Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

January 26, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Do not worry about your life . . . -Matthew 6:25

A warning which needs to be repeated is that "the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches," and the lust for other things, will choke out the life of God in us (Matthew 13:22). We are never free from the recurring waves of this invasion. If the frontline of attack is not about clothes and food, it may be about money or the lack of money; or friends or lack of friends; or the line may be drawn over difficult circumstances. It is one steady invasion, and these things will come in like a flood, unless we allow the Spirit of God to raise up the banner against it.

"I say to you, do not worry about your life . . . ." Our Lord says to be careful only about one thing-our relationship to Him. But our common sense shouts loudly and says, "That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, and I must consider what I am going to eat and drink." Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing yourself to think that He says this while not understanding your circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things to the point where they become the primary concern of our life. Whenever there are competing concerns in your life, be sure you always put your relationship to God first.

"Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:34). How much trouble has begun to threaten you today? What kind of mean little demons have been looking into your life and saying, "What are your plans for next month- or next summer?" Jesus tells us not to worry about any of these things. Look again and think. Keep your mind on the "much more" of your heavenly Father (Matthew 6:30). 
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Builder and Protector

Psalm 127:1-2 says,

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.

If ever I am tempted to worry about the Church, I remember that it is His house and ultimately only He can build it. My efforts, by themselves, are in vain.

He is not only the builder of the Church, He is the protector of it as well. These truths take a lot of weight off of my shoulders and help me sleep well at night. And I believe that is the way God wants it.

Too many of God's children sit up late, worrying and eating the bread of sorrows. Whether you are a pastor or a business owner or a stay-at-home mom, learn the secret of casting your cares on God.

He is the builder and protector of your life, and He knows the battles you face. Trust Him today and sleep well tonight!

These verses have been favorites of mine for a long time.
Read: Matthew 6:1-4

Be careful not to do your "acts of righteousness" before men, to be seen by them. - Matthew 6:1

TODAY IN THE WORD
In the early days of the church, Barnabas sold some land and gave the money to the Apostles to be used in meeting the needs of fellow believers. It seems that he was much admired for this, so much so that Ananias and Sapphira were moved to do the same-sort of. They also sold some land and brought a sum of money to the Apostles. So far so good, but when they said they were donating the entire purchase price, they were not telling the truth. Peter knew it. "You have not lied to men but to God," he told them, and the Lord judged this proud and hypocritical couple with death (Acts 4:36-5:11). Some organizations will put up with anything as long as donors send in the money. To the Lord, however, the state of the heart is far more important than the size of the gift. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught the need to give our offerings in humility. The larger principle is that the motivation for good works should not be the admiration of others, but pleasing the Lord (v. 1). As Jesus' listeners knew, the Pharisees paraded their "righteousness" in front of human eyes in order to impress others and assert their authority. Unfortunately for them and for anyone who does likewise, human praise is all the reward such people get. God-honoring good works, however, receive rewards from Him (1 Cor. 3:12-14).

Jesus illustrated first with the specific example of giving (vv. 2-4). The wrong way to give is to make sure everyone sees how much you deposit into the offering plate. This kind of giving is really a worship of self, and it indicates not generosity but hypocrisy. Such givers aim for honor from others-that's what they get, and that's all they get.

The right way to give is "in secret," signifying discreetness and humility. This means that we are content if no one else knows the amount that we give or if we don't receive any recognition from others. This indicates a heart of true generosity and worship. Since God knows all thoughts, motives, and actions, He is able to judge perfectly each gift that is offered, and He will reward each person as He sees fit (Col. 3:23-24).

APPLY THE WORD
In some churches, unfortunately, money means power. Big donors may receive special attention and privileges. Those who give more might have more access to the pastor or more influence in shaping decisions. Favoritism for the rich is standard practice in secular fundraising, where all that matters is the amount of money, but as followers of Christ we cannot afford to follow this example. Whether wealthy or not, Christians should be motivated to give to honor the Lord.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

January 28, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

How Could Someone So Persecute Jesus!

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? -Acts 26:14

Are you determined to have your own way in living for God? We will never be free from this trap until we are brought into the experience of the baptism of "the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11). Stubbornness and self-will will always stab Jesus Christ. It may hurt no one else, but it wounds His Spirit. Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set on our own ambitions, we are hurting Jesus. Every time we stand on our own rights and insist that this is what we intend to do, we are persecuting Him. Whenever we rely on self-respect, we systematically disturb and grieve His Spirit. And when we finally understand that it is Jesus we have been persecuting all this time, it is the most crushing revelation ever.

Is the Word of God tremendously penetrating and sharp in me as I hand it on to you, or does my life betray the things I profess to teach? I may teach sanctification and yet exhibit the spirit of Satan, the very spirit that persecutes Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Jesus is conscious of only one thing- a perfect oneness with the Father. And He tells us, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29). All I do should be based on a perfect oneness with Him, not on a self-willed determination to be godly. This will mean that others may use me, go around me, or completely ignore me, but if I will submit to it for His sake, I will prevent Jesus Christ from being persecuted.
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God Can Build The Family

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Trust Him to build and protect your family. Do your part, but look to Him for guidance and strength. And trust Him to do what you cannot do.

