Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals June 30, 2009

Macauley
READ: Isaiah 6:1-8
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

Macauley Rivera, one of my dearest friends in Bible college, had a passion for the Savior. His heart's desire was to graduate, marry his fiancée Sharon, return to the inner city of Washington, DC, and plant a church to reach his friends and family for Christ.

That dream ended, however, when Mac and Sharon were tragically killed in an accident, leaving the student body stunned at the loss. At Mac's memorial service, the challenge was issued: "Mac is gone. Who will serve in his place?" As evidence of the impact of Mac's example, more than 200 students stood to take up the mantle of Christ's fallen servant.

The response of those students echoes the commitment of Isaiah. In a time of fear and insecurity, the prophet was summoned into the throne room of God, where he heard Him say, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Isaiah responded, "Here am I! Send me" (Isa. 6:.

God still calls men and women to be His ambassadors today. He challenges us to serve Him-sometimes close to home, sometimes in distant lands. The question for us is, How will we respond to His call? May God give us the courage to say, "Here am I! Send me."  - Bill Crowder

Take the task He gives you gladly;
Let His work your pleasure be;
Answer quickly when He calleth,
"Here am I, send me, send me." -March


Whom God calls, He qualifies; whom He qualifies, He sends.

The Vital Sign of Joy

In yesterday's devotional, I challenged you to consider whether God needs to do a work in your life to revive you spiritually.  Perhaps you feel it, but you just don't know what it is.         

Over the next few days, I want to point you to the vital signs that may indicate the need for spiritual revival in your life.  The first one we find in Psalm 85.  It is lack of joy.   Look at the language in verse 6,

Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?

When a person is sullen and depressed spiritually, cheerless and despondent, it is a sure sign that they need revival.

You might say, "Well, you know, if my circumstances would just change, then I would rejoice."  No.  Joy is not dependent upon your circumstances.  In fact, let me give you a great example.

2 Corinthians 8:1-2 states,

Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:  that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

Notice this language.  The Macedonians were not in a little trial.  They were in a "great trial of affliction."  They were experiencing deep poverty, tremendous lack in their life, and yet they had abundant joy.

What was their secret?  Living in the grace of God.

More than anything else, joy is dependent upon understanding the grace of God, knowing that God's grace is at work even in your affliction. 

If you are joyless today, ask the Spirit of God to fill your heart.  If you do, there will be a joy regardless of what you are facing.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!


Read: Malachi 3:13-18
A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. - Malachi 3:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
Some of us are guilty of treating the Lord like some kind of divine candy machine. Insert money, push buttons, and out come the goodies-except in this case we think we can insert worship and service, pray for blessing, and out come the good times. But the problem is that selfishly motivated worship and service aren't genuine worship and service at all. This candy machine attitude further ignores the fact that Scripture says suffering and discipline are also part of the life of faith.
People in Malachi's day made the same mistake, concluding that worship and service were useless because they weren't receiving material benefits as a result (vv. 13-15). Today's reading begins the sixth message out of six in the book. As before, God brings an accusation: "You have said harsh things against me." The people respond with a question: "What have we said against you?" The people had two main problems. First, they had wrong motives. They understood that blessings flow from obedience (vv. 10-12), but they ignored or dishonored the fact that the context for such promises was a covenant relationship. God cannot be manipulated.

Second, they had wrong beliefs. They concluded from their experiences that God was sitting idly by and allowing the wicked to prosper, that worship made no difference, and that injustice had won. Such untruths were indeed "harsh things" to say against the God of all the earth!

By contrast, a believing remnant did fear the Lord and honor His name (vv. 16-18). What made the difference was genuine service. The distinction was "between those who serve God and those who do not." The true believers proved their hearts through their actions, not through empty words or sacrifices, much less selfish demands. God pledged to write their names on a scroll, treat them as a "treasured possession," and love them like His own children.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Theologically speaking, service means to fear the Lord with our actions. From that perspective, seek out a concrete, specific act of service for someone who needs it-and do it secretly or anonymously, if possible. For example, you might do a household chore that typically belongs to another family member, offer free babysitting to a harried mother, do yard work for a senior citizen in your church, or volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Many other acts of service are possible as well!
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PRAY, PRAY, PRAY
GOD BLESS!
`

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 1, 2009

Search And Rescue
READ: Luke 19:1-10
The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. -Luke 19:10

Almost every week we see news about a search-and-rescue mission. It may involve a child who wandered away from a family picnic and is lost, or a hiker stranded on a mountain, or people trapped in the rubble following an earthquake. In every case, the people at risk are unable to help themselves. Those who are found and saved usually have lasting gratitude for those who joined in the search and rescued them.

The account of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10 is a story of search and rescue. At first glance it may seem like a series of chance events-Jesus was passing through Jericho and a rich tax collector climbed a tree to catch a glimpse of the miracle-working teacher. But this encounter with Jesus was not a coincidence. At the end of the narrative, Luke deliberately included Jesus' words to Zacchaeus, "Today salvation has come to this house . . . ; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (vv.9-10).

Jesus began His search-and-rescue operation on earth by His life, death, and resurrection. He continues it today through the power of the Holy Spirit, and He graciously invites us to participate with Him by loving those who are lost.  - David C. McCasland

People can't believe in Jesus
If the gospel they don't hear,
So we must proclaim its message
To the world-both far and near. -Sper

Those rescued from sin are best able to rescue those in sin.

The Vital Sign of Prayer

One of the truest indicators of whether an individual's spiritual life is progressing or declining is prayer.  And if your prayer life is declining, it is a sure sign your spiritual life is in need of reviving. 

