Daily Devotion

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Hyperseeing
February 12, 2014 — by David H. Roper

Read: Romans 8:28-30
When He is revealed, we shall be like Him. —1 John 3:2
Bible in a Year:
Leviticus 13; Matthew 26:26-50
Sculptors have a term for the artist’s ability to look at a rough piece of stone and see it in its final, perfected form. It is called “hyperseeing.”

Gutzon Borglum (1867–1941) is the sculptor who created many well-known public works of art. Probably the most famous is Mt. Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. Borglum’s housekeeper captured the concept of hyperseeing when she gazed up at the massive faces of the four US presidents on Mt. Rushmore for the first time. “Mr. Borglum,” she gasped, “how did you know Mr. Lincoln was in that rock?”

Hyperseeing is also a good description of our all-seeing God. He sees all that we are and more. He sees what we shall be when He has completed His work and we stand before Him, holy and without blemish: the exact likeness, the very image of Jesus. The God who started this great work in you will keep at it until He completes it on the very day Jesus Christ appears (see Phil. 1:6).

God will not be denied! He has such a longing for our perfection that nothing can or will remain an obstacle until He has finished the work He began so long ago.

If only . . . if only we will put ourselves in the Master Sculptor’s hands.

Doubt whispers, “Thou art such a blot;
He cannot love poor thee.”
If what I am He lovest not,
He loves what I shall be. —MacDonald
God works in us to grow us into what He wants us to be.

Insight
Today’s Scripture reading has sometimes been misused by well-intentioned Christians. When a believer has been devastated by the loss of a loved one, another believer may glibly quote: “All things work together for good” (v.28). But for someone feeling the hurt and loss of grief, this statement usually provides little consolation. A more careful examination of the biblical text offers an important insight. The broader context shows that the blessings and bruises believers experience must be understood as part of the process of being conformed to the image of Christ. We may not understand why a person was taken from us in this life, but by faith we can have the assurance that all life experiences work together to make us more like Jesus Christ.

 

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The Key to a Forever Marriage
"...A man shall leave his father and mother and the two shall become one flesh..." - Mark 10:7-8

One of the questions I am often asked is, "Is there really a key to keeping a marriage intact?" Well, there are several references to having a happy marriage in the Bible, but there is one key verse that is found only once in the Old Testament and twice in the New Testament. The theme is clear: We are to leave, cleave, and weave.

1. Leave - A man shall leave his mother and father. This is about prioritizing our spouse over parents, children, siblings, and friends. Our spouse should be our best friend. If you are married, and closer to any person other than your spouse, your priorities are out of whack.
2. Cleave - Cleave to his wife. The word cleave means to join fast together, to glue, or cement. These definitions imply there will always be pressures to pull the marriage apart. (Things like busyness, work, demands from children, money, health problems, infidelity, and so on). In short, marriage is about lifetime commitment.
3. Weave - The two shall become one flesh. Sexual intimacy and fulfillment is a by-product of a healthy marriage relationship. It symbolizes how a husband and wife become one.

Leave. Cleave. Weave. Three keys to a great marriage.

 

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Character Or Reputation?
February 13, 2014 — by David C. McCasland

Read: Revelation 3:1-6
You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. —Revelation 3:1
Bible in a Year:
Leviticus 14; Matthew 26:51-75
Legendary basketball coach John Wooden (1910–2010) believed that character is far more important than reputation. “Your reputation is what you’re perceived to be by others,” Coach Wooden often told his players, “but your character is what you really are. You’re the only one that knows your character. You can fool others, but you can’t fool yourself.”

In the book of Revelation, we find the words of the risen Christ to seven churches in Asia. To the church in Sardis, Jesus said, “I know your works, that you have a name [reputation] that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev. 3:1). The Lord knew the truth about them, and no doubt deep down they knew it too. Jesus told them to wake up and strengthen the spiritual life inside them that was about to die (v.2). He urged them to remember the truth they had received, obey it, then turn around and start moving in a new direction (v.3).

