Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

December 15, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

"Approved to God"
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth -2 Timothy 2:15

If you cannot express yourself well on each of your beliefs, work and study until you can. If you don't, other people may miss out on the blessings that come from knowing the truth. Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself clearly and understandably, and God will use that same explanation when you share it with someone else. But you must be willing to go through God's winepress where the grapes are crushed. You must struggle, experiment, and rehearse your words to express God's truth clearly. Then the time will come when that very expression will become God's wine of strength to someone else. But if you are not diligent and say, "I'm not going to study and struggle to express this truth in my own words; I'll just borrow my words from someone else," then the words will be of no value to you or to others. Try to state to yourself what you believe to be the absolute truth of God, and you will be allowing God the opportunity to pass it on through you to someone else.

Always make it a practice to stir your own mind thoroughly to think through what you have easily believed. Your position is not really yours until you make it yours through suffering and study. The author or speaker from whom you learn the most is not the one who teaches you something you didn't know before, but the one who helps you take a truth with which you have quietly struggled, give it expression, and speak it clearly and boldly.

The Power to Forgive

But forgiveness is not an option for you and me as followers of Jesus Christ.

Forgiveness is an act of the will.  You can forgive.  In fact, Jesus said that we even need to love our enemies, those who may not want peace with us.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:44,

"Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you."

When we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son.

Once you have forgiven someone, it can still affect your emotions.  I like what Corrie ten Boom shared.  She went through several sleepless weeks over something that someone had done to her.  She tried to forgive the person; but, still, when she would think about it, she would respond emotionally.

When she shared this with her pastor, he had her look up at the bell tower of the church.  He reminded her that the bell would continue to ring even after the person ringing it had let go of the rope.  But given a little time, the bell would slow down until it was silent.

It may take time for your emotions to settle even when you have let go of the rope.  Just let go of the rope and forgive.  You can do it!

When you and I embrace salvation through Jesus Christ, that same love of God is poured out in our hearts. (See Romans 5:1 and 5).  As a result, we can forgive those who have wronged us. How can you do that?  Because God has done the same thing for you.  In Romans 5:10 it says, There are times when we need to forgive someone for something they have done.  On occasion it can seem so difficult...almost impossible.
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Read: Revelation 10
Before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. - Jeremiah 1:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
The call to be a prophet of the Lord was not usually followed by fame and fortune. Instead, prophets were asked to be public laughingstocks (Jeremiah and Ezekiel), suffer devastating loss in their personal lives (Hosea and Ezekiel), and challenge powerful rulers (Nathan and Micaiah), all in service to the Lord and His word. No wonder Jonah tried to run the other way when God called him to ministry!
We might expect our reading to begin with the blast from the seventh trumpet. Instead, just as the pause after the opening of the sixth seal, there is an interlude after the sixth trumpet. We should beware of feeling like we want God to hurry up and finish His plan-He often has something important for us in the time of waiting. In this passage the continued mercy and judgment of God was manifested in the commissioning of John as a prophet.

Interestingly, the first command given to John in this text was not to write. The seven thunders spoke in response to the roar of the mighty angel, and John prepared to transcribe the message. God halted him: "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down" (v. 4). We can never presume to know the things God has chosen not to reveal (see Deut. 29:29).

Next, the angel attributed the authority to judge to the God of creation. In the midst of mystery, judgment, prophecy, and uncertainty, the one constant is our eternal God, who has created all things in heaven and earth and sea (v. 6). He knows the message of the seven thunders. He knows the time of the seventh trumpet. He knows the beginning and the end. He alone is trustworthy and all-powerful to accomplish His will.

We saw John commissioned to record this vision from Jesus Christ (see Rev. 1:9-11). Now we see John commissioned to the role of a prophet. Like the prophet Ezekiel, he was commanded to eat the scroll that was sweet in his mouth (v. 9; Ezek. 3:1-3). Now John was prepared for his prophetic mission to "prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings" (v. 11).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Those who follow God's call into Christian ministry often face significant physical and spiritual challenges. Some pastors are lonely and underpaid. Missionaries encounter disease or persecution. Youth leaders and teachers struggle with burnout and apathy. Pray for the Christian leaders in your life, for God to strengthen and encourage them. During this Christmas season, make a special effort to express your appreciation through a letter or gift and a commitment to pray regularly for them.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 16, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Wrestling Before God
Take up the whole armor of God . . . praying always . . . -Ephesians 6:13,18

You must learn to wrestle against the things that hinder your communication with God, and wrestle in prayer for other people; but to wrestle with God in prayer is unscriptural. If you ever do wrestle with God, you will be crippled for the rest of your life. If you grab hold of God and wrestle with Him, as Jacob did, simply because He is working in a way that doesn't meet with your approval, you force Him to put you out of joint (see Genesis 32:24-25). Don't become a cripple by wrestling with the ways of God, but be someone who wrestles before God with the things of this world, because "we are more than conquerors through Him . . ." (Romans 8:37). Wrestling before God makes an impact in His kingdom. If you ask me to pray for you, and I am not complete in Christ, my prayer accomplishes nothing. But if I am complete in Christ, my prayer brings victory all the time. Prayer is effective only when there is completeness- "take up the whole armor of God . . . ."

Always make a distinction between God's perfect will and His permissive will, which He uses to accomplish His divine purpose for our lives. God's perfect will is unchangeable. It is with His permissive will, or the various things that He allows into our lives, that we must wrestle before Him. It is our reaction to these things allowed by His permissive will that enables us to come to the point of seeing His perfect will for us. "We know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . ." (Romans 8:28)- to those who remain true to God's perfect will- His calling in Christ Jesus. God's permissive will is the testing He uses to reveal His true sons and daughters. We should not be spineless and automatically say, "Yes, it is the Lord's will." We don't have to fight or wrestle with God, but we must wrestle before God with things. Beware of lazily giving up. Instead, put up a glorious fight and you will find yourself empowered with His strength.

