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“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;”

Hebrews 2:1–3

Today the school is known as a bastion of liberal thinking and practice, but it was not always that way. When the founders drew up a mission statement for their educational institution nearly four hundred years ago, they wrote, “To be plainly instructed and consider well that the main end of your life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ.” The motto of Harvard University is still Veritas—truth—but the school has strayed far from its foundations.

Such change is all too common, and often happens very quickly. Individuals, churches, and groups that once proclaimed and defended the truth abandon the principles that they held dear and replace them with others. Beliefs and doctrines that were once held as vital are downplayed or altered. Sometimes this is the result of intentional shifting, and other times it is because the boundaries were not maintained and defended.

Truth is not held accidentally. It must be firmly gripped, or it will be lost. Jude warned, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3). The faith of those who have gone before us is an example and inspiration to us, but it is not enough. We must take a stand for truth and defend it in our generation.

“And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying, Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.”

1 Kings 16:11–13

William Wilberforce was already a rising star in the British political world when he was saved at twenty-five years of age. His faith led him to take action to end the slave trade within the British Empire, which was a very unpopular idea at the time. Wilberforce was mocked, ridiculed, slandered, and opposed but he continued on. He said, “Our motto must continue to be perseverance. And ultimately I trust the Almighty will crown our efforts with success.” Eventually the tide of public opinion turned, and in 1833, just three days before Wilberforce died, the Abolition of Slavery bill was finally passed into law.

There are many who make judgments of success or failure based on immediate results. And in truth, almost all of us would prefer for things to happen quickly. But most good things are not accomplished immediately. Instead they take continued and persistent effort and investment. When we decide we have failed because something didn’t work right away, we lose both the result that would eventually have come if we had persisted and the character that would have been built by continued effort along the way.

In the end God does not measure by visible results, but by faithfulness. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). Those who give up and walk away because the task is hard will not ever accomplish anything meaningful. Instead we should keep doing right and trust God for the final outcome.

“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”

Hebrews 4:1–3

The Bible is filled with direct promises and stories that reveal to us how powerful the inspired Word of God truly is. Yet despite the wealth of guidance, wisdom, and instruction it offers, many people, even many Christians do not benefit from the Bible. Of course this is not a failure of the Scriptures, for they are perfect and provide instruction for every question of life. The failure is on our part. Some people do not even bother to read the book God wrote for them. Others read it, but only to acquire information rather than to see themselves changed.

A. W. Tozer said, “An honest man with an open Bible and a pad and pencil is sure to find out what is wrong with him very quickly.” Most of the time the problem we have is not a failure to understand what the Bible says but a lack of willingness to be conformed to the likeness of Christ. The Bible does not leave us alone—it is written to reveal our need for change and to transform our lives. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

“Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?”

Daniel 6:18–20

When Daniel’s enemies tricked the king into signing a law forbidding prayer to anyone except him, they thought they had finally come up with a way to destroy the faithful servant of God. They knew that he would never stop praying, and when the law was signed, Daniel prayed as he had always done. The king did not want to see Daniel executed, but even he could not change the law. So Daniel was thrown into the den of lions. The Bible doesn’t tell us how Daniel spent the night, but it does tell us that the king couldn’t sleep! Very early the next morning, he rushed out to find that God had delivered Daniel from the lions.

The reason the king was sleepless with worry while Daniel had peace, is that Daniel understood the sovereignty of God. He had prayed, and so he did not worry. It is impossible for prayer and worry to coexist. Dr. John R. Rice wrote, “Worry is a blighting sin. It is the very opposite of trust. Yet how many Christians are guilty of this sin! They lose their joy, they dwell in uncertainty, their lives are harried by burdens they ought never to carry and by fears they ought never to entertain. And the secret of ending worry and anxious care is to take things to God every day and pray through with prayer and thanksgiving and supplication.”

“Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.”

1 Timothy 1:2–4

The church that Paul founded at Ephesus was one of the great churches of the New Testament age. Despite intense opposition and persecution from those who worshiped the goddess Diana (whose Temple of Artemis in the city was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world), the church was effective in reaching people with the gospel. But like all churches they faced problems, and Paul commissioned Timothy to stay there and insist that the church teach only sound doctrine.

Just as was true two thousand years ago, there are many churches today that have been infected with false doctrine. People who are living in sin and error do not particularly enjoy being confronted with the truth. And so some people decide it is easier to change the message than to continue to take a stand. This accommodation robs the church of its power to transform lives, for only the sound doctrine of the gospel can change a sinner.

The truth that God has given to us must be firmly held, because Satan knows the importance of his evil plans to undermine it. Jesus called him “the father of lies” and any time we compromise the truth, we are working for the wrong side. We need to take to heart the admonition Paul gave Timothy and ensure that we do not stray from the truth. The truth is vital to our own spiritual growth and development, and it is vital to the health and growth of our churches as well.

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 5:19–21

When Thomas Jefferson was tasked with drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776, he labored to find words that would explain to the world why the American colonies were seeking their independence from the British crown and a monarch who had become increasingly overbearing. Before giving a long list of examples, Jefferson wrote: “The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.”

Throughout history, many human rulers have been cruel, capricious, and overbearing as their power allowed them to indulge their worst impulses. But no man or woman who ruled, no matter how harsh or merciless, has ever come close to the devastating impact of the rule of sin over the lives of fallen people. Tyrants can destroy their subjects physically and emotionally, but they cannot reach the soul. Sin, however, enslaves its captives at the deepest level. Apart from God’s grace, we have no means of escape.

The only hope we have is the rule of grace replacing the rule of sin in our lives. Through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we have been given life in place of death. We should rejoice and exult in the freedom God has provided. Yet too often we return to the chains of sin. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1).

“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”

1 Timothy 1:18–20

On May 12, 1962, General Douglas MacArthur, then eighty-two years old, returned to West Point, where he had been the commander forty years earlier, to deliver his final major public speech. MacArthur had commanded US troops in three major wars. He hailed the courage of those who had defended our nation through the years, and challenged the young men seated before him to continue the tradition of courage and sacrifice of those who had gone before. At the end of his speech MacArthur said, “In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange, mournful mutter of the battlefield. But in the evening of my memory I come back to West Point. Always there echoes and re-echoes: Duty, Honor, Country.”

