Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers   

What My Obedience to God Costs Other People

As they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon . . . , and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus -Luke 23:26

If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the pain begins. If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything- it is a delight. But to those who do not love Him, our obedience does cost a great deal. If we obey God, it will mean that other people's plans are upset. They will ridicule us as if to say, "You call this Christianity?" We could prevent the suffering, but not if we are obedient to God. We must let the cost be paid.

When our obedience begins to cost others, our human pride entrenches itself and we say, "I will never accept anything from anyone." But we must, or disobey God. We have no right to think that the type of relationships we have with others should be any different from those the Lord Himself had (see Luke 8:1-3).

A lack of progress in our spiritual life results when we try to bear all the costs ourselves. And actually, we cannot. Because we are so involved in the universal purposes of God, others are immediately affected by our obedience to Him. Will we remain faithful in our obedience to God and be willing to suffer the humiliation of refusing to be independent? Or will we do just the opposite and say, "I will not cause other people to suffer"? We can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but it will grieve our Lord. If, however, we obey God, He will care for those who have suffered the consequences of our obedience. We must simply obey and leave all the consequences with Him.

Beware of the inclination to dictate to God what consequences you would allow as a condition of your obedience to Him.
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Giving When No One Sees

Matthew 6:1-4 gives some important insight into giving,

"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them.  Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.  Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men.  Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.  But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."

Jesus points us to a truth that is vital to us as Christians:  Giving is an issue of the heart.

God will not honor your giving if, when you give, your heart is saying, "I want everyone to know what I'm doing.  I want to be noticed when I give.  I want everyone to know just how generous and kind I am and what a benevolent heart I have."

We should give with a pure motive.  When we give with the right motive, not to be seen by men but out of a right heart, God will reward us openly.  That may not exactly translate into dollars and cents, but it will translate into tangible blessings, things that people can see.

If nobody else knows you kicked in the extra hundred bucks, don't worry about it.  God sees, and He has a way of rewarding you openly.  Everyone will recognize the hand of God is on you.  God's blessings will come into your life.

So when you give, check your heart to make sure you are giving with the right motive.
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Encouragement Always Speaks Truth in Love

Scripture Reading: Galatians 6:1-5; Romans 12:3; James 5:19-20; James 2:13

Most of us, at one time or another, have had someone in our lives who encouraged us.  Perhaps it was a parent, teacher, coach or pastor.  There are few things in life as meaningful as a timely word of encouragement that builds us up and helps us through hard times.

Over my years of ministry, I have found that a voice of encouragement can be life-affirming, while a voice of discouragement can wield a mortal blow.   People must always choose which voice they'll be.

As we encourage, we should always speak truth. Discouragement is so often built on a lie, driven by the wrong information.  When we encourage people with the truth, we show them we truly care.


God bless

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers   


Called By God

I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me' -Isaiah 6:8


God did not direct His call to Isaiah- Isaiah overheard God saying, ". . . who will go for Us?" The call of God is not just for a select few but for everyone. Whether I hear God's call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends upon my spiritual attitude. "Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). That is, few prove that they are the chosen ones. The chosen ones are those who have come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and have had their spiritual condition changed and their ears opened. Then they hear "the voice of the Lord" continually asking, ". . . who will go for Us?" However, God doesn't single out someone and say, "Now, you go." He did not force His will on Isaiah. Isaiah was in the presence of God, and he overheard the call. His response, performed in complete freedom, could only be to say, "Here am I! Send me."

Remove the thought from your mind of expecting God to come to force you or to plead with you. When our Lord called His disciples, He did it without irresistible pressure from the outside. The quiet, yet passionate, insistence of His "Follow Me" was spoken to men whose every sense was receptive (Matthew 4:19). If we will allow the Holy Spirit to bring us face to face with God, we too will hear what Isaiah heard-"the voice of the Lord." In perfect freedom we too will say, "Here am I! Send me."