Do You Really Believe It?

Ephesians 2:4-7 says,

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,  even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

There was a time in my wife's life when nothing was going right.  It was before we were married while she was attending Bible school.  Things were so bad that she was ready to drop out, and she wondered where God was in her life.

It was then that she attended a seminar where a woman was teaching on this passage.  As my wife read this, and heard it taught, she saw that God loved her in an amazing way.  That He loves everybody so much He sent Jesus Christ, so that He could make us a showpiece of His great love. 

She realized He wanted to make her life beautiful and full.  He wanted to make it good.  He wanted to do things in her life so that she would be a showpiece for Him, and other people would look and say, "What is it about you?" and she could tell them that God made the difference in her life.  Since that truth dawned on Janet's heart, she has never been the same.

1 John 4:16 says,

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.
Do you really believe that God loves you and has good things in store for you?  You have heard about God's love, but do you really know it?  Are you really believing the love that God has for you?

Well He does love you, and when you believe it, you will never be the same!
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Read: Revelation 11:1-14
The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God in heaven. - Revelation 11:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
When a man wishes to propose marriage to the woman he loves, typically he will first spend time searching for the perfect ring to offer her as the symbol of his love. He will become familiar with measurements like the carat weight of a diamond, the karat count of gold bands, the types of gemstone cuts, and the way that jewelers calculate a gem's clarity. He cares about these measurements because he cares about this symbol of his relationship with the woman he desires to be his wife.
John's first assignment as a prophet mirrors a task assigned to the prophets Ezekiel and Zechariah: he was to measure the temple of God (v. 1; see Ezekiel 40; Zech. 2:1-2). The temple represented God's relationship with His people, particularly His love and faithfulness and covenant with them. Most significantly, the temple represented God's presence with His people. Unlike the earlier prophets, John was also instructed to count the worshipers at the altar, those who are faithful to God. In this time of judgment against unbelievers, God still cared for His people.

Next, John described the world's response to God's prophets. These two witnesses performed their prophetic task in the context of great hostility, attacked by the beast from the Abyss and assaulted by unbelievers who hated the message and the messenger from God (vv. 5-7). Despite physical and spiritual opposition, God protects His people. Notice that this protection does not preclude death-the two witnesses were indeed killed, their demise a cause for sinners to gloat in triumph. But their death was not the end of the story: God raised them from the dead, and coincided their call up into glory with His judgment sent down to earth (v. 11).

The role of the prophet is to faithfully proclaim the message of God to people. Sometimes people will hear the word and repent (see Jonah 3:5). Other times, people refuse to hear the word and they receive judgment (see Nahum 1:14). Either way, God will receive the glory-the resistance of rebellious sinners cannot last forever (Phil. 2:10-11). Ultimately, every created being will give worship to God (v. 13).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
How much better to offer that worship as a sacrifice of obedience than after the experience of righteous judgment! Either way, ultimately we will give glory to God. The question before us is whether we will obey God and experience the love and protection of a relationship with Him, or whether we will shake our fists in defiance and endure the day of His wrath. If you are facing opposition in your life today, pray to know God's continued loving protection for you.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 17, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Redemption- Creating the Need it Satisfies
The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him . . . -1 Corinthians 2:14

The gospel of God creates the sense of need for the gospel. Is the gospel hidden to those who are servants already? No, Paul said, "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe . . ." (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The majority of people think of themselves as being completely moral, and have no sense of need for the gospel. It is God who creates this sense of need in a human being, but that person remains totally unaware of his need until God makes Himself evident. Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you . . ." (Matthew 7:7). But God cannot give until a man asks. It is not that He wants to withhold something from us, but that is the plan He has established for the way of redemption. Through our asking, God puts His process in motion, creating something in us that was nonexistent until we asked. The inner reality of redemption is that it creates all the time. And as redemption creates the life of God in us, it also creates the things which belong to that life. The only thing that can possibly satisfy the need is what created the need. This is the meaning of redemption- it creates and it satisfies.

Jesus said, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself" (John 12:32). When we preach our own experiences, people may be interested, but it awakens no real sense of need. But once Jesus Christ is "lifted up," the Spirit of God creates an awareness of the need for Him. The creative power of the redemption of God works in the souls of men only through the preaching of the gospel. It is never the sharing of personal experiences that saves people, but the truth of redemption. "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63).

The Reality of the Battle

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Conflict with the enemy is unavoidable.  These verses make that eminently clear.  There will be a battle if you are part of God's family.  We do have a spiritual adversary.

The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:8-9,

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

We do have an enemy and we are involved in a spiritual battle.  But don't you think if you knew when the devil was going to attack you, that it might give you a bit of an advantage?  Well, over the next few devotionals I want to share with you three times that the devil is very likely to bring the battle to your front door.

We are going to find that as we look at the life of Jesus, this pattern was in His life.  There were three times that the devil in particular brought the battle to His front door, as it were.  And I believe we can expect spiritual battle at the same three times in our lives.
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Read: Revelation 11:15-19
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our LORD and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever. - Revelation 11:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
A pernicious lie has circulated for centuries about the God of the Bible. This lie asserts that the God of the Old Testament was a God of wrath, but the God of the New Testament is a God of love. As Christians, we firmly reject this notion that describes God the Father as vengeful and angry and God the Son as meek and mild. Our God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-is the same in all of Scripture. We see this most clearly in the Cross, when both love and judgment met as Jesus offered His life to atone for our sins.
We see another example in our reading today. The seventh trumpet had sounded, and if we've been paying attention we should be holding our breath or peeking through our fingers in terror at what will surely be a devastating judgment on the rebellious sinners. Yet, instead of hearing of natural and spiritual disasters and the death toll of the ungodly, we first hear a resounding chorus of worship.

