By: Bayless Conley
(The Seduction of Covetousness)
One of the verses we read in our last devotional was Luke 12:15, which says,
And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
Jesus begins His teaching regarding prosperity in this passage by saying, “Beware of covetousness.” In our society, even in the Church, there are a lot of people whose lives are tied up in “things.” The focus of their life is their stuff, and doing whatever they can to acquire even more things.
It is what the Bible calls covetousness.
I want to ask you today, is your heart filled with covetousness? Do you find yourself thinking, “I know the missing ingredient in my life, I just need a little more. If I could just get a little more, I would be happy. If I could just build a bigger house and fill it with a little more stuff…if I could get a nicer car…if I could upgrade…then I would be happy, and then I would be successful.”?
A little more, a little more, a little more.
The problem is, however, that desire for more never stops. In fact, as we will see in our next devotional, God called a man a fool because he never realized that riches are only temporary.
If you find your life driven by the need for more things, if you are consumed with stuff, if you define your success by what you have (or do not have), then you have been seduced by covetousness, and you will never find the happiness you are looking for.
Do not be a fool seeking after things. Instead, make the passion of your life seeking after God.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
TDW 12-29-08 True Worship
By: Henry T. Blackaby
(True Worship)
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)
We are designed to worship God in spirit and in truth. As Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, He sought to help her do this by imparting to her God’s living water (John 4:13–14).
Jesus sought out this woman personally to give her abundant life. In the same way the Father seeks an encounter with each of us that is real and personal. The Samaritan woman had heard about God; Jesus said true worship must be “face to face” with God. Worship is not religion or ritual; worship is an intimate and vital encounter with a Person. True worship includes the full recognition of who God is: Holy, Sovereign, Almighty, Loving, Merciful. This recognition brings about the realization of our own sinfulness.
True worship is life-changing! It creates within the worshiper’s heart a hatred for sin. True worship results in repentance, obedient submission, and a desire for holiness (Isa. 6:1–8). True worship generates a desire to show mercy and to express forgiveness. It includes a joyful acceptance of all that God has provided by His grace. True worship is not exclusive. Just as the Samaritan woman rushed off to tell others of her encounter with the Lord, so true worship will compel the worshiper to include others. As a result of this woman’s encounter with Jesus, many others from her village came to know Him as well. The one who has truly worshiped will have a sense of peace and a confident expectation of what God is about to do. True worship produces a transformed life, reflecting the One who has been worshiped.
(True Worship)
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)
We are designed to worship God in spirit and in truth. As Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, He sought to help her do this by imparting to her God’s living water (John 4:13–14).
Jesus sought out this woman personally to give her abundant life. In the same way the Father seeks an encounter with each of us that is real and personal. The Samaritan woman had heard about God; Jesus said true worship must be “face to face” with God. Worship is not religion or ritual; worship is an intimate and vital encounter with a Person. True worship includes the full recognition of who God is: Holy, Sovereign, Almighty, Loving, Merciful. This recognition brings about the realization of our own sinfulness.
True worship is life-changing! It creates within the worshiper’s heart a hatred for sin. True worship results in repentance, obedient submission, and a desire for holiness (Isa. 6:1–8). True worship generates a desire to show mercy and to express forgiveness. It includes a joyful acceptance of all that God has provided by His grace. True worship is not exclusive. Just as the Samaritan woman rushed off to tell others of her encounter with the Lord, so true worship will compel the worshiper to include others. As a result of this woman’s encounter with Jesus, many others from her village came to know Him as well. The one who has truly worshiped will have a sense of peace and a confident expectation of what God is about to do. True worship produces a transformed life, reflecting the One who has been worshiped.
Friday, December 26, 2008
TDW 12-26-08 Walk in the Light
By: Oswald Chambers
(Walk in the Light)
If we walk in the light as He is in the light . . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin —1 John 1:7
To mistake freedom from sin only on the conscious level of our lives for complete deliverance from sin by the atonement through the Cross of Christ is a great error. No one fully knows what sin is until he is born again. Sin is what Jesus Christ faced at Calvary. The evidence that I have been delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me. For a person to really know what sin is requires the full work and deep touch of the atonement of Jesus Christ, that is, the imparting of His absolute perfection.
The Holy Spirit applies or administers the work of the atonement to us in the deep unconscious realm as well as in the conscious realm. And it is not until we truly perceive the unrivaled power of the Spirit in us that we understand the meaning of 1 John 1:7 , which says, ". . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." This verse does not refer only to conscious sin, but also to the tremendously profound understanding of sin which only the Holy Spirit in me can accomplish.
I must "walk in the light as He is in the light . . ."— not in the light of my own conscience, but in God’s light. If I will walk there, with nothing held back or hidden, then this amazing truth is revealed to me: ". . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses [me] from all sin" so that God Almighty can see nothing to rebuke in me. On the conscious level it produces a keen, sorrowful knowledge of what sin really is. The love of God working in me causes me to hate, with the Holy Spirit’s hatred for sin, anything that is not in keeping with God’s holiness. To "walk in the light" means that everything that is of the darkness actually drives me closer to the center of the light.
(Walk in the Light)
If we walk in the light as He is in the light . . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin —1 John 1:7
To mistake freedom from sin only on the conscious level of our lives for complete deliverance from sin by the atonement through the Cross of Christ is a great error. No one fully knows what sin is until he is born again. Sin is what Jesus Christ faced at Calvary. The evidence that I have been delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me. For a person to really know what sin is requires the full work and deep touch of the atonement of Jesus Christ, that is, the imparting of His absolute perfection.
The Holy Spirit applies or administers the work of the atonement to us in the deep unconscious realm as well as in the conscious realm. And it is not until we truly perceive the unrivaled power of the Spirit in us that we understand the meaning of 1 John 1:7 , which says, ". . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." This verse does not refer only to conscious sin, but also to the tremendously profound understanding of sin which only the Holy Spirit in me can accomplish.
I must "walk in the light as He is in the light . . ."— not in the light of my own conscience, but in God’s light. If I will walk there, with nothing held back or hidden, then this amazing truth is revealed to me: ". . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses [me] from all sin" so that God Almighty can see nothing to rebuke in me. On the conscious level it produces a keen, sorrowful knowledge of what sin really is. The love of God working in me causes me to hate, with the Holy Spirit’s hatred for sin, anything that is not in keeping with God’s holiness. To "walk in the light" means that everything that is of the darkness actually drives me closer to the center of the light.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
TDW 12-24-08 Standing On The Promise Of God
From: The Word Among Us
(Standing On The Promise Of God)
I will give you rest from all your enemies. (2 Samuel 7:11)
When God promised to “establish a house” for David, chances are that David and his descendants were thinking in terms of a military leader who would keep the kingship of Israel in the family line—a dynasty, in other words. This “son of David” to succeed him would be like David himself: a mighty warrior, a godly man vanquishing all of Israel’s military and political foes. He would bring freedom through the use of conquest and power.
As we stand on the brink of Christmas, with the manger before us, we can tell that this is not all that God intended. In fact, Zechariah’s prophecy in today’s Gospel reading touches on the deeper issues of freedom that God promised to the house of David. It was not only freedom from external enemies; it was the freedom to worship fearlessly, the freedom to stand before God holy and righteous.
Jesus, the ultimate Son of David, came to bring us this freedom by defeating the foes within us—sin and death. Far from giving us simply an external peace characterized by a lack of conflict, he came to give us the deeper and more substantial peace that comes as our internal struggles are calmed and the effects of sin are healed. These are the real tyrants, for they are the enemies that give rise to every external conflict we face, both in our lives and in the world at large.
