By: Billy Graham
(An Unselfish Thankfulness)
“O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.”
-Psalm 118:1
This year as we observe our season of thanksgiving, let us be grateful not only in word but also in deed. Let our gratitude find expression in a resolve to live a life more unselfish and more consecrated to Jesus Christ. When we sit around our tables laden with sumptuous delicacies, let us not forget that half the world will go to bed hungry. As we enjoy the comforts of our cozy homes, let us not forget that great numbers in other parts of the world have no homes to go to.
When we step into our sleek automobiles, let us not forget that most of the people in the world cannot afford even a bicycle. In the Lord’s Prayer as recorded in the sixth chapter of Matthew, we read, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Scripture teaches that the good things of this life are the gifts of God, and that He is the donor of all our blessings. Thanksgiving? Yes. Let us get on our knees humbly and thank God for the blessings He has given us, both material and spiritual. They have come from His hands.
Prayer for the day
You bring me such abundance, almighty God. As I think of Thanksgiving Day, may my heart be completely consecrated to Your Son, Jesus Christ, so that through Him my life will show my gratitude to You.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
TDW 11-25-09 Unfailing Love
By: Max Lucado
(Unfailing Love)
"Love," Paul says, "never fails" (1 Cor. 13:8 NIV).
The verb Paul uses for the word fail is used elsewhere to describe the demise of a flower as it falls to the ground, withers, and decays. It carries the meaning of death and abolishment. God's love, says the apostle, will never fall to the ground, wither, and decay. By its nature, it is permanent. It is never abolished.
Love "will last forever" (NLT).
It "never dies" (MSG).
It "never ends" (RSV).
Love "is eternal" (TEV).
God's love "will never come to an end" (NEB).
Love never fails.
Governments will fail, but God's love will last. Crowns are temporary, but love is eternal. Your money will run out, but his love never will.
How could God have a love like this? No one has unfailing love. No person can love with perfection. You're right. No person can. But God is not a person. Unlike our love, his never fails. His love is immensely different from ours.
Our love depends on the receiver of the love. Let a thousand people pass before us, and we will not feel the same about each. Our love will be regulated by their appearance, by their personalities. Even when we find a few people we like, our feelings will fluctuate. How they treat us will affect how we love them. The receiver regulates our love.
Not so with the love of God. We have no thermostatic impact on his love for us. The love of God is born from within him, not from what he finds in us. His love is uncaused and spontaneous.
Does he love us because of our goodness? Because of our kindness? Because of our great faith? No, he loves us because of his goodness, kindness, and great faith. John says it like this: "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us" (1 John 4:10 NIV).
Doesn't this thought comfort you? God's love does not hinge on yours. The abundance of your love does not increase his. The lack of your love does not diminish his. Your goodness does not enhance his love, nor does your weakness dilute it. What Moses said to Israel is what God says to us:
The LORD did not choose you and lavish his love on you because you were larger or greater than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! It was simply because the LORD loves you. (Deut. 7:7-8 NLT)
God loves you simply because he has chosen to do so.
A Love Worth Giving He loves you when you don't feel lovely.
He loves you when no one else loves you. Others may abandon you, divorce you, and ignore you, but God will love you. Always. No matter what.
This is his sentiment: "I'll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I'll call the unloved and make them beloved" (Rom. 9:25 MSG).
This is his promise. "I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself" (Jer. 31:3 NLT).
(Unfailing Love)
"Love," Paul says, "never fails" (1 Cor. 13:8 NIV).
The verb Paul uses for the word fail is used elsewhere to describe the demise of a flower as it falls to the ground, withers, and decays. It carries the meaning of death and abolishment. God's love, says the apostle, will never fall to the ground, wither, and decay. By its nature, it is permanent. It is never abolished.
Love "will last forever" (NLT).
It "never dies" (MSG).
It "never ends" (RSV).
Love "is eternal" (TEV).
God's love "will never come to an end" (NEB).
Love never fails.
Governments will fail, but God's love will last. Crowns are temporary, but love is eternal. Your money will run out, but his love never will.
How could God have a love like this? No one has unfailing love. No person can love with perfection. You're right. No person can. But God is not a person. Unlike our love, his never fails. His love is immensely different from ours.
Our love depends on the receiver of the love. Let a thousand people pass before us, and we will not feel the same about each. Our love will be regulated by their appearance, by their personalities. Even when we find a few people we like, our feelings will fluctuate. How they treat us will affect how we love them. The receiver regulates our love.