We learn something important about how to worship God from this passage. The scene should cause us to go back to the introduction of the heavenly scene in Revelation 4 and 5. The Lamb was introduced as the one worthy to open the scroll. He had opened each seal, and each trumpet had sounded. Thus the refrain of praise signaled that the Lamb had completed the work that He alone could do, and at that point the world had been brought under His authority (v. 15).

The twenty-four elders were introduced earlier, and now we hear their worship again. They first praised God for His eternal nature (v. 17). Second, they asserted His power and authority to reign over the whole earth. Next, they connected His judgment with His love and faithfulness (v. 18). God had heard the cry of His people, His "servants and the prophets and your saints and those who reverence" His name. His love for them was unfailing, because His holiness is unending.

This love is intimately connected with His judgment. When the ark of His covenant in heaven was revealed-signaling the Presence of God-it was a place where love and judgment met.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Praise the Lord that His character is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Praise the Lord that He will never forget you-He rewards those who reverence His name! Praise the Lord that Jesus is a worthy sacrifice for sins and that all the world will be subject to Him! Praise the Lord that His love and judgment meet, making possible your eternal salvation and relationship with Him! If you need additional words for praise, read through the passage again as your own testimony of praise.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 18, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Test of Faithfulness
We know that all things work together for good to those who love God . . . -Romans 8:28

It is only a faithful person who truly believes that God sovereignly controls his circumstances. We take our circumstances for granted, saying God is in control, but not really believing it. We act as if the things that happen were completely controlled by people. To be faithful in every circumstance means that we have only one loyalty, or object of our faith- the Lord Jesus Christ. God may cause our circumstances to suddenly fall apart, which may bring the realization of our unfaithfulness to Him for not recognizing that He had ordained the situation. We never saw what He was trying to accomplish, and that exact event will never be repeated in our life. This is where the test of our faithfulness comes. If we will just learn to worship God even during the difficult circumstances, He will change them for the better very quickly if He so chooses.

Being faithful to Jesus Christ is the most difficult thing we try to do today. We will be faithful to our work, to serving others, or to anything else; just don't ask us to be faithful to Jesus Christ. Many Christians become very impatient when we talk about faithfulness to Jesus. Our Lord is dethroned more deliberately by Christian workers than by the world. We treat God as if He were a machine designed only to bless us, and we think of Jesus as just another one of the workers.

The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through us. God calls us to His service and places tremendous responsibilities on us. He expects no complaining on our part and offers no explanation on His part. God wants to use us as He used His own Son.

Where Satan Will Attack First

Now a great sign appeared in heaven:  a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.  Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.  And another sign appeared in heaven:  behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.  His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.  And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.  She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.  And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.

It was the devil who was behind King Herod commanding that all of the male children two years old and younger be slaughtered.  It was only because Joseph was warned by God in a dream that he, Mary, and Jesus escaped from Herod's clutches.

What I want you to see here is that the battle came to Jesus as soon as He was born.  And I think we should expect battle as soon as a person is born again, as soon as someone comes into God's family.

The child in this passage is the Lord Jesus Christ, the woman represents the nation of Israel, and the dragon that wanted to devour the Child as soon as He was born is our adversary the devil. Yesterday we began a series of devotionals looking at when we can expect Satan to attack us.  Revelation 12:1-5 provides insight into the first time he will attack,
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Read: Revelation 12
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. - Revelation 12:11

TODAY IN THE WORD
Adventure stories are a genre as old as story-telling itself. Homer'sIliad and Odyssey, two of the earliest recorded tales, recount exciting battles, conflict between gods and mortals, intrigue and deception, and the fate of kingdoms hanging on the prowess of a warrior.
Our passage today is a thrilling adventure story-but this is no fiction. And the stakes of this battle exceed any imagined by the most gifted author. The fate of the world for all eternity hangs on the outcome.

The true nature of Satan is spelled out in these verses; note the descriptions of his person and deeds. He desired to devour the Child, the source of salvation (v. 4). He was the accuser, continually bringing allegations against believers (v. 10). He was filled with fury and made war against God's people (v. 17). All of Satan's character and works opposed God; He was in complete contrast to the faithful God who loves and protects His people.

In the next few chapters we'll see more details of this war between Satan and God, and we'll be introduced to other insidious, evil characters. But even as Satan's evil persecution persisted, note the instruction to remain faithful to our Savior. Scripture does not deny that the affliction and temptation of the Devil is real (see the book of Job). He is the father of lies (John 8:44), the accuser of the righteous. But he does not have ultimate power!

Even as spiritual warfare between the angels and demons rages, we see the key to our faithful stand against the wiles of the Devil. We hold fast to the "blood of the Lamb"-the saving work of Jesus that atoned for our sins and freed us from bondage to Satan. Our hope is in what Jesus has accomplished, the Lamb who has all the authority and power.

Second, we remember the "word of their testimony"-the ongoing work of God that demonstrates His love and protection. Recounting what God has done for us keeps us from falling prey to Satan's temptations. Our testimony keeps us focused on God, and also encourages others to stand firm as well.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you have a testimony of God's love and protection in your life? If you are alive and reading this, the answer is yes! Each day that God grants us life and a reasonable portion of health and strength is an example of His provision. Additionally, He might have met a physical or spiritual need in your life in a way that was clearly a demonstration of His love. As part of your worship, share your testimony with someone, not only to encourage them but also to keep your focus on God.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 19, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Focus Of Our Message
I did not come to bring peace but a sword -Matthew 10:34

Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed as the tender One. If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up- he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can't stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.

