The Carpenter's Chapel (9)

Today the devotional is taken from My Utmost For His Highest (utmost.org).

My Utmost For His Highest

Obedience to the "Heavenly Vision".


2012
I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision —Acts 26:19


If we lose “the heavenly vision” God has given us, we alone are responsible— not God. We lose the vision because of our own lack of spiritual growth. If we do not apply our beliefs about God to the issues of everyday life, the vision God has given us will never be fulfilled. The only way to be obedient to “the heavenly vision” is to give our utmost for His highest— our best for His glory. This can be accomplished only when we make a determination to continually remember God’s vision. But the acid test is obedience to the vision in the details of our everyday life— sixty seconds out of every minute, and sixty minutes out of every hour, not just during times of personal prayer or public meetings.

“Though it tarries, wait for it . . .” (Habakkuk 2:3). We cannot bring the vision to fulfillment through our own efforts, but must live under its inspiration until it fulfills itself. We try to be so practical that we forget the vision. At the very beginning we saw the vision but did not wait for it. We rushed off to do our practical work, and once the vision was fulfilled we could no longer even see it. Waiting for a vision that “tarries” is the true test of our faithfulness to God. It is at the risk of our own soul’s welfare that we get caught up in practical busy-work, only to miss the fulfillment of the vision.

Watch for the storms of God. The only way God plants His saints is through the whirlwind of His storms. Will you be proven to be an empty pod with no seed inside? That will depend on whether or not you are actually living in the light of the vision you have seen. Let God send you out through His storm, and don’t go until He does. If you select your own spot to be planted, you will prove yourself to be an unproductive, empty pod. However, if you allow God to plant you, you will “bear much fruit” (John 15:8).

It is essential that we live and “walk in the light” of God’s vision for us (1 John 1:7).

 

The readings for today are taken from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org).

Word For Todoay

GET UP AND GN WITH YOUR LIFE 12 Mar 2012
'Then David got up.' 2 Samuel 12:20
David committed adultery with another man's wife, got her pregnant, then arranged to have her husband put to death in an attempt to cover it up. Then he married her and thought everything would be okay. But the child became critically ill. Desperately wanting to save the baby's life, David 'fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food' (vv.16-17 NIV). In spite of all his praying, the child died. Why did God let this happen? Was it because the child deserved better parents? Or because the Bible says that to depart and be with the Lord is 'far better' (See Php 1:23)? We don't have a clear answer. But this much we know: when you have repented of your sin and experienced God's forgiveness, you must get up and go on with your life. And that's what David did. 'Then David got up from the ground...washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes...went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and...they served him food, and he ate' (2Sa 12:20 NIV). We discover three important things in this story: (1) Until you are willing to make things right with God and those you've hurt, you can't go forward with confidence. (2) Until you process your emotions in a healthy way, whether guilt or grief, you will remain stuck and forfeit the joy of what God has for you next. (3) When you've done these two things, get up and get on with your life.

Our Daily Bread

The Greatest

What is the greatest thing in sports? Is it championships? Records? Honors? In the Palestra, the University of Pennsylvania basketball arena, a plaque offers a different perspective on the greatest thing in sports. It reads: “To win the game is great. To play the game is greater. But to love the game is the greatest of all.” This is a refreshing reminder that sports are, after all, just the games we played with joy as kids.

A religious leader once asked Jesus about greatness: “Which is the great commandment?” (Matt. 22:36). Jesus responded by challenging that leader to love—love God and love others. Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22:37-39).

Whatever else our faith in Christ compels us to do, there is nothing greater we can do than to show our love—for love reveals the heart of our holy heavenly Father. After all, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). It’s easy to be sidetracked by lesser things, but our focus must remain on the greatest thing—loving our God. That in turn enables us to love one another. There’s nothing greater.

When amazed by His love for me,
To love Him back became my prayer.
I sought an answer sincerely—
It was: Love the neighbor who’s there. —Verway

The proof of our love for God is our obedience to the commands of God.

 

The devotional readings for today are taken from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org).

Word For Today

WHEN GOD CALLS YOU 13 Mar 2012
'Follow Me, and I will make you.' Mark 1:17
If you think you're not qualified to be used by God, start changing the way you think! When Elijah called Elisha he was ploughing. When Jesus called Peter he was fishing. To follow God, Elisha had to leave farming and Peter had to leave fishing. Can't you imagine Peter's wife saying, 'How are we gonna pay the bills?' Following God is like stepping out on tissue paper and discovering solid rock underneath. But you'll never discover the rock unless you're willing to step onto the tissue paper. When God asks you to walk away from a security base that's been part of your life, you take your talents with you. Matthew, an accountant, took his pen and wrote the first book of the New Testament. When David went to Saul's palace he took his harp, and went on to write psalms we still sing today. That's why it's important to know that it's God who's calling you, and to have it confirmed by trusted leadership. If you run before the starter fires the gun you'll be disqualified from the race. When God calls you, keep these four things in mind: (1) There's a price to be paid. If you're willing to pay it you can have God's best. (2) There's a path to be walked. Each step is a step of faith. (3) There are principles to be observed. You've got to do God's will, God's way, in order to be blessed. (4) There's a promise to sustain you. 'Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go' (Jos 1:9 NIV).