As Christians we have an even greater heritage of faithful service in the battles against the world, the flesh, and the devil than any military can boast. Through two thousand years men and women of courage and faith have answered the call and taken a stand. Many have given their lives for their faith. Others have suffered great persecution and loss because they would not deny the Lord. This is His calling—that we continue in the footsteps of those who have gone before us, remaining faithful in the face of battle. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

“And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,”

Acts 14:19–21

Over the years as I’ve witnessed to people, I’ve received a number of reactions. Many have trusted Christ, but others have rejected my message. I’ve had people tell me to go away and leave them alone. I’ve had doors closed firmly and quickly in my face. But so far I’ve never been stoned and left for dead by people to whom I was giving the gospel. That happened to Paul in the city of Lystra. When he healed a lame man there, the people wanted to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods come down to earth. Yet not long after, they were throwing rocks at Paul and thought they had killed him. The very next day Paul was back to preaching in the next town, and when he had finished there, he returned to Lystra and preached again.

Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. said, “The test of your character is what it takes to stop you.” All of us face opposition when we try to do things that are good and will help others and build God’s kingdom. The devil is not pleased when we labor for the Lord, so he attempts to knock us off course. Sometimes he uses outright opposition, and other times he tries to lure us off the path with a softer temptation. But in every case, we must remember our commitment to walk the path that Jesus walked in obedience and dedication, regardless of what comes. Only then can we truly say we are following Him.

“They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.”

Hosea 14:7–9

It’s a common sign to see when you visit parks and wilderness areas: “Stay on the path.” These notices are not given to restrict people from enjoying the parks, but to protect them from danger. Each year hundreds of people get lost because they stray from the marked trails. Usually lost people are located within a few hours, but some people are never found. In fact according to one recent estimate, more than 1,500 people have disappeared in national parks and never been seen again. There is a great danger in deciding that we are capable of determining the path to follow and choosing to go our own way.

This is even more true in the spiritual realm. The Bible is not filled with restrictions meant to keep us from enjoying life, but with Divine guardrails that have been erected to keep us safe and on the right path. How we view God’s commands is vital, for what we believe determines how we will live. Charles Spurgeon said, “Nothing makes a man so virtuous as belief of the truth. A lying doctrine will soon beget a lying practice. A man cannot have an erroneous belief without by-and-by having an erroneous life. I believe the one thing naturally begets the other.” Committing to follow God’s ways no matter what others may do provides safety and blessing.

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

1 Timothy 2:1–4

Though Scotland had officially abolished the power of the pope over their country by an act of parliament during the reformation, their queen, Mary Stuart, better known as Mary, Queen of Scots, was a Catholic. She attempted to restore Catholicism as a state religion and was resisted in that effort by John Knox, the leading preacher in Scotland at the time. Eventually Mary would be forced from power, and spend the rest of her life in England. She once remarked of Knox, “I fear his prayers more than an army of ten thousand men.”

There are many things that Christians can and should do to make whatever country they live in better, but none of those things are more powerful or potent than prayer. God commands His children to pray for their leaders, regardless of whether those leaders are just or unjust. When Paul wrote this instruction to Timothy, one of the most wicked rulers in history, Nero, was in charge of the Roman Empire. Yet, Paul still prayed for him.

While we understand that ultimately we are citizens of Heaven and our greatest loyalty is to God rather than to a nation, we are also commanded to be good citizens of the country where we live. “And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him” (Mark 12:17). We cannot expect to live peacefully in a society if we are not faithfully praying for our leaders.

“After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.”

Luke 10:1–2

The most important task given to the followers of Jesus Christ is to take the gospel to the world. The value God places on this assignment is highlighted by the fact that the command, commonly called the Great Commission, appears at the conclusion of all four Gospel accounts, and then is repeated at the beginning of the book of Acts. However, though there is no question of the importance of the work of evangelism, an honest assessment requires us to admit that the admonition God gave Joshua near the end of his life, “There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed,” is still true today.

Why are we not making more progress with this important task? There are many reasons, but one of those is that there are not enough people actively sharing the gospel. Though it is important to work to reach the lost, the first thing Jesus commanded was for us to pray for more laborers. One of the results of this kind of prayer is that it motivates us to be faithful in our witness as well.

Indeed, the harvest of souls is great. There are billions of people around the world who have not yet even heard the gospel. A Christian with a true concern for the lost and for the work of God will pray that more people will respond to the command of Christ to share the gospel with others.

“What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.”

Romans 9:14–16

Our culture is becoming increasingly less interested in religion. The most recent survey from Gallup showed the “nones”—those with no religious affiliation at all—have increased to one out of every five adult Americans. And among those who are affiliated with some religious belief, the level of attendance and involvement has declined. Yet despite this apparent lack of interest in religion, there is still an empty place in the heart of man that nothing but God can fill. All around us we see the evidence of the toll taken and damage done when people try to replace God with something else.

If we choose to try to replace God or find acceptance with Him in our own way, we are doomed to failure. Nothing we can accomplish or avoid can earn us merit in God’s eyes. Salvation is His work and His alone. D. L. Moody said, “The thief had nails through both hands, so that he could not work; and a nail through each foot, so that he could not run errands for the Lord; he could not lift a hand or a foot toward his salvation, and yet Christ offered him the gift of God; and he took it. Christ threw him a passport, and took him into Paradise.”

This truth is one that Christians need reminding of from time to time, for it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we somehow deserved God’s gift of salvation. But like every good thing, salvation is a gift from God, and it comes apart from anything we do.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 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 1:3–6

People do all sorts of things in order to be accepted by a group. Some wear certain clothing and fashions. Others adopt particular hairstyles. They may change what they eat, where they live, and more in an effort to fit in. There are even tragic cases of people severely damaging their lives or committing crimes in an effort to be accepted. As Christians, we have been given the precious promise that we have been accepted by God—not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus did. As a result, nothing can change that status.