Psalm 80:18 puts it this way,

Then we will not turn back from You; revive us, and we will call upon Your name.

Prayer is to the spiritual life what breathing is to the physical life.  If your breathing is shallow and intermittent, something is wrong.  It is a sign that there is a lack of health.  If your breathing is deep and regular, it is a sign of health.

I once read a story about a World War II soldier who was called in before his commanding officer and accused of spying.  The officer said, "You have been seen slipping off into a wooded area where we know enemy patrols have been seen, and we think you're passing information to them." 

The commanding officer demanded, "Why did you go there?" and the soldier said, "I just slipped away for a quiet hour of prayer."  The officer then commanded him to get on his knees and show him how he prayed.

So the soldier hit his knees, thinking he was likely to get executed for treason, and began to cry out to God.  Immediately it was evident that he had an intimacy with God.  The commanding officer stopped him and said, "That's enough.  You can go."  He turned to another officer and said, "No one could pray like that without a long apprenticeship."

Where are you when it comes to prayer?  Is it deep and regular?  Or is it shallow, sporadic, and intermittent?  If it is shallow, it is a sign that your heart needs to be revived.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!
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Read: Malachi 4:1-6
For you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. - Malachi 4:2

TODAY IN THE WORD
Many books and movies have imagined the end of the world. Some predict a nuclear apocalypse, with war and mushroom clouds of radiation bringing an end to life as we know it. Others picture a man-made environmental disaster or a natural event such as an asteroid striking our planet. Some see humans being conquered by our own technology, as robots and computers with artificial intelligence take over. Still others envision the end arriving in the form of a fast-spreading disease or plague, perhaps planted by terrorists.
As revealed in Scripture, the Day of the Lord is both an end and a beginning. "Day of the Lord" is a recurring phrase in the prophets for the coming of the Messiah and the culmination of God's plan for history. On that day, justice will be done against the wicked (v. 1). The fire of judgment will destroy their pride and evil deeds. By contrast, the fate of the righteous is one of life and joy; as today's key verse says, "The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings." The New Testament describes a similar process: "His work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work" (see 1 Cor. 3:11-15). For those who truly believe and worship and obey God, His victory would be their victory (vv. 3-4).

The book of Malachi closes with a fascinating prophecy that Elijah would come again (vv. 5-6). In one sense, this was fulfilled in John the Baptist, who was said to have come as "Elijah" to prepare the way for the Lord (Matt. 11:7-15). Some interpreters believe Elijah will also return closer to Christ's Second Coming, perhaps as one of the "two witnesses" (see Rev. 11:1-12). What's important is that Elijah would do what all prophets do-work on people's hearts and call them back to the Lord.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Are you ready for the Day of the Lord? If not, we pray that today is the day your own heart turns to the Lord. We are all sinners, and the penalty for sin is death. But God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take our place and pay that penalty. Even better, He rose again and conquered death. Because of this, we can have eternal life by believing on His name (John 3:16). You can take this life-changing step of faith today!


PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!
`

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 2, 2009

The Reveal
READ: Luke 2:25-35
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. -Isaiah 40:5

The room was a wreck. Mismatched furniture. Faded paint. Ugly light fixtures. Knick-knacks crammed into crowded spaces. The homeowners tried to make some improvements, but the room kept getting worse.

Thus begins a home-improvement TV program. After interviewing the owners, the designer draws a plan to maximize the room's potential. Program producers create suspense by building up to a moment referred to as "the reveal." Viewers watch the progress and ooh and aah with the homeowners when they see the new room.

Over time, the world has become like a neglected room. People bring in things that don't belong. They arrange priorities in ways that hinder potential. Lives become dull, overcrowded, and ineffective. Self-improvement projects offer little help.

The Bible is God's plan that shows the best way to live. God builds suspense throughout the Old Testament. Then, at the appointed time, comes the great reveal-Jesus! Upon seeing Him, Simeon exclaimed, "My eyes have seen Your salvation . . . , a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel" (Luke 2:30-32).

We become part of God's great "reveal" when we follow His design and Christ's example.  - Julie Ackerman Link

O send Thy Spirit, Lord, now unto me
That He may touch my eyes and make me see;
Show me the truth concealed within Thy Word,
And in Thy Book revealed I see Thee, Lord. -Lathbury


All that I am I owe to Jesus Christ, revealed to me in His divine Book.

The Vital Sign of Hunger for God's Word

It is not unusual for someone who becomes physically sick to lose their appetite.  In fact, when a person is deathly ill, the doctor will often pull loved ones aside and say, "Try to get them to eat something.  If they're going to recover, they have to eat."

The same is true when someone is sick spiritually.  They lose their appetite for spiritual things.  They lose their appetite for the Word of God.  In fact, when you see a believer who has lost his or her hunger for God's Word, it is a sure sign that person needs to be revived.

At least three times in Psalm 119, the psalmist tells us that one of the ways God will revive you when you are spiritually weak is through His Word.

In verse 25 he says,

My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word.

In verse 107 he says,

I am afflicted very much; revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.

And then in verse 154 he says it again,

Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word.

If you are going to be revived, it will be in large part according to or through the Word of God.  In fact, what the psalmist is literally saying is, "Give me life.  Revive me through Your Word."  The more you feed on God's Word, the more you hunger for it.