If you are sensitive to God's way, your message as His servant will be merciless and insistent, cutting to the very root. Otherwise, there will be no healing. We must drive the message home so forcefully that a person cannot possibly hide, but must apply its truth. Deal with people where they are, until they begin to realize their true need. Then hold high the standard of Jesus for their lives. Their response may be, "We can never be that." Then drive it home with, "Jesus Christ says you must." "But how can we be?" "You can't, unless you have a new Spirit" (see Luke 11:13).

There must be a sense of need created before your message is of any use. Thousands of people in this world profess to be happy without God. But if we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. Jesus Christ came to "bring . . . a sword" through every kind of peace that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself.

The Holy Spirit's Help
In John 16, Jesus is talking to His disciples, and He is trying to prepare them and let them know that He is going away.  In John 16:7 He tells them,

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth.  It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you."
Do you know who the Helper is?  It is the Holy Spirit.  Earlier in John 14:26 he had told His disciples this,

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."
The Helper, the Holy Spirit, has been sent to come alongside and teach us all things.  He will teach you how to pray; He will teach you things about prayer.  The Holy Spirit will help you in that way.

Then He said, "[He will] bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."  The Holy Spirit will help us remember the promises.  The things that God has taught us He will bring to our remembrance, so we can pray effectively.

The Holy Spirit is like having a personal assistant.  A personal assistant will help you remember your appointments or show you something you do not know.  Every moment of every day He is there for us.

Take time to praise God today for His provision of the Holy Spirit.  And remember He is there to help you in prayer.
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Read: Revelation 13
This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. - Revelation 13:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
After God miraculously rescued Peter from Herod's fortress, Scripture underscores that God had authority and power. Herod went on vacation to Caesarea, where people from Tyre and Sidon approached him begging for peace because they depended on him for their food supply. Herod delivered a public address, and the groveling people declared: "This is the voice of a god, not a man!" Herod accepted their flattery, and because he did not direct the praise toward God, "an angel of the LORD struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died" (Acts 12:19-25).
People are willing to direct false worship toward religious and political leaders rather than God. In our passage today we see the demonstration of this false worship and its deadly consequences.

Notice the words the people proclaimed regarding Satan's deputy, the Beast: "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" (v. 4). We know the end of the story and so know the answers to these questions, but they are startling in their similarity to the praise directed toward God (see Ps. 76:7; Mal. 3:2). Rather than acknowledge the true God, people turned to these false political and religious leaders-empowered by Satan-and attributed worship to them.

Next, notice that true and false worshipers are distinguished by their marks. God's redeemed people had their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life (v. . Those who worshiped the Beast received his mark, the number of his name (v. 17). This mark allowed people to participate in the economy and presumably pursue a "normal" life. But true wealth doesn't come from buying and selling, and only the mark of your name written in the Book of Life ensures salvation.

The worship called for in this passage is shown by "patient endurance and faithfulness" (v. 10). God knows about tribulation and trials. He knows Satan makes war against His people. He urges His people to be faithful, for suffering and death cannot remove a name from the Book of Life. Even when evil seems the most powerful, we worship by faithfully obeying the Lord.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We generally prefer worship of joyful exuberance instead of faithful endurance. But we will encounter both seasons in our lives, and the Lord asks us to remain faithful to Him no matter what sorrows or successes we encounter. If you are tempted to worship the false gods of our culture-lying to get ahead at work, cheating on your spouse, believing salvation comes from political leaders-re-orient your worship toward God alone. We might not achieve material success, but we have eternal salvation!


GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 20, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Right Kind of Help
And I, if I am lifted up . . . will draw all peoples to Myself -John 12:32

Very few of us have any understanding of the reason why Jesus Christ died. If sympathy is all that human beings need, then the Cross of Christ is an absurdity and there is absolutely no need for it. What the world needs is not "a little bit of love," but major surgery.

When you find yourself face to face with a person who is spiritually lost, remind yourself of Jesus Christ on the cross. If that person can get to God in any other way, then the Cross of Christ is unnecessary. If you think you are helping lost people with your sympathy and understanding, you are a traitor to Jesus Christ. You must have a right-standing relationship with Him yourself, and pour your life out in helping others in His way- not in a human way that ignores God. The theme of the world's religion today is to serve in a pleasant, non-confrontational manner.

But our only priority must be to present Jesus Christ crucified- to lift Him up all the time (see 1 Corinthians 2:2). Every belief that is not firmly rooted in the Cross of Christ will lead people astray. If the worker himself believes in Jesus Christ and is trusting in the reality of redemption, his words will be compelling to others. What is extremely important is for the worker's simple relationship with Jesus Christ to be strong and growing. His usefulness to God depends on that, and that alone.

The calling of a New Testament worker is to expose sin and to reveal Jesus Christ as Savior. Consequently, he cannot always be charming and friendly, but must be willing to be stern to accomplish major surgery. We are sent by God to lift up Jesus Christ, not to give wonderfully beautiful speeches. We must be willing to examine others as deeply as God has examined us. We must also be sharply intent on sensing those Scripture passages that will drive the truth home, and then not be afraid to apply them.

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 14
Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. - Revelation 14:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
After his dramatic demonstration of God's power on Mount Carmel, in the very next chapter the prophet Elijah was cowering under a broom tree in the desert. Elijah complained to God, "The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." The Lord instructed him for his future ministry-and also assured him that he was not alone, for seven thousand people in Israel had not worshiped Baal (1 Kings 19).
After our reading yesterday, we might feel a bit like Elijah. It seemed that the whole world had turned to worship the Beast and evil ran rampant. As if to reassure us, the next picture in the book is the Lamb with 144,000 who were not marked by the Beast but who instead bore the name of God (v. 1). Yesterday we saw that the worship of faithful endurance is the right response to evil. Today we see that worship is also the right response to God's righteous judgment.

Thank God that Revelation 13 is not the end of the story! Right as Satan and the Beast and evil seem to be taking over the world, Scripture reminds us that the Lamb is worshiped, and God's judgment is sure.

