Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

February 19, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Taking the Initiative Against Drudgery
Arise, shine . . . -Isaiah 60:1


When it comes to taking the initiative against drudgery, we have to take the first step as though there were no God. There is no point in waiting for God to help us- He will not. But once we arise, immediately we find He is there. Whenever God gives us His inspiration, suddenly taking the initiative becomes a moral issue- a matter of obedience. Then we must act to be obedient and not continue to lie down doing nothing. If we will arise and shine, drudgery will be divinely transformed.

Drudgery is one of the finest tests to determine the genuineness of our character. Drudgery is work that is far removed from anything we think of as ideal work. It is the utterly hard, menial, tiresome, and dirty work. And when we experience it, our spirituality is instantly tested and we will know whether or not we are spiritually genuine. Read John 13. In this chapter, we see the Incarnate God performing the greatest example of drudgery- washing fishermen's feet. He then says to them, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet" (John 13:14). The inspiration of God is required if drudgery is to shine with the light of God upon it. In some cases the way a person does a task makes that work sanctified and holy forever. It may be a very common everyday task, but after we have seen it done, it becomes different. When the Lord does something through us, He always transforms it. Our Lord takes our human flesh and transforms it, and now every believer's body has become "the temple of the Holy Spirit"
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Only Temporary

Will you set your eyes on that which is not?  For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.

Does it ever seem to you that your money has wings?  That it just flies off more quickly than you would have ever imagined?!

Money can be very temporary, very transitory in nature.  Proverbs 27:24 reinforces that truth when it tells us,

For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.

You need to understand that wealth is temporary just like our time here is temporary.  What are the implications for how we live our lives?  As believers, it is so important for us to have a pilgrim mindset and realize that we are just passing through.

This world is not our home.  This life is a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  If you begin to think that somehow things are permanent, and you plan as if it is all permanent, you are going to get off course in your life with God.

Moses is a great example of someone who made a choice to live life with the right priorities.  You can read about it in Hebrews 11.  In that chapter, Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy all the riches of Egypt.

Moses had everything at his fingertips, but he made the right choice.  He said, "You know what?  There are more important things.  My priorities are different than this."  And his lifestyle changed pretty radically in a hurry.

But looking back, it's obvious that Moses made the right choice isn't it?  He changed the world and right now he is in heaven enjoying the presence of God.

In our last devotional, we looked at Proverbs 23:4.  Today I want us to look at the next verse.  I will bet you can relate to it.  Verse 5 says,
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Read: Hebrews 10:19-25
Encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:25

TODAY IN THE WORD
Ramzi Yousef, convicted of perpetrating the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, was sentenced to 240 years and life in solitary confinement. The only human contact he is allowed comes in the form of legal counsel and minimal exposure to the guards watching over his isolated cell block (which houses only one other prisoner). Some activists call that level of isolation cruel and unusual punishment. Others think it's necessary for national security. Everyone agrees that it is severe punishment indeed.
For whatever reason, believers often get into the habit of putting themselves (or at least the Christian aspect of themselves) in utter solitude. Some of this letter's original audience may have done this out of fear-discovery of their faith could have led to literal imprisonment or torture. Others may have given up hope or simply grown lazy in their development as believers. In our day, the excuse could be shame, depression, frustration, or any number of reasons for withdrawing from fellowship with other believers. But spiritual solitary confinement can have severe consequences.

To counter this, the writer issues three "let us" directives in today's passage. The first was to draw near to God (v. 22). We have every assurance that God welcomes us into a loving relationship. The second "let us" statement is related in that we are called to hold on to hope, namely our hope in the salvation promised to us (v. 23). We are not isolated from God, and we are not abandoned to waste away in this fallen world.

Both of these "let us" statements affect our vertical relationship with God. But we are also created for relationship with other people, not only with God. To thrive spiritually, we also need deep connections with others. Hence the third exhortation: we need to stay connected to our fellow believers (v. 24). This involves more than attending church, although that is a helpful part of it. We aren't just called to congregate socially but to hold each other accountable, to love each other, and to serve together as well. We persevere in pursuing our relationship with God and building our faith, and we also grow spiritually by acting in faith to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ.
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APPLY THE WORD
Notice how verses 24 and 25 frame our fellowship as believers. We aren't called to continue meeting together for the purpose of self-improvement. We should enter into our relationship with fellow believers with an eye toward encouraging others. Consider how you can take the initiative to encourage your church family. Waiting for others to come to you is the first step toward isolation. Instead, find someone who needs your help or a ministry that needs your service.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 21, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Do You Really Love Him?
She has done a good work for Me -Mark 14:6


If what we call love doesn't take us beyond ourselves, it is not really love. If we have the idea that love is characterized as cautious, wise, sensible, shrewd, and never taken to extremes, we have missed the true meaning. This may describe affection and it may bring us a warm feeling, but it is not a true and accurate description of love.

Have you ever been driven to do something for God not because you felt that it was useful or your duty to do so, or that there was anything in it for you, but simply because you love Him? Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I'm not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things- things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him. Have you ever created what Mary of Bethany created in the heart of the Lord Jesus? "She has done a good work for Me."

There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him even small gifts of surrender, just to show how genuine our love is for Him. To be surrendered to God is of more value than our personal holiness. Concern over our personal holiness causes us to focus our eyes on ourselves, and we become overly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, out of fear of offending God. ". . . but perfect love casts out fear . . ." once we are surrendered to God (1 John 4:18). We should quit asking ourselves, "Am I of any use?" and accept the truth that we really are not of much use to Him. The issue is never of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. Once we are totally surrendered to God, He will work through us all the time.
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The Right Perspective

Yesterday's devotional showed us how money, riches, and wealth are untrustworthy.  So the natural question is, "Is wealth a bad thing?"

