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"And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us."

Acts 5:27-28

In his book Influence, psychologist Dr. Robert Cialdini described an experiment he conducted on the campus of Arizona State University. During football season, he assigned researchers to go count the number of students wearing jerseys and other shirts that showed they were identifying with the team. They established a baseline number and then tracked what happened when the team won or lost. Following a victory, the number of students wearing team attire spiked, and following a loss, it went down dramatically. The public loyalty of the students was influenced by the performance of the team on the field.

God has called us to be public—committed and open—about our faith. Like the fans of a winning sports team, we should “show our colors” everywhere we go. The early church started with just a handful of people, but in the space of just a few weeks their powerful preaching and consistent witnessing had brought thousands to salvation and, as their enemies said, “filled Jerusalem.” There was no question where they stood or where their allegiance was—they made it clear day after day, even in the face of opposition and persecution.

As our country moves further away from the godly heritage that was passed down to us, our willingness to take a public stand for Christ becomes more important. We should never change our message to gain acceptance with the world. Instead we should stand with bold and firm convictions, clearly identified as believers. If every Christian would do that, we would see our nation filled with the doctrines of Jesus Christ.

"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"

Ephesians 5:18-20

Just before the Civil War, James Fields, whose father had been a sailing ship captain, published a poem called “The Captain’s Daughter.” In it he tells the story of a ship caught at sea during a terrible winter storm. It is after midnight, but everyone on board is too afraid to sleep. Finally when all hope is gone the captain goes below deck and is ready to give up…until his daughter speaks:

But his little daughter whispered,
As she took his icy hand,
"Isn't God, upon the ocean,
Just the same as on the land?"

This reminder restored the faith of the captain and the passengers, and the following morning they reached the harbor safely. All of us go through experiences that are challenging—a serious health crisis, the loss of a job, a child who is struggling, or the death of a loved one. Bad things do happen to good people, even Christians. Some people respond to these difficulties with depression or anger at God for letting bad things happen to them. But others respond in faith and with a joy that remains in the midst of storms.

The difference in these responses is not found in the circumstances but in the degree to which the Holy Spirit is filling the hearts and lives of those believers. When we are full of Him, joy (part of the fruit of the Spirit) is a natural byproduct. We do not need everything to go well to be joyful. Instead we need to have the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts.

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Long before the invention of radio, television, the Internet, and the rise of our all-encompassing media culture, a British essayist named Walter Savage Landor wrote, “When little men cast long shadows, it is a sign that the sun is setting.” In an age when fame and notoriety have replaced accomplishment as the fastest way to become viewed as someone of importance, we should never forget that our work is not about the temporal and fleeting values of our culture but about the eternal impact of our labor for the Lord.

If we evaluate ourselves by the world’s standards, we are going to be dissatisfied with the results. Not every faithful servant of God receives acclaim and the notice of others. In fact, many Christians live in obedience to God without ever coming to public attention. They are faithful to their families and to their churches, they treat others with love and share the Gospel with them, and they do their best to order their lives by God’s Word. Yet their names are never splashed across news headlines, and they never receive the accolades and praise doled out to the latest celebrity.

While the world may regard such people as failures, God most certainly does not. He is looking for people who will be faithful and consistent without regard to whether or not they are receiving praise and attention. The knowledge that our work for God—the normal, hard, everyday work of life—is not in vain allows us to continue on faithfully. And as we do, we know that one day He will say, “Well done.”

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:"

Deuteronomy 6:4-6

If our walk with God is going to be what it should be, it is imperative that we love God as we should. Nothing else can be allowed to occupy the central place in our thoughts, efforts, and emotions that belongs to Him alone. Our love for God should be so complete and all-encompassing that it flows out in every word and every action. Our love for God should also cause us to live in harmony with other Christians.

In a letter to the noted evangelist George Whitefield, John Newton wrote: “The longer I live, the more I see of the vanity and the sinfulness of our unchristian disputes; they eat up the very vitals of religion. I grieve to think of how often I have lost my time and my temper in that way, in presuming to regulate the vineyards of others, when I have neglected my own. . . . When our dear Lord questioned Peter, after his fall and recovery, he said not, ‘Art thou wise, learned and eloquent?’ nay, He said not, ‘Art thou clear and sound, and orthodox?’ But this only, ‘Lovest thou me?’”

Our relationships are shaped by our love for God. When He is in His proper place on the throne of our hearts, everything else falls into alignment. Christians who love God as they should do not spend their time fighting over insignificant matters with others. Instead like two instruments that have each been tuned properly, they act in harmony with each other. If we have trouble getting along with others, the underlying problem may be our lack of proper love for God.

"I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one."

1 John 2:13-14

You do not have to invest hours of research to know that our society has major problems. The Christian principles that undergirded the foundation of our nation are being destroyed at a rapid place and replaced with a hostility that we have never seen in our country. As a result, some believers are discouraged. Their lives are characterized by a worry about the future and a fear of what may happen. That is not the way God intends for us to live. He wants us to not only be confident but to encourage others as well.

President Dwight Eisenhower, who commanded the Allied armies in Europe during World War II said, “Optimism and pessimism are infectious, and they spread more rapidly from the head downward than in any other direction. Optimism has a most extraordinary effect upon all with whom the commander comes in contact. With this clear realization, I firmly determined that my mannerisms and speech in public would always reflect the cheerful certainty of victory—that any pessimism and discouragement I might ever feel would be reserved for my pillow.”

Each of us influences others daily, and we should make sure that our influence is a positive one. God does not promise us calm and peaceful lives in the absence of persecution, but He does promise that we will be victorious. His power is the guarantee of our triumph over the world.

"For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries."

1 Corinthians 16:7-9

When he was appointed as the pastor a church in Cambridge, England, in 1783 Charles Simeon was delighted. The people of the church did not share his joy. Many of the prominent members of the church opposed his convictions on reaching the lost with the gospel. To show their displeasure they locked their pew boxes during the service and left them empty so that those who came to hear Simeon preach had to stand or sit in the aisles. Eventually God began to work, and Simeon’s ministry had a powerful influence on the nation of England and the world through his efforts to encourage missionary work.

During the dark days of opposition Simeon wrote: “In this state of things I saw no remedy but faith and patience. . . . It was painful indeed to see the church, with the exception of the aisles, almost forsaken; but I thought that if God would only give a double blessing to the congregation that did attend, there would on the whole be as much good done as if the congregation were doubled and the blessing limited to only half the amount. This comforted me many, many times, when without such a reflection, I should have sunk under my burden.”

