Search

“And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.”

Acts 18:23–25

John Broadus was a powerful preacher. In fact Charles Spurgeon called him the “greatest of living preachers.” But he made an even greater impact on training preachers, helping to found seminaries, and serving as a teacher for many years. His book, On the Preparation and Delivery of Sermons, remains one of the most influential books on the subject nearly 150 years after it was first published. Broadus died at just sixty-eight years of age. In his final lecture, delivered just nine days before his death, he told his students, “Gentlemen, if this were the last time I should ever be permitted to address you, I would feel amply repaid for consuming the whole hour endeavoring to impress upon you these two things: true piety, and, like Apollos, to be men ‘mighty in the Scriptures.’”

There are many things that people do for God which require special gifts and abilities. Some are more talented in certain areas while others excel in different spheres. But every Christian can be powerful in the Word of God. It simply requires that we read, study, hear, learn, and meditate on the Bible. It is not a lack of talent, but a lack of work that keeps people from being strong in the Word. Some of God’s greatest and most effective servants have not been the most gifted, but those who were willing to invest the time and effort to become people of the Word.

“For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”

Titus 1:7–9

Nik Wallenda comes from a famous family of circus performers, and he is the seventh generation of the “Flying Wallendas” to perform as an aerialist. His best-known high wire feats include crossing Niagara Falls as well as a gorge at the Grand Canyon suspended far above the ground. He proposed to his wife who is also from a circus family on a high wire thirty feet in the air. One of Wallenda’s more incredible performances was while suspended from a helicopter 250 feet above the ground while dangling by his toes from the harness. He may have been using his feet rather than his hands, but he was still hanging on for dear life.

That is the approach God calls each of us to have with the truth. We are to cling to the Bible as if our lives depend on it—because they do. There are many things that are helpful and useful to our walk with God, but the Bible is essential. It is more important that our spiritual life be fed than that our bodies receive nourishment. “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). Yet if we are honest, faced with a choice between skipping Bible reading or skipping breakfast, which would we choose? It is vital that God’s people take the spiritual battles they are facing seriously, and the tool He has given us to fight that battle is His Word.

“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.”

2 Timothy 1:12–14

In our society, it seems that one of the worst offenses a person can commit in public is to state with certainty that something is actually right or actually wrong—all the time, in every case, and for every person. That goes against the grain of our “tolerant” culture, which insists that any belief or idea, no matter how much it contradicts reality, must be accepted. Against that current, Christians are called to stand firm in defense of the truth. While we should not be unpleasant or rude in our demeanor, we should be clarion clear in declaring, “thus saith the Lord.”

No one knows everything, but it is possible for us to know with confidence what God has said in His Word. And our commitment to the truth must be firm no matter what others may do. A. W. Tozer said, “Moral power has always accompanied definite beliefs. Great saints have always been dogmatic. We need a return to a gentle dogmatism that smiles while it stands stubborn and firm on the Word of God that lives and abides forever.”

The less the world believes in absolute truth, the more important it is for us to take an unwavering stand for what God has said. There are those who tell us that to have influence we must not state truth with certainty. They are wrong. “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:8).

“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.”

Titus 3:7–9

How we receive instruction and correction from the Word of God depends in large measure on whether we understand it to be meant for us, or if we instead think of how others could apply those truths. I read about an elderly church member shaking hands with the pastor after the service on a Sunday morning. “That was a wonderful sermon—just wonderful,” she said. “Everything you said applies to someone I know!”

The temptation to apply truth to the lives of others rather than our own is not new, but it is misleading. The truth that God wants us to internalize does us no good if we are only concerned with those around us. We see this in the life of Peter after the resurrection. When Jesus had finished their memorable conversation by the Sea of Galilee designed to bring Peter back to a right relationship with Him, Peter immediately turned his focus to John. “Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me” (John 21:21–22).

We must resist the temptation to worry about correcting others instead of taking care of our own spiritual condition. We cannot make progress unless we are willing to focus on our own lives and make the necessary changes to bring us in line with what the Bible commands. That is where all spiritual progress begins.

“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

Revelation 22:16–17

In 1872, Jerry McAuley opened the Water Street Mission in one of the worst neighborhoods in New York City. It is considered to be the first rescue mission dedicated to reaching those who were in great need. McAuley, who had been saved after he was sentenced to Sing Sing Prison at just nineteen years of age, had a real burden for reaching those who were often looked down on by others. One of his early converts was a man named Samuel Hadley, who had lost everything because of his habitual drunkeness. After his salvation, Hadley became one of the most effective workers at the mission. He summed up the mindset of the Water Street Mission with these words: “We don’t want anyone here who is welcome anywhere else.”

The world around us is filled with people who wonder if anyone cares for them. There are visible signs of brokenness all around. The challenge is to see past the wounds, the hurts, and the scars to the person within, and to reach out to them in love. The church should be firmly grounded in the truth, but it should also provide help and hope to those in need. We do not condone sin or lower God’s standard, but we instead offer a way forward through God’s forgiveness and regeneration. This balanced approach is what Jesus displayed with the woman who had been taken in adultery. “And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11).

“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

The famous evangelist J. Wilbur Chapman told the story of a hiker who became lost in the mountains during a snow storm. He tried to continue forward, but could not find any landmarks. Realizing his peril, he looked for a place of safety but found none. Finally, he tripped and fell into the snow. Chapman said, “As he fell his hand struck the body of another man who had fallen in the same place. This first man was unconscious, and the man who had just fallen rose to his knees, and, bending over the prostrate form, began to chafe his hands and to rub his face, until by and by the man’s eyes opened. He had saved another’s life, but he had also saved himself, for the exercise had kept the life in his own body.”

The temptation that all of us face is to live our lives focused on our own needs, wants, goals, and ambitions rather than realizing the importance of investing our lives into others. The Christian life is not just about us. When we follow the pattern Jesus set and pour ourselves into helping others, we find great benefit for our own lives. When Jesus gave the gospel to the woman at the well while His disciples searched for food, it renewed His strength in a powerful way. “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34). God gives strength to those who seek to serve Him.