Let's go back to 1 Timothy 6:17-19 for our answer, 

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.  Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
I believe God makes it clear that if you are in a position where He has blessed you, you should enjoy it.  And do it guilt-free.  If you can take the whole family on a 30-day vacation to Europe, go for it.

Just make sure you pay your tithes first.  Make sure you are generous to the work of God, but enjoy what God gives you.  It is a gift of God to be able to enjoy the fruit of the work of your hands.

God is all for us enjoying whatever measure of prosperity we have.  He just wants us to be generous in proportion to our prosperity.  He wants us to be ready and willing to give big.  To be sowing extravagantly into the gospel and thereby laying up treasure in heaven.

The point is this:  Do not just live with your eye on this world.  Rather, live with your eye on the world to come.  If you do, you will truly be able to enjoy the wealth God gives you. 
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Read: Hebrews 11:1-3
Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. - Hebrews 11:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
In his New York Times opinion piece entitled, "Taking Science on Faith," author and researcher Paul Davies questioned the premise that scientists believe only in the facts that can be proved by physical evidence. He asserted that scientists blindly trust the impersonal, mathematical laws of physics to behave in an orderly, consistent fashion without any explanation as to why that is the case. He concluded, "Until science comes up with a testable theory of the laws of the universe, its claim to be free of faith is manifestly bogus."
In a similar way, Christians who claim to have incontrovertible proof of all that we believe do not really reflect what Scripture teaches. The reason we call it faith is that, as today's passage explains clearly, for us believing does not require seeing. That is not to say that our beliefs aren't supported by the facts we have at our disposal. But ultimately, we put our trust in the invisible, even when the visible might discourage us.

Let's work backwards through these three verses, because the third points to the explanation for the very earliest event in which we believe: the creation of the visible universe by a being we cannot see. What evidence, apart from the testimony of those to whom God has spoken, could prove that in our current context? We understand it to be true in part because of the undeniable difference we have experienced in our lives.

The testimony of those who have gone before us speaks loudly and authoritatively to us (v. 2). While we do not have proof in the specific scientific sense, we do have assurance. And while our hopes in the future resurrection cannot be tested in a laboratory, we do have confidence that our hope is not misplaced. We have the examples of many believers who share our faith, even those who died waiting to see the fulfillment of what was promised to them. The reason we have that assurance: the person of Jesus Christ our Savior. Those before Christ had faith He would come to enact salvation, and we have faith that He did. Even now, we continue to have faith that He will come again and lead us into our eternal inheritance.
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APPLY THE WORD
However sincere their convictions, everyone accepts some of their most basic beliefs on faith. While apologetic arguments for our faith can serve to strengthen and encourage us, the best evidence in support of our faith is faithful obedience to God, which includes being loving and humble in your treatment of those who disagree. If you have people in your life whom you long to see accept the truth of salvation, resist the urge to argue and instead seek to love and serve them.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 22, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Discipline of Spiritual Perseverance
Be still, and know that I am God . . . -Psalm 46:10


Perseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen. Perseverance means more than just hanging on, which may be only exposing our fear of letting go and falling. Perseverance is our supreme effort of refusing to believe that our hero is going to be conquered. Our greatest fear is not that we will be damned, but that somehow Jesus Christ will be defeated. Also, our fear is that the very things our Lord stood for- love, justice, forgiveness, and kindness among men- will not win out in the end and will represent an unattainable goal for us. Then there is the call to spiritual perseverance. A call not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated.

If our hopes seem to be experiencing disappointment right now, it simply means that they are being purified. Every hope or dream of the human mind will be fulfilled if it is noble and of God. But one of the greatest stresses in life is the stress of waiting for God. He brings fulfillment, "because you have kept My command to persevere . . ." (Revelation 3:10).

Continue to persevere spiritually.

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It's All About Him

I want us to look again at the last two verses from our last devotional, 1 Timothy 6:18-19,

Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
I think it is beautiful the way verse 19 ends, ...that they may lay hold on eternal life. Paul is writing to believers here, and he is not saying they must do this so that they can get saved.

Rather, I think he is saying that when they are rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, then they will lay hold on what eternal life is all about.  It is not about the things you possess; it is not about the blessings God gives you.  It is about a relationship with Him.  Jesus said in John 17:3, "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

If you are blessed, realize the main thing is not your riches and wealth.  They can be very transitory.

I have a friend who, years ago, migrated from a country in Central America that had experienced a military coop.  Her family was quite well off, having property and wealth that had been passed down through several generations.

But after the coop, the new government seized all of the families properties and wealth. All was lost overnight.

This story could have turned out badly except that this woman is an exceptional Christian with a great attitude.  She has built a successful life here in the U. S and has chosen not to be bitter or resentful over the past. She has kept her trust in God, realizing that no matter what happens if she still has Him she will be alright.

Friend, keep your eyes on God and keep your trust anchored in Him. He is what life-real life-eternal life is all about! 
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Read: Hebrews 11:4-16
And without faith it is impossible to please God. - Hebrews 11:6

TODAY IN THE WORD
Yesterday we mentioned our legacy from past people of faith who testify in support of our common hope. Today we begin to explore the catalog of witnesses in Hebrews 11, what is commonly referred to as the Hall of Faith. This chapter includes some of the most widely known heroes of the Old Testament, but the author of Hebrews began the list with two comparatively unheralded names from the past.
The first was Abel, whose entire life was chronicled in the span of a mere seven verses (Gen. 4:2-8). The reason God found Abel's sacrifice to be favorable has been the subject of much speculation, but the core reason is identified beyond doubt in this passage: Abel had faith. He believed in something he could not see in a way that Cain did not. And, as verse 4 alludes, the blood of Abel cried out to God even after it was spilled (Gen. 4:10). He was murdered, but a new home awaited him.