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The Heart of the Issue

Over the last few devotionals, we have learned just how important our heart motivation is in giving, praying, and fasting.  In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus continues to deal with matters of the heart,

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

How do you lay up treasures in heaven?  Jesus told the rich young ruler, "Sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven."  So giving to help people, giving to the poor, giving to ministry, giving to God's work instead of hoarding it up, giving to God-that is the way you lay treasure up in heaven.

But notice that Jesus goes on to say, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Jesus hasn't really changed the subject.  The heart of the issue is the heart.  That is the theme of Jesus' teaching.

A right heart attitude-a proper heart motive-is what God cares about most.  That is true whether you are giving, you are praying, or you are fasting.  He wants you to do these things for the right reasons.

Those right reasons include your desire to help people.  Your desire to express your love for God and His Kingdom.  Those are the right reasons.

Jesus said, when you are motivated by the right reasons, you are laying up treasure in heaven.  He says, "Where your treasure is (in heaven with God), there your heart will be also."

His point?  The heart of the issue is your heart.

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The Lesson of the Cross

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 2 Corinthians 5:11-16; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

As Jesus hung on Calvary, He took on our sin debt to redeem us from the law.  His death satisfied God's divine law to overcome the problem of sin and the condemnation of death.  When God looks at us, He sees only the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

All the sin of the world for all time - every millennium, every age - was placed on the person of Jesus Christ at Calvary.  When Jesus rose from the dead, He was victorious over sin and death, destroying death's authority over us.

From the moment of resurrection, Jesus shares this victory with all who believe in Him.  This victory is a gift of grace. God forgives the sins of everyone who accepts His Son as their Lord and Savior.

Every believer can live life in great anticipation of spending eternity in the presence of our Lord.

God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers   
 
Do You Walk In White?

 
We were buried with Him . . . that just as Christ was raised from the dead . . . even so we also should walk in newness of life -Romans 6:4

No one experiences complete sanctification without going through a "white funeral"-the burial of the old life. If there has never been this crucial moment of change through death, sanctification will never be more than an elusive dream. There must be a "white funeral," a death with only one resurrection-a resurrection into the life of Jesus Christ. Nothing can defeat a life like this. It has oneness with God for only one purpose- to be a witness for Him.

Have you really come to your last days? You have often come to them in your mind, but have you really experienced them? You cannot die or go to your funeral in a mood of excitement. Death means you stop being. You must agree with God and stop being the intensely striving kind of Christian you have been. We avoid the cemetery and continually refuse our own death. It will not happen by striving, but by yielding to death. It is dying- being "baptized into His death" (Romans 6:3).

Have you had your "white funeral," or are you piously deceiving your own soul? Has there been a point in your life which you now mark as your last day? Is there a place in your life to which you go back in memory with humility and overwhelming gratitude, so that you can honestly proclaim, "Yes, it was then, at my 'white funeral,' that I made an agreement with God."

"This is the will of God, your sanctification . . ." (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Once you truly realize this is God's will, you will enter into the process of sanctification as a natural response. Are you willing to experience that "white funeral" now? Will you agree with Him that this is your last day on earth? The moment of agreement depends on you.

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God's Guidance System

In Matthew 6:22-24, Jesus tells us the impact when God has our whole heart,

"The lamp of the body is the eye.  If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.  If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!  No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon."

While it may not seem like it, Jesus is talking about the heart.

As we learned in our previous devotionals, if you give to God, and give for the right reasons, God has your heart.  Your heart belongs to Him.  When God has your heart, He can lead you; because that is how God leads, He leads through your heart.

That's really what this illustration is about.  That is what He means by, "The lamp of the body is the eye."

Think about the difference light makes when trying to walk on a narrow, craggy path.  When light comes into your eye, you can see your way.  Your eyes, when the light is able to come in, are a built-in guidance system, aren't they?

Well, you know what?  You have a guidance system God uses to lead you.  That guidance system is called your heart.  If God has your treasure, He has your heart.  But God can't lead you through your heart if He doesn't have your heart.

