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“Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

1 Timothy 4:14–16

They are quite common now, but some years ago, we got a car that had a fuel gauge that told you how much further you could go before the tank would be empty. I’ll never forget one trip when the fuel tank was getting low. The gauge said we still had twenty miles left in the tank, so I thought we could make one more exit. I was wrong. We ran out of gas and ended up stuck on the side of the road. I believed what it said, but my confidence was misplaced. There are many people today who are sincere about what they believe, but their trust is not in what is true.

The truths of the Word of God are eternal and unshakable. From the beginning in the Garden of Eden, Satan’s attack has been directed against the reliability of what God has said. Yet despite his attacks and the fact that our culture has largely abandoned the idea of absolute truth, we can completely rely on what the Bible tells us. Of course there have been people who misinterpret or misapply the Scripture. That is why Paul instructed Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). When we properly understand the Bible and apply it to our lives, the only thing necessary is to continue on the right path. We should never allow anything to pull us away from following God’s Word.

“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”

1 Timothy 4:12–14

The nineteenth century French artist Paul Gustave Dore was noted for a series of illustrations of Bible stories that he drew which were often printed with copies of the Word of God. It is said that once while on a trip through Europe he lost his passport. Giving his name to a guard at a border crossing, Dore asked for an exception to be made to allow him to pass. The guard refused, stating that there was no proof that he was actually the famous artist. When Dore insisted, the guard offered him a test. He gave Dore a paper and pencil and asked him to sketch a group of people standing nearby. In just a few minutes Dore’s gifted work made it clear that he was exactly who he claimed to be and he was allowed to cross the border.

The Lord has given us His Holy Spirit as an indwelling presence, and He calls us to live in a way that demonstrates to the outside world what is within. Our faith in God is not merely for our salvation, but for our daily lives as well. We are meant to live differently from the world around us—as examples of what believers can and should be. While none of us will be perfect, there should be evidence from our lives that reveals that we are who we claim to be as children of God. As someone once pointed out, if we are arrested and charged with being Christians, the prosecution should easily be able to find enough evidence to convict us.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 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 8:14–17

God gives us many wonderful benefits along with our salvation. Our eternal destiny changes from punishment in Hell to perfection in Heaven. We have hope and strength that the world cannot know. We have peace in trials, and joy from the work of the Holy Spirit. While it would be difficult to say that one blessing is more important than another, it is a staggering reality that when we are saved, we are adopted into God’s family.

Adoption is a wonderful blessing, completely undeserved, but given to us through God’s grace. Years ago someone wrote this to the advice columnist Ann Landers: “Dear Ann Landers: It happened again today. My two sons and I were in a shopping mall, and a total stranger felt the need to comment on the fact that my boys didn’t look anything alike. Apparently, my 6 year old decided it was time he explained the difference. ‘I’m adopted,’ he said. ‘That’s when you have the same family but not the same face.’“

When we are saved, we don’t look anything like Jesus. The Bible describes the condition of sinful man in stark terms. Yet God not only places us into His family, He plans and works for us to become more and more like Jesus. Paul wrote that God has purposed ahead of time that we be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29).

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

Ephesians 1:4–6

All around us people are searching for some way to validate who they are. Even the most accomplished people struggle with doubts and finding a sense of purpose, especially when facing the inability to do what they have done. Many years ago at the end of her brilliant tennis career Chris Evert expressed this frustration to a reporter. “I had no idea who I was, or what I could be away from tennis. I was depressed and afraid because so much of my life had been defined by my being a tennis champion. I was completely lost. Winning made me feel like I was somebody. It made me feel pretty. It was like being hooked on a drug. I needed the wins, the applause, in order to have an identity.”

As a child of God we have no need of external validation. We do not work in order to prove who we are, but to express our gratitude for what God has done for us. He has already accepted us, and nothing will ever change that. This is not something that will happen in the future—it has already been done. Most of the world’s religions require their followers to continually perform in order to gain favor and approval from God. In Christianity we rest in the finished work of Christ, knowing that because His righteousness has been applied to our record, we have God’s acceptance already. Nothing can separate us from our standing as children of the Heavenly Father.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Romans 5:8-10

Charles Wesley wrote about five thousand hymns, but the one for which he is best remembered is “And Can It Be.” Before writing this hymn, Wesley had been active in church work and Bible study, but had not personally trusted Christ for his salvation. After he returned from a mission trip, the message of salvation by grace through faith alone flooded his heart. He later wrote, “At midnight I gave myself to Christ, assured that I was safe, whether sleeping or waking. I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoiced in hope of loving Christ. I saw that by faith I stood.” Wesley recounted the joy of that moment of salvation in his great hymn:

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

There is a temptation—after we have been saved for many years—to forget the wretched nature of our condition apart from God. Even those of us who were saved at a young age were already sinners, bound for eternity apart from God and held captive by Satan. Let us never lose the memory of the chains that once held us. If we keep that firmly in our vision, it helps us avoid the chains of sin with which the devil attempts to entrap us to keep us from serving God as we should.

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

John 7:37–39

Water is a vital resource, and living in the high desert of California, you learn how important having a consistent source of water is. When we have years of low rainfall and drought, we can see the impact all around us. If you do not have a dependable source of water, every part of your life is affected. The same is true in the Christian life. We are called to be joyful, loving witnesses and bright lights in the darkness of the world around us, but we cannot do that in our own strength. Every believer has the Holy Spirit but not every believer is living with His fullness flowing out of his heart. This is one of the great needs in churches today—believers who are truly filled with and walking in the Spirit.

Charles Spurgeon said, “The Spirit of God doubtless illuminates the intellect and guides the judgment, but this is not the commencement nor the main part of His work. He comes chiefly to the affections, he dwells with the heart, for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and ‘God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts.’ Now, the heart is the centre of our being, and therefore doth the Holy Ghost occupy this place of vantage. He comes into the central fortress and universal citadel of our nature, and thus takes possession of the whole.”

