Daily Devotion

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Read: Job 23:1-12 | Bible in a Year: Exodus 14–15; Matthew 17


He knows the way that I take.

Job 23:10



On October 31, 2014, an experimental spacecraft broke apart during a test flight and crashed into the Mojave Desert. The copilot died while the pilot miraculously survived. Investigators soon determined what had happened, but not why. The title of a newspaper article about the crash began with the words “Questions remain.”

Throughout life we may experience sorrows for which there are no adequate explanations. Some are catastrophic events with far-reaching effects while others are personal, private tragedies that alter our individual lives and families. We want to know why, but we seem to find more questions than answers. Yet even as we struggle with “Why?” God extends His unfailing love to us.

When Job lost his children and his wealth in a single day (Job 1:13-19), he sank into an angry depression and resisted any attempted explanations by his friends. Yet he held out hope that someday there would be an answer from God. Even in the darkness Job could say, “[God] knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (23:10).

Oswald Chambers said, “There will come one day a personal and direct touch from God when every tear and perplexity, every oppression and distress, every suffering and pain, and wrong and injustice will have a complete and ample and overwhelming explanation.”

Today, as we face life’s unanswered questions, we can find help and hope in God’s love and promises.

For more on this topic, read Why Doesn’t God Answer Me? on discoveryseries.org/hp112

When we face unanswered questions, we find help and hope in God’s love.

Insight:
The date and author of the book of Job is unknown. Some scholars suggest that Job lived at about the same time as Abraham and that Moses is the author. When Job’s three friends heard about his sufferings (Job 1–2), they offered an explanation. Over three rounds of debate (Job 4–14; 15–21; 22–27) they argued with Job that suffering is always a result of sin (4:7–9; 8:4–7). Rejecting their explanations, Job sought to find an answer directly from God (23:1–5). At a time when Job needed Him most, God was seemingly absent (vv. 8–9). Yet despite the silence and lack of answers, Job entrusted himself to God’s ways and drew strength from God’s Word (vv. 10–12).

 

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"And when (the Holy Spirit) comes, He will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment." - John 16:8

THE HOLY SPIRIT – PART 4
January 26, 2016

Yesterday, we focused on how the Holy Spirit convicts Christians about their sins and the need to get right with God. But, what is most amazing to me is that the Holy Spirit convicts everyone, even those who are not believers. Really? Did you know that? You may be a skeptic or even completely disinterested. Regardless, the Holy Spirit has led you to this devotion today. In our Scripture reference, it states that He will convict the “world” of guilt and righteousness and judgment.” That means all of us, my friend.

You see, sometimes the Holy Spirit convicts non-believers when they hear of God’s love for them through Jesus Christ. Sometimes the Holy Spirit convicts non-believers of the need to surrender and give their heart and life to God. And when that occurs, it becomes the most crucial moment of decision making in your life. It is a decision to keep doing things your way or God’s way. The Holy Spirit convicts and draws you, but you must make the decision whether or not to give your life to God through the person of Jesus Christ. If you do that, then the Holy Spirit will come and dwell within you and give you this inner desire to obey the commands of God.

It all begins with the fact that God has first loved us through Jesus Christ. Christ is the reason we want to love Him back and obey His commands, and this is what the Holy Spirit convicts us all to do.

 

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Read: Psalm 18:1-6 | Bible in a Year: Exodus 19–20; Matthew 18:21-35


In my distress I called to the Lord.

Psalm 18:6



As a mom of young children I’m sometimes susceptible to panic. My first reaction is to call my mom on the phone and ask her what to do with my son’s allergy or my daughter’s sudden cough.

Mom is a great resource, but when I read the Psalms, I’m reminded of how often we need the kind of help that no mortal can give. In Psalm 18 David was in great danger. Afraid, close to death, and in anguish, he called on the Lord.

Jesus always hears our cries.
David could say, “I love you, Lord” because he understood God was a fortress, a rock, and a deliverer (vv. 1-2). God was his shield, his salvation, and his stronghold. Maybe we cannot understand David’s praise because we have not experienced God’s help. It may be that we reach for the phone before going to God for advice and help.

Surely God puts people in our lives to give us help and comfort. But let’s also remember to pray. God will hear us. As David sang, “From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears” (v. 6). When we go to God, we join David’s song and enjoy Him as our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer.

Next time you reach for the phone, remember also to pray.