Born in humility and weakness, Jesus beckons us to join him at the stable. He beckons us tonight to a place where our enemies are blocked at the door. He invites us to leave our sin and fears behind, and—miracle of miracles!—he does it by taking all of these obstacles upon himself and putting them to death by his cross.
On this holy night, let’s ask Jesus to bring us into his freedom. Let’s ask him to give us confidence that he will defeat everything in us that is opposed to him. Let’s rejoice in his promise of freedom and rest from our enemies—the greatest Christmas gift we could ever receive!
“Lord Jesus, you are the true Son of David. Come this night, and give us all your freedom!”
2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16; Psalm 89:2-5,27,29
(Standing On The Promise Of God)
I will give you rest from all your enemies. (2 Samuel 7:11)
When God promised to “establish a house” for David, chances are that David and his descendants were thinking in terms of a military leader who would keep the kingship of Israel in the family line—a dynasty, in other words. This “son of David” to succeed him would be like David himself: a mighty warrior, a godly man vanquishing all of Israel’s military and political foes. He would bring freedom through the use of conquest and power.
As we stand on the brink of Christmas, with the manger before us, we can tell that this is not all that God intended. In fact, Zechariah’s prophecy in today’s Gospel reading touches on the deeper issues of freedom that God promised to the house of David. It was not only freedom from external enemies; it was the freedom to worship fearlessly, the freedom to stand before God holy and righteous.
Jesus, the ultimate Son of David, came to bring us this freedom by defeating the foes within us—sin and death. Far from giving us simply an external peace characterized by a lack of conflict, he came to give us the deeper and more substantial peace that comes as our internal struggles are calmed and the effects of sin are healed. These are the real tyrants, for they are the enemies that give rise to every external conflict we face, both in our lives and in the world at large.
Born in humility and weakness, Jesus beckons us to join him at the stable. He beckons us tonight to a place where our enemies are blocked at the door. He invites us to leave our sin and fears behind, and—miracle of miracles!—he does it by taking all of these obstacles upon himself and putting them to death by his cross.
On this holy night, let’s ask Jesus to bring us into his freedom. Let’s ask him to give us confidence that he will defeat everything in us that is opposed to him. Let’s rejoice in his promise of freedom and rest from our enemies—the greatest Christmas gift we could ever receive!
“Lord Jesus, you are the true Son of David. Come this night, and give us all your freedom!”
2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16; Psalm 89:2-5,27,29
Monday, December 22, 2008
TDW 12-22-08 Why We Celebrate Christmas
By: Greg Laurie
(Why We Celebrate Christmas)
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
—Matthew 1:23
It really is an amazing thing to think about the mystery of the Incarnation—that mysterious moment when God became a man.
Jesus Christ—God the Son—was born in a manger. He went from the throne of heaven to a feeding trough. He went from the presence of angels to a cave filled with animals. He who is larger than the universe became an embryo. He who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young virgin.
Some people have a hard time believing in the Virgin Birth. If you believe the Bible, you need to believe in the Virgin Birth. The Bible teaches that God Almighty was supernaturally conceived in the womb of a virgin (see Matthew 1:23).
This makes sense if you think about it. If God had chosen to, He could have sent Jesus to this earth as a fully grown, yet sinless human being. A shaft of light could have come out from heaven with Jesus descending to the ground as an adult man.
But if Jesus came to us in that way, who could have related to Him as a person, as a part of the human race? God also could have had Jesus come into the world through two ordinary human beings—but still with a divine nature. But then most of us would have doubted His divinity. That’s why the Incarnation makes sense.
The event of the Incarnation is the reason for the Christmas season. Christmas is the opportunity to worship God, to bow down and pay homage to Him for humbling Himself and appearing in human form (see Philippians 2:6–9). That stands as the true mystery of the Incarnation—and the reason we celebrate Christmas.
(Why We Celebrate Christmas)
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
—Matthew 1:23
It really is an amazing thing to think about the mystery of the Incarnation—that mysterious moment when God became a man.
Jesus Christ—God the Son—was born in a manger. He went from the throne of heaven to a feeding trough. He went from the presence of angels to a cave filled with animals. He who is larger than the universe became an embryo. He who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young virgin.
Some people have a hard time believing in the Virgin Birth. If you believe the Bible, you need to believe in the Virgin Birth. The Bible teaches that God Almighty was supernaturally conceived in the womb of a virgin (see Matthew 1:23).
This makes sense if you think about it. If God had chosen to, He could have sent Jesus to this earth as a fully grown, yet sinless human being. A shaft of light could have come out from heaven with Jesus descending to the ground as an adult man.
But if Jesus came to us in that way, who could have related to Him as a person, as a part of the human race? God also could have had Jesus come into the world through two ordinary human beings—but still with a divine nature. But then most of us would have doubted His divinity. That’s why the Incarnation makes sense.
The event of the Incarnation is the reason for the Christmas season. Christmas is the opportunity to worship God, to bow down and pay homage to Him for humbling Himself and appearing in human form (see Philippians 2:6–9). That stands as the true mystery of the Incarnation—and the reason we celebrate Christmas.
Friday, December 19, 2008
TDW 12-19-08 The Christmas Rush
By: Jeff Schreve
(The Christmas Rush)
Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only
a few things are necessary, really only one. Luke 10:41-42
Are you starting to feel the Christmas rush? Do you have so much to do, and so little time to get it all done? Many have shopping to do. and parties to attend. and pageants to participate in. and trips to take to visit relatives. and food to prepare. and work to finish up. and more and more to get done before December 25th. Sometimes in the Christmas rush you can lose your joy and peace. and secretly long for it to be over.
What's On Your "To Do" List?
Martha of Bethany was a dear lady who loved Jesus, yet she got all worried and bothered in her service for the Lord. She was cooking a meatloaf dinner for Jesus. and she wanted it to be just perfect. "I'm fixing meatloaf for the Master," she said. At first the emphasis was on her guest, the Lord Jesus, but slowly her emphasis shifted to the meal.
She lost her joy and peace because she got all focused on her meatloaf rather than her Master.
She was mad as a hornet that her sister, Mary, had left the kitchen to sit at the Lord's feet and listen to His word. and she told Jesus to reprimand Mary and get her back to work. Surprisingly, Jesus gently reprimanded Martha. He told her that Mary was in the right, and she was in the wrong.
What was Martha's problem? Her priorities were not His priorities. Her "to do" list had lots of things on there that Jesus did not think were very important. She was worried and bothered because her plate was so full of stuff. stuff that God never authorized. Could that be true of you?
Christmas Inventory
This Christmas, make sure to stop and look at your "to do" list. Is your list crammed full of what you think is important, or what He thinks is important? Are you worried and bothered about a lot of things that really don't matter all that much? Are you focused on the meatloaf, or the Master? Is the main thing still the main thing for you?
Jesus really is the reason for the season. Take time everyday to get alone with Him. Sit at His feet in quietness and adoration. Read His word and talk to Him from your heart. Play some praise music and sing those words of worship back to Him. He inhabits the praises of His people.
You will be amazed at how your stress level will melt away to perfect peace as you keep Christ first and foremost in your Christmas. Remember, He is the Prince of Peace. If you are not experiencing peace right now, it is because the Prince is not reigning in your heart. Follow Mary's lead and yield to Him today. You will be so glad that you did.
(The Christmas Rush)
Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only
a few things are necessary, really only one. Luke 10:41-42
Are you starting to feel the Christmas rush? Do you have so much to do, and so little time to get it all done? Many have shopping to do. and parties to attend. and pageants to participate in. and trips to take to visit relatives. and food to prepare. and work to finish up. and more and more to get done before December 25th. Sometimes in the Christmas rush you can lose your joy and peace. and secretly long for it to be over.