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

Romans 8:11–14

The Bible teaches again and again that there are two forces competing for control of our lives. Every believer is either living under the control of the flesh or under the control of the Holy Spirit. There is no middle ground—no half-and-half solution. If we don’t walk after the Spirit, we will certainly walk after the flesh. The only right approach to life for the child of God is to yield ourselves to the direction and control of the Holy Spirit. Yet, our lives are often filled with desires and things that are contrary to His leading, and we do not give Him room to work in our hearts.

D. L. Moody said, “I believe firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will fill every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before we can be filled.” We sometimes speak of a conceited person as being “full of himself.” This is an apt description of the problem facing Christians who are not willing to yield to the Holy Spirit, and it guarantees failure in the Christian life.

“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.”

Psalm 40:1–3

The noted blind hymn writer, Fanny Crosby was not born blind. When she was a baby, a doctor’s careless error in treating a minor eye infection left her completely unable to see. It is a tragedy to be blind or to suffer some other physical limitation or loss. Yet tragedies do not have to dictate our outlook. It is said that later in her life Fanny Crosby told a friend that if she met the doctor whose mistreatment led to her blindness she would thank him because being blind had meant that the first face she would see with recognition would be her Saviour’s face in Heaven. She had chosen to regard her blindness as a gift rather than allowing it to destroy her attitude toward God.

All of us have problems, difficulties, and challenges. Christians often allow these problems to control their attitudes, leaving them discouraged and bitter. Yet it does not have to be that way. When Paul and Silas were in Philippi, they were beaten severely and thrown into jail because they had cast a demon out of a young woman. They had done nothing wrong, and many would think they had grounds to complain, but their response was different. “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25). When we understand that God is in control and that there are no accidents in the Christian life, we can maintain our joy no matter what comes. This allows us to continue to sing even during dark days.

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

John 3:18–20

When you buy a computer, tablet, or phone, it comes with a number of programs already installed. Many of the features that make these devices easy to use come pre-set. We refer to these original conditions as default settings. Humanity has a default setting as well. Because of the Fall and the wages of sin, all of us start out as enemies of God and are under His condemnation. We do not have to do horrible things to be condemned—Jesus said we are “condemned already.”

This vital truth holds two important lessons for us. First, we have no basis for pride in our status as Christians. We started out just as sinful as everyone else. We were not saved because somehow we had less for which to be forgiven, or because of anything that we had done. We are saved by grace through faith alone, and only because of God’s mercy. Paul wrote, “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith” (Romans 3:27).

Second, we have an obligation to reach out to those who are still under condemnation and give them the Good News. There is no excuse for keeping such wonderful news to ourselves. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Acts 2:36–38

In addition to being a renowned statesman and orator, Daniel Webster was a successful attorney. He cut an imposing figure in the courtroom, and many witnesses were caught in lies during his cross examinations. According to one account, Webster once drove a man completely out of the courtroom just by looking at him. Having been told that the man intentionally planned to give false testimony, Webster spent the first part of the trial staring at the man. This went on for some time, and the witness became more and more uncomfortable. The account reads: “Webster looked around again to see if [the witness] was ready for the inquisition. The witness felt for his hat and edged toward the door. A third time Webster looked on him, and the witness could sit no longer. He seized his chance and fled from the court and was nowhere to be found.”

One of the roles that the Holy Spirit plays is convicting those to whom we present the gospel. Without this powerful force, our witnessing has no lasting impact. Paul had that Holy Spirit power when he preached the gospel fearlessly after his arrest. “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee” (Acts 24:25).

“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

2 Corinthians 5:19–21

The holiness of God demands a penalty for sin, and the Bible tells us, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). We have no hope of escaping Hell apart from the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. A divine transaction occurs changing the eternal destiny of everyone who believes the message of salvation by grace through faith; our sins are placed on Christ’s record and His righteousness is placed on ours. When God looks at us, He does not see our sin because that is no longer on us.

In his sermon on Philemon, Dr. H. A. Ironside said, “I think I see Jesus as He brings the needy, penitent sinner into the presence of God, and says, ‘My Father, he has wronged Thee, he owes Thee much, but all has been charged to My account. Let him go free.’ How could the Father turn aside the prayer of His Son after that death of shame and sorrow on Calvary’s cross, when He took our blame upon Himself and suffered in our stead?”

A Christian who is not grateful for his salvation is a Christian who has lost sight of the wonderful grace of God that replaced our sin and its damnation with salvation and eternal hope. Every day we should not only give thanks for our salvation, but we should also live to bring honor and glory to God and to share the gospel with others.

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Titus 3:4–7

One of the most effective things the devil does to keep people from being saved is to convince them that grace is not enough—that there are things they must do or not do in order to be saved. Yet the message of Scripture is clear and repeated again and again. Our salvation has nothing to do with our merit or our works. Salvation is completely and totally a work of God, apart from any contribution from us.

Dr. H. A. Ironside described it with this analogy: “Picture Noah as he built the ark putting a series of pegs on the outside of the boat. Then anyone who grabbed a peg and held on through the flood would be saved. That is not God’s plan. The ark offered a place of safety to those who heeded the warning and went inside. Everyone else perished. Only those who accept God’s gift of salvation receive eternal life.”

There is a tremendous sense of security in knowing that God alone is responsible for our salvation. Those who depend on their own works can never do enough to have certainty, and that knowledge breeds insecurity and fear. Instead, we have perfect confidence because God’s promises never fail. In the hymn, “Resting in His Promise,” Dr. John Rice wrote: “Resting sweetly in His promise, Rest my soul on what He said, Trusting fully, wholly trusting, in the price my Saviour paid.” This is the gift God so freely gives to His children.

