.....enough

I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt. Jer 31:4

Don't allow anybody but God to tell you what you're worth! That's too much power to give anyone. If people can label you, they can limit you.  Until you know how God feels about you, you'll know neither your worth as an individual nor your life's purpose. You'll worry about how you look, what others think, and whether or not you're going to succeed in life.

But when you believe God's promise, 'I have loved you with an everlasting love... I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt' Jer. 31:3- 4, you're free to focus on improving and reaching your God-given potential. What life has torn down, God can rebuild.

Today, if you're suffering from lack of self-worth, here's a prayer to help you: 'Father, sometimes I think I'm of no use, that I can't do anything right, that nothing I do is ever good enough. But I know that when You look at who I am, and who I can be - You see Jesus. And He is even more than "good enough"!  

It's good enough that He shed His precious blood to cover my unworthiness.

    Good enough that He paid the price for every sin I would ever commit.

    Good enough that He's working to perfect me each day.

    Good enough that He sees me as 'righteous' in Christ.

    Good enough that He's interceding for me at the throne of God right now.

    Good enough that He's mending the broken areas of my life and making me whole.

    Good enough that His love for me is everlasting and guaranteed.

Thank You, Father, that everything Jesus does is "good enough", and that in Him, I am "good enough" too!'

.....anxious

A consistent trust ought to invade all areas of our life, how we must be able to trust God for our eternity as well as our daily walk. A good measure of our trust is in our level of anxiety.

Being anxious, or having anxiety, is defined as being mentally troubled with worry or concern. Unfortunately, we have all been battling anxiety ever since Adam ate the forbidden fruit and tried in vain to hide from God; "I heard You in the garden, and I was afraid" Genesis 3:10. The negative effects of anxiety were understood three thousand years ago when King Solomon wrote his proverbs of wisdom; "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up" Proverbs 12:25.

Anxiety remained a necessary topic as Paul preached the Good News of Jesus. Almost in the same breath that he gave instruction to "Rejoice in the Lord always!" Philippians 4:4, Paul taught on removing anxiety from our life; "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" Philippians 4:6.

When we find ourselves being overly concerned or mentally troubled about ANYTHING, we must go to God (with thanksgiving) and give our burdens to Him. This doesn't mean we ignore our problems, but we must learn to view the things of this world against the backdrop of eternity. The concerns of this life always fade as we compare them to the eternal glory of His Kingdom.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry {or be anxious} about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."Matthew 6:25,34

When we feel weighed down, pressured, or stressed - when concerns are coming in fast motion from all directions and we don't know where to begin - we must stop and take a long, deep breath! We must refocus on Jesus and His Word. We must be reminded of eternity in the presence of a loving God and diligently seek His Kingdom; "make every effort to enter that rest" Hebrews 4:11.

As we draw closer to our Heavenly Father, our eyes become adjusted to His light and we see He has already given all we really need. As we love Him more, all fear is removed: "perfect love drives out fear" 1 John 4:18. And as we trust Him more and more, we will receive His gift of peace and no longer live with the burdening weight of an anxious heart.

- steve troxel

.....shift

Bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. May the Lord that made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion Psalm 134:1-3

Years ago when I was attending seminary, I worked the night shift on occasion. It paid a little more money than the day shift, but I was a bit lonely. If you've ever had to work the night shift, you will appreciate Psalm 134.

God never slumbers or sleeps. Therefore, we can serve and praise Him any time of day. The psalmist says there were priests who prayed and praised God in His temple at night. There was a constant repetition of praise and prayer from the temple.

We can bless the Lord in the night seasons. It's not easy when we are going through the nighttime experiences of life to lift our hands and bless the Lord. But He does give us songs in the night. Paul and Silas were able to lift their hearts in praise to God while in the Philippian jail Acts 16.

They were on the night shift. They knew that God was awake, so they blessed Him, and He sent deliverance. We can get some strange blessings in the night seasons, for God speaks to us in different ways. Others may not see your praise at night, but God sees and hears.

Whether you are in the sunshine or in the darkness, whether you are serving on the day shift or the night shift, remember that you are serving the Lord. Because He never slumbers or sleeps, He hears your prayer and praise at all times, and He will bless you.

.....rely

 "...But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us..." 2 Corinthians 1:9-10

"Rely not on yourselves, but on God...
   He delivered us...
      He will deliver us...
         He will continue to deliver us..." 