Opposition does not mean that we are doing things wrong—often it is evidence that we are doing things right. If we allow ourselves to be deterred from doing anything unless we have complete approval, it is certain that we will never accomplish anything of value. Rather than being discouraged by opposition, we should take comfort in God’s faithfulness and keep on doing what is right.

"Thou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation. Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time? Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old."

Lamentations 5:19-21

America was never a Christian nation in the sense that everyone was a believer. Yet, it is indisputable that America was founded largely on Christian principles. This was especially true in the New England colonies. Before they landed at Plymouth Rock, the Pilgrim’s signed a document which declared their endeavor was “for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith.”

But as the years passed, that spirit was largely lost. In the early 1700s a group of Spirit-filled preachers, including Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, began preaching powerful sermons that convicted men and women of sin. Churches filled, and spiritual life renewed. This revival became known as the Great Awakening and was used by God to shape the course of an entire nation.

It is easy to see a need for revival in our day, but part of the reason we do not see revival is that we expect it to start in the wrong place. Revival is first and foremost not in the culture, but in the church. The evangelist Gypsy Smith gave this prescription for seeing a revival start: “Go home. Lock yourself in your room. Kneel down in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk, draw a circle around yourself. There, on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival within that chalk circle.” Rather than wishing that God would fix “them” we first need Him to fix “us.” Once revival begins in our own hearts and churches, it will spread.

"As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

1 Peter 1:14-16

Those who wish to truly walk with God and make a difference in this world for Him must be holy. Holiness is not negotiable. It is not peripheral. It is central to the very nature and character of God, and it must be central to our lives. It is impossible for us to have His power and enjoy unhindered fellowship with Him apart from holiness.

The gifted and greatly used Scottish pastor, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, wrote to his missionary friend Daniel Edwards these powerful words in 1840: “Remember you are God’s sword—His instrument—I trust a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.”

It is not possible to have a lasting, fruitful ministry for God while harboring secret sins. A person may be able to maintain a façade for a while, but eventually the sin will be discovered and the truth will be revealed. Many greatly used men have fallen because they thought they could be holy only on the surface without it affecting their lives and ministries. Holiness must begin in the heart. When we love God as we should—“…with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37)—we will not allow anything that displeases Him to enter or remain in our lives.

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

1 John 1:8-10

I read about a man who responded to the invitation at an evangelistic service. “I am a Christian,” he told the man who met him at the altar, “but there is a sin in my life, and I need help.” The counselor read some verses of Scripture and then encouraged him to confess his sins to God. The man began to pray, “Oh Father, if we have done anything wrong…” The counselor interrupted him. “Don’t drag me into your sin! There is no ‘if’ or ‘we’ involved. If you want forgiveness, you need to get down to business with God!”

Often we try to minimize our sin. We blame others rather than accepting the responsibility for what we have done. We make excuses to downplay and deflect our guilt. If we want to experience the forgiveness and restoration that God promises, we must genuinely confess. The Bible principle of confession is a full admission of responsibility and an agreement with God about the nature of our sin.

From the very first sin in the Garden of Eden, when Adam blamed Eve for eating the forbidden fruit, people have been attempting to avoid dealing with their sin. Because of God’s holy hatred of sin, He is not interested in our excuses, and He will not accept our half-hearted apologies for what we barely admit having done. In his great song of repentance, David wrote, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile."

Psalm 32:1-2

He was a cold-blooded killer. He did not just fly off in rage and kill. Instead he carefully planned his attacks, even travelling great distances to reach his victims. And he made a special point of targeting those who were followers of Christ. He was Saul of Tarsus, better known to us as the Apostle Paul. Later in his life he would write, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:12-13).

If Paul had allowed himself to carry continual guilt for what he had done before his salvation, he would have been unable to serve God in the effective way that he did. He was not bound by the chains of the past because he was confident in the forgiveness of Christ.

Many people live in bondage to sins that they have confessed to the Lord and that He has already forgiven. The devil torments them with reminders of how they failed God. Yet God does not treat us that way. Sins that are forgiven are completely removed from the record. Paul wrote one of the most powerful statements of this truth: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:1). If you are feeling condemned for a repented sin, that condemnation is not of God and you have no reason for guilt.

"Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

1 Corinthians 10:10-12

We must never forget that we have an enemy whose purpose is to destroy us and render us ineffective in God’s service. One of the most dangerous weapons in his arsenal is pride. When we become proud we let our guard down, thinking that we are not at risk—and in that moment the devil strikes. Many men and women who served God for years and accomplished much for Him have fallen prey to the snare of pride.

Winston Churchill knew the importance of guarding against pride in light of his prominent position and many accomplishments. He was once asked, "Doesn't it thrill you to know that every time you make a speech, the hall is packed to overflowing?" "It's quite flattering," replied Churchill. "But whenever I feel that way, I always remember that if instead of making a political speech I was being hanged, the crowd would be twice as big."

God has given us every talent and ability we have. His Spirit empowers us to work for Him. We have nothing of which to be proud. Paul reminds us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Since we have nothing that God has not given us, we have no basis for pride. Yet it is easy for us to look around and declare ourselves the architects of our lives—and thus allow the devil a devastating means of attack.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Dr. Horatius Bonar—the gifted Scottish pastor and hymn writer of the 1800s—said that it was possible to tell when a Christian was growing in grace: “In proportion to his growth in grace he would elevate his Master, talk less of what he was doing, and become smaller and smaller in his own esteem, until, like the morning star, he faded away before the rising sun. Jonathan was willing to decrease, that David might increase; and John the Baptist showed the same spirit of humility.”

Spiritual warfare is a daily reality of our lives. Paul instructed Timothy about the necessity of fighting to gain the victory. “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3). Our triumph over the enemy requires the use of the right kind of weapons. And the successful use of spiritual weapons requires humility and obedience. Pride keeps us from receiving the blessing and power of God. If we insist on fighting in our own strength, we are certain to fail.

The beginning of humility is found in our thoughts. If they are captive to Christ, pride has no place to grow and develop in our hearts. Paul wrote, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). Right thinking—keeping Christ in His proper position of preeminence—is essential to right living.

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

Romans 8:15-17

I have been a Chappell all of my life. I didn’t do anything to become part of that family—I was born into it. And I have been a Christian most of my life. I didn’t do anything to become part of that family either—I was adopted into it. My salvation was completely a work of God’s grace apart from any work of mine. That should be a source of great confidence and rejoicing to all of us who have received God’s free gift of salvation. Yet many live with fear and doubt instead of joy.

God has allowed us to be part of His family. We have the privilege of calling Him “Daddy.” No one who truly becomes a member of God’s family will ever stop being a member of His family. Knowing these truths, we should have complete assurance in our standing with Him. Many genuine believers struggle with doubts and fears because while they know that salvation is by grace through faith, they wonder if they are measuring up or doing enough to really be saved.