He can cause your "arrows" to be effective against the enemy instead of wounding your own heart.

May you be happy with your quiver of "arrows," and may God be glorified in your family.

If you have sat up late, worrying about your children or your family, you need to know that God can turn things around. The Hebrew word for house in verse one can actually be translated family. That is one reason why the next few verses (3-5) read like this, Earlier we have looked atPsalm 127:1-2 which says,

Read: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

They gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. - 2 Corinthians 8:3

TODAY IN THE WORD
Giving was often a public matter in ancient Israel. People would deposit their gifts into a treasury box in the temple. One day, Jesus and His disciples sat and watched. Those with sizeable gifts made a big show of throwing in large amounts of money. Others dropped in their gifts more quietly. But one particular woman drew Jesus' attention-a poor widow who put in two small coins. He held her up as an example of faith and sacrificial generosity: "They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-all she had to live on" (Mark 12:41-44). The Macedonians also excelled in the grace of sacrificial giving. Paul brought them to the attention of the Corinthians as an encouraging (and convicting) example. The Macedonians' "rich generosity" was proof of God's grace at work in their church, even in the midst of dire poverty and harsh trials (vv. 1-2). Despite the circumstances, God's grace led to their "overflowing joy," which in turn bubbled up into sacrificial giving.

"Sacrificial" means that they gave beyond any reasonable estimate of their ability to do so (vv. 3-4). Furthermore, they gave on their own initiative, with no external pressure from Paul or anyone else. Usually any urgent pleading comes from the people in need, but in this case it was the Macedonians requesting to share from their meager resources with their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem.

The Corinthians would do well to follow this example (vv. 6-8). Paul wrote that Titus, probably the bearer of this epistle, was entrusted with the task of completing the collection in Corinth for the same purpose. That is, the Corinthian church was also being called upon to give toward meeting the needs of poor believers in Jerusalem. They, too, should seek to "excel in this grace of giving." Paul didn't issue a command, but he was bold and forthright in saying that he regarded this offering as a test of the sincerity of their love. If they needed additional motivation, they need look no further than God's grace in Christ (v. 9).

APPLY THE WORD
The metaphor in verse 9 is exquisite and meaningful. What does it mean to say that Jesus went from riches to poverty so that we could go from poverty to riches? Jesus' movement from riches to poverty is a way of describing the Incarnation. Laying aside the glories of heaven to walk as a man on earth shows incredible love. Our movement from poverty to riches is a way of describing redemption. The gospel accomplished in Christ takes us from condemnation and death to salvation and life. 

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

January 31, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Do You See Your Calling?

. . . separated to the gospel of God. . . -Romans 1:1

Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell- it is redemption. The need to perceive this is the most vital need of the Christian worker today. As workers, we have to get used to the revelation that redemption is the only reality. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes.

Paul did not say that he separated himself, but "when it pleased God, who separated me . . ." (Galatians 1:15). Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption. Christian workers fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire to know God. "Don't ask me to be confronted with the strong reality of redemption on behalf of the filth of human life surrounding me today; what I want is anything God can do for me to make me more desirable in my own eyes." To talk that way is a sign that the reality of the gospel of God has not begun to touch me. There is no reckless abandon to God in that. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character. Paul was not conscious of himself. He was recklessly abandoned, totally surrendered, and separated by God for one purpose- to proclaim the gospel of God (see Romans 9:3).
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Guarding Your Ways

In Psalm 39:1, we are given an important warning,

I said, "I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me."

The psalmist is drawing our attention to something that has been repeated again and again, a response that has been so often repeated that it has become engrained in our behavior-a habit.

You have probably heard the saying, "He's set in his ways," meaning it is not likely you are going to change the way a person acts in certain instances. The "ways" are habits, attitudes, and responses that aren't likely to change without a very powerful motivation or without some sort of an encounter with God.

I think virtually every habit we have initially began with a thought. Sow a thought; reap an action. Sow an action; reap a habit. Sow a habit; reap a character. Sow a character; reap a destiny. It all goes back to a thought that perhaps should have been dealt with, but wasn't.

Take some time today to consider your thoughts. Are you giving way to thoughts that will lead to ungodly habits? If so, give those thoughts to God and ask Him to help you think the thoughts that will lead to godly habits.

The Hebrew word translated "ways" in this passage literally means a well-trodden path. It paints the picture of a pathway that has been walked down so many times that a groove has been worn in that path.
Read: Matthew 13:44-46

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! - 2 Corinthians 9:15

TODAY IN THE WORD
Jesus' story about a treasure in a field in today's reading is not imaginative fiction. In the past, people really did bury treasures in hiding places like this. There were, after all, no bank vaults until recently! In the summer of 2009, an amateur treasure hunter found one such hiding place. Using a metal detector in a farmer's field in central England, Terry Herbert "discovered the largest Anglo-Saxon hoard of gold artifacts ever found in Britain." Due to their historical and archaeological value, the more than 1,500 gold and silver items he found, which date from the seventh century, are the property of the state and were put on temporary display at Birmingham Museum. Herbert and the landowner, however, did share in their value, which runs into the millions of dollars. Imagine how you would feel if you had just discovered such a treasure! That's the feeling Jesus conveyed through the two brief parables of the treasure hidden in a field and the pearl of great price. Both are similes for the "kingdom of heaven," and the point of both comparisons is its incalculable value and present hiddenness. As with Jesus Himself, whose deity was clear only to those with eyes to see, His kingdom is here but presently hidden from those who can't or won't see it.