If God has your heart, then He can begin to lead you.  You can go anywhere He tells you to go.  And interestingly enough, the loyalty of our heart is expressed through our giving.  Giving and guidance tied together?  According to Jesus... definitely!
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Reversing the Curses in Your Life

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 5:1-19 

Everyday, people live under the curse of defeat, which takes on many different forms. It could be recurring disease, depression, one financial problem after another, family problems passed down from generation to generation.

For the Christian, there is always hope.  Jesus came to reverse every curse and give us power to conquer anything that might hold us down. God specializes in making the impossible possible.

In 2 Kings 5:1-19 is the story of Naaman, a valiant warrior who led his country to victory.  Cursed with leprosy, an incurable disease that left its victims sick and social isolated, Naaman sought help from the prophet, Elisha. After dipping seven times in the Jordan River at Elisha's command -- Naaman initially scoffed at - the Syrian warrior was healed. Naaman turned his heart to worship God of Israel, the reverser of the curse.

Like Naaman, commit to see your cleansing through. God will redeem what you thought was impossible to restore.

God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers   

The Voice of the Nature of God

I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' -Isaiah 6:8

When we talk about the call of God, we often forget the most important thing, namely, the nature of Him who calls. There are many things calling each of us today. Some of these calls will be answered, and others will not even be heard. The call is the expression of the nature of the One who calls, and we can only recognize the call if that same nature is in us. The call of God is the expression of God's nature, not ours. God providentially weaves the threads of His call through our lives, and only we can distinguish them. It is the threading of God's voice directly to us over a certain concern, and it is useless to seek another person's opinion of it. Our dealings over the call of God should be kept exclusively between ourselves and Him.

The call of God is not a reflection of my nature; my personal desires and temperament are of no consideration. As long as I dwell on my own qualities and traits and think about what I am suited for, I will never hear the call of God. But when God brings me into the right relationship with Himself, I will be in the same condition Isaiah was. Isaiah was so attuned to God, because of the great crisis he had just endured, that the call of God penetrated his soul. The majority of us cannot hear anything but ourselves. And we cannot hear anything God says. But to be brought to the place where we can hear the call of God is to be profoundly changed.
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When God Has Our Hearts

In Matthew 6:25-26, Jesus applies all we have covered over the last few days,

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on.  Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"

Given the context of the preceding verses, Jesus is telling us that if God is first in our giving, then He indeed has our heart. If He has our hearts, He can guide us and meet our needs, and we have no need to worry about provision for our life.

He feeds the birds. He will take care of you. Do not worry. Obey Him, trust Him, and look to Him for your daily bread.

Matthew 6:33 says,

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

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Don't Set Yourself Up for Failure

Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 5:1-19 and Philippians 1:6

God can reverse every curse in your life - from the financial and physical to the generational and spiritual. The prophet Elisha would not accept payment from General Naaman for God's restoration of the warrior's health, but the prophet's servant Gehazi couldn't resist. He lied, took the payment and hid it. Elisha knew what Gehazi had done and rebuked him for jumping ahead of God's provision and blessing. Gehazi set himself up for failure, and his punishment was the curse of leprosy.

Seven years later because of God's divine arrangement, Gehazi was able to take and hide a load of riches from an abandoned Syrian camp.  A changed man, Gehazi generously shared the loot with the children of Israel, and God restored his health and promoted him to the king's advisory board.

If you are wrestling with a curse, or have given in to its control, God wants to accomplish something in you greater than just getting rid of your problems.  Put your trust in God and obey His Word, and you too, like Gehazi, can enjoy a comeback.



God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers   

The Call of the Natural Life

When it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me . . . -Galatians 1:15-16

The call of God is not a call to serve Him in any particular way. My contact with the nature of God will shape my understanding of His call and will help me realize what I truly desire to do for Him. The call of God is an expression of His nature; the service which results in my life is suited to me and is an expression of my nature. The call of the natural life was stated by the apostle Paul- "When it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him [that is, purely and solemnly express Him] among the Gentiles . . . ."