I quit!

I've tried my best to live
   ...as God expects me to
   ....as my family expects me to
I want to do the best, but I always fail.

I give up!
There's no use trying!
I just fail...

I?

"Rely not on 'yourselves', but on God...
   He delivered us
   He will deliver us
   He will continue to deliver us"

Again and again and again
   like food,
   like sleep,
   God will give us strength every day.

"Rely not on yourselves, but on God."

.....trust

God's plan will often allow trials for the purpose of bringing us to a greater understanding of His glory. God's desire is for us to turn our eyes from the things we can see and begin to trust the things which are unseen; "for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" 2 Corinthians 4:18.

This lesson is obviously important as we face extreme hardship, but it's even more necessary as the trials begin to fade. The temporary things of this world (even the good wholesome things) will never satisfy the deep longing of our heart. We will always hunger for more until we place the entirety of our life firmly in the unseen hand of God - the same loving hand which holds all of creation.

Trusting in what we cannot see is the very essence of our faith; "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" Hebrews 11:1. We will never find true contentment and peace until we completely "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5. Our trust should be consistent and invade every area of our life.

If we say we trust that Jesus Christ, who "was with God in the beginning" John 1:2, and who, "being in very nature God" Philippians 2:6 came to die so we may live - "in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" Ephesians 1:7 - then we must also completely trust that "God works for the good of those who love Him" Romans 8:28. Saying we trust in Jesus for our eternity without trusting Him to love and guide us through our daily walk is like trusting in the need for air while refusing to breathe. Both are a false trust and will ultimately lead to death.

"He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32

God loves us so much that He gave us His absolute best; "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:8. This love assures us He will give exactly what we require to become sons and daughters who glorify His name. God will not give up on a project which cost Him the life of His Son; "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion" Philippians 1:6.

When we give God our life through faith in Jesus, we must also trust He will not allow the fire to get hotter than we can stand or the load heavier than we can bear - He will never leave us nor forsake us Hebrews 13:5. Let's trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins and then focus on what is eternal as we give Him a lifetime of consistent trust.

- steve troxel

.....course

Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the LORD 1 Chron 21:18-19.

In 1857, an American businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier was sent out by his local church to begin a noon-day prayer meeting on Fulton Street, right around the corner from Wall Street in New York City. A simple prayer, a willing heart, and an act of obedience resulted in city transformation throughout the United States.

However, at that very first meeting, no one showed up in the first 35 minutes.  But Jeremiah waited. Gradually, six people wandered into the room at 35 minutes past the hour. Six months later, 10,000 people were meeting for prayer throughout New York City. This led to one of the greatest spiritual renewals in the United State’s history.

What would have happened if Lanphier had decided to abandon the idea after 30 minutes? 

It only takes one man or woman who is willing to be obedient to be used by God to impact a workplace, city, or even an entire nation. Simple obedience can lead to things you cannot imagine. Are you willing to be used by God? 

- os hillman

.....healing

Mary and Martha watched Lazarus become increasingly sick. They knew the healing power of Jesus and had sent for His help, but by the time Jesus arrived Lazarus had died. The sisters were filled with sorrow and cried out; "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died" John 11:21,32. At this, Jesus was troubled and compassionately wept with those who had gathered John 11:35.

Jesus genuinely cared about the sorrow and pain of those who knew and loved Lazarus. But remember, Jesus had intentionally allowed Lazarus to die; "when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days" John 11:6. And if Jesus really wanted to heal Lazarus, He would not have even needed to be near. When He healed the royal official's son (who was in a bed twenty miles away), He did so by simply speaking a word: "You may go. Your son will live" John 4:50.

Yes, Jesus allowed Lazarus to die. For in God's all-knowing plan, the need to strengthen the faith of those around Lazarus was more important than healing his illness. "Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?'"John 11:40

God had prepared a miracle which would cause many others to believe and bring glory and honor to His name: "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me...I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that You sent Me" John 11:41,42. Jesus then proceeded to raise Lazarus from the dead! "Lazarus, come out!" John 11:43.

We've all been in bad situations which have caused us to cry out and wonder why God didn't just make things "right." Why didn't He remove the enemy, restore our finances, or take away the hurt? And how many times have we become burdened by the apparent injustice in the world; "I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked...surely in vain have I kept my heart pure" Psalm 73:3,13.