For us, the application is that we must value Christ and His kingdom above all, which means we must sacrifice everything for its sake. Our discipleship, our commitment to following Jesus, must be complete in every area. We can hold nothing back, because that would imply that something else is of greater value. Since that's false, we must pursue what is supremely valuable with every ounce of time, energy, money, and other resources that we have.

Elsewhere, Jesus put the cost of discipleship in equally strong terms. It's like carrying a cross to an execution; like an intense, long-term construction or military project; like dying; or like being reborn (Luke 14:26-32; John 3:3-8; 12:24-25). Wholeheartedness with our financial resources is an important dimension of this kind of discipleship.

APPLY THE WORD
What part does handling money play in your own discipleship? Would your checkbook ledger testify to wholehearted stewardship and generosity in your pursuit of the kingdom of heaven? Whether God has put one, three, or five, "talents" into your keeping, His greatest wish is that you would multiply these resources for eternal purposes. He longs to welcome you one day with the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant! . . . Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matt. 25:21).

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 01, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Call of God


Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel . . . -1 Corinthians 1:17

Paul states here that the call of God is to preach the gospel. But remember what Paul means by "the gospel," namely, the reality of redemption in our Lord Jesus Christ. We are inclined to make sanctification the goal of our preaching. Paul refers to personal experiences only by way of illustration, never as the end of the matter. We are not commissioned to preach salvation or sanctification- we are commissioned to lift up Jesus Christ (see John 12:32). It is an injustice to say that Jesus Christ labored in redemption to make me a saint. Jesus Christ labored in redemption to redeem the whole world and to place it perfectly whole and restored before the throne of God. The fact that we can experience redemption illustrates the power of its reality, but that experience is a byproduct and not the goal of redemption. If God were human, how sick and tired He would be of the constant requests we make for our salvation and for our sanctification. We burden His energies from morning till night asking for things for ourselves or for something from which we want to be delivered! When we finally touch the underlying foundation of the reality of the gospel of God, we will never bother Him anymore with little personal complaints.

The one passion of Paul's life was to proclaim the gospel of God. He welcomed heartbreak, disillusionment, and tribulation for only one reason- these things kept him unmovable in his devotion to the gospel of God.
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What's Your Measure?

"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

But notice that He also added this, "The same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." If you take a serving spoon, and that is what you measure out your giving with, you will get an overflowing serving spoon. It comes back to you good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing from a serving spoon.

The measure you use is what is measured back to you. If you use a shovel, and that is what you measure it out with, that is how it comes back to you.

Wouldn't you rather have a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over shovel as opposed to a serving spoon? The measure you use, Jesus said, that is what is used to measure back to you.

I believe many people are using a teaspoon and yet they are praying, "God bless me. I have big needs." I am sure God is saying, "I'm doing all I can. You know, I'm pressing it down as much as I can press it down. It is running over. But a running over teaspoon is just not that much."

Are you using a teaspoon or a shovel? Whatever you use is what comes back multiplied, but it is only according to the measure you use.

That is a promise of Jesus that you can stake your life on. Give, and what happens? It will be given to you good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?! In Luke 6:38, Jesus said these words,
Read: Hebrews 1:1-3

It is finished. - John 19:30

TODAY IN THE WORD
This world has no shortage of discouragement. People all around us insist there is no God or that belief in Jesus Christ is foolishness. Those who stand against us mock us. Sometimes the people we love most break our hearts. Other times life just doesn't go our way. Because of those disappointments and more, every believer at one time or another has felt the temptation to give up.
The book of Hebrews is the perfect remedy for the person on the verge of losing the will to carry on in the faith. Not only does Hebrews show the superiority and sovereignty of Jesus Christ, it also invites us into the finality of His salvation: His perfect, eternal rest.

Our opening passage in the study introduces several themes that recur throughout the book. First of all, Jesus, the Son of God, is the flawless communication of the identity of God. The concept of a visible earthly person or object representing a heavenly reality plays heavily throughout Hebrews, and Christ is a special example far greater than any other. Secondly, the dual concepts of creation (or birth) and inheritance (which is related to death) frequently arise in the discussion. Jesus is both Creator of all and Inheritor of all.

All of those themes converge into the overarching reality of God's perfect rest. It is perfect because it is not merely a break from activity or suffering but rather a final stage of existence. The Son of God sat down, a position of rest, and one of honor and sovereignty as well! Jesus completed the work to save us and, unlike the examples from the Old Testament we'll see over the next several days, Jesus' journey into a glorious place of rest is final! And it is for us to share.

