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Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

1 Corinthians 4:2-5

Many people evaluate success in life by possessions. How big is the house? How fancy is the car? How large is the bank balance? How impressive is the wardrobe? Yet while having money and things can make life easier (although those create their own problems) that is not the measure of success in the eyes of God. He values faithful stewardship. David Livingstone wrote, “I place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of God. If anything will advance the interests of the kingdom, it shall be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping it I shall most promote the glory of Him to whom I owe all my hopes in time or eternity.”

This world is not all there is. In fact, it pales in comparison to the world to come. We are going to spend eternity with God, and none of the things of earth that matter so much to people here will matter in eternity. Gold has great value here, but it is used as a paving material for the street of Heaven. God is not measuring how much we have, but how faithful we are in using what He has given to us for eternal things. “If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:14-15).

And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Genesis 50:18-21

Joseph had every reason to be angry with his brothers. They hated Joseph and sold him into slavery. From there, he was unjustly put into prison. For years Joseph suffered because of what his brothers had done to him. Yet when God promoted Joseph and put him into a position where he had the authority and ability to get even with them, he instead helped them. Rather than treating his brothers as they had treated him, Joseph extended grace and forgiveness to them. He recognized that it was not his job to exact revenge. Paul wrote, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19).

We can trust God to make things right. He does not always work according to our schedule or in the way we would prefer, but He always sees to it that His justice is carried out. He cannot do anything less, because it is part of His divine nature. Abraham asked, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25). God is the judge, and we do not need to be trying to assume His role. Faith reminds us that God is working even through things that are unfair, and that His plan can be trusted even when we do not see it.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 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 20:28-31

Probably the most famous horseback ride in American history took place on the night of April 18, 1775. After seeing the two lanterns hanging in the Old North Church of Boston, Paul Revere and William Dawes set out to warn of the British raid. The trip was immortalized by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem “The Landlord's Tale,” better known by the name “Paul Revere's Ride.” The warning allowed John Hancock and Samuel Adams to escape capture and prepared the Minutemen to confront the redcoats at Concord and Lexington that marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War. If the warning had not been heeded, the results would have been different.

When Paul met with the leaders of the church at Ephesus for the last time, he warned them of the rise of false doctrine, not just from outside the church but even from within. What was true almost two thousand years ago is still true today. There is no shortage of people who claim to be followers of Jesus who are teaching things that are completely opposite of what the Bible says. It is vital that we pay attention to the warnings we have been given, and stay on guard rather than blindly accepting things because the person saying them seems to be nice or has the right title. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

Mark 9:38-41

Frank Mebs was only twenty years old in May of 1970 when the ammunition storage facility at the Army base where he was stationed in Vietnam caught fire after being struck by a mortar round. The fire threatened a massive explosion that could have killed hundreds. Rather than running for safety, Mebs got on his bulldozer and began pushing dirt over the fire to put out the blaze until he perished, but not before saving many other lives. Through a mix up in records, his family never received the medals he earned by his courage and sacrifice. It was not until Memorial Day in 2024, fifty-four years after his death, that the medals were presented to the surviving members of his family thanks to the persistent efforts of one of the men whose life Mebs had saved.

We do not ever need to fear that God will lose track of what we have done for Him. He sees everything, and even the smallest acts of obedience are noted in His records. He will faithfully keep His promise to honor what we have done in His name and for His glory. “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). We may think that what we do does not matter because it is not noticed by others, but it matters to God and He sees everything that we do.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

1 Peter 5:6-9

Following the terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001, a special group was put together to investigate what had happened and why, and how future attacks might be prevented. The committee was made up of political leaders from both parties and members of the intelligence community. They were given full access to records and personnel, and conducted a thorough investigation. Almost three years later the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, better known as the 9/11 Commission, finished their work and released a final report. One of the main findings regarding the cause of the success of the attacks was this: “The most important failure was one of imagination.” There was simply a failure to grasp the nature of the threat and what might happen, and so the nation was not prepared.