When the Lord shows us what’s wrong in our lives, He always provides a remedy for change. When we turn from our sins, He forgives and strengthens us to start over.

How liberating to exchange a false spiritual reputation for the true, life-giving character that comes from knowing Christ our Lord!

Men talk too much of gold and fame,
And not enough about a name;
And yet a good name’s better far
Than all earth’s glistening jewels are. —Guest
The true test of our character is what we do when no one is watching.

Insight
Today’s reading takes the spiritual temperature of the Christian church in Sardis. This city contained devotees of many pagan gods and goddesses. This might have been a contributing factor to the spiritual lethargy in some of the members of the church (vv.1-3), yet a remnant had a vital spiritual walk (vv.4-5). A worldly environment does not need to determine the way a believer lives. Spiritual vitality is an individual choice of yielding to God’s transforming work.

 

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Hell Does Exist
FEB 16 2014
"...to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord." - 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

Here's an interesting tidbit of information. Did you know that Jesus spoke more about hell than He did about heaven?

Jesus tells an interesting parable about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. The beggar sat each day at the gate of the rich man's house, hoping for some leftovers from the rich man's feast, but they never came. Both men died. Lazarus, the poor man, went to be with God, and the rich man went to hell. Seeing Lazarus across a great divide, he begged that Lazarus might dip his finger in water and bring even a drop to cool his tongue because of the agony of the heat, but it was too late. They were separated by the great divide - forever.

Now, don't misunderstand me. I'm certainly not saying the poor will go to heaven and the rich will go to hell. This is just the parable Jesus chose to use. But, have you noticed how many people act like hell doesn't exist? They believe everyone eventually goes to heaven because God is love. What if they're wrong? Jesus believed in hell. Do you believe He was wrong or do you believe He tells the truth?

A truth about eternity: until you believe in the bad news of hell, you can't understand the good news of Jesus. He came to save us from hell and guarantee us a place in heaven. The question is: what do you believe about hell? What Jesus says, or something else?

 

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Covering Sinkholes
February 20, 2014 — by Marvin Williams
Read: Psalm 32:1-5
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. —Psalm 32:1
Bible in a Year:
Leviticus 26-27; Mark 2
In late May 2010, tropical storm Agatha hit Central America, producing torrential rains and landslides. Once it finished its course, a 200-foot-deep sinkhole opened in downtown Guatemala City. This sinkhole caused the ground to collapse suddenly, sucking land, electrical poles, and a 3-story building into the depths of the earth.

Though sinkholes can be devastating, the most universal and damaging sinkhole is the one that happens in the human heart. King David was an example of this.

The surface of David’s life looked stable; however, his interior life rested on a fragile foundation. After his sins of adultery and murder, David thought he had successfully hidden his treacherous acts (2 Sam. 11–12). However, God’s intense conviction after Nathan’s confrontation caused him to realize that denying the presence of sin in his life weakened the foundation of his spiritual life. To prevent this spiritual sinkhole from worsening, David acknowledged his sin to God in repentance (Ps. 32:5). As a result, God covered David’s sin and gave him the joy of forgiveness.

We too will experience God’s grace when we confess our sins to Him. He will completely forgive and cover our spiritual sinkholes.

Thinking It Over
What habitual sins, secret addictions, or hidden
vulnerabilities are weakening your interior life?
Remember, God longs to give you complete forgiveness.
When we uncover our sins in repentance God will cover them.
Insight
Psalm 32 is one of the seven penitential psalms (Pss. 6,38,51,102,130,143), which are prayers confessing sins and turning to the Lord for His mercy and forgiveness. For about a year after his adultery with Bathsheba, David refused to admit that he had sinned—that is, until the prophet Nathan confronted him (2 Sam. 11–12). As a result, David penned Psalms 32 and 51. In today’s psalm, David celebrates the forgiveness he received (vv.1-2), warns of the terrible burden of living with unconfessed sins (vv.3-4), and encourages sinners to repent or face chastening by the Lord (vv.3-6,8-11). In the New Testament, Paul quotes Psalm 32:1-2 to show how God forgives sinners—by grace through faith alone (see Rom. 4:6-8).