“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Joshua 1:7–8

The single most important resource we possess as children of God is His Word. It has all of the information, instruction, and correction that we need to live according to God’s will and commands. Yet for far too many Christians, the Bible is simply a book they pick up to take to church and put down when they get home. Instead it is to be a constant stream of knowledge and wisdom that flows into our lives as we read, study, and meditate on the Word of God. The victorious life is only available to those believers who are truly students of the Scriptures.

A few years ago someone wrote a series of questions and sent them around that highlight how casually many people treat the Bible: “Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone? What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets? What if we flipped through it several times a day? What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it? What if we used it to receive messages from the text? What if we treated it like we couldn’t live without it? What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled? What if we used it in case of emergency?”

In truth, the Bible is the greatest treasure we possess; how often we turn to God’s Word reveals whether or not we believe that.

“And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”

Judges 6:12–13

Gideon lived in a time when the people of Israel had turned away from following God and as a result they were suffering the judgment brought by the invading Midianites who were taking their food and putting them in bondage. It was a dark time, and God’s power was not being shown on behalf of Israel because of their sin. Today, we live in a society that is doing everything it can to throw off the restraining influence of Christianity. Truth is mocked and sin is exalted. It is a day when we need to see God’s power.

The angel showed Gideon that God had not changed, and in obedience he was used to free the people of Israel. What we need in our day are people, like Gideon, who are willing to take a stand for what is right—people who expect to see God do great things. D. L. Moody was one of the most greatly used evangelists in history. It is said that more than one million people were converted in his revival campaigns. In the flyleaf of his Bible Moody wrote, “If God is your partner, make your plans big.” Moody did, and great things happened as a result. There are no limits to God’s power and ability. The limits are on our interest and willingness to pay the price to see God do great things.

“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 3:17–18

God gives us so many blessings and meets our needs on a daily basis. Because we live in a fallen world that is under the curse, we have pains, troubles, and struggles. We still have a sin nature, and we face attacks from the devil that attempt to defeat us. Sometimes in the middle of the battle, we struggle to remember that the ultimate victory has already been won. Every Christian has a certain and glorious future when God’s plan for us is complete, and we enter the unending joy of His presence.

Charles Spurgeon said, “The Lord graciously gives us even now all things necessary for this life and godliness; but his choicest blessings are held in reserve for time to come. Grace given to us from day to day is our spending money for traveling expenses on the road home; but it is not our estate. Providential supplies are rations on the march, but not the ultimate feast of love. We may miss these wayside meals, but we are bound for The Supper of The Lamb.”

Our task is to keep our focus where it should be. When Peter left the boat to walk on the water toward Jesus he did not begin to sink until his focus shifted to the winds and the waves. If we look to Jesus and remember that all of His promises are faithful and true, the hope that we have for the future will sustain us through the struggles of the day. His grace never fails, and the best is truly yet to come.

“Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.”

Psalm 85:6–9

In 1872, D. L. Moody and Ira Sankey went to England for a series of revival meetings that shook the entire nation. In one service, so many people responded to the invitation that Moody asked them all to sit back down, and explained the Gospel again to make sure they understood the message—even more people responded the second time!

In that church there was an elderly lady who had been confined to her home by illness. When one of her relatives went to the house to tell her about the revival, she opened her purse and pulled out a news story about Moody’s work in America. She said that she had been praying for two years that God would send Moody to her church and usher in a great work of God.

All of the organization, programs, and planning that we do can never take the place of the work of the Spirit of God. He is the One who touches hearts of Christians and unbelievers alike and moves them to action. He is the one who produces conversions and changed lives. And He works in response to the prayers of God’s people. Dr. Curtis Hutson often said, “There is more you can do after you pray, but there is nothing you can do until you pray.” The lack of power in many of our churches can be traced directly to the member’s lack of prayer.

“And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.”

John 14:4–7

Many people are greatly confused about faith, thinking that somehow the sincerity of belief is what matters rather than understanding that the object of faith is of central importance. For example, although an unsaved animist believes that a carved stick made the world and offers him salvation, he is still lost. Similarly, although sophisticated people in Western culture try to draw equivalence between true Christianity and every other world religion, there is one true God and one true way to Him. Everything else is false, no matter how sincerely it is believed.

There is a real emphasis in our day on accepting everyone’s ideas as equally valid and worthy of respect, if not belief. For example the Dalai Lama wrote, “While allowing openness to interpretation in matters of practice and culture, which in any case pertain to guidelines for living within a society, even a religious pluralist can accept that the doctrines of his own scripture that primarily pertain to ultimate truth are definitive. In other words, one can be a religious pluralist yet maintain, for oneself, the doctrinal aspects of one’s own tradition as representing definitive truth.”

The Bible tells us that other ways to God are heresies worthy of condemnation. Paul wrote, “As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:9). Every believer is responsible for holding faith in the truth and refusing lies.

“And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

Acts 24:24–25

David wrote, “The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes” (Psalm 36:1). If David thought that in his day, it is hard to imagine what he would think if he saw our society where good is punished and evil is praised. The behavior we see around us is the result of ceasing to fear God. Yet, people’s lack of belief in the truth does not change the fact that God hates sin with a holy intensity.

Thomas Jefferson, though he was not a Christian, believed in the concept of Divine judgment. Inscribed on the walls of the Jefferson Memorial are his words: “God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever.”

One of the problems facing the church is that we have adopted society’s casual attitude toward sin. As a result, our lives are lacking in holiness, and we have lost the power of God that comes when we fear Him. Luke wrote, “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied” (Acts 9:31).

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.”

Psalm 32:8–9

President Ronald Reagan was renowned for his ability to tell a funny story to get a point across. One of his favorites was the tale of a newspaper photographer in southern California. According to Reagan’s story, the editor called the photographer and gave him an assignment to get aerial pictures of a wildfire to show the scope of the damage. He had arranged a plane; all the photographer needed to do was go to the airport. He went and found a plane with its engines running sitting on the runway, jumped on board and they took off. When they reached five thousand feet he told the pilot to take him over the fire so he could start taking pictures. There was dead silence for a few seconds and then he heard, “Aren’t you the flight instructor?”