The Bible repeatedly warns us that we are in a battle, and yet over and over we are taken by surprise when Satan launches attacks against us. Peter knew this danger from his own experience. Jesus warned him of the looming danger. “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). Yet rather than staying on guard and praying, Peter slept in the Garden of Gethsemane, then when he was confronted about being a follower of Jesus he denied even knowing the Lord. We are not given advance notice when Satan is about to attack. He is adept at watching for weakness and carelessness, and he uses those moments to strike. We must be on guard every day to stand against him.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Ephesians 6:13-17

In the 1930s a team of archaeologists working in Syria uncovered the pieces of a shield carried by a Roman legionnaire. The excavation at the ruins of the Roman fort of Dura-Europos which was overrun in 256 AD found a number of soldier's bodies and many weapons. The shield is the only surviving example of the curved scutum carried into battle by the legions of Rome. Made of strips of wood laminated together, and carefully decorated, the shield was in many respects the most important part of the armor of that day. It guarded the body of the soldier while he stood facing the enemy. Paul pointed out that the same is true in spiritual warfare. Above all else we must take up the shield of faith. The role of faith in the Christian life cannot be overemphasized. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6)

The fiery darts of Satan are going to come, and without faith we are not prepared to survive them. John Newton wrote, “Faith upholds a Christian under all trials, by assuring him that every painful dispensation is under the direction of his Lord; that chastisements are a token of His love; that the season, measure, and continuance of his sufferings, are appointed by Infinite Wisdom, and designed to work for his everlasting good; and that grace and strength shall be afforded him, according to his need.”

That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

Nehemiah 1:2-4

There were many churches in London in 1865, but most of them cared little for the outcasts of society. William Booth set out to change that, preaching in the streets to those who were not welcome inside the churches and founding the Salvation Army. For nearly fifty years he led the movement around the world. When Booth died in 1912, the poet Vachel Lindsay marked his passing with “General William Booth Enters Heaven.” Lindsay wrote,

Booth led boldly with his big bass drum
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
The Saints smiled gravely and they said, “He’s come.”
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)

Walking lepers followed rank on rank,
Lurching bravos from the ditches dank
Drabs from the alleyways, drug fiends pale
Minds still passion ridden, soul flowers frail:

Vermin eaten saints with moldy breath,
Unwashed legions with the ways of Death
(Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?)
Ev’ry slum had sent its half a score
The round world over (Booth had groaned for more).

The difference that we make in the world is largely determined by how much of a burden we are willing to carry for the needs of others. We cannot care for others as Jesus did unless we truly care about and for them. “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).

And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord. And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not. And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?

2 Chronicles 24:4-6

Late in 1944, Germany launched a final desperate attempt to drive back the approaching American and British forces in what came to be known as the Battle of the Bulge. Members of the 101st Airborne Division were holding the key crossroads town of Bastogne, but they were surrounded by German forces who threatened to overwhelm them. The Third Army under General George Patton executed a radical flanking maneuver, driving through the German lines from an unexpected direction and driving them back across the Rhine River, ending the threat. Patton's action demonstrated the truth of one of his most famous expressions, “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan next week.”

All of us know what it is like to be tempted to put something off until later. Perhaps it is an unpleasant task we are dreading. Sometimes it is something that doesn't seem that important. Often we have much more appealing options than focusing on what we should do. But procrastination eventually leads to failure. If we have been given an assignment, whether from family, from work or from God, the best course of action is to begin on it immediately and finish it. It is easy for anything we put off to end up never being done. As the old saying goes, “Don't put off until tomorrow what you could do today.”

And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

John 6:65-69

At one time Dan Barker was a preacher and musician. He traveled across the country with several well known Christian musicians, performing before thousands of people. Yet in 1984 he publicly announced that he was rejecting his faith and turning away from God. Barker became a prominent and public atheist, publishing books including God, The Most Unpleasant Character in Fiction and The Life Driven Purpose. Barker is now the head of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, working to remove any traces of religion from public life. He is also the co-founder of The Clergy Project which encourages those in ministry to abandon the faith they have taught to others.

Through the years there have been many people who followed Christ for a time before turning away. Jesus experienced that during His ministry, and history is filled with examples as well. Such people are not genuine believers, as John pointed out when he wrote, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us” (1 John 2:19). It is tragic that these people were so close without coming to salvation. Like Judas they have seen the truth, but for whatever reason have not accepted it for themselves.

In contrast to Judas, Peter truly believed on Jesus. Even as others left Jesus because they found it disadvantageous to publicly believe His claims to be the Messiah, Peter recognized that "the words of eternal life" were more valuable than any temporary acceptance or affirmation that comes through disbelief. When following Christ becomes difficult or when doubts arise, remember Peter's statement: "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 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 4:9-12

The greatest resource and tool God has given to us is His Word. In it we find the answer to the most important question of life—that we need salvation and that Jesus is the Savior we need. Jesus told unbelieving Pharisees, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). The Bible is not a dead ancient treatise; it is a living Book that reveals what we really are. When we look into its pages we find truth in a world of doubt and uncertainty. Yet as wonderful as the Bible is, all too often we ignore it or take it for granted. The fact that the Bible is perfect and true does us no good if we are not reading it, meditating on it, and hearing it taught and preached—and then putting into practice what it says.

