Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

December 5, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

"The Temple of the Holy Spirit"
. . . only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you -Genesis 41:40


I am accountable to God for the way I control my body under His authority. Paul said he did not "set aside the grace of God"- make it ineffective (Galatians 2:21). The grace of God is absolute and limitless, and the work of salvation through Jesus is complete and finished forever. I am not being saved- I am saved. Salvation is as eternal as God's throne, but I must put to work or use what God has placed within me. To "work out [my] own salvation" (Philippians 2:12) means that I am responsible for using what He has given me. It also means that I must exhibit in my own body the life of the Lord Jesus, not mysteriously or secretly, but openly and boldly. "I discipline my body and bring it into subjection . . ." (1 Corinthians 9:27). Every Christian can have his body under absolute control for God. God has given us the responsibility to rule over all "the temple of the Holy Spirit," including our thoughts and desires (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are responsible for these, and we must never give way to improper ones. But most of us are much more severe in our judgment of others than we are in judging ourselves. We make excuses for things in ourselves, while we condemn things in the lives of others simply because we are not naturally inclined to do them.

Paul said, "I beseech you . . . that you present your bodies a living sacrifice . . ." (Romans 12:1). What I must decide is whether or not I will agree with my Lord and Master that my body will indeed be His temple. Once I agree, all the rules, regulations, and requirements of the law concerning the body are summed up for me in this revealed truth-my body is "the temple of the Holy Spirit."

Single?

Today I want to speak to singles,

For I wish that all men were even as I myself.  But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.  But I say to the unmarried and to the widows:  It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry.  For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
If you are single, and you long for physical intimacy, and you sometimes struggle with your sexuality, and you want to be married, it is God's will for you to be married.  In fact, I can tell you that you do not have the gift to be single that Paul talks about.

On the other hand, you may be single and completely content, with no desire to be married.  You need to know that does not mean there is something wrong with you.  You just may be operating with a gift God has given you.  In fact, Paul says it is better.  You can serve the Lord undistracted that way.

If you do not have that gift, I believe it is God's plan for you to get married.  If you are tortured with unsatisfied desire, it is better to marry.

That does not mean to go out and marry the first person you would like to have sex with.  You have to take this into the context of all of God's counsel.  You need to realize marriage should be the highest form of agreement between two people.  No marriage should be entered into lightly or just based on physical attraction.

But if you are single and desiring to be married, I believe God does have someone for you.
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Read: Revelation 2:18-29
How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him. - 1 Kings 18:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
Scripture says that Ahab, king of Israel, "did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him . . . urged on by Jezebel his wife" (1 Kings 16:30; 21:25). The sins of Ahab and Jezebel were many, including the murder of Naboth, stealing and selfishness, and disregard for the Word of the Lord. Their most grievous sin, however, involved replacing worship of God with worship of Baal to an extent unprecedented in Israel. God's prophet Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a memorable showdown on Mount Carmel to see who worshiped the real deity; more than just a competition between religions, Elijah was calling the people of Israel back to true worship (see 1 Kings 18).
Although Jezebel was killed in a humiliating manner (1 Kings 21:23; 2 Kings 9), the temptation to replace or combine worship of God with false teaching has persisted among God's people. The church in Thyatira had such a situation in their midst. The city was known for its numerous trade guilds, including bronze-smiths, each with their own guild deity. Apollo has been identified with the god of the city, so it seems likely that the description of Christ that opens this message intended to counter the gods of the city and commerce (v. 18).

The church was commended for numerous positive attributes: unlike the Ephesians they had love in addition to their faith; they had actions consistent with their faith, and they had served and persevered. In fact, they had exhibited spiritual growth (v. 19). The problem was that they had not put out the false teaching of Jezebel. Not everyone in the church had fallen prey to idolatry, but the church had not taken a strong stance against this evil (v. 24).

Sexual immorality appears again here, but in Thyatira it was accompanied by the temptation to mix worship of God with idols, or even Satan (vv. 20, 24). Just as Elijah called for the people of Israel to choose whether they would serve God or Baal, Jesus warned the church that true worship cannot be contaminated by allowances for other gods.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The church in Thyatira struggled combining worship of God with worshiping the guild deities, likely required for the ability to do business. Our cultural particulars are different, but we still face the temptation to worship the gods of materialism and greed and comfort instead of putting faith in God alone. Jesus reminds us that He holds all power and authority (vv. 26-28). Our worship should hold on to what He has given, not seek to supplement it with other sources of supposed security.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 6, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

"My Rainbow in the Cloud"
I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth -Genesis 9:13

It is the will of God that human beings should get into a right-standing relationship with Him, and His covenants are designed for this purpose. Why doesn't God save me? He has accomplished and provided for my salvation, but I have not yet entered into a relationship with Him. Why doesn't God do everything we ask? He has done it. The point is- will I step into that covenant relationship? All the great blessings of God are finished and complete, but they are not mine until I enter into a relationship with Him on the basis of His covenant.

Waiting for God to act is fleshly unbelief. It means that I have no faith in Him. I wait for Him to do something in me so I may trust in that. But God won't do it, because that is not the basis of the God-and-man relationship. Man must go beyond the physical body and feelings in his covenant with God, just as God goes beyond Himself in reaching out with His covenant to man. It is a question of faith in God-a very rare thing. We only have faith in our feelings. I don't believe God until He puts something tangible in my hand, so that I know I have it. Then I say, "Now I believe." There is no faith exhibited in that. God says, "Look to Me, and be saved . . ." (Isaiah 45:22).