What's On Your "To Do" List?
Martha of Bethany was a dear lady who loved Jesus, yet she got all worried and bothered in her service for the Lord. She was cooking a meatloaf dinner for Jesus. and she wanted it to be just perfect. "I'm fixing meatloaf for the Master," she said. At first the emphasis was on her guest, the Lord Jesus, but slowly her emphasis shifted to the meal.
She lost her joy and peace because she got all focused on her meatloaf rather than her Master.
She was mad as a hornet that her sister, Mary, had left the kitchen to sit at the Lord's feet and listen to His word. and she told Jesus to reprimand Mary and get her back to work. Surprisingly, Jesus gently reprimanded Martha. He told her that Mary was in the right, and she was in the wrong.
What was Martha's problem? Her priorities were not His priorities. Her "to do" list had lots of things on there that Jesus did not think were very important. She was worried and bothered because her plate was so full of stuff. stuff that God never authorized. Could that be true of you?
Christmas Inventory
This Christmas, make sure to stop and look at your "to do" list. Is your list crammed full of what you think is important, or what He thinks is important? Are you worried and bothered about a lot of things that really don't matter all that much? Are you focused on the meatloaf, or the Master? Is the main thing still the main thing for you?
Jesus really is the reason for the season. Take time everyday to get alone with Him. Sit at His feet in quietness and adoration. Read His word and talk to Him from your heart. Play some praise music and sing those words of worship back to Him. He inhabits the praises of His people.
You will be amazed at how your stress level will melt away to perfect peace as you keep Christ first and foremost in your Christmas. Remember, He is the Prince of Peace. If you are not experiencing peace right now, it is because the Prince is not reigning in your heart. Follow Mary's lead and yield to Him today. You will be so glad that you did.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
TDW 12-17-08 You can't trust everyone's words/emails so "Consult Your God!"
By: Neil Anderson
(Consult Your God)
Mark 13:22
False Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order, if possible, to lead the elect astray
You can identify a false prophet by the fact that not all his prophecies come true. Deuteronomy 18:22 instructs us not to believe the prophet whose prophecies fail. But Deuteronomy 13:1-3 also warns us about the false prophet whose signs and wonders do come true: "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul." (See also Matthew 24:4-11, 23-25; Revelation 13:11-14).
Many Christians have become conditioned to think that anything relating to the miraculous automatically verifies that God is involved. God can still use signs and wonders to confirm the Word, but the Bible also warns that false Christs and prophets will arise seeking to lead believers astray with their "signs and wonders." Satan can also perform signs and wonders, but he only does so to direct our worship away from God to himself. Deuteronomy 13:5-11 reveals the seriousness of attributing to God the activity of Satan. Persons who were involved in it were to be executed even if they were relatives. We are to love God, obey His Word, and test all signs, wonders and dreams. Isaiah wrote, "When they say to you, 'Consult the mediums and the wizards who whisper and mutter,' should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn" (8:19,20).
Prayer:
Lord, I affirm my commitment to know Your Word and be led by Your Spirit. I ask for discernment and wisdom to test all things.
(Consult Your God)
Mark 13:22
False Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order, if possible, to lead the elect astray
You can identify a false prophet by the fact that not all his prophecies come true. Deuteronomy 18:22 instructs us not to believe the prophet whose prophecies fail. But Deuteronomy 13:1-3 also warns us about the false prophet whose signs and wonders do come true: "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul." (See also Matthew 24:4-11, 23-25; Revelation 13:11-14).
Many Christians have become conditioned to think that anything relating to the miraculous automatically verifies that God is involved. God can still use signs and wonders to confirm the Word, but the Bible also warns that false Christs and prophets will arise seeking to lead believers astray with their "signs and wonders." Satan can also perform signs and wonders, but he only does so to direct our worship away from God to himself. Deuteronomy 13:5-11 reveals the seriousness of attributing to God the activity of Satan. Persons who were involved in it were to be executed even if they were relatives. We are to love God, obey His Word, and test all signs, wonders and dreams. Isaiah wrote, "When they say to you, 'Consult the mediums and the wizards who whisper and mutter,' should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn" (8:19,20).
Prayer:
Lord, I affirm my commitment to know Your Word and be led by Your Spirit. I ask for discernment and wisdom to test all things.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
TDW 12-16-08 Wrestling Before God
By: Oswald Chambers
(Wrestling Before God)
Ephesians 6:13,18
13Therefore put 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.
18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
You must learn to wrestle against the things that hinder your communication with God, and wrestle in prayer for other people; but to wrestle with God in prayer is unscriptural. If you ever do wrestle with God, you will be crippled for the rest of your life. If you grab hold of God and wrestle with Him, as Jacob did, simply because He is working in a way that doesn’t meet with your approval, you force Him to put you out of joint (see Genesis 32:24-25 ). Don’t become a cripple by wrestling with the ways of God, but be someone who wrestles before God with the things of this world, because "we are more than conquerors through Him . . ." ( Romans 8:37 ). Wrestling before God makes an impact in His kingdom. If you ask me to pray for you, and I am not complete in Christ, my prayer accomplishes nothing. But if I am complete in Christ, my prayer brings victory all the time. Prayer is effective only when there is completeness— "take up the whole armor of God . . . ."
Always make a distinction between God’s perfect will and His permissive will, which He uses to accomplish His divine purpose for our lives. God’s perfect will is unchangeable. It is with His permissive will, or the various things that He allows into our lives, that we must wrestle before Him. It is our reaction to these things allowed by His permissive will that enables us to come to the point of seeing His perfect will for us. "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . ." ( Romans 8:28 )— to those who remain true to God’s perfect will— His calling in Christ Jesus. God’s permissive will is the testing He uses to reveal His true sons and daughters. We should not be spineless and automatically say, "Yes, it is the Lord’s will." We don’t have to fight or wrestle with God, but we must wrestle before God with things. Beware of lazily giving up. Instead, put up a glorious fight and you will find yourself empowered with His strength.
(Wrestling Before God)
Ephesians 6:13,18
13Therefore put 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.
18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
You must learn to wrestle against the things that hinder your communication with God, and wrestle in prayer for other people; but to wrestle with God in prayer is unscriptural. If you ever do wrestle with God, you will be crippled for the rest of your life. If you grab hold of God and wrestle with Him, as Jacob did, simply because He is working in a way that doesn’t meet with your approval, you force Him to put you out of joint (see Genesis 32:24-25 ). Don’t become a cripple by wrestling with the ways of God, but be someone who wrestles before God with the things of this world, because "we are more than conquerors through Him . . ." ( Romans 8:37 ). Wrestling before God makes an impact in His kingdom. If you ask me to pray for you, and I am not complete in Christ, my prayer accomplishes nothing. But if I am complete in Christ, my prayer brings victory all the time. Prayer is effective only when there is completeness— "take up the whole armor of God . . . ."
Always make a distinction between God’s perfect will and His permissive will, which He uses to accomplish His divine purpose for our lives. God’s perfect will is unchangeable. It is with His permissive will, or the various things that He allows into our lives, that we must wrestle before Him. It is our reaction to these things allowed by His permissive will that enables us to come to the point of seeing His perfect will for us. "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . ." ( Romans 8:28 )— to those who remain true to God’s perfect will— His calling in Christ Jesus. God’s permissive will is the testing He uses to reveal His true sons and daughters. We should not be spineless and automatically say, "Yes, it is the Lord’s will." We don’t have to fight or wrestle with God, but we must wrestle before God with things. Beware of lazily giving up. Instead, put up a glorious fight and you will find yourself empowered with His strength.