The same grace of God that provides our salvation also settles our standing in His eyes forever. The Bible does not tell us that we might be accepted or that we can be accepted, but that we have already been accepted. The righteousness of Christ that has been applied to our account makes us fit to stand in the very presence of God despite our failings and shortcomings. Recognizing this truth frees us from the constant cycle of worry and uncertainty that comes from trying to be good enough to measure up to a standard we can never meet. God’s grace works in us to give us the ability live righteously so that our witness and fellowship with God are not hindered. But our acceptance is external, coming through God’s grace, and it is eternal, never changing or failing.

“Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;”

Isaiah 51:10–12

There is a beautiful story of a pastor who went to the pulpit with an empty birdcage. He told how the week before he had met a small boy who was carrying the cage with several birds inside. When he asked the boy what he planned to do, he was told that the boy would feed them to his cat. He said he offered to buy them and was told, “Mister, you don’t want to buy these birds. They’re not good for anything. They don’t even sing well.” The preacher holding the empty birdcage told the congregation, “That boy told me the birds were not songsters, but when I released them and they winged their way heavenward, it seemed to me they were singing, ‘Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!’”

While not all of us have great musical talent, every Christian has a wonderful song to sing because we have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. There is a great temptation, especially for those who have been saved for many years to forget just what a wonderful blessing we received in salvation, and to lose sight of the cage of sin that once held us and the fate that awaited us. It is vital that we keep our focus on what God did for us so that we will praise Him as we should.

“For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.”

1 Corinthians 9:16–18

We tend to think of preaching solely in the context of a pulpit ministry, but the Bible uses the word more frequently to refer to individual witnessing. Each time we share the gospel with someone, we are doing the task that God has laid upon every believer as a calling. We should view it as the critical assignment of our lives—something that must not be overlooked or ignored. There should be a driving passion for the lost that motivates us to faithful service.

Charles Spurgeon said, “A man who has really within him the inspiration of the Holy Ghost calling him to preach cannot help it. He must preach. As fire within the bones, so will that influence be until it blazes forth. Friends may check him, foes criticize him, despisers sneer at him, the man is indomitable; he must preach if he has the call of heaven.”

Too many Christians are content to let the paid staff of the church do the work of reaching the lost, ignoring the command of God to them to be busy proclaiming the gospel. There are many people that pastors and staff members never meet. God has placed each of us in a position to reach some people more effectively than anyone else. He desires for our heart to be burdened for the lost just as His is burdened. He desires for us to have love for those around us and concern for their eternal destiny.

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

Matthew 22:29–32

The story goes that a new pastor was teaching a young boy’s Sunday school class and asking them some questions to test their knowledge. When he asked, “Who knocked down the walls of Jericho?” Of course, he wanted them to answer that it was Joshua from the Bible account in the book of Joshua. But none of them responded. Later when meeting some of the leaders of the church, he expressed his dismay at their lack of Bible knowledge. One of the elderly men said, “Pastor, I’ve known these boys all their lives, and if they say they didn’t knock down the walls, I believe them!”

When the Sadducees tried to trap Jesus by posing what they thought was a challenging question, He pointed out that their question was wrong from the start because they did not base their belief and doctrine on what the Bible said. Because of the effects of sin our hearts and minds are darkened, unable to distinguish truth from error apart from the work of the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Scriptures and guide us rightly.

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13). We have a great responsibility to learn the Bible, because the Holy Spirit cannot guide us through the Word unless we know the Word.

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”

Job 19:25–27

Because of the time when he lived, Job had few of the resources that are available to us for spiritual growth and development. There was no Bible for him to read. He did not have the indwelling Holy Spirit as a guide. There was no church for fellowship, teaching, and encouragement. There were no Bible schools or online courses to deepen his understanding of what God said. Yet despite his lack of even the most basic tools that we often take for granted, Job had an overwhelming confidence in God.

This was true even in the most severe trial of his life. After Job had lost his possessions and his children, after his health was destroyed, and after his friends accused him of harboring all sorts of evil in his life, Job trusted God. He did not understand why these things had happened to him (and, as far as we can see in the Bible record, he never received an explanation on earth), but he knew that God could be counted on no matter what.

When the three Hebrew children faced death because they refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s golden idol, he asked them to reconsider. They refused because they trusted God whether He spared their lives or not. “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:17–18).

“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. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

Romans 8:28–30

Evangelist R. A. Torrey said, “Romans 8:28 is a soft pillow for a tired heart.” He was pointing out that when things go wrong, we can find rest in the wonderful truth that God still has a plan for our lives and has promised to make every pain, hardship, and loss work together for good. Nothing takes God by surprise, and nothing undermines His power to bring about His purposes in the lives of those who love Him. While God certainly is not the cause of evil, He is able to use even the most difficult and demanding circumstances of life to work out His ultimate plan—that we become like His Son Jesus Christ.

The great hymn writer Fanny Crosby lost her sight when she was just six weeks old because of a doctor’s error in treating her. Years later she said, “I have heard that this physician never ceased expressing his regret at the occurrence, and that it was one of the sorrows of his life. But if I could meet him now, I would say, ‘Thank you, thank you’—over and over again—‘for making me blind’…although it may have been a blunder on the physician’s part, it was no mistake of God’s.”

The trials of life are meant to accomplish a purpose. God is constantly working on us, molding us into people who are more and more like Jesus. Often that process requires difficulty. The challenge for us is to not lose sight of the end while we are in the midst of the struggle. God never fails, and He will continue to work until His purpose is achieved.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

1 John 3:1–3

One of the most important truths of Scripture is that the Lord is going to return. We are not told when this event will take place, but it is just as certain as the first coming of Jesus. And this reality is meant to make a difference in the way that we live. In his sermon “The Second Coming,” D. L. Moody said, “The devil does not want us to see this truth, for nothing would wake up the church so much. The moment a man realizes that Jesus Christ is coming back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its hold upon him. Gas stocks and water stocks and stocks in banks and railroads are of very much less consequence to him then.”