“There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.”

Proverbs 30:12–14

I came across a powerful description that someone wrote of one of the most serious problems that undermines the effectiveness and unity of so many churches: “My name is Gossip. I have no respect for justice. I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age. The more I am quoted, the more I am believed. My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and face. To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become. I am nobody’s friend. Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same. I topple governments and wreck marriages. I make headlines and headaches. I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartaches, and indigestion. I make innocent people cry in their pillows. Even my name hisses. I am called Gossip.”

The words that we speak to and about others have enormous power, and we are going to one day answer to God for the words we have chosen to carelessly utter. “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). Every Christian should make a deliberate and intentional effort to make sure that his speech is uplifting. This is equally true whether we are speaking to someone or about them. There are many things that even if true should not be spread to damage or destroy the reputation of others.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”

2 Corinthians 4:7–10

When he was narrowly defeated in his bid for re-election in 1888 by Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland faced a choice—to retire from public life or to continue to fight for the principles he believed. Cleveland chose to continue his career, and in 1892, he became the only man in American history to serve as president twice in non-consecutive terms. He is listed as both the twenty-second and the twenty-fourth presidents. Early in his second term in office, Cleveland was diagnosed with a tumor which required part of his jaw to be removed. Following his surgery, Cleveland wrote, “I have learned how weak the strongest man is under God's decrees; and I see in a new light the necessity of doing my allotted work in the full apprehension of the coming night.”

The fact that things are hard or that we suffer reversals and defeat does not mean that we are left hopeless. Instead, each hardship should remind us that God's grace is always sufficient, and that He has a plan for the future. One of the lessons of suffering is that God must always be exalted instead of us receiving the glory. And when hard times come, we can take heart knowing that God recognizes us as able to endure them in a manner which will bring praise to Him. “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5:41).

“For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.”

Proverbs 4:2–5

When Nebuchadnezzar had his dream of a great statue made of different materials that foretold the future empires of history, he recognized that it was important. But when he awoke he could no longer remember what his dream had been. When his wise men could not recall his dream for him, despite the fact that his demand was unrealistic and unfair, he ordered them to be put to death. Because Daniel and his three friends were among that group, they also faced death. As all of us should do in times of trouble, they turned to prayer.

Daniel’s prayer was answered. God not only revealed the king’s dream to him, but also told him what it meant. His life was spared by the grateful king. There is a wonderful reminder to us in Daniel’s prayer regarding wisdom. “Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:” (Daniel 2:20–21)

Too often God’s people do not live with wisdom because they do not turn to God to get it. We do not become wise by being more educated. There is a vast difference between knowledge and wisdom. Someone said, “Knowledge is recognizing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.” God’s wisdom enables us to live according to the precepts of His Word.

“When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.”

Hosea 11:1–3

Evangelist D. L. Moody told the story of an interaction he had with his young daughter, Emma. She had been asking for a new muff to keep her hands warm in the winter, and one day her mother brought one home for her. Even though it was cold and snowing, she wanted to go out right away and try it. Moody said, “I went out with her, and I said, ‘Emma, better let me take your hand.’ She wanted to keep her hands in her muff, and so she refused to take my hand. Well, by and by she came to an icy place, her little feet slipped, and down she went.

“When I helped her up she said, ‘Papa, you may give me your little finger.’ ‘No, my daughter, just take my hand.’ ‘No, no, Papa, give me your little finger.’ Well, I gave my finger to her, and for a little way she got along nicely, but pretty soon we came to another icy place, and again she fell. This time she hurt herself a little, and she said, ‘Papa, give me your hand,’ and I gave her my hand, and closed my fingers about her wrist, and held her up so that she could not fall.”

God takes great delight in His children. He teaches us and invests in us and protects us. Earthly fathers fail us, but even in those situations, our Heavenly father holds us. “When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up” (Psalm 27:10). We can always trust the heart of our Heavenly Father.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

Matthew 23:37–39

Most of the world religions throughout history have featured stern and largely unapproachable gods. These gods often demanded great sacrifices in order to be appeased. One of the distinctive traits of Christianity is that God Himself provided the sacrifice for the atonement of men’s sins. Rather than demanding that we make the payment for redemption, Jesus—God in the flesh—came to make it. John the Baptist was the first human voice to announce Jesus’ redemptive role. “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

There are many things in the world around us that are in direct opposition to God, and it seems that the more evil is displayed, the more it is applauded. Ye,t God loves the whole world, and we too were once sinners. Even those raised in the most protective environments of church were still sinners in need of God’s love and a Saviour.

Dr. John R. Rice wrote, “God loves this world! Let me say it again, because our hearts are so calloused to the blessed truth that it makes little impression upon us—God loves this world! He loves every sinner in it. The extent of His love is beyond human comprehension. He gave His own perfect Son, to be a man, to be tempted as a man, to live a perfect life, to minister among men and then to die a shameful death of agony that men might be saved.”

“But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.”

Ecclesiastes 11:8–10

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. lived through some of the most momentous events of American history. As a young officer in the Massachusetts militia, he was wounded three times during the Civil War. After a brilliant legal career, Holmes was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Teddy Roosevelt and served as a justice for nearly thirty years. He was widely respected, and on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday, a nationwide radio program was broadcast in his honor. Asked to say a few words, Holmes concluded his remarks this way: “And so I end with a line from a Latin poet who uttered the message more than fifteen hundred years ago: ‘Death plucks my ear and says, Live—I am coming.’”

This life is often the sole focus of people’s attention, but this life is only a brief moment in time in preparation for eternity. All of us will one day give an account to God for how we have used the time, energy, gifts, and resources He has provided. We only get one opportunity to live and serve God. There are no do-overs—no going back to claim wasted days or years. Each day comes but once and will never be replaced. Strive to use the time you have been given to accomplish as much as possible before it is too late.