Monday, December 15, 2008
TDW 12-15-08 The Passion - Something to be Passionate About
By: Ed Young
(The Passion - Something to be Passionate About)
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-5
The church has been called a "body" of believers with Christ at the head. And just like our human bodies, the body of Christ has many parts. But what are these parts? What does this body consist of? Is it the church building, the classrooms, the landscape, and the parking lot? No. The body of Christ consists of much more profound and important parts than physical locations or buildings.
The parts of the body of Christ are you and me.
Without each of its parts, a body will not function the way that it is designed. If your nose were missing, your body would not function to its full potential. Without your shoulder, your arm would not be as useful. For the church to function as the vehicle to spread God's message of truth, hope and love, all of the parts of the body must be present.
But there is one more thing necessary for the body to reach its potential. The parts of the body must be functioning - they have to work. If you have ever broken your arm or leg, then you know how useless that broken limb is until it is working again. That is true with the church too. Just showing up for one hour a week to worship corporately is not enough to keep the body healthy and working. God wants each of us to use our gifts for his glory and to use those gifts to serve in the church.
Too many of us, though, put church and service at church on the back burners of our lives. We cram our schedules full of events and activities until there is no longer room for everything. And too often church is what gets pushed aside. But that is not what Christ intended. He wants us to live our lives with the church - to do life with church as a priority. And nothing should take priority over living the life that Christ wants for each of us.
This week, remember that you are a vital part of the body of Christ. Remember that you are needed in order for that body to reach its potential. Use the gifts that you have to help spread God's message. Remember, the church is one thing that Christ was passionate about. It is something that you should be passionate about too.
(The Passion - Something to be Passionate About)
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-5
The church has been called a "body" of believers with Christ at the head. And just like our human bodies, the body of Christ has many parts. But what are these parts? What does this body consist of? Is it the church building, the classrooms, the landscape, and the parking lot? No. The body of Christ consists of much more profound and important parts than physical locations or buildings.
The parts of the body of Christ are you and me.
Without each of its parts, a body will not function the way that it is designed. If your nose were missing, your body would not function to its full potential. Without your shoulder, your arm would not be as useful. For the church to function as the vehicle to spread God's message of truth, hope and love, all of the parts of the body must be present.
But there is one more thing necessary for the body to reach its potential. The parts of the body must be functioning - they have to work. If you have ever broken your arm or leg, then you know how useless that broken limb is until it is working again. That is true with the church too. Just showing up for one hour a week to worship corporately is not enough to keep the body healthy and working. God wants each of us to use our gifts for his glory and to use those gifts to serve in the church.
Too many of us, though, put church and service at church on the back burners of our lives. We cram our schedules full of events and activities until there is no longer room for everything. And too often church is what gets pushed aside. But that is not what Christ intended. He wants us to live our lives with the church - to do life with church as a priority. And nothing should take priority over living the life that Christ wants for each of us.
This week, remember that you are a vital part of the body of Christ. Remember that you are needed in order for that body to reach its potential. Use the gifts that you have to help spread God's message. Remember, the church is one thing that Christ was passionate about. It is something that you should be passionate about too.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
TDW 12-11-08 Three Temptations
By: Henry T. Blackaby
(Three Temptations)
Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." (Matthew 4:3)
Jesus was tempted in every way that we are, yet He never sinned (Heb. 4:15). Jesus began His public ministry with His baptism. As John the Baptist raised Him from the water, Jesus heard His Father’s affirmation, “Well done!” Immediately afterward, Jesus spent forty days fasting in the wilderness. There, Satan met Him and presented three temptations.
First, Satan enticed Jesus to use His divine power to transform stones into bread. It seemed like a logical thing to do. Jesus was hungry, but He had a much greater need to follow His Father’s leading. The Father had led Him to fast; Satan sought to persuade Him to eat.
Next, Satan tried to convince Jesus to use Satan’s means to accomplish the Father’s ends. “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down” (Matt. 4:6). Jesus understood that this would be presumption, not faith. It would be attempting God’s work in the world’s way. The world looks for spectacular displays; God uses a holy life.
The final temptation Satan proposed for Jesus to achieve God’s will was by worshiping Satan (Matt. 4:8–9). In return, Satan offered to give Him all the kingdoms of the world. By compromising, Jesus could gain a powerful ally, and achieve His mission without suffering the cross. Jesus knew that only God was to be worshiped and to do this would not bring instant success, as Satan promised, but devastating failure.
As you seek to follow God, temptations will inevitably come. Sometimes they will come to you immediately after a spiritual victory. Jesus relied on God’s Word to see Him through the temptations that could have destroyed Him and thwarted God’s plan. He has modeled the way for you to meet every temptation.
(Three Temptations)
Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." (Matthew 4:3)
Jesus was tempted in every way that we are, yet He never sinned (Heb. 4:15). Jesus began His public ministry with His baptism. As John the Baptist raised Him from the water, Jesus heard His Father’s affirmation, “Well done!” Immediately afterward, Jesus spent forty days fasting in the wilderness. There, Satan met Him and presented three temptations.
First, Satan enticed Jesus to use His divine power to transform stones into bread. It seemed like a logical thing to do. Jesus was hungry, but He had a much greater need to follow His Father’s leading. The Father had led Him to fast; Satan sought to persuade Him to eat.
Next, Satan tried to convince Jesus to use Satan’s means to accomplish the Father’s ends. “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down” (Matt. 4:6). Jesus understood that this would be presumption, not faith. It would be attempting God’s work in the world’s way. The world looks for spectacular displays; God uses a holy life.
The final temptation Satan proposed for Jesus to achieve God’s will was by worshiping Satan (Matt. 4:8–9). In return, Satan offered to give Him all the kingdoms of the world. By compromising, Jesus could gain a powerful ally, and achieve His mission without suffering the cross. Jesus knew that only God was to be worshiped and to do this would not bring instant success, as Satan promised, but devastating failure.
As you seek to follow God, temptations will inevitably come. Sometimes they will come to you immediately after a spiritual victory. Jesus relied on God’s Word to see Him through the temptations that could have destroyed Him and thwarted God’s plan. He has modeled the way for you to meet every temptation.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
TDW 12-10-08 Listen More, Talk Less, So You Can Talk More Later
By: Jimmy Ray Lee
(Listen More, Talk Less, So You Can Talk More Later)
Today's Scripture
"Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires." James 1:19-20 NLT
Thoughts for Today
Active listening is perhaps the most important key to communicating with your spouse (or anyone else!). It shows that you care, that you accept and respect your mate. Three examples of active listening are restatement, clarifying and summarizing.
Restatement means repeating the content of what your spouse said. This conveys that you are paying attention and really hearing what he or she is saying.
Clarifying might sound like this: "Do you mean …"—and relay in your own words what your spouse just said.
Summarizing pulls together your mate's message and draws it to a concluding point based on what you have seen and heard in the conversation.
Consider this…
Active listening can help you and your spouse understand each other better and build the trust level between you. It is a way to encourage and build up your mate and can have a calming effect when he or she is angry or frustrated. (A word of caution—active listening is not effective when your spouse is out of control … for example, intoxicated or severely depressed. It is also not good to use if he or she needs immediate action.)
Ask God to help you learn to listen … really listen.
Prayer
Lord, help me be quick to listen and to listen actively. In Jesus' name …
(Listen More, Talk Less, So You Can Talk More Later)
Today's Scripture
"Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires." James 1:19-20 NLT
Thoughts for Today
Active listening is perhaps the most important key to communicating with your spouse (or anyone else!). It shows that you care, that you accept and respect your mate. Three examples of active listening are restatement, clarifying and summarizing.