Our Daily Bread

Celebrate The Fruit

It’s easy to develop a critical spirit toward people who are not growing spiritually according to our expectations. We can easily spot areas of concern that need correction, but we also need to take note of what’s right. In his letters, Paul often needed to correct churches, but he also celebrated what was good.

In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, for example, he mentioned that the gospel had taken root and was producing fruit in the lives of the believers there (1:6). He celebrated them by directing his thanksgiving toward God for their spiritual growth. They had come to know Jesus and now were struggling against the false teachers (2:6-8). He thanked the Lord for their deep and abiding love for all the saints and for expressing tangible and sacrificial concern for them (1:4). Paul also thanked God because the Colossians’ faith and love grew out of their hope—the reality and assurance that this world is not the end (1:5).

Today may present us with opportunities to observe fellow believers. We can be critical or celebrate their spiritual progress. Let’s take the time to thank the Lord for the way the gospel of Jesus Christ has taken root and is producing fruit in their lives.

Help me, Lord, to reassure and strengthen
Others by the words I speak today;
I would always try to be affirming,
As our pathways cross along life’s way. —Hess

Correction does much, but encouragement does more.

 

The Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) is the first of our readings and is followed by Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org).

Word For Today

CHRIST-THERE'S NNE LIKE HIM! 14 Mar 2012

'Then Jesus...said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.' Matthew 28:18

Billy Graham says: 'The Bible is concerned only incidentally with the history of Israel or a system of ethics. It's concerned primarily with the story of redemption as it is in Jesus Christ. If you read the Scriptures and miss the story of salvation, you have missed its message and meaning. There have been those who have gone through the Bible and traced the story of Jesus: In Genesis He is the seed of the woman. In Exodus He is the Passover Lamb. In Leviticus He is the Atoning Sacrifice. In Numbers He is the Smitten Rock. In Deuteronomy He is the Greatest Prophet. In Joshua He is the Captain of the Lord's Host. In Judges He is the Deliverer. In Kings He is the Promised King. In Nehemiah He is the Restorer of the Nation. In Esther He is the Advocate. In Job He is my Redeemer. In Psalms He is my Shepherd. In Proverbs He is my Pattern. In Ecclesiastes He is my Goal. In the Song of Solomon He is my Satisfier. In the Books of the Prophets He is my Coming Prince of Peace. In the Gospels He is the One who came to seek and to save us. In Acts He is our Risen Lord. In the Epistles He is our Representative at the Father's right hand. In Revelation He is our Returning Lord.' In an age of pop psychology and eclectic theology, the bedrock of our faith is still Christ's virgin birth, His sinless life, His atoning death, His victorious resurrection, His mediatorial work, and His visible return as King of Kings. Christ-there's no one like Him!

Our Daily bread

The Catcher

Life is a risky enterprise. Sometimes we fly high, enjoying great success. But then suddenly we fall into deep disappointments and the haunting reality of failure, leaving our hearts wondering if there is anything worth looking forward to.

At a funeral recently, the pastor told the story about a trapeze artist. The performer admitted that although he is seen as the star of the show, the real star is the catcher—the teammate who hangs from another trapeze bar to grab him and guarantee a safe landing. The key, he explained, is trust. With outstretched arms, the flyer must trust that the catcher is ready and able to grab him. Dying is like trusting in God as the catcher. After we have flown through life, we can look forward to God reaching out to catch His followers and to pull us safely to Himself forever. I like that thought.

This reminds me of Jesus’ comforting words to His disciples: “Let not your heart be troubled . . . . I go to prepare a place for you. And . . . I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3).

Life is indeed a risky business, but be encouraged! If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, the Catcher is waiting at the end to take you safely home.

Home from the earthly journey,
Safe for eternity;
All that the Savior promised—
That is what heaven will be. —Anon.

Our heavenly Father’s arms will one day catch His children.

 

The readings for today are taken from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org).

Word For Today.

DEALING WITH UNCERTAINTY (1) 15 Mar 2012
'We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.' 2 Chronicles 20:12
As a leader you'll be called upon to make decisions regarding relationships, money, time, values, opportunities and disputes. And your decisions will show up on the bottom line. There, in the clear light of day, your leadership will be judged. And there's something else you need to know; in that realm it takes longer to recognize your brilliance or stupidity, because you're forced to lead for long periods of time without the benefit of knowing if you made the right call. By the time your crop starts coming in, it's too late to change your agricultural procedure. You have to wait until the next season of planting. When it comes to leadership, uncertainty is a permanent part of all progress; it never goes away! Furthermore, uncertainty isn't an indication of poor leadership, it just underscores the need for it; it's the environment in which good leadership is most often discovered. As a leader you may think you should always know what to do, but in reality there will be few occasions when you are absolutely certain. It's why King Jehoshaphat prayed, 'We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.' Since you'll constantly be called on to make decisions with limited information, your goal should not be to eliminate uncertainty but to develop the ability to trust God and be courageous and clear in spite of it. It's not your job to remove uncertainty; it's your job to inspire clarity, faith and progress in the midst of it. When you can do that, you are learning to be a leader.