Dear Lord, help me to remember You are my deliverer, and You always hear my cry.

Prayer is the bridge between panic and peace.

Insight:
Psalm 18 seems to be a song of retrospective understanding. In many of David’s psalms we find him being pursued and hunted, first by Saul and later by Absalom. During those times of flight and danger, David sometimes questioned God’s faithfulness, love, and care—wondering why the Lord didn’t intervene on his behalf. In Psalm 18, however, we see a more reflective David. He looked back on his journey and saw continuous evidence of the presence and protection of God along the way (vv. 1–3; 16–19; 25–29; 35–36; 47–50)—even in the seasons of life where that evidence seemed scarce. Now, looking back, David affirmed what he had questioned—the faithfulness of God.

 

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"I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord..." - Jeremiah 24:7a

DO YOU REALLY “KNOW” JESUS?
January 28, 2016

You’ve probably thought about what knowing Christ means. Now think about what knowing Christ doesn’t mean. It doesn’t mean knowing about Him. Let me explain.

I love to read biographies, especially of presidents. At the end of a great biography, you feel like you know the person. I’ve even met 3 presidents, and although I know a lot about them, I can’t say I really “know” them. Most people know a lot about Jesus, but that doesn’t mean they know Him personally. So how can you know Him personally?

1. God’s Word. Through His Word you can know Him. But scripture without faith is just knowing about Him.
2. Have faith. That’s key to believing what Scripture says is true.
3. Pray. Talking and listening to God allows you to know Him.
4. Attend a Christ-centered church. This helps you know Him through worship, fellowship, and ministry.

When it comes to Jesus, do you know Him or just know about Him? Really knowing Him makes all the difference.

 

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"...bringing judgment on those who do not wish to know God and who refuse to accept his plan to save them through our Lord Jesus Christ. They will be punished in everlasting hell, forever separated from the Lord, never to see the glory of his power." 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 NLT



THE BAD NEWS OF HELL
January 31, 2016

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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Leave a Legacy
February 2, 2016

Read: 2 Chronicles 21:4-20 | Bible in a Year: Exodus 29–30; Matthew 21:23-46


Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.

Mark 10:45



When a road-construction foreman was killed in an accident, the love of this man for his family, co-workers, and community resulted in an overwhelming sense of loss. His country church couldn’t accommodate all the mourners, so planners moved the service to a much larger building. Friends and family packed the auditorium! The message was clear: Tim touched many lives in a way uniquely his. So many would miss his kindness, sense of humor, and enthusiasm for life.

As I returned from the funeral, I thought about the life of King Jehoram. What a contrast! His brief reign of terror is traced in 2 Chronicles 21. To solidify his power, Jehoram killed his own brothers and other leaders (v. 4). Then he led Judah into idol worship. The record tells us, “He passed away, to no one’s regret” (v. 20). Jehoram thought that brute force would ensure his legacy. It did. He is forever commemorated in Scripture as an evil man and a self-centered leader.

Life isn't just about ourselves. It's about Jesus.
Although Jesus also was a king, He came to Earth to be a servant. As He went about doing good, He endured the hatred of those who grasped for power. In the process, this Servant-King gave His life away.

Today, Jesus lives along with His legacy. That legacy includes those who understand that life isn’t just about themselves. It’s about Jesus—the One who longs to wrap His strong, forgiving arms around anyone who turns to Him.

Lord, in Your death as well as in Your life, You did the will of Your Father and served others. In some small way, help us to serve others with our lives today.

A life lived for God leaves a lasting legacy.

 

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Training for Life
February 3, 2016

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 | Bible in a Year: Exodus 31–33; Matthew 22:1-22

I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest . . . I myself should become disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:27 nkjv

I recently met a woman who has pushed her body and mind to the limit. She climbed mountains, faced death, and even broke a Guinness world record. Now she’s engaged in a different challenge—that of raising her special-needs child. The courage and faith she employed while ascending the mountains she now pours into motherhood.

In 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul speaks of a runner competing in a race. After urging a church enamored with their rights to give consideration to one another (ch. 8), he explains how he sees the challenges of love and self-sacrifice to be like a marathon of endurance (ch. 9). As followers of Jesus, they are to relinquish their rights in obedience to Him.