Restatement means repeating the content of what your spouse said. This conveys that you are paying attention and really hearing what he or she is saying.
Clarifying might sound like this: "Do you mean …"—and relay in your own words what your spouse just said.
Summarizing pulls together your mate's message and draws it to a concluding point based on what you have seen and heard in the conversation.
Consider this…
Active listening can help you and your spouse understand each other better and build the trust level between you. It is a way to encourage and build up your mate and can have a calming effect when he or she is angry or frustrated. (A word of caution—active listening is not effective when your spouse is out of control … for example, intoxicated or severely depressed. It is also not good to use if he or she needs immediate action.)
Ask God to help you learn to listen … really listen.
Prayer
Lord, help me be quick to listen and to listen actively. In Jesus' name …
Monday, December 8, 2008
TDW 12-08-08: We Are More Than Conquerors
By: Jerome Case
(We Are More Than Conquerors)
Key Scriptures:
Matthew 5:10
5Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness
Romans 8:35-37
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Commentary:
Over the past few months, many Christians feel like the world has been coming down on them. Some people are experiencing trouble at work and in their home because of their faith. In fact, an air of hopelessness, frustration and anger has gripped the Christian community due to the media’s attacks regarding church funding, marriage definition and church’s prophetic voice. Believers are feeling pressed on all sides and divided in their communities over issues of homosexuality, abortion, bailouts, and diversity. Coupled with the chaos of two pseudo-religious wars going and the current economic uncertainty, people almost feel entitled to be frustrated. As such, we are questioning, “Where is God?” “What is God’s plan for us in the midst of these troubled times?”
Subsequently, many Christians feel like melting under the fire or cracking under the pressure or just giving up and letting the chips fall where they may. Some Christians want to just check out mentally, because they are working their fingers to the bone just to get it right, only to have the doctrinal truths snatched from our grasp by the legal institution. Many of Christians are hearing and believing words like failure, loser, judgmental, self-righteous, sinner and wrong, prefaced by the words “You are.” As such, persecution has pushed many to the doorways of depression, anger, fear, low self-esteem and low faith.
Christians are focusing on what the enemy and society is negatively saying about what we are, instead of what God has said to us and is saying about His children. In times of trouble, we seem to forget that God is the author of our lives, not the issues that we face. God is the wind beneath our wings, not the voices of detractors. God knew us before the foundations of the earth and His hands have been upon our lives before we graced the wombs of our mothers.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must understand that Jesus make it clear that following Him has its price. Christians should expect rejection and persecution in their families and at their jobs especially if they are witnessing. Jesus even discussed the cost of following him to his disciples, knowing that they would be excommunicated from the Jewish temples; suffer persecution or martyrdom by the Roman government.
Early followers of Christ experienced persecution at the hand of Emperor Nero in the First Century. Emperor Nero had Christians killed by dogs, crucified them, and burned them to light his garden parties. He condemned Christians for refusing to worship him as a god, and blamed them for the burning of Rome in A.D. 64. Nero had Peter crucified upside down and Paul beheaded. The world’s animosity and the Evil One’s hate towards Christians had not changed.
As such, today’s Christians can expect to face difficulties, be rejected by friends based on moral matters. Some Christians will lose their job because they will not condone or participate in illegal and unethical activities. Other Christians will be persecuted for evangelizing in their community. Some Christians will be slandered by their own hometown and family. Yet, just because God does not intervene in the persecution, does not mean He is not around in support.
Therefore, if God is for us who can be against us? How dare we let the issues of this world take us down to a mindset that is beneath our calling as heirs to the throne! We are more than conquerors even in the face of persecution, because Jesus conquered the death of sin and gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit. As such, no issue, no trial, no person, no devil or demon on earth has the authority to hold us down below our God given, sacrificial blood washed privilege to live an abundant life. We are more than conquerors, because God is our Father and if the Father has access to peace, clarity, healing, provision, and redemption, then so do we. We have access to God even in the midst of the storms and persecution of life.
We are more than conquerors, because God gave us access to His heart; all we have to do is call on Him in prayer and believe in faith that He will deliver. We are more than conquerors because God cannot fail and He did not create us to fail no matter what the outcome looks like! We have to start living in the fullness of knowing that we belong to God and that He is our victory. As such, Christians have to believe that whatever comes our way, we can take courage in knowing that God’s power is sufficient and able to help us at all times. God’s power is the reason we are alive today, the reason we woke up this morning and the reason we are more than conquerors.
(We Are More Than Conquerors)
Key Scriptures:
Matthew 5:10
5Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness
Romans 8:35-37
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Commentary:
Over the past few months, many Christians feel like the world has been coming down on them. Some people are experiencing trouble at work and in their home because of their faith. In fact, an air of hopelessness, frustration and anger has gripped the Christian community due to the media’s attacks regarding church funding, marriage definition and church’s prophetic voice. Believers are feeling pressed on all sides and divided in their communities over issues of homosexuality, abortion, bailouts, and diversity. Coupled with the chaos of two pseudo-religious wars going and the current economic uncertainty, people almost feel entitled to be frustrated. As such, we are questioning, “Where is God?” “What is God’s plan for us in the midst of these troubled times?”
Subsequently, many Christians feel like melting under the fire or cracking under the pressure or just giving up and letting the chips fall where they may. Some Christians want to just check out mentally, because they are working their fingers to the bone just to get it right, only to have the doctrinal truths snatched from our grasp by the legal institution. Many of Christians are hearing and believing words like failure, loser, judgmental, self-righteous, sinner and wrong, prefaced by the words “You are.” As such, persecution has pushed many to the doorways of depression, anger, fear, low self-esteem and low faith.
Christians are focusing on what the enemy and society is negatively saying about what we are, instead of what God has said to us and is saying about His children. In times of trouble, we seem to forget that God is the author of our lives, not the issues that we face. God is the wind beneath our wings, not the voices of detractors. God knew us before the foundations of the earth and His hands have been upon our lives before we graced the wombs of our mothers.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must understand that Jesus make it clear that following Him has its price. Christians should expect rejection and persecution in their families and at their jobs especially if they are witnessing. Jesus even discussed the cost of following him to his disciples, knowing that they would be excommunicated from the Jewish temples; suffer persecution or martyrdom by the Roman government.
Early followers of Christ experienced persecution at the hand of Emperor Nero in the First Century. Emperor Nero had Christians killed by dogs, crucified them, and burned them to light his garden parties. He condemned Christians for refusing to worship him as a god, and blamed them for the burning of Rome in A.D. 64. Nero had Peter crucified upside down and Paul beheaded. The world’s animosity and the Evil One’s hate towards Christians had not changed.
As such, today’s Christians can expect to face difficulties, be rejected by friends based on moral matters. Some Christians will lose their job because they will not condone or participate in illegal and unethical activities. Other Christians will be persecuted for evangelizing in their community. Some Christians will be slandered by their own hometown and family. Yet, just because God does not intervene in the persecution, does not mean He is not around in support.
Therefore, if God is for us who can be against us? How dare we let the issues of this world take us down to a mindset that is beneath our calling as heirs to the throne! We are more than conquerors even in the face of persecution, because Jesus conquered the death of sin and gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit. As such, no issue, no trial, no person, no devil or demon on earth has the authority to hold us down below our God given, sacrificial blood washed privilege to live an abundant life. We are more than conquerors, because God is our Father and if the Father has access to peace, clarity, healing, provision, and redemption, then so do we. We have access to God even in the midst of the storms and persecution of life.