But the path Jesus traveled to arrive there should clue us in to the nature of our journey as His followers. When He "provided purification," He did it on the cross. To follow Jesus into the salvation of His holy rest is not a sweet and gentle Sunday afternoon stroll. We are compelled to suffer, to strive, and to serve Him until the day we can meet Him in person.
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APPLY THE WORD
Do not be discouraged. If life is hard, if it is painful, if it is more than you can bear, these are not signs that you are out of God's favor. Those are reasons to pursue His holy rest. Unlike that feeling of fleeting relief when the work week is over and the weekend begins, the rest of Jesus Christ that awaits us as believers is permanent and eternal and glorious. Let your faith be so steadfast as well. Praise God for this assurance through His Word, His Son!

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 02, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 



The Compelling Force of the Call


Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! -1 Corinthians 9:16

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


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

Any time I give, I expect a blessing to return. It is a law that we find in Scripture. It is a promise of Jesus.

But you know what? That is not my main motivation for giving. And that should not be our heart for giving. Jesus says in Luke 6:32-38,

"But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you."

He makes it clear that if you do those things for the right motivation, it will come back to you. Your reward will be great.

Do not give with the motivation of just getting something back. Non-Christians have that motivation! How does that set you apart from them? Give out of a higher motivation.

What is the heart of this whole thing? Jesus said, "Don't love just to get love back; don't do good just so that good might be done back to you; don't lend just hoping to get something back."
Read: Hebrews 1:4-9
Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me. - Hebrews 2:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
Author Elizabeth Stone said that the decision to have a child "is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." Indeed, the connection between a parent and a child is unlike any other, marked by love, likeness, and oneness. Although the divine relationship is undoubtedly unique, any parent (or child for that matter) can understand some facet of the special loving relationship between God the Father and Jesus the Son, especially the joy surrounding Jesus' birth.
In yesterday's passage, the author of Hebrews wrote that God spoke through Jesus. Lest we make the mistake of equating Him with any of God's other messengers, the writer emphasized Christ's superiority over angels. He is not merely God's messenger or God's servant-He is God's Son, a far more important and glorious name (v. 4)!

The Old Testament passages quoted here carry more significance than simply denoting the Father/Son relationship. The first, from Psalm 2:7, emphasizes that Jesus was literally, physically born as the human offspring of God (the words translated "I have become your father" in the NIV could also be expressed as "I have begotten you"). The second verse hearkens back to 2 Samuel 7, when the prophet Nathan told David that his royal offspring would rule the kingdom of his descendants in eternal peace and glory. This passage connoted royalty.

Angels, on the other hand, are subject to the authority of the Son of God. They worship and serve Him. Comparing them to fire showed the temporary nature of their service. That isn't to say that the existence of angels will be extinguished, merely that their divinely appointed roles are limited in scope and duration. Not so with Jesus.

Again we're reminded that Jesus' reign is eternal, righteous, and anointed above all creation. Tomorrow, we'll examine the contrast between Christ's rule and angels' ministry further, but today let us celebrate the unique relationship of the Father and His only begotten Son. God loves Him as His own and bestows upon Him His entire kingdom-what's more, we share in both blessings!



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APPLY THE WORD
Whether it's continually at the front of your mind or you have lost sight of the reality, today is a perfect opportunity to remind yourself that you are a child of God. While you were not born under the same miraculous circumstances as Jesus, you were born again in the power of His Spirit! Is there any struggle or setback that could outweigh the joy of knowing that God loves you with an undying love? Let that motivate you to live for Him in obedience.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 03, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 


Becoming the "Filth of the World"
 

We have been made as the filth of the world . . . -1 Corinthians 4:13

These words are not an exaggeration. The only reason they may not be true of us who call ourselves ministers of the gospel is not that Paul forgot or misunderstood the exact truth of them, but that we are too cautious and concerned about our own desires to allow ourselves to become the refuse or "filth of the world." "Fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . ." (Colossians 1:24) is not the result of the holiness of sanctification, but the evidence of consecration-being "separated to the gospel of God . . ." (Romans 1:1).

"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you . . ." (1 Peter 4:12). If we do think the things we encounter are strange, it is because we are fearful and cowardly. We pay such close attention to our own interests and desires that we stay out of the mire and say, "I won't submit; I won't bow or bend." And you don't have to- you can be saved by the "skin of your teeth" if you like. You can refuse to let God count you as one who is "separated to the gospel . . . ." Or you can say, "I don't care if I am treated like 'the filth of the world' as long as the gospel is proclaimed." A true servant of Jesus Christ is one who is willing to experience martyrdom for the reality of the gospel of God. When a moral person is confronted with contempt, immorality, disloyalty, or dishonesty, he is so repulsed by the offense that he turns away and in despair closes his heart to the offender. But the miracle of the redemptive reality of God is that the worst and the vilest offender can never exhaust the depths of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but "to reveal His Son in me. . ." (Galatians 1:16).

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The Right Motivation

In yesterday's devotional, we saw how we should not give just to get. That should not be our sole motivation. So the question is, "What is the right motivation?"