God has the ability to "fix" every situation, but His plan is so much more - though I confess I do not always understand the process. His plan is for us to know Him and His glory; to trust Him and grow while being strengthened through every trial; to continue to be "conformed to the likeness of His Son" Romans 8:29. His plan is to prepare us for an eternity in His presence.

We must trust God to refine and strengthen our faith, even if by fires which He did not cause! No matter what trials we face, we must trust that "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" Romans 8:28. Our job is to love Him! And, as we do, we must continue to believe that He is at work in our lives (even right now) accomplishing a true and eternal healing.

- steve troxel

.....recurring

Pray without ceasing 1 Thessalonians 5:17

One of the shortest verses in the Bible is a mystery to some people: “Pray without ceasing” 1 Thessalonians 5:17. One rule for Bible Study is comparing Scripture with Scripture, and here in 1 Thessalonians we have several clues as to how we can "pray without ceasing". In Chapter 1 Paul said, “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith” verses 2-3.

Notice the word “always” - "We give thanks to God 'always' for you." Then notice how Paul said he was remembering without ceasing your work of faith. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13, he said, “We also thank God without ceasing.” Paul obviously had other prayers and thanksgivings he offered and other things he remembered. He was telling them they were constantly coming up in his thoughts and prayers.

Praying without ceasing is something we do constantly, not necessarily continuously. In other words, prayer should be constantly recurring. This requires an attitude of diligence and trust. It also helps to have some regular habits of prayer. Perhaps you can devise some triggers and prompts that will remind you to pray at certain moments. Heaven-bound believers never say a final prayer. Our fellowship with God is eternal.

"Fear not because your prayer is stammering, your words feeble, and your language poor. Jesus can understand you." J. C. Ryle

"Pray the largest prayers. You cannot think a prayer so large that God, in answering it, will not wish you had made it larger. Pray not for crutches, but for wings!"   Phillips Brooks

"A prayerless Christian is like a bus driver trying alone to push his bus out of a rut because he doesn’t know Clark Kent is on board."  John Piper

.....compassion

As we open our hearts to minister to those around us, we soon discover we live in an imperfect world full of sickness, heartache, and frustrations. Many of us (many more than we realize) are facing trials which are sometimes quite severe. When we are finally invited into someone's private world and allowed to hear of their pain, it can be difficult to know what to do or say.

As we grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus, we learn of His truths: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances" 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. We understand and usually have some actual experience with God's loving plan and purpose; "in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him" Romans 8:28. But there are times when this type of advice - even this type of truth - can be a little cold and fail to comfort or draw someone closer to God.

While it's absolutely true that God will use our pain and suffering for His glory and for our ultimate good, it may not be the first response someone needs to hear when they enter a difficult trial; "There is a time for everything...a time to be silent and a time to speak" Ecclesiastes 3:1,7. We must learn to be sensitive to the more immediate need.

When Lazarus became very sick, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus but He did not come until after Lazarus died. Mary fell at Jesus' feet and cried: "Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died" John 11:32. At that moment, Jesus did NOT begin preaching "Rejoice in the Lord always!" Philippians 4:4. There would be other opportunities for sermons, other opportunities to speak about faith and trust, but in this moment the need simply required compassion.

"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled...Jesus wept."John 11:33,35

The Creator of the Universe wept! From the beginning of time, Jesus knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead; He knew many lives would soon be changed through this miracle. Though good would ultimately come from this pain and sorrow, these were real people who were grieving: "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus" John 11:5. In this time of greatest need, Jesus took time to show He truly cared and understood their pain.

The world is in great need of the healing power of Jesus Christ. Sin has caused separation from God and left many lives in a mess. As we minister through encouragement and the truth of God's Word, we are called to do so while "speaking the truth in love" Ephesians 4:15. But love does not exist outside of a relationship. And in a loving relationship we will often best demonstrate God's truth by listening and providing comfort with a Godly compassion.

- steve troxel

.....touch

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

I recently saw a documentary about the macking of a Steinway piano. It traced the meticulous care that goes into crafting this fine instrument.  From the cutting of trees until the piano appears on a showroom floor, it goes through countless delicate adjustments by skilled craftsmen.

When the year-long process is complete, accomplished musicians play the piano and often comment on how the same rich sounds could never be produced by a computerized assembly line. The secret to the final product is the craftsman's touch.