Obedience leads to endurance which leads to the prize that lasts forever.
As athletes train their bodies that they might win the crown, we too train our bodies and minds for our souls to flourish. As we ask the Holy Spirit to transform us, moment by moment, we leave our old selves behind. Empowered by God, we stop ourselves from uttering that cruel word. We put away our electronic device and remain present with our friends. We don’t have to speak the last word in a disagreement.

As we train to run in the Spirit of Christ, how might God want to mold us today?

Lord, let me not demand my rights, but train to win the prize that lasts forever.

Amy Boucher Pye is a writer, editor, and speaker. The author of Finding Myself in Britain: Our Search for Faith, Home, and True Identity, she runs the Woman Alive book club in the UK and enjoys life with her family in their English vicarage.

Training leads to transformation.

INSIGHT:
Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church emphasizes the distinction between wisdom and folly and how in Christ God accomplishes His redemptive plan in unexpected ways (see 1:18–3:23). This letter also contains practical advice and everyday wisdom, as seen in today’s passage. Through two different metaphors (a runner and a boxer), Paul reminds the Corinthians that doing anything—especially following Christ—without a goal in mind is the height of foolishness. A runner with no destination will simply tire and quit, and a boxer beating the air never puts his training to practical use. We follow Christ to become like Him and receive the prize.

 

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Daily Devotional

"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

DOES THE BIBLE SAY THAT? MAYBE NOT!
February 4, 2016

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 a 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.”

And he was right. 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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Secret Menu
February 9, 2016

Read: John 4:31-34 | Bible in a Year: Leviticus 6–7; Matthew 25:1-30


I have food to eat that you know nothing about.

John 4:32

Meat Mountain is a super-sandwich layered with six kinds of meat. Stacked with chicken tenders, three strips of bacon, two cheeses, and much more, it looks like it should be a restaurant’s featured item.

But Meat Mountain isn’t on any restaurant’s published menu. The sandwich represents a trend in off-menu items known only by social media or word of mouth. It seems that competition is driving fast-food restaurants to offer a secret menu to in-the-know customers.

Jesus invites all of us to trust Him to satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts.
When Jesus told His disciples that He had “food” they knew nothing about, it must have seemed like a secret menu to them (John 4:32). He sensed their confusion and explained that His food was to do the will of His Father and to finish the work given to Him (v. 34).

Jesus had just spoken to a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well about living water she had never heard of. As they talked, He revealed a supernatural understanding of her unquenched thirst for life. When He disclosed who He was, she left her water pot behind and ran to ask her neighbors, “Could this be the Messiah?” (v. 29).

What was once a secret can now be offered to everyone. Jesus invites all of us to trust His ability to satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts. As we do, we discover how to live not just by our physical appetites but by the soul-satisfying Spirit of our God.

Father, we praise You for revealing Your truth to us. Help us live each day in the power of Your Spirit.

Only Christ the Living Bread can satisfy the world’s spiritual hunger.

Insight:
The Samaritans were descendants of the people of Israel who had been left behind when the Assyrians took the northern kingdom into captivity in the seventh century bc. These Jewish people had intermarried with the Assyrian occupying force and surrounding tribal people, which meant that according to Jewish ceremonial laws their descendants were no longer ethnically pure. As a result, Samaritans were viewed as inferior, making them outcasts from Jewish worship and life. Jesus’s act of reaching out to this Samaritan woman is a wonderful reminder that grace, mercy, and hope do not know ethnic boundaries. Our God loves all people everywhere, and we should also love all people regardless of ethnic differences.

 

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Turn Off the Scoreboard
February 11, 2016

Read: Ephesians 4:25-32 | Bible in a Year: Leviticus 11–12; Matthew 26:1-25

Forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32



At his son’s wedding reception, my friend Bob offered advice and encouragement to the newlyweds. In his speech he told of a football coach in a nearby town who, when his team lost a game, kept the losing score on the scoreboard all week to remind the team of their failure. While that may be a good football strategy, Bob wisely advised, it’s a terrible strategy in marriage. When your spouse upsets you or fails you in some way, don’t keep drawing attention to the failure. Turn off the scoreboard.

What great advice! Scripture is full of commands for us to love each other and overlook faults. We are reminded that love “keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Cor. 13:5) and that we should be ready to forgive one another “just as in Christ God forgave you” (Eph. 4:32).

God doesn't simply forgive when we repent; He removes our sin.
I am deeply grateful that God turns off the scoreboard when I fail. He doesn’t simply forgive when we repent; He removes our sin as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12). With God, forgiveness means that our sin is out of sight and out of mind. May He give us grace to extend forgiveness to those around us.