Enoch's time on earth was also recorded briefly, as he was mentioned only

in the genealogy from Adam to Noah (Gen. 5:18-24). We know even less of Enoch, but the Bible does say that he walked faithfully and that God "took him away" in mystery. It's interesting that Hebrews, which states that people are destined to die once (9:27), mentions Enoch for whom no record of death is found. It is fitting, since the author of Hebrews wanted to remind his audience that eternal life existed beyond this fallen world.

The faith of Noah, Abraham, and Sarah needs little review. The names alone elicit strong emotions in the hearts of believers who have studied the miracle of Noah's rescue from both flood waters and cultural ridicule and of Abraham and Sarah's amazing story of childbirth at an impossible age. Their faith will never be forgotten. What we often fail to remember is that they all relied on faith to the very end of their lives on earth. The phrase stands out like a neon sign: "They did not receive the things promised" (v. 13).
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APPLY THE WORD
It's humbling to realize that the most revered people in the history of our faith felt like strangers on this planet. They looked forward to another home. To follow their examples, we cannot tie up our emotional attachments to the things of earth. Our possessions, our work, our leisure activities, and even our health are all ultimately temporary. God has prepared a city in a heavenly country for us-anchor your heart in the world to come.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 23, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Determination to Serve
The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve . . .-Matthew 20:28


Jesus also said, "Yet I am among you as the One who serves" (Luke 22:27). Paul's idea of service was the same as our Lord's- ". . . ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake" (2 Corinthians 4:5). We somehow have the idea that a person called to the ministry is called to be different and above other people. But according to Jesus Christ, he is called to be a "doormat" for others- called to be their spiritual leader, but never their superior. Paul said, "I know how to be abased . . ." (Philippians 4:12). Paul's idea of service was to pour his life out to the last drop for others. And whether he received praise or blame made no difference. As long as there was one human being who did not know Jesus, Paul felt a debt of service to that person until he did come to know Him. But the chief motivation behind Paul's service was not love for others but love for his Lord. If our devotion is to the cause of humanity, we will be quickly defeated and broken-hearted, since we will often be confronted with a great deal of ingratitude from other people. But if we are motivated by our love for God, no amount of ingratitude will be able to hinder us from serving one another.

Paul's understanding of how Christ had dealt with him is the secret behind his determination to serve others. "I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man . . ." (1 Timothy 1:13). In other words, no matter how badly others may have treated Paul, they could never have treated him with the same degree of spite and hatred with which he had treated Jesus Christ. Once we realize that Jesus has served us even to the depths of our meagerness, our selfishness, and our sin, nothing we encounter from others will be able to exhaust our determination to serve others for His sake.

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His Stuff

You have probably noticed that over the last few days of devotionals, we have been focusing on material blessings and how we should view those blessings.

1 Chronicles 29:14-16 is very helpful to see God's perspective,

But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this?  For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You.  For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, as were all our fathers; our days on earth are as a shadow, and without hope.  "O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is all Your own."
In these verses, King David is actually talking to the Lord as an offering is being received, and resources are being collected for the building of the temple (something his son Solomon is going to achieve).

We see that David recognized that everything he had, everything the people had, literally belonged to God.  They were just giving God back something that belonged to Him in the first place.

I am going to let you in on a little secret:  You and I are just stewards, and one day the Owner will call us into account for how we handled His stuff.  Every one of us will give an account for our stewardship of His possessions.

While He gives us richly all things to enjoy, He is going to ask you if you did what He told you to do with His stuff.  It is not our stuff.

Material treasure is a stewardship, and we must do what the Owner wants with it.  This means we have a responsibility to be listening for the Owner's voice and following His instructions with His goods. 


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Read: Hebrews 11:17-35
He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. - 1 Peter 1:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
You can learn a wealth of information about people by asking their thoughts about dying. Some, like Mark Twain, stress the importance of character: "The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time." Others, like Groucho Marx, prefer to laugh away their concerns: "I intend to live forever, or die trying." People of faith, like Billy Graham, focus on the life beyond: "You're born. You suffer. You die. Fortunately, there's a loophole."
Today's portion of the Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith includes a host of men and women who treated death like a minor obstacle. Most notable among them was Abraham, because his faith in the power of God to conquer death extended even to the life of his beloved son. Those who follow this example of fearlessness and faith in a life after death are the spiritual children of Abraham.

Isaac blessed his sons, knowing that God had a plan for their future even after his death. Jacob, for all of his flaws, retained his faith in God's plan for the nation that would spring forth from his sons. And Joseph's faith even extended to the final resting place of his bones, believing that his descendants would be free to carry him out of Egypt (Gen. 50:4). The fulfillment of his prophetic words wouldn't come for another 430 years, but it came to pass, by faith (Ex. 12:41).

Moses' parents did not fear the edict of death pronounced upon their child. Moses did not fear the attack of Pharaoh when he led his people out of Egypt. And the nation of Israel did not fear the walls of water that ultimately crashed down upon their pursuers in the Red Sea. All of these examples looked forward not only to a new country but also to a resurrection beyond their earthly graves. To imitate the words of the author of Hebrews, we do not have the time or space to study each entry in the Hall of Faith of this chapter. Death, torture, fire, and sword were not powerful enough to conquer the faith of these heroes who share in the same promise in which we hope.