When I have really transacted business with God on the basis of His covenant, letting everything else go, there is no sense of personal achievement- no human ingredient in it at all. Instead, there is a complete overwhelming sense of being brought into union with God, and my life is transformed and radiates peace and joy.

Under Control

For I wish that all men were even as I myself.  But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.  But I say to the unmarried and to the widows:  It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry.  For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

So, mom or dad, here is something you can share with your kids in connection with relating to the opposite sex.  Be prepared, I am going to be blunt.

1.      Any body part they have that you don't have, don't touch it.  Any equipment they have that you don't have, it is hands off!

2.      Do not put any part of your body into any part of their body.

3.      Do not get horizontal.  Don't even sit on the couch watching TV, and lay down in one another's arms.  If you do, you know where that can lead.

4.      If you are going to kiss, let it be short and meaningful.  Don't allow yourselves to get into a wrestling match.  Again, it is hard to find the switch to turn it off once you get going.

5.      Finally, let things like holding hands or putting your arm around your boyfriend or girlfriend actually be meaningful.

If you are single, apply these rules, and they could save you a lot of grief!

What I want to focus on is verse 9, especially the part about burning with passion.  There are way too many young Christians who are out of control in their physical relationship with the opposite sex.  In today's devotional I want to follow up on the passage we looked at yesterday, 1 Corinthians 7:7-9,
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Read: Revelation 3:1-6
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die. - Revelation 3:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
Renowned preacher A. W. Tozer wrote, "We are brought to God and to faith and to salvation so that we might worship and adore Him. We do not come to God that we might be automatic Christians, cookie-cutter Christians, Christians stamped out with a die. God has provided His salvation that we might be . . . vibrant children of God, loving God with all our hearts and worshiping Him in the beauty of holiness."
"Cookie-cutter Christians" might have described the church in Sardis-as well as many churches today. No hint of theological controversy is given; no warning against insidious immorality is issued. This church seems full of peace and quiet-but it is the peace and quiet of the cemetery. Despite their reputation, Jesus declares this church to be dead (v. 1).

What worse declaration could there be than for God Himself to declare our religious rituals and solemn ceremonies to be meaningless? This church had become like a corpse propped up in the living room to impersonate the living. But the stench of death had reached the nostrils of God. Mercifully, the Lord sounds the clanging bell of an alarm clock: "Wake up!"

How could God tell a dead church to wake up? Shouting at a dead body won't get any response. Unlike human efforts to rouse the dead, however, Jesus holds the keys to life, signified in this passage as the "seven spirits of God" (v. 1). Sometimes translated as the "sevenfold Spirit," this phrase means the full power of the Spirit, including the power to bring the dead into life.

A flicker of vitality remains in this complacent church. Christ urges them to fan these embers into a roaring spiritual flame, to remember the truth, to obey God's instructions, and to repent of their spiritual neglect (vv. 2-3). Only these measures will revive the church and spare them from judgment.

The conclusion of this message underscores that Sardis faced a life-or-death decision. Those who heed this warning will have their names in the Book of Life (v. 5). While other churches had actively compromised with the world in faith or practice, Sardis had passively slid into a spiritual stupor.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Those who have been Christians for some time can face a similar danger as the church in Sardis. Everything might look fine on the outside, but worship has become dead. This message alerts us to pay attention to the prodding of the Holy Spirit: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (v. 6). If God is shouting for you to wake up, follow the path to revival of repentance and remembering and obedience. This is the path to life.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 7, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Repentance
Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation . . . -2 Corinthians 7:10


Conviction of sin is best described in the words:

My sins, my sins, my Savior,
How sad on Thee they fall.

Conviction of sin is one of the most uncommon things that ever happens to a person. It is the beginning of an understanding of God. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict people of sin (see John 16:. And when the Holy Spirit stirs a person's conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is not that person's relationship with others that bothers him but his relationship with God- "Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight . . ." (Psalm 51:4). The wonders of conviction of sin, forgiveness, and holiness are so interwoven that it is only the forgiven person who is truly holy. He proves he is forgiven by being the opposite of what he was previously, by the grace of God. Repentance always brings a person to the point of saying, "I have sinned." The surest sign that God is at work in his life is when he says that and means it. Anything less is simply sorrow for having made foolish mistakes- a reflex action caused by self-disgust.

The entrance into the kingdom of God is through the sharp, sudden pains of repentance colliding with man's respectable "goodness." Then the Holy Spirit, who produces these struggles, begins the formation of the Son of God in the person's life (see Galatians 4:19). This new life will reveal itself in conscious repentance followed by unconscious holiness, never the other way around. The foundation of Christianity is repentance. Strictly speaking, a person cannot repent when he chooses- repentance is a gift of God. The old Puritans used to pray for "the gift of tears." If you ever cease to understand the value of repentance, you allow yourself to remain in sin. Examine yourself to see if you have forgotten how to be truly repentant.

By Janet Conley

How to Stay Connected How to Stay Connected


Yesterday we discovered the second key to effective prayer is to stay connected to God.  The critical question is:  How do we do that?

While there are many things we can do, I want to focus on two things.  First of all, if you want to have a close relationship with God, it is important to realize just how much He desires to have a close relationship with you.

This is an amazing truth when you stop to think about it.  He is Almighty God, and yet He wants to have a close relationship with you.

Romans 5:11 in the New Living Translation says, Now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Through Jesus, God made us to be His friends!  So connecting with God starts with remembering He desires to be your closest friend.

Second, you need to practice His presence.  Right now God is with you.  He is everywhere you go.  He is at your job; He is at your home; He is with you wherever you might be, even in the hardest time of your life.

