Daily Devotion

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"Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee? I lay my hand on my mouth." - Job 40:4

ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN PRETENDER?
September 3, 2015

This is a special message and it’s one that I didn’t particularly enjoy writing. However, it needs to be said again and again.

This message is to all church-going pretenders out there – the ones who look heavenly on Sunday, but live like hell Monday through Saturday. You look good on the outside, but when God looks at your insides – inside your heart – it’s a dirty mess!

I’ve got bad news for you. Jesus hates religious pretense. But I’ve also got good news. He loves the pretenders! He gave His life for hypocrites like you and me. The end of being a religious pretenders is to admit our sin separates us from God; then ask Christ’s forgiveness; then believe to be right with God is your only hope for change.

And here’s the irony: When we begin to be more real with God and with others, we begin to be more like Jesus. He’s the only person who has ever lived without any trace of pretense.

 

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People Power
Sep 4, 2015

Read: Ephesians 4:7-16 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 143–145; 1 Corinthians 14:21-40


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The whole body . . . grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:16

A man was boarding a train in Perth, Australia, when he slipped and his leg got caught in the gap between the train carriage and the station platform. Dozens of passengers quickly came to his rescue. They used their sheer might to tilt the train away from the platform, and the trapped man was freed! The train service’s spokesman, David Hynes, said in an interview, “Everyone sort of pitched in. It was people power that saved someone from possibly quite serious injury.”

In Ephesians 4, we read that people power is God’s plan for building up His family. He has given each of us a special gift of His grace (v. 7) for the specific purpose that “the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (v. 16).

Every person has a job to do in God’s family; there are no spectators. In God’s family we weep and laugh together. We bear each other’s burdens. We pray for and encourage one another. We challenge and help each other to turn from sin. Show us, Father, our part in helping Your family today.

Are you a spectator or a participant? What gifts do you have? In what ways can God use you to help others grow closer to Him?

We need each other to get to where God wants us to go.

INSIGHT:
The various types of spiritual gifts are listed in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:7-30, Ephesians 4:11, and 1 Peter 4:10-11. That no two lists are identical would suggest that each list is not exhaustive. God intends that we use these grace gifts to serve, instruct, encourage, edify, equip, and empower the church so as to glorify Him (1 Cor. 14:4-5,26,31; Eph. 4:12; 1 Peter 4:10-11). In Ephesians 4, Paul highlights the teaching gifts that help build up and mature the church (vv. 11-16). Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers are gifted in proclaiming and teaching the Word of God. Sim Kay Tee

 

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Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. Ephesians 5:2

“Love Locks” is a growing phenomenon. Thousands of people in love have attached these love padlocks to bridges, gates, and fences around the world, including France, China, Austria, Czech Republic, Serbia, Spain, Mexico, and Northern Ireland. Couples engrave their names on a padlock and then attach it in a public place to symbolize their everlasting love. Authorities of some landmarks frown upon them because of the danger they can cause if too many are attached. Some think they are acts of vandalism, while others view them as beautiful art and a picture of committed love.

The Lord showed us true “everlasting love” in a public place. He displayed His love on the cross when He gave His life to provide forgiveness of sin. And He continues to show us His love on a daily basis. Salvation is not only a promise that we’ll have eternity with God, but it is also a daily experience of forgiveness, assurance, provision, and grace in our relationship with Him. Jesus’ love for us is the basis of Paul’s challenge to “walk in the way of love” toward others (Eph. 5:2).

Salvation is a daily experience of #grace in our relationship with Jesus.
The love of our Father enables us to be patient and kind. In His Son He has given us the ultimate example and means of loving one another—forever.

In what ways have you learned to love others? What action could you take today to grow in love?

Jesus shows us how to love.