Missionary Amy Carmichael said, “The amazing thing is that everyone who reads the Bible has the same joyful thing to say about it. In every land, in every language, it is the same tale: where that Book is read, not with the eyes only, but with the mind and heart, the life is changed. Sorrowful people are comforted, sinful people are transformed, people who were in the dark walk in the light. Is it not wonderful to think that this Book, which is such a mighty power if it gets a chance to work in an honest heart, is in our hands today?”

The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.

Jeremiah 23:28-30

Charles Spurgeon once went to test the acoustics in an auditorium in which he was to speak that evening. Stepping into the pulpit, he loudly proclaimed, “Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” Satisfied with the sound, he left and went his way. Unknown to him, there were two men working in the rafters of that large auditorium, neither one a Christian. One of the men was pricked in his conscience by the verse Spurgeon quoted and became a believer later that day.

We have been given a powerful and perfect Word of God to use in our lives and work for Him. Nothing else compares to its power and ability to change lives. Yet all too often people are trying to replace it with something else that will be more acceptable to our society. This is not a new problem. There were false prophets in Jeremiah's day who told the people what they wanted to hear rather than what God had said. God rejected and condemned them for it.

We have both the right and the responsibility to faithfully declare the Word of God to our world. It may not be popular. It may cause resentment, opposition or even persecution. But it is the only message we have been given and we must use it. The Bible is not out of date or old fashioned. It is just as perfect and reliable now as it was on the day the Holy Spirit gave the inspired words to human authors. We do not need a new message, but faithfulness to the message we have been given.

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Revelation 20:7-10

In the 1972 World Series the Oakland A's faced off against the Cincinnati Reds. With both teams having won three games, it all came down to game seven. The Reds had the bases loaded when Catfish Hunter came into the game as a reliever. It was one of the most dramatic moments in baseball history. If I watched the replay of that game as an A's fan, I wouldn't feel any tension at all. I know how the game turned out, that the A's would win the game 3-2 and claim the World Series title. At the time, things seemed tense, but knowing the ultimate result changes the way we look at what is happening.

Our world is filled with conflict. There is a spiritual battle raging all around us. We know what it is like to be defeated by the devil from time to time. Yet as tense as things may be at the moment, we also know how the story ends. God has revealed to us in His Word that the ultimate defeat of Satan is already secured. There is no question who the winner will be. The future is just as settled as a baseball game played more than fifty years ago. Even what has not happened yet cannot be changed, and we are on the winning side.

And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Hebrews 11:32-34

When Robert and Mary Moffat went to what is now Botswana as pioneer missionaries they faced huge physical challenges and struggled to make an inroad for the gospel. In fact ten years went by without a single convert, and their sending church began to discuss ending the mission endeavor. But the Moffats believed God had called them to where they were and would do a work if they were faithful. A friend from England sent a letter asking them if there was something he could send that would help their work. Mary Moffat wrote back, “Send us a communion set; I am sure it will soon be needed.” The communion set was sent, but held up by the uncertain mail delivery. It finally arrived the day before the Moffats were planning to hold their first communion service for their first six converts.

Those who accomplish great things for God do so primarily not because they are exceptionally talented or have great resources, but because they believe God does what He says and they act upon it. The promises of God have great power, but that power is only displayed when we claim those promises in faith. We can say we believe God, but until we begin living in faith, nothing changes. There is no such thing as impossible when it comes to God. Both the Bible and church history are filled with stories of people who did amazing things through faith. God is still the same, and His power has not diminished. We must put faith into action for our lives to be pleasing to Him.

And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

Judges 7:16-18

Tom Landry was still playing for the New York Giants when he was asked to become an assistant coach for the team. A war hero who had flown thirty combat bombing missions in World War II, Landry's understanding of the game and ability to explain it to others made him an obvious choice. After he retired, Landry became defensive coordinator for the Giants before being tapped as head coach of the new Dallas Cowboys team in 1960. After a rough first few years, Landry developed the team into a powerhouse, posting twenty straight winning seasons. When Landry, who was famed for his controlled sideline demeanor, was asked how he succeeded as a coach he answered, “Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react.”

Every day we are setting an example for others. We tend to think this only matters for high profile leadership positions, but the reality is that every one of us influences people every day. We need to be living in such a way that if someone follows our example, he will be on the right path. Setting an example is not a matter of showing off, but of recognizing the way that we live will impact the lives of others. When Gideon took his tiny group of three hundred men into battle against a host of Midianties, he simply told them to watch him and copy what he did. If others copied what you did today, what would the result be?