The last part of Hebrews 13:5 says, For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

There was a monk in the seventeenth century named Brother Lawrence who wrote a book called The Practice of the Presence of God.  In the monastery there were chimes that rang every hour, and Brother Lawrence would use that as a reminder to connect with God.

If you have a PDA or a wristwatch or a cell phone, you might consider setting it to go off throughout the day to remind you that God is with you.  Each time it goes off, spend a few moments communing with Him.  Practice His presence.  That will help you  stay connected to God.
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Read: Revelation 3:7-13
For we are the temple of the living God. - 2 Corinthians 6:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
After Jesus performed His first miracle of turning water into wine, He went to the temple at Passover. Upon seeing men exploiting the poor and manipulating worship for their own profit, Jesus fashioned a whip and drove out the salesmen and their goods (John 2:12-25). As pastor Kent Hughes says, "While the religious authorities of Jesus' day loudly proclaimed the holiness and otherness of God, they denied it in practice. Our Lord's whip was loosed against what detracted from the communication of God's glory, especially in worship."
The message to the church in Philadelphia emphasized that God still cared about worship that had Him as the object. He still rejected worship that attempted to exclude or exploit others. He was still zealous for His temple (Ps. 69:9; John 2:17).

First, Jesus has the authority to determine the quality of our worship (v. 7; see John 2:18-19). He is the standard by which our worship is evaluated-He alone opens the door to eternal life with God, and He alone sees the truth of our deeds and motives.

Second, the Jews of the city had oppressed the Philadelphian church, insisting that Christians had no right to access the love of God. The church held fast to the gospel of Christ, however, despite the persecution (v. . Jesus made clear that attempts by the "synagogue of Satan" to exclude God's people from worship would fail; indeed, the Jews who didn't embrace the authority of Jesus would be forced to acknowledge the truth about the Messiah (v. 9).

Finally, Jesus tenderly encouraged the Philadelphian church to maintain their profession and practice of faith in Him, for those who were faithful would be pillars "in the temple of my God" (v. 12). In John 2, Jesus used the metaphor of the temple to refer to His own body; just as "the body of Christ" also referred to the church, so too here the metaphor of the temple was extended to describe the people of God. Jesus cared about true worship of God in the physical structure of the temple, and He cares about worship in the lives and gathering of His body of believers.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The strong word of denunciation for the "synagogue of Satan" is balanced with the gentle words of encouragement for the Philadelphian church. Jesus' zeal for His temple includes both rebuke for those who exploit worship and rest for those who endure faithfully for Him. If you are experiencing trials and difficulties, receive His comfort today. No one can shut the door He has opened for you. He sees your struggle, and He knows the truth. And He is coming soon!

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 8, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Impartial Power of God
By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified -Hebrews 10:14


We trample the blood of the Son of God underfoot if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only reason for the forgiveness of our sins by God, and the infinite depth of His promise to forget them, is the death of Jesus Christ. Our repentance is merely the result of our personal realization of the atonement by the Cross of Christ, which He has provided for us. ". . . Christ Jesus . . . became for us wisdom from God-and righteousness and sanctification and redemption . . ." (1 Corinthians 1:30). Once we realize that Christ has become all this for us, the limitless joy of God begins in us. And wherever the joy of God is not present, the death sentence is still in effect.

No matter who or what we are, God restores us to right standing with Himself only by means of the death of Jesus Christ. God does this, not because Jesus pleads with Him to do so but because He died. It cannot be earned, just accepted. All the pleading for salvation which deliberately ignores the Cross of Christ is useless. It is knocking at a door other than the one which Jesus has already opened. We protest by saying, "But I don't want to come that way. It is too humiliating to be received as a sinner." God's response, through Peter, is, ". . . there is no other name . . . by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). What at first appears to be heartlessness on God's part is actually the true expression of His heart. There is unlimited entrance His way. "In Him we have redemption through His blood . . ." (Ephesians 1:7). To identify with the death of Jesus Christ means that we must die to everything that was never a part of Him.

God is just in saving bad people only as He makes them good. Our Lord does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The atonement by the Cross of Christ is the propitiation God uses to make unholy people holy.

Key to Effective Prayer - Praying From the Heart

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.

I believe this truth applies to every kind of prayer.  It is not good enough to just use eloquent words.  There has to be heart behind them if you are going to realize results from your prayers.

I think only those things that burn brightly within our hearts truly touch the heart of God.

When I was young, I would go fishing with my cousins.  At night, the bats would come out and my cousins would take a lure, and they would cast it up in the air.  Every once in a great while one of the bats would hit the lure and get snagged.

I think when we pray, it is like casting lines up into the heavens.  But it is only the prayers that come from our heart that ever hook onto anything in heaven.

Effective prayer comes from your heart.

Prayer must come from the heart.  These verses in particular teach us that if a person is going to pray a prayer of salvation, the heart and the mouth must get together.  It is not good enough to just have the words.  Your heart and mouth must be in agreement. Today we will look at the third key to effective prayer.  This key is found in Romans 10:9-10 where it says,

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Read: Revelation 3:14-22
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. - Revelation 3:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
In Hans Christian Andersen's story, "The Emperor's New Clothes," two men swindle a vain monarch by offering to clothe him in a garment so magnificent that it is not visible to stupid people. As they pantomime showing him the invisible garment, his pride prevents him from admitting that he can see nothing. He then parades through the streets while everyone pretends to admire the suit, unwilling to be thought stupid by admitting they can't see it. Finally a young child declares the truth, "But he has nothing on at all!"
The emperor's parade of triumph became a display of his vanity and humiliation. Misplaced priorities and perceptions still cause people to be unwilling to see the truth of a situation. This afflicted the church in Laodicea.

To begin, Jesus described Himself as the one who is faithful and true. He is the source of truth and proper perspective. In addition, He is "the ruler of God's creation" (v. 14). He had the authority to announce the warning and judgment upon this church. And what a warning it was: the situation in Laodicea made the Lord sick (v. 16). He was disgusted by the complacent, passive worship that desired to determine its own terms of devotion.

No mention is made that this church had rejected or compromised the truth of the gospel. Instead, the grievous failure had been to trust their own resources and judgments rather than seek the Lord. Laodicea was a wealthy city with banking and pharmaceutical centers. But all the money in the city wouldn't make the church spiritually rich; all the medicine wouldn't make them spiritually healthy. Their misplaced priorities and perspectives had left the church "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" (v. 17).

The great mercy and love of God shines through in verse 19: this urgent plea, full of strong images of spewing this destitute church, was motivated by love. The Lord saw the true condition of the church, and He was unwilling to leave them in this dreadful condition without a call to repentance. If they would repent and recognize their complete dependence on Him, He promised spiritual victory and intimate fellowship (vv. 20-21).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Have we identified worship with exquisite church buildings, lavish music ministries, well-coifed parishioners, or the growth of our personal standard of living? These are not condemned in this passage-but it is wrong to value them above hearing the Lord's voice. We measure spiritual health and wealth by His categories. In your prayer time, repent of any false priorities or perspectives in your life, and repent on behalf of churches who nauseate Christ with complacent, self-centered worship.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 8, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Opposition of the Natural
Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires -Galatians 5:24

The natural life itself is not sinful. But we must abandon sin, having nothing to do with it in any way whatsoever. Sin belongs to hell and to the devil. I, as a child of God, belong to heaven and to God. It is not a question of giving up sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence, and my self-will. This is where the battle has to be fought. The things that are right, noble, and good from the natural standpoint are the very things that keep us from being God's best. Once we come to understand that natural moral excellence opposes or counteracts surrender to God, we bring our soul into the center of its greatest battle. Very few of us would debate over what is filthy, evil, and wrong, but we do debate over what is good. It is the good that opposes the best. The higher up the scale of moral excellence a person goes, the more intense the opposition to Jesus Christ. "Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh . . . ." The cost to your natural life is not just one or two things, but everything. Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself. . ." (Matthew 16:24). That is, he must deny his right to himself, and he must realize who Jesus Christ is before he will bring himself to do it. Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence.

The natural life is not spiritual, and it can be made spiritual only through sacrifice. If we do not purposely sacrifice the natural, the supernatural can never become natural to us. There is no high or easy road. Each of us has the means to accomplish it entirely in his own hands. It is not a question of praying, but of sacrificing, and thereby performing His will.

Key to Effective Prayer - Consistent with God's Will

In order for your prayers to be effective, they need to be in line with God's Word and will. That is the fourth key to effective prayer.

This means you must have knowledge of God's Word.  In John 15:7, Jesus says,

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you."

As Hebrews 4 reminds us, the Word of God is living and active and powerful. It is spirit; it is life. It's not just pages on a piece of paper. And as you are in the Word of God, I believe the Holy Spirit will paint heaven's pictures, heaven's thoughts, and heaven's ideas on the canvas of your heart and your mind.

As you read the Word of God, you will have confidence in your prayers because you will have God's heart. And when you have God's heart, He is going to answer your prayers because that is what He desires.

I also want to point you to 1 John 5:14 which says,

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

This means you and I need to know what the Bible says so that our prayers will be answered. Effective prayers are those that are in line with God's Word and will.

His will, of course, is His Word.  So if you ask anything according to His Word, He will hear you. And if you know that He hears whatever you ask, you know you have the petitions you have asked of Him.  If you abide in God and His words abide in you, your desires will line up with His will.  How important it is for us to know the Word of God!
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Read: Revelation 4
You are worthy, our LORD and God, to receive glory and honor and power. - Revelation 4:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
The psalmist cried, "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze up on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple" (Ps. 27:4). If we are worshipers of the triune God, the Creator and Redeemer, we will indeed dwell in the house of the Lord, gazing on His beauty. Our passage today provides a glimpse of this worship.
Revelation transitions to a heavenly vision in chapters 4 and 5. This vision is bookended between the messages to the seven churches and the tribulation unleashed in chapter 6. This placement reminds us that no matter what is happening on earth, God is on His throne. Before describing the judgment that will come upon sin and death and Satan, Scripture establishes that God remains completely in control of the universe.

This description of the throne room of heaven resembles those from Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1. The throne of God was in the center, not just in heaven but of all reality. The imagery of precious gems, the rainbow, and the sea of glass conveyed the "appearance of the likeness of the glory of God" (Ezek. 1:28). Truly power and majesty flow from the throne of God, but also beauty and glory.

The four living creatures testified that the Lord God Almighty is "holy, holy, holy . . . who was, and is, and is to come" (v. 8, see Isa. 6:3). God is worthy of worship because He is perfectly holy and untainted with any hint of sin or darkness. He is perfectly powerful, able to accomplish His plan over the earth. He is eternal, and He is also involved with His creation-He has not forgotten His promises to redeem us.

Finally, we see that God is worthy of our worship because He is the Creator of all things. Notice that worship involves giving God thanks and praise (v. 9). It focuses on Him instead of our own accomplishments, seeing rightly the relationship between creature and Creator (v. 10). It recognizes who God is and what He has done (v. 11).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Rather than simply reading about descriptions of worship, also spend time today praising and worshiping the Lord. Praise Him for who He is, using passages of Scripture if you'd like. Praise Him for what He has done, both His work of creation and His sustaining care in your own life. You might want to sing or listen to music that praises God, like the beautiful hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy" or the gospel song "High and Lifted Up" by Joe Pace.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 10, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Offering of the Natural
It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman -Galatians 4:22

Paul was not dealing with sin in this chapter of Galatians, but with the relation of the natural to the spiritual. The natural can be turned into the spiritual only through sacrifice. Without this a person will lead a divided life. Why did God demand that the natural must be sacrificed? God did not demand it. It is not God's perfect will, but His permissive will. God's perfect will was for the natural to be changed into the spiritual through obedience. Sin is what made it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed.

Abraham had to offer up Ishmael before he offered up Isaac (see Genesis 21:8-14). Some of us are trying to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God before we have sacrificed the natural. The only way we can offer a spiritual sacrifice to God is to "present [our] bodies a living sacrifice . . ." (Romans 12:1). Sanctification means more than being freed from sin. It means the deliberate commitment of myself to the God of my salvation, and being willing to pay whatever it may cost.

If we do not sacrifice the natural to the spiritual, the natural life will resist and defy the life of the Son of God in us and will produce continual turmoil. This is always the result of an undisciplined spiritual nature. We go wrong because we stubbornly refuse to discipline ourselves physically, morally, or mentally. We excuse ourselves by saying, "Well, I wasn't taught to be disciplined when I was a child." Then discipline yourself now! If you don't, you will ruin your entire personal life for God.

God is not actively involved with our natural life as long as we continue to pamper and gratify it. But once we are willing to put it out in the desert and are determined to keep it under control, God will be with it. He will then provide wells and oases and fulfill all His promises for the natural (see Genesis 21:15-19).

Key to Effective Prayer-Endurance

The next key to effective prayer is the need to be patient.  You need to be willing to endure.

Hebrews 6:11-15 says,

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you."  And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Do you realize that once God gave Abraham and Sarah the promise of having a child, it was 25 years before Isaac was born?  There was some patient enduring that took place before they obtained the reality of God's promise in their lives.  And so it must be with us.

Perhaps you have been praying for things in your life, and you are getting discouraged.  You must remember that God does not always work things on our timetable.  He works according to His.

I just want to encourage you today:  Be patient.  Patience is that long-lasting quality of your faith.

A number of years ago I heard one person say that faith is like your hand and patience is like your arm.  When you exercise faith, it is like holding up your hand against the problem, and as you do, things are being worked out.  But if you take your patience down, your faith comes down with it.

Patience is the thing that keeps your faith applied until the answer comes.

Patience is a critical key to effective prayer.  Whatever you are praying for, patiently endure.
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Read: Revelation 5
Worthy is the Lamb . . . to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! - Revelation 5:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
The word worship comes from the old English word worth-ship, meaning to attribute worth or value to something, or to recognize the true worth or value of something. When we worship God, we are recognizing His worth and attributing worth and value to Him. But at this point we might pause: Does that mean that God depends on us, His creation, for His worth and value? Not at all! It is entirely the other way around-we completely depend on Him! Instead, as one commentator put it, "As Creator and Giver of all life, God is entitled to the praise of his creatures. This praise itself does not furnish him his power and glory, but it is their visible and audible reflection."
Our passage today continues our glimpse into the throne room of heaven. Yesterday we saw that God is worthy of our worship; today we see that the Lamb is also worthy of our worship.

Jesus was introduced in a way that should grab our attention: "See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah" was the announcement of the elder (v. 5). John looked to see the King, and instead saw the sacrifice-the Lamb (v. 6, see Gen. 49:9). He was both Lion and Lamb, both Ruler and Redeemer. The creatures who worshiped God also worshiped Jesus, evidence of His deity. He had been slain, evidence of His humanity.

Just as God was worshiped for His work of creation, the Lamb was worshiped for His work of redemption. He was declared worthy for His obedience to the Father in freeing us from sin and transforming people in rebellion against God into a "kingdom and priests to serve our God" (v. 10).

Before we move on in our study of Revelation, pause to let this scene sink into your soul. This is where the story starts and ends-God as Creator, the Lamb as Redeemer, and the response of praise and worship from all of creation. The song swells from every angel, every person, every created being: "Praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" (v. 13).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
During this season many choirs perform selections from Handel's Messiah. One majestic chorus is taken from today's reading, "Worthy is the Lamb." More contemporary songs, like those by Marvin Winans and Hillsong Church, are also based on this testimony of these verses. In anticipation of the eternal, resounding praise of all creation, listen to one of these songs and use this time to praise Jesus, the Lion, Lamb, and Redeemer, for who He is and what He has done.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 11, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Individuality
Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . .' -Matthew 16:24


Individuality is the hard outer layer surrounding the inner spiritual life. Individuality shoves others aside, separating and isolating people. We see it as the primary characteristic of a child, and rightly so. When we confuse individuality with the spiritual life, we remain isolated. This shell of individuality is God's created natural covering designed to protect the spiritual life. But our individuality must be yielded to God so that our spiritual life may be brought forth into fellowship with Him. Individuality counterfeits spirituality, just as lust counterfeits love. God designed human nature for Himself, but individuality corrupts that human nature for its own purposes.