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APPLY THE WORD
If you're facing a trial today or you have recently come through one, reread chapter 11 and imagine your name and your struggle included in the list. How does what you fear most compare to the situations faced by God's people in the past? Is there any reason to fear? Not at all! Do not be discouraged. None of the people mentioned in this chapter were perfect, but they all saw their faith to completion because they believed in what God had promised. You can too!

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotional

February 24, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Delight of Sacrifice

I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls . . . -2 Corinthians 12:15


Once "the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit," we deliberately begin to identify ourselves with Jesus Christ's interests and purposes in others' lives (Romans 5:5). And Jesus has an interest in every individual person. We have no right in Christian service to be guided by our own interests and desires. In fact, this is one of the greatest tests of our relationship with Jesus Christ. The delight of sacrifice is that I lay down my life for my Friend, Jesus (see John 15:13). I don't throw my life away, but I willingly and deliberately lay it down for Him and His interests in other people. And I do this for no cause or purpose of my own. Paul spent his life for only one purpose- that he might win people to Jesus Christ. Paul always attracted people to his Lord, but never to himself. He said, "I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some" (1 Corinthians 9:22).

When someone thinks that to develop a holy life he must always be alone with God, he is no longer of any use to others. This is like putting himself on a pedestal and isolating himself from the rest of society. Paul was a holy person, but wherever he went Jesus Christ was always allowed to help Himself to his life. Many of us are interested only in our own goals, and Jesus cannot help Himself to our lives. But if we are totally surrendered to Him, we have no goals of our own to serve. Paul said that he knew how to be a "doormat" without resenting it, because the motivation of his life was devotion to Jesus. We tend to be devoted, not to Jesus Christ, but to the things which allow us more spiritual freedom than total surrender to Him would allow. Freedom was not Paul's motive at all. In fact, he stated, "I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren . . ." (Romans 9:3). Had Paul lost his ability to reason? Not at all! For someone who is in love, this is not an overstatement. And Paul was in love with Jesus Christ.
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Spiritual Treasure

In 2 Corinthians 4:7, Paul tells us,

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
If you look at this chapter, Paul helps us understand that this treasure is ministry, the gospel, the Word of God, and the light and the glory of God, God's presence.

Paul wants us to understand that God has placed in us an incredible spiritual treasure...a treasure residing in these earthen vessels...our bodies.  The treasure is in you and me!

But that treasure needs to be poured out.

I can't help but think that Paul was thinking of two particular earthen vessels that were used in his day.  One was the vessel of mercy and the other the vessel of honor. 

One place you would find the vessel of honor was around the home.  People would use the water to wash their feet after traveling the dusty roads before they would enter your house, or they would use the water to quench their thirst.  Like the vessel of honor, we are to wash the feet of our family, to humbly serve them and to help quench their thirst for more of God.

The vessel of mercy looked identical to the vessel of honor, but it was located in public places like the town square, so that any traveler coming through that arid land would be guaranteed to find a fresh drink of water.  It was placed where the needs were.  We need to take mercy where mercy is needed most-out onto the highways of humanity.

You are an earthen vessel filled with His spiritual treasure, so start pouring it out-in your home and out where the people are. 
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Read: Hebrews 11:36-40
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. - John 15:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
During the primaries leading up to the 2008 presidential election, two prominent candidates made the mistake of using the word wasted to describe the lives of American troops who died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both candidates intended to convey the idea that the deaths could have been avoided, but their poor choice of words grieved the families who lost their beloved sons and daughters and who needed to be reassured that their losses were not in vain.
A life unselfishly given out of love for another is never a waste. But it isn't always easy to see that under tragic circumstances. It is very likely that the recipients of this letter personally knew believers who had been martyred. The history of God's people is filled with examples of those who paid the ultimate price for their faith. Today's passage mentions this group and defines their identity by their courageous faithfulness to the very end.

A stark reality puts a harrowing signature on this commemoration of their sacrifices. "None of them received what had been promised" (v. 39). It is hard to read those words without thinking, "What a waste!" But their lives were not wasted at all. God had planned something better! What those men and women receive in eternity is incomparably better than anything they ever could have attained in this life. The readers of Hebrews needed to know that just as we need to know it now. Why? Because we play a part in giving their deaths meaning.

Only together with us, the body of Christ who remain faithful to the very end, will the martyrs of the past be made perfectly complete. Those who looked forward in faith to the coming of Christ will be joined with those who look back in faith to His resurrection and welcome the indwelling of His Spirit. They helped bring the message of salvation to us. It is our duty to keep it alive by maintaining our confidence in the truth and our obedience to the Word of God. To ignore that would be to treat their sacrifices, and the death of Jesus Himself, as a wasted loss.

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APPLY THE WORD
As believers we are united and interconnected in Christ. Because of that, our actions take on immense significance. Who we are individually reflects on the entire group. This isn't meant to be a guilt trip but rather an opportunity for encouragement. We have a responsibility to each other that includes the profound privilege to help each other in faith. In doing so, we honor those who have gone before us and leave a legacy of love.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 24, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Destitution of Service
. . . though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved -2 Corinthians 12:15


Natural human love expects something in return. But Paul is saying, "It doesn't really matter to me whether you love me or not. I am willing to be completely destitute anyway; willing to be poverty-stricken, not just for your sakes, but also that I may be able to get you to God." "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor . . ." (2 Corinthians 8:9). And Paul's idea of service was the same as our Lord's. He did not care how high the cost was to himself- he would gladly pay it. It was a joyful thing to Paul.