All of us need direction and guidance for our lives. Life in a broken and fallen world is complicated by the impact of sin and the curse. We struggle to make good choices hampered by our own deceitful hearts and our sin natures. Yet God has not abandoned us to wander blindly through life. We have the guidance of the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts to rely on. It is important to understand that His work of leading us is done through the Word of God. My feelings and impressions are subject to error, but the Bible is completely accurate. When the Holy Spirit guides my understanding of Scripture and I follow Him, my path will be straight.

“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: Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.”

Philippians 1:6–7

There is an old saying that if you see a turtle on top of a fence post, it’s pretty sure that he didn’t get there by himself. God’s plan is for His work to be done by His people working together in love and harmony. Paul wrote to the beloved members of the church at Philippi and thanked them for being part of his ministry. Though they remained behind when he continued his missionary trips, they supported him through their prayers and their gifts, and as a result, played a vital part in everything he accomplished. They were just as much a part of the ministry and work as Paul was.

I read a story about an organist giving a concert back in the days when organs had bellows that had to be hand pumped by another person to provide air for the music to play through the pipes. The audience was thrilled with the skill and artistry of the organist; and after each selection applause filled the concert hall. At the end of the concert, the organist stood to address the assembled people and said, “I will now play my final song.” But when he pushed the pedals and keys, no sound came out of the organ. A quiet voice from backstage suggested, “Say we will now play.” God’s focus is on teamwork and partnership within the body. While we each have different roles to play, each one is important, and the work cannot be done as it should unless all of us do our part.

“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.”

Genesis 50–19:21

There is an old story about an elderly Christian widow who was living in great poverty. She had no one to help her, and so she went to God and asked Him to provide food. She was sitting by an open window, and two boys passing by heard her prayer and decided to play a trick on her. The next day, as she once again was praying for food, they dropped a loaf of bread down the chimney. When the widow found the bread, she immediately began rejoicing and praising God. The two pranksters knocked on her door to reveal that God had not answered her prayer—they had. With a smile she replied, “I asked God for bread and He gave me bread, even if He did let the devil deliver it.”

There is a lot of evil in our world. We have an enemy who is actively seeking to destroy our lives and our effectiveness in our work for God. Yet, God is in control. He is the ultimate power. And He is able to use even the worst things that happen to us to accomplish His purposes in our lives. Paul wrote, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Not everything that happens is good, but everything can be part of God’s good purpose if we continue to trust God and allow Him to use us as He sees fit.

“Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:”

Ephesians 1:8–10

There is in the heart of every genuine Christian a desire to please the Lord. The God who has done so much for us, freely giving us salvation through His grace alone, deserves our very best. We should not want to ever do anything that will disappoint Him. Jesus said “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29).

If we want to please the Lord we must understand that although our actions are important, the thing that matters most is the condition of our hearts. There is no sacrifice or offering we can make that enriches God. He said, “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof” (Psalm 50:10–12).

The things that please God in our lives are the things that lead to fulfilling His ultimate purpose—the salvation of the lost and our unity as believers. We do not improve our standing with God by our actions, because that is based on what Jesus has already done. But, when we do the things that accomplish His will, He is pleased. It should be the goal of every Christian to hear the words “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;”

Colossians 1:9–11

Some years ago, I was driving from Charleston to Winston Salem, North Carolina. The rental car had a GPS direction system with a screen display. Those are fairly common now, but back then it was something I didn’t have much experience with. As I drove, the course was laid out on the screen, but eventually, as I got further away from town, I reached a spot where the screen display changed from a map to a blank background with the words, “Guidance not available” showing.

All of us reach places in our life where we need wisdom and guidance. God’s plan is for us to follow the principles of Scripture, allowing the Holy Spirit to help us understand and apply the truths of the Word to the decisions and choices we make. The problem for many people is not that they cannot find any direction at all, but that God may want them to go in a path that is different from the one they would choose.

In his poem “Obedience” George MacDonald wrote:

I said: “Let me walk in the fields.”
He said: “No, walk in the town.”
I said: “There are no flowers there.”
He said: “No flowers, but a crown.”

We cannot expect God’s guidance unless we are willing to follow where He leads. When Jesus faced the most severe test in the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).

“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

Ephesians 5:8–11

God expects us to be wise and prudent—not accepting every person who claims to be promoting the truth without examining whether their teaching lines up with the Bible. The Christians in Berea were praised for their diligence in this regard. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). There are a lot of false teachers, and someone who blindly accepts their teaching will fall into error.

Donald Barnhouse wrote, “In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, and no paper money. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into moulds and allowed to cool. Some people would shave off silver and keep excess, still using the coin. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens, to stop the practice of shaving down the coins then in circulation. But some money changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money. They were men of honour who put only genuine full weighted money into circulation. Such men were called dokimos or ‘approved’.”

We need to be committed to following the truth and rejecting error. But often false doctrine is presented in clever packages that makes it sound very good. The discerning Christian who is able to judge the real from the fake, is a Christian who knows what the Bible says. Our feelings and ideas are subject to error, but the Scriptures are perfect and guide us to what is right.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.”

