what tomorrow may bring, we ought to have confidence in the One who has promised to walk with us through all our tomorrows and guide us home. If we believe Jesus died for our sin, rose again in victory over death, and is seated at the right hand of the Father - if we surrender our life to who He is and what He has done - our eternal home has been firmly established; "Our citizenship is in Heaven" Philippians 3:20. 

As a child of the Sovereign King, as one who believes in our eternal future, we no longer have reason to fear; "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship" Romans 8:15.

We no longer have a reason...but still we fear. The unknown is scary and makes us feel out of control. But as we pray for an end to violence, and as we strive to make this world safer, better educated, and more prosperous, and as we continually pray for healing, we must understand there is only one true solution to our fear.

Our fear will only be removed as we love the Lord with ALL our heart, soul, mind and strength. When we understand that our life is not our own, we will love with a complete abandonment to His desire. We will pray and live each day with the surrender demonstrated by Christ; "Father...not My will, but Yours be done" Luke 22:42. As we live each day to bring Him glory and honor, fear WILL begin to fade: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear" 1 John 4:18.

Yes, these days, and all days, contain some uncertainty. If we continue to focus on what we can see, there will always be uncertainties. But our faith, hope, and joy are in His eternal glory, not in this world which will one day pass away. Let's refuse to let our fear of the unknown cripple our love or service for God; there is still much work He has for us to do. Let's pray that our love will increase, that our worship will intensify, and that we will boldly stand up and proclaim, "We will not fear!" 

- steve troxel