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. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 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 8:29-32

Corrie ten Boom knew a great deal about suffering from personal experience. She and her family were betrayed to the Gestapo after successfully rescuing more than eight hundred Jewish men, women, and children from the Holocaust. They paid a heavy price, but it never shook Corrie's faith in God. She wrote, “Often I have heard people say, 'How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!' Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. There is an ocean of God's love available—there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love—whatever the circumstances.”

Nothing that we go through in life changes God's love for us. He has already shown that love in the most sacrificial way possible through the death of Jesus on the cross to pay for our sins. While we would all prefer things to go well, God is for us no matter what circumstances we are experiencing. The love that kept Jesus on the cross is the greatest measure of God's care for us. Though He does sometimes allow us to go through difficult and painful things, He always does so in His perfect love and care for us. He never abandons us in a trial, and we can always rely on His goodness and faithfulness.

And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it. And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar.

Judges 6:29-31

When God chose Gideon to be the deliverer of Israel from the invading Midianite armies, He did not send Gideon straight into battle. Instead, God first instructed him to tear down the altar of Baal and destroy the grove that was used for the worship of the false god. Gideon would not be ready to fight for God until he had first let everyone know that he was committed to the one true God, the God of Israel. Complicating matters for Gideon was the fact that his father had helped put up that center of false worship. Yet Gideon did as God commanded. He raised up an altar to God in the place where sacrifices had previously been made to the idol.

Gideon knew that his actions would spark outrage, but He obeyed God regardless. One of the interesting notes in this story is that when Gideon was confronted by the people of the town where he lived his father stepped up to defend him. Joash had once been a worshiper of Baal, but his son's courageous obedience of God seems to have inspired a change of heart. Many times we may feel like we are the only person doing what is right. Often we find that when we consistently continue to do what God has said, it encourages others to join us.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Isaiah 55:8-11

When the United States entered World War II, our submarines were equipped with Mark 14 torpedoes. But the sub crews quickly found that there were major problems with the latest generation of torpedoes. They consistently ran deeper than the settings, meaning they would go underneath enemy ships rather than hitting them. When the torpedoes did hit the target, they frequently failed to explode. There were at least two submarines sunk because the torpedoes they fired went in a complete circle and came back to hit them. As the US military further researched the problem, they discovered that, due to budget restrictions during the Great Depression, the Navy had fired torpedoes with dummy warheads to save money. Adjustments were quickly made to adapt the running depth, controls, and triggering mechanisms, and the torpedoes became much more effective.

It is always a mistake to go into battle with unproven weapons, and this is just as true in spiritual warfare. God has given to us in His Word a weapon that is powerful and effective. It never needs to be updated or recalibrated. It simply needs to be learned and used. The opinions that we have, even if they are correct, do not have the power to change people's hearts the way the Scriptures do. Only the Bible has the power of God behind every word, and it never comes back empty.

And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons? So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.

1 Samuel 1:7-10

Missionary David Brainerd had struggled with illness throughout his pioneering work among the American Indians. In 1746, at just twenty-eight years of age, he contracted tuberculosis and could no longer travel and preach. Jonathan Edwards took him into his home where Edwards' seventeen-year-old daughter, Jerusha, served as his nurse through the last days of his life. Just four months after Brainerd's death, Jerusha also died, have been infected with the same disease. Later Jonathan Edwards wrote, “All gracious affections that are a sweet odor to Christ, and that fill the soul of a Christian with a heavenly sweetness and fragrancy, are broken-hearted affections.”

The burdens that we carry in our hearts can be great, yet if we respond to them as we should, trusting in God to work, we often find those to be the source of some of our most meaningful spiritual experiences. The heart that becomes bitter will grow cold and turn away from God. But the heart that flees to faith will find that God is a source of help and hope. “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8). God does not always work in the way we would prefer, but He always does what is right and what is best. Our burdens should drive us toward Him rather than away from Him.

And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Daniel 4:34-35

Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful and dominant ruler the world had ever seen up to his time, and he took great pride in what he had accomplished. Daniel warned him of the danger of pride and of what God had warned Nebuchadnezzar in a dream of what would happen if he refused to give God glory. But Nebuchadnezzar persisted in pride. So God took away his ability to reason and function as a human. He lived in the field like an animal for seven years until God restored his reason. When He did, Nebuchadnezzar publicly declared that God was the ultimate authority. “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase” (Daniel 4:37).