Not so with the love of God. We have no thermostatic impact on his love for us. The love of God is born from within him, not from what he finds in us. His love is uncaused and spontaneous.
Does he love us because of our goodness? Because of our kindness? Because of our great faith? No, he loves us because of his goodness, kindness, and great faith. John says it like this: "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us" (1 John 4:10 NIV).
Doesn't this thought comfort you? God's love does not hinge on yours. The abundance of your love does not increase his. The lack of your love does not diminish his. Your goodness does not enhance his love, nor does your weakness dilute it. What Moses said to Israel is what God says to us:
The LORD did not choose you and lavish his love on you because you were larger or greater than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! It was simply because the LORD loves you. (Deut. 7:7-8 NLT)
God loves you simply because he has chosen to do so.
A Love Worth Giving He loves you when you don't feel lovely.
He loves you when no one else loves you. Others may abandon you, divorce you, and ignore you, but God will love you. Always. No matter what.
This is his sentiment: "I'll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I'll call the unloved and make them beloved" (Rom. 9:25 MSG).
This is his promise. "I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself" (Jer. 31:3 NLT).
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
TDW 11-24-09 Acknowledging God's Sovereignty
By: John MacArthur
(Acknowledging God's Sovereignty)
"By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones" (Heb. 11:22).
God uses your present circumstances to accomplish His future purposes.
Like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Joseph was an heir to the covenant promises of God. His hope was firmly fixed on God, and he knew that some day his people would be at home in the Promised Land.
Although he spent all his adult life in Egypt, never seeing the Promised Land for himself, Joseph's faith never wavered. At the end of his life, he instructed his brothers to remove his bones from Egypt and bury them in their future homeland (Gen. 50:25). That request was fulfilled in the Exodus (Ex. 13:19).
But Joseph's faith wasn't in the promises of future events only, for his life was marked by exceptional trust in God and personal integrity. His understanding of God's sovereignty was unique among the patriarchs. Even though he suffered greatly at the hands of evildoers (including his own brothers, who sold him into slavery), Joseph recognized God's hand in every event of his life and submitted to His will.
Joseph said to his brothers, "Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life . . . and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God" (Gen. 45:5, 7-8). Later, after their father's death, he reassured them again: "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to . . . preserve many people alive" (Gen. 50:19- 20).
The genius of Joseph's faith was understanding the role that present circumstances play in fulfilling future promises. He accepted blessing and adversity alike because he knew God would use both to accomplish greater things in the future.
Joseph is the classic Old Testament example of the truth that God works all things together for good to those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). That's a promise you can rely on too.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Reaffirm your trust in God's sovereign work in your life.
(Acknowledging God's Sovereignty)
"By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones" (Heb. 11:22).
God uses your present circumstances to accomplish His future purposes.
Like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Joseph was an heir to the covenant promises of God. His hope was firmly fixed on God, and he knew that some day his people would be at home in the Promised Land.
Although he spent all his adult life in Egypt, never seeing the Promised Land for himself, Joseph's faith never wavered. At the end of his life, he instructed his brothers to remove his bones from Egypt and bury them in their future homeland (Gen. 50:25). That request was fulfilled in the Exodus (Ex. 13:19).
But Joseph's faith wasn't in the promises of future events only, for his life was marked by exceptional trust in God and personal integrity. His understanding of God's sovereignty was unique among the patriarchs. Even though he suffered greatly at the hands of evildoers (including his own brothers, who sold him into slavery), Joseph recognized God's hand in every event of his life and submitted to His will.
Joseph said to his brothers, "Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life . . . and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God" (Gen. 45:5, 7-8). Later, after their father's death, he reassured them again: "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to . . . preserve many people alive" (Gen. 50:19- 20).
The genius of Joseph's faith was understanding the role that present circumstances play in fulfilling future promises. He accepted blessing and adversity alike because he knew God would use both to accomplish greater things in the future.
Joseph is the classic Old Testament example of the truth that God works all things together for good to those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). That's a promise you can rely on too.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Reaffirm your trust in God's sovereign work in your life.
Monday, November 23, 2009
TDW 11-23-09 The Full Armor of God
By: Neil Anderson
(The Full Armor of God)
Ephesians 6:13
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm
A primary element in our protection from Satan and evil is the armor that God has provided for us and instructed us to put on in Ephesians 6:13-17. When we put on the armor of God, we are really putting on Christ (Romans 13:12-14). And when we put on Christ, we take ourselves out of the realm of the flesh, where we are vulnerable to attack, and we place ourselves within the dominion of Christ, where the evil one cannot touch us. Satan has nothing in Christ (John 14:30), and to the extent that we put on Christ, the evil one cannot touch us (1 John 5:18). He can only touch that which is on his own level. That's why we are commanded, "Make no provision for the flesh" (Romans 13:14), meaning "Don't live on Satan's level."