We are more than conquerors, because God gave us access to His heart; all we have to do is call on Him in prayer and believe in faith that He will deliver. We are more than conquerors because God cannot fail and He did not create us to fail no matter what the outcome looks like! We have to start living in the fullness of knowing that we belong to God and that He is our victory. As such, Christians have to believe that whatever comes our way, we can take courage in knowing that God’s power is sufficient and able to help us at all times. God’s power is the reason we are alive today, the reason we woke up this morning and the reason we are more than conquerors.
Friday, December 5, 2008
TDW 12-05-08 Hold Fast
By: Henry T. Blackaby
(Hold Fast)
Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)
Hold fast to what is good, or the world will take it away. Satan is the relentless enemy of good. When he saw that what God gave Adam and Eve was good, he set about to take it away from them. When he saw that King David was pleasing to God, he attempted to destroy David’s relationship with God. Never take the good in your life for granted. If you do not hold on to it firmly, it may be lost.
People will challenge the good that you are practicing. They may criticize you for your moral stand, your child rearing, your use of money, or your involvement in church. Time pressures will attack the good in your life. Your time to pray, study Scripture, be with your family, and serve in your church will all be pressured by the many other time demands you face. You may give generously to your church and other Christian causes, but you will be tempted to spend your money selfishly and minimize the good you are doing with your finances.
Scripture reveals the solution for holding on to what is good—abstain from every form of evil. Evil robs you of what God intends for you. A spouse and family are great blessings, but the evil of adultery can rob you of the good that God has given. Prayer is a wonderful gift from God. Yet sin robs the power of prayer (Isa. 1:15). If you will not abstain from evil, it will rob you of the good things God has given. God’s commandments do not restrict you: they free you to experience God’s best. Diligently abstain from every form of evil, and you will be free to enjoy every good thing God has for you.
(Hold Fast)
Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)
Hold fast to what is good, or the world will take it away. Satan is the relentless enemy of good. When he saw that what God gave Adam and Eve was good, he set about to take it away from them. When he saw that King David was pleasing to God, he attempted to destroy David’s relationship with God. Never take the good in your life for granted. If you do not hold on to it firmly, it may be lost.
People will challenge the good that you are practicing. They may criticize you for your moral stand, your child rearing, your use of money, or your involvement in church. Time pressures will attack the good in your life. Your time to pray, study Scripture, be with your family, and serve in your church will all be pressured by the many other time demands you face. You may give generously to your church and other Christian causes, but you will be tempted to spend your money selfishly and minimize the good you are doing with your finances.
Scripture reveals the solution for holding on to what is good—abstain from every form of evil. Evil robs you of what God intends for you. A spouse and family are great blessings, but the evil of adultery can rob you of the good that God has given. Prayer is a wonderful gift from God. Yet sin robs the power of prayer (Isa. 1:15). If you will not abstain from evil, it will rob you of the good things God has given. God’s commandments do not restrict you: they free you to experience God’s best. Diligently abstain from every form of evil, and you will be free to enjoy every good thing God has for you.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
TDW 12-04-08 Righteous Judgment: Under-recognized and Over-vilified
By: Matthew A. Ung
(Righteous Judgment: Under-recognized and Over-vilified)
Let me begin in my characteristically frank and uncompromising tone:
CHRISTIANS ARE SUPPOSED TO JUDGE!
But Matthew 7:1 says “judge not, lest ye be judged!,” says the flabbergasted Postmodern crowd.
Matthew 7:1, possibly the most abused verse in the entire Bible. I am fully persuaded that righteous judgment is a cornerstone of doing justly according to Micah 6:8. Judgment, in and of itself, is not evil; as it is the consequences and penalty for sin that protects the righteous and brings retribution to the wicked.
How do you “do justly” if you can’t judge? Do people that quote Matthew 7:1 ever quote Matthew 7:2? Very rarely. “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
And often Matthew 7:5 is quoted only partially—“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye”… (and then they stop)… “and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (We can take the specks out of each others’ eyes… just judge yourself first.)
The reason many men don’t have the backbone to say “you’re in sin, stop it” is because they don’t hold themselves to a high enough standard, or they are guilty of the same sin. Thus, it is important to note that an emphasis on judgment is much stronger WITHIN the church, than to the lost. Some don’t judge because they wrongly assume it means they are condemning someone, but those two terms are NOT the same. We may judge between right and wrong, and we’re obligated (and hopefully motivated) to tell others the truth, but by what authority could one sinner condemn another? None. That lies with God, so let us stop thinking condemnation is the same as judgment and begin to use righteous judgment as an agent of ministry and to reinforce our SHIELD of faith.
I’m constantly surprised how the entire religious precedence for ideals such as pacifism is rooted in one verse. "Judge not, that you be not judged" is often the wailing cry of false teachers and hardened sinners who misapply the verse to ward off censure for their evil deeds. Many think it is humble and pious for them to say “I can’t judge… I don’t know their hearts… etc.” Well, what does the Bible say? For the passive, willful ignorance is all that stands in the way of the below, “being ignorant of God's righteousness” (Rom. 10:3):
Firstly, read 1 Corinthians 5 before reading anymore of this writing. Stop reading this, and find a way to read the short chapter if you can.
…
“It isn't my (Paul’s) responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your (Corinthian church’s) job to judge those inside the church who are sinning in these ways. God will judge those on the outside (the unsaved); but as the Scriptures say, "You must remove the evil person from among you." (O snap, looks like Paul was mad that the Corinthians didn’t use righteous judgment.)
“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. (John 7:24)” We are not supposed to judge the heart of a fellow Christian without the exception of God’s knowledge imparted to us, or without the gift of discernment (freely available if a Christian cares enough to ask for it). But we may always judge the fruit of their actions, as the Bible says that the fruit is evidence of the roots (Luke 6:44).
Psalm 37:30—“The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.” Christians don’t have to judge of themselves, often we are to speak of God’s coming or present judgment… the implication being that you aren’t wise if you don’t do so. Also, while it IS true that Jesus was "brought as a lamb to the slaughter" (Isa. 53:7), he WILL COME as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah...(who) hath prevailed" (Rev. 5:5). Why would it surprise you that God's mercy has always preceded his judgment? ...So apply it--Christians point to the coming judgment.
1 Corinthians 6:1-5—“Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?"
Ephesians 5:11 tells us to expose the unfruitful works of darkness. How? By “discriminating?” We discriminate in the natural in almost everything we do. For example, “The door is right there, so I will NOT walk into the wall, because the door IS NOT there.” That kind of discrimination is called “intolerant” by the “judge not” crowd when it involves objective morality. But how much more must we discriminate in the spiritual than in our natural lives?
Who usually says “don’t judge me!”? People who blame you for making them feel guilty. Well, maybe the guilt is there for a reason. Condemnation doesn’t come from God, but guilt certainly does, at least until the issue is resolved or the conscience is “dulled,” “seared as with a hot iron,” etc. If all you have to say to someone is “hey buddy, maybe you shouldn’t, um… do that” to get them pissed off, that rebellion has been festering for a while.
So judge not, sure, and you won’t be judged… if you live a perfect life. Yeah, that’s assuming you’re living blameless before God. Don’t live a blameless life, and you’ll be judged either way, but God’s mercy will intercede to the measure that you ARE MERCIFUL WHILE ALSO POINTING TO GOD’S JUDGMENT (not your own). This is simple “you reap what you sow” stuff… applied to judgment.
Do you think God would use the whole Bible to educate us in what is just and what is unjust and then say “don’t tell anyone?” That’s not a rhetorical question, but most people think it is. Don’t rock the boat, you know. Well, what’s the boat? Bondage to immoral things?