 

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What Are Your Core Values?
FEB 20 2014
"For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God." - Romans 8:14

There is a lot of talk these days about core values, those characteristics that identify priorities for your company, your family, or your life. Let me share with you the number one core value in our church: It is to be more and more like Jesus.

Think about it. Jesus poured His life into the lives of twelve ordinary men, investing most of His time with them. At one point, He even washed their feet - the act of a slave or a servant. He healed the sick. He loved the poor. He was concerned about the widow, the orphan, and the person who was left out. He loved kids. He got angry when the religious leaders put the legalism of the Law before the love of God and the love for people. Even when mankind was murdering Him on the cross, He chose to forgive.

Jesus was totally dedicated to doing the will of God, yet He was loving, compassionate, and forgiving with people. Do you have that kind of balance in your life? We all fall short, but what a model to follow His ideal in everyday living.

The number one core value at our church is to be more like Jesus in spirit and character. What is your core value?

 

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Get Outside of Our Traditions!
FEB 23 2014
"Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 'Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!' Jesus replied, 'And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?'" - Matthew 15:1-3

Sometimes we have to get outside of our own traditions to notice some of the legalisms we have embraced. During our seminary days, my wife and I were serving as missionaries at a Scottish Baptist church. I soon noticed that there was no specific time at the end of the sermon for people to "walk the aisle" to make a decision to join the church or to accept Christ. I went to the pastor and expressed my concern. "This is not good," I told him. "Why are you not doing this?" He looked at me with that rather condescending smile that Englishmen specialize in and said, "Well, Bryant, would you show me in the Bible where it says you've got to 'walk the aisle' to become a Christian or join a church?" And then he added, "Bryant, would you do a little study and see how the Bible teaches us to make a public confession of our faith in Jesus Christ? The only thing you'll see is baptism."

So often we elevate tradition to the level of the Bible. Tradition can be meaningful, but when we elevate it to the level of the Bible, we make it idolatry and ignore the 2nd commandment. Let's be sure that in following Christ, the Bible is our ultimate authority on how to live for Him.

 

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Empty Fort Strategy
By Poh Fang chia

Read: Judges 7:2-8
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? —Jeremiah 32:27
Bible in a Year:
Numbers 9-11; Mark 5:1-20
In the Chinese historical novelRomance of the Three Kingdoms, author Luo Guanzhong describes the “Empty Fort Strategy,” a use of reverse psychology to deceive the enemy. When 150,000 troops from the Wei Kingdom reached Xicheng, which had less than 2,500 soldiers, they found the city gate wide open and the famous military tactician Zhuge Liang calmly playing the zither with two children beside him. The Wei general, baffled by the scene and believing it was an ambush, ordered a full retreat.

The Bible offers another example of a bewildering battle strategy. In Judges 7, God had Gideon use 300 men, horns, jars, and blazing torches against armies that were “as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number” (v.12).

Could Israel defeat such a formidable foe? It was humanly impossible! They had neither the manpower nor the military hardware. But they had one thing that worked for them and that was all they needed. They had God’s promise: “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory” (v.7 nlt). The result? Victory!

Are you facing a formidable challenge? The Lord has said, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jer. 32:27).


With God, all things are possible.

 

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Leader - God Has High Expectations for You
"And masters, treat your servants considerately. Be fair with them. Don't forget for a minute that you, too, serve a Master - God in heaven." - Colossians 4:1

God has high expectations for those in leadership roles. He demands that you treat your workers with "justice and fairness." Obviously, this scripture is referring to masters and slaves. While the concept of slavery is abhorrent to us today, God's idea of fairness in leadership is good. Here are a few ideas of how you can manage others in a way that helps you meet those expectations.