It would appear from the verb tenses in Ephesians 6;14, 15, that three of the pieces of armor--belt, breastplate and shoes--are already on you: "having girded . . ."; "having put on . . ."; having shod. . . ." These pieces of armor represent the elements of your protection made possible when you receive Jesus Christ and in which you are commanded to stand firm. The Greek tense of "having" signifies that the action it refers to was completed before we were commanded to stand firm. That's the logical way a soldier would prepare for action: He would put on his belt, breastplate and shoes before attempting to stand firm. Likewise, we are to put on the full armor of God after having already put on Christ.
When you read through Ephesians 6:10-20, you will notice the emphasis on the active part we must play on behalf of our own spiritual defense: "be strong" (verse 10); "put on" and "stand firm" (verse 11); "take up," "be able," "resist," and "stand firm" (verse 13); "stand firm" (verse 14); "taking up" (verse 16); "take" (verse 17)' "pray at all times" and "be on the alert" (verse 18).
Over the next several days, we will consider each of the six pieces of armor from Ephesians 6:13-17.
Prayer:
Teach me my responsibility in spiritual warfare, Lord, that I may be strong in You and in the strength of Your might.
(The Full Armor of God)
Ephesians 6:13
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm
A primary element in our protection from Satan and evil is the armor that God has provided for us and instructed us to put on in Ephesians 6:13-17. When we put on the armor of God, we are really putting on Christ (Romans 13:12-14). And when we put on Christ, we take ourselves out of the realm of the flesh, where we are vulnerable to attack, and we place ourselves within the dominion of Christ, where the evil one cannot touch us. Satan has nothing in Christ (John 14:30), and to the extent that we put on Christ, the evil one cannot touch us (1 John 5:18). He can only touch that which is on his own level. That's why we are commanded, "Make no provision for the flesh" (Romans 13:14), meaning "Don't live on Satan's level."
It would appear from the verb tenses in Ephesians 6;14, 15, that three of the pieces of armor--belt, breastplate and shoes--are already on you: "having girded . . ."; "having put on . . ."; having shod. . . ." These pieces of armor represent the elements of your protection made possible when you receive Jesus Christ and in which you are commanded to stand firm. The Greek tense of "having" signifies that the action it refers to was completed before we were commanded to stand firm. That's the logical way a soldier would prepare for action: He would put on his belt, breastplate and shoes before attempting to stand firm. Likewise, we are to put on the full armor of God after having already put on Christ.
When you read through Ephesians 6:10-20, you will notice the emphasis on the active part we must play on behalf of our own spiritual defense: "be strong" (verse 10); "put on" and "stand firm" (verse 11); "take up," "be able," "resist," and "stand firm" (verse 13); "stand firm" (verse 14); "taking up" (verse 16); "take" (verse 17)' "pray at all times" and "be on the alert" (verse 18).
Over the next several days, we will consider each of the six pieces of armor from Ephesians 6:13-17.
Prayer:
Teach me my responsibility in spiritual warfare, Lord, that I may be strong in You and in the strength of Your might.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
TDW 11-12-09 A Christian life. A Satisfying Life
By: Billy Graham
(A Christian life. A Satisfying Life)
“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
-John 16:33
You should not expect the easy way, for if you do you are certainly destined for disappointment. Any person who knows the Bible knows that the Christian life is likened to an athletic contest or to warfare, and neither one is easy. Jesus warned His followers to count carefully the cost, and that certainly does not speak of an easy way. But there is no good thing that comes without cost.
The Christian life is the most satisfying, but only when we actually go all out and all the way. It is the Christian who tries to compromise who finds life miserable, for he has all the problems, without the fellowship that comes through surrender. For every trial and test, Christ supplies an abundance of grace with which to bear it, and in our weakness we are made strong.
Prayer for the day
Let me never look for the easy way when You, Lord Jesus, gave everything for me.
(A Christian life. A Satisfying Life)
“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
-John 16:33
You should not expect the easy way, for if you do you are certainly destined for disappointment. Any person who knows the Bible knows that the Christian life is likened to an athletic contest or to warfare, and neither one is easy. Jesus warned His followers to count carefully the cost, and that certainly does not speak of an easy way. But there is no good thing that comes without cost.