Hebrews 13:8–10

There are many things in our world that are changing. Of course many of these changes are for the better. (I’m perfectly happy to have church in a building with air conditioning and a sound system.) Yet at the same time, there are many who are giving up on truth that has been held for centuries—truth that is still needed today. As a result, they have no firm foundation and are easily swayed to accept lies. John Owen wrote, “Without absolutes revealed by God Himself, we are left rudderless in a sea of conflicting ideas about matters, justice and right and wrong, issuing from a multitude of self-opinionated thinkers.”
Without a solid foundation, we have no hope of knowing the truth. Though the truth never changes, just as God never changes, people often leave the truth behind for something that better fits what they want to justify. We must never forget what Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

What I think or feel is not a solid ground for judging truth. If you are going to hang a picture in your home or office, you can either put it up and see if it looks straight to you, or you can get a level and measure whether it is straight with an absolute standard—that produces far better results. In the pages of the Bible, God has given us a perfect standard that is correct and unchanging. Every doctrine and idea should be judged by that.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

2 Corinthians 6:14–16

Throughout history God has been in the division business. During creation He divided the light from the dark, the water from the sky, and the dry land from the sea. During the plagues He divided between the Egyptians and the Israelites. Again and again in Scripture we see the principle that God wants there to be a difference between His people and the world. Yet, in our day many are trying to blur the lines between the two. These efforts only produce disaster, because like trying to join oil and water, they are trying to put together two things that are very different by their natures.

When Jesus cast the many demons out of the maniac of Gadera, the demons made a revealing statement as they, “Cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not” (Mark 5:7). The expression, “What have I to do with thee” literally means “we have nothing in common.” It is always a mistake to try to get as close as we can to the world. It reveals something troubling about the state of our hearts. John wrote, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

“Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”

John 18:36–37

When Hank Aaron came to the plate during the World Series for the Milwaukee Braves, New York Yankees catcher, Yogi Berra, decided he needed to do something to distract the power hitter. Looking up, he told Aaron that he was holding the bat wrong. “You can’t read the label when you hold it like that,” Berra said. “You need to turn it around.” Aaron didn’t respond, but he hit the next pitch over the left field wall. When he reached home plate after rounding the bases, Aaron looked at Berra and said, “Didn’t come up here to read. Came up here to hit!”

One of the most important things that lead to success is focus. There will always be distractions and opportunities to turn away from what we are supposed to be doing. One of the devil’s most effective tactics is not to get us to sin outright—we often recognize and reject temptation. Instead, he gets us to turn aside from what is truly vital and focus on things of little importance. If we are not careful, we can find that we have managed to stay busy without getting anything done. Jesus never lost sight of the central purpose for which He came into the world. Every day of His life was spent on things that truly mattered. This is the pattern that we should be following day by day.

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

2 Peter 1:2–4

I heard about a pastor who passed a large, broken down tractor trailer truck on the road. He stopped to ask the driver if he needed any help, but the driver said that he had already called for assistance. He told the pastor that a wheel bearing on the truck had burned out and would have to be replaced. As the pastor drove off, he was surprised by what he saw painted on the side of the truck: Standard Oil Company of Kentucky, Lubricants Division. The driver had burned out a bearing while hauling grease to lubricate bearings!

The Christian life requires far more strength, wisdom and resources than we possess in ourselves. Yet we are not limited to what we can do on our own. The all-powerful God who created the entire world offers us His strength to use for His work. Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

Any effort that we undertake in our own strength is doomed to fail. Our pride tempts us to think that we can go it alone and still get things done. Nothing could be further from the truth. As one homiletics professor told his class of young preacher boys, “The loneliest place on earth is the pulpit apart from the power of God.” One of the great failures of our day is our failure to make full use of the resources God freely offers.

“Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.”

Haggai 1:3–6

There were few days in the life of Israel that were happier than the day Cyrus issued the decree that allowed the Jewish people to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple that had been destroyed during the Babylonian invasion. God had allowed the Israelites to be defeated in battle as judgment for turning away from Him to worship the false gods of their neighbors. With high hopes for the future, thousands of Jews set out to return home. But it wasn’t long after they returned to Jerusalem that things began to fall apart.

The people quickly turned their attention away from rebuilding the house of God and began to focus on their own dwellings instead. They broke the promises they had made to financially support the new temple, and kept the money for their own purposes. Though they hoped to profit from their disobedience, they found that the more they took for themselves, the less they seemed to have. God sent the prophet Haggai with a message for them that highlighted the folly of their selfish behavior.

Twice, the prophet called Israel to “consider your ways”—to stop and think about the path they were on and to return to serving God with their whole hearts. Nothing, no matter how good or how important it seems to us, should be allowed to take His place.

“Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”

2 Corinthians 5:9–11

Since the early 1960s, NASA has been at the forefront of space exploration. From the moon missions, to the space station and the exploration craft sent to planets like Mars, they have been on the cutting edge of scientific progress. Of course that mission has come with risks. A number of astronauts have been killed on space missions. The seriousness of their work is enshrined in their mission statement, part of which reads: “To always be aware that suddenly and unexpectedly, we may find ourselves in a role where our performance has ultimate consequences.”

Every day we, as children of God, are in a role where our performance has ultimate consequences far more serious than physical life and death. Every person we meet has an eternal future that will be spent in either Heaven or Hell. Every person we meet is being influenced by our life and interaction with them. They will be given a favorable impression of Christians or a bad one. They will determine whether they are interested in our message by what they see in our lives.

Yet, we often go carelessly through the day without a thought of the vital and eternal implications of our testimony. When we lose sight of the mission God has given us to take the gospel to the lost, we miss so many opportunities to reach them. We have an obligation to Him, and to them, to take our lives seriously.

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,”

1 Peter 1:18–20

Evangelist D. L. Moody told of seeing a young man and an elderly woman drive up to the church where he was about to preach. Moody asked his host about their story. The man replied that the woman’s husband, the young man’s father, had lost everything they owned due to his drunkenness before he died in great poverty. The young man worked hard and earned the money to buy back the family farm and get his mother out of the poorhouse.

Moody said, “I thought, that is an illustration for me. The first Adam in Eden sold us for naught, but the Messiah, the second Adam, came and bought us back again. The first Adam brought us to the poorhouse, as it were; the second Adam makes us kings and priests unto God. That is redemption. We get in Christ all that Adam lost, and more. Men look on the blood of Christ with scorn and contempt, but the time is coming when the blood of Christ will be worth more than all the kingdoms of the world.”