The sequence of the three angels is interesting: the first angel proclaimed the gospel and instructed everyone to worship God our Creator and Judge (v. 7). The second angel announced the fall of Babylon the great, and the third angel extended the announcement of judgment to include all those who accepted the mark of the Beast (vv. 8-11). Whereas the Beast had tormented the people of God, now those who offered false worship to the Beast would find that their identity with him resulted in everlasting torment.

In contrast to their suffering, those who followed Jesus found rest and peace, even in death (v. 13, see Heb. 4:1-11). This should inspire renewed endurance, obedience, and faithfulness for the sake of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We are in the final week before Christmas. Many gods and idols and cultural values tempt us to turn our focus from the Lord at this time-they offer security, comfort, possessions, or merriment for our worship instead. To keep your worship directed toward God, be inspired by the 144,000 and sing songs of praise today. You could gather friends and family to sing Christmas carols together. You could also seek out a new Christmas song to learn or listen to for your time of praise.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 21, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Experience or God's Revealed Truth?
We have received . . . the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God -1 Corinthians 2:12

My experience is not what makes redemption real- redemption is reality. Redemption has no real meaning for me until it is worked out through my conscious life. When I am born again, the Spirit of God takes me beyond myself and my experiences, and identifies me with Jesus Christ. If I am left only with my personal experiences, I am left with something not produced by redemption. But experiences produced by redemption prove themselves by leading me beyond myself, to the point of no longer paying any attention to experiences as the basis of reality. Instead, I see that only the reality itself produced the experiences. My experiences are not worth anything unless they keep me at the Source of truth- Jesus Christ.

If you try to hold back the Holy Spirit within you, with the desire of producing more inner spiritual experiences, you will find that He will break the hold and take you again to the historic Christ. Never support an experience which does not have God as its Source and faith in God as its result. If you do, your experience is anti-Christian, no matter what visions or insights you may have had. Is Jesus Christ Lord of your experiences, or do you place your experiences above Him? Is any experience dearer to you than your Lord? You must allow Him to be Lord over you, and pay no attention to any experience over which He is not Lord. Then there will come a time when God will make you impatient with your own experience, and you can truthfully say, "I do not care what I experience- I am sure of Him!"

Be relentless and hard on yourself if you are in the habit of talking about the experiences you have had. Faith based on experience is not faith; faith based on God's revealed truth is the only faith there is.

You Made it This Far!

In the last couple of devotionals, we saw how the devil will attack a new babe in Christ.  Hebrews 10:32 sheds some additional light on what we can expect,

But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings.

When it says, after you were illuminated, it literally means, "After you came to the light."  This verse is talking about when the light of the

Gospel dawned on you, when you were saved.

And what does it say?  You need to recall, to remember, that after you came to Christ, you endured.  You went through some battles.

I think we need to remember that.  In fact, let me just encourage you today.  The fact that you are reading this devotional today says something about you.  Did you know there are a lot of people who were saved at the same time you were, but they are not seeking God today?

You made it through the battle!  You stood fast.  You might feel like you are pretty rickety and ready to keel over, but you are still seeking God!  If the devil could get you, he would have gotten you already.

By God's grace you made it this far.  Now is no time to quit!

Getting Established in the Faith
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Read: Revelation 15
For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. - Psalm 86:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
The escape of Israel from Egypt and Pharaoh featured powerful plagues and miraculous rescues. After the final plague of the death of the firstborn, Pharaoh granted Israel permission to leave. But he quickly changed his mind, sending his army out in pursuit. Trapped between Pharaoh's mighty army and the Red Sea, Israel witnessed a miracle of both salvation and judgment-God parted the Red Sea for them to cross and then closed it over the army of Pharaoh. In response, Moses and Miriam led the people of Israel in an extended hymn of praise (Exodus 15).
Their praise foreshadowed the scene of praise in our passage today. Heaven celebrated the triumph of God, which included His salvation and His judgment.

First, note that God's wrath is sure, and it will also be completed-the angels were tasked with pouring out the seven last plagues (vv. 1, . Wrath is not part of His character; instead, it is His work of judgment because of His holiness. That work will be done one day and His holiness will be satisfied, yet His love will extend forever.

Next, we see how to praise the Lord for His works of salvation and judgment. His deeds are "great and marvelous" and "just and true" (v. 3). Recognizing the works of God enables us to see reality; our understanding of truth and justice should be shaped by the way that God works in the world. When we recognize and praise His work, we are aligning our own character with His.

Finally, when we praise the Lord now we are getting a head start on the eternal praise for the Creator by all of creation. One day "all nations will come and worship" God for His righteous acts (v. 4). Like the Israelites after the crossing of the Red Sea, any time we exalt the Lord for what He is doing in our lives we are anticipating the praise of heaven. In this way, our praise even on earth connects us to the reality of the praise in heaven-our praise is a spiritual act that identifies us with God and His character and His works.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
When we worship God, we are both recognizing what He has done in the past and being shaped to see what He will do in the future. In your time with God today, follow the example of Moses and Miriam and create a song, poem, or letter of praise for God's work of salvation and judgment in your life. Offer this praise as a gift to Him in preparation for this upcoming Christmas celebration as well as preparation for an eternity of praise and worship.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 22, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Drawing of the Father
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him . . . -John 6:44

When God begins to draw me to Himself, the problem of my will comes in immediately. Will I react positively to the truth that God has revealed? Will I come to Him? To discuss or deliberate over spiritual matters when God calls is inappropriate and disrespectful to Him. When God speaks, never discuss it with anyone as if to decide what your response may be (see Galatians 1:15-16). Belief is not the result of an intellectual act, but the result of an act of my will whereby I deliberately commit myself. But will I commit, placing myself completely and absolutely on God, and be willing to act solely on what He says? If I will, I will find that I am grounded on reality as certain as God's throne.