Our Daily Bread

A Search For The Top Ten

BibleGateway, an online Bible resource, looked at the viewing habits of some of their 8 million monthly visitors. They found that John 3:16 was the most-searched-for verse in 2010.

I don’t think it’s surprising that it would be number one on the list. It tells us that God loved us so much that He sent His Son to rescue us from our sin and give us everlasting life. Number 10 on the list is Jesus’ commission to His followers to spread that good news: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19). Also in the top 10 are Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28 about God’s good plans and purposes for His people.

The Scriptures are filled with truths to search out and share. In Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, the psalmist shared his thoughts about the Word and his desire to search it and be taught by God. He said, “Oh, how I love Your law!” (v.97). Our Bible reading for today shows some of the psalmist’s reasons for loving it: It gives him wisdom and understanding, it restrains his feet from evil, and it is sweet. Therefore, it’s his meditation “all the day.”

Let’s keep taking the time to read the Bible. The more we search the Word, the more we’ll grow in our love for it and its Author (v.97).

Search the Scriptures’ precious store—
As a miner digs for ore;
Search, and you will surely find
Treasures to enrich the mind. —Anon.

The more you read the Bible, the more you’ll love its Author.

 

The readings for today are Word For Todoay (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org).

Word For Today

DEALING WITH UNCERTAINTY (2) 16 Mar 2012
'The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.' Joshua 1:9
When Moses passed the torch to Joshua, a lot of things had changed. For forty years Joshua had been taught to navigate and survive in a wilderness, but now it was time to enter the Promised Land. And what worked in the wilderness didn't necessarily work in the Promised Land. Can't you hear Joshua's thoughts: 'I know a lot about wandering, but not much about warfare.' So God told him, 'Be strong and courageous...for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.' Why would God tell Joshua to be strong and courageous? Because he must have felt anxious! Everything about his new situation reeked of uncertainty. The only thing Joshua knew for sure was that God had said, 'Go.' So, 'Joshua commanded the...people, saying...'Prepare...yourselves, for within three days you are to cross this Jordan...[and] possess the land' (vv.10-11 NAS). Can't you imagine the people's thoughts? Question: 'But Joshua, how are we going to get across the river?' Answer: 'I'm not sure, but in three days be ready to go.' Question: 'But Joshua, what are we going to do when we get to the other side?' Answer: 'I'll tell you when we arrive. Just be ready to move out.' Are you getting the picture? As a leader you will always be uncertain as to many things, especially when you go into new territory. But you can never afford to be unclear or in doubt as to your calling, your vision, and your ultimate victory. And where does such confidence come from? God's promise, 'I am with you.'

Our Daily Bread

You Fool!

It seems to me rather contradictory that Jesus, who was so gentle at times (Matt. 19:13-15), would call some people fools. Yet, as recorded in the Gospels a number of times, our Lord used this derogatory term to describe those He spoke about—especially the Pharisees (see Matt. 23:17-19; Luke 11:39-40).

Jesus also used the word fool in a parable after warning a man about coveting (Luke 12:13-21). What made him foolish is not the fact that he built bigger barns to store his abundant harvest (vv.16-18). It would have been more foolish of him to leave it out in the fields where inclement weather would spoil it. Nor was he foolish because of his thought that this unexpected windfall was enough to last him a long time (v.19). After all, we are urged to follow the example of the ant in “storing up” the harvest (Prov. 6:6-8).

What made the man foolish? He left God out of the picture. He was called a fool because he failed to realize that his life was in God’s hands. While he was planning carefully for his comfortable life on earth, he failed to plan for eternity and store up treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:20).

Does your plan for the future have God in it? You won’t want to be called foolish by Him in the end.

Oh, why not turn while yet you may;
Too late, it soon will be—
A glorious life you may possess
Throughout eternity. —Anon.

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. —Jim Elliot

 

The readings for today are from My Utmost For His Highest (http://utmost.org) and Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk)

My Utmost For His Highest

The Servant's Primary Goal


We make it our aim . . . to be well pleasing to Him —2 Corinthians 5:9


We make it our aim. . . .” It requires a conscious decision and effort to keep our primary goal constantly in front of us. It means holding ourselves to the highest priority year in and year out; not making our first priority to win souls, or to establish churches, or to have revivals, but seeking only “to be well pleasing to Him.” It is not a lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but a lack of working to keep our eyes focused and on the right goal. At least once a week examine yourself before God to see if your life is measuring up to the standard He has for you. Paul was like a musician who gives no thought to audience approval, if he can only catch a look of approval from his Conductor.

Any goal we have that diverts us even to the slightest degree from the central goal of being “approved to God” (2 Timothy 2:15) may result in our rejection from further service for Him. When you discern where the goal leads, you will understand why it is so necessary to keep “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). Paul spoke of the importance of controlling his own body so that it would not take him in the wrong direction. He said, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest . . . I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

I must learn to relate everything to the primary goal, maintaining it without interruption. My worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my private life. Is my primary goal in life to please Him and to be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how lofty it may sound?