The characteristics of individuality are independence and self-will. We hinder our spiritual growth more than any other way by continually asserting our individuality. If you say, "I can't believe," it is because your individuality is blocking the way; individuality can never believe. But our spirit cannot help believing. Watch yourself closely when the Spirit of God is at work in you. He pushes you to the limits of your individuality where a choice must be made. The choice is either to say, "I will not surrender," or to surrender, breaking the hard shell of individuality, which allows the spiritual life to emerge. The Holy Spirit narrows it down every time to one thing (see Matthew 5:23-24). It is your individuality that refuses to "be reconciled to your brother" (Matthew 5:24). God wants to bring you into union with Himself, but unless you are willing to give up your right to yourself, He cannot. ". . . let him deny himself . . ."- deny his independent right to himself. Then the real life-the spiritual life-is allowed the opportunity to grow.

Key to Effective Prayer-Humility

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.  Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

Humility, more than anything else, is an attitude of the heart that says, "I recognize I am not self-sufficient.  I am open, I am teachable, I am thankful.  God, I am willing to bow my heart before You and confess that I am in utter need of Your assistance."

Contrary to what some people say and think, humility is not to be equated with lack of courage.  In fact, it takes great courage for a person to admit they have need.  Meekness is not weakness.  Meekness is a sign of strength.

King David said in Psalm 18:35, Your gentleness (or Your meekness) has made me great.  Moses was called the meekest or the humblest man on the face of the earth, and yet we don't think of him as a weak person.  He is one of the greatest leaders to ever step out of the pages of the Bible, and very few people in history have had power with God in the place of prayer like Moses did.

Jesus, our Savior, said, "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart" (KJV).  Friend, that ought to be one of the hallmark qualities of our lives- especially when we are praying.  It is a key to effective prayer.

God resists the proud.  He gives grace to the humble. Humility is a very important key to effective prayer.  In 1 Peter 5:5-6 we read this,
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Read: Revelation 6
How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? - Habakkuk 1:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
Throughout Scripture, people have cried, "Where are you, God, in the face of evil?" The prophet Habakkuk lamented the prosperity of the wicked and the prevalence of injustice. He cried for God to deal with the destruction and violence that plagued the people (Hab. 1:3). The Lord declared that His justice would come: "It will certainly come and will not delay" (Hab. 2:3). In response to the word from God, Habakkuk prayed, "In wrath remember mercy. . . . I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength" (Hab. 3:2, 18-19).
In our passage today, we again hear the cry of God's people, "How long, Sovereign LORD, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" (v. 10). For the next few days, we'll consider the role of worship and praise during times of suffering and God's judgment.

Yesterday we saw that the Lamb was proclaimed worthy of worship, and He was given the scroll sealed with seven seals. Today we read that the Lamb was also proclaimed worthy to judge, and He began to open the seals and unleash judgment on the earth. What followed was terrible: war and injustice and death and natural disasters marched out, creating havoc and leaving people to despair for their future.

Notice the contrasting response of two groups of people in our reading. First, the martyrs, those who suffered and died for the sake of their testimony for Christ, cried out for justice. This was not the angry, defiant, fist-waving demand for God to show up. Rather, the martyrs knew that the Lamb was worthy to judge, and they asked the Sovereign God to be true to His character. They cried out from a place of worship-under the altar (v. 9). They received assurance that justice would come, and they were cared for and protected.

In contrast, the rich and powerful kings and generals discovered that their wealth and power could not save them. They sought their own destruction rather than face the judgment of God (v. 16). They asked the rocks to crush them, rather than stand securely on the Rock of Ages.

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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The Lord's judgment is sure-how will you respond? Will you choose despair, or will you be in a place of worship, acknowledging His sovereignty and faithfulness? Evil and injustice flourish in the world today. Will you conclude that God is absent, or will you worship the true Savior who does not ignore or forget the suffering of His people? Whether it is the season of evil or the season of judgment, it is time to praise and worship the Lamb who is worthy.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 12, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Personality
. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . . -John 17:22

Personality is the unique, limitless part of our life that makes us distinct from everyone else. It is too vast for us even to comprehend. An island in the sea may be just the top of a large mountain, and our personality is like that island. We don't know the great depths of our being, therefore we cannot measure ourselves. We start out thinking we can, but soon realize that there is really only one Being who fully understands us, and that is our Creator.

Personality is the characteristic mark of the inner, spiritual man, just as individuality is the characteristic of the outer, natural man. Our Lord can never be described in terms of individuality and independence, but only in terms of His total Person- "I and My Father are one" (John 10:30). Personality merges, and you only reach your true identity once you are merged with another person. When love or the Spirit of God come upon a person, he is transformed. He will then no longer insist on maintaining his individuality. Our Lord never referred to a person's individuality or his isolated position, but spoke in terms of the total person- ". . . that they may be one just as We are one . . . ." Once your rights to yourself are surrendered to God, your true personal nature begins responding to God immediately. Jesus Christ brings freedom to your total person, and even your individuality is transformed. The transformation is brought about by love- personal devotion to Jesus. Love is the overflowing result of one person in true fellowship with another.

Key to Effective Prayer-Forgiveness

An important key to effective prayer is your relationship with others.  In Mark 11:24-26 Jesus says,

"Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.  And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.  But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."
Pretty strong, isn't it?  Jesus cited unforgiveness as the number one reason for unanswered prayer.  If my prayers were not being answered, this would be the first place I would look-into my own heart, to see whether I had allowed bitterness toward another human being to reside there.  Whether I was harboring a grudge or had strife in my heart toward anyone else.

Jesus said if you have anything against anyone, anything-big or small, new or old-or anyone-yourself, your husband, your wife, a family member, a loved one, a neighbor, a co-worker, a relative, an enemy-if you have anything against anyone, it will lead to unanswered prayer.   