There are many Christians who are living with greater concern for the things of this world than the next. As a result, they do not keep themselves ready to see the Lord at any moment. If He were to return today, many would be ashamed to face Him because of what they were doing when He appeared. Yet the Bible clearly teaches that we will not be given advance notice to have time to prepare. Jesus warned, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 25:13). The expectation of Christ’s return will help us live pure lives.

“And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD. For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.”

1 Samuel 1:25–28

The noted pastor T. DeWitt Talmage had the privilege of growing up in a Christian home, and that was due to his grandmother’s praying. When Talmage’s father was a teenager, he planned to go to a party with his brother and sister. Their mother told them that she would be praying for them while they were gone, and when they returned at two in the morning, they found her on her knees beside her bed pouring out her heart to God. The next morning, the parents woke up to find all three of the children weeping and asking God for salvation.

Talmage wrote, “David [Talmage’s father] had a sweetheart living down the lane, and rising from his knees, he went right down to her home and told her the wonderful news about himself and his brother and sister being saved, urging her to give her heart to God. In the prayer there they had together she, too, was added to the host of the redeemed.” Years later, Talmage’s mother gathered a group of women from their church, and all of them agreed together to pray for the salvation of their children—and every one of them became Christians.

Not everyone can sing. Not everyone can teach. But everyone can pray. And there are few things that have the power to shape a child’s life—and the generations to come—like a praying mother.

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

1 Corinthian 9:24–27

The famous football coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant, was known almost as much for his quotable sayings as for his victories on the field. One of his most powerful remarks was often used in coaching clinics and seminars. Bryant said, “It is not the will to win that makes the difference. Everyone has that. It is the will to prepare to win that makes the difference.” He was pointing out the truth that while everyone prefers good results, most people are not willing to pay the price of achieving those results. They will take them if they happen to come, but they will not expend the effort and make the sacrifices to rise above the normal.

If we are going to be successful in the race of life, then we must be disciplined. Paul recognized that this was not a one-time event but a lifelong process that had to continue in order for him to remain in the race. There are many who have served Christ for a number of years only to fall by the wayside later in life. These failures happen because individuals decide to stray from the path of victory. Perhaps they have grown tired of the discipline required to continue to do right—of denying their selfish interests and appetites. But the loss of self control is the first step on the road to destruction.

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

Philippians 2:12–13

If you visit a typical playground, you will find several standard slides, swings, monkey bars, perhaps a merry-go-round, and often you will find a seesaw. Most of the equipment can be played by one child alone, but the seesaw requires two, or there simply isn’t much fun to be had. It is the balancing back and forth by both parties, making the seesaw go up and down, that provides the enjoyment. Without both parties actively involved, the board simply sits there.

In a way, the seesaw is a picture of the participation God calls us to in our spiritual growth. Although it is God who works in us, He also calls us to participate with Him in what He is doing. We must have God’s help and power, or we have nothing. Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). Yet at the same time, if we do not actively participate in what God is doing, no progress will take place.

We are commanded to “work out” the salvation we received by God’s grace. Receiving salvation has nothing to do with any work or effort on our part. But deliverance from the power and penalty of sin is not the end of God’s plan for us—it is only the beginning. Our destiny in Heaven is secure, but God’s plan for us until then is that we are conformed to the image of Christ. While this is a process that only happens by God’s grace, we are to obey God’s instructions and cooperate with His grace in transforming us. He provides the power and the ability, but we must apply them in action.

“How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end. If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?”

Jeremiah 12:4–5

Up until his retirement from the Lakers, Kobe Bryant was one of the top players in basketball. He won numerous NBA titles, was one of the highest scoring players in the history of the game, and was known for his intensity on the court. Though Bryant was very talented, his success did not rely primarily on talent, but on work. During the off season each year, he would run for two hours, lift weights for two hours, and practice his basketball skills for two hours—six days a week. During the season, he had a personal rule that he would not leave practice until he had hit at least four hundred shots. It is little surprise that his basketball career was so successful.

The Christian life is not lived successfully by gifts and talents. Instead, it requires intense discipline and dedication. The active opposition of Satan requires that we develop our spiritual muscles by using them again and again. “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). If we do not discipline ourselves before the battles begin, we will not know how to respond when we face the most severe tests. Every day we must grow in grace and build our faith—using that faith to overcome the enemy.

“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”

Acts 20:29–31

For ranchers in the western United States, predators, such as coyotes and wolves, pose a danger to flocks and herds. Often these predators will pick out the weakest animals in the herd and devour them. Over the years, ranchers have discovered that one effective means of protecting their animals is using guard llamas. Llamas are sociable animals, and they will bond with sheep or goats readily. Once they feel they are part of a herd, they will do everything possible to protect it. When a predator slinks around the edges of a herd, the llamas will see them and walk toward them. Since the predators depend on stealth and surprise, they usually leave. If not, the hooves of the llamas quickly convince them to seek easier prey.

The church and its members are a constant target for Satan. Like a predator stalking a herd, he is continually looking for an opportunity to strike. Every individual Christian has the duty to be on guard against these attacks. We are not only accountable for ourselves, but for others as well. The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation. Rather, it is meant to be lived in fellowship and mutual reinforcement of the truth. Hebrews 10:25 admonishes us, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” As we watch and warn, we are protecting both our own lives and the lives of those around us, guarding the flock of God.

“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

The Scottish pastor Robert Murray McCheyne greatly influenced the world during his brief life and ministry. Though he had less than eight full years of service to the Lord, he made them count. His devotion to godly living was his most notable characteristic. McCheyne challenged others to live holy lives. In a letter to a newly ordained missionary named Dan Edwards, McCheyne wrote, “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.”