Word For Today

DEALING WITH UNCERTAINTY (3) 17 Mar 2012
'I will instruct you...in the way you should go; I will guide you.' Psalm 32:8
Dr. John Maxwell points out that in order to thrive in uncertain territory you must be able to do the following things: (1) Understand your certainty quotient. Think back to your last big decision that turned out right. How certain were you? Eighty percent? Fifty percent? If your best decisions are usually made at the 75 percent mark, that's your 'certainty quotient.' When you reach that point, it's time to stop debating and start moving. (2) Express your uncertainty with confidence. Never look at successful people and assume that single-handedly and with no hesitation, they fearlessly navigated the currents of uncertainty. No, they just understood that with each step, answers would be given. So instead of pretending to know more than you do, begin to encourage a culture of transparency that fosters the free exchange of ideas. When you don't know, just say, 'I don't know, but I'll try to find out.' (3) Consult others. King Solomon wrote more about seeking counsel than any other writer in the Bible. Do kings need good input? Yes, absolutely! And only those with the humility to acknowledge it ever prosper. (4) Measure your success by the scoreboard, not the playbook. Every good coach goes into the game with a plan, but he is willing to change it in order to win. Pencil in your plans, but write your vision in ink! Good leaders, like good coaches, are often forced to abandon or amend some of their plans in order to deliver on the vision. The ones who do are the ones who reach their destination.

 

The reading for today is taken from My Utmost For His Highest, which can be found at http://utmost.org.

My Utmost For His Highest

Will I bring myself up to this level?


. . . perfecting holiness in the fear of God —2 Corinthians 7:1


Therefore, having these promises. . . .” I claim God’s promises for my life and look to their fulfillment, and rightly so, but that shows only the human perspective on them. God’s perspective is that through His promises I will come to recognize His claim of ownership on me. For example, do I realize that my “body is the temple of the Holy Spirit,” or am I condoning some habit in my body which clearly could not withstand the light of God on it? (1 Corinthians 6:19). God formed His Son in me through sanctification, setting me apart from sin and making me holy in His sight (see Galatians 4:19). But I must begin to transform my natural life into spiritual life by obedience to Him. God instructs us even in the smallest details of life. And when He brings you conviction of sin, do not “confer with flesh and blood,” but cleanse yourself from it at once (Galatians 1:16). Keep yourself cleansed in your daily walk.

I must cleanse myself from all filthiness in my flesh and my spirit until both are in harmony with the nature of God. Is the mind of my spirit in perfect agreement with the life of the Son of God in me, or am I mentally rebellious and defiant? Am I allowing the mind of Christ to be formed in me? (see Philippians 2:5). Christ never spoke of His right to Himself, but always maintained an inner vigilance to submit His spirit continually to His Father. I also have the responsibility to keep my spirit in agreement with His Spirit. And when I do, Jesus gradually lifts me up to the level where He lived-a level of perfect submission to His Father’s will— where I pay no attention to anything else. Am I perfecting this kind of holiness in the fear of God? Is God having His way with me, and are people beginning to see God in my life more and more?

Be serious in your commitment to God and gladly leave everything else alone. Literally put God first in your life.

 

The readings today are taken from Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org) and Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk).

Our Daily Bread

The Wonder of Wilderness

The psalmists had an advantage in praise because of their closer tie to the natural world. David began life outdoors as a shepherd, then spent years hiding in the rocky terrain of Israel. Not surprisingly, a great love, even reverence, for the natural world shines through many of his poems. The psalms present a world that fits together as a whole, with everything upheld by a personal God watching over it.

Wilderness announces to our senses the splendor of an invisible, untamable God. How can we not offer praise to the One who dreamed up porcupines and elk, who splashed bright-green aspen trees across hillsides of gray rock, who transforms the same landscape into a work of art with every blizzard?

The world, in the psalmist’s imagination, cannot contain the delight God inspires. “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises” (Ps. 98:4). Nature itself joins in: “Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together before the Lord” (v.8).

The psalms wonderfully solve the problem of a praise-deficient culture by providing the necessary words. We merely need to enter into those words, letting God use the psalms to realign our inner attitudes.

All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing, Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam, Thou silver moon
with softer gleam! O praise Him! —St. Francis of Assisi

In praise, the creature happily acknowledges that everything good comes from the Creator

Word For Today

LEARN TO RESPECT AUTHORITY 19 Mar 2012
'Work...as though you were working for the Lord.' Colossians 3:23
Can you imagine a nation without a leader, a workplace without a boss, or an army without a general? It would be chaotic. Structure creates order; without it no progress can be made. That's why you don't park your car in the bedroom or sleep in the garage. Learn to respect those in authority over you. Honour those who have lived longer than you because they possess a wealth of knowledge. Listen to them and grow. Until you learn to take orders you will never be qualified to give them. Jesus understood this. He was the Son of God. He knew more than any other human being, yet He honoured the authority of the government in power. When the Pharisees asked Him His opinion on paying taxes He answered, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's' (Mk 12:17 NKJV). Are you speaking words of doubt about your own organization? Are you belittling those in authority over you? Stop it now! True, they are not perfect. (Perhaps that's why they can tolerate you.) If you rebel against every instruction you are given, don't complain when those around you rebel against your words and opinions. The law of reciprocity states that if you want to be treated with respect, you must respect others. That includes those you don't agree with, or even like. Jesus did. Pray, 'Father, I know that respect for authority is taught in Your Word. So remind me today that my success depends upon my attitude toward those You've placed in leadership over me. As I honour them, I believe You will honour me.'