The fact that God is in control is not just a reminder to us to be humble; it is also a source of confidence and assurance when we face difficulties in life. Charles Spurgeon said, “There is no attribute more comforting to His children than that of God's sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe trials, they believe that sovereignty has ordained their afflictions, that sovereignty overrules them, and that sovereignty will sanctify them all.” God is not challenged by any obstacle or opposition we face. Nothing comes into our lives that takes Him by surprise. No power can stop Him from fulfilling His purposes in or lives. We can fully trust Him in every situation, knowing that He is in control.

Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.

Psalm 61:1-5

No one has a perfect life. All of us experience trials and hardships and sickness and pain. That is a natural part of living in a world marred by sin. The question is not whether things will go wrong, but how we will respond when they do. Sometimes we are tempted to look within to find the strength to go on. Sometimes we are tempted to turn to others for help. But the true source of our strength and protection is the Lord, and it must be Him we seek first. “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” (2 Chronicles 16:12).

There is nothing wrong with using what God has provided and made available, but that must never become the source of our confidence. No one who has trusted God in a time of testing has ever been abandoned. Things may not work out as we might choose, but He never forsakes His children. Instead of living with worry and fear, we are called to rest in His strength and His promises. When we do we will always find that He is faithful. God is a rock of refuge to all who trust in Him. George Müller wrote, “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”

That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.

Psalm 144:13-15

In June of 1783, just months before the signing of the Treaty of Paris that formally concluded the War for Independence, George Washington wrote a letter to the governors of the thirteen states announcing his intention to resign his position as commander in chief of the American army and laying out a vision for the future nation. He concluded with these words: “I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you and the State over which you preside, in His holy protection; that He would incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the field—and finally, that He would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind, which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy nation.”

Washington was right to equate happiness as a nation with a willingness to follow the moral principles of God's Word. The lesson of both the Bible and history are clear: God's blessing comes in response to obedience to Him. God blesses nations as well as individuals, and He does so according to their willingness to walk in His way. The best thing that anyone can do for their country is to be a faithful and obedient Christian. The more of God's people there are living according to His Word, the better off their country will be.

And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

1 Samuel 2:1-4

Alexander Stewart had seen the horrors of war firsthand in Europe during the First World War, so when his son Jimmy enlisted in the Army Air Corps and began training as a B-24 bomber pilot, he gave his son a booklet with Psalm 91 and a note to take with him. He wrote, “My dear Jim, soon after you read this letter, you will be on your way to the worst sort of danger. I have had this in mind for a long time and I am very concerned. But Jim, I am banking on the enclosed copy of the Ninety-First Psalm.” Jimmy Stewart flew twenty combat missions during the war and later said, “From that day, the little booklet was always with me. Before every bombing raid over Europe, I read some of it, and with each reading, the meaning deepened for me.”

God is the only real source of protection and security any of us can have. We are His children, and He treats us as part of the family. When we rely on our own strength or on others we may be disappointed, but when we turn to Him, we find an unfailing source of help. No matter what we face, He is more than able to defend and deliver us. “O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause” (Psalm 25:2-3).
 

Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah. And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Judges 17:4-6

The widespread notion in our world today that truth is relative is not really a new idea. In the 1700s David Hume declared that there is no objective standard for morality, and therefore no rational basis for imposing beliefs on others. Hume wrote, “Beauty is no quality in things themselves: It exists merely in the mind which contemplates them; and each mind perceives a different beauty.” He viewed moral judgments as matters of opinion rather than matters of fact. Hume is widely viewed as the father of Moral Relativism. But in truth, this attitude can be seen throughout human history, even in ancient times as it was common in Israel during the time of the judges.

When people reject the absolute standard of God, there is no internal restraint on their behavior. They get to choose for themselves what is right or wrong, and unless there is a law against something and it is actually enforced, they will do whatever seems best to them. Because every person born into this world has a sin nature and is bent toward turning away from God, it will not take long before all sorts of evil behavior is first tolerated, then accepted, then promoted, and eventually required. Any society that rejects God's moral standard will see an increase in sinful conduct. Our tendency is to go our own way, which is the outward demonstration of the inward depravity of the old nature. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.

Psalm 31:1-4

Ira Sankey was often asked to sing as he traveled because of his association with D. L. Moody and their revival campaigns. In 1875, as Sankey traveled home for Christmas on a steamboat, passengers asked if he would sing. Sankey chose not one of his own songs, but William Bradbury's “Saviour Like a Shepherd Lead Us.” When he finished singing, a man in the crowd asked if Sankey had served in the Civil War as part of the Union Army, and he replied that he had. The man asked if Sankey remembered singing that same song one evening in 1862 while on guard duty. When Sankey confirmed it, the man said he had heard Sankey sing it that night—only that he was a Confederate soldier about to shoot the Union soldier he could see standing guard. But when Sankey began singing, the Confederate solder listened instead of shooting. He told Sankey, “Those words stirred up many memories. I began to think of my childhood and my God-fearing mother. She had many times sung that song to me. When you had finished your song, it was impossible for me to take aim again.”