God has no perfect people to work with, but He does call us to be holy if we are to be useful in His service: “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord” (Isaiah 52:11). It is impossible to love God as we should without hating sin as He does. There needs to be a commitment to holy living—what Paul described as being found having the righteousness of God. Though we will never be sinless until we see the Lord, those who witness our lives should be able to readily discern our commitment to righteousness and holy living.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1-2

On Memorial Day in 1913, a small group of aged survivors from both the Union and Confederate armies met in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the decisive battle of the Civil War. The main speaker, Representative James Heflin of Alabama, acknowledged the deep divisions that had once torn the nation apart and celebrated the reunited America. Heflin said, “As a token of the spirit of fraternal love now permeating the hearts of our people, I bring you a floral offering from the garden of Dixie, one for the grave of the soldier in blue and the other for the grave of the soldier in gray. The sublime valor of the heroes of both armies is the priceless heritage of all.”

As Christians, we have an amazing heritage left to us by the men and women who have followed Jesus before us. Their lives and their stories are meant to be an encouragement and inspiration as we face the battles and challenges of our days. We must never forget the lessons of the past, because if we do, those who come after us will not have the vital tool of godly example and influence. “And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel” (Joshua 24:31).

“For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

2 Corinthians 7:8–10

Pete Rose was one of baseball’s greatest stars, amassing more hits than anyone who had ever played the game. Rose became the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. But in 1989, he was banned from baseball for life for betting on games. Though Rose denied the allegations for fifteen years, he eventually admitted in an autobiography that he had indeed placed bets on baseball games. Though he has asked to be reinstated to baseball, the ban remains in place. In 2006, stores began selling baseballs which read, “I’m sorry I bet on baseball.” They were signed by Pete Rose and sold for around $300 each. It’s hard to see monetizing wrongdoing as an expression of genuine sorrow.

As Christians, God calls us to a repentance that is far more than merely saying we are sorry, while still planning to continue in sin. True repentance is far more than just feeling bad about what we have done. It leads to a change in how we live. It is impossible to hold onto God with one hand while we hold onto our sin with the other.

“For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.”

Jonah 3:6–8

After spending three days in the great fish God had prepared for him, Jonah must have been an amazing sight to behold when he appeared in Nineveh to preach of the judgment God would send if the people did not repent. It was not, however, Jonah’s appearance but his message that convicted the people of Nineveh. In response to Jonah’s message, the king of Nineveh declared a great demonstration of sorrow for sin—and a commitment to turning away from evil. In response to their heartfelt repentance, God spared the city from destruction.

Charles Spurgeon said, “Repentance is a discovery of the evil of sin, a mourning that we have committed it, a resolution to forsake it. It is, in fact, a change of mind of a very deep and practical character, which makes the man love what once he hated, and hate what once he loved.” One of the great problems in the church in our day is that we just don’t think sin is that bad. At least we act that way when it comes to the sins of our own lives. The sins of others may stir us to indignation, but our own sins we tolerate quite well. We need a renewed disgust and hatred of sin, viewing it as an outrage to our holy God.

“And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Matthew 26:39–41

Three weeks after the “shot heard round the world” started the fighting of the Revolutionary War, American forces advanced on Fort Ticonderoga. The fort had proved vital during the French and Indian War, and the colonists knew that it contained many cannons which they desperately needed to face the much larger British forces. Despite the outbreak of war, when the Americans approached the fort early in the morning of May 9, 1775, there was only a single sentry on duty. He was so inattentive that the Americans took the fort without firing a single shot, winning a crucial victory early in the war.

The Christian life is an ongoing spiritual conflict, and we must be constantly on guard. The devil doesn’t take vacations. He is looking for opportunities to attack, and if we abandon our responsibilities and do not take them seriously, defeat will follow. Dr. John R. Rice said, “Prayer is a duty expressly commanded for every Christian, all the time, and about everybody and everything. Not to pray is a sin, the sin of disobedience to the plain and often repeated command of God! Lack of prayer is a sin. Doubtless all of our sins and mistakes and failures are prayer-sins, prayer mistakes, and prayer-failures.” We do not have the power on our own to defeat the enemy. We must have God’s help through prayer if are to have any hope of victory.

“And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.”

1 Kings 18:36–38

When Elijah faced the false prophets on Mt. Carmel after three years without rain—the judgment God sent because the people were worshiping Baal instead of Him—he was vastly outnumbered. It didn’t matter! Elijah had spent those three years watching God work miracle after miracle to keep him alive and safe, and he poured out his heart to God in prayer. Elijah even went so far as to have barrels of water poured on the sacrifice and the altar just to make sure everyone who saw what happened realized that it could only be God.

Though the wicked Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, had turned the nation away from following God, when the power of God was displayed in answer to Elijah’s prayer, the people immediately recognized that they had witnessed the hand of God in action, and they declared that He alone was truly God. The only cure for a nation is found not in political, economic, or social reform, but in revival.

The poet George Liddell wrote:

Give me a man of God—one man,
True to the vision that he sees,
And I will build your broken shrines,
And bring the nations to their knees.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2:4–7

Throughout history there have been many different forms of wealth. Often coins made from precious metals like silver or gold were the way people kept their riches. Others held stocks in companies or owned large amounts of land. According to Forbes magazine, in 2016 there were nearly two thousand people in the world worth at least a billion dollars. The collective wealth of that group exceeds six trillion dollars. Yet, even these vast human riches pale in comparison to the riches of God.

We would not be impressed by someone who claimed wealth by virtue of owning huge piles of asphalt and concrete. Those common materials are used for paving roads. But when John saw his vision of Heaven, he found a material of great value used for that ordinary purpose: “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21).

There is no human standard by which we can measure God’s resources because we have nothing to which we can compare His wealth. And even greater than physical resources are the unlimited reserves of mercy and grace that He possesses. The greatest wonder of all is that He offers us the opportunity to share in His wealth through the sacrifice of Jesus. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

“Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.”

2 Thessalonians 2:15–17

When we are discouraged, scared, hurting, or afraid, there are few things that are a greater source of help and encouragement than hearing from someone that they know we are facing hard times and they are praying for us. Yet the truth is that there are times when we do not receive that kind word, assurance of prayer, or encouraging note. There are a number of reasons why encouragement may fail. Many hurts are carried silently, without ever being shared with others. Sometimes people are silent because they do not know what to say. Other times the busyness of life may prevent that needed word from coming.