 

The readings for today are Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org) and Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk).

Our Daily Bread

Long - Awaited Reunion

As a boy, I had a collie named Prince Boy, a great dog that I really loved. One day, he disappeared. I didn’t know if he had been stolen or if he had simply run away—but I was devastated. I searched everywhere. In fact, one of my earliest childhood memories is of climbing a tall tree from which I could scan our neighborhood in hopes of spotting him. I desperately wanted my beloved dog back. For weeks, I was always watching and hoping to see Prince Boy again. But we were never reunited.

There’s a much greater sense of loss when we think we’ll never again see a loved one who dies. But for those who know and love the Lord, death’s parting is only temporary. One day we will be reunited forever!

Paul assured the Thessalonians, “The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16-17). The words that provide comfort to the grieving heart are together and we. These words of reunion indicate that followers of Christ don’t ever have to experience permanent separation. For us, death is not a goodbye; it’s a “see you later.”

We’ll be reunited one day
With our loved ones who have died
If they know the Lord as Savior—
Then with Him we will abide. —Sper

God’s people never say goodbye for the last time.

Word For Today

STOP CONDEMNING YOURSELF! 20 Mar 2012
'There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.' Romans 8:1
The word for you today is-stop condemning yourself! God says, 'I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins' (Isa 43:25). When God says He forgets your sin and you insist on remembering it, it's like saying your standards are higher than His. That's akin to idolatry! The Bible says, 'God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you' (Eph 4:32). In the Old Testament when someone sinned they brought a lamb to the priest and he would shed its blood on the altar as payment for their sin. Once that was done the record was expunged and the issue was settled. You say, 'But I don't feel forgiven.' Forgiveness comes by faith, not feelings. As long as you live by feelings Satan has a weapon he can use against you at every turn. You say, 'But what I did was so wrong.' As long as you have not committed the unpardonable sin, whatever you have done is-pardonable. You say, 'But Satan keeps bringing it up.' That's because he is called the 'accuser' (Rev 12:10). But notice how you overcome Satan the accuser: 'They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony' (v. 11). Next time Satan accuses you, say, 'I'm glad you brought that up.' Then tell him what the blood of Jesus has accomplished on your behalf. If you do that he will flee. Learn from your failure, grow stronger through it, use it to bless others, move on with your life and stop condemning yourself

 

Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org) is the first of our devotional readings today and is followed by Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk).

Our Daily Bread

Your Bio Here

While searching for an interesting way to instruct my college writing class about the concept of writing a biographical sketch, I found this idea: Write a biography in six words. When asked to do this, Pulitzer Prize winner Ernest Hemingway wrote this poignant bio: “For sale: baby shoes, never used.” Imagine the sad story behind those six words.

As I thought about this concept, I wondered if we could find any six-word biographies of people in the Bible. What I discovered was astonishing. Many of our scriptural heroes have already been described that way. For example, David, of whom God said: “A man after My own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). Or Paul’s self-description: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:1). Or Paul’s description of Timothy: “My true son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2 NIV). And consider these words about Mary: “The virgin shall be with child” (Matt. 1:23). And about Jesus: “Became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

This exercise in precise descriptions of people of faith should cause us to wonder: What six-word description would best describe me? Would it be positive or negative? Would it be “Not an easy person to love” or “A shining light for the Lord”? What would your bio say?

Lord, help me to be what You want me to be
In character, actions, and will,
For You are the potter and I am the clay—
Your purposes I would fulfill. —Fitzhugh

Once lost, now found. Eternally thankful!

Word For Today

BUILDING UP YOUR FAITH (1) 21 Mar 2012
'Building up yourselves on your...faith.' Jude 1:20
The apostle Jude writes, 'But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.' Jude places the responsibility of building yourself up spiritually and strengthening your faith where it belongs-squarely on you. There are two kinds of faith: mechanical faith and intentional faith. Each time you flip on a light switch you're exercising mechanical faith. But when you face the unknown, the untried and the undone, you need intentional faith-faith that believes God to do 'exceedingly abundantly above all that [you] ask or think' (Eph 3:20 NKJV). If you're proactive, your faith will grow. If you're passive, it won't. Like the rush of water against a riverbank, there's an erosion of faith that comes simply from living every day. If you don't do anything to secure and strengthen your faith it begins to deteriorate. Christ told the church at Ephesus to remember the heights from which they had fallen (See Rev 2:5). What a strange thing to say! If you fell from a significant height, don't you think you'd remember it? Not if the fall was so gradual that you didn't notice it. So ask yourself: 'Have those who know me best begun to notice that the gleam has gone out of my eye, the joy out of my step, the peace out of my spirit and the Word of God out of my conversation?' Faith is like a muscle; if you don't exercise it consistently it will atrophy and become powerless. So the word for you today is: 'Strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die' (Rev 3:2 NKJV).

 

The readings for today are taken from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org).