While we should serve God out of a heart of worship and gratitude for what He has given us, our service has nothing to do with our membership in His family. Paul put it this way: “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3). God will finish the work that He has begun in our hearts and lives and never casts us out of His family.

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

We've all heard the phrase “Going through the motions.” It refers to someone who is doing the right thing without having his heart in it. While the actions may appear to be to right on the outside, there is something missing. Lehman Strauss said it this way: “A wife or husband may remain faithful and may give evidence of careful attention in matters pertaining to each other, and yet there may be a decline in first love. Similarly, a church member may be very regular in his attendance at the services, but no amount of activity, however intense, can compensate for a lack of love.”

Like a tall tree that appears to be strong but has been destroyed from within by insects much eventually fall, many people seem to suddenly turn away from God and go into sin. In fact it is not sudden at all, but instead the result of a long process that begins when the heart turns away from God. Jehu started out as a good king, bringing God's vengeance on the house of Ahab. But it was not long until he turned aside. “But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin” (2 Kings 10:31). Nothing we do will matter if our hearts are not right.

"But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."

Matthew 9:36-38

Born in Connecticut in 1718, David Brainerd was orphaned as a teenager. A local pastor took him into his home, and when he was twenty-one, Brainerd went to Yale as a student. He had been convinced that he could gain God's favor on his own, but he came under conviction during a revival and realized that salvation was only of God's grace. When Brainerd finished his education, he determined to be become a missionary to the American Indians. He declined the call to pastor a large and wealthy church in New York to live in poverty among the Indians.

He started works in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, traveling long miles and often sleeping outside in bad weather. Brainerd said, “I care not where I go or how I live or what I endure so that I may save souls. When I sleep, I dream of them; when I awake, they are first in my thoughts.” Never strong in body, Brainerd contracted pulmonary consumption and died in the home of Jonathan Edwards at the age of twenty-nine. Though he did not see many converts during his lifetime, his story became a challenge that was used to call many to enter missionary work.

It is impossible for us to truly love God as we should without demonstrating a love for others. People we meet will spend eternity either in Heaven or Hell—and God has commanded us to tell them of the only hope of Heaven through salvation in Jesus Christ. There is no greater demonstration of God's love than sharing it with others.

"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."

Matthew 24:9-12

The best way to determine what we love the most is not to listen, but rather to look. Most of us will say the “right things” when asked. We will say that we love God, love our churches, and love our families. But the way to truly determine love is to observe where we invest our time and energy. The things to which we give our lives are the things which we love most.

Love must be guarded and tended if it is to be kept alive. Just because we love God today does not mean that we will do so tomorrow. Jesus told us that in difficult circumstances many hearts will grow cold. We see this illustrated in an event from the life of Paul. The great missionary apostle traveled across the Roman Empire preaching the gospel. As a result of his efforts, he endured great hardship, suffered persecution, and would eventually be martyred. Throughout his travels Paul had a number of men who journeyed with him and helped him in the work.

Late in his life, when he was imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote his final epistle to his protégé Timothy. In it he asked Timothy to come to see him. “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia” (2 Timothy 4:10). Even though he was in the company of great Christians, Demas allowed his heart to grow cold toward God. As a result, he fell in love with the world, and his ministry ended.

"If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors."

James 2:8-9

Zig Ziglar told a story he got from his brother of a man whose neighbor came over and asked to borrow a lawnmower. “I can't,” he replied, “All the flights from New York to Los Angeles have been canceled.” “What does that have to do with the lawn mower?” the neighbor asked. “Nothing the man replied—I just don't want to loan it to you.” There are times when people use almost any excuse imaginable to get out of showing love to their neighbors. Yet this is a vital part of God's plan for our lives.

When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, He responded with a clear passage from the Old Testament: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37-39). The reality is that we cannot love God as we should unless we also love those around us.

James referred to loving our neighbor as the “royal law” because in keeping it we are living as children of the King. This is what Jesus did throughout His time on Earth. He showed love and compassion to those in need, especially those who were considered to be outcasts by society. He was a “friend of sinners,” not condoning or joining in their wrongdoing, but loving them and offering them hope and salvation. Jesus felt sympathy for the suffering and pain that He saw. In the same way we should be seeking opportunities to demonstrate our love to those in need and show them God's love.

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."

1 John 4:9-11

The early church in the Book of Acts grew rapidly. Day after day people were saved, baptized, and added to the church. There was no explanation for this explosive growth from a human standpoint. The key to their success is that they were following a pattern given to them by Jesus. When Peter and John were brought in for questioning by the authorities, the source of their power was readily apparent. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

We see the same thing in the story of the first martyr, Stephen. He was so much like Jesus that his last words were an echo of Christ's words from the cross. “And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:60). In our day the phrase “What would Jesus do?” is frequently seen, but many times the answer does not match up with what we see in Scripture.

What Jesus would do is love. He came as an expression of God's love for us, and throughout His life He “…went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). Knowing that God intends for us to live as Jesus lived, we must then live in a way that not only feels but also demonstrates love to others.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Galatians 5:22-23

Madalyn Murray O'Hair was successful in her attempts to get Bible reading and prayer removed from the public school system. Her group American Atheists worked in states and cities across the country to try to remove every trace of religion from public life. But in 1995 O'Hair, her son, and granddaughter suddenly vanished. They were later discovered to have been murdered by one of the men who worked for her organization. After O'Hair's death her personal diaries were published. Numerous times in the more than two thousands pages she wrote, “Somebody somewhere, please love me.”

We live in a world that is starved for true, genuine love. The substitutes our society offers will never satisfy that longing. There are all kinds of “love” around us, but it is not the kind of love that is only produced as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. When Christians are walking in the Spirit, love will be a natural by-product. The orange trees that grow in massive rows in the vineyards of California do not have to be instructed to produce oranges—it is part of their nature. In the same way love should be the defining characteristic of Christians.

When Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick, He delayed coming until Lazarus was dead and had been buried for four days. Even though Jesus knew He was about to bring Lazarus back to life, His heart of compassion was still grieved at the sorrow of His friends, and He wept. Those who watched noticed that response. “Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!” (John 11:36). We are meant to treat others in such a way that our love for them is obvious.

"Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

Romans 12:9-10, 17-18

Abraham Lincoln won the presidency of a divided country. There were four major candidates in 1860, and Lincoln only narrowly received his electoral majority. Among his harshest critics was Edwin Stanton of Ohio who opposed Lincoln's election, calling him among other things the “original gorilla.” Yet Lincoln asked Stanton to serve as Secretary of War, recognizing his organizational skills were greatly needed for the war effort. When Lincoln was assassinated, Stanton said, “There lies the most perfect ruler of men the world has ever seen.”