All we need to do is look at what motivated God to give. It is found in John 3:16,

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

You should give out of love and devotion for God. Give because you do not want people to go into an eternity without God, because you love humanity, because you have mercy and compassion for broken, dying people.

That is the right motivation for giving. When you give with that motivation, your reward will be great. God will see that it comes back to you multiplied.

That is a far cry from what many emphasize when it comes to giving today. It appears to me that a lot of people, when they teach on giving, are just pushing people's greed buttons. It seems that the main motivation that some leaders are teaching for people to give is, "Hey, give because God will bless you." And there is no doubt that God blesses those who give. The scriptural promises are clear.

But what about the weightier matters? Remember how Jesus rebuked the Jewish leadership in Matthew 23:23 because they, "Neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith"?

God looks at the heart. Our hearts ought to be like that of our heavenly Father, who is merciful, kind, loving, and generous, even to the most thankless and evil among us. That is the right motivation.

God so loved that He gave. And, yes, God certainly did reap a harvest when He gave His Son. He reaped a harvest of sons and daughters.

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Read: Hebrews 1:10-14
In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth. - Hebrews 1:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
No one can say for sure what the last song performed by Wallace Hartley's band really was, but popular legend suggested it was "Nearer, My God, to Thee." The only witnesses close enough to hear his closing number perished aboard the RMS Titanic as it plunged to its frigid doom. The name of the tune was in question, but-despite the fact that some people have mocked the band for stubbornly refusing to flee-the nobility of the musicians is not. They performed their duties to the very end for the benefit of the evacuating passengers, despite the knowledge that their whole world was sinking.
A crucial point of today's passage reminds us that this earth, like that ill-fated ship, won't last forever. Our Lord, however, most certainly will. How can we be so sure He'll outlast this world? Because He created it.

Just as the world considered the Titanic to be unsinkable for the size implied by its name, the vastness of our world and the great expanse of space can lead us to forget that it is as insignificant as specks of dust compared to our infinite God. Jesus has the power to change it all, and yet He cannot be changed!

Jesus is superior in substance, in nature, and in power. The comparison to angels continues in verse 13, where we see that they do not measure up to the authority and power of the Son of God. Unlike the angels, who are subject to His authority, Jesus has been decreed to rule over even His enemies. There is no one and nothing above Him or equal to Him.

The passage concludes with an interesting note about the roles of angels, though. Not only do they serve Christ, the author of our salvation, but they also serve the inheritors of that salvation (v. 14). They are spirits that minister to us. What's more, the author referred to salvation in the future tense. Earlier, he spoke of Christ's saving work as complete, but here he alluded to that aspect of salvation to which his audience still looked forward.

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APPLY THE WORD
The security of the believer is a subject that arises several times in Hebrews, and today's reading offers just a taste of it. For now, let's direct our thoughts to the one on whose righteousness we depend completely: Jesus Christ. He died so that we could have life. We should spend our lives advancing toward the rest He secured for us. And we have ministering angels to assist us in this pursuit! Spend time in prayer today with the assurance that God loves and provides for you.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 04, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Compelling Majesty of His Power

The love of Christ compels us . . . -2 Corinthians 5:14


Paul said that he was overpowered, subdued, and held as in a vise by "the love of Christ." Very few of us really know what it means to be held in the grip of the love of God. We tend so often to be controlled simply by our own experience. The one thing that gripped and held Paul, to the exclusion of everything else, was the love of God. "The love of Christ compels us . . . ." When you hear that coming from the life of a man or woman it is unmistakable. You will know that the Spirit of God is completely unhindered in that person's life.


When we are born again by the Spirit of God, our testimony is based solely on what God has done for us, and rightly so. But that will change and be removed forever once you "receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you . . ." (Acts 1:. Only then will you begin to realize what Jesus meant when He went on to say, ". . . you shall be witnesses to Me . . . ." Not witnesses to what Jesus can do- that is basic and understood- but "witnesses to Me . . . ." We will accept everything that happens as if it were happening to Him, whether we receive praise or blame, persecution or reward. No one is able to take this stand for Jesus Christ who is not totally compelled by the majesty of His power. It is the only thing that matters, and yet it is strange that it's the last thing we as Christian workers realize. Paul said that he was gripped by the love of God and that is why he acted as he did. People could perceive him as mad or sane-he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for- to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of "the love of Christ." This total surrender to "the love of Christ" is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. And it will always leave the mark of God's holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness.

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Where's Your Heart?

I want to have you read and think about Mark 12:41-44 today,

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

Notice He calls His disciples over and says, "This poor widow has put in more than everyone else." Why? Because He wanted them to understand that God measures your gift based on what you have.

Some people could give $1,000, and there is really no sacrifice at all. It never touches their life, never causes any kind of change of priorities. While for other people, $10 or $15 is a great sacrifice.

I believe some of the rich people Jesus points to in this passage were giving out of their abundance, but from heaven's viewpoint, they were putting it in with a teaspoon. But this little widow, who put in less than a penny, walked up with a shovelful-everything she had. It got heaven's attention.

Where is your heart when it comes to giving?