Every good thing that we receive from God has its foundation in the purchase of our redemption through the blood of Christ. Far more precious than any treasure of earth, the blood of Jesus provides the atonement for sin that no other sacrifice could provide. The Bible says, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).

“Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies. Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.”

Psalm 119:22–24

When Henry Stanley started across Africa on his famous trip to find the missionary David Livingstone, he packed more than seventy books, weighing nearly two hundred pounds. As the trek covered hundreds of miles into the African jungle, Stanley began leaving some of what he had brought with him behind to make the journey easier. Along the way, he left all of his books except one—the Bible. According to one account of the trip, Stanley read the Bible completely through three times before finally meeting up with Livingstone.

The most indispensable resource we have as children of God is His Word. There is no such thing as a powerful, victorious, successful Christian life apart from the Bible. It must be the foundation for all of our beliefs and behaviors. The inerrant Word of God offers us everything we need to live as God intends. Yet, we often overlook this vitally important Book and fail to take advantage of the truth it provides.

The prophet Hosea issued this solemn warning from God: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” (Hosea 4:6). When we lay aside our Bibles and replace God’s truth with our own thoughts and opinions, we forfeit the power that is only found in His Word. Every day we need to take in the Scriptures just as we take in food. Nothing else can take the role the Bible plays in our lives.

“Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Acts 20:19–21

I heard about an old deacon who had fallen into the habit of using the same phrases over and over as he led prayers in church. One day as he prayed, he said, as he did in every prayer, “Oh Lord, touch the unsaved with Thy finger.” This time, he suddenly stopped and fell silent. After a few seconds people began looking to see what had happened. As he continued to stand there without saying anything, someone finally went up and asked if he were ill. “No,” he replied, “but something seemed to say to me, ‘Thou art the finger.’”

God’s plan for reaching the lost is the same as it has been since Jesus gave the Great Commission to the disciples before He returned to Heaven. You and I act as the finger of God to touch the unsaved. We have the privilege and the responsibility of witnessing to a lost and dying world. God could have sent angels to carry the message of salvation by grace through faith. He could have had the clouds spell out the good news. But He has chosen us to be His messengers.

Every person we meet has an eternal soul, and we have the only hope of salvation. It is a good thing to pray for the salvation of the lost, and for people to go reach them. But it is also our duty to be part of the answer to such prayers. Each of us has people we are best positioned to reach.

“Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:”

Matthew 25:24–26

Charles Spurgeon once pointed out that people are tempted to think that because they cannot do great things for God, they do not have to do anything for Him. He said, “Do not be entangled in that snare. If your Lord has only given you one talent He does not expect you to make the same interest upon it as the man does with five; but still He does expect His interest, and therefore do not wrap your talent in a napkin. It is but with strength imparted that any of us can serve Him. We have nothing to consecrate to Him but the gift we have first received from Him. A sinner may be brought to Christ by the simple earnestness of a peasant or an artisan, without calling in the aid of a professor’s learning or a preacher’s eloquence.”

The work of God is designed to be carried out by all of us, each one using the abilities and resources that God has provided. When any of us refuses to be part of the work, the entire body suffers. Every one of us has something important to do in God’s work. We may be tempted to think what we are doing is meaningless, but it is not. British statesman and philosopher, Edmund Burke, said, “No man ever made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.”

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Acts 2:36–38

The most important message in the world is the good news that Jesus freely provides salvation for all who believe. When we share this message with others, it should be with passion and commitment, but that alone is not enough. Peter did not preach his sermon at Pentecost until after the disciples were filled with power. Jesus told them they would not be ready to begin their work until the Holy Spirit came. “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me” (Acts 1:4).

D. L. Moody told the story of a husband and wife who came to hear him preach in Philadelphia. When they returned home from the service, the man was outraged. He accused her of having written the famous evangelist and telling Moody about him. She replied that she had not. He said, “When I saw Mr. Moody picking me out among all those people, and telling all about me, I was sure you must have written to him.” That is what the power of the Holy Spirit does in touching the hearts of people who hear the gospel and making it personal. That is something that we can never do in our strength and talent—it must be done by the Spirit.

“And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.”

Exodus 12:22–23

During one of the wars that gripped Europe in the 1500s, the country of Holland attempted to rebel against the rule of Spain. The revolt was brutally put down. It is said that when the Spanish army entered the rebel city of Rotterdam, they went from door to door, killing everyone—young and old alike—in retribution for the rebellion. One family hiding in their home could hear the soldiers coming down the street. In desperation, one of the men killed a goat and using a broom swept blood out underneath the door. When the Spanish soldiers saw that they left the house alone, sparing the lives of those inside.

All of us are born under a death sentence because of sin. We are sinners both by nature and by choice, and we deserve the punishment of Hell. But in His grace, mercy, and love, God prepared a way for our salvation before the world was created. Romans 5:9 says, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” We have been given an amazing gift that, while offered freely to us at no cost, was nevertheless purchased at a very high price. What a cause for our deepest gratitude!

“And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”

Exodus 3:8–10

When God appeared to Moses at the burning bush, He brought the news the Jewish people had been waiting many years to hear—that their time of deliverance had finally come. Moses had not suffered the pain of slavery with his people because he was raised by Pharoah’s daughter, but he still longed for them to be freed from bondage. I’m sure when he heard God say that He was going to deliver the Israelites, his heart was filled with joy and praise.

Yet immediately when God said, “I will send thee” Moses began to use every excuse he could think of to get out of being part of the deliverance he had been so eager to see. Many times we want God to work, but we are not willing to be part of His process. There are some Christians praying for revival who would be greatly upset if a revival actually came and they had to change their schedules to accommodate it. Instead we need to be ready, willing, and available for God to use as He sees fit. While He could have chosen a different method, God has chosen to use us to fulfill His plans, and we must respond when He calls.

“And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.”