When the tabernacle was built, we see that God also valued the craftsman's touch. He chose the craftsman Bezalel and said of him: "l have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge, and with all kinds of skills - to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds crafts" Exodus 31:3-5.

Today, God dwells in the hearts of believers. Yet the call to craftsmanship has not ended. Now each individual believer is God's "handiwork" Ephesians 2:10. The Master Craftsman is the Holy Spirit, who chips away at flaws in our character to make each of us like Jesus Romans 8:28-29. And as we yield to His workmanship, we will find that the secret to the final product is the Craftsmant touch. 

- dennis fisher

.....by

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know Jeremiah 33:3

A little boy was standing on the banks of the Mississippi River waving and shouting at a steamboat that was going by. He was beckoning the steamboat to come to shore. A stranger came by and said, "That's foolish young man. The boat will never come ashore for you. The captain is too busy to notice your waving and shouting."

Just then, the boat turned and headed for shore. The little boy grinned and said to the stranger, "The captain is my daddy."

The captain of the universe is our Abba Father. He is our daddy and is always attentive to our call because he loves us. We may think that he is too busy to care about what is going on in our lives, or perhaps we think that our situation is not as important as others, so we withhold ourselves from calling on Him, but He wants to hear from us. Just like the father in today's illustration, he is ready to come to us when we call on Him. We can confidently share our successes and failures, joy and sorrow, pain and victory… anytime, anywhere. He is there.

"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

.....secure

Eternal life is a gift given only to those who so intensely believe that Jesus is the only way to receive forgiveness that we stand before a living God and enter into a relationship of an eternal covenant. Covenants were first introduced by God to Noah after the flood; "I establish My covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood" Genesis 9:11. Over the years, God made covenants with Abraham Genesis 15, the nation of Israel through Moses Exodus 19, and with David 2 Samuel 7. In each case, God initiated the covenant and clearly established the guidelines.

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God spoke about the new covenant He would make through Jesus; "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people" Jeremiah 31:33. This new covenant was designed to be permanent and under God's complete protection: "I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear Me, so that they will never turn away from Me" Jeremiah 32:40. Through the prophet Ezekiel, God gave further indication of how this would be accomplished.

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws."Ezekiel 36:26-27

When we truly believe in Jesus, we enter into a covenant and God transforms our heart by His Spirit; "a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance" Ephesians 1:14. At that moment we are "sealed for the day of redemption" Ephesians 4:30. And when we enter into His saving covenant, we are purchased with the blood of Jesus: "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

We are still called to continue in the faith, but God has promised we WILL continue; "He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" 1 Corinthians 1:8. He is the giver and sustainer of eternal life; "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish" John 10:28.

There is great debate whether this covenant can ever be broken, whether it is truly eternal, whether we can ever walk away or lose what has been given. But perhaps this debate only distracts from the greater truth: We are called to love God and continue to love Him with all our heart. This calling is clear! Let's remain within His arms of love, and trust that as we do, we are eternally secure.

- adapted from steve troxel

.....belief

Not all who do great things for God will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but "only he who does the will of My Father" Matthew 7:21. The Father's will is "that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life" John 6:40. We are given the gift of eternal life because of our belief in Jesus, not because of what we do; "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" Isaiah 64:6.

Salvation can never be earned; it is a gift to those who believe. However, we must understand what it means to believe and what changes will occur when we believe. "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder" James 2:19. A saving belief is much more than just acknowledging God's existence or even the existence of His Son - even the demons believe this!

Belief in Jesus is never simply an intellectual understanding. Belief implies a humble surrender. We will never "look to the Son" unless we first recognize our eternally lost condition due to sin; and we will never truly "believe in Him" for salvation until we accept our complete inability to save ourselves. A drowning man will never reach up for help until he first understands and accepts his need to be rescued.

To be rescued, we must believe so completely that we abandon all other "rescuers" and cling to the only One who can truly save; "any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple" Luke 14:33. Giving up everything cannot save us, but true belief gives up all other sources of hope. It also reveals the trivial nature of our worldly attachments and creates an understanding that everything belongs to God. We see our life as lived for Him and desire to do ALL for His glory.

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ... In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."James 2:14,17 Belief must produce a change in our life or we know it is not a true belief - it is nothing more than dead intellectual understanding! At the moment we truly believe, we are "marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit" Ephesians 1:13, and we become "a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17. Belief creates change through the work of the Holy Spirit!!