We do not have to strike back at everyone who says or does something with which we disagree. It may be temporarily satisfying, but in the end it leads to bitterness and often an escalating cycle of revenge and retaliatory actions. Love does not insist on getting even—in fact it glories in peace. Paul wrote that love “Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;” (1 Corinthians 13:5). Many people find themselves living stress-filled lives because they do not allow love to do its work of peace.

There will always be disappointments and disagreements in life. Even the people we are closest to are not perfect and will fail us—just as we will fail them. The choice is whether in love we choose to overlook those faults or whether we allow anger to rule our hearts and insist on getting even. No one who takes that path will find rest and peace. It is guaranteed to produce resentment and bitterness.

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Though many people think of love first and foremost as an emotion, that is only a small part of what true love is. Real love—the kind described for us in the Bible—is far more about our actions than our emotions. Jesus told the disciples, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). On another occasion addressing a larger crowd He asked this question: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Love is not seen in words but in deeds.

Love in action changes every part of our lives. God's intention is not only that we love Him with all of our hearts (and put that love into action) but that we also be loving to other people, showing them the same love that He has shown toward us. Christianity is not meant to be lived in isolation. Someone said, “God knows that our relationships are more important than our accomplishments, and He challenges us to grow in His love.”

Like oil to a car engine, love keeps things running smoothly between people in personal, work, and church relationships. The characteristics of love are the traits that make it possible for us to get along with others in a fallen world. Love does not remove the annoying and irritating traits from others, but it changes our focus. When we care for them, as we should, we do not keep our attention on the negative. Instead we look for things to praise and encourage, and patiently build relationships that will stand the test of time.

"At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase."

Daniel 4:36-37

We live in a society that is focused obsessively on encouraging people to love and feel good about themselves. Yet in truth the problem most people face is not a lack of self-love but the opposite. Our pride and self-reliance are directly linked to the fallen nature of man. God alone is worthy of worship, but that does not stop us from being tempted to seek praise and attention for ourselves. One of the best defenses against pride is keeping love for God strong in our hearts.

There is a wonderful example of this from the life of William Carey. At a time when few people had any interest in missionary work, he was burdened to reach those who had never heard the gospel. A brilliant man who spoke nearly two-dozen different languages and dialects, Carey was renowned as one of the fathers of the modern missions movement. Yet despite all his success and the acclaim that came his way, Carey remained a humble man. It is said that at a dinner being held in his honor, someone asked, “I understand you once were a shoemaker?” Carey replied, “Oh no, I was never a shoemaker, I was just a shoe repairman.” While the world strives for attention and applause, our focus should be firmly on bringing honor and glory to God. The more that we love Him, the less we care for the praise of men.

"And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul."

1 Samuel 18:1-3

Because Alfred Lord Tennyson was a famous poet, he had numerous acquaintances. But he only had a few true friends. His best friend was another poet, Arthur Hallam, who he met in school. Though Tennyson defeated Hallam in a poetry contest, they quickly became best friends, encouraging each other's work. Hallam used his connections and family money to encourage the publication of Tennyson's early poems, and later, Hallam was engaged to marry Tennyson's younger sister.

The death of Hallam at a young age while on a trip to Italy deeply impacted Tennyson. Over the next seventeen years he worked on a poem about his friend that came to be known as In Memoriam A. H. H. which contains these famous lines:

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

A true friend is indeed a gift, encouraging us to dare and dream and do great things. We see this principle beautifully illustrated in the lives of David and Jonathan. Jonathan had every reason to hate and fear David. The young shepherd boy who killed Goliath had the hearts of the people, and God had chosen him to rule in place of Saul, meaning Jonathan would never ascend to the throne. Yet rather than being resentful, Jonathan poured his heart into his friend, making his life better. Let us be the kind of friends who influence others to do right.

"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."

Proverbs 17:17

In August of 2011 a terrorist rocket brought down a Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan, killing thirty American troops. Among the dead was a Navy SEAL, Chief Petty Officer Jon Tumilson. His body was returned home to Rockford, Iowa, for the funeral. The service was held in a gymnasium, and the family brought Hawkeye, Tumilson's dog. The dog walked to the front where the casket was draped with an American flag and laid down beside it. Hawkeye did not move throughout the service, staying as close as he could to his master.

The world around us regards love, loyalty, and friendship as disposable commodities. Marriages come and go, friendships end over minor matters and the day when “a man's word was his bond” seems very far away. Yet God's plan is for commitment in every relationship. He expects us to be faithful, whether things are going well or going badly. There are few things more disappointing than finding out that someone on whom you were counting has let you down. Proverbs 25:19 says, “Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.” That places a great responsibility on us any time we enter into a relationship. We must be willing to faithfully and consistently love the other person.

Changes in circumstances do not justify a failure of love. God does not love us because we are lovely, but because of His nature. Paul wrote, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). In the same way, our love should not be based on what the other person does or does not do. Such love will never be consistent. Instead love should be built on the foundation of the commitments we have made and carried through in our lives.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8–9

There is an ancient Indian story of six blind men trying to figure out what an elephant is like. Each of them touches a different part of the elephant, and as a result they have very different impressions. One man touches the elephant's leg and says the elephant is like a strong column. Another touches the tail and says the elephant is like a rope. One touches the trunk and says the elephant is like a tree branch. One touches the ear and describes the elephant as being like a fan. Another touches the side of the elephant and says he is like a wall. The final man touches the tusk and says the elephant is like a pipe.

The reason they give such differing descriptions is that the elephant is much greater than they are capable of realizing without sight. In a similar way, God is so far beyond our understanding that it is impossible for us to fully comprehend or describe His nature. But the Bible gives us a simple description that sums up the essential part of His character. The Apostle John put it this way: “God is love” (1 John 4:8).

Because love is so central to who God is, He expects love to be a central part of our lives as well. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (1 John 4:7). The more like God we become (as we walk in the Spirit day by day) the more love we will display toward others in our lives.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

John 13:34–35

I read a story about a pastor who was going to take the pulpit of a new church. To find out more about the people of his congregation, he spent the week before his first service in the little village dressed as a beggar. He didn’t tell anyone who he was; he simply watched as they went about their lives. At one point he struck up a conversation with a woman from the church, and they began talking about religion. With an air of superiority she asked, “How many commandments are there?” The disguised pastor said, “I believe there are eleven.” In disbelief she dismissed him as an ignorant beggar unworthy of her time.