Insight:
The church at Ephesus was blessed with strong leadership. It was founded by the apostle Paul (Acts 18–19), who spent no less than 3 years there teaching those who came to Christ and reaching out with the gospel to those who did not know the Savior (20:20,31). He also provided direction and instruction to the elders of that church when he returned to Jerusalem following his third missionary journey (vv. 18-35). Additionally, Paul sent Timothy to Ephesus to instruct them concerning false teachers and to keep them from stumbling spiritually (1 Tim. 1:3-4). Finally, tradition says that the apostle John spent his final years serving in the church at Ephesus. What a rich tradition of leadership for this church. Bill Crowder

 

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"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossians 3:17 NIV

THE SECRET TO MEANINGFUL WORK
September 6, 2015

It’s Sunday, the day before Labor Day. Many of you are trying to enjoy the last days before fall “unofficially” begins. As we ponder the celebration of Labor Day, let me share a story with you.

The story is told of a woman who cleaned the same office building for many years. When asked how she endured the drudgery of doing the same chores day in and day out, she replied, “It’s not drudgery. I’m working for the King and He’s pleased, (along with others) when I do my best.” This woman found the secret to meaningful work.

How about you? Are you willing to start back to work with a fresh mind and a renewed spirit after tomorrow’s holiday? Even if you’re not doing exactly what you “want” to do, especially during these past years of such high unemployment, each of us who are employed need to be thankful. But even more, we should make sure that when we work, “we do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

If you are still in the throes of unemployment, don’t give up! God understands and He has a plan for your life. If you’ll just look to Him each day, His plan will be revealed to you. And in the process, you will be blessed in ways you could never imagine.

 

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"For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." - Philippians 2:13 NKJV

HAPPY LABOR DAY
September 7, 2015

Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States and Canada since 1894. Historically, it means two things: many people are off of work and it’s the “unofficial” end of summer, even though I dare to say that many would question that after the intense heat that continues in so many parts of our country.

So, as a working man or woman, when was the last time you found joy in your work? The Bible gives us a key, “Whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.” When we work for the Lord and to serve other people, any honorable work has meaning. It all depends on your attitude. Are you anticipating another day of drudgery? If so, that’s probably what you’ll get. But if you’re planning to live this day to please God and to serve your fellow man, you may be surprised at how the drudgery is replaced by joy and meaning.

So, on this special day, Labor Day, as we honor our working men and women, it is my prayer that you will find the secret to meaningful work. But folks, don’t be surprised to find that God is at work today – watch out, world! We may not be perfect – but we’re under construction. He’s not finished with any of us yet! Our God is working within us, for us, and through us to make us, and our world, what He wants us to be. And by the way, world, be sure to keep watching, for the work project never ceases until the day He comes or calls us home. He is faithful, He doesn’t forget nor forsake- and He never fails!

Someday the caution signs will be removed, the construction job complete, but until that day, Lord, LABOR ON, work in us, for us and through us – and may we, too, always abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that our “labor is not in vain in the Lord!”

 

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A Fragrance and a Letter
Sep 9, 2015

Read: 2 Corinthians 2:14–3:3 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 6–7; 2 Corinthians 2


We are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:15

Every time I get close to a rosebush or a bouquet of flowers, I’m unable to resist the temptation to pull a flower toward my nose to savor the fragrance. The sweet aroma lifts up my heart and triggers good feelings within me.

Writing to the Christians in Corinth centuries ago, the apostle Paul says that because we belong to Christ, God “uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Cor. 2:14). Through His strength we can live a victorious life, exchanging our selfishness for His love and kindness and proclaiming the goodness of His salvation. When we do this, we are indeed a sweet fragrance to God.

Paul then switches to a second image, describing Christians as a “letter from Christ” (3:3). The letter of our lives is not written with ordinary ink, but by the Spirit of God. God changes us by writing His Word on our hearts for others to read.

Both word pictures encourage us to allow the beauty of Christ to be seen in us so we can point people to Him. He is the One who, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:2, “loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Lord, let Your splendor fill my life, that I may draw people to You. Help me walk in the way that spreads the fragrance of Your love to others.

Our actions speak louder than our words.