“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 Corinthians 9:25–27

The most anticipated match up heading into the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988 was the 100 meter dash competition between American Carl Lewis, who had won the event in 1984, and Canadian Ben Johnson. The two athletes easily qualified into the final race, putting them side by side when the starter’s gun sounded. Johnson led throughout the race, crossing the finish line with a new world record. In his post-victory press conference, Johnson said, “A gold medal—that’s something no one can take away from you.” The problem was that Johnson had cheated, and when the mandatory drug test after the event came back positive for steroid use, the gold medal was taken away from Johnson and awarded to Lewis, who had finished second on the track.

There are times when, in the name of expediency or getting results, people are tempted to cut corners and do things they know are not right. Even when these actions are motivated by good intentions, they are always wrong. As Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. put it, “It is never right to do wrong in order to get a chance to do right.” God’s principles and commandments are unchanging, and He does not excuse our violation of them no matter what our motive may be. No amount of work for God and no results justify disobedience to His Word. He will not reward those who excuse taking shortcuts and sin in the name of doing good things for Him.

“Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties. Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.”

Psalm 141:3–5

I came across this thought-provoking statement recently, “Among my most prized possessions are the words that I have never spoken.” The impact of our words goes much further than most people realize, and often we say things carelessly or thoughtlessly without considering the effect they will have on those who hear them. Many people have been wounded by casually spoken words that did not have that intention. And tragically there are even some cases where words are used to deliberately and purposefully hurt and wound others.

The power of words places an enormous responsibility on us to guard carefully what we say both to and about others. Most of us can remember either words of praise that encouraged us to keep going and do better or words of criticism that made us feel hopeless and want to give up—even though those words were spoken many years, even decades ago. As we reflect on the power words have had in our lives, we should also consider the impact our words will have on those who hear them.

David wrote, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14). The more care and consideration we give to our words before speaking, the more likely we are to say things that are helpful and uplifting. We must never forget that God is measuring every word that we utter.

“Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:”

1 Peter 2:12–15

Many years ago, Dr. Bill Rice traveled and preached as an evangelist before founding a ministry geared to reaching deaf people with the gospel. He told the story that once he was riding a city bus through the town where he was holding a revival. When he paid his fare, the driver gave him back too much change. He pointed it out, returning the extra money. The driver responded, “I knew I gave you too much. I heard you preach last night and wanted to see if you were for real.”

Every day we are being watched by those around us. Most of the time we are not even aware of who is looking. But our testimony—for good or for bad—has a powerful impact. In fact as the old saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.” When our lives match what our words say, there is a confirmation that shows people we are for real. The fact that there are hypocrites in the church is a poor excuse for people not going to church, but it is also a tragedy for our failings in daily life to be used by Satan to keep others away from the gospel.

“I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.”

2 Samuel 22:4–7

The Lord blessed David in so many ways, but that blessing did not mean that the shepherd boy who was anointed to be king over Israel had an easy life. David spent much of his life on fields of battle. There were many days when he did not know whether he would even survive until sundown. There were many nights where he slept in caves while hiding from those who wanted him dead. Throughout all of his dark days, David continued to trust in God. He knew that the hard times he endured did not mean that God had forsaken him. Others used David’s troubles to claim that God had abandoned him. “Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah” (Psalm 3:2). Yet David’s faith remained steadfast.

God did not promise His children a painless and easy way through life. But every trial and every difficulty has a purpose as part of His plan. He does not always cause our troubles to disappear, but He always comforts those who flee to Him for help. And it is often the very things that bring us the most grief and turmoil that God is using to shape our lives. Charles Spurgeon said, “Great hearts can only be made by great troubles. The spade of trouble digs the reservoir of comfort deeper, and makes more room for consolation.”

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?”

Proverbs 6:6–9

Many people will work hard and get the job done if they know the boss is watching, but otherwise do the minimum to get by. Some people will work hard consistently for more money or prestige or to advance their careers. But as Christians, we are to work hard at whatever job we have because we are servants of God. Our duty to be a good reflection of His character and nature should impact the way we perform any task we are assigned.

There is a constant temptation to grumble and complain about work, but it is one we should resist. Work is not a curse. Adam was given assignments from God before the Fall that he carried out. When sin entered into the world, work became more difficult, but work itself is a blessing. Besides profitably filling our time, work gives us an opportunity to glorify God: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23–24).

Christians should not be lazy or indifferent as they go about their jobs. They should work hard, keep a positive attitude, be respectful, and be diligent. There are few places in life that are more revealing of the state of our heart than the way we approach our work. A Christian who is not diligent in his labor will not be an effective witness of the gospel.

“But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.”

Genesis 39:21–23

Think about the various people you have worked with over the years. How many of them would you trust with your life if you knew you would not be checking up on them to make sure they took care of things on your behalf? That is exactly what the keeper of Pharaoh’s prison did with Joseph. The jailer was responsible to keep the prisoners, and if any of them escaped, his own life would be forfeited as penalty. Yet, he placed that responsibility, and thus his own life, in the hands of a young foreign prisoner named Joseph.

Why would the jailer take such a drastic step? Because he recognized in Joseph a faithfulness to God that led to a faithfulness in accepting responsibilities. Matthew Henry wrote, “Faithfulness in a servant lies in the ready, punctual, and thorough execution of his master’s orders; keeping his secrets and counsels, dispatching his affairs, and managing with frugality, and to as much just advantage for his master as he is able; looking well to his trusts, and preventing, as far as he can, all spoil, or loss, or damage.” In a society where excuses run rampant and people routinely break commitments, God still rewards and honors those who fulfill their duties. This is not a secondary trait, but a necessity with Him. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).

“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

Queen Victoria had nine children and forty-two grandchildren, so besides the responsibilities she had as monarch of England, there were many family duties as well. The story goes that there was one grandson about whom she was particularly concerned. He was notably loose with his money, constantly asking for advances and gifts to allow him to keep spending. As his birthday was approaching, he wrote the queen a letter hinting that a cash gift would be most appreciated. She responded not with a gift but with a letter filled with advice regarding the importance of self control and the dangers of extravagance. After a little while he wrote back, thanking her for the letter—and telling her he had sold it to a collector for five pounds!