So a critical vital sign of the spiritual life is a hunger, an appetite, for God's Word.  There is a renewed hunger for spiritual truth when you are revived.  As you feed upon His Word, it will give you more life, it will give you more strength, and it will give you spiritual vitality.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!
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Read: 1 John 1:1-4
We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. - John 1:14

TODAY IN THE WORD
Dialog in the Dark is not a typical exhibition. All the tour guides are visually impaired. All the visitors are in the dark-literally. Instead of relying on sight, visitors must use other senses as they navigate darkened galleries that replicate familiar environments like a grocery store. Wind, temperature, sounds, smells, and texture have increased importance for determining one's environment when sight can no longer be utilized.
Similarly, John awakens our senses and nudges our curiosity in the opening lines of his letter. He emphasizes his eyewitness testimony: he has heard, seen, and even touched the Word of Life "from the beginning" of Jesus' earthly ministry (v. 1). We reflect on another "beginning" when God spoke and it was; His word brought forth life; it was the word of life (Gen. 1:1ff). It is shocking to hear that this eternal Word of Life has appeared (v. 2); "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14).

Notice John mentions "seen," "looked at," and "appeared" five times in the first two verses. He is astonished that the Life is no longer simply a word to be heard, but now someone to be seen. Jesus Himself is the "Word of life" about which John writes. In his Gospel, John refers to Jesus as "the Word" (cf. John 1:1-2, 14), and Jesus Himself claims to be "the life" (John 14:6).

John's purpose for writing is to invite his readers into fellowship with the Word of life, with the Father and the Son whom He sent (v. 3). Like Paul, John connects his readers' well-being with his personal joy (v. 4; cf. Phil. 2:2). Both John and Paul know that relationships are three-way: you, the other, and God, and that joy cannot be complete if those "under your care" (cf. I Peter 5:2) are stagnant in fellowship with Christ. The "fellowship" mentioned in verse 3 is the intimate relationship among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit which is shared by believers in Jesus.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Did you notice that John's own experience hearing, seeing, and touching Life in Jesus compels this letter? Consider how many times John uses words like "proclaim" and "testify." In other words, John's mission is a natural and vibrant outflow of his personal encounter with Jesus. He is not merely proclaiming a message, but a person. Today, reflect on your personal relationship with Jesus and the joy it brings you to invite others into intimate fellowship with the Word of Life, Jesus Christ.

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!
`

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 3, 2009

The Choice
READ: Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-8
Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat. -Genesis 2:16-17

I watched as a young mother tried to get her 2-year-old child to make a choice. "You can have fish or chicken," she told him. She limited his choice to just two because he was too young to understand beyond that. Choice often allows a wider variety of options, and it also must allow the person to reject the choices.

Adam and Eve were in the best possible environment. God had given them freedom to eat of all the trees in Eden. He drew the boundary lines around only one tree! They had a choice, and it should have been a no-brainer to choose wisely. But their choice was tragic.

Some blame God for what they see as His restrictions. They may even accuse Him of trying to control their lives. But God gives us a choice, just as He did Adam and Eve.

Yes, God draws boundary lines, but they are for our protection. David understood this. He wrote, "You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies . . . . I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your Word" (Ps. 119:98-101).

God cares so much about us that He gives us boundary lines so that we will choose what is right.  - C. P. Hia

Lord, help us to obey Your Word,
To heed Your still, small voice;
And may we not be swayed by men,
But make Your will our choice. -D. De Haan


God's commandments were given to fulfill us, not to frustrate us.

The Vital Sign of Passion to Reach the Lost

One of the major signs that someone needs to be revived is a lack of concern for the lost.  In David's psalm of repentance, Psalm 51:10-13, he says,

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.

When David says, Renew a steadfast spirit in me...Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, he is saying, "God, revive me, restore me, renew me."  One of the fruits we find in a heart that has been revived is a desire to see others converted.  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.

When a person's spiritual life wanes, there is very little thought and very little action aimed at reaching the lost.  Yet, someone who has been revived and is spiritually healthy will be actively engaged in the evangelization of the lost.

Read carefully these words from Elton Trueblood, a Quaker scholar.  He said, "Evangelism occurs when Christians are so ignited by their contact with Christ that they in turn set other fires.  It is easy to determine when something is aflame.  It ignites other material.  Any fire that does not spread will eventually go out."

When you are spiritually revived, you will think about the spiritual state of the people that you rub shoulders with every day.  It is inevitable that when your heart is revived and close to God, you will have a concern for the lost.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!


Read: 1 John 1:5-7
In him was life, and that life was the light of men. - John 1:4

TODAY IN THE WORD
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares seemingly unrelated subjects, drawing attention to the likeness or analogy between them. For example, Shakespeare said: "All the world's a stage." Scripture also employs metaphor. For instance, God is our husband (Hosea 2:16), and Jesus declared that He is the "bread of life" (John 6:35).
John utilizes metaphor in today's text: "God is light." John restates the theme from his Gospel, recounting that this metaphor comes from Jesus. This is not an assertion that God is electromagnetic radiation visible to the human eye; to say "God is light" is not to speak literally of God's physical makeup, but rather to describe God symbolically. The metaphor of light and darkness is used throughout the Bible in various ways (cf. Ps. 27:1; 36:9; John 1:4-5; 8:12; 12:46). In our passage today, it communicates that God is completely pure and holy, without sin or defect.

Three sentences beginning with "if we claim" follow verse 5 (vv. 6, 8, 10). The first clarifies how we have the fellowship with God mentioned in yesterday's passage. We cannot have fellowship with God and continue walking in darkness, the realm in which sinful behavior and attitudes prevail, the realm contrary to His holiness (v. 6). Verse 7 explodes in contrast to verse 6. John teaches that walking in the light not only confirms our fellowship with God but also our fellowship with one another. Implicitly, John pleads that if we claim to have fellowship with God, we will be reconciled to one another.