INSIGHT:
Paul had a strained relationship with the church in Corinth. Within this troubled church were those who undermined unity, holy living, and sound doctrine. The Corinthian church was the recipient of three visits and multiple letters from the apostle Paul. Yet despite all the problems the church was facing—doubting Paul’s authority, allowing and perhaps bragging about sin, suggesting there is no resurrection—Paul continually reassured them of both his own affection and God’s affection for them. Paul’s message is clear—for Corinth and for us. Yes, we will experience problems that need to be corrected, but our position in Christ is secure. J.R. Hudberg

 

[Hundoha]

Good article! Wanderful and beautiful!





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Holding Me Up
Sep 10, 2015

Read: Psalm 34:1-7 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 8–9; 2 Corinthians 3



I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.Isaiah 41:13

After I no longer went on family road trips with my parents, it became a rare occasion to visit my grandparents who lived hundreds of miles away from us. So one year, I decided to fly to visit them in the small town of Land O’Lakes, Wisconsin, for a long weekend. As we drove to the airport for my return flight, Grandma, who had never flown, began to express her fears to me: “That was such a small plane you flew on . . . . There’s nothing really holding you up there, is there? . . . I would be so afraid to go up that high.”

By the time I boarded the small aircraft, I was as fearful as the first time I had flown.What exactly is holding up this plane, anyway?

Irrational fears, or even legitimate ones, don’t need to terrify us. David lived as a fugitive, afraid of King Saul who relentlessly pursued him because he was jealous of David’s popularity with the people. David found true solace and comfort only in his relationship with God. In Psalm 34 he wrote: “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” (v. 4).

Our Father in heaven is all-wise and all-loving. When fear starts to overwhelm us, we need to stop and remember that He is our God and He will always hold us up.

My fears sometimes overwhelm me, Father. Yet I know that You are here with me. May Your perfect love cast out my fear and still my troubled heart!

When we believe that God is good, we can learn to release our fears.

INSIGHT:
The superscription to Psalm 34 gives the occasion for David writing this song of deliverance. While a fugitive from the jealous King Saul, David foolishly took refuge in the Philistine territory of Gath (1 Sam. 21:10-15). This was a dangerous thing to do because Gath was the hometown of Goliath (17:23). When the Philistines realized that David was the Jew who had slain their champion Goliath, they captured him (21:11,13). Aware that his life was now in danger, David feigned insanity and the ploy succeeded for he was released and made his escape. In response to God’s deliverance, David wrote, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me” (Ps. 34:4). Sim Kay Tee

 

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"...blessed are they who keep my ways. Heed instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it." - Proverbs 8:32-33

THE BEST GUIDE FOR A SUCCESSFUL LIFE
September 10, 2015

Public schools, private schools, inner city schools – all schools have gone through and continue to go through a huge paradigm shift. The twentieth century was a time of radical change in our education system, and now in the twenty-first century, the paradigm continues to shift.

The new millennium was ushered in by a dramatic technological revolution. We now live in an increasingly diverse, globalized, and complex, media-saturated society. Couple that with all of the school shootings, cheating by both students and teachers, and now, even questioning the use of gender-identification, it seems evident that today’s problems are getting worse and growing.

When we hear results like this, we realize the tremendous decline of values in our overall society. I encourage you to look to the Ten Commandments. The fact is, you can’t find better guidance for teaching our children how to live a successful life and how to care for their fellow man. So, why not begin by teaching them to your own children? You can find them in the second book of the Old Testament, Exodus 20. Society will be a much better place if we stick with those guidelines.

 

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"Therefore, you have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you." - John 16:22

GRIEVING IS A PROCESS
September 12, 2015

When you lose a loved one, many people tend to sink deep into the dungeons of darkness, and the colors of life fade away. It often makes life so meaningless, and the world suddenly seems to be so barren. Losing a loved one might even bring your life to a halt or make it disoriented.

Some of us have already gone through it, while others will go through this sad phase in life sometime or the other. That’s because death is something that will come to all of us, it’s just a matter of time.

No matter what, losing a loved one or a close friend is never easy, but understanding the stages of grief can sometimes help. Grief involves numbness and denial, promoting an inability to feel when the news of the death arrives, and a sense of disbelief that the person is really gone. It involves tearful emotion as the reality of a permanent separation sets in.