• Be sure your employees clearly understand your mission. They can't contribute to reaching your goal if they don't know where you are headed.
• The employee needs to be very clear on their responsibilities and expectations and how their role fits into the overall mission.
• Empower your employees so that they can actually accomplish the mission you have given them. Remember this formula: Responsibility = Authority. You are responsible for everything over which you have authority; likewise, you must have authority over everything for which you are responsible, while answering to your supervisor.
• If an employee is failing, make sure you have provided all the tools necessary to succeed.
• Hold them accountable, but focus that accountability on results rather than procedure. Focus on the goal, not the minutia.
• Publicly affirm your employees when they do things right (this is very important); privately reprimand when they have fallen short. Be honest in your healthy evaluation, which helps employees be honest in self-evaluation. This way, the employees always know where they stand and how they are doing.
• Be sure those under you know that you care more about their success than your own.

Now, those are very basic things, but they can enhance the sense of justice and fairness in the workplace and will motivate your employees to help you all reach important goals. Most of all, remember we have to answer to God for how we lead those entrusted to us. (By the way, Jesus is the greatest example of this through servant leadership.)

 

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To Follow is to Trust
FEB 26 2014
"...If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." - Luke 9:23

When Jesus called His disciples, His first command before He told them their mission was, "Follow me."

What does it mean to follow someone?

Imagine that you are in an unfamiliar place following a friend in your car. To get where you are going, you have to:

* Trust them to get you where you need to go.
* Submit to their leadership; otherwise you get lost.
* Keep your eyes on them; if you lose sight of them, you'll get lost.
* Go at their pace, not get ahead or fall behind.

This is what is involved in following Jesus, too.

We have to trust Him to guide us where we need to go. We have to submit to His leadership--His will before our own. We have to stay focused on Him and go at His pace. If we do this, He'll lead us to where we need to go. And here's even more good news - in the process He'll lead us to our life purpose.

 

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Big Spring
By Bill Crowder

Read: John 4:7-14
The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. —John 4:14
Bible in a Year:
Numbers 20-22; Mark 7:1-13
In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a remarkable natural wonder—a pool about 40 feet deep and 300 feet across that Native Americans called “Kitch-iti-kipi,” or “the big cold water.” Today it is known as The Big Spring. It is fed by underground springs that push more than 10,000 gallons of water a minute through the rocks below and up to the surface. Additionally, the water keeps a constant temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that even in the brutally cold winters of the Upper Peninsula the pool never freezes. Tourists can enjoy viewing the waters of Big Spring during any season of the year.

When Jesus encountered a woman at Jacob’s well, He talked to her about another source of water that would always satisfy. But He did not speak of a fountain, spring, river, or lake. He said, “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

Far greater than any natural spring is the refreshment we have been offered in Christ Himself. We can be satisfied, for Jesus alone, the Water of Life, can quench our thirst. Praise God, for Jesus is the source that never runs dry.

Father, it seems that I drink far too often from the
waters of the world that cannot satisfy. Forgive me,
and teach me to find in Christ the water than can
quench the thirst of my heart and draw me ever closer to You.
The only real thirst-quencher is Jesus— the living water.

Insight
Having conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, the Assyrians adopted a policy of racial assimilation. They brought in other peoples, who intermarried with the Israelites. The new race, the Samaritans, followed Judaism, although not fully (2 Kings 17:22-33). Because of this corruption (vv.20,22), the Jews despised them (Luke 9:52-54; John 4:9). A Jew traveling from Judea (in the south) to Galilee (in the north) typically avoided Samaria, which was sandwiched between the two regions. Jesus chose to go through Samaria to seek out a woman who needed Him (John 4:3-5,10-15).

 

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No Words Can Describe
MAR 02 2014
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'" - Revelation 21:1-4

Years ago, the late Adrian Rogers, a well-known and respected preacher, was sharing about an older pastor- his predecessor from a previous generation- who was known in his day as the prince of preachers. He was a man of such oratorical skills and anointing of God that people were mesmerized hearing him preach. Adrian said the older preacher was in the hospital, in and out of a coma, but on his last day, while lying there in the bed, he suddenly looked up and his eyes grew wide and he said to his daughter, “It is greater than I imagined. I never did it justice.” And then he closed his eyes and died at peace. Now think about it. He was this great old man of God, incredibly gifted preacher, incredibly eloquent. And when he was finally at that point of stepping over to the other side of life and catching that glimpse of heaven, all he could say was, “it’s greater than I ever imagined. My words never did it justice.”