Lord, thank You for not holding my sins against me and for granting me a second chance. Help me today to forgive others just as You have so freely forgiven me.

Forgive as God forgives you—don’t keep score.

INSIGHT:
After we become followers of Christ, our lives are to be characterized by holiness and purity. We are to “put off [our] old self . . . and to put on the new self” (4:22, 24), which changes the way we communicate. Christians are to “put off falsehood and speak truthfully” (v. 25); stop using unwholesome, foul, or abusive language (v. 29); and get rid of bitter, angry, harsh, slanderous, and malicious words (v. 31). Instead we are to speak graciously, using words that edify, build up, encourage, and benefit those who listen (v. 29).

 

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"Flee from immorality." - 1 Corinthians 6:18a

REAL STRUGGLES – REAL SOLUTIONS
February 10, 2016

When we accept Jesus Christ, He cleanses us of the impure lives we have led; however, we must 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, who, working with the Word of God, gives us that inner desire 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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Undigested Knowledge
February 12, 2016

Read: John 8:39-47 | Bible in a Year: Leviticus 13; Matthew 26:26-50

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

John 8:31

In his book on language, British diplomat Lancelot Oliphant (1881–1965) observed that many students give correct answers on tests but fail to put those lessons into practice. “Such undigested knowledge is of little use,” declared Oliphant.

Author Barnabas Piper noticed a parallel in his own life: “I thought I was close to God because I knew all the answers,” he said, “but I had fooled myself into thinking that was the same as relationship with Jesus.”

Faith is not accepting the fact of God but receiving the life of God.
At the temple one day, Jesus encountered people who thought they had all the right answers. They were proudly proclaiming their status as Abraham’s descendants yet refused to believe in God’s Son.

“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did” (John 8:39). And what was that? Abraham “believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). Still, Jesus’ hearers refused to believe. “The only Father we have is God himself,” they said (John 8:41). Jesus replied, “Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God” (v. 47).

Piper recalls how things “fell apart” for him before he “encountered God’s grace and the person of Jesus in a profound way.” When we allow God’s truth to transform our lives, we gain much more than the right answer. We introduce the world to Jesus.

Father, thank You that You receive anyone who turns to You in faith.

Faith is not accepting the fact of God but of receiving the life of God.

 

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A Widow’s Choice
February 15, 2016

Read: Psalm 34:15-22 | Bible in a Year: Leviticus 17–18; Matthew 27:27-50

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

Psalm 34:18

When a good friend suddenly lost her husband to a heart attack, we grieved with her. As a counselor, she had comforted many others. Now, after 40 years of marriage, she faced the unwelcome prospect of returning to an empty house at the end of each day.

In the midst of her grief, our friend leaned on the One who “is close to the brokenhearted.” As God walked with her through her pain, she told us she would choose to “wear the label widow proudly,” because she felt it was the label God had given her.

God is always close to broken hearts.
All grief is personal, and others may grieve differently than she does. Her response doesn’t diminish her grief or make her home less empty. Yet it reminds us that even in the midst of our worst sorrows, our sovereign and loving God can be trusted.

Our heavenly Father suffered a profound separation of His own. As Jesus hung on the cross He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). Yet He endured the pain and separation of crucifixion for our sins out of love for us!

He understands! And because “the Lord is close to the brokenhearted” (Ps. 34:18), we find the comfort we need. He is near.

Dear heavenly Father, as we think about the sadness that comes from the death of a loved one, help us to cling to You and trust Your love and goodness. Thank You for being close to our broken hearts.


God shares in our sorrow.

INSIGHT:
In the superscription of Psalm 34, a song of David, we are told that it was written “when he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.” That event is recorded in 1 Samuel 21:13. In fleeing from Saul, David sought refuge in the city of Gath—the hometown of the warrior Goliath who David had killed in battle. When the people of Gath protested David’s presence in their city, he pretended to be insane in order to escape. It may seem that David escaped by his own cleverness, but he clearly gives God the credit for his rescue.

 

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Written on Our Hearts
February 16, 2016

Read: Deuteronomy 6:1-12 | Bible in a Year: Leviticus 19–20; Matthew 27:51-66
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.