The loss of the loved one can involve anger at God or life as the world continues on when you’re hurting so bad. It can involve depression, or feeling that life is meaningless. Finally, there is acceptance–coming to terms with the loss, and beginning to move on with life.

The grieving process takes time, but it can be overcome. The greatest strength for getting through it is found in the Lord. Remember, God understands your grief. He knows what it’s like to have a child die. He saw His own son, Jesus, die for us all. Loss of a loved one in your life is agreeably the most difficult and traumatic experience. He loves you and wants to help you overcome your grief, if you’ll let Him.

 

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"Jesus called for them saying, 'Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them.'" - Luke 18:16

HAVE YOU BEEN BORN?
September 13, 2015

Have you been born? Now, that probably sounds like a really dumb question, because if you’re reading this, you’ve obviously been born! In fact, few things in life inspire a couple more than giving birth to a child. It’s one of those times when even a skeptic tends to believe in God. The same is true when a couple adopts and sees that child for the first time. But as awesome as it is to be blessed with children, it’s doubly awesome to know that your child has been born into the family of God.

This hit home one year on a trip to Israel when my three sons were baptized in the Jordan River as a testimony of their faith in Jesus Christ. My heart was overflowing, knowing that all of them, at different points in their lives, had been born into the family of God through faith in Christ. My wife and I have not only had the blessing of these sons being born into our family, but of knowing that they’re in the family of God forever.

Have your children been born into the family of God? Have you? It comes through faith in Christ. Having or adopting children are wonderful, but being born into the family that lasts forever is the greatest of all.

 

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God’s Compass
Sep 15, 2015

Read: Psalm 119:105-112 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 22–24; 2 Corinthians 8


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Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

During World War II, small compasses saved the lives of 27 sailors 300 miles off the coast of North Carolina. Waldemar Semenov, a retired merchant seaman, was serving as a junior engineer aboard the SS Alcoa Guide when a German submarine surfaced and opened fire on the ship. The ship was hit, caught fire, and began to sink. Semenov and his crew lowered compass-equipped lifeboats into the water and used the compasses to guide them toward the shipping lanes closer to shore. After three days, the men were rescued.

The psalmist reminded God’s people that His Word was a trustworthy “compass.” He likened it to a lamp. In that day, the flickering light cast by an olive oil lamp was only bright enough to show a traveler his next step. To the psalmist, God’s Word was such a lamp, providing enough light to illuminate the path for those pursuing God (Ps. 119:105). When the psalmist was wandering in the dark on a chaotic path of life, he believed that God, through the guidance of His Word, would provide direction.

When we lose our bearings in life, we can trust our God who gives His trustworthy Word as our compass, using it to lead us into deeper fellowship with Him.

Heavenly Father, it is difficult to navigate life. I drift sometimes, but I will trust in You. Lead me and guide me by the faithfulness and reliability of Your Word.

God has given us His Word to help us know and follow Him.

INSIGHT:
Many times we view rules and laws as restrictions on what we can and cannot do. It is tempting to see laws as impinging on our freedom. However, the psalmist clearly has a positive view of God’s law. Instead of seeing it as limiting, the psalmist celebrates the law as something that gives him life (119:107,111). Since we live in a broken world, we need the guidance of God’s Word to show us how to truly live. J.R. Hudberg

 

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Feeling Forsaken
Sep 16, 2015

Read: Psalm 22:1-21 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 25–26; 2 Corinthians 9


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My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Matthew 27:46

In his book The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis records an imaginary conversation between a senior devil and a junior devil as they discuss how to properly tempt a Christian. The two devils desired to destroy the believer’s faith in God. “Be not deceived,” the senior devil says to the junior. “Our cause is never more in jeopardy than when a human . . . looks round upon a universe in which every trace of [God] seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.”

The Bible gives us many examples of people who acted with faith despite their feelings of abandonment. Abram felt that God’s promise of an heir had gone unheeded (Gen. 15:2-3). The psalmist felt ignored in his trouble (Ps. 10:1). Job’s troubles were so great that he thought God might even kill him (Job 13:15). And Jesus from the cross cried out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). Yet in each instance God was shown to be faithful (Gen. 21:1-7; Ps. 10:16-18; Job 38:1–42:17; Matt. 28:9-20).