"How can unholy, sinful people walk in the light of God's presence?" John anticipates this question and points to Jesus' saving and transforming work on the cross (v. 7). Through the blood of Jesus we are purified and set free from the realm of darkness and welcomed into fellowship with God to walk in His glorious light.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In today's passage, claims to know God are examined against one's lifestyle. The problem of sin is more fundamental than a violation of any particular rule. Sin affects our entire nature and only through Jesus do we find spiritual health and life. Through Christ His Spirit lives in us. Therefore, let us rejoice and turn to the Spirit when we find ourselves tempted to walk in darkness. Through the Spirit's power we are transformed to be like Christ and to walk in His light.
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PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 4, 2009

Dangerous Freedom
READ: Galatians 5:1-6,16-21
Do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. -Galatians 5:13

Freedom is dangerous in the hands of those who don't know how to use it. That's why criminals are confined in prisons with barbed wire, steel bars, and concrete barriers. Or consider a campfire that is allowed to spread in a dry forest. It quickly becomes a blazing inferno. Unchecked freedom can create chaos.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the Christian life. Believers are free from the law's curse, its penalty, and its guilt-producing power. Fear, anxiety, and guilt are replaced by peace, forgiveness, and liberty. Who could be more free than one who is free in the depths of his soul? But here is where we often fail. We use freedom's luxury to live selfishly, or we claim ownership of what God has merely entrusted to us. We slip into patterns of self-indulgent living, especially in affluent societies.

The proper use of freedom is "faith working through love" to serve one another (Gal. 5:6,13). When we rely on the Spirit and expend our energies on loving God and helping others, the destructive works of the flesh will be restrained by God (vv.16-21). So let's always use our liberty to build up, not to tear down.

Like a raging fire, freedom without limits is dangerous. But when controlled, it is a blessing to all.  - Dennis J. De Haan

Christ came to give us liberty
By dying in our place;
Now with new freedom we are bound
To share His love and grace. -D. De Haan


Freedom doesn't give us the right to do what we please, but to do what pleases God.

The Vital Sign of Pride

Pride and self-sufficiency are unmistakable signs of a heart that is in desperate need of reviving.  Isaiah 57:15 tells us,

For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:  "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

To have a contrite heart literally means you break easily.  Even at the thought of grieving God's Spirit you break and repent very quickly.  It means you walk softly in your heart before God. 

God says He will revive those with a humble spirit and a contrite heart.  But one of the great dangers among Christians today-especially for those living in the western world with all of its abundance-is a belief that we don't need anything.

More than ever we need to read the words of Jesus in Revelation 3:17,

"Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked."

How can you be miserable and naked and not know it?   It's obvious that Jesus is speaking of their inward, spiritual condition.  Apparently, their outward wealth blinded them to their inward poverty.   They fell into the trap of pride, which is one of the inherent dangers that comes with prosperity.  As Christians living in a very prosperous western world, we need to heed this word!

At Disneyland there is a ride with cool little cars.  I remember once seeing a little boy on the ride with his dad, and his feet didn't even reach the pedals!  But Junior thought he was driving, oblivious to the fact that Daddy was actually driving the car and making it go.

We need to remember that our feet don't even reach the pedals, and that Daddy, our God, is the One who makes this thing go.  We need to maintain a humble heart.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!


Read: 1 John 2:1-2
He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. - Hebrews 9:12

TODAY IN THE WORD
In April, pirates from Somalia attacked the American cargo ship Maersk Alabama. As trained, the crew was hiding, and the pirates demanded to know where they were. Captain Richard Phillips offered to go as the hostage if the pirates would leave the rest of the crew. Captain Phillips endured five days at sea with the pirates. After his rescue, first mate Shane Murphy said the crew had talked with Phillips by phone: "Everyone you see here today has Captain Phillips to thank for their lives and for their freedom."
We find an even greater act of sacrifice in our text today. John addresses his readers as "dear children," reflecting their close relationship. They are his spiritual children. Notice that John shifts from the first person plural "we" in chapter one to the first person singular "I" here. The content of today's passage is more direct and intimate. He articulates his purpose for writing this letter in verse 1. Knowing assuredly that his desire for the Christian community will never be fully met, he reminds his readers of the gospel, the great and precious promise from God.

What happens if anyone does sin? Two scenes illuminate John's answer: Jesus in a courtroom and Jesus in the temple. First, Jesus Christ, the One who has lived righteously, speaks to the Father on behalf of those who have not lived righteously. Jesus is not simply a defense attorney, however, as the second scene makes clear. Jesus is also the Righteous One, our great high priest. Moreover, Jesus-who is without sin-receives God's judgment in our place. He is the "atoning sacrifice" for our sins (v. 2); by His blood our guilt is removed and we are purified (cf. 1:7). In Him we receive forgiveness and purification.

Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (v. 2). Christ's death is sufficient to deal with the sin of every human being (cf. John 1:29). His atoning sacrifice becomes effective in our lives when we "receive him and believe in his name" (John 1:12).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today, spend time in prayerful and thankful reflection on the work of Christ on the cross and this tremendous demonstration of the Father's lavish love for us. Adopt Paul's prayer for the church in Ephesus that you yourself would "have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ" (Eph. 3:18). Praise God anew for your salvation in Christ by writing a poem, singing a song of worship, or meditating on Isaiah 53.

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!
`

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 5, 2009

Hopeful Praise
READ: Psalm 103:1-14
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. -Psalm 103:2

One of my friends was in tears on a beautiful summer day, unable to deal with life's difficulties. Another could not look beyond the life-altering sadnesses of her past. Still another struggled with the closing of the small church he had pastored faithfully. A fourth friend had lost his job at a local ministry.

What can our struggling friends-or any of us-do to find hope? Where do we turn when tomorrow offers no happy promises?