When Sunday morning came, the woman was shocked to discover the identity of the beggar. She was even more shocked when he gave the text of his sermon, taken from Jesus’ final conversation with His disciples before His crucifixion. The command that Jesus gave that night—the “new commandment”—is still in effect today. We are responsible to treat each other with compassion and love, just as God loves us. But this command has implications far beyond the walls of the home and the church.

Jesus said that the distinguishing characteristic that would identify our faith as being real is our love for each other. In a day when churches are too often divided and filled with discord, it is little wonder that the world is not impressed. The genuine revival that our world so urgently needs will not begin in the world. If it is to occur it will begin within the hearts and lives of the people of God, and it will be demonstrated in our love for each other.

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

1 Peter 4:7–10

The real test of love does not come when everything is going smoothly. It is easy to demonstrate compassion and grace when we are happy and healthy and there is money in the bank. But the need for love is far greater when things are going wrong. In writing to a church facing real persecution and even the threat of death for following Christ, Peter reminded them of the critical importance of love for each other.

Regarding this passage, Matthew Henry wrote, “The destruction of the Jewish church and nation, foretold by our Saviour, was very near. Our approaching end, is a powerful argument to make us sober in all worldly matters, and earnest in religion. There are so many things amiss in all, that unless love covers, excuses, and forgives others for the mistakes and faults for which every one needs the forbearance of others, Satan will prevail to stir up divisions and discords. The nature of a Christian's work—which is high work and hard work, the goodness of the Master, and the excellence of the reward—all require that our endeavours should be serious and earnest.”

Covering sin does not mean that we allow or enable people to go on sinning. Instead it means that we do not hold people to account for what has been forgiven. Love does not bring up the past again and again; it doesn’t hold previously forgiven offenses over the head of the guilty party. Instead love works to restore the relationship and encourage the other person.

“And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

Luke 15:21–24

Though there are many lessons that can be drawn from the story of the Prodigal Son, the main reason Jesus told the series of three parables that includes the well-known story of a father whose son left home and disgraced him was to highlight the error of the Pharisees. They were complaining because Jesus showed grace to the lost. “And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them” (Luke 15:2). They wanted condemnation for the sinners, not realizing that they were just as much in need of God's grace and forgiveness.

When the younger son in Jesus’ story returned home, having wasted all of his inheritance, his father greeted him with open arms. He did not rehash all of his son's sins and demand an accounting for them. He did not ask for his money to be returned with interest. He did not insist on a waiting period to prove that his son's repentance was real. He opened his arms and welcomed his son back into full fellowship with the family.

This is the way that God forgives us, and it is the pattern we should follow with others. God declares, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12). This kind of forgiveness prevents bitterness from growing in our hearts and destroying relationships.

“I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.”

2 John 1:4-6

Every parent and grandparent who spends five minutes thinking about our society and culture wonders how they can keep the little ones God has entrusted to them safe and holy. While we must never lose sight of the nature of the threats our children face and while it is a difficult challenge to shepherd their hearts in a world of evil, it is not impossible. One of the most important things we can do for our children is to saturate their hearts and minds with the truth. The more they know God and love Him, the more they will walk in His ways rather than the ways of the world.

We see this principle illustrated in the lives of Daniel and the three Hebrew children. These young men, probably in their teenage years, were taken hundreds of miles away from home. They were placed into a Babylonian training program that was designed to destroy their allegiance to their country and their God. This program had worked effectively on hundreds of other young men from other lands, but it did not work on Daniel and his friends.

Though their names were changed and their teachers instructed them in Babylonian wisdom, their love for God was never shaken. As a result of that love, they obeyed God's laws even when completely surrounded by a heathen culture. We should take heart from that story, and we should teach our children that kind of love for God. If we teach the love of God, obedience to God will follow.

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

Ephesians 4:31-32

Historian Charles Flood in his biography Lee: The Last Years recounts the story of the famed general visiting a woman in Kentucky. She showed him the shattered remnants of a large and once beautiful tree that had stood for many years in front her house. It had been struck repeatedly by artillery fire from the Union forces. According to the story she expected Lee to condemn the destruction and sympathize with her loss. Instead he replied, “Cut it down, my dear Madam, and forget it.”

As long as we hold on to the pains and hurts of the past, we are bound by them. The only way to experience freedom is to forgive. Yet many people struggle with letting go of offense or pain. One of the keys to forgiveness is love. In fact, someone said, “You can measure your love for someone by how quickly you forgive them.” It is impossible to love another person as God commanded—in the same way that we love ourselves—while harboring bitterness and resentment toward them. Love demands forgiveness.

God did not forgive us because we deserved it. He did not love us because we were lovely. He loves us and forgives us “for Christ's sake.” When we forgive, we are not saying that what the other person did was right or that it did not hurt us. We are saying that we love them as God loves us and are extending forgiveness to them on the basis of that love. If we find forgiveness hard, we should seek to love the person who wounded us, and when we do, we will find the means of obeying God's command to forgive.

“But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;”

1 Thessalonians 4:9-10

One of the early groups with a strong focus on missions were the Moravians. It is said that during the 1700s a dispute arose between two factions within the group. A leader of the movement, Count Zinzendorf, called the two sides together for a conference. They began on a Monday morning, not with an airing of their differing opinions, but with a study of First John and its teaching on loving other believers. All week long they read, prayed, and studied that short book from the Bible. On Sunday they held their regular services, then the next day began meeting to discuss the argument—only to reach an agreement in a matter of minutes. Love overcame their differences.

Many of the conflicts that arise in our churches and families could be overcome by a renewed focus on our love for God. When an orchestra comes together to play, if each instrument is tuned by its own standard, discord will be the result. It is when they are all tuned to the same instrument that beautiful music follows. The presence of strife and disagreement shows that our love for each other, which is based on our love for God, needs to be strengthened.

Because we all have fallen natures, it is certain that disputes will arise and disagreements will come. Love does not prevent differences of opinion. But it does govern our response to them. Love prevents our disagreements from becoming divisions that weaken the body of Christ and reduce its power. Love reaches out and seeks the best for the other person.

“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”

John 13:1

There was a very unusual military funeral in California in December of 2013. Sgt. First Class Joseph Gantt, who fought in both World War II and the Korean War, was laid to rest. He had been captured in Korea in 1950 and died the following year. But his body was not returned for many years, and his death was never confirmed by the North Koreans.

His wife, Clara, waited for decades for her husband to come back. She regularly went to meetings with government officials seeking information about what had happened. Clara even bought a house and had it professionally landscaped so all Joseph would have to do when he came home was go fishing. She was ninety-four years old when his remains were finally brought home for a military funeral with full honors. It wasn’t the homecoming she dreamed of, but she finally knew his fate. Clara told a reporter who interviewed her, “He told me if anything happened to him, he wanted me to remarry. And I told him ‘No, no.’ Here I am, still his wife, and I’m going to remain his wife until the day the Lord calls me home.”