But in those moments when we have no human source of help, we are not without hope. While it is nice to receive encouragement from people, the ultimate resource for comfort is God. No matter how severe the challenge may be and how alone we may feel, God is always available to help us.

At one of the lowest moments in David’s life, when his possessions and family had been captured and taken away and his own men wanted to kill him, David found help in the Lord. “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God” (1 Samuel 30:6). There is no challenge we face that is beyond His ability to help and no burden we carry which He does not feel.

“And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

1 Timothy 6:8–10

The popular conception of land mines is that they are hidden and blow up when an unwary enemy accidentally triggers an explosion. Although there are times when mines are used in that fashion, other times they are not hidden at all. For example during the Korean War, American combat engineers laid minefields that were not meant to catch the enemy unaware, but to hinder their progress. These minefields were actually fenced in with barbed wire, and had signs in multiple languages, warning of the danger. Mining the easiest access routes through mountain passes would greatly restrict progress.

We would be surprised to see someone walk up to a minefield surrounded by barbed wire and hung with warning signs and continue forward as if there were no danger. That would be a deadly way to advance. Yet, while the Bible is filled with warnings about the impact loving money has on our hearts and many examples of the deadly results the love of money brings in the end, Christians down through the years have been destroyed because of the allure of wealth.

As one preacher put it, “There’s nothing wrong with having money, but there’s something very wrong with money having you.” The caution Jesus gave regarding money is instructive and should be heeded: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).

“Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?”

Romans 2:21–23

When A. W. Tozer was pastoring a church in Chicago, he called a new minister who had just arrived in town. As they discussed the challenges of working in a large city, Tozer made the new pastor an offer. “If you ever want to pray with me, I’m at the lakeside every morning at 5:30. Just make your way down and we can pray together.” As the story goes, a few weeks later the new pastor was struggling with an issue, and headed for the lake, hoping to find some help and encouragement. There before the sun came up, he found Tozer on his face before the Lord.

It is not enough to just say we believe something is important—prayer, giving, Bible reading, church attendance, loving our neighbor. We must also practice what we say we believe. There is a temptation to think that as long as we show up for church, carry our Bibles, sing the songs, pray, and put something in the offering plate, everything is fine. But while those are all good and important things, they are not enough. The Christian life is a daily practice of hidden disciplines, of putting into practice the things that we claim to believe.

Though it would be far easier if we could just say things once and have that be enough, there must be a continued, daily, ongoing pattern of obedience as Jesus taught. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). When saying the right things is matched with doing the right things, spiritual growth can occur.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Romans 6:1–4

Mark Twain, though a gifted author, had a deep disdain for Christianity. It is impossible to read much of his work without seeing his contempt for what he once referred to as a “slaughterhouse religion” because of the necessity of Christ’s sacrifice to pay for sins. Sadly, Twain meant his words as a dismissive critique, when he could have seen in them the hope he needed. For as Hebrews 9:22 says, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).

Jesus’ sacrifice for us was part of God’s plan from the beginning of the world (1 Peter 1:19–20). It is not, however, just His death on the cross, but that death combined with the resurrection, that offers us the promise of new and eternal life. The purpose of the sacrifice was not completed until Christ rose again. Once we receive Christ as our Saviour, we have the gift of salvation and the promise of eternal life. This, however, is just the beginning of God’s plan for us. As we join with Christ in death and resurrection, we have the means to live a new kind of life even here on Earth.

The pattern for our life was set for us by Jesus. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). The Holy Spirit provides for us the power and ability to walk as He walked. Everything we need to live like Jesus lived is available to us.

“Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

Isaiah 1:16–18

There are no perfect people. All of us are sinners both by nature and by choice, born apart from God and with no hope of saving ourselves. Yet God’s great love made provision for us to be redeemed.
R. A. Torrey said, “I look at the cross of Christ, and I know that atonement has been made for my sins; I look at the open sepulcher and the risen and ascended Lord, and I know the atonement has been accepted. There no longer remains a single sin on me, no matter how many or how great my sins may have been.”

The tragedy is that although God cleanses and forgives sin completely at the moment of our salvation, often we remain bound by the weight of past sins. Of course, we can’t use grace and forgiveness as an excuse for continuing in sin. But those sins which have been dealt with—where we have gone to God and confessed and done what was needed to make right with others—only have power over us if we allow them to have that power.

We have the promise of God that He does not see them. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 8:12). The devil tries to use these offenses of the past to bind us in the present and prevent us from serving God in the future, but we can live in the truth of forgiveness.

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

Matthew 6:9–13

I heard the story of a father who told his son not to go swimming in a canal. Although many children thought of it as a great place to swim, the father knew it could be dangerous. The son agreed not to swim in it, but when he came home with a wet swimsuit, the father asked where he had been. “Swimming in the canal,” answered the boy. “Didn’t I tell you not to swim there? Why did you?” asked the father. “Well, Dad,” he explained, “I had my bathing suit with me and I couldn’t resist the temptation.” “Why did you take your bathing suit with you?” the father questioned. “So I’d be prepared to swim, just in case I was tempted,” the boy replied.

The allure of sin is great, and no Christian is immune from its pull. Yet often rather than following the instruction of Jesus and praying to be delivered from places of temptation, we intentionally choose to walk as close to the edge as we can. Like Lot setting up his tent so that he saw Sodom every time he went out the door, we want to see what is going on in the world as much as we can.

As a result, we are often tempted because we have placed ourselves in a situation where it is easy to be tempted. Instead we should do all we can to keep our distance. “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:14). No Christian, no matter how mature, is able to play with temptation without eventually yielding to it.

“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”

John 15:3–5

One of the most common things people say about their lives is that they want them to matter. Most people do not set out to drift aimlessly from one thing to the next, and never accomplish anything of lasting value. Yet many people are not able to look back on serious accomplishments in their lives. This is especially sad when it happens to a Christian, because we are not limited to what we can do on our own. We have the full power of God available to us to do His purpose and will—the things that truly matter, not just for this life but for the next.