If we lack the evidence of a changed life, we must not focus on creating the change. This type of change becomes self-righteous "filthy rags." Rather, we must return to the cross and place ALL our trust in Jesus, truly believing He has paid the penalty for our sin and has granted us passage through the narrow gate to eternal life. As we completely turn over control to our Heavenly Father, fruit and good deeds will abound. Our life will be forever changed, but only when we begin with a belief that saves. 

.....will

We often consider how God uses all kinds of circumstances to draw us close to His side. The purpose of being drawn close is ultimately to be transformed to the image of His Son and to have intimate fellowship with Him for all eternity. But initially, the purpose of being drawn near is so we can be introduced.

The Kingdom of Heaven is open only to those who truly believe in Jesus. We may think this to be intolerant, but if we profess to believe the Bible is true there can be no other conclusion: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" Matthew 7:13-14. Our Father is drawing us near because the narrow gate is only open to those who are known to His Son.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'"Matthew 7:21-23

Clearly, being "good" does not ensure we are known by Jesus. Neither does going to church, reading our Bible, teaching Sabbath School...or even writing devotional messages! Jesus knows, and takes away the sin, of "only he who does the will of My Father."

Fortunately, Jesus also tells us exactly how to do His Father's will: "For My Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" John 6:40. The will of our Heavenly Father is to truly know and be known by His Son.

All the wonderful things we do in the name of Jesus count nothing toward granting us the gift of eternal life. True believers in a risen and glorified Lord will certainly desire to turn from a life of sin and obediently serve; "anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me" Matthew 10:38. And while our obedience demonstrates that our faith is not dead James 2:17, entrance through the gate of eternal life is based on sincere belief, not on the results of belief.

We must spread this message throughout the world and, most importantly, we must receive this message into our own heart! All our "good" will be burned up and cast aside if done without first having placed the entirety of our life in His hands. 

He is drawing us near because belief in Jesus is both necessary and sufficient for our Salvation. 

He is drawing us near and inviting us to submit to the Father's will.

- adapted from steve troxel

.....conviction

Daniel was one of the first captives taken by the Babylonians in 605 BC. Upon his arrival in Babylon, Daniel was selected to receive three years of specialized training, as well as special food and drink, to prepare him for service in the palace. This special treatment would have caused Daniel to violate the laws of God, so he "resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine" Daniel 1:8.

His convictions had a profound impact on those around him - especially his three closest friends who were soon thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to bow to a golden image; "We want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up" Daniel 3:18.

Daniel served seventy years under the kings of Babylon, and his convictions earned him a place as the most trusted advisor in all the land. When the Persians defeated the Babylonians, the new king even "planned to set Daniel over the whole kingdom" Daniel 6:3. But when the other officials became jealous, they convinced the king to pass a law forbidding prayer to anyone except the king.

Though he knew he would be severely punished, Daniel held to his convictions and prayed to God three times a day. For this violation of the law, Daniel was thrown into a den of lions; but "God sent His angel, and He shut the mouths of the lions" Daniel 6:22. When the king saw how God miraculously protected Daniel, he issued the following decree:

"I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. For He is the living God and He endures forever." Daniel 6:26

There were many opportunities for Daniel to question his circumstances. He was taken into captivity at a young age, tempted with special treatment, despised by his peers, thrown to the lions, and served an entire lifetime under foreign rulers. But, without a single complaint, Daniel continued to trust God and serve Him without compromise. In the end, Daniel was used to encourage the Jews while in captivity and to draw an entire nation to a greater reverence of God. Shortly after the decree was issued, 50,000 Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.

Stories like this are scattered all through God's Word! Though we may not understand our circumstances or be able to clearly see God's specific plan, we KNOW the way He is calling us to walk. Let's continue to serve and trust with all our heart. Let's walk down His path without turning to the right or to the left. Regardless of our present circumstances, let's determine once and for all to give Him a lifetime of conviction. 

- steve troxel

.....this

When the Persians overthrew the Babylonians and allowed the people of Israel to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple in 538 BC, not all the Israelites chose to leave their new home. A whole generation had been born and raised under Babylonian captivity and many had become content with their life. Therefore, many Jewish communities thrived under Persian rule.

When Xerxes was King of this vast empire, he commanded the Queen to be displayed before all the visiting dignitaries at a banquet. But when the Queen refused, Xerxes removed her title and began to search for a replacement. The search resulted in a young Jewish girl named Esther being made Queen - not a normal position for a young Jew!