We can praise or "bless" the Lord, as David said in Psalm 103. In the middle of trouble, acknowledging God's role in our lives can redirect our thinking from the hurts of our hearts and force us to dwell instead on the greatness of our God. David knew trouble. He faced the threat of enemies, the consequences of his own sin, and the challenges of sorrow. Yet he also recognized the healing power of praise.

That's why in Psalm 103 he can list reasons to turn our attention to God, who gives us many benefits: He forgives us, heals us, redeems us, crowns us with love and compassion, satisfies our desires, and renews us. David reminds us that God provides justice and righteousness, and He is gracious and loving.

Take it from David: Praising God's greatness puts hope in our troubled hearts.  - Dave Branon

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven,
To His feet thy tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing! -Lyte


Praise can lighten your heaviest burden.

View from the Top

I sometimes think Jesus views the Church much differently than we view the Church.  In fact, there is a really alarming verse that points to this.  It is Revelation 3:1,

"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars:  "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead."

WOW!  That was written to a church that on the outside looked like they had it all together!

They had a reputation of being a living, vibrant church!  People who saw them went to seminars to find out how they were doing it, and people applauded them for their success.  But Jesus says, "You're dead!"

The Knox Bible puts it this way,  How thou dost pass for a living man and all the while art a corpse.  The Living Bible says, I know your reputation as a live and active church, but you're dead.

You see, activity is not synonymous with life.  Sometimes people and churches that are decaying spiritually cover it up with activity.  They are still "going through the motions," but there is really a spiritual decay eating away inside.

People think they are doing great, but Jesus sees right to the heart of the matter, both in our individual lives and in the Church.

May God keep you and me from being so mislead.  May we look to Him always for our daily bread, recognizing and acknowledging that every blessing we possess, every stride of progress we make, is the result of His goodness and His grace alone.

He is the One whose view really matters!

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!

Read: 1 John 2:3-6
"Come, follow me," Jesus said. - Mark 1:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
What demonstrates your love for God most powerfully? Do you truly know God? When asked a similar question relating to how Christians could more faithfully witness about their faith in Jesus, Mahatma Gandhi said, "Live like Jesus did, and the world will listen."
John, concerned about believers' assurance in Christ and their relationship with God, broaches these kinds of questions in our passage today. How may we be certain that we know God the Father? Knowing Him includes more than believing facts about Him. Verse 3 teaches that having confidence that we know God depends upon continual obedience to His commands. When asked about such commands, Jesus claims that all the Law and Prophets derive from the two greatest commandments: love God wholeheartedly and love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:34-40).

It is not a new idea to connect knowing God with obeying His commands. The prophet Jeremiah delivered the same message approximately 600 years before John wrote this letter. Jeremiah 31:31-34 anticipates the new covenant that Yahweh will make with His people, when His commands will be written on their hearts and consequently, His people will truly know Him. The new covenant comes through Jesus; the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts and empowers us to walk with God in obedience as He originally intended.

Some distort the truth by claiming that obedience to God enslaves us, but verse 5 turns this assumption upside down. God's love for us is made complete in us through our obedience; in living according to the boundaries God has set for us brings life and goodness that He intends. Also, as 1 John 5:3 teaches, our love for God is demonstrated in obedience.

Our passage concludes with the metaphor of walking (v. 6). When Jesus says, "Come, follow me," He invites us to live as He lived, do what He did, love as He loved, and so on (Mark 1:17). We cannot claim to know Jesus-and certainly not to love Jesus-if we are unwilling to walk like Jesus.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Verse 4 exposes the hypocrisy of saying one thing and doing another. We cannot have an authentic relationship with God if we disobey His commands. John invites us to be people characterized by obedience, who have the desire to obey. Today, let the Holy Spirit search your heart for areas where you have been resistant, stubborn, or blatantly disobedient to His leading and God's Word. Repent and seek forgiveness, and invite the Spirit to transform your heart to an obedient posture as you grow in love for God and people.

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 6, 2009

Bubbles On The Border
READ: 2 Corinthians 4:8-18
We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. -2 Corinthians 4:18

Stuck in a long line at the US-Canada border, Joel Schoon Tanis had to do something to lighten the mood! He reached for his bottles of bubble-making solution, bounded out of the car, and began blowing bubbles. He handed bottles to other drivers too, and he says that "soon there were bubbles everywhere. . . . It's amazing what bubbles do for people." The line didn't move any faster, but "suddenly everyone was happy," Joel says.

"What we see depends mainly on what we look for," said British statesman John Lubbock (1834-1913). A good attitude and the right focus help us to handle life joyfully, even though it doesn't change our circumstances.

Paul encouraged the Corinthians in their trials: "Do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Cor. 4:18).

So what's unseen and eternal that we can look at? The character of God is an excellent place to focus. He is good (Ps. 25:, He is just (Isa. 30:18), He is forgiving (1 John 1:9), and He is faithful (Deut. 7:9).

Pondering God's character can give us joy in the midst of our struggles.  - Anne Cetas

The eyes of faith when fixed on Christ
Give hope for what's ahead;
But focus on life's obstacles,
And faith gives way to dread. -D. De Haan


When Christ is the center of your focus, all else will come into proper perspective.

The Slippery Spiritual Slope

The slippery slope to spiritual decline is one that is almost imperceptible.  One day you are on fire for God, and then before you know it, you are dull and lethargic.