Although Satan may try to tempt you to think you are forsaken, God is always near. He never forsakes His own. “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’ ” (Heb. 13:5). We may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid” (v. 6).

Lord, although clouds and darkness sometimes shroud me, I know that You are close by my side. Thank You.

God is always near in spite of our fears.

 

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Doesn’t God Care?
Sep 17, 2015

Read: Habakkuk 1:1-11 | Bible in a Year: Proverbs 27–29; 2 Corinthians 10


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“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

Why does the intoxicated driver escape an accident unharmed while his sober victim is seriously injured? Why do bad people prosper while good people suffer? How often have you been so confused by things going on in your life that you have cried out, “Doesn’t God care?”

Habakkuk struggled with this same question as he saw the distressing situation in Judah where wickedness and injustice were running rampant (Hab. 1:1-4). His confusion drove him to ask God when He would act to fix the situation. God’s reply was nothing short of perplexing.

When we don’t understand God’s ways, we can #trust His unchanging character.
God said that He would use the Chaldeans as the means of Judah’s correction. The Chaldeans were notorious for their cruelty (v. 7). They were bent on violence (v. 9) and worshiped nothing but their military prowess and false gods (vv. 10-11).

In moments when we don’t understand God’s ways, we need to trust His unchanging character. That’s exactly what Habakkuk did. He believed that God is a God of justice, mercy, and truth (Ps. 89:14). In the process, he learned to look at his circumstances from the framework of God’s character instead of looking at God’s character from the context of his own circumstances. He concluded, “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights” (Hab. 3:19).

Lord, it is easy to let my circumstances change how I understand You. Help me to remember that You are good and faithful, even though I can’t see everything and may not understand how You are working.

Our situation may look very different from God’s point of view.

INSIGHT:
The book of Habakkuk is a dialogue between the prophet Habakkuk and God. Ministering to the rebellious kingdom of Judah 120 years after Assyria destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel, Habakkuk was perplexed as to why God had not punished Judah for her sin (1:2-4). God responded that He would use the Babylonians to punish Judah (vv. 5-11). Habakkuk was even more perplexed that a holy God would use an evil pagan nation to discipline His own people (1:12–2:1). He then learned that God would punish Babylon too (2:2-20). Habakkuk, praising God’s faithfulness (3:1-15), affirms his trust in God to do what is right (vv. 16-19). Sim Kay Tee

 

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Tissue Boxes
Sep 20, 2015

Read: Psalm 31:9-18 | Bible in a Year: Ecclesiastes 4–6; 2 Corinthians 12


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I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands. Psalm 31:14-15

As I sat in the surgical waiting room, I had time to think. I had been here recently, when we received the jarring news that my only brother, much too young, was “brain dead.”

And so on this day, waiting for news about my wife who was undergoing a serious surgical procedure, I penned a lengthy note to her. Then, surrounded by nervous chatter and oblivious children, I listened for the quiet voice of God.

No matter what happens, our good & bad times still remain in God’s capable hands.
Suddenly, news! The surgeon wanted to see me. I went to a secluded room to wait. There, on the table, sat two tissue boxes, conspicuously available. They weren’t for the sniffles. They were for cold, hard phrases like I heard when my brother died—“brain dead” and “nothing we can do.”

In such times of grief or uncertainty, the honesty of the psalms makes them a natural place to turn. Psalm 31 was the heart-cry of David, who endured so much that he wrote, “My life is consumed by anguish” (v. 10). Compounding that grief was the pain of abandonment by his friends and neighbors (v. 11).

But David had the bedrock of faith in the one true God. “I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands” (vv. 14-15). His lament concludes with resounding encouragement and hope. “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord” (v. 24).

This time in the waiting room, the surgeon gave us good news: My wife could expect a full and complete recovery. Of course we’re relieved and grateful! But even if she hadn’t been “okay,” our times still remain in God’s capable hands.