That is quite a picture, isn't it? Jesus sitting opposite the treasury, watching what people put in and how they put it in. I believe Jesus still watches during offering time. He watches how we give, what we give, and why we give. He said, "Where your treasure is, that is where your heart is also."

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Read: Hebrews 2:1-10
How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? - Hebrews 2:3

TODAY IN THE WORD
Any baseball player would be honored to have his career compared to Babe Ruth's. The same is true for basketball players and Michael Jordan. A filmmaker would rejoice to have a critic mention her film in the same breath as Citizen Kane, as would any painter whose masterpiece was likened to the Mona Lisa. To be compared to those great people and works would be considered high praise in itself.
In our readings so far, the writer of Hebrews proved Jesus was superior to angels and to the prophets-but that is by no means an insult to those esteemed messengers of God. On the contrary, Jesus' superiority has special significance because the prophets and angels spoke the very Word of God! Theirs is no small message, and ignoring it would be no small mistake.

This is the first of what are often considered five parenthetical warnings in the book of Hebrews; however, in our study this month these warnings are anything but a side note. We'll view them more like the main points of application as we absorb the truth about Christ. The messages delivered in the past by angels and through prophets had been verified by deliverance or by judgment. So it stands to reason that the message of salvation announced by Jesus would also come to fruition with even more profound and long-lasting results. Hebrews then urges believers to hold true to the faith and enter His rest willfully and boldly instead of lazily or passively.

The author of Hebrews punctuated the message of Christ's superiority with a mark of irony. Mankind surrendered their position of authority over all creation because of sin (cf. Psalm . Jesus reclaimed it for Himself by taking up a place of humility, sacrifice, and death. And so He became the perfect pioneer of our salvation. Not only does that assure us of the salvation waiting for us, it foreshadows the nature of our path into His rest. We shouldn't be surprised when the road is difficult; we shouldn't be shocked when pursuing shortsighted, selfish, and temporary goals fails to satisfy us.



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APPLY THE WORD
Jesus was crowned with glory and honor by suffering and submitting to the will of the Father. We may not be able to repeat Christ's level of courage, wisdom, and perfection, but we can model our lives after it. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to put His will and others' needs before your own desires. When service and submission become your focus, notice how rarely you become disappointed or ungrateful. Save the honor, glory, and rest for eternity instead of seeking it now.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 05, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Are You Ready To Be Poured Out As an Offering? (1)

If I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all-Philippians 2:17

Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the work of another believer-to pour out your life sacrificially for the ministry and faith of others? Or do you say, "I am not willing to be poured out right now, and I don't want God to tell me how to serve Him. I want to choose the place of my own sacrifice. And I want to have certain people watching me and saying, 'Well done.' "

It is one thing to follow God's way of service if you are regarded as a hero, but quite another thing if the road marked out for you by God requires becoming a "doormat" under other people's feet. God's purpose may be to teach you to say, "I know how to be abased . . ." (Philippians 4:12). Are you ready to be sacrificed like that? Are you ready to be less than a mere drop in the bucket-to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers you even if they think of those you served? Are you willing to give and be poured out until you are used up and exhausted-not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister? Some saints cannot do menial work while maintaining a saintly attitude, because they feel such service is beneath their dignity.
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Rich or Poor

It is interesting that Jesus, in our devotional yesterday, did not try to keep the widow from giving all she had. It is especially interesting considering what He said a little earlier in Mark 12:38-40,

Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

Yet, right on the heels of saying that, this widow gave all she had, which means she probably didn't even have anything left to buy food for a meal that night. With her gift of less than one penny, she had nothing left. And yet, Jesus said she gave more than everybody else.

Jesus did not give the slightest indication that she shouldn't have given an offering. He didn't run after her and say, "Now wait a minute, Ma'am! You shouldn't be doing this. You're a widow. God doesn't want this." On the contrary, it seems that He commended her for it, even calling her gift to the attention of the disciples.

Why do you suppose this lady would have given like that-all she had? I reckon because of her love for God and her love for the work of God.

Which is what Jesus looks for when we give, whether we are rich or poor.

You can hear the protection of God for widows in the voice of Jesus. You can hear His concern, and you can hear the judgment of God on those who manipulate, abuse, and take advantage of defenseless people and widows.

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Read: Hebrews 2:11-18
Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. - Hebrews 2:11

TODAY IN THE WORD
For a leader of great renown, siblings and family members of ill repute can cause massive political headaches. Be it a wayward member of a royal family or a renegade sibling of a presidential candidate-or even past associates who stir up controversy-public figures often find their image at the mercy of their family tree. Their advisers often do all they can to keep family embarrassments out of the public eye.
But Jesus isn't ashamed to call believers His family, despite our more than checkered past. The first reason listed here in today's reading is that He delivers us from our sinful history, atoning for our sins (v. 17) and making us holy (v. 11). And He doesn't just rescue us from what we have done-He saves us from the punishment we deserve.