Meanwhile, a plot had developed to kill the Jews in all the provinces of Persia. Esther's cousin, Mordecai, knew of this plot and pleaded with Esther to approach the King for help, but Esther was understandably reluctant. She was being taken care of very well, and approaching the King without first being invited could lead to death. Mordecai encouraged Esther to view her life as being part of God's wonderful plan.

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14

God allowed Esther to become Queen, not as a reward for being good, but "for such a time as this." God could have used other methods to save the Jews, but He chose to invite a beautiful young woman to play a part. Esther put her personal plans on hold, put her life at risk, persuaded the King, and saved her people from certain destruction.

The wisdom and truth of Mordecai's words resound through the ages: God's work WILL be accomplished; His plan WILL unfold; deliverance WILL arise! It's humbling, and often very freeing, to know that God really doesn't need us. He is perfectly capable without our help! But it's also comforting to know that God is inviting us to join Him in His work and walk by His side to certain victory.

We may never be invited to a role as dramatic as Esther's, but we can join our Heavenly Father from right where we are today! We have come to our position - no matter how elevated, no matter how low - for the purpose of bringing Him glory and honor. Let's listen carefully for what He's asking us to do, and understand we are right where we need to be and right where He wants us! He has created us for a purpose. 

He has brought us to our present situation for such a time as this.

- steve troxel

.....prize

There is an old story about the Greek Marathon.  Muscular, conditioned runners paced nervously near the starting line for the long-distance race. The time was near. They "shook out" their muscles, inhaled deeply, and put on their "game faces."

In the midst of it all, a young stranger took his place at the starting line. His physique was awesome. Taking no notice of the other contestants, he stared straight ahead. Two prizes would be awarded the winner of the Marathon: a magnificent bouquet of flowers and the honor of standing beside the king until the conclusion of other contests.

There seemed to be no question among the runners about who would win the prize. The stranger was offered large sums of money not to run. Someone else attempted to bribe him with property. Refusing the offers, he toed the mark and awaited the signal to run. When the signal was given, he was the first away. At the finish line, he was the first to cross, well ahead of the rest.

When it was all done, someone asked the young man if he thought the flowers were worth as much as the money and property he had refused. He replied, "I did not enter the race for the flowers. I ran so that I could stand beside my king!"

Can you say that?    "I did not enter the race for the flowers. I ran so that I could stand beside 'My King!'"  Those of us who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ are "running the race".   It is a race that has a prize for those who finish - but notice, not those who finish first, but all who finish! 

This prize, according to Paul, is an "imperishable crown."

The rewards for those who enter heaven are described in scripture with a lot of terms - "many mansions", "streets of gold", "tree of life" - and the list goes on and on. All of those things are attractive. That's why God tells us about them.

But I would be willing to give up all the streets of gold and settle for a small corner of a shack as long as I can know the reward of being able to stand beside my King.

May I repeat that?  I would be willing to give up all the streets of gold and settle for a small corner of a shack as long as I can know the reward of being able to stand beside my King.  That's what I look forward to more than anything else. It is the one thing that will make heaven the wonderful reward that it will be.

  

James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Rev 4:10-11 “The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

Run the race with diligence. 

Your King is watching and waits for you at the finish line!!!

- dave langerfed

.....where

Joseph was the second youngest son of Jacob and was greatly loved by his father. In fact, his brothers developed a jealous hatred for him because their father "loved Joseph more than any of his other sons" Genesis 37:3. Their hatred for Joseph continued to grow until they "sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt" Genesis 37:28. 

Joseph was then sold to Potiphar, the captain of the guard for Pharaoh, and was soon falsely accused by Potiphar's wife and thrown in jail. At this point, Joseph could really have felt sorry for himself - things were definitely not going well! 

Only a short time before, Joseph's path seemed well established; his father loved him, he knew where he was going, and his life was filled with joy. Now, locked up and in a foreign land, Joseph's life seemed to have taken a drastic turn for the worse.

"But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; He showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there."Genesis 39:20-22

It's safe to say that all of us, at different times during our walk with the Lord, feel like we have been sent far away and locked up. We feel distanced from God and unable to change our circumstances. Others seem to be controlling our every move and we sink into a deep despair.

But is it possible God is much closer than we think? "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" Hebrews 13:5. Is it possible He is working this terrible situation toward the good? "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him" Romans 8:28. And is it possible that in the middle of our "prison" God has much work for us to do?