The Christian life is the most satisfying, but only when we actually go all out and all the way. It is the Christian who tries to compromise who finds life miserable, for he has all the problems, without the fellowship that comes through surrender. For every trial and test, Christ supplies an abundance of grace with which to bear it, and in our weakness we are made strong.
Prayer for the day
Let me never look for the easy way when You, Lord Jesus, gave everything for me.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
TDW 11-10-09 Who Is Your Neighbor?
By: Dr. Jack Graham
(Who Is Your Neighbor?)
…"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… and your neighbor as yourself." --Luke 10:27
Who is your neighbor? That was a good question in Jesus' day, and it remains an important one today.
Now, you and I might be tempted to think of a neighbor as someone who lives close to us. But let me challenge your thinking along the lines that Jesus challenged the rich young lawyer in Luke 10.
In his encounter with Jesus, a man asked the Lord, "Who is my neighbor?" He knew he was required to love God and to love his neighbor as himself. So he wanted to know specifically who it was that he was required to love.
But Jesus saw that the man was thinking law, not love. So he told him the story of a Samaritan man who went above and beyond to help a complete stranger whom he found dying along the road to Jericho.
This parable provided the ultimate answer to the question, "Who is your neighbor?" Jesus said that your neighbor is anyone who has a need that you can help meet!
This was a defining moment in the life of the young lawyer, and this new understanding had the power to change his life. Will you let it change yours?
Love God with all your heart, and show his love and kindness to the hurting people around you… your neighbors… wherever you find them.
(Who Is Your Neighbor?)
…"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… and your neighbor as yourself." --Luke 10:27
Who is your neighbor? That was a good question in Jesus' day, and it remains an important one today.
Now, you and I might be tempted to think of a neighbor as someone who lives close to us. But let me challenge your thinking along the lines that Jesus challenged the rich young lawyer in Luke 10.
In his encounter with Jesus, a man asked the Lord, "Who is my neighbor?" He knew he was required to love God and to love his neighbor as himself. So he wanted to know specifically who it was that he was required to love.
But Jesus saw that the man was thinking law, not love. So he told him the story of a Samaritan man who went above and beyond to help a complete stranger whom he found dying along the road to Jericho.
This parable provided the ultimate answer to the question, "Who is your neighbor?" Jesus said that your neighbor is anyone who has a need that you can help meet!
This was a defining moment in the life of the young lawyer, and this new understanding had the power to change his life. Will you let it change yours?
Love God with all your heart, and show his love and kindness to the hurting people around you… your neighbors… wherever you find them.
Monday, November 9, 2009
TDW 11-09-09 Moving Beyond Bad Choices
By:Jimmy Ray Lee
(Moving Beyond Bad Choices)
"No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." Philippians 3:13-14 NLT
Thoughts for Today
God loves us so much that he gives us the freedom to make choices. Some are of little consequence, but others are life-changing. This freedom of choice dates back to Adam and Eve. They made a bad choice, and sin entered the realm of mankind.
The freedom to make choices brings responsibility. We have all made poor choices at times and have suffered the consequences of those bad choices. The good news is that no matter what poor choices we may have made in the past, there is always hope for a better future. God knew that we would make some bad choices, but he loves us so much that he sent Jesus to pay the price for our sin and to provide a way for our relationship to him to be restored.
Some people go through life carrying the load of some wrong choices they have made in the past. They believe they have messed up so badly that nothing good can ever come of their lives. Do you ever feel this way?
Good news! If you want to be set free from the past, Jesus is the answer. He has already paid the price for your sin … for every wrong choice you have ever made. Talk to him. Ask him to forgive you and to help you make better choices from now on. He is ready, and he is more than able.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 NIV
Consider this…
Remember, you are very special to God. He loves you no matter what you have done. He is there for you. He wants you to put the past behind so that you can become all that he has designed you to be. Ask God's forgiveness … learn from your mistakes … and look forward to a future filled with hope.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for forgiving my sins. I have made so many wrong choices. Help me now to put them behind and to look forward to the future you have planned for me … one filled with hope. In Jesus' name …
(Moving Beyond Bad Choices)
"No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." Philippians 3:13-14 NLT
Thoughts for Today
God loves us so much that he gives us the freedom to make choices. Some are of little consequence, but others are life-changing. This freedom of choice dates back to Adam and Eve. They made a bad choice, and sin entered the realm of mankind.