Sometimes people hold things against themselves.  They do not forgive themselves, even after God has forgiven them and after others have forgiven them.  They just want to whip themselves for their stupidity for falling into the same stupid sin again, or for whatever they have done, and they don't release themselves!

There are others too, including those closest to us, whom we must forgive.  If your prayers are not being answered, then look there.

Perhaps you have searched the Scriptures, filled your heart with the Word, you are praying from the bottom of your heart, and you are expectant of answers; but before you can partake of the fruit of your prayers, you must forgive if you have anything against anyone!
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Read: Revelation 7
Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! - John 12:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
In John 12, we find the account of Jesus anointed at Bethany-an action He described as a preparation for His burial-and Jesus' prediction of His death. In between these two events is the description of His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, an interlude in the unfolding story of Jesus' crucifixion in judgment for the sins of the world. As He rode into the city, the crowd waved palm branches and shouted, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!" (John 12:13).
We see a similar pause for praise in our reading today. In between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals, the narrative is interrupted to describe worship of the Lamb who is able to save.

John saw one of the greatest depictions of the relationship between the Lord and His people. An innumerable gathering of people "from every nation, tribe, people and language" stood before the throne of God and the Lamb. With palm branches in their hands, they shouted, "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb" (vv. 9-10).

The scene echoes the earlier recounting of heavenly worship in chapters 4 and 5. The praise of the multitude was joined by the adoration of the angels, elders, and living creatures: "Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" (v. 12). While God was shaking the foundations of creation, His people recognized that it was time to praise Him.

This worship was possible only because of what Jesus had done; the white robes clothing the multitude existed only because they had been dipped in the blood of the Lamb (v. 14). After the tribulation, those who have identified with Jesus will find that God will supply all their needs out of His great riches (see Phil. 4:19). They will be protected from hunger, thirst, and affliction. The Lamb will lead them to living water. God will tenderly comfort them and eliminate any sorrow or pain. And they will have full communion with God around His throne, worshiping the Lamb who is able to save.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Especially in this season, we can be tempted to forget to pause. Advent should help us think about what God is doing around us and respond to Him with praise and worship. On this third Sunday of Advent, take a break from the hustle and bustle of shopping or baking or decorating or working and pause to worship the Lamb who has saved you. Praise Him for your eternal salvation as well as His protection and comfort today.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 13, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Intercessory Prayer
. . . men always ought to pray and not lose heart -Luke 18:1


You cannot truly intercede through prayer if you do not believe in the reality of redemption. Instead, you will simply be turning intercession into useless sympathy for others, which will serve only to increase the contentment they have for remaining out of touch with God. True intercession involves bringing the person, or the circumstance that seems to be crashing in on you, before God, until you are changed by His attitude toward that person or circumstance. Intercession means to "fill up . . . [with] what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ" (Colossians 1:24), and this is precisely why there are so few intercessors. People describe intercession by saying, "It is putting yourself in someone else's place." That is not true! Intercession is putting yourself in God's place; it is having His mind and His perspective.

As an intercessor, be careful not to seek too much information from God regarding the situation you are praying about, because you may be overwhelmed. If you know too much, more than God has ordained for you to know, you can't pray; the circumstances of the people become so overpowering that you are no longer able to get to the underlying truth.

Our work is to be in such close contact with God that we may have His mind about everything, but we shirk that responsibility by substituting doing for interceding. And yet intercession is the only thing that has no drawbacks, because it keeps our relationship completely open with God.

What we must avoid in intercession is praying for someone to be simply "patched up." We must pray that person completely through into contact with the very life of God. Think of the number of people God has brought across our path, only to see us drop them! When we pray on the basis of redemption, God creates something He can create in no other way than through intercessory prayer.


Key to Effective Prayer - Being Connected

In John 15:5, Jesus says,

"I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

In John 15:16, Jesus goes on to say,

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."

But if something happens and the branch is not solidly connected to the tree, it will probably not bear any fruit at all.  There may be a few leaves, but the blossoms won't come and there won't be any fruit.  The blossoms and healthy fruit will only come if the branch is fully connected.

God wants us connected to Him in every part of our lives.  When that happens, our prayers will be in line with His desires, and we can be confident that He will answer.

If we are connected to God and we abide in Him, Jesus says we will bear much fruit-prayer fruit.  Think about a fruit tree for a moment.  The leaves come out because the branches are attached to the tree.  In the spring the branch will blossom, and from those blossoms comes the fruit. God wants every part of our life to be connected to Him.  And He tells us that as that happens, as we have our lives connected with Him, we bear much fruit.  A few verses later Jesus directly connected that fruit to prayer. Yesterday we found that the first key to effective prayer is the need to be specific when we pray.  Today, I want to show you the second key:  The need to have a close relationship with God.
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Read: Revelation 8
May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. - Psalm 141:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
The nature of the relationship between God and His people through prayer has fascinated Christian philosophers and scholars. Dismissing the idea that prayer works like a spiritual vending machine, forcing God to give us what we want if we push the right buttons, Søren Kierkegaard said, "The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays."
We know that Christians should follow the exhortations to pray (see 1 Thess. 5:17). And we know that prayer is not intended to manipulate God into giving us our own way, but rather to conform us to His will (Matt. 6:10). But we also need to reflect on God's perspective toward our prayers. Our passage today reveals that we worship a God who hears and delights in the prayers of His people.