Because of His deliverance, we are freed from the fear of death. Jesus (John 8:34) and Paul (Rom. 6:6) both taught that we were slaves to sin. The writer of Hebrews, however, identifies a different nuance of that slavery: being slaves to fear, specifically the fear of death, is a result of sin. Jesus took on that penalty and destroyed it (v. 14). Interestingly, though, He didn't do it from on high as a distant king eradicating a threat to his lowly subjects. Jesus recorded that victory as one of us.

That is a crucial distinction for those of us who are still living in a world dominated by sin. He didn't just defeat the power of sin from afar. Jesus suffered the temptations afflicting us. And He died to conquer the power behind them. Here we find the image of Jesus as our high priest who can relate to our weaknesses yet also live up to God's requirements of righteousness (v. 17). The power of sin that tempts us to betray the Word of God? Jesus has faced and resisted it. The death we deserve for falling short of God's glory? Jesus took it upon Himself, and He has been raised from it. The fears that would cause us to lose hope? Christ has, by His example, proven them unwarranted.

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APPLY THE WORD
We are spiritual descendants of Abraham because of our faith in Jesus, who became his physical descendant. He makes us holy, and He makes us His family. Paul wrote that he was not ashamed of the gospel; amazingly, the Author of the gospel is also not ashamed of us. Take that as motivation to honor the family name of Christ in your behavior today. Be His child, publicly and without apology, and let everyone see your faith, hope, and love on full display.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 07, 2011

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

Spiritual Dejection

 
We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened -Luke 24:21

Every fact that the disciples stated was right, but the conclusions they drew from those facts were wrong. Anything that has even a hint of dejection spiritually is always wrong. If I am depressed or burdened, I am to blame, not God or anyone else. Dejection stems from one of two sources- I have either satisfied a lust or I have not had it satisfied. In either case, dejection is the result. Lust means "I must have it at once." Spiritual lust causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God Himself who gives the answer. What have I been hoping or trusting God would do? Is today "the third day" and He has still not done what I expected? Am I therefore justified in being dejected and in blaming God? Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer. It is impossible to be well physically and to be dejected, because dejection is a sign of sickness. This is also true spiritually. Dejection spiritually is wrong, and we are always to blame for it.

We look for visions from heaven and for earth-shaking events to see God's power. Even the fact that we are dejected is proof that we do this. Yet we never realize that all the time God is at work in our everyday events and in the people around us. If we will only obey, and do the task that He has placed closest to us, we will see Him. One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that it is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ.

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The Right Word at the Right Time

Proverbs 15:23 contains a powerful truth,

A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!

It is critical for words of encouragement, words of comfort, words of counsel, words of wisdom, and even words of correction to be spoken in due season. Timing is just as important as content.

I read once about a lady who invited family and friends over for Thanksgiving dinner. When they received the invitation, they let her know that they were going to come. In fact, they were looking forward to the day.

She really put on quite a spread. She baked pies and bread; she cooked a turkey with all of the trimmings-an incredible meal. When the time came for her guests to arrive, she lit candles and put the finishing touches on decorating the house.

The only problem was, no one showed up.

Then she remembered the calendar she had picked up from a local business. On that calendar it said that Thanksgiving was on the 21st rather than on the last Thursday of the month as it normally is every year. At the time she thought it was strange, but she figured that they must have moved the holiday.

She had prepared her sumptuous banquet a week early! The content was great but the timing was not so great.

So it is with our words. They can be just the right words, perfect for the need of the person, but if not delivered at the right time, they can fall short.

Be sensitive to pick the right time to speak as well as the right words to say.

Notice that this verse talks about not just a word spoken, but a word spoken in due season-at the proper time. How good it is!

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Read: Hebrews 4:1-10
So on the seventh day he rested from all his work. - Genesis 2:2

TODAY IN THE WORD
The concept of the Sabbath was no mystery to the recipients of this letter. They would have observed the Sabbath, which literally means "to cease," more than a thousand times. It had been a basic tenet of their faith and culture as a people since the Exodus from Egypt. Consecrating the seventh day of every week and resting from their work required no explanation-being restricted from experiencing the rest of the Lord, however, was something new.
Observing sabbath rest once a week symbolized something bigger, and the symbolic act did not guarantee the fulfillment of the eternal rest to which it pointed. To someone in whom the Sabbath was deeply ingrained as a way of life, the prospect of failing to enter the rest would have been shocking. Indeed, for those Israelites who failed to enter the Promised Land, the Word of God was deemed virtually worthless to them because they lacked faith (v. 2). Keep in mind that these were the same people who had obeyed God's command to paint their doorposts in the blood of a spotless lamb (Ex. 12:21-28). The implication to the believers addressed here was that the gospel would be worthless to them if they lacked faith.

The author established that God's rest, which He entered on the seventh day having completed creation once and for all, still awaited His people. As people of faith, they were not yet done with their labors (v. 10). The author reminded them of the rest of God, a concept with which they were already quite familiar, so that they would also consider the choice facing anyone who hears the Word of God: to enter by faith or to harden their hearts.

That choice was not relegated to the past. It was present with Moses, with Joshua, and with David, and it was still before them in the days after the resurrection of Christ in the day God called "Today." This rest that has been in existence since the completion of God's created work remains a future consideration for all of us who are still living and serving. As long as we have breath, we must never stop serving. Our work is not yet done. We still long for God's eternal rest.