Love—true, godly love—is not temporary or transient. Love is a commitment that is meant to last. Love is not based on everything going right or always being happy. Love is not an emotional feeling but rather a choice of the will. Casual commitments do not produce a foundation for deep and meaningful relationships. Instead we should love others as God loves us—with an unfailing love that never ends.

“And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.”

Revelation 2:18-19

Oswald J. Smith, one of the leading voices of the past century promoting the cause of missions and world evangelism, began his preaching career at a young age in Canada. One morning when he was twenty-one years old, he was invited to preach at one of the largest churches in Woodstock, Ontario. As he walked toward the church excited about the opportunity he had been given, he began humming a tune he had never heard before. With it, came the words to his mind, “Into the love of Jesus, deeper and deeper I go.”

In his autobiography, The Story of My Life, Smith wrote: “I wondered if I could retain the music in my mind until the service was over. After preaching I quickly returned to my rented room, and the first thing I did was to write out the melody. I had been able to remember it, and it has never changed from that day to this.” Over the next three years Smith worked on the lyrics until the hymn “Deeper and Deeper” was finished. This hymn expresses a wonderful truth—God does not mean for us to be static in our love for Him. It should be growing day by day.

I loved my wife, Terrie, the day we were married, but I love her much more now. As we spend time together, our hearts grow closer. So it should be in our relationship with our Lord. Peter exhorts us to, “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Our love for God should grow the longer we walk with Him.

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

John 15:12-14

Maria Dyer was born in 1837 on the mission field in China where her parents were pioneer missionaries. Both her parents died when Maria was a little girl, and she was sent back to England to be raised by an uncle. The loss of her parents, however, did not deter her young heart from the importance of sharing the gospel. At age sixteen she, along with her sister, returned to China to work in a girl’s school as a missionary herself. Five years later, she married Hudson Taylor, a man well-known today for his life of ministry, faith, and sacrifice.

Hudson and Maria’s work was often criticized—even by other Christians. At one point Maria wrote, “As to the harsh judgings of the world, or the more painful misunderstandings of Christian brethren, I generally feel that the best plan is to go on with our work and leave God to vindicate our cause.” Of their nine children, only four survived to adulthood. Maria herself died of cholera when she was just forty-three. But she believed the cause was worthy of the sacrifice. On her grave marker these words were inscribed: “For her to live was Christ, and to die was gain.”

In a day when many are self-absorbed and care more about what they can get rather than what they can give, we need a renewal of sacrificial love. It was God’s love for us that sent Jesus into the world to die for our sins, and it is that kind of giving love that our world needs so greatly today. When we love God as we should, our interests fade as we magnify Him.

“But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.”

1 Kings 11:1, 3–4

King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. Because he asked God for wisdom, choosing it over riches, power, or long life, God granted him wisdom in great measure. For a number of years he reigned over Israel with insight and ability. Yet tragically his life ended not in glory and honor, but in shame. And the greatest tragedy is that Solomon fell because of an error that he knew was deadly. The wise king wrote, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Despite knowing that truth and sharing it with others, Solomon failed to guard his own heart, and as a result, he turned away from following God.

Satan knows that if he can get us to fall in love with the things of the world, he has placed us on the path of ruin. This is not just true for the wicked things of the world—it applies to the good things as well. Nothing can be allowed to take God’s rightful place in our lives. The key to continuing to walk with God and following Him throughout our lives is found in not allowing ourselves to fall in love with anything that would pull us away from Him. As we examine our lives to see where we invest our time, our money, and our passion, our true love is revealed.

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

1 John 4:20–21

In one of his sermons Evangelist William Biederwolf told of a young man named John who lived near the Scottish coast. One night a ship wrecked in a terrible storm, and volunteers rushed out to save them. They returned to shore with the message that one man remained and fresh arms and legs were needed to rescue him. When John went to join them, his mother begged him not to go. “Years ago your father perished in the storm at sea. You know that just last year your brother William went to sea and never came back, and I guess he, too, must have gone down. John, you are the only one left, and if you should perish, what would I do? Don’t go, John; your mother begs you to stay.”

John took her arms from his neck and said, “Mother, I must go; a man is in peril and I would feel like a coward not to go. God will take care of us.” He kissed his weeping mother and jumped into the waiting boat. An hour passed as the waves battered the coast and the anxious mother waited. Finally the boat returned close to the shore. “Did you find the man?” someone called. “Yes,” John shouted back. “We’ve saved him, and tell my dear old mother it’s brother William!”

God has called us to a life characterized by sacrificial love. This is His nature, and thus as His children it should be our nature as well. It is impossible to correctly say that we love God if we are not showing His love to those around us. When we give instead of thinking only of ourselves, we are living the way Jesus did—and the way He wants us to live.

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference:”

Jude 1:20–22

Charles Spurgeon told the story of a boy who grew up in Manchester, England. His mother had died, and he had turned his back on God and his family. Spurgeon said, “Time and time again, they had coaxed, reprimanded, and threatened, all to no avail. One Christmas morning the boy came home after a dreadful debauch. His brothers and sisters were shocked, disgraced, and out of all patience. For a long time pressure was being brought upon the father to have the boy driven from home. This night the distracted father appealed to the impatient family. After consulting each one, he found the universal verdict to be expulsion.

“The father then turned to his liquor-drugged son and said: ‘Henry, your sisters say you should he put out of the house, your brothers say you should be put out;’ then going over to the boy he said: ‘My son, I shall never put you out of the home.’ These loving words from his father woke up his soul. He reformed and became converted, and was none other than the Reverend Henry Moorhouse of Manchester.” Moorhouse became a gifted evangelist, and had a great impact on the ministry of D. L. Moody.

Love does not always see immediate results, but it is patient and enduring. Love believes in the power of God’s promises, and does not lose hope. Think of the father of the prodigal son. The parable Jesus told does not say how long he was gone from home, but it was not a few days. Yet when he finally returned, his father was still watching for him and ran to meet him. That is love that overcomes.

“Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.”