How does spiritual decline happen?  I think there are at least four ways:

Through neglect.  If you neglect a garden, the weeds grow.  If you don't water the garden, it will eventually dry up.  Sometimes we get into a state where we need to be revived due to neglect.
Through the storms of life.  Life can sometimes beat you up.  Some people have been so beaten up that they are just worn down; and when you couple that with neglect, it is a recipe for spiritual disaster.
Through the influence of wrong company or wrong relationships.                        1 Corinthians 15:33 says, Do not be deceived.  Evil company corrupts good habits. ." And the very next word is awake.  Awake to righteousness, and do not sin.  Do not be deceived.  Evil company, bad company, corrupts good habits.
Through willful disobedience.  I don't know anyone who hasn't been guilty at one time or another of willful disobedience.  And when that is not repented of, when it is not taken care of, it brings us into a state of spiritual decline that can be very dangerous.
So what do you do if you find yourself in spiritual decline?  Let me leave you with this verse, Hosea 6:1,

Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

The same Spirit that convicts also comforts.  If you are convicted, repent.  Repentance is an inward change of heart resulting in an outward change of direction.  Return to the Lord and let Him heal you and bind you up.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!


Read: 1 John 2:7-11
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. - John 13:34
TODAY IN THE WORD
Do you wonder how Grandma can say, "Too many cooks spoil the broth" and "Many hands make light work"? Do you understand your father who states, "Better safe than sorry," yet also charges, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." How can "The early bird gets the worm" and "The first bird out of the bush gets shot"? Today's passage wrestles with similar questions of seeming contradiction.
The readers have had the gospel message "since the beginning" (v. 7). "This old command" is Jesus' command to love one another (John 13:34). It is "old" in that John writes at least 50 years after Jesus' earthly ministry, and the Lord also gave it to His people during Moses' time (Lev. 19:18). Yet, Jesus and John call this command "new" (v. , because a new age of grace and power has appeared with Jesus. Jesus is the true king; He is the true light (v. . In Him, the evil age in which darkness reigns is passing away, and God is renewing all things.

How does this relate to the newness of the "old" command? To understand this, recall yesterday's reference to Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Jesus' lesson about wineskins (Mark 2:21-22). In Jesus, God is doing a new thing. The newness of the command is not the command itself, but that in Jesus, through His Spirit, God transforms our hearts to be able to obey the command (see John 3:5; Ezek. 36:25-27). Our hearts are new.

This introduces the necessary connection between living in the light and loving one another (vv. 9-11). One cannot claim to have intimacy with God and simultaneously treat brothers and sisters in Christ with animosity, contempt, or hatred (e.g. Matt. 5:21-22). Likewise, hatred and dissension toward fellow believers are evidence of living in darkness (v. 11). The one who hates a fellow believer does not simply visit this realm but establishes permanent residence there, and the darkness is completely blinding.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Satan attempts to derail Christ's work in our lives and discredit the gospel through division in Christ's body. Is your attitude or behavior toward fellow believers marked by hatred or love? Do you have unresolved conflict with a brother or sister in Christ? We are to reconcile with urgency (Matt. 5:23-24). Seek forgiveness and peace in broken relationships. This is your number one priority. The Bible instructs us on how to pursue such reconciliation (Matt. 18:15-20). If you need a mediator, seek out a pastor or counselor.

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 7, 2009

Doing The Work Of God

READ: John 6:25-33

Our sufficiency is from God. -2 Corinthians 3:5
When I was a pastor I used to have a recurring nightmare. I would rise to preach on Sunday morning, look out at my congregation-and see no one in the pews!

It doesn't take a Daniel (Dan. 2:1,19) or a dream therapist to interpret the vision. It grew out of my belief that everything depended on me. I mistakenly believed that if I did not preach with power and persuasion, the congregation would fade away and the church would fold. I thought I was responsible for the results of God's work.

In the Gospels, we read that some people asked Jesus, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" (John 6:28). What audacity! Only God can do the works of God!

Jesus' answer instructs us all: "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent" (v.29). Whatever we have to do, then, whether teaching a Sunday school class, leading a small group, telling the gospel story to our neighbor, or preaching to thousands, it must be done by faith. There is no other way to "work the works of God."

Our responsibility is to serve God faithfully, wherever He has placed us. Then we're to leave the results to Him. As Jesus reminded His disciples in John 15:5, "Without Me you can do nothing."  - David H. Roper

The work of the Lord for us has been done-
Jesus has paid the supreme sacrifice;
Our service for God has only begun-
And nothing we do can help pay the price. -Hess


Christ's work on the cross equips us to do good works for Him.

Patience in Repentance

In yesterday's devotional, I mentioned Hosea 6:1 as a challenge to repent if indeed God is convicting you. 

Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

God is indeed a God of compassion Who wants you to return to Him.  That is the nature of His grace!

It's not unusual to truly repent of a sin, to seek to return to God and walk with Him, but not feel anything right away.  And perhaps, to get discouraged. 

The verse that follows Hosea 6:1 gives us a good word as a clear encouragement.  Here is what Hosea 6:2 says,

After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.

You need to understand that the evidence of revival may not be perceivable right away.  That is why I believe Hosea says, After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up.

You need to be careful not to say, "Well, Lord, you have until lunchtime today to do something.  And if it doesn't happen by then, I'm out."

God wants you to stick with your commitment to repent.  He wants to know you are serious in your desire to walk with Him.

Remember the words of Zechariah 1:3, "Return to Me," says the Lord of hosts, and "I will return to you."  Returning to God is something you can do.  But only God can do God's part.