While in jail, Joseph interpreted dreams for Pharaoh's officials Genesis 40 and was then called to interpret a dream for Pharaoh; "I've heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it" Genesis 41:15. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream and was placed in a position of great responsibility; "You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders" Genesis 41:40. It was God's plan to place Joseph in control of the distribution of food, and therefore, to save many lives...including the lives of his father and brothers Genesis 42-48.

No matter what this day brings - no matter how trapped we feel - we must keep looking for God's good and trusting that His plan is unfolding. He is using our circumstances to mold us and draw us close to His side, and He is using our testimony of faith to encourage others to love Him more. We must believe that, even in the middle of our prison, God is in control and we are right where He wants us!

- steve troxel

.....hears

The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, Speak, for your servant is listening 1 Samuel 3:9

Had the wireless radio been on, they would have known that the Titanic was sinking. Cyrii Evans, the radio operator of another ship, had tried to relay a message to Jack Phillips, the radio operator on the Titanic- letting him know they had encountered an ice field. 

But Phillips was busy relaying passengers' messages and rudely told Evans to be quiet.  So Evans reluctantly turned off his radio and went to bed.  Ten minutes later, the Titanic struck an iceberg. Their distress signals went unanswered because no one was listening.

In 1 Samuel we read that the priests of Israel were corrupt and had lost their spiritual sight and hearing as the nation drifted into danger.  "The word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions" 1 Samuel 3:1. Yet God wouldn't give up on His people. He began to speak to a young boy named Samuel who was being raised in the priest's household. Samuel's name means "the Lord hears"- a memorial to God's answering his mother's prayer. But Samuel would need to learn how to hear God.

"Speak, for your servant is listening" v. 10. It's the servant who hears. May we also choose to listen to and obey what God has revealed in the Scriptures. Let's submit our lives to Him and take the posture of humble servants - those who have their "radios" turned on.

- glenn packiam

.....defeated

As we study God's Word, we should be reminded of how blessed we are to have so many stories and testimonies upon which to build our faith. This is particularly true of the multitude of Old Testament stories; "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" Romans 15:4. 

One of the great encouragements is shared through a prostitute named Rahab.

As Joshua led the Israelites out of the desert and into the promised land of Canaan, the first enemy they faced lived in the mighty walled city of Jericho. When spies were sent to Jericho to determine the enemy's strength, Rahab told the spies, "all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you" Joshua 2:9. Rahab said the people of Jericho had heard how God parted the Red Sea and how He had been with the Israelites in previous battles.

"When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below." Joshua 2:11

God caused the walls of Jericho to collapse and allowed the Israelites to take the city, but the first enemy in the promised land was conquered long before the Israelite army even arrived. The people of Jericho knew of God's miraculous power and were already defeated. The only thing necessary for victory was for the Israelites to show they were willing to walk in the strength God provided.

God does not desire for us to remain in the desert. He has "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11. But to enter the promised land, we must be prepared to face our enemies and trust in the strength of our Heavenly Father.

The enemy "prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). This enemy is very real and ready to attack our areas of weakness. But the enemy is also well aware of God's power and will turn away any time we make a stand; "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" James 4:7. The enemy's fate has been sealed - his end has already been determined - but we must daily resist by getting dressed for battle and then trusting in the power of God for our strength.

Let's submit our lives into the loving hands of our Heavenly Father and boldly enter the peace-filled land He has promised. The lion will continue to roar and try to bite, but we must never forget that Jesus has already assured complete victory. When we trust Him with all our heart and daily walk in His strength, we truly face a defeated enemy.

- steve troxel

.....sermon

My grandfather would tuck his Bible under his arm and walk through the small town where he lived to Sabbath School and church services. For the last five years of his life, he could not hear, and he never heard a word of any sermon.  Yet, he continued to go.

One day I asked him,"Grampa, why do you keep on going to Sabbath School and church when you can't hear a word that the preacher says?"

"I keep on going." he replied, "even if I don't hear, because I want people to know whose side I'm on."

Do people know whose side you're on?  Do you want them to know?  It's time for Christians to take a stand for Christ.  We must be different from the world if we are to help it. Until we make it clear who it is we serve, no one will ever pay attention to us.  

Make sure the world knows whose side you're on.