The Bible often speaks of the importance and value of seeking counsel from others. “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). However we must realize that there is no value in the advice unless we put it into practice and do as we are counseled. There are times when we are reluctant to follow good advice we receive because it is simply not what we want to hear. Yet it is even more foolish to ignore good counsel than not to seek it in the first place. We need to do right regardless of whether it is easiest.

“Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;”

Hebrews 6:17–19

There is an old story about a young naval officer being examined before assignment to his first command. The grizzled veteran asked what the prospective captain would do if he saw a storm approaching from the south. “Throw out an anchor at the stern,” the reply came. The next question brought a storm from the north. “Throw out an anchor at the bow,” the young officer said. The veteran continued bringing up potential storms, and the answer to every one was another anchor. Finally the exasperated old-timer asked, “Where are you getting all those anchors?” “From the same place you’re getting all the storms, Sir,” the young man replied.

Life is filled with storms that come at us from every direction. There are days when it feels like its just one challenge and difficulty after another. But on every one of those days and for every one of those storms, we have an anchor that never fails. Just as there are many different kinds of trials and temptations, God’s grace has many facets that allow us to win the victory in every situation. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). No one ever went wrong by trusting what God has promised. We falter and sink when we take our eyes off of Him and rely on our own strength.

“Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him.”

John 8:28–30

Back in the late 1800s, rail travel revolutionized the way people moved across vast distances of the country, and also how they traveled to work. I read about a new ticket collector who had been hired for work at a commuter station near New York City. His predecessor in the job had known many of the regular customers, and had gotten in the habit of allowing them to board without showing their tickets. The new agent insisted on seeing every ticket, and this irritated several passengers. After a few days one of them said to him, “You’re not at all popular with the traveling public.” He responded by pointing toward the station master’s office. “I don’t mind that,” he said. “It’s the man in there with whom I want to be popular.”

There are many times when we allow the concerns and opinions of others to become more important to us than what God thinks. While we should not be rude or careless regarding what others think or feel, ultimately the only judgment of our lives that really matters is the one that He will render. We must remember that we are not going to answer to God for others, but for our own actions, thoughts, and motives. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). Even if no one else is doing what is right, we can still follow God’s path if we care about His opinion most.

“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:”

Luke 12:6–8

The story goes that a young man who had been converted under John Wesley’s preaching was so excited to be saved that he began attempting to preach on the streets, telling those who passed by about Jesus. He had little training or education, and was not a greatly gifted speaker. After listening for a few moments, a man interrupted his message and said, “Young man, you cannot preach; you ought to be ashamed of yourself!” Immediately he responded, “So I am, but I am not ashamed of my Lord!”

One of the most effective tools of Satan to hinder our witness is the fear of embarrassment. Often when we have an opportunity to speak to someone about the gospel, or to pray in public, or to say something when others deride Christians in our presence we remain silent. We allow the possibility that we might be made fun of or mocked to keep us from speaking. But the more we love God and the more we know of His Word and walk in the power of His Spirit, the more bold we will be. “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits” (Daniel 11:32).

The further our society goes from the truth of God, the less welcoming they become to those who speak that truth. But we must not allow the scorn or criticism of others to keep us from boldly declaring what God has said.

“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.”

Luke 12:35–37

The last promise that Jesus made here on Earth was to tell His disciples that the Holy Spirit would come on them in power so that they could do the work He was leaving them to accomplish: “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:5). When He was taken up into Heaven, the angels appeared with another promise: “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

There is a direct connection between these two promises. The power of the Holy Spirit equips us to witness and work effectively for Jesus until the time He returns. We do not know, indeed we are not meant to know, when that day will be. Our responsibility is to fill our days with service for God, so that when the Lord appears we will not be ashamed.

Charles Spurgeon said, “If I knew that our Lord would come this evening, I should preach just as I mean to preach; and if I knew he would come during this sermon, I would go on preaching until He did...The fact that Jesus Christ is to come again is not a reason for star-gazing, but for working in the power of the Holy Ghost.”

“If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

John 3:12–15

As the Israelites made their way toward the Promised Land, there were many days when they did not give thanks for their deliverance from slavery. Instead they often grumbled and complained. At one point, God sent poisonous snakes into the camp to judge the people for their unbelief. In desperation, the people cried out for forgiveness, and God instructed Moses to make a replica of the poisonous snakes from brass and lift it high in the center of the camp on a pole. Everyone who believed the promise of God for deliverance and looked at the brass serpent was healed. Those who tried another cure or who did not believe God’s promise and look to the brass snake perished.

Jesus used this Old Testament story to explain to Nicodemus how God’s plan of salvation worked. Jesus said that He would be lifted up, speaking of His death on the cross, to provide all that was needed for deliverance from sin. All over the world people are trying to find alternatives to accepting God’s offer of salvation. Many want to do something—join a church, be baptized, be confirmed, or do good works—in order to gain their redemption.

All of these plans are doomed to failure, for salvation is only offered by grace through faith. We do nothing to earn or deserve it. Our efforts to justify ourselves to God cannot satisfy His perfect righteousness. Only in faith can we accept and receive God’s salvation.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

Galatians 5:1–4

On July 4, 1926, President Calvin Coolidge gave a speech in Philadelphia to mark the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. After recounting the many ways God had blessed and preserved the United States, he concluded with these words of warning: “If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be like-minded as the fathers who created it. We must not sink into a pagan materialism. We must cultivate the reverence which they had for the things that are holy. We must follow the spiritual and moral leadership which they showed. We must keep replenished, that they may glow with a more compelling flame, the altar fires before which they worshiped.”

Though they are enormous blessings, neither our political nor our spiritual liberty is guaranteed. Either or both may be lost if we are careless to maintain the things that produce it. So often we take for granted what many people can only dream of. There are enemies of liberty in both realms that seek to destroy freedom and bind others so that they can have control and power. The most important thing we can do for our nation and our political freedom is to exercise our religious freedom. And, more importantly, as we walk in the liberty Christ provided for us through our salvation, we have the ability to make a powerful impact on those around us, both for this world and for the next.

“Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.”

Leviticus 25:9–10

In 1751, Isaac Norris, Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly, ordered a bell for the State House in Philadelphia. When the bell arrived from England, it cracked on the very first test ring. The metal was melted down and recast by John Pass and John Stow. Around the bell the words of Scripture from Leviticus 25:10, “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof,” carried a powerful message. The bell rang to call the members of the Continental Congress to assemble as they debated declaring independence from England. For many years after, it was rung on ceremonial occasions, until in the 1840s a major crack ended its life as a bell, but not its message.

The Lord has called us to be messengers of hope and liberty to a world in chains—not to political oppression, but to sin. When Jesus began His ministry, He selected a passage from Isaiah as the text for His sermon in the synagogue in Nazareth. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18). Freedom from sin has already been purchased through the blood of Christ, but the lost will not know that truth unless someone tells them. It is our duty to proclaim liberty.

“The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.”

Psalm 33:11–14

Speaking at a prayer breakfast in Dallas, Texas, in August of 1984, President Ronald Reagan said, “Those who created our country—the Founding Fathers and Mothers—understood that there is a divine order that transcends the human order. They saw the state, in fact, as a form of moral order and felt that the bedrock of moral order is religion. A state is nothing more than a reflection of its citizens; the more decent the citizens, the more decent the state. Without God, there is no virtue, because there’s no prompting of the conscience. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

As our nation moves further and further away from God, there is a temptation to despair. But in reality most of history has featured Christians living in hostile environments, both from government and from their surrounding culture. We are blessed in America with freedom of religion, but that is not a guarantee or a promise. And that freedom is under threat today as never before. The cure for America’s ills is not primarily found in electing different politicians, but in a change of heart in the people. That change can only come about through the transforming power of new life from salvation in Christ. What America needs most is not new leaders or laws, but a revival.

“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

2 Timothy 4:6–8

About two thousand years have passed since Jesus made a promise to His disciples the night before His crucifixion: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). Despite the passage of time, that promise is just as certain and secure as it was when it was first spoken. Jesus is going to return, and He will do so without notice or warning at a time which is unknown.

Our duty is to look for His return and to live in such a way that we are prepared to meet Him with joy rather than shame. The old Scottish preacher Alexander MacLaren said, “The apostolic church thought more about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ than about death and Heaven. The early Christians were looking, not for a cleft in the ground called a grave, but for a cleavage in the sky called Glory.”

The only question is not whether the Lord will return, but how we will meet Him when He does. We are not meant to know when that moment will be, in part, because it serves as motivation for us to live each day to the fullest to accomplish as much as possible for God’s kingdom. Rather than saving up all our work, like a student cramming at the last minute for a test, we are to live every day expecting His return.

“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.”

Psalm 139:7–10

The evangelist D. L. Moody told of talking to an elderly Christian man. After serving the Lord for many years, his faith was shaken by a series of difficulties with his finances and his health. He described beginning to doubt God’s love for him, and eventually wondering whether he was even a Christian. Then he told Moody, “I began to think what I would do if I ended up in Hell. My first thought was that I would start a prayer meeting—and after that I didn’t worry about being lost any more!”

No one who has trusted Christ and received His free gift of salvation can ever lose it. Jesus said, “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” (John 10:28–29). There may be times when our fellowship is broken by something we have done or failed to do, but our relationship never changes.

Yet many Christians do not live with the comforting presence of God as a daily reality. They do not draw strength from His Word and do not seek His face in prayer. They do not listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit or fellowship with other believers around the things of God. That is a very painful way to live, because it forfeits so much peace and comfort that God offers His children.

“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.”

2 Chronicles 16:12-14

Francis Ridley Havergal was one of England’s best-known poets and hymnists of the nineteeth century. Among her best-known works are “Take My Life and Let it Be” and “Like a River Glorious.” Once Havergal told a friend, “When I had great troubles I always went to God and was wondrously carried through; but my little trials I used to try to manage myself, and often most signally failed.”

God is not a last resort to whom we turn when all else fails. God should be our first source of refuge and comfort. He has the knowledge, the resources, and the power to meet any need. He has promised we can run to Him for help in our darkest hours: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Yet despite the wonderful promises we have been given, many Christians insist on taking matters into their own hands and trying to deal with their problems without involving God. Like King Asa of Judah, they seek human help alone rather than tapping into the ultimate resource that is available simply by asking. We must set aside our pride and admit our utter dependence on God to receive His provision.

“All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 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 10:8-11

When Giuseppe Garibaldi was leading the struggle to unify the nation of Italy in the 1800s, he faced numerous military obstacles in addition to political foes. At the beginning of his campaign, the great general was forced to rely on volunteers to fight for his vision of Italy. After one rally, a young man came up and asked him what reward he might expect if he enlisted in the fighting. Garibaldi replied,
“Wounds, scars, and perhaps death. But remember that through your bruises Italy will be free.” The young man responded, “Then I will follow to the death.”

The measure of a sacrifice is not just in how much is given up, but in how much is gained in return. The coming of Jesus into the world to provide salvation required the greatest sacrifice in all of history. The perfect Son of God left Heaven and exchanged His glory and wealth for poverty and scorn. Then He took upon Himself all of our sins and died on the cross: “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 12:2). Just as Jesus thought us worthy of His sacrifice, we should consider those around us important enough to reach even at great cost.

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 12:12–13

In 2008, a major terrorist raid was launched in Mumbai, India. Teams of gunmen went into hotels, randomly shooting people. By the time military and police responded and finally ended the raid, more than two hundred people were dead. One of the few survivors told a reporter who interviewed him that he had sought shelter under a table after several of those around him were shot. He said, “I suppose because I was covered in someone else’s blood, that they took me for dead.”