The freedom to make choices brings responsibility. We have all made poor choices at times and have suffered the consequences of those bad choices. The good news is that no matter what poor choices we may have made in the past, there is always hope for a better future. God knew that we would make some bad choices, but he loves us so much that he sent Jesus to pay the price for our sin and to provide a way for our relationship to him to be restored.
Some people go through life carrying the load of some wrong choices they have made in the past. They believe they have messed up so badly that nothing good can ever come of their lives. Do you ever feel this way?
Good news! If you want to be set free from the past, Jesus is the answer. He has already paid the price for your sin … for every wrong choice you have ever made. Talk to him. Ask him to forgive you and to help you make better choices from now on. He is ready, and he is more than able.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 NIV
Consider this…
Remember, you are very special to God. He loves you no matter what you have done. He is there for you. He wants you to put the past behind so that you can become all that he has designed you to be. Ask God's forgiveness … learn from your mistakes … and look forward to a future filled with hope.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for forgiving my sins. I have made so many wrong choices. Help me now to put them behind and to look forward to the future you have planned for me … one filled with hope. In Jesus' name …
Thursday, November 5, 2009
TDW 11-05-09 Partakers of His Suffering
By: Oswald Chambers
(Partakers of His Suffering)
. . . but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings . . . —1 Peter 4:13
If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a number of experiences that are not meant for you personally at all. They are designed to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what takes place in the lives of others. Because of this process, you will never be surprised by what comes your way. You say, "Oh, I can’t deal with that person." Why can’t you? God gave you sufficient opportunities to learn from Him about that problem; but you turned away, not heeding the lesson, because it seemed foolish to spend your time that way.
The sufferings of Christ were not those of ordinary people. He suffered "according to the will of God" (1 Peter 4:19), having a different point of view of suffering from ours. It is only through our relationship with Jesus Christ that we can understand what God is after in His dealings with us. When it comes to suffering, it is part of our Christian culture to want to know God’s purpose beforehand. In the history of the Christian church, the tendency has been to avoid being identified with the sufferings of Jesus Christ. People have sought to carry out God’s orders through a shortcut of their own. God’s way is always the way of suffering— the way of the "long road home."
Are we partakers of Christ’s sufferings? Are we prepared for God to stamp out our personal ambitions? Are we prepared for God to destroy our individual decisions by supernaturally transforming them? It will mean not knowing why God is taking us that way, because knowing would make us spiritually proud. We never realize at the time what God is putting us through— we go through it more or less without understanding. Then suddenly we come to a place of enlightenment, and realize— "God has strengthened me and I didn’t even know it!"
(Partakers of His Suffering)
. . . but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings . . . —1 Peter 4:13
If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a number of experiences that are not meant for you personally at all. They are designed to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what takes place in the lives of others. Because of this process, you will never be surprised by what comes your way. You say, "Oh, I can’t deal with that person." Why can’t you? God gave you sufficient opportunities to learn from Him about that problem; but you turned away, not heeding the lesson, because it seemed foolish to spend your time that way.
The sufferings of Christ were not those of ordinary people. He suffered "according to the will of God" (1 Peter 4:19), having a different point of view of suffering from ours. It is only through our relationship with Jesus Christ that we can understand what God is after in His dealings with us. When it comes to suffering, it is part of our Christian culture to want to know God’s purpose beforehand. In the history of the Christian church, the tendency has been to avoid being identified with the sufferings of Jesus Christ. People have sought to carry out God’s orders through a shortcut of their own. God’s way is always the way of suffering— the way of the "long road home."
Are we partakers of Christ’s sufferings? Are we prepared for God to stamp out our personal ambitions? Are we prepared for God to destroy our individual decisions by supernaturally transforming them? It will mean not knowing why God is taking us that way, because knowing would make us spiritually proud. We never realize at the time what God is putting us through— we go through it more or less without understanding. Then suddenly we come to a place of enlightenment, and realize— "God has strengthened me and I didn’t even know it!"
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
TDW 11-03-09 Counted Faithful
By: Henry T. Blackaby
(Counted Faithful)
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. (1 Timothy 1:12)
From a human perspective, the apostle Paul’s record as a zealous persecutor of Christians should have precluded him from being used in God’s service. Paul was known as the “chief of sinners,” a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent aggressor (1 Tim. 1:13–15). Everything changed when God saved Paul. He embraced the Christian life with the same fervency in which he had opposed it. Paul labored to be faithful in every assignment, no matter how small or large. Ultimately, because of Paul’s faithfulness, God entrusted him to be one of His foremost promoters of the gospel.