God is our protection and deliverer, even when we are not aware of His hand at work. When we are in trouble or distress, or when we face danger, we have a consistent source of help. With Him on our side, the trials of life do not have to make us afraid. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2). Our God is able to work in ways beyond our understanding to accomplish His purposes in our lives.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Philippians 4:10-12

The difference between those who are content and those who are not has nothing to do with how much they have. There are millions of people with very little who are content and millions of others who have a great deal but are never satisfied. No amount of increase in possessions can provide true contentment, for no matter how much we have, a love for more can never be fully satisfied. Solomon had great wealth and power, but he recognized their ultimate emptiness and lack of ability to provide contentment, writing, “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity” (Ecclesiates 5:10).

The world around us measures success in terms of houses and bank accounts and retirement funds. But God looks at the heart and not the balance sheet. He knows that we can only be truly content if we rest in Him. That is why He calls us to contentment—not to take away good things from us, but to guard us against the snares of longing for more. The Christian who has God can always be content, regardless of what he has or lacks. God alone is always enough. John Bunyan wrote:

He that is down needs fear no fall;
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble, ever shall
Have God to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it, or much;
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because Thou savest such.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Acts 20:32-35

Derek Redmond had high hopes for a medal in the men's 400 meter race at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. His career had been marred by injuries, but he was finally healthy and peaking at just the right time. As he raced around the track in the semifinals, Redmond tore his hamstring. He collapsed on the track, with the pain of his body and the pain of his dashed dreams leaving him in agony. After a few moments he painfully struggled to his feet. He began limping along the track, trying to finish the race but was unable to continue. His father Jim Redmond came down from the stands, put his son's arms around his shoulders, and helped him continue. Though the official Olympic records show a “Did Not Finish” next to Redmond's name, he did make it to the finish line with his father's help.

Every day we have an opportunity to be a help and encouragement to those around us. There is no shortage of people who are dealing with spiritual, physical, or emotional challenges. Many of them are on the brink of making a decision whether they will give up or continue. The help they receive from someone who picks them up and supports them in doing the right thing can make all the difference in the world. We do not need great talent or resources to be a help and encouragement. We simply need to be willing to do whatever we can to support those who are weak.

All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord. And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord; as ye do, so he shall do. One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.

Numbers 15:13-16

God gave the children of Israel detailed instructions for the different sacrifices required under the Law. Depending on the reason for the sacrifice, whether it was to atone for a specific sin, or whether it was an offering of praise and thanksgiving, the people would bring different things to the priests to offer. Some offerings required an animal, others were made from the produce grown and harvested by the people. Every offering had to be made in obedience to the instructions God gave Moses to write and that were left for them to follow. The instructions were the same for everyone—natural-born Israelites and those who were born in other countries but had come to faith in the God of Israel. All were to follow the written instructions of God.

Obedience to the commands of God regarding the sacrifices was not merely a matter of ritual. Doing things the way God had said reflected the condition of the heart, which is far more important to Him. As David wrote,“For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:16-17).

We come to God based on the precious blood that Jesus shed for us. And all of us come to Him the same way. There is not one way to Christ for those who grew up in a Christian home and another for those who do not. We all come to God by grace, through faith, based solely on His atoning sacrifice for our sin. And after our salvation, as children of God, God desires our obedience from the heart. He has given us His written Word, and He calls us all to follow its instructions through His grace in our hearts. 

For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

2 Corinthians 8:12-14

When the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met in Pennsylvania in 1787 to form a new structure for the government of the United States, they faced a number of challenges. One of the most severe was the conflict between large states and small states over representation in the government. At one point it seemed like the conflict would make it impossible to draft a constitution that all would agree to. But Roger Sherman, whose deep Christian faith made him widely respected because he was “honest as an angel,” as one of the other delegates to the convention described him, put forward what came to be known as the Connecticut Compromise. Each state would have the same number of representatives in the Senate, and a different number in the House based on their population. This compromise ensured that there would be a balance of power to protect the freedom and influence of all. It was accepted, and our Congress took the form it has today.