Exodus 35:27–29

Giving is one of the most sensitive topics in churches today. People are fine with preaching on all sorts of topics, but when it comes to stewardship, there is often a resistance and resentment to what the Bible teaches. God’s plan is for His work to be supported by His people, and that their giving is to be done with a cheerful and willing heart. There are some Christians who give to the Lord, but because their heart is not in it, they do not receive the benefits that follow generosity.

When we give without restraint or hesitation, we put ourselves in a position to receive the full benefits of giving. Jesus said that those who give from improper motives lose their reward for giving. “Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward” (Matthew 6:2).

Though it is not the primary motive for us to give, it is true that generous and willing giving to God’s work produces financial blessing in our lives. James L. Kraft, the very successful businessman who headed what became one of the largest food companies in the world said, “The only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends is the money I have given to the Lord.”

“For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.”

Nehemiah 5:2–4

We live in a society that is drowning in debt. Despite reports that consumers are cutting back on spending, the amount of debt owed by governments, businesses, and individuals continues to rise. In an effort to accumulate more and more stuff—bigger houses, better cars, newer clothes—many people are borrowing more money than they can rationally hope to repay in any reasonable time frame.

While this approach is rampant today, it is not new. Financial adviser Larry Burkett said, “It was speculation, not expansion, that sparked the Great Depression. Expansion was proper as long as it was based on sound value; it was when individuals began to borrow money to speculate in stocks, and businesses used this borrowed money to expand, that disaster occurred. When caught in the squeeze, neither were able to pay their bills.”

As children of God, we need to be very careful not to be presumptuous about the future. James wrote, “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:13–14). We should never forget that debt places us into bondage, and we should resist the lure of borrowing for things that we do not need and cannot truly afford.

“And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

Mark 12:41–44

When it comes to measuring our lives and our work, God does not judge us the way people do. He is not impressed with the things the world values. There is no amount of fame that can impress the God whose glory fills the universe. There is no amount of money that can impress the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. The Bible says, “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).

God measures what is in our hearts. While we can often conceal our thoughts and motives from others for a period of time, God always knows why we are doing what we do. Our motives are far more important to Him than the outward appearance of our actions. Things that seem minor to others may be some of the most important and lasting things that we do for God. The good news is that He never overlooks our service to Him, and He will see to it that we receive the recompense according to our hearts.

“And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,”

Luke 24:4–6

The central truth of Christianity, the one that separates our faith from all of the other religions of the world, is that the same Jesus who died on the cross for our sins arose from the grave after three days. Without the resurrection, our faith is empty and meaningless. Paul made this point crystal clear: “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:17–19). When we celebrate Easter, we are celebrating our hope of salvation.

T. DeWitt Talmage said, “Eight hundred years after Edward I was buried, they brought up his body and they found that he still lay with a crown on his head. More than eighteen hundred years have passed, and I look into the grave of my dead King, and I see not only a crown, but ‘on his head are many crowns.’ And what is more, He is rising. Yea, He has risen! Ye who came to the grave weeping, go away rejoicing. Let your dirges now change to anthems. He lives! Take off the blackness from the gates of the morning. He lives! Let earth and heaven keep jubilee. He lives! I know that my Redeemer lives.” The story of the resurrection is not a fable concocted by the disciples, it is an actual, historical fact, and it is on this truth that our faith rests.

“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.”

Romans 13:11–13

In 2008, British researchers published the unusual story of a forty-four-year-old woman who, while sleeping, sent out emails to friends, inviting them to come to her house for a meal. The woman went to bed, then two hours later wandered into the next room, sat down at the computer and began typing. While the emails contained misspellings and grammatical errors, they were coherent enough to be read. The next day the woman had no memory of sending them. Scientists said they believed it was the first recorded case of someone sending email (the British papers referred to it as “zzz-mail”) while sleeping.

While the thought of someone sending email while asleep may be humorous, it is a sad reality that many Christians are sleep-walking through life. Rather than being alert and aware of what is going on around them, they drift through their days. It is vital that we recognize the dangers that are around us. Each day we are on a spiritual battlefield, and this is true whether we recognize it or not. John Owen wrote, “Cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” But each day also presents opportunities for us to shine as lights in the darkness and live in victory. Each day we can put on God’s armor and stand against the attacks of the enemy, but only if we wake up.

“And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

Revelation 5:8–10

Christians should be singing people. Throughout the Bible, we see God’s people singing in praise and thanksgiving to Him. While there are certainly some who are more musically talented than others, the song of redemption is not about the skill of our singing, but the joy of our salvation. There has never been a greater gift than the gift of eternal life, and we should never lose our joy and gratitude for what we have freely received.

The world has many songs, but none of them spring from the joy of a redeemed heart. The song of a Christian’s heart is a very powerful witness. David wrote, “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD” (Psalm 40:3). A grumpy, discouraged, song-less believer is a poor testimony to the grace of God.

Beyond the song in our hearts here on earth, we also have an eternity of singing in our future. The new song of Heaven will be far more beautiful and meaningful than anything that we can imagine. Today, our task is to practice so that when we are in the presence of God we simply continue our song of praise.

“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

John 10:9–11

The Christian life is more than just a series of battles and daily struggles. While there will never be complete victory until we reach Heaven, we are already victorious through the power of Jesus Christ. Our lives are meant to be far more than just drudgery and mere existence. We have the gift of eternal life and the presence of the Holy Spirit. The battle for us has already been fought and won by our Saviour. Paul wrote, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

Many people go through life without actually living. According to an article in Woman’s Day magazine: “Famed economist Stuart Chase once sat down to figure the calendar of his days. There is, he said, an ascending scale of human values and somewhere on it there is a line between living and mere existing. In how many hours of the week, he asked himself, had he truly and intensively lived? In how many had he just existed? Out of the 168 hours of the week he found that he had been ‘alive’ only 40, or about 25 percent of the total time!”

Every day presents a unique opportunity to enjoy the many blessings that God has provided to us as His children and rejoice in the victory that is already ours through Jesus. The devil wants to steal all that God wants us to enjoy, but we do not have to let him win. God’s plan is for us to be victorious!

“Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.”

Luke 5:4–6

When Jesus finished speaking to the massive crowd of people from the deck of Peter’s fishing boat, He told the seasoned fisherman something that made no sense at all. Peter fished at night, not during the day. The intense labor required to maintain the nets had already been finished, and Peter did not want to use them again when it was unlikely to result in a catch. Taking advice from a carpenter about fishing didn’t make sense to Peter, but Jesus was the Son of God. When Peter launched out, he caught so many fish that they broke the net.

Charles Spurgeon said, “I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the deeps of divine revelation; a faith that paddles about the edge of the water is poor faith at best. It is little better than a dry-land faith, and is not good for much.” Our faith is not real unless we are willing to do what God says regardless of whether it squares with our wisdom or not. The Bible is not filled with advice. It is a book of commandments from the God who has the right to expect our obedience.

“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.”

Luke 6:46–48

Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery was one of Britain’s great war heroes. Twice wounded in battle during World War I, “Monty” was given command of the British Eighth Army during the North African campaign of World War II. Known for his hard-charging, attacking style, Montgomery left no doubt about who was in charge. He issued a statement declaring, “From this moment on, the giving of a command does not mean the beginning of a discussion about the command.”

God loves and makes us part of His family through His grace, but He is still God. Jesus is more than just Saviour. He is also Lord. As such, He has the full right to command us to obey. It is impossible to say, “No, Lord” without contradicting ourselves. If He is Lord (and He is), then the only possible acceptable answer is “Yes.” When we insist on going our own way in disobedience, we are declaring through our actions that we refuse to regard and obey Jesus as Lord. While we would never say such a thing with our words, that is what disobedience reveals.

The Christian life is a life of self-denial and submission to God’s will. Jesus said, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:38). We are not on a pleasure cruise to Heaven. Jesus has called us to follow Him into battle, and we owe our Captain full and complete obedience.

“And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

Isaiah 6:3–5

It was shortly after the death of King Uzziah that Isaiah saw his vision of God on His throne in Heaven. It was a remarkable glimpse of the glory and majesty of God, and it prepared the prophet for a lifetime of powerful ministry. There are many lessons that can be drawn from this story, but one of the most significant is the change that seeing God made in Isaiah’s focus. In the previous chapter, we find him pronouncing judgment on the people. “Woe unto them” occurs again and again. Yet after seeing God, Isaiah said, “Woe is me.”

It is easy for us to become proud of our spiritual accomplishments and look down on others who we perceive have not reached the same level of a walk with God. In many cases, it is only our pride at work, and in some cases we may actually be a more mature Christian. Even then, however, if we are proud of ourselves and look down on others, we are not nearly as close to God as we think.

Paul wrote, “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12). When we compare ourselves to others, we may find comfort, but when we hold up the perfect standard of God’s holiness, we realize our desperate need for His cleansing power.

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

Colossians 1:16–18

At a time when defeated military opponents were often treated harshly, British Admiral Lord Nelson was known for his courtesy and kindness to the vanquished. However, there were limits to his generosity. It is said that after one battle a defeated French officer strode across the deck of the Victory, Nelson’s flagship, and extended his hand to the admiral. Without moving, Nelson said, “Your sword first, then your hand.” He was the victor, and he insisted that his authority be recognized.

God is the Great King, and He is always to be first in our lives. We see this principle repeated in Scripture. A lawyer once came to question Jesus about what was most important in life when it came to obedience to God. “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 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” (Matthew 22:36–37).

We all choose our actions according to what we love most. If we love God as we should—above anything else with all our being—then we will choose to do the things that please Him rather than focusing on pleasing ourselves. When we disobey God, we are revealing that we love other things more and have put them ahead of Him in our hearts. When we put Him first, we will live according to His purpose and will for our lives.

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

Philippians 3:7–9

In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted, destroying the Roman city of Pompeii in one of the worst natural disasters in history. The massive cloud of ash and choking smoke covered the entire city, killing thousands who had not fled in time and burying the entire town. When the location was rediscovered in the 1700s it was found that the thick ash had preserved the remains of those who died. Archaeologists found that most of those who died attempting to flee had been carrying their most treasured possessions—a bag of gold, a kit of medical tools, and a household idol. These were things they prized and carried as they tried to escape.

All of us have possessions that we value highly, and there is nothing wrong with that provided that we place greater value on things that are eternal. If we have anything in our lives—a person, a possession or a position—that matters more to us than Jesus does, we will never have the depth of relationship with Him that leads to a powerful and victorious life.

Rather than clinging to the things God has blessed us with, we should recognize them as temporary and focus our values on things that will last forever. Nothing we set aside for the cause of Christi is truly a loss. Nothing that we could keep can compare to the wonderfully close and personal relationship that He wants us to have with Him.

“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.”

Matthew 4:19–22

Born in England in 1841 to a devout family, Sarah Doudney began writing at a young age. While she was still a teenager, several of her poems were published in English church papers, and she went on to write more than thirty novels. Many of her poems were set to music, and one of the best-known is the beautiful hymn “The Master Hath Come.”

The Master hath come, And He calls us to follow
The track of the footprints He leaves on our way;
Far over the mountain And thro’ the deep hollow,
The path leads us on To the mansions of day:

The Master hath called us, the children who fear Him,
Who march ‘neath Christ’s banner, His own little band;
We love Him and seek Him, we long to be near Him,
And rest in the light Of His beautiful land.

When Jesus called the first disciples, they did not hesitate or delay in their response. “Immediately” they left behind all that mattered to them—their families and their livelihoods—to obey Christ’s call to follow Him. There is nothing that is more valuable than our obedience to Him. While most people are not asked to give up everything, we must be willing to give up anything that would keep us from walking in His way. The command to follow Jesus is not limited by time and place. It is just as much in force for us today as it was two thousand years ago.