John 12:30–33

In his book A Search for Souls, Dr. L. R. Scarborough wrote: “Mr. Moody tells of a little street urchin in Chicago who went many, many blocks across the frozen streets of the great city, passing church and Sunday school after church and Sunday school to the church served by Mr. Moody. A Sunday school teacher stopped him one morning and said, ‘Where are you going?’ He said, ‘To Mr. Moody’s Sunday school.” He said, “Why, that is many, many blocks away. Come into my class in this Sunday school nearby.’ The boy said, ‘No.’ The teacher persisted and finally asked the boy why he went so far through the cold across the city to Mr. Moody’s Sunday school. He said, ‘Because they love a fellow over there!’ Lost souls are looking for love; they are longing for love; and if they find it not in our hearts and the atmosphere we create in our churches and Sunday schools, then they will go limping down to Hell without it!”

Throughout His ministry, Jesus was criticized by the scribes and Pharisees because He did not shun those who were sinful. He ate with publicans. He spoke to immoral women. He even touched lepers. All of these things were shocking to those who viewed outward conformity to the law to be the most important thing. Instead Jesus emphasized the priority of the heart and demonstrated love to those He met. As a result: “The common people heard him gladly” (Mark 12:37). His sacrificial love attracted people to Him. If we desire to reach people with Christ’s love, we must likewise love them ourselves.

“Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.”

2 Samuel 9:6-7

The relationship between David and Jonathan is a wonderful example of the power of friendship. But that relationship was cut short when the Philistines killed Jonathan, along with Saul. After David became king in place of Saul, he sought for a way to demonstrate his continuing love for Jonathan. It was the custom of that day for a new king to have all the members of the former king's family killed so there would be no dispute over his claim to the throne. Yet instead of carrying out that tradition, David sought out Jonathan's son Mephibosheth and put him in a place of honor in the palace. His love endured even past the death of his friend.

True love does not come and go, or fade away with the passage of time. Instead it endures and grows stronger. Paul wrote, “Charity never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:8). In a world of shallow substitutes for real love it is more important than ever that believers demonstrate godly love in our daily lives. When we allow little matters (or even major ones) to destroy our love, we are not loving the way God does. If His love were based on our conduct in any way, we would have no hope. Instead God's love is based on His nature and character—a nature that He has given to us as His children. This is the kind of love that our world urgently needs to see.

“But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;”

1 Thessalonians 4:9-10

One of the early groups with a strong focus on missions were the Moravians. It is said that during the 1700s a dispute arose between two factions within the group. A leader of the movement, Count Zinzendorf, called the two sides together for a conference. They began on a Monday morning, not with an airing of their differing opinions, but with a study of First John and its teaching on loving other believers. All week long they read, prayed, and studied that short book from the Bible. On Sunday they held their regular services, then the next day began meeting to discuss the argument—only to reach an agreement in a matter of minutes.

Many of the conflicts that arise in our churches and families could be overcome by a renewed focus on our love for God. When an orchestra comes together to play, if each instrument is tuned by its own standard, discord will be the result. It is when they are all tuned to the same instrument that beautiful music follows. The presence of strife and disagreement shows that our love for each other, which is based on our love for God, needs to be strengthened.

Because we all have fallen natures, it is certain that disputes will arise and disagreements will come. Love does not prevent differences of opinion. But it does govern our response to them. Love prevents our disagreements from becoming divisions that weaken the body of Christ and reduce its power. Love reaches out and seeks the best for the other person.

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.”

Luke 17:5-6

In many cases, Christ was quick to fulfill the disciples’ requests. For instance, when they asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He did, giving them the pattern to follow in making petition to God. But when they asked Him to increase their faith, He did not. Instead Jesus gave them an example of the miraculous things that could be accomplished with a tiny bit of faith—a faith no bigger than a mustard seed. By the answer Christ gave, He pointed out that we don’t so much need our faith increased, as we need it renewed. The problem that we face is not primarily that our faith is too small, but rather that we do not use it enough.

The Christian life is a life of faith. We are saved by grace through faith and we walk by faith not by sight. Simply put, faith is essential. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Our faith is based on the nature and character of God—He always keeps His promises—and it is a direct result of His Word. Paul wrote, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Each time we put our faith into action, even when it is not perfect or complete—we see God work, we are encouraged, and our faith is renewed.

Do you need a renewal of faith? Exercise your faith. Pray when the answer seems impossible. Witness when the heart seems hard. Give when the bank account is low. Rather than waiting until you have an amazing level of faith, act on the faith you already have.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”

James 1:5-7

When Hutson Taylor was sailing to China to begin his missionary work, his ship was in great danger. The wind had died, and the current was carrying them toward sunken reefs. Everything they tried was to no avail. In his journal Taylor recorded what happened next: The Captain said to me, “Well, we have done everything that can be done.” A thought occurred to me, and I replied, “No, there is one thing we have not done yet.” “What is that?” he queried. “Four of us on board are Christians. Let us each retire to his own cabin, and in agreed prayer ask the Lord to give us immediately a breeze.”

Taylor prayed briefly and then, certain that the answer was coming, went up on the deck and asked the first officer to let down the sails. “What would be the good of that?” he answered roughly. I told him we had been asking a wind from God; that it was coming immediately. Within minutes the wind did began to blow, and it carried them safely past the reefs. Taylor wrote: Thus God encouraged me ere landing on China’s shores to bring every variety of need to Him in prayer, and to expect that He would honour the name of the Lord Jesus and give the help each emergency required.

Knowing that our prayers touch the heart of our loving Father in Heaven and that He can meet any need, we should be confident that He will hear and answer when we cry out to Him.

“The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”

Matthew 8:8-10

Relations between the Jews and the Romans in Jesus’ day were tense. Rome regarded the nation of Israel as a trouble spot. Wars and rebellions were common. Yet even among the hardened Roman soldiers, there were those who heard the message of Jesus and believed. One of these men was a centurion—a leader of a large group of soldiers stationed in Israel to keep the peace. When his servant fell sick, he reached out to Jesus and asked for help.

When Jesus said that He would come and heal the man, the centurion’s response amazed Jesus because it showed an expression of great faith. The centurion realized that one word from Jesus would be enough for the problem to be solved. He expressed his faith in terms of obedience to authority—that just as he commanded his soldiers and they obeyed, whatever Jesus commanded would certainly come to pass.

We sometimes think of faith in terms of just belief, but faith cannot be separated from action. It is shown not primarily in what we say but in what we do. Faith is not folly. It is not doing crazy or careless things. Instead it is acting on what God says in His Word and obeying it, expecting that things will turn out just as God promises. This is the kind of faith that God calls amazing.

“Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.”

John 11:20-22

Faith is not tested when things are going well—it is tested when things fall apart. In the moments of doubt, struggle and loss, faith is put to the test. When Lazarus got sick, his sisters sent word to Jesus and asked for help, but He delayed coming until after Lazarus had died. When Jesus arrived, Martha expressed her faith in a definite and powerful way. She struggled in her trust, yet she did express that ultimately she knew Christ could do anything. Although her brother had been dead for four days she said, “even now” God could change that.