In God's plan for the church, there are huge differences between people. Some have far greater resources than others. Some have more gifts than others. Yet God's desire is not that those with more be exalted and praised above everyone else. Instead He wants them to give their resources and use their talents just as faithfully as those who have little. God is not impressed by what we have—He gave it to us in the first place. Instead He is pleased when we use what we have, whether it is great or small, to accomplish all that we can for Him.

Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly, And gave for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

1 Chronicles 29:6-9

When George Marshall was assigned to the Army Infantry Training School at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1927 as the assistant commander, the army was only a fraction of the size it had been during World War I. Budget cuts and downsizing had left the facility in poor repair. Marshall would completely revamp the training program, which would be crucial as many of America's top generals in World War II went there as young officers long before anyone was thinking seriously about another major conflict. Marshall revolutionized the base in another way as well. Finding the buildings and grounds run down and poorly maintained, he set about to make a difference—not by issuing an order, but by painting his own quarters and doing maintenance and yard work. Soon others copied his example and the base became a show place.

When we set out to do what is right ourselves, our example can have a powerful influence on others. When David was preparing so that Solomon would be able to start on the Temple once he became king, he gave from his personal resources rather than using the money of the kingdom. In turn the leaders and officers of the people followed, and then the rest of the people joined in the offering with cheerful hearts. Often it is not our words that have the greatest impact, but our actions that others can see and follow.

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

1 Corinthians 16:1-4

James Cash Penney was trying to drown his sorrows in drink following the unexpected death of his beloved wife. As he made his way from bar to bar he heard music coming from the Bowery Mission and went inside. Challenged by the message he heard, he resolved to return to God and threw himself into the work of running his business. As J. C. Penney grew, the founder never forgot the work of God. In addition to faithfully giving to his own church, Penney also used his resources to help ministries and groups like the Bowery Mission. Over the years he put millions of dollars, about $52 million in today's money, into ensuring the continuation of the work that had so powerfully touched his life.

The standard for our giving is not what other people do or think, but how God has blessed us. We must never forget that everything we have is a direct result of His grace. We can and should work hard and diligently, but apart from God's goodness to us, nothing that we do will succeed. “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:18). Knowing that our resources are gifts from His grace, we should be cheerful when we return to Him a part of that which He has blessed us with. The size of our gift matters far less to God than the state of our heart.

But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

Matthew 23:5-8

I read the story of a preacher who had been struggling to get the people in his church to give. One Sunday morning he made an announcement before the offering was taken. “Before we pass the collection plate, I would like to request that the person who stole the chickens from Brother Smith's hen house please refrain from giving any money to the Lord. The Lord doesn't want money from a thief.” That morning every person in attendance put something in the offering plate!

We are not supposed to do what we do for God to impress others and convince them that we are something special. In fact, if that is our motive, there will be no eternal value in what we do. Jesus warned, “Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward” (Matthew 6:2).

The temptation of pride is greatest when we care more about impressing others than we do about impressing God. The folly of this approach is that God always knows the complete and total truth about us, not just what we are on the outside, but on the inside as well. No effort that we make to pull the wool over his eyes can possibly succeed. He knows why we are doing what we are doing, and if it is for any other reason than His glory and our love for Him, it will not be acceptable in His eyes.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

The destruction of the city of Pompeii in 79 AD following the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius was one of the worst natural disasters to befall the Roman Empire. For hours ash and rock fell on the seaside town on the Bay of Naples, eventually burying it more than sixteen feet deep. It would not be until the 1800s that the site would be excavated. Among the ruins of the ancient city, more than one thousand bodies were found where the rain that followed the fall of ash formed a kind of cement that made it possible to get a clear picture of what had happened on that fateful day even hundreds of years later. One of the interesting features noted by archaeologists is that a number of the victims perished while they were clutching bags of gold. But no amount of wealth could save them from the disaster.

The world places great value on money and material possessions, but these are things with no lasting value. The treasures of earth cannot be spent in eternity. Only the things that we invest there during our lifetime will endure. Our priority has to be on the next world rather than this one. While the choices we make may not make sense to those around us, and may place us in the minority, God is keeping a different kind of balance sheet than the world does. And He never loses track of what we do for Him. In thanking the church at Philippi for their financial support of his work and ministry Paul wrote, “For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account” (Philippians 4:16-17).