Deuteronomy 6:6



In my neighborhood, religious inscriptions abound—on plaques, walls, doorposts, commercial vehicles, and even as registered names of businesses. By the Grace of God reads an inscription on a mini-bus; God’s Divine Favor Bookshop adorns a business signboard. The other day I couldn’t help smiling at this one on a Mercedes Benz: Keep Off—Angels on Guard!

But religious inscriptions, whether on wall plaques, jewelry, or T-shirts, are not a reliable indicator of a person’s love for God. It’s not the words on the outside that count but the truth we carry on the inside that reveals our desire to be changed by God.

When God's Word is hidden in our heart, His ways will become our ways.
I recall a program sponsored by a local ministry that distributed cards with Bible verses written on both sides that helped people memorize God’s Word. Such a practice is in keeping with the instructions Moses gave the Israelites when he told them to write the commandments of God “on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (Deut. 6:9). We are to treasure God’s Word in our hearts (v. 6), to impress it on our children, and to talk about it “when [we] walk along the road, when [we] lie down and when [we] get up” (v. 7).

May our faith be real and our commitment true, so we can love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and strength (v. 5).

Father, may Your words be more than nice sayings to us. May they be written on our hearts so that we will love You and others.

When God’s Word is hidden in our heart, His ways will become our ways.

INSIGHT:


Today’s passage begins with three verses of instruction about the benefits of keeping the commands of the Lord. Moses begins verse 4 with “Hear, O Israel.” Hear doesn’t mean “listen”; it means “understand” or “know.” The Israelites were to “know” the Lord—and so are we.

 

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"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

IS THE BIBLE THE WORD OF GOD?
February 16, 2016

The following statement of belief is held by our church and many others:

“The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God to reveal God and His will to man. The Bible has God as its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error. The Bible is the sole authority for Christian living.”

So, why is it that we believe so deeply in the Bible as the Word of God? Let me share with you some of the most meaningful reasons for me:

• Did you know that the phrase, “Thus sayeth the Lord,” appears over 2,000 times in the Old Covenant? God is speaking. This is the written Word of God!
• The Bible was written over 1600 years by approximately 40 different writers, but has a single theme and author (the Lord). Though at first read, some things look contradicting, when we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit gives us understanding of how it all fits together. No group of mortals could possibly produce such a book.
• You can study a passage that you’ve known all your life and one day, the Holy Spirit gives you fresh insight. There is an inexhaustible richness about the Scripture that is unlike any other book.
• Do you realize that the Bible applies to any race, any tribe, any ethnic group, and to any age group? Its application is universal!
• Now, all through history, there have been archaeologists who arrogantly uncover things in the Middle East and say, “This obviously proves the Bible is wrong.” And then they keep digging to lower layers, and say, “Whoa! The Bible was obviously right.

There are so many more reasons and I don’t have the space to write them here. But you probably have a place to write your own reasons for believing that the Bible is the Word of God. Why not take out a piece of paper and write them down right now? You might surprise yourself at how many reasons you’ll have!

 

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"The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." - Psalm 118:22

BEING BOLD
February 17, 2016

The number-one enemy of Christianity today is religion, not unrepentant sinners. And the same thing has been true from the very beginning. Jesus did not offend sinners– He offended the religious men of His day. He was the cornerstone rejected, not by the passers-by, but by the builders themselves.

How can you distinguish religion from authentic Christianity? Here are a few clues:

• First, religion loves ritual. Religion delights in the status quo. Change makes it uncomfortable. Religion is a commitment to a system of beliefs, attitudes and practices.
• Second, religion responds to challenge with intimidation. Challenge religion, and it will attempt to intimidate you into submission. What does an attorney do when he suspects that truth may not be on his side? He buys time, attacks procedure and assassinates character. Religion is defended the same way.
• What about Christianity? Well, Christianity loves the truth. Aristotle defined the truth, as “saying of what is that it is, and of what is not that it is not.” In other words, truth has a standard, and is not relative. Also, Christianity responds to challenge with boldness. Why? Because knowing the truth and embracing it gives us courage.
• When religion and Christianity clash, what happens? Many times, people come to know Christ. When Peter and John were arrested for the first time (Acts 3-4), five thousand people were saved!

Don’t be afraid when your faith is challenged by religion. When this happens, the stage is set for blessing, not for defeat..

 

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"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 [o](S)contrary. 25 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

LIFE IS A BUMPY RIDE
February 18, 2016

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 for you right 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.

 

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"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." - Jeremiah 1:5

WHO REALLY KNOWS YOU?
February 21, 2016

Do you share your innermost thoughts with anyone?