As Christians we are twice covered in the blood of Jesus Christ. The first is the covering that is applied at salvation when we accept His free gift by grace through faith. The second is the covering that is applied to our daily lives when even as believers we fall short of God’s perfection: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

The blood of Jesus is the covering that allows us to enter into the presence of a perfect and holy God. It was shed on our behalf, and it grants us membership into a divine family and access to God’s presence. It is the most precious treasure, and we should never lose our gratitude toward it.

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

2 Timothy 4:2–5

It is tempting to look around at a society that is increasingly anti-Christian and think that we are going through something unprecedented. But as Paul’s final letter to Timothy makes clear, the problem of people rejecting the truth is not new. It may take different forms from one generation to the next, but the allure of listening to comfortable lies rather than painful truth is hard to resist. Indeed we need to be on guard in our own lives to reject false teaching that simply tells us what we want to hear.

Our mission is not to, by argument or logic, correct all those who believe what is wrong. Instead, we are simply to stick to proclaiming the truth and trust God to provide the harvest. “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Our responsibility is to be faithful to present the truth. There are times when there are great results and times when there are none. That does not reflect on us if we are remaining faithful in either circumstance.

The temptation is to judge ourselves by whether we are seeing great harvests. But while we should do everything we can to reach others, as President John Quincy Adams liked to say, “Duties are ours, results are God’s.” The seasons may come and go and the harvest will change with them, but He always honors those who remain faithful in His service.

“And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?”

Nehemiah 2:1–3

When Charles Spurgeon was just twenty-two years of age, his church had already outgrown their building. While a new facility was under construction, they rented a large hall at Surrey Gardens for services. As Spurgeon prepared to preach to a crowd of thousands, someone yelled, “Fire” and the panicked audience rushed for the exits. Seven people were killed and dozens injured in the confusion. Spurgeon fell into a deep depression and even believed he wasn’t fit for the ministry. When he returned to the pulpit two weeks later, he told the people that he had feared he would never be able to speak to them again.

All around us there are hurting people. Sometimes that pain is noticeable, but often it is concealed beneath what seems to us to be bitterness, anger, or a harsh spirit. While we are responsible to respond correctly to the hardships of life, it is not unusual for even the best Christians to struggle with pain and sorrow. It is important for us to look beyond the surface to see what is causing the reactions of others. While some people are unkind and unpleasant, many times it is a result of a deep level of pain that does not know how to find expression any other way.

“And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”

Deuteronomy 31:7–8

Peter was supremely confident of his commitment to Jesus. Even when the Lord Himself told Peter that before the rooster crowed the next morning he would three times deny Jesus, Peter scoffed. He said that he would be willing to even give his life before he would turn away from Christ. Yet, when the pressure was on after the arrest of Jesus, Peter did exactly what he had vowed never to do and denied even knowing Jesus in an effort to keep from being arrested and put on trial with Him. His courage failed in the moment of testing, and he did not do what he knew he should have done.

Before we condemn Peter too strongly, we must remember that there are times when we too have failed to take a stand. Though there are often multiple reasons for such failure, one of the central issues is whether we allow ourselves to be dominated by our fears or whether we respond in courage, regardless of the cost. In Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare wrote, “Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.”

Our courage is not grounded on our abilities and gifts, but on the presence of God. We have His unfailing promise to always be with us. With God to fight our battles for us, there is nothing we should fear.

“For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

Hebrews 9:26–28

When William Campbell was buried near Atlanta, Georgia, in April of 1962, there was one unique feature that set his funeral apart from normal—nearly twenty years earlier, Campbell had built his own casket. He owned a lumberyard and a construction business, and his hobby was wood working. So Campbell got some Western fir and began the three-month process of making his own casket. He said, “It takes a lot of money to come into the world and to leave it as well, and I want to be as little expense to my folks as possible.” When the casket was finished, it was placed in storage until Campbell’s death at the age of eighty-five.

Most people don’t want to think about the reality of death, but the certain reality is that unless the Lord returns during our lifetime, all of us will one day keep that appointment. The question is not whether we will die, but whether we will be prepared when that moment comes. The only preparation for death is to put our faith in the payment Christ made for our sins on the cross by His substitutionary death—to place our faith in Jesus as our risen Saviour.

For those of us who know the Lord as our personal Saviour, we also want to live in such a way that we will not be ashamed to see Christ when He returns. Although our salvation is sure, we want to invest our lives in that which will count for eternity.

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14–16

As an atheist, British historian and author, Niall Ferguson is not an expected source for kind words about the impact of religion on the world. Yet in his book Civilization: The West and the Rest, Ferguson included this revealing statement. He interviewed a member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences who told him they had diligently searched for the secret to the growth and influence of Western culture.

He said, “We studied everything we could from the historical, political, economic, and cultural perspective. At first, we thought it was because you had more powerful guns than we had. Then we thought it was because you had the best political system. Next we focused on your economic system. But in the past twenty years, we have realized that the heart of your culture is your religion: Christianity. The Christian moral foundation of social and cultural life was what made possible the emergence of capitalism and then the successful transition to democratic politics. We don’t have any doubt about this.”

Of course many religious groups claim the name of Christianity without actually following what the Word of God teaches. But the impact of the followers of Jesus Christ on the world cannot be denied. That is exactly the way God intends for it to be. Our primary focus is to be on the spiritual and eternal things, but faithfully preaching and practicing the Bible day after day produces major changes in the temporal world as well.

“And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”

Acts 5:27–29

The first church in Jerusalem didn’t have a lot of things we consider to be essential to a growing and successful church, but what they did have was a group of people who were committed to taking the truth to those around them. Though the church was led by men who had spent three years with Jesus, learning from Him, it was not just the apostles doing the work. The entire church took responsibility for proclaiming the gospel to Jerusalem. “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ” (Acts 5:42).