Word For Today

BUILDING UP YOUR FAITH (2) 22 Mar 2012
'Building up yourselves on your...faith.' Jude 1:20
This word 'building' is an architectural term that means to renovate. It implies tearing down what's not working for you and building up what will. When you don't understand that, you are left to believe that whatever life has handed you is just the way it is, and you have to take it. You'd be surprised at the number of people who go to church every week just to get a word to help them survive. They sing about faith and talk about it. But when you ask them, 'How are you doing?' they say, 'I'm just hangin' on. I'm just hopin' I can make it through.' Yes, there are times when that will truly be the case. But that should be the exception, not the rule. The Bible says, 'We are more than conquerors' (Ro 8:37 NKJV). To be a conqueror means to fight a battle and win it. But to be more than a conqueror means to win a battle-without even having to fight it. Jesus has already fought and won the battle for you. And today He is saying, 'I give...you power...over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you' (Lk 10:19). You say, 'How do I get this power?' Jude says we can access this power for living by 'praying in the Holy Spirit' (v. 20). And you can do it anywhere: in your car on the way to work, on your treadmill, or even in your bathroom. You just need a place where you can be alone with God, praying and reading His Word, building up your faith.

Our Daily Bread

"Me First"

A man once asked me, “What is your biggest problem?” I replied, “I see my biggest problem every day in the mirror.” I am referring to those “me first” desires that lurk in my heart.

In James 4:1 we read: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” The words “desires for pleasure” refer to our self-serving desires. That’s why in James 1:14 we are told: “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” James warns that such “me first” desires will destroy our friendship with God (4:4) and cause divisions, wars, and fights (vv.1-2).

Therefore, we are told to put off “me first” thinking. How do we do this? First, “Submit to God” (4:7). We need to get our ranking right—God is God and His will must always be first. Second, “Draw near to God” (v.8). Deal with those desires that lead to sin by going to God for cleansing. Don’t be double-minded, desiring both evil and good. But rather desire to please God alone. Third, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord” (v.10). Then “He will lift you up.”

Remember, “me first” living is not the key to success. Put God first.
I once was full of self, and proud
Just like a Pharisee,
Until one day, quite by surprise,
I caught a glimpse of me. —Hawthorne

When you forget yourself, you usually start doing something others will remember.

 

The readings for today are from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org).

Word For Today

CARING FOR GOD'S CREATION 23 Mar 2012
'God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.' Genesis 2:15
For generations the church was silent on the sin of slavery. That's because it was popular and economically advantageous; not to mention that some church leaders had slaves of their own. But when the church finally acknowledged its wrong, it helped lead the way to reform. Today we can't even imagine life any other way! Well, some of us are waking up to the fact that caring for God's creation is not just something 'tree huggers' do. A resolution at the Southern Baptist Convention condemning those responsible for the oil spill in the Gulf illustrates this. Southern Baptist theologian Russell Moore, in an eloquent statement about how the oil spill would devastate his beloved home town of Biloxi, Mississippi, acknowledged: 'For too long we evangelical Christians have maintained an uneasy ecological conscience. I include myself in this indictment.' Then he asked, 'Will people believe us when we speak about the One who brings life, and that abundantly, when they see we don't care about that which kills and destroys?' The same God who put potatoes in the ground for us to eat, put oil in the ground for us to use. But He surely isn't happy when we pollute His oceans and kill His creatures in our attempt to get it. 'You have made him to have dominion [management and stewardship] over the works of Your hands...even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea' (Ps 8:6-8 NKJV). Just because we are going to heaven doesn't mean we can 'trash' God's beautiful earth!

Our Daily Bread

Something To Declare

It was just a routine baggage inspection, but there was nothing ordinary about the contents of the suitcase. The Swiss customs agent who examined it discovered 14 original drawings by Pablo Picasso. The artwork, which was contained in a sketchbook, was estimated to be worth as much as $1.5 million, yet the passenger indicated “nothing to declare” to customs authorities.

It’s hard to imagine anyone packing Picasso’s sketchbook between sweaters, trotting off to the airport, and hoping it would remain a secret. The man was obviously smuggling it.

We as Christians have something far more valuable than a Picasso to declare! Yet we sometimes keep the treasure of our faith in Christ locked in our hearts instead of sharing it with those around us. Jesus reminded us, “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). Part of our purpose is to reflect God’s glory so that others will understand their need for Him. He also calls us to let our light shine, so that they see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven (v.16).

We risk becoming spiritual smugglers when we hide our faith in Christ. Instead, let’s open the “suitcase,” share the treasure, and give glory to the Master.

Lord, help me make my witness clear,
And labor faithfully,
So friends and neighbors turn to Christ
Through what they hear from me. —Anon.

A word well chosen can open a heart to God.

 

The reading for today is My Utmost For His Highest (http://utmost.org).

Decreasing For His Purpose


2012
He must increase, but I must decrease —John 3:30


If you become a necessity to someone else’s life, you are out of God’s will. As a servant, your primary responsibility is to be a “friend of the bridegroom” (John 3:29). When you see a person who is close to grasping the claims of Jesus Christ, you know that your influence has been used in the right direction. And when you begin to see that person in the middle of a difficult and painful struggle, don’t try to prevent it, but pray that his difficulty will grow even ten times stronger, until no power on earth or in hell could hold him away from Jesus Christ. Over and over again, we try to be amateur providences in someone’s life. We are indeed amateurs, coming in and actually preventing God’s will and saying, “This person should not have to experience this difficulty.” Instead of being friends of the Bridegroom, our sympathy gets in the way. One day that person will say to us, “You are a thief; you stole my desire to follow Jesus, and because of you I lost sight of Him.”