Who really knows you and the thoughts of your heart and the secret things you intentionally keep hidden from others? Some may say it’s their spouse or a best friend. Yet, I suggest that even though you may think you know yourself well and that others see the real you, no one knows you more completely than the One who created you.

God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” It only makes sense that to know and understand ourselves, we need a personal relationship with the One who knows us best.

The good news is that God knows us best, and loves us more than anyone else. He knows our failings and our shortcomings and loves us anyway. Through Jesus Christ, we have the privilege of having a personal relationship with our Creator. That relationship begins when we accept God’s love through faith. It’s a relationship that lasts forever, and that’s incredibly good news.

 

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A Better View
February 23, 2016

Read: Luke 19:1-10 | Bible in a Year: Numbers 7–8; Mark 4:21-41

Because he was short he could not see over the crowd.

Luke 19:3



As a child, I loved to climb trees. The higher I climbed, the more I could see. Occasionally, in search of a better view, I might inch out along a branch until I felt it bend under my weight. Not surprisingly, my tree-climbing days are over. I suppose it isn’t very safe—or dignified.

Zacchaeus, a wealthy man, set aside his dignity (and perhaps ignored his safety) when he climbed a tree one day in Jericho. Jesus was traveling through the city, and Zacchaeus wanted to get a look at Him. However, “because he was short he could not see over the crowd” (Luke 19:3). Fortunately, those things did not stop him from seeing and even talking with Christ. Zacchaeus’s plan worked! And when he met Jesus, his life was changed forever. “Salvation has come to this house,” Jesus said (v. 9).

God rewards people who earnestly seek him (Heb. 11:6).
We too can be prevented from seeing Jesus. Pride can blind us from seeing Him as the Wonderful Counselor. Anxiety keeps us from knowing Him as the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). Hunger for status and stuff can prevent us from seeing Him as the true source of satisfaction—the Bread of Life (John 6:48).

What are you willing to do to get a better view of Jesus? Any sincere effort to get closer to Him will have a good result. God rewards people who earnestly seek Him (Heb. 11:6).

Thank You Jesus for all that You are. Show me more of Yourself as I read the Bible and pray. Help me to pursue You with all of my heart and mind.

To strengthen your faith in God, seek the face of God.

INSIGHT:


Luke 19:1–3 tells us five things about a man named Zacchaeus. He lived in Jericho, he was a chief tax collector, he was wealthy, he was short, and he wanted to see Jesus. Most people know he was short, but that may be the least important fact of the five. Zacchaeus was likely the superintendent of customs for Jericho—an important and lucrative post. Jericho exported a great deal of balsam wood and was situated on a major trade route connecting Jerusalem to the East. Both of these facts—Zacchaeus’s residence in Jericho and his vocation—would account for his wealth. But ultimately wealth cannot provide the salvation and satisfaction that only Jesus can give.

 

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The Forward Look
February 24, 2016

Read: Luke 2:21-35 | Bible in a Year: Numbers 9–11; Mark 5:1-20

Simeon . . . was righteous and devout . . . and the Holy Spirit was on him.

Luke 2:25



When the great Dutch painter Rembrandt died unexpectedly at age 63, an unfinished painting was found on his easel. It focuses on Simeon’s emotion in holding the baby Jesus when He was brought to the temple in Jerusalem, 40 days after His birth. Yet the background and normal detail remain unfinished. Some art experts believe that Rembrandt knew the end of his life was near and—like Simeon—was ready to “be dismissed” (Luke 2:29).

The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon (v. 25), so it was no coincidence that he was in the temple when Mary and Joseph presented their firstborn son to God. Simeon, who had been looking for the promised Messiah, took the baby in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel” (vv. 29-32).

We can look forward in life because we know that one day we will see the Lord.
Simeon was not longing for the glory days of Israel’s history, but was looking ahead for the promised Messiah, who would come to redeem all nations.

Like Simeon, we can have an expectant, forward look in life because we know that one day we will see the Lord.

Father, may we, like Simeon, be always looking ahead for the appearing of Jesus our Lord.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:20

INSIGHT:


In this passage the Jewishness of Jesus takes center stage. But the encounter with Simeon at the temple was marked by an announcement that would make circumcision, ritual cleansing, and animal sacrifices obsolete (Ex. 13:2, 12; Lev. 12:8). The Messiah has come (Luke 2:29–32).