Paul understood that everything he ever accomplished for God’s kingdom was due to the enabling power of God. He was not deceived into thinking that his own intelligence or personal drive brought about God’s will. Rather, Paul was grateful for the opportunity to be tested and found faithful in any assignment, regardless of its size.
Your ability to serve God is not based on your past, but on your faithfulness today. If you are faithful with the task God entrusts to you, God will enable you to accomplish it. Don’t distinguish between big and small assignments from God. Paul saw every one as a privilege he did not deserve. Whether God has asked you to pray for someone, to minister to a person in need, to lead a Bible study, or to care for those who are sick, strive to be faithful. You will experience His enabling as you serve Him. If you are faithful in a little, God will entrust you with more. You will be able to join Paul in praising God for having counted you faithful, putting you into His service (Luke 16:10).
(Counted Faithful)
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. (1 Timothy 1:12)
From a human perspective, the apostle Paul’s record as a zealous persecutor of Christians should have precluded him from being used in God’s service. Paul was known as the “chief of sinners,” a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent aggressor (1 Tim. 1:13–15). Everything changed when God saved Paul. He embraced the Christian life with the same fervency in which he had opposed it. Paul labored to be faithful in every assignment, no matter how small or large. Ultimately, because of Paul’s faithfulness, God entrusted him to be one of His foremost promoters of the gospel.
Paul understood that everything he ever accomplished for God’s kingdom was due to the enabling power of God. He was not deceived into thinking that his own intelligence or personal drive brought about God’s will. Rather, Paul was grateful for the opportunity to be tested and found faithful in any assignment, regardless of its size.
Your ability to serve God is not based on your past, but on your faithfulness today. If you are faithful with the task God entrusts to you, God will enable you to accomplish it. Don’t distinguish between big and small assignments from God. Paul saw every one as a privilege he did not deserve. Whether God has asked you to pray for someone, to minister to a person in need, to lead a Bible study, or to care for those who are sick, strive to be faithful. You will experience His enabling as you serve Him. If you are faithful in a little, God will entrust you with more. You will be able to join Paul in praising God for having counted you faithful, putting you into His service (Luke 16:10).
Monday, November 2, 2009
TDW 11-02-09 Keep your focus on Jesus
By: Jack Graham
(Keep your focus on Jesus)
…in your presence there is fullness of joy…
--Psalm 16:11
Most adults are pretty accomplished when it comes to staying busy. But we need to guard ourselves against getting so busy that we miss out on what's really important.
In Luke chapter 10, you and I are introduced to a woman who got so busy "doing" that she missed "being" in the presence of Jesus. And he was right there in her home!
On this day, Martha had invited Jesus to come to her home for fellowship. And she began busying herself with preparations for their time together. But somewhere along the way, the focus of her attention became more about the preparations and less about Jesus.
Making matters worse, while she slaved away, her sister Mary sat at Jesus feet listening intently to his every word. Martha even asked Jesus to tell Mary to leave him and to help her!
But instead, Jesus lovingly told her that while she had grown increasingly anxious, Mary had chosen well in spending time with him.
You see, activities done in the name of the Lord can never replace time spent in adoration of him. Work cannot satisfy the place intended for worship. There is nothing more important to a Christ-follower than time spent in his presence!
Don't ask Jesus into your heart only to ignore him. Come and sit at his feet. In his presence is fullness of joy!
(Keep your focus on Jesus)
…in your presence there is fullness of joy…
--Psalm 16:11
Most adults are pretty accomplished when it comes to staying busy. But we need to guard ourselves against getting so busy that we miss out on what's really important.
In Luke chapter 10, you and I are introduced to a woman who got so busy "doing" that she missed "being" in the presence of Jesus. And he was right there in her home!
On this day, Martha had invited Jesus to come to her home for fellowship. And she began busying herself with preparations for their time together. But somewhere along the way, the focus of her attention became more about the preparations and less about Jesus.
Making matters worse, while she slaved away, her sister Mary sat at Jesus feet listening intently to his every word. Martha even asked Jesus to tell Mary to leave him and to help her!
But instead, Jesus lovingly told her that while she had grown increasingly anxious, Mary had chosen well in spending time with him.
You see, activities done in the name of the Lord can never replace time spent in adoration of him. Work cannot satisfy the place intended for worship. There is nothing more important to a Christ-follower than time spent in his presence!
Don't ask Jesus into your heart only to ignore him. Come and sit at his feet. In his presence is fullness of joy!
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