The problem is that too often we are working in our own strength, rather than in the true power that comes from abiding in Christ. God does not provide power to those who insist on going it alone. In Lectures to My Students, Charles Spurgeon wrote, “When your own emptiness is painfully forced upon your consciousness, chide yourself that you ever dreamed of being full except in the Lord.”

Our pride tempts us to self-reliance rather than God-dependence. We want to do it on our own so that we can get the credit. But for all of His abundant grace and His free gifts to us, God has no interest in lifting us up. “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isaiah 42:8).

“Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 5:5–8

I read about a new pilot who had just received his instrument rating and was excited to fly by himself. But when the clouds closed in, he was extremely nervous about making an instrument landing on a runway he couldn’t see. He was beginning to panic when a stern voice came over the radio, “You just obey instructions, and we’ll take care of the obstructions.”

We do not have to see the path in front of us to walk in the way God commands. He knows the future. He knows what will happen to you tomorrow and next week and next year. He knows every event that will be part of the rest of your life. He knows the exact place and moment of your death (or if the Rapture will come first). He knows every trial you will face, and how you will respond. We do not need more information; we need more faith so that we will do what God says no matter what we see.

Corrie ten Boom, who knew a great deal about trusting God through great trial, once said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” The Bible tells us everything God knew that we needed to know in order to live lives that are pleasing to Him. Rather than trying to understand all about the future, we should trust that doing what God says will produce the results that He promises. We can trust Him whether we see His plan or not.

“And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”

Galatians 6:16–18

There were many who opposed the truth taught by the Apostle Paul of salvation by grace through faith. The entire letter that we know as the book of Galatians is written to point out the vital importance of this great truth. As Paul closed his epistle, the Holy Spirit inspired him to remind those who would read it that he was not speaking theoretically. Paul had committed himself to the gospel, and as a result, carried in his body the evidence of the suffering that he had endured. Paul was stoned, beaten, shipwrecked, and lived in constant danger of being killed. Eventually, he would be martyred by the tyrant Nero. There was no question about his level of commitment.

Vance Havner asked, “Where are the marks of the cross in your life? Are there any points of identification with your Lord? Alas, too many Christians wear medals but carry no scars.” Most of us in America have never had to endure actual physical suffering for our faith, but that is not the case for many believers. What we need is the willingness to stand, even if it means that we will suffer consequences. Jesus was willing to endure enormous physical suffering and also bear the sins of mankind. And even after His resurrection, His body still shows the wounds He received for us.

Amy Carmichael wrote:

No wound? No scar?
Yet as the Master shall the servant be,
And pierced are the feet that follow Me;
But thine are whole. Can he have followed far
Who has no wound nor scar?

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.”

John 10:27–30

The noted evangelist J. Wilbur Chapman said that though he had been saved as a young boy, he struggled with assurance of his salvation. After hearing D. L. Moody preach, Chapman talked to him about his concern. Chapman said he was not sure of his salvation because, “I don’t believe I have faith enough.” Moody responded, “Who is it you don’t have faith in? Are you doubting Jesus Christ?” “Oh no! Oh, no! I’m doubting myself,” Chapman said. Moody replied, “Well, you are not the one who does the saving. If you don’t doubt Jesus, then leave it with Him.”

With the culture around us fully committed to the task of undermining people’s belief in actual, objective, unchanging truth, Christians are tempted to begin doubting things that were once considered settled. And since Satan knows that a doubting Christian is unlikely to have any positive influence on the world around him, he does everything he can to reinforce doubt and uncertainty.

The bedrock on which our assurance rests can never be shaken, for it is the unfailing promise of Almighty God. Since we did not do anything to earn or merit our salvation, we need not fear that we will do something to lose it. We do not have to live with the scourge of doubt and uncertainty regarding our destiny. Every child of God is completely and totally secure in His care on Earth just as surely as if we were already in Heaven.

“But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:25–28

Someone said, “If you want to become the greatest in your field, no matter what it may be, equip yourself to render greater service than anyone else.” We know the importance that God places on service, both from the commands of Scripture and from the example of Jesus. He was the ultimate picture of sacrificial living for the sake of others. Though He deserved praise and glory, He was willing to lay all of that aside to fulfill God’s plan of salvation.

When Jesus was on the cross, His enemies mocked Him, trying to add to the weight of His suffering. “He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him” (Matthew 27:42). Yet in their evil intention, they expressed a profound truth. It was not possible for Jesus to save both Himself and us.

In the same way, if we are to be of genuine service to others, it will come at a price. The time, talent, and resources that we put toward meeting the needs of others could be used for our own benefit. Or, we can choose to pour our lives and what we have into the lives of others, following the example of Jesus. And when we do, we have God’s promise that His grace will supply everything we need.

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

Ephesians 2:19–22

Over the years at Lancaster Baptist Church, we’ve been involved in a number of building projects. But as beautiful as the facilities God has blessed us with are, they are not the church. And putting up an auditorium, classrooms, or a fellowship hall is not the real building program of the church. The church is the local gathering of Christians, saved through the blood of Jesus. And the primary building program of the church is to train, equip, and inspire the members to become mature believers—and to join their hearts together.

The singular characteristic of the early church was that they were together. Over and over we read descriptions like this: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1). Unity is the key because individual Christians alone cannot accomplish the full purpose of God. It requires our different gifts, talents, and personalities working together to build up the entire body.

There are those who say that you don’t have to go to church to be a Christian. While it is true that no one is saved by going to church, it is also true that spiritual growth and maturity are greatly enhanced by the fellowship of believers. And in addition to what we receive, we have an obligation to the other members to minister to and encourage them. When God’s people are working together in unity the church becomes what God designed it to be.

“But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.”