In preaching the gospel, always focus on the matter of the will. Belief must come from the will to believe. There must be a surrender of the will, not a surrender to a persuasive or powerful argument. I must deliberately step out, placing my faith in God and in His truth. And I must place no confidence in my own works, but only in God. Trusting in my own mental understanding becomes a hindrance to complete trust in God. I must be willing to ignore and leave my feelings behind. I must will to believe. But this can never be accomplished without my forceful, determined effort to separate myself from my old ways of looking at things. I must surrender myself completely to God.

Everyone has been created with the ability to reach out beyond his own grasp. But it is God who draws me, and my relationship to Him in the first place is an inner, personal one, not an intellectual one. I come into the relationship through the miracle of God and through my own will to believe. Then I begin to get an intelligent appreciation and understanding of the wonder of the transformation in my life.

Attack at the Point of Spiritual Breakthrough

We have seen in previous devotionals how Satan will attack when a person comes to Christ, when they are a babe in their faith.  I believe Scripture shows us that the devil will also attack when you are on the verge of a breakthrough, or at a time of important transition.  This is the second battle we must fight.

In Matthew 3, we find Jesus at an absolutely critical time of transition in His life.  We have not heard from Him since He was 12 years old.  There has been about 30 quiet, unnoticed years where He presumably was working in His father's carpentry shop. 

That is when we read in Matthew 3:16-4:1,

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.  And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Jesus is about to enter public ministry.  The sick will be healed; the poor will have the gospel preached to them; miracles will be worked; the Father will be revealed.   So from this point, the battle is on.  And we are given a bird's-eye view of the conflict that occurs between Christ and the devil, which we will look at in more detail in the next several devotionals.

But I want to submit something to you today.  If it seems that all hell has broken loose in your life, maybe, just maybe, it's because you are on the verge of a breakthrough in your life.

Maybe it's a time of very important transition where God wants to lift you into a place where there is going to be greater influence and greater impact through your life.
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Read: Revelation 16
Do not take revenge . . . but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay." - Romans 12:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 2005, 19-year-old Ryan Cushing was riding in a car with friends. Just for fun, he threw a frozen turkey out the window, which crashed through the windshield of the car behind him, hitting Victoria Ruvolo in the face and nearly killing her. She suffered severe injuries and required numerous surgeries to repair her shattered face. After the young man pled guilty, Ms. Ruvolo appeared at the courtroom for his sentencing. He broke down in sobs, repeatedly telling her, "I'm so sorry." Amazingly, Ms. Ruvolo embraced him, stroked his head as he wept, and requested that he not receive the penalty of 25 years in prison requested by the prosecutor. Her act of forgiveness touched the entire courtroom, and the judge honored her request and gave the young man a sentence of six months in jail plus probation.
The story of Ms. Ruvolo's forgiveness seems entirely consistent with the exhortation in Romans 12 to abstain from revenge and instead offer our enemies food and drink if they need it (Rom. 12:17-21). How then do we reconcile the command to forgive with the depictions of God's judgment in our reading today? We continue to examine what it means to worship God in response to His works of salvation and judgment. Today's passage describes the bowls of God's wrath being poured out on the unbelievers who had chosen to worship the Beast.

As we saw in Revelation 13, these people had rejected God and insisted on following the evil deception of Satan and the Beast. Even as the plagues intensified, the people refused to worship the true God (v. 9). Unlike righteous Job, they cursed God for their pain and sores and gnawed tongues (vv. 11, 21).

In contrast, the praise of heaven asserted that God is just and true (vv. 5-7). This is why God can exercise His wrath and we should not: His holiness ensures that His wrath is always fully just. He can truly see what men deserve. He has the perspective of eternity. He is God, and we are not. Therefore, the appropriate response to all His works is praise and worship.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God's Word assures that every injustice we suffer is noted by God. While we follow the example of Jesus who extended forgiveness to His enemies, we know that our faithful, true, holy, loving God will respond to measure out justice. In this text, His wrath is directed toward those who have oppressed His "saints and prophets" (v. 6). If you need to forgive someone, know that you have the example of Jesus, the empowering of the Holy Spirit, and the true and just Father.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 23, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Sharing in the Atonement
God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . -Galatians 6:14

The gospel of Jesus Christ always forces a decision of our will. Have I accepted God's verdict on sin as judged on the Cross of Christ? Do I have even the slightest interest in the death of Jesus? Do I want to be identified with His death- to be completely dead to all interest in sin, worldliness, and self? Do I long to be so closely identified with Jesus that I am of no value for anything except Him and His purposes? The great privilege of discipleship is that I can commit myself under the banner of His Cross, and that means death to sin. You must get alone with Jesus and either decide to tell Him that you do not want sin to die out in you, or that at any cost you want to be identified with His death. When you act in confident faith in what our Lord did on the cross, a supernatural identification with His death takes place immediately. And you will come to know through a higher knowledge that your old life was "crucified with Him" (Romans 6:6). The proof that your old life is dead, having been "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20), is the amazing ease with which the life of God in you now enables you to obey the voice of Jesus Christ.

Every once in a while our Lord gives us a glimpse of what we would be like if it were not for Him. This is a confirmation of what He said- ". . . without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). That is why the underlying foundation of Christianity is personal, passionate devotion to the Lord Jesus. We mistake the joy of our first introduction into God's kingdom as His purpose for getting us there. Yet God's purpose in getting us into His kingdom is that we may realize all that identification with Jesus Christ means.

The Devil's Seeds of Doubt

As we saw yesterday, Satan will seek to attack when we are on the verge of a major breakthrough.  I believe there are three distinct areas of attack in this battle.  Today I want to cover the first with you.  It is found in Matthew 4:3-4,

Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."  But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
The devil's first area of attack will be to try to get you to doubt your calling.