Service is the overflow which pours from a life filled with love and devotion. But strictly speaking, there is no call to that. Service is what I bring to the relationship and is the reflection of my identification with the nature of God. Service becomes a natural part of my life. God brings me into the proper relationship with Himself so that I can understand His call, and then I serve Him on my own out of a motivation of absolute love. Service to God is the deliberate love-gift of a nature that has heard the call of God. Service is an expression of my nature, and God's call is an expression of His nature. Therefore, when I receive His nature and hear His call, His divine voice resounds throughout His nature and mine and the two become one in service. The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and out of devotion to Him service becomes my everyday way of life.
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Go Fish

Over the next seven devotionals, I want to talk to you about the number one business of the Church:  the business of winning souls.  It is what I call "The Seven Cs of Soul Winning."

The first "C"-commission-is found in Mark 16:15.  These are some of the last words Jesus spoke before He ascended into heaven,

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

Could it be any clearer?  Jesus said, "Go."  Dare we say, "No"?  He said, "Go."

That is the opposite of "stay," isn't it?  G  G-O.

God wants you and me to take the Gospel to Others.

You and I need to get out into the world!  Jesus was not crucified between two candles on a church altar.  He was crucified out in the byways and highways of humanity, and that is where we must take the message.

Jesus said, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."  That is a promise.  But you know what?  You have to get to the water if you are going to catch fish.  You have to get out of the four church walls, out to where hurting humanity is, and engage them with the gospel.

A while back, I went backpacking with my two sons in a very remote area.  We found a pristine lake where just about every time we would put a line in the water, we would catch a fish.

We also had this incredible camp.  But you know what?  If we wanted to catch fish, we had to go down to the water.  No one could catch a fish sitting in camp.

A lot of Christians just hang around the camp.  They form fishing clubs and talk about how important it is to fish.  But they don't fish.

God wants us to go fish!
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Don't Settle for Less

Scripture Reading: Philippians 1:21; Luke 17:19; John 10:10 

In my teaching series, Reversing the Curses in Your Life, I go great deal into the reversal of fortune that Elisha's servant Gehazi experienced (Read 2 Kings 7:3-16; 8:4).

His story is an important one for all of us. His life after the curse was far better than it was before. No curse is irreversible . . . whether you inherited it or brought it on yourself, you don't have to settle for it.

When God committed to being our Father, He committed to maturing us completely. It may take trials, suffering, loss, even curses to conform us to Jesus' image, but God will settle for nothing less in our lives.

Here's a bit of advice when you need reverse of the curse: Keep the right perspective. Submit to God's plan. Humble yourself. Commit to do whatever God requires. Trust in the power of God. Have faith. Believe in Jesus' promises. Praise God for what He is able to do.

Pass your test. Don't settle for less.

God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers   


"It Is the Lord!"

Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!' -John 20:28
Jesus said to her, 'Give Me a drink' " (John 4:7). How many of us are expecting Jesus Christ to quench our thirst when we should be satisfying Him! We should be pouring out our lives, investing our total beings, not drawing on Him to satisfy us. "You shall be witnesses to Me . . ." (Acts 1:. That means lives of pure, uncompromising, and unrestrained devotion to the Lord Jesus, which will be satisfying to Him wherever He may send us.

Beware of anything that competes with your loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him. It is easier to serve than to pour out our lives completely for Him. The goal of the call of God is His satisfaction, not simply that we should do something for Him. We are not sent to do battle for God, but to be used by God in His battles. Are we more devoted to service than we are to Jesus Christ Himself?
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Compassion for the Lost

Yesterday we started a series of devotionals I am calling "The Seven Cs of Soul Winning."  Today I want to point you to the second "C"-compassion.  In Mark 16:16 Jesus said,

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."

Now, condemned is a pretty soft word in the English language.  I actually like the King James Version, where it says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

Condemned or damned, it means eternally separated from God with no opportunity of rescue or retrieval.  Forever lost.  Think about it!

Do you recall the story Jesus told of the rich man who died?  It ought to send a shudder through the heart of even the most brazen sinner.

Jesus tells us that the rich man died and was in torment, in flame.  Jesus goes on to say that the rich man lifted up his eyes, and begged for mercy.  But no mercy came, even as it says in Revelation 14:11, "The smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever."

I know it is not a popular subject in the Church to talk about hell, but Jesus talked more about hell than He did about heaven.  It is a very real place.  If we would consider just for a moment the end of the man or woman who rejects Christ, it ought to cause our hearts to be stirred with compassion.

When was the last time you and I shed a tear over lost humanity?  When was the last time you and I were truly broken with the things that break the heart of God?

Our compassion for the lost ought to move us to do all we can to share Christ with them!

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Why We Need Revival

Scripture Readings: Psalm 85:1-13 

David cries out in Psalm 85:6, "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in You?" and as Christians we must echo that petition.  How do we know if we need a revival?  Historically, revivals are preceded by spiritual decline, such as divisiveness, anger, continuous crises, addictions and service without passion.  Simply put, the need for revival is a result of sin in our lives.

Revival is the restoration of the spiritual life of God's people and a return to the abundant life God intended for His followers.  When God revives us, we can expect real change!

If you have experienced a crisis in your life lately, examine whether God has a purpose behind it.  Perhaps God has taken steps to get your attention, and the next step is yours.   

First, you must identify the change that needs to take place in your own life for true revival.  I encourage you to spend time asking God to let you see yourself from His perspective. Let Him tell you what needs to change!


God bless

[Judy Harder]

January 20


Romans 10:9
. . .if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.


Talk to Jesus. Seriously, He is waiting to listen to you and help you in your struggle to lose weight. Sometimes we wrestle with the urge to cheat on our diets until we are emotional wrecks. This happens most often when we are alone, with no one to talk to. Don't forget, Christ is always with you, and He is as close as prayer. Tell Him how difficult it is. Let Him know your struggle, and He will indeed comfort you. There is never a time in our lives when Jesus is not interested in everything that is happening to us. Call upon Him, confess Him as Lord, and you will be saved!

Today's thought: Jesus is as close as a prayer!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers   

Recall What God Remembers

Thus says the Lord: 'I remember . . . the kindness of your youth . . .' -Jeremiah 2:2

Am I as spontaneously kind to God as I used to be, or am I only expecting God to be kind to me? Does everything in my life fill His heart with gladness, or do I constantly complain because things don't seem to be going my way? A person who has forgotten what God treasures will not be filled with joy. It is wonderful to remember that Jesus Christ has needs which we can meet- "Give Me a drink" (John 4:7). How much kindness have I shown Him in the past week? Has my life been a good reflection on His reputation?

God is saying to His people, "You are not in love with Me now, but I remember a time when you were." He says, "I remember . . . the love of your betrothal . . ." (Jeremiah 2:2). Am I as filled to overflowing with love for Jesus Christ as I was in the beginning, when I went out of my way to prove my devotion to Him? Does He ever find me pondering the time when I cared only for Him? Is that where I am now, or have I chosen man's wisdom over true love for Him? Am I so in love with Him that I take no thought for where He might lead me? Or am I watching to see how much respect I get as I measure how much service I should give Him?

As I recall what God remembers about me, I may also begin to realize that He is not what He used to be to me. When this happens, I should allow the shame and humiliation it creates in my life, because it will bring godly sorrow, and "godly sorrow produces repentance . . ." (2 Corinthians 7:10).

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The Comforter

Today we are going to look at the fifth "C" of soul winning, and that is the Comforter.  Many times when Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit, He referred to Him as the Comforter.