Today's reading opens with a surprising account of silence in heaven. The Old Testament prophets help us to understand what this silence means: "The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him" (Hab. 2:20, see Zeph. 1:7; Zech. 2:13). This silence was not the quiet of peaceful rest, but rather the ominous stillness before the holy Judge of the universe.

Next, an angel went to the heavenly golden altar to prepare incense. This alludes to the altar of the Lord in the tabernacle and temple (see Ex. 37:25; Lev. 16:18). The priests had been commanded to offer incense on this altar morning and night (Ex. 30:7). Other special offerings were also designated for the altar of the Lord (see Leviticus 2). All of these provided a sweet aroma to the Lord. Now in Revelation 8, we see that incense was mixed with "the prayers of all the saints" (v. 3). When God's people offer Him the worship of their prayer, it is beautiful and pleasing to God. Prayer doesn't just transform us-it also delights the Lord as the sweet aroma of incense.

After this pause of silence and prayer, the terrible judgment of the trumpets was unleashed on the earth. This juxtaposition reminds us that our God both savors the prayers of His people and sends judgment on those who defy Him.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The image of the priests offering incense on the golden altar can shape our prayer life. First, we should set regular, dedicated times for prayer. Second, just as the incense wafted before God throughout the day, we should be in a continual relationship with God to converse with Him in prayer. Third, we should remember that our prayers matter-they shape us more into the image of Christ, and they also bring delight and joy to God. Worship Him through your offering of prayer today!

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 14, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Great Life
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled . . . -John 14:27

Whenever we experience something difficult in our personal life, we are tempted to blame God. But we are the ones in the wrong, not God. Blaming God is evidence that we are refusing to let go of some disobedience somewhere in our lives. But as soon as we let go, everything becomes as clear as daylight to us. As long as we try to serve two masters, ourselves and God, there will be difficulties combined with doubt and confusion. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. Once we get to that point, there is nothing easier than living the life of a saint. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes.

God's mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, "as the world gives," but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, wait until it does, or seek to find out why it is not coming. If you are acting on your own impulse, or out of a sense of the heroic, to be seen by others, the peace of Jesus will not exhibit itself. This shows no unity with God or confidence in Him. The spirit of simplicity, clarity, and unity is born through the Holy Spirit, not through your decisions. God counters our self-willed decisions with an appeal for simplicity and unity.

My questions arise whenever I cease to obey. When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God. But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.

Hindered Prayers

1 Peter 3:7 says,

Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
Notice it says, "Husbands, likewise," which means, gals, you are not off the hook.  The following truth applies to you as much as it does to the boys.

That truth is simply this:  If there is bitterness or unforgiveness in your heart toward your spouse, your prayers will be hindered.  That word hindered literally means to be cut down in the same way one would cut down a tree. 

I once had this incredible tree called a cherimoya tree.  One of the things about a cherimoya tree is that it is not indigenous to our country, and the insects that pollinate it do not exist here.

In order for the tree to bear fruit, I needed to pollinate it by hand with my little artist paintbrush.  I would get pollen on the brush from one flower and pollinate other flowers.

Eventually the little buds I had pollinated began to turn into fruit.  I was so excited!  They were getting close to the time to be harvested.  Then I came home one afternoon to find my whole tree hacked to pieces.  Every branch and piece of fruit was in the trash.  The gardener had cut my tree down!

I believe that can happen with our prayers.  You can be intensely committed spiritually, searching the Scriptures, filling your heart with the Word, praying from the bottom of your heart, but if you are not honoring your spouse or you are treating them in a bad way, the devil has the authority to waltz right in and chop your prayer tree down.

Let's keep the ax out of the devil's hand by honoring and forgiving and valuing our marriage partner.
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Read: Revelation 9
During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. - Revelation 9:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Jonathan Edwards's sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," is the most famous sermon from the Great Awakening revival. After detailing God's present and future judgment of the wicked, Edwards concluded the sermon with these words: "Therefore let everyone that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come." The wrath to come is outlined in our reading today. We've examined descriptions of the worship of God by saints and angels, but today we see what happens to those who refuse to worship a holy and loving God.
The end of our passage today details the natural disasters that resulted from the judgments of the trumpets (8:6-12). After four trumpets, an eagle announced: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!" (8:13). The next trumpets would directly afflict the people who had chosen rebellion against God. They had not repented after the disasters from the first four trumpets, and now they would personally experience the consequences of their sin.

Notice first what emerged from the Abyss. The torment of the locusts echoes the plague in Exodus 10. But whereas those locusts were insects that devoured all the remaining vegetation (Ex. 10:5), these were demonic locusts that spare the plant life but afflicted all those who had rejected God (see Joel 2:1-11). Some like to imagine that hell is a place for the wicked to party. In reality, the torments from hell are so severe that people would prefer death (see Luke 16:23).

Next, God had sovereignly appointed this judgment. The four angels released to kill a third of mankind "had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year" (v. 15). The Lord is not surprised by man's rebellion and disbelief, and He will surely accomplish His judgment.

Finally, note the tragic conclusion to our passage. After natural disasters, pain from demonic locusts and devastation of war, the remaining people still did not repent. They persisted in their idolatry and sin (vv. 20-21). They insisted on worshiping demons rather than the sovereign Lord.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If we have trusted in the saving person and work of Jesus Christ, we will be spared the terrors of this judgment (v. 4, see Joel 2:12-14). But this passage should motivate us to share the gospel with our loved ones who do not yet believe in Jesus. Perhaps you can use this Christmas season as a time to introduce the gospel to friends and family. Invite them to Christmas services or musical concerts at your church, or host a social gathering in your home designed to talk about the meaning of Christmas.

GOD BLESS!