Notice that just prior to this encounter the voice of God the Father said to Jesus, "This is My beloved Son!"  And that is the first thing the devil challenges, "Well, if youare the Son of God...." 

He will do the same thing to you.

What is it that God has spoken to you about that He wants you to do with your life?  Has He told you that He wants to use you to funnel vast resources into the gospel?  Or maybe God said you are to be a teacher, or that you are going to impact the entertainment industry, or that you are going to be a prayer warrior and tip the spiritual scales in critical times.

Whatever it is, the devil will saddle up next to you and say, "Who do you think you are?  What God has told you is just a pipe dream.   It's just your own head speaking to you."  He will try and get you to doubt what God has said to you and to doubt what God has called you to do.

When that happens, you need to go back to that word that God has spoken to you in order to keep your focus and direction right. 
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Read: Revelation 17
The Lamb will overcome them . . . and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers. - Revelation 17:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
The apostle John once desired to rule the world with Jesus. He and his brother James asked Christ, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." When Jesus responded by questioning their willingness and ability to withstand the suffering and death required of Him, the two brothers eagerly assured Him, "We can!" Their readiness to rule blinded them to the truth of God's kingdom: "Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all" (Mark 10:35-45).
We might be tempted to read today's passage and think: Finally! Enough of our suffering and calling out for justice-we get to be victorious with Jesus! Like James and John, we look forward to the ruling without accounting for the prerequisites. We think of power and authority in earthly terms instead of heavenly ones. Our text today helps to correct our perspective.

We've already seen God's wrath poured out on the unbelievers who worshiped the Beast. Now for two days we'll see God's judgment on the Beasts introduced in Revelation 13. First, notice that hatred of God and persecution of His people go hand-in-hand. The Beast is covered with blasphemous names; the woman on the Beast "was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus" (vv. 3, 6). Because we identify with God, we will also suffer opposition from the enemies of God, even to the point of death.

Next, we see that the victory of Christ includes the victory of His people. Though all the powers of the world were arrayed against the Lord, "the Lamb will overcome them" (v. 14). Every king was subject to His throne; every idolatrous religious ruler was subject to His Lordship. After the fulfillment of this prophecy, we will share in His triumph at His good pleasure, not because of our own might and strength. He has called us and chosen us. We are to remain faithful. The way to spiritual victory begins with our faithful witness for Christ even during persecution by the world.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
With two days before Christmas, ask the Holy Spirit to examine your heart for any pride or self-satisfaction. Are you willing to follow the example of Jesus, who humbled Himself first as a helpless baby and then sacrificed His life for others? Do you want to be a Christian for any prestige or advantage you might get? Are you impatient for God to elevate you without understanding that you must renounce yourself to follow Christ? If the Spirit convicts your heart, repent and seek to be a servant for the Lord.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

December 24, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Hidden Life
. . . your life is hidden with Christ in God -Colossians 3:3

The Spirit of God testifies to and confirms the simple, but almighty, security of the life that "is hidden with Christ in God." Paul continually brought this out in his New Testament letters. We talk as if living a sanctified life were the most uncertain and insecure thing we could do. Yet it is the most secure thing possible, because it has Almighty God in and behind it. The most dangerous and unsure thing is to try to live without God. For one who is born again, it is easier to live in a right-standing relationship with God than it is to go wrong, provided we heed God's warnings and "walk in the light" (1 John 1:7).

When we think of being delivered from sin, being "filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18), and "walk[ing] in the light," we picture the peak of a great mountain. We see it as very high and wonderful, but we say, "Oh, I could never live up there!" However, when we do get there through God's grace, we find it is not a mountain peak at all, but a plateau with plenty of room to live and to grow. "You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip" (Psalm 18:36).

When you really see Jesus, I defy you to doubt Him. If you see Him when He says, "Let not your heart be troubled . . ." (John 14:27), I defy you to worry. It is virtually impossible to doubt when He is there. Every time you are in personal contact with Jesus, His words are real to you. "My peace I give to you . . ." (John 14:27)- a peace which brings an unconstrained confidence and covers you completely, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. ". . . your life is hidden with Christ in God," and the peace of Jesus Christ that cannot be disturbed has been imparted to you

Where Satan Will Attack Second


Yesterday we saw the first area the devil will attack when you are on the verge of a breakthrough or in a time of important transition. Today, I want to show you the second area, the area of pride.

We pick up the drama of Satan's attack of Christ in Matthew 4:6,

"If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"

I believe the devil was appealing to Jesus' pride at this point. He realized Jesus was solid in His own heart about who He was and what He was to do.

So the devil took Him to the most public of all places, and told Him, "Now, hey, You need to prove this to everybody else. If You cast Yourself down, You will have a soft landing because the angels will catch You, and everyone will know that You're the Son of God."

Pride will cause us to do things recklessly, and Satan was doing all he could to get Jesus to act recklessly. But Jesus answered perfectly, "You shall not tempt the LORD your God."

By the way, the verse Satan quoted to Jesus about the angels catching Him had an ending, which he failed to include. It says, "To keep you in all your ways." The Amplified Bible says, "In all your ways of obedience and service."

In other words, you can't do some reckless thing to prove a point to other people and expect God to save you. Don't let your pride get you out on a limb. Instead, resist Satan's attack in the area of pride. Realize it for what it is; it's his temptation to get you to fall!

If you are secure in who you are, you don't have to prove anything to anyone.
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Read: Revelation 18
Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins. - Revelation 18:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Roman emperors had Christians killed because they would not agree that Caesar was a god. The Nazi government sent to concentration camps those Christians who disobeyed government orders by sheltering Jews. Christians in many countries throughout the centuries have found their access to work permits, voting, or marriage licenses blocked because of their witness for Christ.
In our passage today, we'll see that worship includes our witness for God, which might put us in conflict with the values of the world. We'll also see why our witness and worship is so important, and why earthly persecution is worth enduring for eternal gain.