In Acts 1:4-5, after the resurrection, Jesus said something to the disciples that was very intriguing,

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

He had already told them to go into all the world, but then He said, "Hey, you need to wait for something.  There's some equipment you need before you go.  Don't go start a Bible study, don't go pass out a tract, don't do anything.  You need something first.  You need to be baptized with the Spirit."

Then look at what He said in verse 8,

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

The Holy Spirit gives us power to be a witness.  There is something beyond even living a life of integrity.  There is a supernatural, captivating element when a person is filled with the Holy Spirit that makes the witness of the gospel even more inescapable.

Jesus was so strong on it He said, "Look, don't leave Jerusalem without it."  God has given us His Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to empower us to reach our generation for Christ.
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Requirements for True Revival

Scripture Readings: 2 Chronicles 6:34-42 

When God's people are disobedient, we suffer His wrath because we have rejected His way. God desires a restored relationship with His people, but we, as believers, still have a responsibility in our own revival. That responsibility, outlined in 2 Chronicles 7:14, calls for specific action:"If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray . . . " With these words, God reveals that revival is primarily focused on His people.

When believers come to God on His terms with humble hearts, we give God permission to take action. When we open the door for revival through prayer, God works on our sins and addresses how they affect our lives.

". . . and seek my face . . . " Seeking His face means seeking His presence, submitting to His authority, and approaching God on His terms. 

". . . and turn from their wicked ways . . . " With these words, God is calling for spiritual and physical action as prerequisites to His intervention.  We must rid ourselves of excuses and crutches, which are often disguised as addictions and issues.

Only when we seek God's will with humility, prayer and obedience will true revival occur.


God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers   

Am I Looking To God?

Look to Me, and be saved . . . -Isaiah 45:22

Do we expect God to come to us with His blessings and save us? He says, "Look to Me, and be saved . . . ." The greatest difficulty spiritually is to concentrate on God, and His blessings are what make it so difficult. Troubles almost always make us look to God, but His blessings tend to divert our attention elsewhere. The basic lesson of the Sermon on the Mount is to narrow all your interests until your mind, heart, and body are focused on Jesus Christ. "Look to Me . . . ."

Many of us have a mental picture of what a Christian should be, and looking at this image in other Christians' lives becomes a hindrance to our focusing on God. This is not salvation- it is not simple enough. He says, in effect, "Look to Me and you are saved," not "You will be saved someday." We will find what we are looking for if we will concentrate on Him. We get distracted from God and irritable with Him while He continues to say to us, "Look to Me, and be saved . . . ." Our difficulties, our trials, and our worries about tomorrow all vanish when we look to God.

Wake yourself up and look to God. Build your hope on Him. No matter how many things seem to be pressing in on you, be determined to push them aside and look to Him. "Look to Me . . . ." Salvation is yours the moment you look.

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Convicting and Convincing

In yesterday's devotional, we talked about the fifth "C" of soul winning-the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is such an important part in witnessing I want to take you to another passage today to help you understand His role more clearly.

The passage is John 16:7-9.  Here Jesus is talking to the disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth.  It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.  And when He has come He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  of sin, because they do not believe in Me."

Jesus is not telling us that we need to pray, "Holy Spirit, go convict this person."  Rather, the foundation from which He is speaking is found in John 14.  In that passage He says, "When the Holy Spirit comes, He will no longer just be with you, but He will be in you."

In the following verses, He then talks about all the things the Holy Spirit does within us.  And here, when He talks about the Holy Spirit convicting people of sin (and, as the Amplified Bible says, convicting and convincing the world of sin), He does that work when we engage them with the gospel.

When we talk to people about Christ, the Holy Spirit then goes to work.

I think about that little boy who told me about Jesus-a Spirit-filled 12-year-old.  I had never heard the gospel in my life, yet there was something so captivating, so arresting about him, I could not get him out of my mind.

It was the power of the Holy Spirit working through him.  And He wants to work through you as well.