So get the plank out of your eye, and then judge. Ask your friends to help judge that plank away if you want—nothing will surprise them more, but it will definitely help the whole humility thing. Remember, “Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you.” –Prov. 9:8. Besides, all the people I trust to judge me would do so carefully and kindly knowing that I am opening myself to them, making myself vulnerable in a way. You’d have to be cruel to judge someone spitefully who comes to you asking you to help them become a better person, wouldn’t you?
But a word of warning in 1 Timothy 6:3-5 (NASB)—“If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.”
Firstly, to conform anything, we must judge against the thing we must conform, otherwise abusive language (“back off you fundamentalist hate-monger”) and strife (“he/she is just jealous, so they judge me!”) result. But secondly, know that you gain no honor by judging another Christian justly, it is simply an obligation in your job description, so don’t use it as a means to be disrespectful—too many people do that, and it just produces the “instant plank syndrome” problem all over again. (We may not judge on the basis of appearance, personal opinions or unsubstantiated suspicions.) Leviticus 19:15--"You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. But in righteousness you shall judge your neighbor." I believe this is why many people steer clear of judgment completely—it exposes their own need of it. God will handle you with the same mercy you show to others, but you must judge regardless of the discomfort, just as a dog’s master must cause the dog more pain to release their paw from a bear trap.
The purpose of this message was to shake those up who need it, affirm those who will accept it, and to again say that Christianity isn’t pacifism, God isn’t the Watchmaker of the Enlightenment, and that Christ-followers are expected to be students of Scripture before they are warriors on the battlefield. So often cultures will read the Bible piece by piece according to what they are comfortable with, but that’s not how it works. You either use righteous judgment or unrighteous judgment. The Bible makes it clear that to say nothing is just like saying something; indecision is a decision in itself. A love of God’s goodness should create a love for righteous judgment. “Whoso loveth correction loveth knowledge; But he that hateth reproof is brutish" (Prov. 12:1, ASV).
Judgment threatens wickedness, and wickedness is usually pretty upset. This is Hebrews 13:13’s response: “Let us therefore go forth unto him without (outside) the camp, bearing his (Jesus’) reproach.” People hated Jesus before they hated you; you’re just part of the story that has been going on long before. But it’s always a pivotal role, because no one can ever be you. And we are the salt and light of the earth. Salt preserves, accentuates flavor, is what we get from most devotionals. But salt also irritates. As did the Judges God appointed in the Old Testament. It’s not who we are, but it’s one of the things we must do to represent Christ.
God bless you as you live for Him,
© 2008 Matthew Ung.
(Righteous Judgment: Under-recognized and Over-vilified)
Let me begin in my characteristically frank and uncompromising tone:
CHRISTIANS ARE SUPPOSED TO JUDGE!
But Matthew 7:1 says “judge not, lest ye be judged!,” says the flabbergasted Postmodern crowd.
Matthew 7:1, possibly the most abused verse in the entire Bible. I am fully persuaded that righteous judgment is a cornerstone of doing justly according to Micah 6:8. Judgment, in and of itself, is not evil; as it is the consequences and penalty for sin that protects the righteous and brings retribution to the wicked.
How do you “do justly” if you can’t judge? Do people that quote Matthew 7:1 ever quote Matthew 7:2? Very rarely. “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
And often Matthew 7:5 is quoted only partially—“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye”… (and then they stop)… “and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (We can take the specks out of each others’ eyes… just judge yourself first.)
The reason many men don’t have the backbone to say “you’re in sin, stop it” is because they don’t hold themselves to a high enough standard, or they are guilty of the same sin. Thus, it is important to note that an emphasis on judgment is much stronger WITHIN the church, than to the lost. Some don’t judge because they wrongly assume it means they are condemning someone, but those two terms are NOT the same. We may judge between right and wrong, and we’re obligated (and hopefully motivated) to tell others the truth, but by what authority could one sinner condemn another? None. That lies with God, so let us stop thinking condemnation is the same as judgment and begin to use righteous judgment as an agent of ministry and to reinforce our SHIELD of faith.
I’m constantly surprised how the entire religious precedence for ideals such as pacifism is rooted in one verse. "Judge not, that you be not judged" is often the wailing cry of false teachers and hardened sinners who misapply the verse to ward off censure for their evil deeds. Many think it is humble and pious for them to say “I can’t judge… I don’t know their hearts… etc.” Well, what does the Bible say? For the passive, willful ignorance is all that stands in the way of the below, “being ignorant of God's righteousness” (Rom. 10:3):
Firstly, read 1 Corinthians 5 before reading anymore of this writing. Stop reading this, and find a way to read the short chapter if you can.
…
“It isn't my (Paul’s) responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your (Corinthian church’s) job to judge those inside the church who are sinning in these ways. God will judge those on the outside (the unsaved); but as the Scriptures say, "You must remove the evil person from among you." (O snap, looks like Paul was mad that the Corinthians didn’t use righteous judgment.)
“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. (John 7:24)” We are not supposed to judge the heart of a fellow Christian without the exception of God’s knowledge imparted to us, or without the gift of discernment (freely available if a Christian cares enough to ask for it). But we may always judge the fruit of their actions, as the Bible says that the fruit is evidence of the roots (Luke 6:44).
Psalm 37:30—“The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.” Christians don’t have to judge of themselves, often we are to speak of God’s coming or present judgment… the implication being that you aren’t wise if you don’t do so. Also, while it IS true that Jesus was "brought as a lamb to the slaughter" (Isa. 53:7), he WILL COME as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah...(who) hath prevailed" (Rev. 5:5). Why would it surprise you that God's mercy has always preceded his judgment? ...So apply it--Christians point to the coming judgment.
1 Corinthians 6:1-5—“Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?"
Ephesians 5:11 tells us to expose the unfruitful works of darkness. How? By “discriminating?” We discriminate in the natural in almost everything we do. For example, “The door is right there, so I will NOT walk into the wall, because the door IS NOT there.” That kind of discrimination is called “intolerant” by the “judge not” crowd when it involves objective morality. But how much more must we discriminate in the spiritual than in our natural lives?
Who usually says “don’t judge me!”? People who blame you for making them feel guilty. Well, maybe the guilt is there for a reason. Condemnation doesn’t come from God, but guilt certainly does, at least until the issue is resolved or the conscience is “dulled,” “seared as with a hot iron,” etc. If all you have to say to someone is “hey buddy, maybe you shouldn’t, um… do that” to get them pissed off, that rebellion has been festering for a while.
So judge not, sure, and you won’t be judged… if you live a perfect life. Yeah, that’s assuming you’re living blameless before God. Don’t live a blameless life, and you’ll be judged either way, but God’s mercy will intercede to the measure that you ARE MERCIFUL WHILE ALSO POINTING TO GOD’S JUDGMENT (not your own). This is simple “you reap what you sow” stuff… applied to judgment.
Do you think God would use the whole Bible to educate us in what is just and what is unjust and then say “don’t tell anyone?” That’s not a rhetorical question, but most people think it is. Don’t rock the boat, you know. Well, what’s the boat? Bondage to immoral things?
So get the plank out of your eye, and then judge. Ask your friends to help judge that plank away if you want—nothing will surprise them more, but it will definitely help the whole humility thing. Remember, “Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you.” –Prov. 9:8. Besides, all the people I trust to judge me would do so carefully and kindly knowing that I am opening myself to them, making myself vulnerable in a way. You’d have to be cruel to judge someone spitefully who comes to you asking you to help them become a better person, wouldn’t you?
But a word of warning in 1 Timothy 6:3-5 (NASB)—“If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.”