Beware of rejoicing with someone over the wrong thing, but always look to rejoice over the right thing. “. . . the friend of the bridegroom . . . rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:29-30). This was spoken with joy, not with sadness-at last they were to see the Bridegroom! And John said this was his joy. It represents a stepping aside, an absolute removal of the servant, never to be thought of again.

Listen intently with your entire being until you hear the Bridegroom’s voice in the life of another person. And never give any thought to what devastation, difficulties, or sickness it will bring. Just rejoice with godly excitement that His voice has been heard. You may often have to watch Jesus Christ wreck a life before He saves it (see Matthew 10:34).

 

I am away from home for a few days so I will post when I can.

The reading for today is taken from My Utmost For His Highest (http://utmost.org)

Spiritual Vision Through Personal Purity (1)


Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God —Matthew 5:8


Purity is not innocence— it is much more than that. Purity is the result of continued spiritual harmony with God. We have to grow in purity. Our life with God may be right and our inner purity unblemished, yet occasionally our outer life may become spotted and stained. God intentionally does not protect us from this possibility, because this is the way we recognize the necessity of maintaining our spiritual vision through personal purity. If the outer level of our spiritual life with God is impaired to the slightest degree, we must put everything else aside until we make it right. Remember that spiritual vision depends on our character— it is “the pure in heart ” who “see God.”

God makes us pure by an act of His sovereign grace, but we still have something that we must carefully watch. It is through our bodily life coming in contact with other people and other points of view that we tend to become tarnished. Not only must our “inner sanctuary” be kept right with God, but also the “outer courts” must be brought into perfect harmony with the purity God gives us through His grace. Our spiritual vision and understanding is immediately blurred when our “outer court” is stained. If we want to maintain personal intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ, it will mean refusing to do or even think certain things. And some things that are acceptable for others will become unacceptable for us.

A practical help in keeping your personal purity unblemished in your relations with other people is to begin to see them as God does. Say to yourself, “That man or that woman is perfect in Christ Jesus! That friend or that relative is perfect in Christ Jesus!”

 

My Utmost For His Highest (http://utmost.org) is the reading for today.

My Utmost For His Highest

Isn't There Some Misunderstanding?

Mar 28 2012

’Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to Him, ’. . . are You going there again?’ —John 11:7-8


Just because I don’t understand what Jesus Christ says, I have no right to determine that He must be mistaken in what He says. That is a dangerous view, and it is never right to think that my obedience to God’s directive will bring dishonor to Jesus. The only thing that will bring dishonor is not obeying Him. To put my view of His honor ahead of what He is plainly guiding me to do is never right, even though it may come from a real desire to prevent Him from being put to an open shame. I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence. But when I begin to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate enter into my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God. This will only result in my concluding that His instructions to me were not right. Many of us are faithful to our ideas about Jesus Christ, but how many of us are faithful to Jesus Himself? Faithfulness to Jesus means that I must step out even when and where I can’t see anything (see Matthew 14:29). But faithfulness to my own ideas means that I first clear the way mentally. Faith, however, is not intellectual understanding; faith is a deliberate commitment to the Person of Jesus Christ, even when I can’t see the way ahead.
Are you debating whether you should take a step of faith in Jesus, or whether you should wait until you can clearly see how to do what He has asked? Simply obey Him with unrestrained joy. When He tells you something and you begin to debate, it is because you have a misunderstanding of what honors Him and what doesn’t. Are you faithful to Jesus, or faithful to your ideas about Him? Are you faithful to what He says, or are you trying to compromise His words with thoughts that never came from Him? “Whatever He says to you, do it ” (John 2:5).

 

The reading for today is taken from My Utmost For His Highest (http://utmost.org).

Our Lord's Surprise Visits

You also be ready . . . —Luke 12:40


A Christian worker’s greatest need is a readiness to face Jesus Christ at any and every turn. This is not easy, no matter what our experience has been. This battle is not against sin, difficulties, or circumstances, but against being so absorbed in our service to Jesus Christ that we are not ready to face Jesus Himself at every turn. The greatest need is not facing our beliefs or doctrines, or even facing the question of whether or not we are of any use to Him, but the need is to face Him.

Jesus rarely comes where we expect Him; He appears where we least expect Him, and always in the most illogical situations. The only way a servant can remain true to God is to be ready for the Lord’s surprise visits. This readiness will not be brought about by service, but through intense spiritual reality, expecting Jesus Christ at every turn. This sense of expectation will give our life the attitude of childlike wonder He wants it to have. If we are going to be ready for Jesus Christ, we have to stop being religious. In other words, we must stop using religion as if it were some kind of a lofty lifestyle-we must be spiritually real.

If you are avoiding the call of the religious thinking of today’s world, and instead are “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2), setting your heart on what He wants, and thinking His thoughts, you will be considered impractical and a daydreamer. But when He suddenly appears in the work of the heat of the day, you will be the only one who is ready. You should trust no one, and even ignore the finest saint on earth if he blocks your sight of Jesus Christ.