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Revival in the Valley of Dry Bones

Scripture Readings: Ezekiel 37:1-10   

Spiritual collapse places us in the "Valley of Dry Bones," a situation in which we experience hopelessness and helplessness. God, however, has provided a way out.

We must be willing to listen to the Word of God. When in a "dry place," a place of no hope and no apparent answer to life's dilemmas, we must accept God's Word that begins the process of deliverance from disorder.

We must be willing to respond in obedience to the Word of God. It is our willingness to act on what is spoken by God that continues this deliverance from our "dry bones" state of existence.

We must be sensitive to the movement of God's Spirit. God's Word gives us order, but the Spirit gives life. The Holy Spirit provides the power to bring the truth of God's Word to fruition.

When we hear of despairing situations in our nation, state, city and personal lives, are we listening to the prophetic Word of God, or do we have our own agendas?

Once we connect the Word of Truth with God's Spirit, we can be delivered out of our hopeless situation and experience revival.

God bless
 

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers   

Transformed by Beholding

We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image . . . -2 Corinthians 3:18

The greatest characteristic a Christian can exhibit is this completely unveiled openness before God, which allows that person's life to become a mirror for others. When the Spirit fills us, we are transformed, and by beholding God we become mirrors. You can always tell when someone has been beholding the glory of the Lord, because your inner spirit senses that he mirrors the Lord's own character. Beware of anything that would spot or tarnish that mirror in you. It is almost always something good that will stain it- something good, but not what is best.

The most important rule for us is to concentrate on keeping our lives open to God. Let everything else including work, clothes, and food be set aside. The busyness of things obscures our concentration on God. We must maintain a position of beholding Him, keeping our lives completely spiritual through and through. Let other things come and go as they will; let other people criticize us as they will; but never allow anything to obscure the life that "is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). Never let a hurried lifestyle disturb the relationship of abiding in Him. This is an easy thing to allow, but we must guard against it. The most difficult lesson of the Christian life is learning how to continue "beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord . . . ."

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Wise Counsel

The sixth "C" of "The Seven Cs of Soul Winning" is counsel-the counsel of God.  By that I mean the Word of God.  It's important we learn to share the Word with people.

Our testimony is powerful and should be shared.  But even though that may move people and influence people, folks need to know they are anchoring their trust in the promises of God.  Not just in a feeling they have gotten, not just because they feel influenced and moved-even if that is by the Holy Spirit.

Why?  Because feelings change.  Our feelings can go up and down like a rollercoaster.  You may be feeling God today, and tomorrow feel like He is nowhere around.  Ever felt that way?

I have had days when I have woken up and not felt God at all, even though I had experienced a good time with Him the night before.  In those times, if I would have gone by my feelings, I would have said, "God, You have deserted me this morning."

But I know He hasn't because God's Word makes it clear that He never leaves us nor forsakes us.  When a person is saved, they need to be anchoring their faith on the promises of God, not on their feelings.

Promises like Romans 10:9-10,

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

So when we witness to people, we need to give them the counsel, the promises of the Word of God.


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Do You Know That You ARE an Overcomer?

Scripture Readings: Ephesians 6:10-18

When Paul established the church at Ephesus, he wanted the believers to understand they had the power to withstand the attacks of the enemy, Satan.  He wanted them to know that they could stand firm in their faith and refuse to yield to sin and thoughts of defeat. They had been given spiritual weapons more powerful and effective than the enemy's.

But first they needed to understand they were not strong enough on their own to resist Satan's temptations and tactics.  God's power and strength empowered them to rebuke the wiles of the devil.  Paul explained to the Ephesians that they needed use weapons of spiritual warfare on a daily basis. Yes, God protected them and protects us, but every believer must daily put on the full armor of God.

Paul further explained the importance of truly committing our lives to Jesus Christ.  One day, our hour of sinful behavior is a sure setup for discouragement and defeat at hands of the enemy. The power that is alive within you and me is OVERCOMING power.


God bless