John 21:4–6

When Jesus met with the disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee after His resurrection, He asked them a simple and pointed question: “Have ye any meat?” Or, “Did you catch anything?” He did not ask them how long they had fished, what technique they were using, or how sincere they were in their desire to catch fish. Jesus wanted to know if their work was producing results. The same question is posed to us today. There is a vast difference between being busy and being productive.

J. Wilbur Chapman said, “If Jesus called His disciples to be fishers of men, who gave us the right to be satisfied with making fishing tackle or pointing the way to the fishing banks instead of going ourselves to cast out the net until it be filled? If I wish to be approved at the last, then let me remember that no intellectual superiority, no eloquence in preaching, no absorption in business, no shrinking temperament or no spirit of timidity can take the place of or be an excuse for my not making an honest, sincere, prayerful effort to win others to Christ.”

There is no substitute for obedience in our assigned task of sharing the gospel with the lost. We can conduct great programs that consume all of our time, energy, and resources, but they must not take the place of winning souls.

“And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war, And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”

Numbers 32:20–23

In 2013, a zoo in China—desperate for a new attraction to draw visitors, but unable to afford the purchase of an actual lion—came up with a plan. They purchased a large Tibetan mastiff and had it groomed to look somewhat like a lion. They attempted to pass the dog off as the king of the jungle, and excited visitors lined up to see the new attraction. But guests soon complained to authorities about fraud because they heard the “lion” barking and realized that what they were seeing was not what they had been promised. The zoo was shut down by the government for their deception.

All of our efforts to conceal our sins are doomed to failure. Our “lions” always bark sooner or later. We may “pull the wool” over people’s eyes for a while, but God sees our hearts. And He has ordered our world in such a way that deception will not succeed forever. The human tendency is to try to hide our sins. But God’s remedy for sin is not concealment, but cleansing and change. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

“Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons. And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.”

2 Samuel 9:11–13

In Bible times it was not uncommon for new kings, upon taking the throne, to kill off every member of the previous dynasty. This ensured that they would not be challenged by those who wanted to foment rebellion. Though most of Saul’s line perished in battle before David became king, Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, was still alive. And David, rather than executing Mephibosheth, brought him into his house and fed him at the royal table along with the rest of his own family.

That is a beautiful picture of what God does for us in salvation. All of us, regardless of if our earthly fathers were godly men or ungodly men, were born into the wrong family. Jesus said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).

When we trust Christ as our Saviour, however, God adopts us as His children, making us the sons of God. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). The Bible description of God as our Father is not simply metaphorical. In His love and mercy, God makes us His very own, and He is to us the perfect Heavenly Father.

“I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Romans 1:14–16

In 490 BC, the Persian army, under Darius, invaded Greece in an effort to expand the great empire. On the plains near Marathon, the forces of Athens decisively routed the invaders. According to tradition and the Greek historian Lucian, a dispatch runner named Pheidippides was sent to take news of the triumph back to Athens. Pheidippides ran some twenty-six miles without stopping for rest. Lucian wrote, “Bringing the news of the victory at Marathon, he found the archons seated, in suspense regarding the issue of the battle. ‘Joy, we win!’ he said, and died upon his message, breathing his last in the word ‘Joy.’” The modern marathon race is based on this ancient story of endurance and sacrifice.

The Christian life is not a voyage on a cruise ship, but a tour of duty on a battleship. And the cause of Christ is worthy of every effort and sacrifice that we may be called on to make. Jesus calls for our complete and total commitment to Him. The Apostle Paul, after meeting Christ on the road to Damascus, served Him with all he had for the rest of his life. The Christian life is not a sprint, but a distance race, and we have God’s strength to keep running. “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”

2 Timothy 2:9–11

On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation: “On the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” The intention of the proclamation was to end slavery in the Southern states, but because those states were still fighting against the government in Washington, they did not recognize the proclamation as legitimate and binding. It would not be until the war ended and the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was adopted that slavery would be officially abolished.

There is a spiritual war taking place in our world today. Satan continues his rebellion against God, and although, through Christ’s death and resurrection Jesus has already defeated Satan, the full freedom purchased through His blood has not yet been realized. It will not be until the war has ended that the complete victory will be obvious. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26). Yet the continuing war should not discourage or dishearten us. It is real, but the final outcome has already been determined. We have the power and ability through Jesus Christ to experience victory not just at some point in the future, but day after day in this present world.

“Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

Colossians 4:3–6

I heard someone joke recently, “I opened my mouth and the words came out without passing think.” While it is true that sometimes what we say without thinking is humorous, more often it is painful and destructive. There is enormous power in the words we use. They echo in the ears of listeners long after they are spoken. Many of us can remember a particularly harsh or cutting remark or a criticism that we received long ago with complete clarity.

We need to be thoughtful in the words that we speak to others. I have found this acronym to be very helpful in choosing our words.

T – Is it True?
H – Is it Helpful?
I – Is it Inspiring?
N – Is it Necessary?
K – Is it Kind?

There are some things that simply don’t need to be said. The reality is that many times the people who should be most encouraging to us utter some of the most cutting remarks. There should be love and grace in the speech between family members and church members alike. If there is not, the consequences can be devastating. Paul warned, “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another” (Galatians 5:15).

Ultimately our words are an expression of our inward thoughts and feelings. We need to be certain that our thinking is right if we want our speech to be right.

“That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

2 Thessalonians 2:2–4

One of the topics of greatest interest to many Christians is prophecy and end time events. They want to know what to expect in the days ahead. Of course this interest is not new. The last question the disciples asked Jesus before He returned to Heaven was about His plan for the future: “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

The Bible makes it clear that God does not intend for us to know the exact timing of future events, but instead be ready for the return of the Lord at any moment. It also tells us a great deal about what to expect as we wait for that day. Scripture says that the last days will see an increase in sinful activity, and there will be a decrease in genuine faith. Many who once professed to believe will fall away, while others redefine faith so that it no longer holds any real meaning.

Our task is to be faithful. That is true no matter who around us may stop following God. As long as our eyes are on Jesus and our confidence in the Word of God is strong, we will not be numbered among those who fall away.