If you will return to Him, He will return to you.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!
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Read: 1 John 2:12-14
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. - Revelation 12:11

TODAY IN THE WORD
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Children of All Ages," shouts the ringmaster playfully as he welcomes visitors to the Greatest Show on Earth from underneath the stripes of his clownish top hat. This thunderous welcome address can be heard inside a three-ring circus as the ringmaster hopes to grab the attention of the entire audience. In today's passage, the author employs a similar rhetorical device, but this is no playful, clownish exhortation.
For the second time, the author of 1 John addresses his readers as "dear children" (cf. 2:1). He employs this affectionate term ten times throughout the letter. It refers to everyone in the congregation: men and women, young and old. It is important to note that the terms fathers and men do not exclude women. Rather, in the original language of the New Testament, masculine plural nouns like "brothers," "men," and "fathers" include both males and females. Just as we might hear "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls," verses 12 through 14 today might sound like: "Dear children: Fathers and mothers, young men and young women. Everyone, pay attention." Notice that these are titles for family members, reminding us that the body of Christ is a family of brothers and sisters, spiritual fathers and mothers, with Jesus our elder brother and God our father (cf. Heb. 2:11).

It's helpful at this point to re-read 1 John 1. How many echoes of chapter 1 do you hear in our passage today? The author reiterates the fundamentals of our identity to prepare us for the remainder of chapter 2. Verse 13, however, introduces a new idea: "You have overcome the evil one." Verse 14 includes enhancements: "You are strong and the word of God lives in you." In this immediate context, the word of God refers to the message heard from the beginning and the command to love one another. Therefore, standing strong means keeping the word of God fresh in our lives, and the consequence is victory over the Evil One (cf. Rev. 12:10-11).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God's Word is powerful and effective. It pierces the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts (Heb. 4:12), guides our path (Ps. 119:105), and arms us against the Evil One (2 John 2:14; Eph. 6:17). Memorizing Scripture guards us from sin; its roots grow deep to teach, rebuke, correct, and train us in righteousness (Josh. 1:8; Ps. 119:11; 2 Tim. 3:16). Take the next step in the discipline of Scripture memory. If you need help, consider the Navigator's tool, Topical Memory System, found at www.navigators.org.


PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!
`

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 9, 2009

Heaven's Greatest Delights

READ: Revelation 22:1-5
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard . . . the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. -1 Corinthians 2:9

What will be one of heaven's supreme joys?

Joni Eareckson Tada, disabled as a teenager in a diving accident, has been a paraplegic for over 40 years. One would imagine that her greatest longing would be the ability to walk, even run, free from the confinement of her wheelchair.

But Joni tells us that her greatest desire is to offer a "praise that is pure." She explains: "I won't be crippled by distractions, or disabled by insincerity. I won't be handicapped by a ho-hum half-heartedness. My heart will join with yours and bubble over with effervescent adoration. We will finally be able to fellowship fully with the Father and the Son. For me, this will be the best part of heaven."

How that speaks to my divided heart and grips my unfocused spirit! What a blessing to offer "a praise that is pure," with no wandering thoughts, no self-centered requests, no inability to soar above my earth-bound language!

In heaven, "there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him" (Rev. 22:3). May the prospect of heaven enable us to experience a foretaste of that God-glorifying worship even here and now.  - Vernon C. Grounds

To be with Him will crown it all!
To see His face-before Him fall,
To feast within His banquet hall;
To be with Him will crown it all! -Peterson
© Renewal 1987, John W. Peterson Music Company.


To see Jesus will be heaven's greatest joy.

In the Pits?

There are times when each of us are in the pits, when life just seems to be upside down and nothing seems to be going right.

As you read the Psalms, you realize King David often felt this way.  Take Psalm 88 for example.  In verses 2-6 he says,

Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.  For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave.  I am counted with those who go down to the pit; I am like a man who has no strength, adrift among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom You remember no more, and who are cut off from Your hand.  You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the depths.

Pretty descriptive of how you and I can sometimes feel, when our soul is full of troubles...like one who has no strength...adrift among the dead...whom You [God] remember no more.

When you are in the pits, it can often seem like there is no way out.  Your soul is full of trouble, you are despondent, you are overwhelmed by the problems of life, you can almost feel like something has died inside of you, and you might feel totally cut off from God, like He has somehow forgotten you.

What I want you to see in today's Scripture is that you are not alone.  Every one of us has gone through these difficult days.  Even King David!

God knows your struggles.  Like David, take time today to share with God all that is on your heart, and in the next few days, I will show you how you can get out of the pits!

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!


Read: 1 John 2:15-17
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature. - Colossians 3:5

TODAY IN THE WORD
When Jesus says, "Come follow me," He invites us to believe in Him as our Savior and to obey Him as our Lord. Jesus is both Redeemer and King. When we follow Jesus, we leave one kingdom for another. John addresses this issue in today's passage.
To begin, we should clarify the definitions of some words in this text. Whereas love in 2:10 focuses on the well being of others, love in verse 15 refers to a desire to gratify oneself. World occurs 23 times in 1 John; its meaning varies based on the context. Here world refers to values, attitudes, and actions opposed to God.

Love for the world is incompatible with love for God (v. 16). Just as fresh water and salt water cannot flow from the same spring (Jas. 3:11), so likewise it is impossible to love God and simultaneously love the values, attitudes, and actions opposed to God. Note that this is not an issue of limited time and energy, but rather an issue of two different allegiances with two different masters (cf. Matt. 6:24).

John gives three broad categories of "everything in the world" (v. 16). First, the cravings of sinful people may refer to the desire to be successful according to the world's standards, longing for validation from others, fearful efforts to seize security, or simply greed. Second, the lust of the eyes may refer to the covetous desire to compete with others, lustful thoughts, promiscuity, or sexual infidelity. Third, the "boasting of what he has" may refer to pride in accomplishments, status, and possessions, attributing success to one's own efforts and abilities.