 

The reading for today is taken from My Utmost For His Highest,which can be found at http://utmost.org

Heedfulness or Hypocrisy in Ourselves?

Mar 31 2012

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death —1 John 5:16


If we are not heedful and pay no attention to the way the Spirit of God works in us, we will become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other people are failing, and then we take our discernment and turn it into comments of ridicule and criticism, instead of turning it into intercession on their behalf. God reveals this truth about others to us not through the sharpness of our minds but through the direct penetration of His Spirit. If we are not attentive, we will be completely unaware of the source of the discernment God has given us, becoming critical of others and forgetting that God says, “. . . he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death.” Be careful that you don’t become a hypocrite by spending all your time trying to get others right with God before you worship Him yourself.

One of the most subtle and illusive burdens God ever places on us as saints is this burden of discernment concerning others. He gives us discernment so that we may accept the responsibility for those souls before Him and form the mind of Christ about them (see Philippians 2:5). We should intercede in accordance with what God says He will give us, namely, “life for those who commit sin not leading to death.” It is not that we are able to bring God into contact with our minds, but that we awaken ourselves to the point where God is able to convey His mind to us regarding the people for whom we intercede.

Can Jesus Christ see the agony of His soul in us? He can’t unless we are so closely identified with Him that we have His view concerning the people for whom we pray. May we learn to intercede so wholeheartedly that Jesus Christ will be completely and overwhelmingly satisfied with us as intercessors.

 

My Utmost For His Highest (http://utmost.org) is the reading for today.

Helpful or Heartless Toward Others?

Apr 01 2012

It is Christ . . . who also makes intercession for us. . . . the Spirit . . . makes intercession for the saints . . . —Romans 8:34, 27


Do we need any more arguments than these to become intercessors-that Christ “always lives to make intercession” (Hebrews 7:25), and that the Holy Spirit “makes intercession for the saints”? Are we living in such a relationship with others that we do the work of intercession as a result of being the children of God who are taught by His Spirit? We should take a look at our current circumstances. Do crises which affect us or others in our home, business, country, or elsewhere, seem to be crushing in on us? Are we being pushed out of the presence of God and left with no time for worship? If so, we must put a stop to such distractions and get into such a living relationship with God that our relationship with others is maintained through the work of intercession, where God works His miracles.

Beware of getting ahead of God by your very desire to do His will. We run ahead of Him in a thousand and one activities, becoming so burdened with people and problems that we don’t worship God, and we fail to intercede. If a burden and its resulting pressure come upon us while we are not in an attitude of worship, it will only produce a hardness toward God and despair in our own souls. God continually introduces us to people in whom we have no interest, and unless we are worshiping God the natural tendency is to be heartless toward them. We give them a quick verse of Scripture, like jabbing them with a spear, or leave them with a hurried, uncaring word of counsel before we go. A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to our Lord.

Are our lives in the proper place so that we may participate in the intercession of our Lord and the Holy Spirit?

 

Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org) are the readings for today.

Word For Today

FIRE AND SOAP 02 Apr 2012
''...He is like a refiner's fire and like launderers' soap.'' Malachi 3:2
Soap cleanses the outside, fire cleanses the inside. And the Spirit of God does both! When you sin, repent! In-depth repentance brings in-depth cleansing. Don't feel bad about feeling bad, feel good about it. Be glad your conscience is still sensitive and responsive to God. What you never want to hear God say is what He said about Ephraim: 'Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone' (Hosea 4:17 NKJV). The fact that God is convicting you of sin is proof of His love for you. God can forgive your sin but He cannot overlook it. Unconfessed sin disrupts your fellowship with Him. Forgiveness is about more than just escaping the penalty of sin, it's about restoring your fellowship with God. You say, 'Won't God get tired of me sinning and repenting?' If Jesus told Peter to forgive his brother 'seventy times seven' would He do less for you? The Bible says: '"Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool' ' (Isaiah 1:18 NKJV). When you sin and try to hide from God you only prolong your misery. So the moment you become aware of your sin, confess it, then leave His presence confident that He has forgiven you. You're not a loser, you're a learner. Alexander Pope said: 'A man should never be ashamed to own he has been wrong, which is but saying in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.'

Our Daily Bread

Ordinary Versus Extraordinary

For more than a century, the pinnacle of golf has been to score 59—a score that had been recorded only three times in PGA Tour history before 2010. Then, in 2010, Paul Goydos scored a 59—only to be equaled a month later by Stuart Appleby’s 59. Consequently, some sportswriters speculated that the most coveted achievement in golf was now becoming commonplace! It’s amazing to see two 59s in the same season, but it would be a mistake to begin to view this as ordinary.

For those who follow Jesus Christ, it is also a mistake to view the remarkable as ordinary. Think about prayer for instance. At any moment we can talk to the Creator God who spoke the universe into existence! Not only are we welcomed into His presence, but we are invited to enter boldly: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

There is nothing ordinary about access to God—yet sometimes we take this privilege for granted. He is almighty God, but He is also our Father who loves us and allows us to call on Him at any moment of any day. Now that’s extraordinary!

Our prayers ascend to heaven’s throne
Regardless of the form we use;
Our Father always hears His own
Regardless of the words we choose. —D. De Haan

God is always available to hear the prayers of His children.