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Matthew 6:26-29

At a time when there were no government programs to help care for orphaned children, George Müller was burdened to do something to help them. He resolved to make a place where orphans would be fed, housed, educated, and taught about God. Over the years, he cared for thousands of children, refusing to ask anyone for money and trusting God to provide their needs instead. His faith was an inspiration to Christians around the world. On the desk in his office Müller kept a sign that read, “It matters to Him about you.” It was his way of reminding himself that God never forgets us or overlooks the needs of His children. When we are challenged by the troubles and uncertainty of this world, God invites us to bring our burdens to Him. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

The amazing truth is that we matter to the God Who is infinite. Our lives are insignificant in the scale of the universe and eternity, yet we still have His love and care. Even the natural world tells us that God provides for the plants and animals, and does so in a way that reflects His nature of love. We are far more important to God than they are, so we can confidently turn to Him for help in times of need. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22).

Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

Psalm 49:16-20

Lee Iacocca had major success in the car business with not one but two different companies. During his tenure at Ford, he helped introduce the Mustang. Later, he was brought in to save Chrysler when it was on the verge of bankruptcy. He became even better known with the publication of his autobiography, Iacocca, which became the best-selling non-fiction book in both 1984 and 1985. But despite all the wealth and notoriety he experienced, Iacocca found they were unable to satisfy. In his book he wrote, “Here I am in the twilight years of my life, still wondering what it's all about. I can tell you this: fame and fortune is for the birds.”

The things the world values do not matter to God. When we see someone gaining fame and attention who is doing wrong, we may be tempted to think that their temporal success is something of value. That is not the right attitude. “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity” (Psalm 37:1). The fame and fortune of the world is fleeting at best. History is filled with examples of people who were once at the top of society who lost everything. Rather than seeking the notice of the world, we should seek the approval of God. We must make the choice, because it is impossible to do both. Paul warned, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Luke 22:17-20

When James Harrison was just fourteen, a major surgery required a large blood transfusion to save his life. In gratitude for what he had received, he promised that when he was old enough, he would become a blood donor. Despite a fear of needles, Harrison began donating blood at eighteen years old. Some time later doctors discovered that Harrison's blood contained a rare antibody which could be used to treat pregnant women with negative Rh(D) which can be fatal to the baby. Harrison continued making donations for sixty years eventually making over 1,100 donations. Doctors estimated that the injections made from his blood saved the lives of more than two million children.

All of us are born with the deadly disease of sin, and our only hope of salvation is found in the blood of Jesus Christ. The reason He went to the cross and shed His blood for us is that there nothing else that could pay the penalty for our sin. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19). Only the blood of the perfect and sinless Son of God could make atonement for the sins of all who believe. Only by trusting in His offer of salvation by grace through faith alone do we have God's gift of eternal life and a home in Heaven.

Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

James 1:16-18

In 1930, an astronomer named Clyde Tombaugh working at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, made a discovery. Outside the orbit of Neptune, which was the furthest known planet from Earth, was another orbiting body. The news quickly spread around the world. Overhearing her grandfather sharing the news at breakfast, an eleven-year-old English girl named Venetia Burney suggested the new planet should be named from mythology like the others, and offered Pluto as a fitting name. Her grandfather who had been the head librarian at Oxford University and had a number of contacts among astronomers, shared the idea. Pluto became the name of the ninth planet—until 2006 when the International Astronomical Union decided that Pluto was not large enough to be an official planet and instead designated it a “dwarf planet.” Millions of schoolchildren who had learned the order of the planets through the acronym My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) had to adjust the list.

Things that are thought to be settled in this world often change. That never happens with God. He is eternally the same. What He is today He always was, and always will be. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). An unchanging God is a certain and sure anchor for our faith. No matter what happens, we will be able to rely on Him. He never comes back later and announces that prayer will no longer be answered or that things that were once promised will no longer be available. We can trust Him fully no matter how much things around us may change, because He never will.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Isaiah 64:6-8

Much of Isaiah's ministry was during the reigns of good kings over Judah, especially Hezekiah, but even then there was a trend of the people going away from God. Isaiah gave warning after warning of what would happen if they did not repent, but the people preferred to try to worship both Jehovah and the gods of the nations around them. As Isaiah called for a revival which Judah desperately needed, he pointed out that the sinful nature everyone has corrupts what we do. Then he changed the focus and pointed out that because we cannot do right on our own, we must turn to God.

Like Isaiah we live in a society that is increasingly willing to worship almost anything except God. People delight in going their own way, despite the fact that God has commanded obedience to Him instead. The key for us to do what is right now matter what is happening around us is to remember that God is in control. Like a potter shaping clay into whatever vessel he chooses, God is in control of our lives. He uses even things that are hard and painful to accomplish His purpose. “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel” (Philippians 1:12). When we submit to His will and follow His way, we will walk in righteousness no matter what is happening around us.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Matthew 23:13-15

D. L. