The Carpenter's Chapel (9)

[following-Him]

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

Word For Today

Empowered for a Purpose18 Sep 2011'..."Who will go for us?"' Isaiah 6:8Understand two things. First, that borrowed beliefs have no power. You must have a personal encounter with God or your life will have no impact. After they'd been filled with the Holy Spirit, we read, 'The apostles testified powerfully... and God's great blessing was upon them all' (Acts 4:33 NLT). Second, that unused power has no value. Isaiah writes, 'The posts of the door were shaken... and the house was filled with smoke' (6:4 NKJV). What a mind-blowing experience to have in church! But Isaiah had to leave, go out and perform God's purposes. 'I heard the voice of the Lord saying: "Whom shall I send?"... Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." And He said, "Go, and tell this people"' (Isaiah 6:8-9 NKJV). You must spend time in God's presence building a relationship with Him, then carry His word to those hurting around you. When Jesus took His disciples up the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter got so caught up in the experience that he wanted to stay there. '..."Lord, it is good for us to be here..."' (Matthew 17:4 NIV). But Christ explained that His power is not for storing, but sharing. Paul wrote, 'I will not... speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me...' (Romans 15:18 NIV). Paul didn't glory in what Christ had done for him, but through him. God has only one reason for filling you with His Spirit, and that's to pour you out in service to others. Jesus said, 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach... [and] heal the broken hearted...' (Luke 4:18 NKJV). You have been empowered for a purpose!


Our Daily Bread

Daddy!

Twenty-month-old James was leading his family confidently through the hallways of their large church. His daddy kept an eye on him the whole time as James toddled his way through the crowd of “giants.” Suddenly the little boy panicked because he could not see his dad. He stopped, looked around, and started to cry, “Daddy, Daddy!” His dad quickly caught up with him and little James reached up his hand, which Daddy strongly clasped. Immediately James was at peace.
Second Kings tells the story of King Hezekiah who reached up to God for help (19:15). Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, had made threats against Hezekiah and the people of Judah, saying, “Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you . . . . You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them; and shall you be delivered?” (vv.10-11). King Hezekiah went to the Lord and prayed for deliverance so “that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God” (vv.14-19). In answer to his prayer, the angel of the Lord struck down the enemy, and Sennacherib withdrew (vv.20-36).
If you’re in a situation where you need God’s help, reach up your hand to Him in prayer. He has promised His comfort and help (2 Cor. 1:3-4; Heb. 4:16).



When serving the Lord and you lose your way,
Just hold out your hand and let Jesus lead;
He’ll come to your aid, and you’ll hear Him say,
I’ll show you the way and meet every need. —Hess



God’s dawn of deliverance often comes
when the hour of trial is darkest.

 

[following-Him]

Today our readings come from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org). I hope you will find them a blessing to you.

Word For Today

Life Stabilisers (1)19 Sep 2011'...like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm.' James 1:6Are you winning or losing most of your spiritual battles? Are you down more than up? Do you feel frustrated? Are you going in circles? Is your experience full of stops and starts, a constant guilt-failure cycle? That's not God's plan for you. You can live a stable, consistent life! But it will require life stabilisers such as decisiveness. Israel wanted to have it both ways: God's blessing, yet the right to disregard His Word; freedom to live like heathen nations, yet be His special people. But Joshua declared it unacceptable. '...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...' (Joshua 24:15 NIV). The church at Laodicea also wanted it both ways, but God pressed them: '...You are... neither cold nor hot... make up your minds...' (Revelation 3:16,19 CEV). God requires a direction chosen, a goal set, and a mind made up. Wavering classifies you as double-minded and guarantees you will '...[not] receive anything from the Lord...' (James 1:6-8 NIV). To live a stable life, you need faith. You are called a 'believer' because faith must characterise not just some, but every area of your life. 'Without faith it is impossible...' (not unlikely, improbable, difficult) 'to please God...' (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). Faith is not what you study on Sunday morning, it's what you do 24/7! The Bible says, 'My righteous [ones] will live by faith.' You say, 'Where do I get faith?' By meditating on, and living in God's Word (Romans 10:17). Who possesses faith? The spiritually exceptional? No, '...God has dealt to each one a measure of faith' (Romans 12:3 NKJV). That includes you! Faith, not feelings or circumstances, is what makes your life stable!

Our Daily Bread

A Season of Ups and Downs

Most of us would agree that life has its ups and downs. Wise King Solomon believed this and reflected on our responses to fluctuating circumstances. In Ecclesiastes, he wrote: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: . . . a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (3:1-4).
Solomon’s father, David, was called “a man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). Yet David’s life illustrates how life is filled with seasons of ups and downs. David wept over his and Bathsheba’s first child who was fatally ill (2 Sam. 12:22). Yet he also wrote songs of praise and joyous laughter (Ps. 126:1-3). With the death of his rebellious son Absalom, David experienced a time of deep mourning (2 Sam. 18:33). And when the ark was brought to Jerusalem, David, in spiritual ecstasy, danced before the Lord (2 Sam. 6:12-15).
We do a disservice to ourselves and others when we portray the Christian life as peaceful and happy all the time. Instead, the Bible portrays the believer’s life as consisting of seasons of ups and downs. In what season are you? Whether a time of joy or sadness, each season should motivate us to seek the Lord and trust Him.



Dear Lord, help us to turn to You not only in sadness
but also in joy. We know You give us both good times
and bad to draw us to You and help us grow.
May we learn to trust You in all seasons of life. Amen.



Every season needs faith to get us through it.

 

[following-Him]

Today's devotionals are taken from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org). I hope they will be a blessing to you.

Word For Today

Life Stabilisers (2)20 Sep 2011'...like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm.' James 1:6Here are two more life-stabilisers. First, submission. Our ego always wants to 'do it our way', for our purposes and our pleasure. The result is a hardening of the attitudes - a dangerous resistance to God. So His Word says, '...warn each other every day... that none ... will be deceived by sin and hardened against God' (Hebrews 3:13 NLT). Like a pond gradually freezing in winter, our self-will slowly rigidifies, destroying our spiritual sensitivity. The Spirit's gentle influence no longer moves us; we're left feeling content and justified doing our own thing, to our own demise. It's not wrong to have our own will, and God won't 'cure' or 'deliver' us from it. But He intends us to line our will up with His. A good racehorse must have a will in order to win, but its will must be submitted to the rider's directions or winning will be impossible. 'The sacrifices of God are a broken [submitted] spirit [will]: a broken... heart... God, wilt not despise' (Psalm 51:17). Second, self-sacrifice. The world's philosophy is 'Get and keep all you can!' Few things sabotage our peace and stability like this philosophy. 'Take care of yourself' isn't a kingdom principle. '...Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way... to finding... your true self...' (Matthew 16:25 TM). Psychologists say that grasping, and holding on to things and people only makes us anxious, possessive, controlling and difficult to live with! That's why Jesus said, 'Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses [invests] his life will preserve it' (Luke 17:33 NIV). You've tried everything else - now try giving yourself fully to God!

Our Daily Bread

Are You Ready?

Many will remember the fall season of 2008 as the beginning of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of 1929. In the months to follow, many lost their jobs, homes, and investments. In a BBC interview a year later, Alan Greenspan, former head of the US Federal Reserve, indicated that the average person doesn’t believe it will happen again. He said, “That is the unquenchable capability of human beings when confronted with long periods of prosperity to presume that it will continue.”
Assuming that things will continue as they always have is not just 21st-century-type thinking. In the first century, Peter wrote of people who thought that life would continue as it was and that Jesus would not return. He said, “Since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4). Jesus said He would come back, but the people continued to live in disobedience as though He would never return. But His delay is only because of God’s patience with us, for He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (v.9).
Paul tells us that Christians ought to live “soberly, right­eously, and godly” in the light of Christ’s certain return. (Titus 2:12). Are you ready to meet Him?



Faithful and true would He find us here
If He should come today?
Watching in gladness and not in fear,
If He should come today? —Morris



Jesus may come any time, so we should be ready all the time.

 

[following-Him]

Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org) are our devotionals today. I hope you will be blessed by them.

Word For Today

What Sank the Titanic?21 Sep 2011'These things happened... as... warnings for us...' 1 Corinthians 10:11Scientists now say it was a series of slits, not a giant gash, that sank the Titanic, the opulent, 900-foot ocean liner that went down in 1912 on its first voyage from England to New York. Fifteen hundred people died that night in one of history's worst maritime disasters. The most widely held theory was that the ship hit an iceberg, which opened a huge gash in its side. But an international team of divers and scientists recently used sound waves to probe through the wreckage, which is buried in mud two and a half miles deep. Here's what they discovered. The damage was surprisingly small. Instead of a huge gash, they found six relatively narrow slits across the six watertight holds. 'Everything that could go wrong, did,' said William Garzke Jr, a naval architect who helped the team with their analysis. So, what sank the Titanic? Four things - things that could sink you too! First, they thought they were immune, that it couldn't happen to them. Second, they were 'asleep at the wheel' and failed to heed five different warnings. Third, it wasn't one big thing, but a series of small things that took them under. Finally, the problem that finally destroyed them was hidden beneath the waterline, out of sight. The Bible says, 'These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us... So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!' (vv. 11-12). Not one of us, however strong, wise, successful or virtuous, is immune to failure. So stay close to God!


Our Daily Bread

A Lesson In Crying

Has your heart ever been broken? What broke it? Cruelty? Failure? Unfaithfulness? Loss? Perhaps you’ve crept into the darkness to cry.
It’s good to cry. “Tears are the only cure for weeping,” said Scottish preacher George MacDonald. A little crying does one good.
Jesus wept at His friend Lazarus’ grave (John 11:35), and He weeps with us (v.33). His heart was broken as well. Our tears attract our Lord’s lovingkindness and tender care. He knows our troubled, sleepless nights. His heart aches for us when we mourn. He is the “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation” (2 Cor. 1:3-4). And He uses His people to comfort one another.
But tears and our need for comfort come back all too frequently in this life. Present comfort is not the final answer. There is a future day when there will be no death, no sorrow, no crying, for all these things will “have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). There in heaven God will wipe away every tear. We are so dear to our Father that He will be the one who wipes the tears away from our eyes; He loves us so deeply and personally.
Remember, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4).

Think of a land of no sorrow,
Think of a land of no fears,
Think of no death and no sickness,
Think of a land of no tears. —Anon.


God cares and shares in our sorrow.

 

[following-Him]

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

Word For Today


Learning from the Prodigal Son22 Sep 2011'When he came to his senses...' Luke 15:17Do you have a prodigal heart? The parable of the prodigal son teaches us that by listening to God we can avoid tragedy; that by living under His rule we're saved from our misguided tendencies. Jesus said, 'There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said... "Father, give me my share"... Not long after... [he]... set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine... and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out... to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything' (vv. 11-16). When God says no, heed Him. When He pulls back on the reins, thank Him. It's better to be alone and walk with God than be surrounded by those who'll hurt you. Prodigal, things won't improve until you start doing things God's way! Are you willing to repent and come back home? In three back-to-back parables, in Luke 15, Jesus pointed out that the shepherd went looking for his lost sheep, the woman went looking for her lost silver, but nobody went looking for the lost son. That's because he knew the way back. And it happened when 'he came to his senses'. The rebel who left home saying, 'Give me', humbled himself and came back saying, 'Forgive me.' When he did, his father embraced him and said, 'This son of mine was... lost and is found...' (Luke 15:24 NIV). Today your Heavenly Father is waiting to welcome you home.


Our Daily Bread

Beyond The Status Quo

Dr. Jack Mezirow, professor emeritus at Columbia Teachers College, believes that an essential element in adult learning is to challenge our own ingrained perceptions and examine our insights critically. Dr. Mezirow says that adults learn best when faced with what he calls a “disorienting dilemma”—something that “helps you critically reflect on the assumptions you’ve acquired” (Barbara Strauch, The New York Times). This is the opposite of saying, “My mind is made up—don’t confuse me with the facts.”
When Jesus healed on the Sabbath, He challenged the deeply held beliefs of many religious leaders, and they sought to silence Him (John 5:16-18). Jesus said to them: “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (vv.39-40).
Oswald Chambers observed, “God has a way of bringing in facts which upset a man’s doctrines if these stand in the way of God getting at his soul.”
Unsettling experiences that cause us to question our assumptions about the Lord can also lead us to a deeper understanding and trust in Him—if we’re willing to think it through and come to Him.


My mind cries its questions,
My longing heart, joining.
O Father, please hear me!
O Spirit, keep teaching! —Verway



“The unexamined life is not worth living.” —Socrates

 

[following-Him]

The devotionals for today are taken from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org). I hope they will be a blessing to you.

Word For Today

Finding the Right Person for the Job23 Sep 2011'...To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow labourer.' Philemon 1:1Paul called Philemon 'Our beloved friend and fellow labourer'. Obviously Paul had found the right person for the job. How do you do that? Perhaps by enjoying their uniqueness. Fred Smith says, 'One young woman worked for me matching colours of ink. She could get tears in her eyes over certain shades of blue. "'Isn't this a beautiful match?"' she'd ask. I could never figure out what went on in her head to make matching blue such a remarkable occurrence. But all I needed to do to keep her motivated was to share her excitement and appreciate her work.' We can find the right person by knowing their capabilities. If a musician has limited talent, it's a mistake and a disservice to talk to them about the joys of being a Mozart. In motivation, desire must be matched with ability. Then, by knowing how much responsibility they can handle. Some people can take on full-sized responsibility but not sole responsibility. Something in their psyche says, 'I don't want the whole load. I want somebody to lean on, to report to.' We can find the right person by giving them a reputation to uphold. One leader writes, 'One of my bosses had a way of saying nice things about his workers that got back to them... and we couldn't keep from trying to do more things he could tell. People will work hard to uphold a good reputation.' Finally, by knowing what they thirst for. People have different thirsts. One of the secrets of identifying a person's thirst is seeing what motivated them in the past. People rarely outlive their basic thirst. When we quench that, we motivate them.


Our Daily Bread

Serious Business

Recently I was called for jury duty. It meant extraordinary inconvenience and lots of lost time, but it was also serious business. During the first day’s orientation, the judge lectured us on the responsibility at hand and the important nature of the task. We were going to sit in judgment of people who either had disputes (civil court) or were charged with crimes (criminal court). I felt a great sense of inadequacy for the task at hand. Passing judgment on another person, with serious life consequences riding on the decision, is not a simple thing. Because we’re flawed human beings, we may not always make the right judgments.
While the justice systems of our world might struggle and falter because of the inherent failings of the humans that manage them, we can always trust our God to excel in wisdom and fairness. The psalmist sang, “The Lord reigns; the world also is firmly established, it shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously” (Ps. 96:10). God judges according to righteousness—defined by His own perfect justice and flawless character.
We can trust God now when life seems unfair, knowing that He will one day make all things right in His final court (2 Cor. 5:10).



The best of judges on this earth
Aren’t always right or fair;
But God, the righteous Judge of all,
Wrongs no one in His care. —Egner

 

[following-Him]

Today our devotional readings are again taken from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org). I hope they will be a blessing to you.

Word For Today

In Need of God's Help24 Sep 2011'My help comes from the Lord...' Psalm 121:2Did you hear about the guy who prayed, 'Lord, so far today I've done all right. I haven't gossiped, lost my temper, been nasty, greedy or grumpy. But in a few minutes I'm gonna have to get out of bed, then I'm gonna need all the help I can get.' We smile, but the truth is, it's hard to acknowledge our need of help, especially in a world that prizes self-sufficiency. The most dangerous time in your life is when you think you don't need God! Complacency will set in. Smugness will grow. You'll say, 'I need you, Lord,' then act like it all depends on you. As a result your faith will be unused, and when you're not using your faith you can't please God (Hebrews 11:6). If your vision doesn't require God, it's not of God! When He gets involved in your vision, He becomes the only means of achieving it. Without His help, what can any of us say or do that truly makes a difference? We can't even begin to make progress until we humbly acknowledge that we are powerless over most things in life. We are, but God's not! Whatever you're facing today, read these words and rest in them: 'He will never let me stumble, slip or fall. For he is always watching, never sleeping. Jehovah himself is caring for you! He is your defender. He protects you day and night. He keeps you from all evil, and preserves your life. He keeps his eye upon you as you come and go, and always guards you' (Psalm 121:3-8 TLB).

From Bad To Worse


It happened again. I got the urge to clean my office. Before I could resist, I had created an even bigger mess than I started with. One pile turned into many piles when I started sorting books, papers, and magazines. As the mess mushroomed, I lamented that I had started. But there was no going back.
When God recruited Moses to rescue the Hebrews from slavery, their situation went from bad to worse as well. There was no doubt that the job needed to be done. The people had been crying out to God to help them (Ex. 2:23). Reluctantly, very reluctantly, Moses agreed to appeal to Pharaoh on behalf of the Hebrews. The encounter did not go well. Instead of releasing the people, Pharaoh increased his unreasonable demands. Moses questioned whether he should have started (5:22-23). Only after a lot more trouble for a lot of people did Pharaoh let the people leave.
Whenever we set out to do something good, even when we’re certain that God wants us to do it, we shouldn’t be surprised when the situation gets worse before it gets better. This doesn’t prove that we’re doing the wrong thing; it just reminds us that we need God to accomplish everything.


There is only One who knows
All the answers to my woes;
He will all my needs supply
When in faith to Him I cry. —Morgan



The supreme need in every hour of difficulty
is a vision of God. —G. C. Morgan

 

[following-Him]

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

Word For Today

Finishing Strong25 Sep 2011'...I have finished my course...' 2 Timothy 4:7To finish strong, you must understand three things. First, that people will leave you. It may be because you've outgrown them, or to fulfil their own vision, or because they don't want to go where God's taking you. People left Jesus: '...many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more' (John 6:66 NKJV). Second, that challenges will come. Everybody God uses moves from one challenge to the next. Paul writes, '...People are watching us as we stay at our post ... when we're praised, and when we're blamed; slandered, and honoured; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognised by God; terrifically alive, though rumoured to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all!' (2 Corinthians 6:4-10 TM). Finally, that satan will attack you. When he does, remember, attack is a sign of respect. It lets you know you're valuable to God. It also indicates the level of blessing that awaits you beyond the attack. Satan will attack when God is about to bring something to birth in your life. It may be the birth of a relationship, a career, a ministry, or even a child God will use. Your 'difficult child' may be a child of destiny; that's why they encounter more difficulties than your other children. They have an assignment the enemy has discerned. When the attack comes, stand on God's Word and say, 'Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Corinthians 15:57 NKJV).

My Utmost For His Highest

The "Go" of Relationship



Sep
25
2011

Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two—Matthew 5:41


Our Lord’s teaching can be summed up in this: the relationship that He demands for us is an impossible one unless He has done a super-natural work in us. Jesus Christ demands that His disciple does not allow even the slightest trace of resentment in his heart when faced with tyranny and injustice. No amount of enthusiasm will ever stand up to the strain that Jesus Christ will put upon His servant. Only one thing will bear the strain, and that is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ Himself— a relationship that has been examined, purified, and tested until only one purpose remains and I can truly say, “I am here for God to send me where He will.” Everything else may become blurred, but this relationship with Jesus Christ must never be.
The Sermon on the Mount is not some unattainable goal; it is a statement of what will happen in me when Jesus Christ has changed my nature by putting His own nature in me. Jesus Christ is the only One who can fulfill the Sermon on the Mount.
If we are to be disciples of Jesus, we must be made disciples supernaturally. And as long as we consciously maintain the determined purpose to be His disciples, we can be sure that we are not disciples. Jesus says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you. . .” (John 15:16). That is the way the grace of God begins. It is a constraint we can never escape; we can disobey it, but we can never start it or produce it ourselves. We are drawn to God by a work of His supernatural grace, and we can never trace back to find where the work began. Our Lord’s making of a disciple is supernatural. He does not build on any natural capacity of ours at all. God does not ask us to do the things that are naturally easy for us— He only asks us to do the things that we are perfectly fit to do through His grace, and that is where the cross we must bear will always come.

 

[following-Him]

The Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) is the first of our devotionals today, followed by Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org). I hope they will be a blessing to you.

Word For Today

Your Way or God's Way?26 Sep 2011'He guides the humble in what is right...' Psalm 25:9Did you hear about the old lady who earned a living by peddling her wares? Each day when she came to a certain intersection she would toss a stick up into the air. Whichever way the stick pointed when it landed was the way she went. One day a man saw her tossing the stick into the air: once, twice, then three times. He asked, 'What are you doing?' She said, 'I'm letting God show me which way to go by using this stick.' Looking at her curiously, he said, 'But why did you throw it up three times?' She replied, 'Because the first two times He was pointing me in the wrong direction!' Hello! When you don't like the direction God gives you, do you pray, hoping He will change His mind and tell you what you want to hear? If so, you have never exchanged your will for His! Jesus said, 'I am the vine, you are the branches...' (John 15:5 NKJV). Only as you stay 'connected' to Christ will you bear fruit. Just as the life flows from the vine into the branches, so His power flows to you, then through you and begins to affect other areas of your life. The Psalmist said, 'He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.' God will show you what is 'right' for you if you seek Him. Essentially, there are only two ways - His and yours! If you're tired of doing things your way, get down on your knees and ask Him to show you how to do them His way.

Our Daily Bread

A Firm Foundation

Before she was 2 years old, my granddaughter Katie did something that would make any grandpa proud: She began to recognize cars by make and year. This all started when she and her daddy began spending time together playing with his old collection of toy cars. Daddy would say, “Katie, get the 1957 Chevy,” and she would pick it out of the hundreds of tiny cars. And once, while he was reading a Curious George book to her, she climbed down from his lap and ran to get a miniature Rolls Royce—an exact replica of the car pictured in the book.
If a 2-year-old child can make such connections, doesn’t that show the importance of teaching children the right things early on? We can do this by using what I call the FIRM principle: Familiarity, Interest, Recognition, and Modeling. This follows Moses’ pattern in Deuteronomy 6 of taking every opportunity to teach biblical truths so that children become familiar with them and make them a part of their lives. Using their interests as teaching opportunities, we repeat Bible stories so they become recognizable, while modeling a godly life before them.
Let’s give the children in our lives a FIRM foundation by teaching them about God’s love, Christ’s salvation, and the importance of godly living.


O give us homes built firm upon the Savior,
Where Christ is Head and Counselor and Guide,
Where every child is taught His love and favor
And gives his heart to Christ, the crucified. —Hart


Build your children’s lives on the firm foundation of the Word.

 

[following-Him]

The Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org) are our devotional readings for today. I hope you will find them a blessing.

Word For Today

God Will Fulfil His Promise27 Sep 2011'..."God has made me laugh..."' Genesis 21:6Sarah laughed twice. The first time it was in unbelief because God had promised her a child in her old age. The second time it was with joy because God had fulfilled His promise. But between these two events she went through the most wrenching experience of her life. Her husband, Abraham, betrayed her to save himself. A heathen king took her to his harem and would have violated her had God not intervened. Only a woman who truly loves her husband can understand what Sarah went through that night. There's a lesson here. Between praying for a miracle and getting one, you'll be tested, you'll grow, and you'll learn to trust God more than you ever thought possible. Plus, here's something else that's important to remember: when you share your experiences with others don't just tell how you started or where you are today; instead, tell them what God brought you through, for those are the very things they're struggling with too. Tell them how your faith was tried in the furnace of affliction before you came forth as gold. Don't leave them feeling frustrated because they claimed God's promise and haven't received it yet. King Abimelech's tent where Sarah spent that terrifying night was in a place called Gerar, which means 'the halting place'. Yes, there'll be times when you'll feel like your life has come to a screeching halt and you're getting nowhere. Maybe that's where you are today. If it is, please know this: God will be faithful to you. Not only will He bring you through, but like Sarah, your joy will return as you watch Him fulfil His promise to you.


Our Daily Bread

The Tale of Two Sticks

Conventional wisdom questions how much can be accomplished with little. We tend to believe that a lot more can be done if we have large financial resources, talented manpower, and innovative ideas. But these things don’t matter to God. Consider just a couple of examples:
In Judges 3:31, a relatively unknown man named Shamgar delivered Israel from the Philistines single-handedly. How? He won a great victory by killing 600 Philistines with nothing more than an oxgoad (a stick sharpened on one end to drive slow-moving animals).
In Exodus, when God asked Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, Moses was afraid the people wouldn’t listen to him or follow him. So God said, “What is that in your hand?” (4:2). Moses replied, “A rod.” God went on to use that rod in Moses’ hand to convince the people to follow him, to turn the Nile River into blood, to bring great plagues on Egypt, to part the Red Sea, and to perform miracles in the wilderness.
Moses’ rod and Shamgar’s oxgoad, when dedicated to God, became mighty tools. This helps us see that God can use what little we have, when surrendered to Him, to do great things. God is not looking for people with great abilities, but for those who are dedicated to following and obeying Him.


If you use what little you may have
To serve the Lord with all your heart
You will find that He can do great things
When you begin to do your part. —Sper


Little is much when God is in it.

 

[following-Him]

Today's devotionals are taken from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org).

Word For Today

Let the Refiner Do His Work!28 Sep 2011'He will sit as a refiner... of silver...' Malachi 3:3It's hard watching someone you love going through the refiner's fire, but it's the only way to get pure silver. It's hard watching the refiner turn up the heat until all the scum on the bottom rises, every impurity is removed, and He finally sees His face reflected on the surface. But only then is the work complete. And that's God's goal for each of us. When we pray, 'Make me more like Jesus,' we're asking the Holy Spirit to do a work in us. Usually we don't change until the pain of staying the same becomes unbearable. For most of us, knowledge is not the bridge to growth - pain is. No matter how much you love someone, don't try to rescue them from God's dealings. The worst thing you could have done for the Prodigal Son was go down to the pigsty, clean it up and make it comfortable for him. That's called 'enabling'. Let the refiner do His work! For much of his life Jacob didn't think he needed God. He'd probably have told you, 'I'm doing just fine, thank you!' But the time came when he had to go home, stand before his father and face the wrath of his brother Esau whom he'd wronged. And that's when he became willing to wrestle with God and say, '..."I will not let you go unless you bless me"' (Genesis 32:26 NIV). Change usually comes when it hurts so much that you have to change, when you learn so much that you want to change, and when you receive so much that you welcome change.

Our Daily Bread

Not At This Time

It can be quite discouraging for wanna-be writers to get their work rejected time after time. When they send in a manuscript to a publisher, they’ll often hear back in a letter with these words: “Thank you. But your submission does not meet our needs at this time.” Sometimes this really means “not at this time—or ever.” So they try the next publisher and the next.
I’ve found that the phrase This does not meet our needs at this time—or ever can be a helpful saying in my Christian walk to renew my mind and refocus my thoughts on the Lord.
Here’s what I mean. When starting to worry, we can remind ourselves: “Worry does not meet my needs at this time—or ever. My heart’s need is to trust God. I will ‘be anxious for nothing’ ” (Phil. 4:6).
When we envy what another person has or does, we can reinforce the truth: “Envy does not meet my needs at this time—or ever. My need is to give thanks to God. His Word says, ‘Envy is rottenness to the bones’ (Prov. 14:30), and ‘In everything give thanks’ ” (1 Thess. 5:18).
We can’t renew our minds by ourselves (Rom. 12:2); it’s the transforming work of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Yet speaking the truth in our thoughts can help us to submit to the Spirit’s work within.

For Further Thought
What are some areas you struggle with in your heart?
Ask God to renew your mind that it might think like His.
Then keep reminding yourself of the truth.


The Spirit of God renews our minds
when we review the Word of God.

 

[following-Him]

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

Use Your Authority!29 Sep 2011'I have given you authority... to overcome... the enemy...' Luke 10:19Has satan singled you out for attack? Are you wondering, 'Why would he even bother with someone like me?' The answer is - influence. Job's influence was a constant irritant to satan. One day God said to satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him?' (Job 1:8 NKJV). Shortly after that conversation satan attacked Job's health, his children, his marriage and his business. You can't get God's attention without getting satan's too! Whatever glorifies God, enrages our enemy. But you have the power to overcome him. Jesus said, 'I saw satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority... to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you' (Luke 10:18-19 NIV). Notice, you haven't been called to defeat satan; Jesus already did that 2,000 years ago. You have been called to enforce His defeat each day. Jesus already disarmed and made a public spectacle of him at the cross (Colossians 2:15). When General MacArthur met the Supreme Commander of the Japanese forces at the end of World War II, he took the sword out of his hand, declared victory and enforced the terms of unconditional surrender. And that's what Jesus did for you at the cross. When He died and rose again He stripped the devil of his power and declared, '..."All [power] in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go..."' (Matthew 28:18-19 NIV). Go in His power. Go in His strength. Go in His name. He has given you authority over the enemy - use it.

Our Daily Bread

The Story of a Wall

While visiting the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall in Northern England, I reflected on the fact that this may be the most remembered achievement of the Roman emperor who came to power in ad 117. As many as 18,000 Roman soldiers manned this 80-mile-long barrier, built to keep the northern barbarians from invading the south.
Hadrian is remembered for building a physical wall to keep people out. In contrast, Jesus Christ is remembered for tearing down a spiritual wall to let people in.
When the early church experienced tension between believers of Jewish and non-Jewish birth, Paul told them that, through Christ, they stood equally in the family of God. “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation . . . so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace . . . . For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:14-15,18).
One of the most beautiful aspects of the Christian faith is the unity among those who follow Jesus. Through His death on the cross, Christ has removed the barriers that so often separate people and has drawn us together in true friendship and love.

God’s people have so much to do
In serving Christ today
That they should use their precious time
To share, to love, to pray. —Branon


Christian unity begins at the cross.

 

[following-Him]

Today the devotional readings are taken from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org). I hope they will be a blessing to you.

Word For Today

Listen Slowly30 Sep 2011'...teach them to your children...' Deuteronomy 4:9Being a parent is a privilege, so you must convince your children that they're more important to you than career success or acquiring material things. Never miss a chance to tell them you love them. Be there! Being a parent is a responsibility. God doesn't hold the government or the school system responsible for your children, He holds you responsible! 'Do not forget the things your eyes have seen...Teach them to your children and to their children after them.' Being a parent is a limited opportunity. If you neglect them long enough, your children will conclude they're not as important to you as the things you keep sacrificing them for. When that happens you've effectively lost them. Is that a price you're prepared to pay? If not, rearrange your priorities. In his book Stress Fractures, Charles Swindoll writes, 'I vividly remember some time back being caught in the undertow of too many commitments and too few days. It wasn't long before I was snapping at my wife and our children, choking down my food at mealtimes, and feeling irritated at those unexpected interruptions through the day. Before long, things around our house started reflecting the pattern of my hurry-up style. It was becoming unbearable. I distinctly recall after supper one evening the words of our younger daughter, Colleen. She wanted to tell me about something important that had happened to her at school that day. She hurriedly began, "Daddy-I-want-to-tell-you-something-and-I'll-tell-you-really-fast." Suddenly, realising her frustration, I answered, "'Honey, you can tell me... and you don't have to tell me really fast. Say it slowly." I'll never forget her answer: "'Then listen slowly."'



Our Daily Bread

1000th Birthday

In his book Long for This World, Jonathan Weiner writes about science’s promise to radically extend how long we live. At the center of the book is English scientist Aubrey de Grey, who predicts that science will one day offer us 1,000-year lifespans. Aubrey claims that molecular biology has finally placed a cure for aging within our reach.
But what difference does it make if, after living 1,000 years, we will eventually die anyway? De Grey’s prediction only postpones facing the ultimate question of what happens when we die. It does not answer it.
The Scriptures tell us that death is not the end of our existence. Instead, we are assured that everyone will stand before Christ—believers for their works and nonbelievers for their rejection of Him (John 5:25-29; Rev. 20:11-15). All of us are sinners and in need of forgiveness. And only Christ’s death on the cross has provided forgiveness for all who believe (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). The Bible says, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27).
Our appointed face-to-face encounter with God puts everything in perspective. So whether we live 70 years or 1,000, the issue of eternity is the same: “Prepare to meet your God!” (Amos 4:12).


What matters more than length of life
Is where you’ll spend eternity;
If you have placed your faith in Christ,
Then heaven’s glory you will see. —Sper


Only those who have placed their faith in Christ are prepared to meet their Maker.

 

[following-Him]

The devotional today is taken from Word For Today, which can be found at www.ucb.co.uk

The Butterfly Effect01 Nov 2011'Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...' Zechariah 4:10Have you heard about the butterfly effect? In physics, it describes how tiny changes in initial conditions (such as the flap of a butterfly's wings) can affect weather thousands of miles away. Imagine - a fragile butterfly can alter weather patterns on another continent! Had it not flapped its wings, the trajectory of the weather system might have been vastly different. What can you learn from this? You may feel insignificant at times, as fragile as the butterfly. It may seem like you're just flapping your wings when you are standing alone for truth and honesty in the workplace or the home. You say, 'What can I do in the face of a problem this big?' More than you think! Your faith, your words, your deeds, your prayers, your example, your kindness and persistence can release the power of God and activate the forces of heaven to go to work in that situation. God loves to use things that we consider to be insignificant, like Moses' rod which parted the Red Sea, or David's slingshot that brought down a giant, or a boy's lunch that fed a multitude. Your flapping wings can initiate changes that will influence lives around you for all eternity. Jesus said, 'If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "move from here to there," and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you' (Matthew17:20 NKJV). It's not about the size of the seed you sow, but about the God Who can make it grow. It's not about the prayer you pray but about the greatness of One Who answers prayer.

 

[following-Him]

Today's devotional is taken from Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org).

Mouth Guard

I was walking in a subway in Minsk, Belarus, with my friend Yuliya and her daughter Anastasia when I suddenly fell face first onto the dirty concrete floor. I don’t remember the fall, but I do remember suddenly having a mouth filled with sand, gravel, and grit. Ugh! I couldn’t get that stuff out of my mouth quickly enough!
I didn’t enjoy what went into my mouth on that embarrassing occasion. But Scripture teaches that it’s more important to guard what comes out of our mouths. When the writer of Proverbs 15 said that “the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness” (v.2), the word translated pours forth literally means “explodes out.” Rash accusations, angry words, and verbal abuse can do immeasurable and lifelong harm. The apostle Paul spoke bluntly about this: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth” (Eph. 4:29)—no dirty talk. He also said to “[put] away lying” and to “speak truth” (v.25)—no lies. And later, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you” (v.31)—no character assassination. What comes out of our mouths should be wholesome and uplifting.
We guard carefully what goes into our mouths—and rightly so. To honor God, let’s also keep tight control on the words that come out of our mouths.

Lord, help us to control our tongues,
To clean up what we say,
To use words that will edify,
To honor You today. —Sper

Be careful of your thoughts—they may become words at any time.

 

[following-Him]

Today the devotional is taken from Our Daily Bread (www.odb,org). I hope it will be a blessing to you.

Looking For Water

The United States has spent millions of dollars looking for water on Mars. A few years ago, NASA sent twin robots, Opportunity and Spirit, to the red planet to see if water was present or had been present at one time. Why did the US do this? The scientists who are poring over data sent back from those two little Martian rovers are trying to figure out if life ever existed on Mars. And for that to have happened, there had to be water. No water, no life.
Two thousand years ago, a couple of “rovers” set out across the countryside of an Earth-outpost called Samaria looking for water. One was a woman who lived nearby. The other was a man from Galilee. They ended up meeting at a well near the village of Sychar. When they did, Jesus found the water He was looking for, and the woman found the water she didn’t know she needed (John 4:5-15).
Water is essential for both physical and spiritual life. Jesus had a surprise for the woman at the well. He offered her the Water of Life—Himself. He is the refreshing, renewing “fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).
Do you know anyone looking for water? Someone who is spiritually thirsty? Introduce that person to Jesus, the Living Water. It’s the greatest discovery of all time.

Gracious and Almighty Savior,
Source of all that shall endure,
Quench my thirst with living water,
Living water, clear and pure. —Vinal

Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy the thirsty soul.

 

[following-Him]

Today's devotionals are taken from Word For Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and My Utmost For His Highest (http://utmost.org/).


Word For Today

How to Become 'Righteous'

04 Nov 2011'With the heart one believes unto righteousness...' Romans 10:10To be 'saved' you must put your trust in Christ, and nothing else. You say, 'But what if I clean up my act?' No, there are people who live better by accident than you do on purpose. Our distinction as Christians is that we have placed our trust in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and nothing else. Paul lays it clearly on the line: 'If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation' (vv. 9-10 NKJV). Salvation is the result of what you believe in your heart about the finished work of Christ, and what you confess with your lips. Those two elements, believing and confessing, bring you into a state of 'righteousness' in the eyes of God. Have you ever gone to a grocery store with a coupon cut out from a newspaper? You want a bag of flour or sugar, but you've no money. Yet they give it to you. Why? Because with the coupon, they give you credit as though you had the money. Getting the idea? You have no righteousness to bring before God in exchange for salvation, but He has set up a coupon system called redemption and said, 'Once you place your trust in Christ, I will view you as righteous from that moment on.' The word 'righteous' simply means 'to be in right standing with God.' What a way to live! What a well of joy! What a source of confidence!

My Utmost for His Highest

It is essential that you give people the opportunity to act on the truth of God. The responsibility must be left with the individual— you cannot act for him. It must be his own deliberate act, but the evangelical message should always lead him to action. Refusing to act leaves a person paralyzed, exactly where he was previously. But once he acts, he is never the same. It is the apparent folly of the truth that stands in the way of hundreds who have been convicted by the Spirit of God. Once I press myself into action, I immediately begin to live. Anything less is merely existing. The moments I truly live are the moments when I act with my entire will.

When a truth of God is brought home to your soul, never allow it to pass without acting on it internally in your will, not necessarily externally in your physical life. Record it with ink and with blood— work it into your life. The weakest saint who transacts business with Jesus Christ is liberated the second he acts and God’s almighty power is available on his behalf. We come up to the truth of God, confess we are wrong, but go back again. Then we approach it again and turn back, until we finally learn we have no business going back. When we are confronted with such a word of truth from our redeeming Lord, we must move directly to transact business with Him. “Come to Me . . .” (Matthew 11:28). His word come means “to act.” Yet the last thing we want to do is come. But everyone who does come knows that, at that very moment, the supernatural power of the life of God invades him. The dominating power of the world, the flesh, and the devil is now paralyzed; not by your act, but because your act has joined you to God and tapped you in to His redemptive power.

 

[following-Him]

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

Word For Today

Lessons from Lazarus (1)05 Nov 2011'Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany...' John 11:1From the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, we learn certain lessons. The first lesson is about reason. You cannot have radical faith until you've exhausted all reasonable solutions. Mary and Martha didn't send for Jesus until they'd done everything they themselves could do for Lazarus. Be reasonable; if you can do it for yourself, God won't do it for you. For example, unless you are willing to change your diet and start eating right, how can you go to God with confidence for healing? Unless you are willing to put the needs of your spouse above your own, what's the point in praying for a happy marriage? James writes: '..."Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works"' (James 2:18 NKJV). The second lesson is about relationship. Some folks only turn to God when they have a crisis. Prayer is a foreign concept to them until they have a car crash, or their marriage falls apart, or they lose their job. Then, incredibly, they say, 'God, why did You let this happen?' It's hard to go to someone when you're in trouble, if you've spent no time building a relationship with them. Jesus often spent time at the home of Mary and Martha, eating at their table. They were givers, not takers. 'It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick' (John 11:2 NKJV). When you love the Lord to that extent you can go to Him in faith knowing your needs will be met.

Peace In Crisis

Ted, one of the elders in our church, used to be a police officer. One day after responding to a report of violence, he said the situation turned life-threatening. A man had stabbed someone and then menacingly turned the blade toward Ted. A fellow officer had taken position and fired his weapon at the assailant as he attacked Ted. The criminal was subdued, but Ted was shot in the crossfire. As he was driven by ambulance to the hospital, he felt deep waves of peace flowing over his soul from the Holy Spirit. Ted felt so tranquil that he was able to offer words of comfort to the law enforcement officer who was emotionally distraught over the crisis.
The Lord Jesus promised us peace in crisis. Just hours before His own crucifixion, Christ comforted His disciples with these words: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
What is your worst fear? If you should have to face it, Christ will be there with you. Trusting Him through prayer makes available “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,” and it “will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).

O the blessedness to nestle
Like a child upon His breast;
Finding ever, as He promised
Perfect comfort, peace, and rest. —Hennessay

The secret of peace is to give every anxious care to God.

 

[following-Him]

Today's devotionals are taken from Word for Today (www.ucb.co.uk) and My Utmost For His Highest (http://utmost.org/)

Word For Today

Lessons from Lazarus (2)06 Nov 2011'Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany...' John 11:1The third lesson is about relinquishment. As long as you believe you can handle the problem on your own, you will not reach for the miracle-working power of God. You have to be in a situation so bad that you pray the prayer of relinquishment: 'Lord, I've done all I know and things aren't getting any better. So I'm through trying to fix it. I turn it completely over to You. I don't know how You're going to handle it, but I know You love me and want only what's best for me. So here it is, Lord; it's all Yours.' This is not a prayer of defeat, it is one of total trust. David wrote: 'Though I am surrounded by troubles...The Lord will work out His plans for my life - for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever...' (Psalm 138:7-8 NLT). The pastor of a great church tells of running out of money when they were only halfway through the construction of their new building. The congregation was growing and there was no doubt that they needed the extra space. But the bank wouldn't give them any more funds. So the pastor prayed and said, 'Lord, personally speaking, I don't need this big building. I already have a place for all my children. You need a place for Yours. I don't know how You're going to take care of this, but those are Your kids, Lord, so I'm turning it over to You.' God answered, the money came through, and within a few years they were worshipping in a beautiful building, debt free. So give your problem to God and don't take it back!

My Utmost For His Highest

Intimate Theology

Do you believe this? —John 11:26


Martha believed in the power available to Jesus Christ; she believed that if He had been there He could have healed her brother; she also believed that Jesus had a special intimacy with God, and that whatever He asked of God, God would do. But— she needed a closer personal intimacy with Jesus. Martha’s theology had its fulfillment in the future. But Jesus continued to attract and draw her in until her belief became an intimate possession. It then slowly emerged into a personal inheritance— “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ . . .” (John 11:27).
Is the Lord dealing with you in the same way? Is Jesus teaching you to have a personal intimacy with Himself? Allow Him to drive His question home to you— “Do you believe this?” Are you facing an area of doubt in your life? Have you come, like Martha, to a crossroads of overwhelming circumstances where your theology is about to become a very personal belief? This happens only when a personal problem brings the awareness of our personal need.
To believe is to commit. In the area of intellectual learning I commit myself mentally, and reject anything not related to that belief. In the realm of personal belief I commit myself morally to my convictions and refuse to compromise. But in intimate personal belief I commit myself spiritually to Jesus Christ and make a determination to be dominated by Him alone.
Then, when I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and He says to me, “Do you believe this?” I find that faith is as natural as breathing. And I am staggered when I think how foolish I have been in not trusting Him earlier

 

[following-Him]

Today's devotional is taken from Word For Today, which can be found at www.ucb.co.uk

I hope it will be a blessing to you.

Word For Today

You're Called to Be a Servant10 Nov 2011'Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus...' Romans 1:1When Paul called himself 'a bond-servant' of Christ he was referring to an Old Testament law under which you served your master faithfully for six years. However, in the seventh year the law said that you had to be set free. But if you turned back when you were released and said, 'Master, I'm not serving you because I have to but because I want to,' then your master took you before a judge and pierced your ear, signifying that you belonged to him forever; that you were committed to listening to him and obeying him' (Exodus 21:6). Today pray, 'Lord, I'm not serving You because I have to but because I want to. Pierce my ear, mark me as Yours, bond me together with You so that I can never belong to another.' When ministry loses its passion it becomes an empty profession. The very word 'minister' is a verb, not just a noun. It's what you do, not what you claim to be. The word 'servant' also referred to a third-level galley slave chained to an oar on a Roman ship. Day and night you rowed to the drumbeat of the ship's master, whether you were in battle or in merchant service. And you expected to die chained to that oar. What a picture! It's what Paul had in mind when he wrote: 'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service' (Romans 12:1). When you think of what Christ has done for you, is it too much to ask?