Firstly, to conform anything, we must judge against the thing we must conform, otherwise abusive language (“back off you fundamentalist hate-monger”) and strife (“he/she is just jealous, so they judge me!”) result. But secondly, know that you gain no honor by judging another Christian justly, it is simply an obligation in your job description, so don’t use it as a means to be disrespectful—too many people do that, and it just produces the “instant plank syndrome” problem all over again. (We may not judge on the basis of appearance, personal opinions or unsubstantiated suspicions.) Leviticus 19:15--"You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. But in righteousness you shall judge your neighbor." I believe this is why many people steer clear of judgment completely—it exposes their own need of it. God will handle you with the same mercy you show to others, but you must judge regardless of the discomfort, just as a dog’s master must cause the dog more pain to release their paw from a bear trap.
The purpose of this message was to shake those up who need it, affirm those who will accept it, and to again say that Christianity isn’t pacifism, God isn’t the Watchmaker of the Enlightenment, and that Christ-followers are expected to be students of Scripture before they are warriors on the battlefield. So often cultures will read the Bible piece by piece according to what they are comfortable with, but that’s not how it works. You either use righteous judgment or unrighteous judgment. The Bible makes it clear that to say nothing is just like saying something; indecision is a decision in itself. A love of God’s goodness should create a love for righteous judgment. “Whoso loveth correction loveth knowledge; But he that hateth reproof is brutish" (Prov. 12:1, ASV).
Judgment threatens wickedness, and wickedness is usually pretty upset. This is Hebrews 13:13’s response: “Let us therefore go forth unto him without (outside) the camp, bearing his (Jesus’) reproach.” People hated Jesus before they hated you; you’re just part of the story that has been going on long before. But it’s always a pivotal role, because no one can ever be you. And we are the salt and light of the earth. Salt preserves, accentuates flavor, is what we get from most devotionals. But salt also irritates. As did the Judges God appointed in the Old Testament. It’s not who we are, but it’s one of the things we must do to represent Christ.
God bless you as you live for Him,
© 2008 Matthew Ung.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
TDW 12-02-08 By the Grace of God I Am What I Am
By: Oswald Chambers
(By the Grace of God I Am What I Am)
By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain . . . —1 Corinthians 15:10
The way we continually talk about our own inabilities is an insult to our Creator. To complain over our incompetence is to accuse God falsely of having overlooked us. Get into the habit of examining from God’s perspective those things that sound so humble to men. You will be amazed at how unbelievably inappropriate and disrespectful they are to Him. We say things such as, "Oh, I shouldn’t claim to be sanctified; I’m not a saint." But to say that before God means, "No, Lord, it is impossible for You to save and sanctify me; there are opportunities I have not had and so many imperfections in my brain and body; no, Lord, it isn’t possible." That may sound wonderfully humble to others, but before God it is an attitude of defiance.
Conversely, the things that sound humble before God may sound exactly the opposite to people. To say, "Thank God, I know I am saved and sanctified," is in God’s eyes the purest expression of humility. It means you have so completely surrendered yourself to God that you know He is true. Never worry about whether what you say sounds humble before others or not. But always be humble before God, and allow Him to be your all in all.
There is only one relationship that really matters, and that is your personal relationship to your personal Redeemer and Lord. If you maintain that at all costs, letting everything else go, God will fulfill His purpose through your life. One individual life may be of priceless value to God’s purposes, and yours may be that life.
(By the Grace of God I Am What I Am)
By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain . . . —1 Corinthians 15:10
The way we continually talk about our own inabilities is an insult to our Creator. To complain over our incompetence is to accuse God falsely of having overlooked us. Get into the habit of examining from God’s perspective those things that sound so humble to men. You will be amazed at how unbelievably inappropriate and disrespectful they are to Him. We say things such as, "Oh, I shouldn’t claim to be sanctified; I’m not a saint." But to say that before God means, "No, Lord, it is impossible for You to save and sanctify me; there are opportunities I have not had and so many imperfections in my brain and body; no, Lord, it isn’t possible." That may sound wonderfully humble to others, but before God it is an attitude of defiance.
Conversely, the things that sound humble before God may sound exactly the opposite to people. To say, "Thank God, I know I am saved and sanctified," is in God’s eyes the purest expression of humility. It means you have so completely surrendered yourself to God that you know He is true. Never worry about whether what you say sounds humble before others or not. But always be humble before God, and allow Him to be your all in all.
There is only one relationship that really matters, and that is your personal relationship to your personal Redeemer and Lord. If you maintain that at all costs, letting everything else go, God will fulfill His purpose through your life. One individual life may be of priceless value to God’s purposes, and yours may be that life.
Monday, December 1, 2008
TDW 12-01-08 Seeing Life From God's Perspective
By: Neil Anderson
(Seeing Life From God's Perspective)
Proverbs 3:7
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil
Wisdom was certainly the way of the Old Testament as the Book of Proverbs and other wisdom literature attest. However, in the Old Testament, wisdom was not understood as our ability to reason independently of God. Rather, it was an acceptance and knowledge of divine revelation. Biblical wisdom is seeing life from God's perspective. When wisdom degenerates to rationalism, our walk with God is reduced to an intellectual pursuit rather than a living relationship. Proverbs 3:5-7 pictures the relationship God desires with us: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil."
Turning away from evil signifies that there are moral boundaries. The will of God is to live inside those boundaries. We are free to live as the Lord leads as long as we stay morally pure and exercise biblical wisdom. Since all unbelievers are outside the moral boundaries of God, they can expect judgment. Christians living outside the moral boundaries can expect discipline. The writer of Hebrews would attest to the latter: "But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons" (Hebrews 12:8).
It's true that God does give us freedom to make choices on nonmoral issues, but He expects us to know His Word and make wise decisions. He has made His will known primarily in His Word, and He delights when we humbly submit to it and obey it. But we are not Old Testament saints. We are New Testament Christians. Christ has reconciled Jew and Gentile, and we possess both power and wisdom. What marks the church age is that we now have the presence of the Holy Spirit Who will guide us into all truth. "For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God" (1 Corinthians 2:10).
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for Your Word, which is a lamp to my feet, and for Your Holy Spirit, Who will guide me into all truth.
(Seeing Life From God's Perspective)
Proverbs 3:7
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil
Wisdom was certainly the way of the Old Testament as the Book of Proverbs and other wisdom literature attest. However, in the Old Testament, wisdom was not understood as our ability to reason independently of God. Rather, it was an acceptance and knowledge of divine revelation. Biblical wisdom is seeing life from God's perspective. When wisdom degenerates to rationalism, our walk with God is reduced to an intellectual pursuit rather than a living relationship. Proverbs 3:5-7 pictures the relationship God desires with us: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil."
Turning away from evil signifies that there are moral boundaries. The will of God is to live inside those boundaries. We are free to live as the Lord leads as long as we stay morally pure and exercise biblical wisdom. Since all unbelievers are outside the moral boundaries of God, they can expect judgment. Christians living outside the moral boundaries can expect discipline. The writer of Hebrews would attest to the latter: "But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons" (Hebrews 12:8).
It's true that God does give us freedom to make choices on nonmoral issues, but He expects us to know His Word and make wise decisions. He has made His will known primarily in His Word, and He delights when we humbly submit to it and obey it. But we are not Old Testament saints. We are New Testament Christians. Christ has reconciled Jew and Gentile, and we possess both power and wisdom. What marks the church age is that we now have the presence of the Holy Spirit Who will guide us into all truth. "For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God" (1 Corinthians 2:10).
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for Your Word, which is a lamp to my feet, and for Your Holy Spirit, Who will guide me into all truth.
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