J. Vernon McGee said, “It makes less demand upon faith to believe that in a future day we shall receive glorified bodies than it does to rest now on the assurance that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. It is easier to believe that the Lord is coming and the dead will be raised than it is to believe that tomorrow I can live for God. It is so easy to comfort people who are mourning and say, ‘Well, you’ll see your loved ones someday.’ That doesn't take much faith. It takes a lot of faith to say, ‘I have just lost my loved one, but I am comforted with the assurance that God is with me and He does all things well.’”

When things don’t work out the way we think they should, we are tempted to think that God has failed. Instead we should remember the “even now”—that no matter how hopeless things seem or how dark our circumstances, God is able to meet every need. He has our best interests at heart, and we can always trust Him.

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

Hebrews 13:5-6

David Livingstone was one of the great pioneer missionaries. As a teenage boy he was challenged with the need for reaching those who had never heard the gospel. Robert Moffat came and preached about the need in Africa. He said, “I have seen, at different times, the smoke of a thousand villages—villages whose people are without Christ, without God, and without hope in the world.” Despite the dangers and challenges, Livingstone resolved that he would go and do what he could to reach those villages.

Early during his work in Africa, Livingstone was facing great opposition. According to the story, he wrote these words in his journal: “It is evening. I feel much turmoil and fear in the prospect of having all of my plans knocked on the head by savages who are just now outside the camp. But Jesus said, ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and earth, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the ends of the earth.’ This is the word of a gentleman of most strict and sacred honor, so that’s the end of my fear. I feel quiet and calm now.”

Studies show that loneliness is one of the great fears that people have. Yet for the child of God, there is never a moment when we are forsaken. We have the great promise of the Holy Spirit and He never leaves us alone. When we are afflicted with doubts and fears, it is to Him that we should turn for help and comfort. Faith realizes that God is there even when we cannot see Him at work.

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

2 Peter 1:19-21

Everyone bases his or her beliefs on something. Therefore the only way to be correct is for the foundation of your belief to be accurate. The only trustworthy foundation for life is found in the pages of the Word of God. Someone said of the Bible, “This Book is the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding; its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy.”

Because the words of Scripture are inspired by God, they are perfect. If we base our faith on the words of men, we do not have a certain foundation. All men are sinners with a fallen nature, and even their best efforts are flawed. While we can and should learn from others, the only “sure word” is the Word of God.

God has given us the Bible as a light to guide us through the darkness of the world. Yet all too often we do not give it the place of importance that it should have. I am thankful for the hundreds of books I have in my study that are written to explain and apply the Scriptures, but none of them can or should take the place of the Bible itself.

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

John 14:1-3

The world we live in is filled with challenges and uncertainties. Companies that were once giants have vanished from the marketplace. Churches that were once large and growing have crumbled away. Families that seemed solid and secure have been broken by divorce. Yet even in the face of these realities, we do not have to live with fear. Jesus told His disciples not to let their hearts be troubled just hours before His death. If there were any circumstance that would justify fear, Christ’s crucifixion would be that circumstance—yet Jesus still said fear had no place.

The only way to overcome fear is through faith. When we believe God, we view everything that happens in a different light. While being a Christian does not mean things will always go as we plan, it does mean things will always go according to God’s plan. And regardless of what happens today, we know what the future will hold.

Jesus promised that He will return for us. When He ascended back into Heaven, two angels came and reminded the disciples of His promise. “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:10-11). We know how the story ends—so we do not need to fear.

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.”

1 Peter 4:12–14

When Nebuchadnezzar made his great statue and commanded everyone in the kingdom to bow down before it, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused. Even when Nebuchadnezzar offered them a chance to escape the horrible penalty of being burned alive, they did not yield in their conviction that only God is to be worshiped. Though they knew God was able to deliver them, they declared that even if He did not they would be faithful to Him.

When the furnace was heated seven times more than normal, it was so hot that it killed the guards that threw the three Hebrew children inside, yet the fire had no power against them. The presence of the one whose form was “like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:25) transformed their experience into one of great victory. Every time we go through trials, God is there with us.

Someone said, “God’s people are never needlessly afflicted because all of the fiery trials are Father filtered.” In every trial we have the opportunity to bring glory and honor to God through our response. Knowing that He has not forsaken us just because things are going wrong allows us to continue to stand in faith during the trials we face. We must never lose sight of the fact that God is sovereign and in control of every circumstance in life—and we can trust Him to do what He knows is best for us.

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

Philippians 1:3–6

Charles Spurgeon became a pastor when he was just a teenager. One of the great resources that encouraged him in the ministry was being able to watch the life of another preacher—his grandfather. That good man labored in the same church for more than fifty years. Spurgeon described this conversation from near the end of his grandfather’s life. “At the age of fourscore years, he preached on still, until laden with infirmities, but yet as joyful and as cheerful as in the heyday of his youth, his time had come to die. He was able to say truthfully, when last he spake to me, ‘I do not know that my testimony for God has ever altered, as to the fundamental doctrines; I have grown in experience, but from the first day until now, I have had no new doctrines to teach my hearers.’”

The calling of God is not just for a few years of life—it is permanent. Paul wrote, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Romans 11:29). God expects us to remain faithful to our marriages and families, to our church and to His work all the days of our lives. While there may be others who quit the work or fall away, we can remain faithful—not because of our great strength or willpower, but because of the sustaining power of God. He has promised to finish the work He has begun in our lives. It is our obligation to remain at that work until He calls us home.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6–7

Dr. Lee Roberson told the story of a girl whose mother passed away when she was very young. She did not fully understand death and Heaven, but she knew her mother was gone and she missed her. On the night after the funeral, she made her way down the hall and asked if she could sleep in the bed with her father. She snuggled in next to him, but in the darkness she couldn’t see him. Soon her small voice asked, “Daddy, is your face toward me?”

God’s face is always toward us. He loves us with an everlasting love, and He will never leave us or forsake us. The prophet Isaiah had this message from God for His people: “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me” (Isaiah 49:16). We do not have to live our lives filled with worry, fear, and dread for the future. Will bad things happen? Yes. But God will always be there to strengthen and comfort us with His peace.

Today millions of Americans are taking drugs in an effort to find peace. Certainly there are very real problems in this world, and all of us face them at times. But the answer is not found in trying to wipe away the worry with medication. Instead we need to turn to God and seek His face. When our hearts are filled with prayers and thanksgiving, there is no room left for worry to overcome us. God is the only source of true and lasting peace, and nothing else will substitute for running to His throne of grace to seek help in times of trouble.