As we saw yesterday, God's judgment was unfolding against the Beast. In our text today we hear the announcement of Babylon's fall-no matter how great any earthly kingdom or principality claims to be, their existence is subject to the permission of God (v. 2). Notice the descriptions here: rampant adultery and excessive luxury characterized Babylon (v. 3, see Rev. 17:4).

Next comes the clear call for God's people to flee from this city, a call to reject the values that had tempted others into sin (v. 4). The pursuit of wealth had caused Babylon to put all confidence in her own strength and power (v. 7), utterly rejecting God and His people.

Go through the passage and note every reference to luxury and luxury goods. This does not mean that God hates wealth or that the so-called finer things of life are inherently sinful. It does point out, however, that being defined by wealth and material possessions is to be defined against God (see 1 Tim. 6:10). The pursuit of riches leads to a spiritual arrogance, a readiness to worship the false idols of Self and Stuff. God's people are called to reject this value system. We are instructed to renounce the indulgence in sexual sins and greed, for these sins will be punished.

Babylon did not treat God's "saints and apostles and prophets" well (v. 20). Still, while the world rewards our witness with persecution, God restores us with His protection.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's the last shopping day before Christmas! Stores are jam-packed with last-minute shoppers, and children (as well as adults!) can't wait to open their presents. Especially at this time of year, our culture wants to turn Christmas into a celebration of greed, luxury, and materialism. These false idols threaten to distract us from worship. Pray about how you and your loved ones can be a witness for Christ this season, choosing His values instead of the world's.


December 25, 2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

His Birth and Our New Birth
'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us' -Matthew 1:23

His Birth in History. ". . . that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Jesus Christ was born into this world, not from it. He did not emerge out of history; He came into history from the outside. Jesus Christ is not the best human being the human race can boast of- He is a Being for whom the human race can take no credit at all. He is not man becoming God, but God Incarnate- God coming into human flesh from outside it. His life is the highest and the holiest entering through the most humble of doors. Our Lord's birth was an advent- the appearance of God in human form.

His Birth in Me. "My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you . . ." (Galatians 4:19). Just as our Lord came into human history from outside it, He must also come into me from outside. Have I allowed my personal human life to become a "Bethlehem" for the Son of God? I cannot enter the realm of the kingdom of God unless I am born again from above by a birth totally unlike physical birth. "You must be born again" (John 3:7). This is not a command, but a fact based on the authority of God. The evidence of the new birth is that I yield myself so completely to God that "Christ is formed" in me. And once "Christ is formed" in me, His nature immediately begins to work through me.

God Evident in the Flesh. This is what is made so profoundly possible for you and for me through the redemption of man by Jesus Christ.

Compromise

Today, I want to highlight for you the third area where the devil will seek to cause you to fail when you are on the verge of a breakthrough. It is found in Matthew 4:8-11,

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

If you think about it, the devil offered Jesus exactly what He had come to this world to obtain. Jesus came to win the kingdoms of this world to our God.

And the devil is saying, "Hey, You can take a shortcut. I will give You what You want. You don't have to do it God's way. You may have to compromise Your integrity, but think of how quickly You will succeed! You can even avoid the whole sacrifice thing! You don't have to do it God's way."

Listen, anytime God has set a goal for you, and you are going to obtain something, the devil will always come and try to get you to compromise and offer you substitutes.

He will tempt you by saying things like, "You can get what you want without living by all those narrow, restrictive rules that God puts on people's lives. You can be dishonest; you can be unfaithful; you can compromise; and you can still be blessed, and you can still be happy."

Do not believe him for a moment. His way of compromise leads only to ruin!
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Read: Revelation 18
Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins. - Revelation 18:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Roman emperors had Christians killed because they would not agree that Caesar was a god. The Nazi government sent to concentration camps those Christians who disobeyed government orders by sheltering Jews. Christians in many countries throughout the centuries have found their access to work permits, voting, or marriage licenses blocked because of their witness for Christ.
In our passage today, we'll see that worship includes our witness for God, which might put us in conflict with the values of the world. We'll also see why our witness and worship is so important, and why earthly persecution is worth enduring for eternal gain.

As we saw yesterday, God's judgment was unfolding against the Beast. In our text today we hear the announcement of Babylon's fall-no matter how great any earthly kingdom or principality claims to be, their existence is subject to the permission of God (v. 2). Notice the descriptions here: rampant adultery and excessive luxury characterized Babylon (v. 3, see Rev. 17:4).

Next comes the clear call for God's people to flee from this city, a call to reject the values that had tempted others into sin (v. 4). The pursuit of wealth had caused Babylon to put all confidence in her own strength and power (v. 7), utterly rejecting God and His people.

Go through the passage and note every reference to luxury and luxury goods. This does not mean that God hates wealth or that the so-called finer things of life are inherently sinful. It does point out, however, that being defined by wealth and material possessions is to be defined against God (see 1 Tim. 6:10). The pursuit of riches leads to a spiritual arrogance, a readiness to worship the false idols of Self and Stuff. God's people are called to reject this value system. We are instructed to renounce the indulgence in sexual sins and greed, for these sins will be punished.

Babylon did not treat God's "saints and apostles and prophets" well (v. 20). Still, while the world rewards our witness with persecution, God restores us with His protection.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's the last shopping day before Christmas! Stores are jam-packed with last-minute shoppers, and children (as well as adults!) can't wait to open their presents. Especially at this time of year, our culture wants to turn Christmas into a celebration of greed, luxury, and materialism. These false idols threaten to distract us from worship. Pray about how you and your loved ones can be a witness for Christ this season, choosing His values instead of the world's.


GOD BLESS!