There is no substitute for talking to people about Jesus. I’m grateful for every means of technology that allows us to reach people in different ways, but we must never confuse the tools or the programs with the message. Those must never be allowed to take precedence over the simple and effective means of testifying to others about what we have experienced and learned from the Word of God.

There are churches all over the country that are surrounded by people who have never received a clear presentation of the gospel. We rightly work, pray, and give to send missionaries around the world, but we must not neglect our own responsibility to reach those close to us at home. If we want to change the world, we must do the work of telling those around us the truth. This is the only way to transform a town.

“Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

Ephesians 5:14–17

We live in an age of massive technological change and progress. Week after week new discoveries and inventions change the way people live. Often with such massive transformation, people assume that they can change things that have long been believed. While error should always be replaced with truth, even if it is ancient and traditional error, there are times when the changes to the ways of the past are not improvements. Instead they represent throwing out uncomfortable truth and replacing it with pleasing error.

There is a great need in this day of change for people who are grounded in the truth and will not be moved. That confidence and stability only comes when we are rooted in the Bible. The church and society both are in desperate need of people who understand God’s plan for our world and how to carry it out. Such a level of understanding does not come from our thoughts or philosophies, but from the Divine revelation that has been given to us as a guide for every part of life.

Vance Havner said, “The children of Issachar had understanding of the times and knew what Israel ought to do (1 Chronicles 12:32). With all the news media of today, there is plenty of knowledge of the times, but little understanding. Such understanding will not be gained from news analysts and political experts. It must be based on God’s Word, and it produces a practical knowledge of what God’s people ought to do. We must know the times, we must understand them, and we must know what to do.”

“The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.”

Matthew 10:24–26

One of Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous stories is “The Tell-Tale Heart” which describes the effect of conscience and memory on a guilty man. A murderer thinks that he has gotten away with his crime and hidden the evidence, but when the police come to interview him, he begins to think that he hears the beating heart of his victim. When he is certain that the officers must be able to hear it too, he confesses his crime and shows them where the body was hidden.

Ever since the Garden of Eden, man’s tendency and temptation has been to conceal sin rather than confess it and deal with the consequences. While this may be the course that seems best in the short run, God is not deceived or mocked, and the impact of sin only increases the longer it remains hidden. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

God has a way of working to bring hidden things to light, and He will not tolerate our attempts to cling to and cover our sin. Even when we think all of the evidence is concealed, God sees. And of course the best way to live is in obedience. We never have a reason to fear people finding out about sins we don’t commit. Will Rogers said, “Live in such a way that you would not be embarrassed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.”

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 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 4:2–6

I read a story about an elderly man whose hearing had declined over the years to where he could hardly understand what those around him were saying. Finally he went to the doctor and got a hearing aid. When he went back after a month for a checkup, the doctor asked how his family members liked being able to be heard when they spoke to him. “I didn’t tell them about the hearing aid,” the man replied. “I just sit there and listen. So far I’ve changed my will three times!”

God tells us in His Word that our speech should be wisely balanced with both grace and salt coming from our tongues. There are times to correct and times to praise and times to instruct. There are no times when it is right to gossip, to murmur, or to be critical with a harsh spirit. Many times we speak carelessly and thoughtlessly, not taking time to consider the impact of words we use on those who hear them.

The same passage in which Paul asked for people to pray for his speaking to be effective when he preached the gospel, contains this instruction about our daily conversation. Have you ever prayed that God would guide and guard your words as you talk to others? A person who does that will not casually speak because of the reminder of the importance of what we say to those who hear us.

“Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.”

Titus 3:1–3

Before his conversion, John Newton was a profane and violent slave trader. After a confrontation with fellow crew members in 1745, Newton was abandoned in Africa and spent three years as a slave himself—a period which he called being “a servant of slaves.” It was after his rescue in 1748 that Newton was converted. He became a powerful preacher and an advocate for the end of the slave trade. Newton never forgot his own time in chains.

The Bible describes sin as enslavement. When we read about the horror of slavery, which is not just a relic of the past, but still practiced in many places today, we find it hard to picture a worse way to live. A slave does not have the ability to control his or her own life. The master sets the terms. Of course sin does not present that part of the picture during the temptation. It is only afterward that we realize the fetters that follow violating God’s law.

The power of sin cannot be broken apart from a stronger power. On the cross, Jesus purchased not just our salvation but our freedom from sin. Yet too often we volunteer to go back to the chains that should have no power over our lives. “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). Once we had no choice, but as believers when we sin, it is because we want to, not because we have to.

“So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.”

Nehemiah 4:6–9

Jack Barrymore, an early member of the noted acting dynasty, was a gifted performer, but was known for being extremely lazy even to the point of not caring for his personal hygiene or appearance. Barrymore was in San Francisco in 1906 when the great earthquake hit, and he took shelter in his hotel room bathtub from the aftershocks. When he finally went outside he was forced into a recovery crew by soldiers sent to help with the disaster recovery effort. After his safe return to New York City, a friend made this rather cutting observation: “It took a convulsion of nature to make Jack take a bath and the United States Army to make him go to work.”

The value of hard work may be disappearing from the culture around us, but it is no less important now than it always has been. The Christian who mopes and complains through his job is a poor testimony indeed. Instead we should view work as an opportunity for service to the King. No matter what the task assigned to us may be, it is worthy of our cheerful and diligent labor. It is only when God’s people join together and work with willing hearts and minds that we see truly great things accomplished for Him. Our attitude toward work matters a great deal.

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.”

Psalm 24:3–6

Today we look back on the life and ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon with great appreciation and respect, but during his lifetime he was frequently the target of bitter attacks. His uncompromising stand for truth never wavered, and many people criticized him for not trimming his message to better fit the prevailing opinions of the day. It is said he was threatened that if he did not stop preaching against certain sins his reputation would be ruined. Spurgeon replied, “Write all you know about me across the heavens.”