Lord, we give You our deepest grief and pain as well as our joy. Thank You for Your constant love and presence no matter what today holds for us. You alone are faithful!

When we put our problems in God’s hands, He puts His peace in our hearts.

INSIGHT:
David was in great distress (v. 9) and in grave danger (v. 13) when he wrote Psalm 31. Because he was persecuted and threatened by powerful enemies, his close friends abandoned him (v. 11), considered him a lost cause, and left him alone to fend for himself (v. 12). Twice David affirmed his unwavering faith in God. He says in verse 6, “As for me, I trust in the Lord” and in verse 14, “But I trust in you, Lord.” Acknowledging that God has been faithful to him, David confidently committed his spirit to God and trusted Him to deliver him (v. 5). While on the cross, Jesus prayed the same prayer of trust to His Father, “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Sim Kay Tee

 

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A Fly’s Reminder
Sep 21, 2015

Read: Ecclesiastes 9:4-12 | Bible in a Year: Ecclesiastes 7–9; 2 Corinthians 13


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Anyone who is among the living has hope. Ecclesiastes 9:4

When I first began working in the small office I now rent, the only inhabitants were a few mopey flies. Several of them had gone the way of all flesh, and their bodies littered the floor and windowsills. I disposed of all but one, which I left in plain sight.

That fly carcass reminds me to live each day well. Death is an excellent reminder of life, and life is a gift. Solomon said, “Anyone who is among the living has hope” (Eccl. 9:4). Life on earth gives us the chance to influence and enjoy the world around us. We can eat and drink happily and relish our relationships (vv. 7,9).

Gladness & purpose can be found by relying on God’s strength.
We can also enjoy our work. Solomon advised, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (v. 10). Whatever our vocation or job or role in life, we can still do things that matter, and do them well. We can encourage people, pray, and express love with sincerity each day.

The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “Time and chance happen to them all. . . . No one knows when their hour will come” (vv. 11-12). It’s impossible to know when our lives on earth will end, but gladness and purpose can be found in this day by relying on God’s strength and depending on Jesus’ promise of eternal life (John 6:47).

Dear God, help me to manage my time well and enjoy the gifts of this world today. Thank you for the promise of eternal life through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

This is the day the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad.

INSIGHT:
Solomon’s wisdom was legendary in his day (1 Kings 4:34) and so was his pursuit of knowledge. First Kings 4:32-33 says, “He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish.” Bill Crowder

 

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A Fishing Lesson
Sep 22, 2015

Read: 1 Peter 5:1-9 | Bible in a Year: Ecclesiastes 10–12; Galatians 1


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Resist [the devil], standing firm in the faith. 1 Peter 5:9

I was fishing quietly on the clear, still waters of Piatt Lake, casting next to a lush weedbed. I watched a large smallmouth bass sneak out of the thick vegetation to investigate. He approached the tempting night crawler on the end of my line, stared at it, and backed into the weeds. This happened several times until he spotted the hook. Then he whipped his tail and disappeared into his lair, never to come out again.

Satan dangles temptation, like a fishhook, right in front of us. It looks tasty. It promises gratification. But Satan’s power ends there. He cannot force us to take the hook. His power stops at the edge of our will—at our decision point. When we are warned by the Holy Spirit and decide to say no, Satan can do no more. James says he runs away (4:7).

As believers, we can receive great comfort from the words of the apostle Peter, who himself experienced great temptation (Matt. 26:33-35). In later life he wrote, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion . . . . Resist him, standing firm in the faith” (1 Peter 5:8-9).

Just as that big old bass ignored my hook, we can in God’s strength successfully resist Satan’s most enticing tactics!

Father in heaven, thank You for the promise of Your help when we are tempted and for the truth that Satan’s power is limited. Give us the wisdom to recognize temptation and the humility to rely on Your Spirit for the strength to resist.

Respond to the lies of Satan with the truth of God’s Word.