"...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  Joshua 24:15

- david langerfed

.....bravery

Getting properly dressed is actually a moment-by-moment process of coming into the presence of God and placing our life in His hands. God never directs us to get un-dressed. We are to put on His armor and keep it on at all times. When the enemy attacks, His armor will protect; but we may also be called to fight with all the strength and ability God provides.

During the time of King David, a battle was about to occur between Israel and two neighboring kingdoms: "The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city gate, while the Arameans were by themselves in the open country" 2 Samuel 10:8. Joab, the commander of David's military, saw enemy troops in front and behind him so he divided his army - one group remained with him, and the other group went with his brother.

"Joab said, 'If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in His sight.'"2 Samuel 10:11-12

Joab knew God was in complete control, but he never allowed his faith to be a reason for becoming complacent in preparation or passive in battle. Joab used all his intellect and past experience - all the tools God provided - to devise a plan. He then encouraged those with him to fight bravely with all their ability. Joab knew he was accountable to use everything God had given, but he also knew the real battle belonged to God.

Notice Joab never said God would guarantee a victory in this battle. Trusting God with all our heart means knowing with certainty the final result will be good in the eyes of God - regardless of whether the immediate battle is won or lost.

Many times, our Christian walk turns into a battle zone. We may face spiritual battles of doubt, fear, and anxiety. We may also face painful physical and emotional battles. And yet, God remains in control. He has gifted us all in many ways; and as He leads, we must not hesitate to use those gifts bravely and fully. We must "fight" with all the perseverance we can manage, but we must also completely surrender the outcome to God.

True victory comes as we look past the success or failure as seen with our own eyes and trust God for the working of the good in all our battles. Let's stand against the enemy and trust God will do "what is good in His sight." As we enter the battle today, let's fight bravely and trust God.

- steve troxel

.....hindsight

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

The ability to see clearly with both eyes, an object from twenty feet away is referred to as 20/20 vision. (In Europe, it is called 6/6 since they use a distance of six meters instead of twenty feet.) While not everyone has 20/20 vision, it is often said that hindsight is always 20/20. That is, we may not be able to see everything clearly as it happens, but after the fact we can see things much more clearly.

While hindsight is not always perfect, from a biblical perspective it means that we sometimes have to wait to see what God’s purpose was in allowing something to happen. There are certainly enough biblical examples to prove that premise. Job, Joseph, David, Daniel, Esther, Paul, and others were puzzled at what God allowed to happen in their lives—but soon came to see God’s hand at work. Especially Esther who saved the Jewish people from genocide in Persia.

When God allows circumstances in your life, the purpose of which is not clear, remember the examples and promises of Scripture: “All things work together for good.”

- david jeremiah

.....armor

We all face an enemy who seeks to engage us in battle each and every day. The attacks are deceptive but extremely methodical, as the enemy tries to pull, push, and lure us off the path of following after Christ. 

We then saw how our best defense against such attacks is to get properly dressed by putting on the full armor of God; "so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" Ephesians 6:13.

The next natural question to ask is, "How do I put on the armor of God?" Though we may recognize the usefulness of God's armor, it will never do us any good unless we actually know how to put it on.

"My heart says of You, 'Seek His face!' Your face, Lord, I will seek." Psalm 27:8

The armor of God is only available to those who diligently "Seek His face!", to those who have given Him the totality of their life through a submissive faith in Jesus Christ. The armor of God is not a self-help formula to keep us protected and focused as we advance in the world's system; it's a covering of protection God provides as we enter into His presence and are reminded of His truth, faithfulness, and majesty.

Getting dressed for battle is therefore never a spiritual checklist or routine set of prayers. We receive His armor - in effect, He dresses us - as we humble ourselves and come before Him in prayer with a heart that desires to follow wherever He leads. Our Heavenly Father will never let us enter our daily battles without proper protection if we are diligent in seeking Him; "The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing" Psalm 34:10.

How often should we seek Him? Well, how often do we wish to be naked when the enemy attacks? Getting dressed is not a one-time Salvation event nor even just a first thing in the morning event. We must put on His armor and keep it on throughout our day by developing the priority and habit of constant communion with God; "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances" 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. His protection against the enemy comes only as we enter and remain in His presence.

The attacks will surely come, but they need not be feared if we are properly dressed. Let's learn to walk and minister in this world without ever leaving the presence of the Lord. Let's seek Him in all we do and live each moment with the protection of His armor.