The only way we can make a statement like that is if we are living in close fellowship with God, not just in public but in private as well. When David wrote of the person who was able to enter God’s presence, he highlighted the importance of both inward and outward righteousness in the eyes of the Lord. It is not enough just to adhere to outward standards where our conduct can be seen by others. We must also be right and clean on the inside.

Praise God that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from every sin within, and the righteousness of Jesus is applied to our account before God. However, to grow in our relationship with God and to keep a right testimony before others, we must take care that we are living in such a way that our lives—private and public—are in accordance with the forgiveness God has already given us. We must not hide sin or disobedience within our hearts. The greatest dangers and temptations we face do not come from without, but from within.

“O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.”

Psalm 139:1–5

I read about a little boy just four years old who had been working on memorizing the Lord’s Prayer. Week after week he heard it in church and said the words along with the adults. But as often happens, he didn’t quite grasp all the words. So one Sunday he joined in, saying, “Our Father which art in Heaven, I know You know my name.”

God does know our names. He knows everything about us down to the smallest details. Jesus said, “But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:7). The intimate knowledge that God has of us is a source of strength and comfort. It frees us from the fear that we have to make our way through this world alone. The same God who has the power to create all things has the knowledge of who we are and where we are and what we need.

There are more than seven billion people living on the Earth today. But that vast number is made up of individuals, each of whom is personally known to God by name. He does not look at us as a part of a mass of people, but as a single person worthy of His love and care. Only an infinite God is capable of such a deep level of involvement in the lives of so many people. That is the God we have—a God who knows and calls us by name.

“And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?”

Deuteronomy 10:12–13

When his evangelistic ministry took him to England, J. Wilbur Chapman was eager to meet with William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. Chapman sat and talked with the elderly man about his life and ministry, and then asked Booth why he had been able to accomplish so much for God’s kingdom. Booth replied, “I will tell you the secret. God has had all there was of me to have. There have been men with greater opportunities; but from the day I got the poor of London on my heart, and a vision of what Jesus Christ could do, I made up my mind that God would have all there was of William Booth. And if there is anything of power in the Salvation Army today, it is because God has had all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life.”

The Christian who loves God with only part of his heart will never be willing to make the sacrifices and commitment necessary to do great things for Him. When Jesus met Peter after the resurrection, He did not berate the brash disciple for his denial. Instead He focused on the condition of Peter’s heart. “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs” (John 21:15).

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

John 14:1–4

Toward the end of 1943, President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Joseph Stalin were scheduled to meet in Tehran, Iran, to discuss strategy in the war against Germany. As the three leaders prepared for the trip, made even more dangerous by the ongoing war, Roosevelt wrote to Churchill and expressed some concern over the meeting location. He feared that Tehran was in range of German bombers, and they could be subject to attack. Churchill sent back this message: “See St. John chapter 14, verses 1 to 4.”

Those nine words, and the truth of the verses Churchill referenced, contain the cure for worry in any situation of life. Our faith is not that nothing will ever go wrong—Jesus spoke these words just hours before He was put to death on the cross—but that God is in control, and our eternal destiny is secure in Him. The more that we believe in God, the less we worry. Troubled hearts reveal that we are not trusting Him as we should.

The reminder that Jesus gave to His disciples just before the crucifixion was that there is more than this world in our future. The burdens and troubles and trials of life are real, but they are temporary. And the God who sees us through them has an eternity prepared for us. Nothing that anyone or anything in this world can do will change that. It is settled and secure according to the unfailing promise of Almighty God.

“Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”

1 Corinthians 12:22–25

Michael Costa immigrated to England from Italy in the 1800s and became a noted musician, eventually being knighted by Queen Victoria. Though Costa composed a number of pieces, he became best known as a conductor. In a time when it was common for music to be approached somewhat casually, Costa was noted for his ferocious attention to detail. According to one famous story, as he was conducting an orchestra and choral performance, and the sound of dozens of instruments and voices filled the cathedral, Costa stopped everyone cold. “Where is the piccolo?” he asked. The player had stopped, and the conductor could tell the difference.

Every one of us has a vital role to play in the work of God, and every one of those roles, no matter how large or how small it may appear to be, is important. We live in a society that glorifies the things that are most noticeable, but in truth without each of the parts, the whole will not be complete. When we are tempted to think that no one will notice if we slack off because our job isn’t that important, we must remember that God has designed and equipped each of us for a role no one else can fully play. God’s plan for His work calls for us to be faithful to carry out our assigned responsibilities.

“Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Daniel 3:10–12

According to a recent Barna Research Group study of people born between 1965 and 2002, most (84%) of the people who said they were not Christians knew at least one person who they described as a committed Christian. That seems like a good thing, but the follow-up question revealed that only 15% of those people felt like the lifestyle of those they described as Christians was significantly different from anyone else.

That is not the way the Christian life is supposed to work. Someone said that too many Christians today are part of the “secret service.” Identifying publicly with Jesus can be dangerous in some countries, and it is increasingly unacceptable in polite society to be a committed Christian. But it is only when we become truly committed to Christ that we can accomplish something meaningful. “And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus” (John 19:38).

The approval that should matter most to us is not that of our peers or contemporaries, but that of God. He sees each time we take a stand for Him. He knows if our faith is making a real difference.

“And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.”

Mark 14:6–9

Critics of D. L. Moody were quick to point out that his messages, while intense, were hardly models of proper use of the English language. The story goes that after one sermon, a man came up to Moody and said, “By the way, I noticed that you made eleven mistakes in grammar in your sermon tonight.”

“That is very likely,” replied Mr. Moody. “I don’t doubt it for a minute. My early education was faulty. I often wish that I had received more schooling. But I am using all the grammar I know in the service of Christ. How is it with you?”

It is easy for us to criticize others for perceived flaws in the way they live for and serve God, but that is the wrong focus. “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:4). Rather than condemning those who we feel do not measure up, we should be concerned with whether we are maximizing the gifts God has given to us to accomplish the most for Him. The measure God uses to evaluate our work is whether we have done all that we could, not how much we are capable of doing. It is a sin to waste the talents we have been given.