When we are making that long journey of faith with the Lord Jesus Christ and we go through some tough days over arid lands, dry times, difficult times, hard times; may this not let us give up. No matter how tough life gets, when we get to our ultimate destination of heaven and see the Lord, we’re all going to exclaim, “I never understood how great He could be.” Surely, there are no words that can adequately describe how incredible it will be to come face to face with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!

So, I ask you today, are you sure that you will arrive at that destination to experience that glorious day? I assure you, when you come to know Christ and ultimately wind up in heaven with Him, it is going to be so much greater than anything we could ever imagine. You don’t want to miss that.

 

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All Through the Power of Christ
MAR 03 2014
"Flee from immorality." - 1 Corinthians 6:18a

When we accept Jesus Christ, He cleanses us of the impure lives we have led. But then we must look to continue to keep ourselves clean and deal with our sexuality in the manner God designed. Here are six things we can do to help live a life of purity:

1. Confess your struggle with sexual thoughts and temptations.
2. Trust Christ as Savior and Lord. More than anything else, He saves you from sin and forgives you of sin. Ask Him to guide you in all you do.
3. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Call out and ask God to fill you daily. We can't live the Christian life in our own strength, but God has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, working with the Word of God, gives us that inner "want to" to be pleasing to God.
4. Remember the basics of staying close to God. Have a daily quiet time with Him, pouring your heart out to Him, thanking Him, and listening to Him through His Word. Practice weekly worship and Bible study with other believers. Be willing to trust and obey His Word. Be a good witness through your deeds and words. These are the things the Holy Spirit uses to shape the character of purity in us.
5. Restrict what you view. Lust is fueled by porn and sensuality.
6. Put sex in its proper context. See sex as a wonderful gift of God to be enjoyed in the context of committed love—in marriage alone—between a man and a woman. Otherwise, we are outside the bounds of God's plan and live lives of impurity.

We will always fight impurity because we have a sin nature. But through the power of Jesus Christ, we can think pure thoughts and live lives of sexual purity.

 

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Are We to Submit to Our Government?
MAR 04 2014
"Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God and those which exist or are established by God." - Romans 13:1

Well, the simple answer is "yes." But, I can’t think of a more unpopular word in our independent-minded American culture than "submission." But it is a basic teaching of Christianity. And central to that teaching is submission to earthly authority - the submission to spiritual leadership in the body of Christ and submission to government authority. We’re also called to submit to our employers, supervisors, and all who are in authority in the workplace. Wives are called to submit to their husbands. Children are called to submit to their parents. In situation after situation, we see the teaching in Biblical Christianity is about submission. But here’s the key: Submission to earthly authority is for one reason. It is about submission to Jesus Christ through trusting and obeying His Word.

It is important to realize that Jesus didn’t teach the disciples that their main goal was to be revolutionaries; or to defy authority; or to speak truth to power. It’s just the opposite! As Christians, we are called to willingly submit to Christ and from that, all kinds of earthly authorities. Not because they deserve it. Many of them don’t. We may offer suggestions. We may question if it’s best. We may ask them to reconsider. But in the end, we submit to Christ when we submit to earthly authority – as long as earthly authority is not trying to get us to disobey God or do something contrary to His Word. Then, and only then, do we obey God and not man.

 

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Boo!
By Julie Ackerman Link
Read: Isaiah 30:1-5,18-19
[God] will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. —Isaiah 30:19
Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 1-2; Mark 10:1-31
One of the early games that many parents play with their children involves a fake scare. Dad hides his face behind his hands and suddenly reveals himself while saying, “Boo!” The child giggles at this silliness.