INSIGHT:
The apostle Peter wrote this letter to a church that was suffering persecution. In today’s passage he addressed the leaders of the church concerning their attitude, their motivation, and their method. He encouraged them to serve from a willing heart and not out of obligation (v. 2). They were to be motivated by the opportunity to serve, not by money (v.2). Finally, they were not to abuse their power, but to use their position as an opportunity to exemplify a life lived in service to Christ (v. 3). J.R. Hudberg

 

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"...pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud." - Proverbs 16:18-19

PRIDE IS NOT A GOD-LIKE QUALITY
September 22, 2015

Arrogance is the opposite of humility, and is often displayed in a conceited fashion, which is an unattractive quality. When someone has an over inflated opinion of himself or herself, they often act in an overbearing way that is called arrogance.

Did you know that for every 100 successful people, there is maybe one who can deal with great success and keep his/her head on straight? The temptation to give into prideful arrogance is huge. So how can people blessed with success not be overcome with pride?

1) Remember all good things come from God: talents, abilities, and opportunities.
2) There’s really no such thing as a self-made man. Every successful person had some help along the way.
3) The people with the biggest problem with pride don’t feel they have a problem.
4) We are most like the Devil when we are filled with arrogant pride. We are most like Jesus when we are fulfilling God’s will for God’s glory.

If you are struggling with arrogant pride, seek God’s forgiveness. And if you’ve got any guts, ask Him to teach you humility. It may not be an easy lesson, but you’ll be a better person for it. And the world around you will, too.

 

[boldstardex]

A New Creation
Sep 26, 2015

Read: Acts 9:10-22 | Bible in a Year: Isaiah 1–2; Galatians 5


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If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Early in my work life I had a coworker who seemed to delight in using God’s name as a profanity. He mercilessly taunted Christians who were new to their faith or who tried to talk with him about Jesus. On the day I left that job to move to another community and a new place of employment, I remember thinking that this man would never become a follower of Jesus.

Two years later I visited my old workplace. He was still there, but never have I witnessed such a dramatic change in a person! This man, so antagonistic to faith, was now a walking, talking example of what it means to be a “new creation” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). And now, more than 30 years later, he’s still telling others how Jesus “met him where he was—sin and all.”

It occurs to me that the early Christians must have seen something similar in Paul, their fiery persecutor—a riveting example of what it means to become a new creation (Acts 9:1-22). What great hope both of these lives are to those who think themselves beyond redemption!

Jesus sought Paul and my former coworker—and me. And He continues today to reach the “unreachable” and model for us just how we can reach people too.

Lord, I want to learn to reach out to others and share Your love and forgiveness. Teach me and help me to step out in both faith and trust.

For further study, check out Truth with Love: Sharing the Story of Jesus by Ajith Fernando at discoveryseries.org/hp141

No one is beyond the reach of God.

INSIGHT:
A true encounter with Jesus always results in change. However, this change is not in merely stopping negative behavior; true change begins to do positive things. Saul immediately “began to preach” (v. 20). J.R. Hudberg

 

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"He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him." - Isaiah 53:2b

ORDINARY LOOKING – REALLY?
September 27, 2015

Have you noticed that our society worships outward appearance? If you’re alive and breathing, how could you NOT notice? Movie stars are usually good looking guys and gorgeous women. Musicians are attractive to us just because, well…they’re musicians! So, when God sent His Son to be the biggest star the world’s stage has ever known, He chose for Him to look very ordinary – not like the beautiful pictures we have hanging on our walls. In fact, according to our Scripture reference today, Jesus wasn’t much to look at. Now, that might be a surprise to some folks as they think about the Son of God, but God sought to identify with the majority of us. Sure, there are a few handsome men and beautiful women out there, but there sure are a lot more of us ordinary-looking folks!

But that was in His earthly ministry. What does He look like now? The Bible tells us that He gave a sneak preview to His three closest disciples. One day, Jesus led them up high on a mountain, “…and He was transfigured before them; and His face shown like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.”

Someday, Jesus is coming again and we will all easily recognize Him as the Son of God. And more good news for those who trust in Him: we’ll receive new bodies -perfect bodies – that never get sick and tired, that never age and die. Like Jesus, our new bodies will be dazzling, and we ordinary folks will be eternally grateful.