Verse 17 contrasts the world's desires and God's will. The things we covet are temporary, unsatisfying, and incomplete, whereas God's will is eternal, thirst-quenching, and perfect. Notice the connection between yesterday's passage and today's text. As one scholar says, "Only those whose sins are forgiven, who know Jesus and the Father, who have overcome the evil one, who are strong and have the Word of God abiding in them, are able to refuse the love of the world."
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Whether living in the first century or the twenty-first century, when the king on the throne of our lives is our self and the values, attitudes, and actions of the world, we will insatiably seek our identity in achievements, possessions, and other people. We must learn to relinquish the false identities that are not deeply rooted in Christ and in turn serve Christ as King. This is a journey of deep discipleship. Consider reading Robert Mulholland's, The Deeper Journey, as you proceed on this path

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PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!
`

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals July 10, 2009

Life, Love, Chocolate
READ: 1 John 3:16-23
Be imitators of God . . . . And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us. -Ephesians 5:1-2

An entry I read on a favorite blog caught my eye. It was the morning of his ninth wedding anniversary. Not having a lot of money, the writer ran out to get his wife, Heidi, their favorite French pastry-pain au chocolat. After sprinting several miles, he arrived home, exhausted, to find her in the kitchen just pulling a chocolate-filled croissant out of the oven. It was pain au chocolat.

That husband, Jeff, compared his life with Heidi to the lives of the people in O. Henry's short story "Gift of the Magi." It tells of a man who sold his lone possession of value-a pocket watch-to buy hair combs for his wife, who had sold her long, beautiful hair to buy a gold chain for his watch.

Having no money concerns would be great-but realizing the immeasurable value of the people we care about is more important. We sometimes need a reminder that acquiring "things" is not nearly as important as appreciating the people God has placed in our lives. When we practice putting others' interests before our own (Phil. 2:3-4), we learn what it means to love, serve, and sacrifice. In fact, that's how we pattern Christ in our relationships (Eph. 5:1-2).

Life, love, and chocolate taste better when shared with others.  - Cindy Hess Kasper

I want to share with those I love
The highest joy I'm thinking of,
Not just what brightens all their days
But what will give God highest praise. -Hess

Love is never afraid of giving too much.

Waiting on God

To get out of a pit, it's really not complicated.  Psalm 40:1-2 tells us the first step,

I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.  He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.

The first step in getting out of the pit of despair is to cry out to God.  He will hear your cry, and He will bring you up and out.

But His answer is not always instant.  Notice David said, I waited patiently for the Lord.  The answer to his cry wasn't apparent for a while.  If you've spent a long time getting yourself into a mess, it may take some time for your deliverance. 

A number of years back I went hunting with a friend.  I was to fly on a little plane into a meadow about 20 miles into the wilderness where he was going to meet me.

For a variety of reasons, I ended up being six hours late to the drop-off point.  My friend wasn't there, so for 20 minutes the pilot of that little plane tried to convince me not to stay.  He said there were mountain lions, grizzly bears, packs of wolves...I would get eaten alive!

He finally left, and at about two in the morning I heard a noise.  It wasn't a grizzly bear; it was my friend with the horses! 

I think the devil is like that airplane pilot.  He is always trying to talk us into quitting and giving up.  But we can miss the greatest blessings in our lives when we are not patient.

Cry out to God, He will answer you.  Period!  But be prepared to exercise patience.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!
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Read: 1 John 2:18-29
When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. - John 16:13

TODAY IN THE WORD
When Nicodemus encountered Jesus, Jesus compared the Holy Spirit to the wind: you can see the effects of the wind but cannot see the wind itself (John 3:. The entire chapter of John 3 emphasizes rebirth through the Spirit. Scripture teaches that the Spirit is our counselor, guarantor, speaker, and power. The Holy Spirit is also our teacher, the role highlighted in today's passage (cf. John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13).
The word antichrist appears only four times in the New Testament, always in the letters of John (see 1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7). The expectation of an evil figure opposed to God in the last days, however, exists elsewhere (cf. Mark 13:22; 2 Thess. 2:3-4; Rev. 20:7-8). Today's text mentions multiple antichrists, many deceivers and teachers who appear before the end of time, and says it is the "last hour." Clearly the first century was not the end of all time, but this marks a distinct phase in history between Christ's first and second comings.

Note words like lie, liar, denies, lead astray, and counterfeit. In the Garden, the serpent's primary tactic was deception, persuading Adam and Eve to believe that what God said was not true (Gen. 3:1-5). Similarly, these false teachers are deceivers. They deny Jesus as God's Messiah and refute the relationship between Father and Son (v. 22).

Verse 20 introduces a contrast to the deceivers that is grounded in the "anointing from the Holy One," Jesus Himself (cf. John 6:69). The anointing, the Holy Spirit, is referenced three more times. Here is our protection from false teachers and antichrists: the Holy Spirit abiding in us. On one hand, the text assures that the Spirit remains in us (v. 27a); on the other hand, it also urges us to remain in the Spirit (v. 27c). This verse captures the tension of our spiritual life. We have the assurance of God dwelling within us, and yet we are tempted to stray from the truth (v. 24). If we are to be confident and unashamed before Christ when He returns, we must abide in His Spirit and the true teaching about Him.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Throughout history, as the church faced those who denied various aspects of Jesus, many debates ensued about His true identity. The humanity of Jesus was one question plaguing John's readers. In a.d. 451, at the Council of Chalcedon, official Christian doctrine affirmed the truth that Jesus is fully God and fully man. Our Christian history is rich. Consider researching the seven ecumenical councils and memorizing at least one of the following ancient creeds: Nicene Creed, Chalcedonian Creed, or Apostles' Creed.


PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!
God BLESS!
`