Being frightened is a fun game until the day when the child experiences a real scare. Then it’s no laughing matter. The first real scare often involves separation from a parent. The child wanders away innocently, moving from one attraction to another. But as soon as she realizes she is lost, she panics and lets out a loud cry of alarm. The parent immediately comes running to reassure the child that she is not alone.

As we get older, our fake scares become sophisticated—scary books, movies, amusement park rides. Being scared is so invigorating that we may begin taking bigger risks for bigger thrills.

But when a real scare comes, we may realize that we, like the ancient Israelites (Isa. 30), have wandered from the One who loves and cares for us. Recognizing that we are in danger, we panic. Our call for help does not require sophisticated words or a well-reasoned defense, just a desperate cry.

Like a loving parent, God responds quickly for He longs to have us live in the protection of His love where we need never be afraid.


Trusting God’s faithfulness helps dispel our fearfulness.

Insight
In Isaiah’s prophecy in today’s text, we see the great heart of patience our God has toward us even in our worst moments (see 2 Peter 3:15). In verse 18, Isaiah says that the Lord waits “that He may be gracious” to those who fail. His exalted position is one from which He exercises mercy on our behalf. Isaiah issues the challenge that we also are to wait upon Him, for He alone can bring justice into our broken world.

 

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Not Lost In Translation
By Bill Crowder
Read: Romans 8:19-27
[The Spirit] makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. —Romans 8:27
Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 3-4; Mark 10:32-52
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to teach the Bible to many people around the world. Because I can speak only English, I often work with interpreters who can take the words of my heart and translate them into the language of the people. Effective communication is directly dependent upon the skill of these translators. Whether it is Inawaty in Indonesia, Annie in Malaysia, or Jean in Brazil, they ensure that the meaning of my words is clearly expressed.

This work of translation resembles one facet of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of God’s people. In our times of prayer, we don’t always know how we should pray (Rom. 8:26), and verse 27 encourages us, saying, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” When we go to our heavenly Father in prayer, the Holy Spirit comes to our aid by translating our prayers according to God’s good purposes for our lives.

What a provision! Not only does God desire for us to share our hearts with Him, He even provides us with the greatest interpreter to help us as we pray. We can be sure that our prayers will never get lost in translation.

Thank You, Father, for the provision of Your Spirit.
I’m grateful that when I pray I can rest in Your help
to make my prayers what they need to be. Teach me
to lean on His perfect understanding of Your desires.
The participation of the Spirit assures that my prayers line up with God’s purposes.


Insight
Today’s passage is filled with hope and comfort. Though Paul describes the deep suffering and groaning of both humanity and creation, his emphasis is on the nearness of our God and His affectionate care for His creation. Paul encourages readers in Rome—and us—with the thought that God knows us so well that His Spirit prays for us, translating our weak words into prayers according to the will of the Father (vv.26-27).

 

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Make It Personal
By Dave Branon

Read: 2 Chronicles 24:1-2,15-22
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. —Galatians 5:16
Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 11-13; Mark 12:1-27
During my days as a teacher and coach at a Christian high school, I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with teenagers, trying to guide them to a purposeful, Christlike life—characterized by love for God and love for others. My goal was to prepare them to live for God throughout life. That would happen only as they made their faith a vital part of life through the help of the Holy Spirit. Those who didn’t follow Christ floundered after they left the influence of Christian teachers and parents.

This is demonstrated in the story of King Joash of Judah and his uncle Jehoiada. Jehoiada, a wise counselor, influenced Joash to live a God-honoring life (2 Chron. 24:11,14).

The problem was that Joash did not embrace an honorable life as his own. After Jehoiada died, King Joash “left the house of the LORD” (v.18) and began to worship in a pagan way. He turned and became so evil that he had Jehoiada’s son murdered (vv.20–22).

Having someone in our lives to guide us toward faith and Christlikeness can be good and helpful. Even better is getting to know the Lord ourselves and learning to rely on the Holy Spirit to be our guide (Gal. 5:16). That is making our faith personal.

Lord, thank You for the people in my life who
influence me toward following You. Help
me not to depend on them primarily—but to
depend on Your Holy Spirit to guide me.
The faith of others encourages; a faith of our own transforms.