The institutional church's idea of a servant of God is not at all like Jesus Christ's idea. His idea is that we serve Him by being the servants of others. Jesus Christ actually "out-socialized" the socialists. He said that in His kingdom the greatest one would be the servant of all (see Matthew 23:11). The real test of a saint is not one's willingness to preach the gospel, but one's willingness to do something like washing the disciples' feet- that is, being willing to do those things that seem unimportant in human estimation but count as everything to God. It was Paul's delight to spend his life for God's interests in other people, and he did not care what it cost. But before we will serve, we stop to ponder our personal and financial concerns- "What if God wants me to go over there? And what about my salary? What is the climate like there? Who will take care of me? A person must consider all these things." All that is an indication that we have reservations about serving God. But the apostle Paul had no conditions or reservations. Paul focused his life on Jesus Christ's idea of a New Testament saint; that is, not one who merely proclaims the gospel, but one who becomes broken bread and poured-out wine in the hands of Jesus Christ for the sake of others.
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You're Not Stuck

1 Corinthians 10:13 says,

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
The word temptation in this verse also means test or trial.  With that in mind, here are a couple of thoughts to encourage you today. 

1.      Whatever test, trial, or temptation you are facing today, it is "common to man."  That means that you are not the only one who has gone through whatever you are facing.   

It is comforting to know that others have faced similar problems before us and made it through!

2.   God makes a way of escape with the trial or temptation.  That means you're not stuck!  Before your difficulty ever arose, God designed a way of escape.  And that means of escape comes with the problem.

So if you find yourself embroiled in trials, tests, or temptations today, start looking for God's way of escape-it exists.  Trust Him to guide you safely through and out of your difficulties!   
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Read: Hebrews 12:1-11
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. - Hebrews 12:7

TODAY IN THE WORD
Spiros Louis was a humble water carrier who, in 1896, found himself the bearer of unprecedented esteem with a permanent place in the history of his nation. He represented his nation of Greece, the host of the first modern Olympics, in the inaugural running of the race from Marathon to Athens. When he entered the stadium, first of all competitors, the home crowd showered him with cheers. The Crown Prince Constantine and Prince George joined his side for the completion of the arduous race. A man who began the day a commoner finished it as a companion of royalty.
The opening verses of today's reading comprise one of the most inspiring exhortations in all of Scripture, and they compare the successful completion of a life of faith to the triumphant victory of a race watched by our most faithful supporters, culminating in a royal destination. We fix our eyes on Him who is seated at the right hand of the throne of God and who traveled a much more painful road to arrive there. Our sin, our worries, our troubles, and our frustrations are nothing but needless entanglements holding us back. We are called to throw it all off-what a freeing, invigorating invitation!

After verse 3, however, the author changed tone in order to recognize the very real hardship faced by every believer. By doing so, he helped his audience view their sufferings in the proper perspective: as discipline from the Father. His warning that only illegitimate children would not undergo discipline is purely hypothetical-for everyone undergoes discipline (v. . You need not worry about whether you have faced enough hardship in life to be counted a true believer.

The point is to be encouraged by the discipline you have faced and will continue to overcome. Hardship is a reminder that the things of this earth that make us content and comfortable are not the things that will last for eternity. By shifting our appreciation from temporal things to a longing for eternal blessing, discipline sanctifies us into a share of God's holiness. We are set apart from the citizens of this world, and we become participants in the race that ends at the feet of Christ.

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APPLY THE WORD
Take a serious approach today to the call to throw off everything that hinders us. Obviously, the entanglements of sin should be eliminated, but let's consider what else might be holding us back. These things might not be inherently sinful, but they are preventing your spiritual race. Maybe there's a relationship that needs to change or a habit that needs to be eliminated from (or added to) your routine. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify and release anything that is holding you back spiritually.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 28, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

"Do You Now Believe?"
'By this we believe . . . .' Jesus answered them, 'Do you now believe?' -John 16:30-31


Now we believe. . . ." But Jesus asks, "Do you . . . ? Indeed the hour is coming . . . that you . . . will leave Me alone" (John 16:31-32). Many Christian workers have left Jesus Christ alone and yet tried to serve Him out of a sense of duty, or because they sense a need as a result of their own discernment. The reason for this is actually the absence of the resurrection life of Jesus. Our soul has gotten out of intimate contact with God by leaning on our own religious understanding (see Proverbs 3:5-6). This is not deliberate sin and there is no punishment attached to it. But once a person realizes how he has hindered his understanding of Jesus Christ, and caused uncertainties, sorrows, and difficulties for himself, it is with shame and remorse that he has to return.

We need to rely on the resurrection life of Jesus on a much deeper level than we do now. We should get in the habit of continually seeking His counsel on everything, instead of making our own commonsense decisions and then asking Him to bless them. He cannot bless them; it is not in His realm to do so, and those decisions are severed from reality. If we do something simply out of a sense of duty, we are trying to live up to a standard that competes with Jesus Christ. We become a prideful, arrogant person, thinking we know what to do in every situation. We have put our sense of duty on the throne of our life, instead of enthroning the resurrection life of Jesus. We are not told to "walk in the light" of our conscience or in the light of a sense of duty, but to "walk in the light asHe is in the light. . ." (1 John 1:7). When we do something out of a sense of duty, it is easy to explain the reasons for our actions to others. But when we do something out of obedience to the Lord, there can be no other explanation-just obedience. That is why a saint can be so easily ridiculed and misunderstood.
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The Road to Perfect and Complete

I want us to focus our attention today on James 1:2-4,

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
What I want to look at today is how God seeks to bring us to maturity by building patience into our lives.  If there is one thing I have learned in my Christian walk, it is that God is not in as much of a hurry as I am!

Now, what is patience?  Patience is the long-lasting quality of your faith.  If you let go of your patience, your faith falls to the floor.