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APPLY THE WORD
Whether you are enjoying retirement or planning for it, it's important to remember that we always have a duty to continue serving the Lord, and that begins with obedience. Even if you don't have an official role as a leader in the church or elsewhere in vocational ministry, there is always a job for you to do for the Lord. Encouraging other believers, communicating the message of the gospel, and obeying the Word of God are all things you can and should do to remain faithful to the end.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

February 08, 2011


Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers 

The Cost of Sanctification


May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely . . . -1 Thessalonians 5:23


When we pray, asking God to sanctify us, are we prepared to measure up to what that really means? We take the word sanctification much too lightly. Are we prepared to pay the cost of sanctification? The cost will be a deep restriction of all our earthly concerns, and an extensive cultivation of all our godly concerns. Sanctification means to be intensely focused on God's point of view. It means to secure and to keep all the strength of our body, soul, and spirit for God's purpose alone. Are we really prepared for God to perform in us everything for which He separated us? And after He has done His work, are we then prepared to separate ourselves to God just as Jesus did? "For their sakes I sanctify Myself . . ." (John 17:19). The reason some of us have not entered into the experience of sanctification is that we have not realized the meaning of sanctification from God's perspective. Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the nature that controlled Him will control us. Are we really prepared for what that will cost? It will cost absolutely everything in us which is not of God.

Are we prepared to be caught up into the full meaning of Paul's prayer in this verse? Are we prepared to say, "Lord, make me, a sinner saved by grace, as holy as You can"? Jesus prayed that we might be one with Him, just as He is one with the Father (see John 17:21-23). The resounding evidence of the Holy Spirit in a person's life is the unmistakable family likeness to Jesus Christ, and the freedom from everything which is not like Him. Are we prepared to set ourselves apart for the Holy Spirit's work in us?
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A Word of Encouragement

I want you to look today at a passage of Scripture that helps guide us in what to say, who to say it to, and when and how to say it.  Isaiah 50:4-5,

"The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary.  He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.  The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away." 

Jesus made it very clear in Matthew, chapter 10 verses 19-20, that the Holy Spirit is quite able to give us the right words to say at the right time.  In Isaiah 51:16, God says, "I have put My words in your mouth."  In Isaiah 57:19, He says, "I create the fruit of the lips."

Chances are there is someone in your world today who needs to be given a word of encouragement.  The key is being sensitive and available.  Sometimes we are so embroiled in our own struggles that we don't even give a thought to the fact that there may be someone around us who needs encouragement...a coworker, a neighbor, your spouse, your child.

I personally think our children need to be given encouragement every day.  Like the little boy said, "Daddy, let's play darts.  I'll throw, and you say 'Wonderful!'"  Children crave affirmation and encouragement.

There is someone who you either have contact with now, or you will have contact with, who needs encouragement.  And you are God's messenger.   

First, we need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.  He will teach us how to speak a word in season to the person who is weary.  As it says, He will awaken our ear.

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Read: Hebrews 4:11-16
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. - Hebrews 4:13

TODAY IN THE WORD
The saying, "Live by the sword, die by the sword, is rooted in Christ's admonition of Peter in Matthew 26:52: "Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword" (cf. John 18:10). The church father Origen interpreted this statement as a contrast of the physical and the spiritual. Peter drew a literal sword, but his violence would be judged by the sword of the Word of God, a far more fearsome weapon.
As believers, we often teach and memorize verse 12 in today's passage as reassurance that the Bible is a living text that always remains relevant to our lives and powerful for revealing the true condition of our hearts, which is true. But the sword imagery here is not merely depicting a tool of protection. The Word of God is a weapon against disobedience and a device of judgment on hardened, rebellious hearts.

That foreboding image comes immediately after the encouragement (and warning) to enter the rest of Christ by remaining obedient to Him every day until the very end to avoid a fate similar to the Israelites in the wilderness. It is foolish for anyone to think God will overlook their continued rebellion: His Word exposes our hearts and His eye sees all (v. 13).

But we have no reason to fear for our security if our faith is in Jesus, the Son of God and our great high priest (v. 14)! He has ascended into heaven, so He has finished the work of conquering death. He can relate to our weaknesses because He was tempted as we are. And we can trust in Him alone because He did not succumb to temptation, but has victory over it, and we can share in that.

Should we fear for the security of our salvation? Not at all! The sword of God's Word may be a threat to the disobedient, but nothing prevents us from drawing near to God's throne-and it is a throne of grace (v. 16)! We need mercy, for we are not perfect, but we also have grace to help us stay true. God gives us confidence, not fear. Why should we ever lose faith?

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APPLY THE WORD
There is merit to the line of thought that says doing the right thing is quite often doing the difficult thing-but that's due in part to our sin natures. When we value the opinions of others or our own pride above our standing with God, we feel conflicted. But we should adopt the mindset that we are both afraid to disobey the Lord and confident to approach His throne of grace. In light of His Word, isn't that an easy decision to make?

GOD BLESS!