Insight
Joash was the youngest king to reign in Jerusalem. Because he was 7 years old when his reign began, he was in special need of guidance. In the New Testament, Paul highlights the importance of mentors when he says, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).

 

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What Is Your Work Ethic?
MAR 11 2014
"I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?” - Ecclesiastes 2:15-25

What is your work ethic? Do you give it your best shot? Or do you tend to do what you can to just get by? One thing for sure...we live in a culture that doesn’t glorify laziness. And even though we can let work get out of hand - it’s helpful to know that laziness is not a quality that God admires either. He wants us to do what we do with all our might, because laziness will allow our life to pass by without ever experiencing significant accomplishment.

You may not be that happy in your job, but remember, fulfillment and purpose in your work will not come apart from God. When we work to please ourselves, or the people around us more than God, we will always be controlled by the successes and failures that our work produces. When we work to please God, we find that He gives us direction and a sense of meaning even when it’s hard - even when our talent is underutilized.

So, wherever you are working - first, be thankful you have a job. Then, give it your best shot to please your employer and most of all, to please God - for you surely aren’t of any use when you do not.

 

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The Golden Rule
By David H. Roper
Read: Matthew 7:7-12
Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them. —Matthew 7:12
Bible in a Year:
Deuteronomy 17-19; Mark 13:1-20
The concept of The Golden Rule—treat others as you would like to be treated—appears in many religions. So what makes Jesus’ version of the saying so exceptional?

Its uniqueness lies in a single word, “therefore,” that signals the generosity of our heavenly Father. Here is what Jesus said: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them” (Matt. 7:11-12 italics added).

All of us fall short of what we know to be true: We do not love others the way God loves us. Jesus lived out that admirable ethic with perfect love by living and dying for all our sins.

We have a loving, giving Father who set aside His own self-interest to reveal the full measure of His love through His Son Jesus. God’s generosity is the dynamic by which we treat others as we would like to be treated. We love and give to others because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Our heavenly Father asks us to live up to His commands, but He also gives us His power and love to carry it out. We need only to ask Him for it.

Heavenly Father, I know that I lack Your
patience and mercy and love. Please show
Your perfect love through me in some small
way today. In Your Son Jesus’ name I pray.
We have committed The Golden Rule to memory; now let us commit it to life. —E. Markham

Insight
In the reading today, we see how our Lord emphasized the importance of persistence in prayer. The actual Greek grammar might be better translated as “Seek and keep on seeking. Knock and keep on knocking. Ask and keep on asking.” Sometimes sincere believers may believe that a sign of faith is to ask God once for a request and never repeat it. But the teachings of the New Testament do not support such a concept. In the parable of the judge and the widow who repeatedly asked him to hear her case, the idea of persistence is central (Luke 18:1-8). As is the case with Job, King David, and other biblical characters, faith is often expressed through repeated prayers and pleading.

 

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Why Me?
MAR 12 2014
"Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, 'It is a ghost!' And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.'" - Matthew 14:22-27

One thing in life is a pretty sure bet. If you haven't been in a really difficult situation, or you're not currently in one, then there is probably one waiting around the corner!

When crisis hits, your first urge may be to scream, "What did I do to deserve this punishment?" "Why me?" While it's true that some storms of life are caused by our own sin, many occur even when we're not doing anything wrong. In fact, we are often right in the middle of God's will and doing exactly what He asked us to do!

That was the case for the disciples when Jesus told them to get in a boat and row across the Sea of Galilee. Even though they were obeying Jesus, they still found themselves in a storm that was so violent they didn't know if they would even survive. But here is the important message from that event - they did survive. With the help of Jesus, they did survive.

Accept the fact that life is not a perfectly smooth ride. The road will sometimes have bumps and potholes and sharp turns. All roads do. Look upon these tragedies and difficulties as a part of life. Turn to Jesus for guidance. Trust in His Word and His promises. He will be beside you as you get through the tragedies, as well as the triumphs, in your life.