The end result God is looking for is that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  The word perfect here means mature.  God is developing maturity in us by working on our patience.

I have a dear friend who has a great church.  They endeavored to build another building on their property and it ended up being a major undertaking.  In fact, it turned out to be the most difficult thing he had ever done.  I mean, it took a strip out of his hide.

Eventually it got built, but you know what my friend says about it?  He says, "You see that building?  I didn't build that building.  It built me."

Going through those trials, facing those difficulties, having his faith tested, having to trust God when it seemed like there was a lack of finances, having to hold onto God's Word when he was a laughing stock with some people, all of that built character in him as he stood the test.

I have a question for you:  Has anything been building you lately?  If so, rejoice, because God is working maturity in you! 
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Read: Hebrews 13:1-25
The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. - Hebrews 13:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
The first twelve chapters of Hebrews are filled with some of the most intellectually challenging, spiritually gripping passages in all the Bible. It features Old Testament allusions, teaching that the author himself described as advanced, stern warnings, and theologically rich prophecies. Simply reading this letter to the Hebrews at times feels like studying a master's- or doctorate-level research book. But the purpose of the book isn't merely academic in nature-far from it. To the person who asks, "What does any of that mean for my life practically?" chapter 13 is the answer.
As much as we have endeavored to explain what it means to pursue the rest of God awaiting us, the final chapter renders the most tangible expressions yet, beginning with the very first command: keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. More practical applications follow, including hospitality, purity, and praying for fellow believers who are imprisoned-they need our encouragement as well! Also, the freedom from the love of money mentioned in verse 5 is more than just steering clear of Scrooge-like notions of wealth; it also involves ridding ourselves of the fear of poverty.

Another way to put this book into practice is by imitating godly leaders throughout the past. Just as Jesus Christ helped them in their time of need, He will likewise help us now (v. . With that in mind, not all who profess to be leaders are trustworthy, and we should stay on guard against false teaching. On the other hand, we should also be willing to carry truthful teaching to those outside of our Christian circles of fellowship. We should be generous with our message and with our possessions.

We are also called to be supportive and submissive to our church leaders, and the author puts it so beautifully. We should live in such a way that being a leader in the church is an absolute joy. To do so yields benefits for the whole congregation (v. 17). The closing benediction says it all: the person of Christ gives us great encouragement so that we can do His work and give Him glory.
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APPLY THE WORD
We have faith that the request of the benediction will be fulfilled: that God will equip you with everything good for doing His will. And while you are doing His will, He will be working in you. May you remember today and for the rest of your life that Jesus has secured your salvation, and that you actively participate in pressing forward in faith to the eternal rest of salvation in the presence of God. Grace be with you.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

March 1, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Impoverished Ministry of Jesus
Where then do You get that living water? -John 4:11


"The well is deep"- and even a great deal deeper than the Samaritan woman knew! (John 4:11). Think of the depths of human nature and human life; think of the depth of the "wells" in you. Have you been limiting, or impoverishing, the ministry of Jesus to the point that He is unable to work in your life? Suppose that you have a deep "well" of hurt and trouble inside your heart, and Jesus comes and says to you, "Let not your heart be troubled . . ." (John 14:1). Would your response be to shrug your shoulders and say, "But, Lord, the well is too deep, and even You can't draw up quietness and comfort out of it." Actually, that is correct. Jesus doesn't bring anything up from the wells of human nature- He brings them down from above. We limit the Holy One of Israel by remembering only what we have allowed Him to do for us in the past, and also by saying, "Of course, I cannot expect God to do this particular thing." The thing that approaches the very limits of His power is the very thing we as disciples of Jesus ought to believe He will do. We impoverish and weaken His ministry in us the moment we forget He is almighty. The impoverishment is in us, not in Him. We will come to Jesus for Him to be our comforter or our sympathizer, but we refrain from approaching Him as our Almighty God.

The reason some of us are such poor examples of Christianity is that we have failed to recognize that Christ is almighty. We have Christian attributes and experiences, but there is no abandonment or surrender to Jesus Christ. When we get into difficult circumstances, we impoverish His ministry by saying, "Of course, He can't do anything about this." We struggle to reach the bottom of our own well, trying to get water for ourselves. Beware of sitting back, and saying, "It can't be done." You will know it can be done if you will look to Jesus. The well of your incompleteness runs deep, but make the effort to look away from yourself and to look toward Him.
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It Will All Work Out

Ephesians 1:11 is a powerful verse with a vital lesson,

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.


Over the 30 years of my Christian life, I have come to have great confidence in God's ability to work things out.  No matter what is going on or how obscured my understanding of a situation is, I believe God is always working things according to His great sovereign plan.

It is as if there is this giant tapestry that God is weaving, and my life is a part of it.  I sometimes get caught up with the temporal things and the stuff that is happening, but God reminds me, "Hey, nothing is taking Me by surprise.  I'm weaving all of these things into this great pattern.  Your mistakes, the stuff that happens to you, it is all going to turn out alright!"

Has it ever occurred to you that nothing occurs to God?  The thing you are embroiled in right now did not take God by surprise.  He did not look at your situation and say, "Oh no!  I didn't figure on that!  Gabriel, do you have any suggestions?  What are we going to do?"

I know that sometimes in my microscopic view of things I have said, "Lord, such and such has got to happen."  And God has replied, "Well, you don't have the big picture."  Then, as time went on, God pulled the camera back, and I got the wide view, and I realized God was up to something very cool-totally apart from what I thought "had to happen."

Whatever your situation, you can rest assured that God has plans to work things out.  God is working all things after the counsel of His own will.  So relax!  Even if your present circumstances have totally taken you by surprise, God saw it coming and made provision far ahead of time.
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Read: Jeremiah 29:1-14
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, . . . " plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
If you want to study leadership, hundreds of books have been written asserting to offer the keys to successful leadership. While some titles offer helpful ideas or practical suggestions, God's Word gives believers the best insights into what it means to be a godly leader. In our study this month, we're going to examine the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, both of which focus on leaders who were committed to following God.
These books, which were originally one book or scroll, recount events following the Exile of Judah in Babylon in 586 B.C. Prior to the Exile, the prophet Jeremiah had warned Judah of impending doom if they did not repent and return to the Lord in obedience. In addition to his warnings, however, the Lord also sent a gracious word of hope. Jerusalem would fall. The people would be captured and sent to Babylon. But God would not forget them.

Our passage today is the word of promise that God gave to His people decades before the events of Ezra and Nehemiah. At this time, most of the high-ranking officials and high-profile citizens had already been taken into captivity (vv. 1-2). Jeremiah, who still remained in Jerusalem, sent this letter to give instructions to God's people during their time in Babylon. Even though the Exile had begun, God demonstrated His love and care for His people by continuing to speak to them through His prophet.

This letter encouraged the people to settle into Babylon, continuing family traditions and contributing to the prosperity of their conqueror (vv. 4-7). The people should not listen to false prophets who would urge them to resist their captivity or rebel against Babylon (vv. 8-9). They didn't need to try to escape, because God was promising to bring them back to their land-He was even giving them the timeframe! (v. 10).

The final verses of our reading contain one of the beautiful promises of God. His people were suffering the consequences of their rebellion, but He still loved them. He was still faithful. He still had plans to prosper them and give them hope and a future.

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APPLY THE WORD
Jeremiah 29:11 has encouraged the people of God for thousands of years: "For I know the plans I have for you . . . plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." If your future seems uncertain or you feel on the verge of losing hope, commit this verse to memory as a way to remember the faithful promises of our faithful God. No matter what you're going through today, God guarantees your future.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

March 2, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
The Compelling Force of the Call
Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! -1 Corinthians 9:16


Beware of refusing to hear the call of God. Everyone who is saved is called to testify to the fact of his salvation. That, however, is not the same as the call to preach, but is merely an illustration which can be used in preaching. In this verse, Paul was referring to the stinging pains produced in him by the compelling force of the call to preach the gospel. Never try to apply what Paul said regarding the call to preach to those souls who are being called to God for salvation. There is nothing easier than getting saved, because it is solely God's sovereign work- "Look to Me, and be saved . . ." (Isaiah 45:22). Our Lord never requires the same conditions for discipleship that he requires for salvation. We are condemned to salvation through the Cross of Christ. But discipleship has an option with it-"If anyone . . ." (Luke 14:26).

Paul's words have to do with our being made servants of Jesus Christ, and our permission is never asked as to what we will do or where we will go. God makes us as broken bread and poured-out wine to please Himself. To be "separated to the gospel" means being able to hear the call of God (Romans 1:1). Once someone begins to hear that call, a suffering worthy of the name of Christ is produced. Suddenly, every ambition, every desire of life, and every outlook is completely blotted out and extinguished. Only one thing remains- ". . . separated to the gospel. . . ." Woe be to the soul who tries to head in any other direction once that call has come to him. The Bible Training College exists so that each of you may know whether or not God has a man or woman here who truly cares about proclaiming His gospel and to see if God grips you for this purpose. Beware of competing calls once the call of God grips you.
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The Remnant

Today, I want you to read Romans 11:2-5,

God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.  Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, "LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"?  But what does the divine response say to him?  "I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."  Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

When Elijah pleads with God, he is physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted.  Jezebel is after his head and he has run into the wilderness.  He is sitting down under a tree, and he is crying to God, "I'm the only one.  Nobody else is serving You."

But God says, "Hey, wait a minute, Tiger.  I have seven thousand more who haven't bowed their knee to the false idol.  You're not the only one."

God is saying, "I have a remnant."  And then Paul brings it right into present day, and says, "Just like God had a remnant then, God has a remnant today."

A remnant is a small group that has remained.  That is where the word remnant comes from.  It comes from the root "to remain."  God always has a remnant.  A remnant that remains faithful, committed, on course, obedient to God.  That does not get discouraged, quit, or give up because of life's many turns.

Life has its share of setbacks and unexpected turns, and many people give up because of those setbacks.  But those who stay on course and remain faithful will experience God's richer blessings.

God blesses all of His children.  But those who stay the course are rewarded for their faithfulness.

So stay on track, hold course, stay steady, and remain faithful.  Be a part of the remnant.
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Read: Ezra 1
In order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia. - Ezra 1:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon controlled a vast empire and enriched his capital with captive peoples and looted treasure. He had been warned in a dream, interpreted by Daniel, to repent of his sins, but instead he proclaimed: "Is this not the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" God responded with judgment for his pride. Only after his extraordinary humiliation did Nebuchadnezzar respond: "Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever" (see Dan. 4:28-37).
The Babylonian kingdom was soon overtaken by the Persian Empire (see Dan. 5:28). In contrast to Nebuchadnezzar, King Cyrus of Persia exhibited a measure of humility about his position. Here in the opening verses of the book of Ezra, we see a key theme emerge: Leaders are important-but only if they allow God to work through them.

Notice throughout today's reading how often the text describes God working in the hearts of leaders. First, "the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus" in order to fulfill His promise, which we read about yesterday (v. 1). Historians have said that the Persians, particularly Cyrus, were interested in encouraging their conquered peoples to retain their native religion, assuming that this would keep them happier and less likely to revolt. Scripture provides us with the behind-the-scenes peek, however-whatever political motives Cyrus might have had, it was the work of God that prompted him to make the proclamation to initiate the return of Jewish exiles to Jerusalem (vv. 2-4; see Isa. 44:28).

God worked through Cyrus to fulfill His promise, and He also moved the hearts of the tribal leaders, priests, and Levites to desire to return to rebuild the temple (v. 5). Remember that the people had been exiled for several generations; many of them had extended families, good jobs, and comfortable lives throughout the empire. A spiritual prompting made them willing to embrace the arduous task of repairing their decimated spiritual center of worship.
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APPLY THE WORD
This chapter concludes with a list of items that Cyrus returned to the Jews. We might be tempted to skim or disregard the lists in this book as irrelevant to our contemporary devotional life. But it reminds us that the Lord cares about details, and He provided for the practical needs to accomplish this task. He restored some of the treasure to His people and equipped them for their journey. When the Lord calls you, He will also equip you to obey Him!

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

March 3, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers     
His Commission to Us
Feed My sheep -John 21:17


This is love in the making. The love of God is not created- it is His nature. When we receive the life of Christ through the Holy Spirit, He unites us with God so that His love is demonstrated in us. The goal of the indwelling Holy Spirit is not just to unite us with God, but to do it in such a way that we will be one with the Father in exactly the same way Jesus was. And what kind of oneness did Jesus Christ have with the Father? He had such a oneness with the Father that He was obedient when His Father sent Him down here to be poured out for us. And He says to us, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you" (John 20:21).

Peter now realizes that he does love Him, due to the revelation that came with the Lord's piercing question. The Lord's next point is- "Pour yourself out. Don't testify about how much you love Me and don't talk about the wonderful revelation you have had, just 'Feed My sheep.' " Jesus has some extraordinarily peculiar sheep: some that are unkempt and dirty, some that are awkward or pushy, and some that have gone astray! But it is impossible to exhaust God's love, and it is impossible to exhaust my love if it flows from the Spirit of God within me. The love of God pays no attention to my prejudices caused by my natural individuality. If I love my Lord, I have no business being guided by natural emotions- I have to feed His sheep. We will not be delivered or released from His commission to us. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by following your own natural human emotions, sympathies, or understandings. That will only serve to revile and abuse the true love of God.
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Not There Yet

In Philippians 3:12-13, Paul gives us an important insight into becoming complete or mature in Christ,

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected (or complete); but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

As believers, we must realize that we have a way to go.  We have not arrived.  There are still some things ahead.  We still must press on.

But some people have the idea they have arrived.  They don't need to grow anymore; they don't need to study anymore; they don't need to increase anymore.

It is like the true story of a young neighbor who was talking to Albert Einstein at a dinner party.  She asked, "What is it exactly that you do as a profession?"  Einstein looked at her and said, "I've devoted myself to the study of physics."  And in shock she replied, "Studying physics at your age?  I finished my studies a year ago!" 

Unfortunately, that is the attitude many Christians have today about their spiritual growth.  They think they have finished.  Instead, our attitude should be like 95-year-old Pablo Casals, considered to be the greatest cellist that the world has ever known.

A young reporter asked him one day, "You're 95.  The world considers you to be its greatest cellist; and still, at 95, you practice six hours a day.  Why?"  To which he responded, "Because I think I'm making progress."

Friend, you have not arrived.  Set your goal to be making progress every day.  That is how you will become mature in Christ. 


Read: Ezra 2
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give . . . for God loves a cheerful giver. - 2 Corinthians 9:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
The test of commitment lies not in starting out but in following through when difficulties arise. We don't evaluate the strength of a marriage on the wedding day-it's only possible after we see how a couple respond to adversity and the passing of time. We don't award medals for athletes who begin a race; they have to earn them by completing the distance despite their burning lungs and quivering legs.
One theme of Ezra and Nehemiah is the test of commitment when tested by opposition and challenges. In our reading yesterday we saw that the tribal and religious leaders followed the prompting of the Lord to return to Jerusalem. Today we see the first step of their follow-through on that commitment.

The list of the people who returned might cause our eyes to glaze over. So many strange names, and seemingly irrelevant list of numbers! But interesting information is embedded in this list that gives us clues about the important message communicated to us through the book of Ezra. Notice the main categories described after the geographical list: the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers of the temple, the temple servants and servants of Solomon (vv. 36, 40, 41, 42, 43, 55). This return to Jerusalem had spiritual significance, indicated by the list of religious leaders. Throughout the Exile, God had preserved the spiritual leadership for His people.

The importance of spiritual leadership is highlighted further by the incident in verses 59 through 63. As the book of Ezra will stress repeatedly, the purity of God's people is vitally important for their obedience and relationship with God. With no family records to verify their claims of Jewish or priestly identity, this group was instructed not to participate as religious leaders until God's divinely appointed tools for seeking wisdom could be used by a priest (v. 63; cf. Ex. 28:30; Num. 27:21).

Finally, the chapter concludes with their arrival in Jerusalem, and the "heads of families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God" (v. 68). It was another step on their journey of commitment.

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APPLY THE WORD
Most of us are better at starting something than we are at finishing. We need only look at half-finished craft projects, rarely used gym memberships, or list of friends whom we need to call. When it comes to our spiritual commitments, our continuing obedience reveals the state of our hearts. If you need to renew your journey, remember that the Lord equips you and take action today-whether it's prayer, serving someone in need, or perhaps giving generously-to live for Him.

GOD BLESS!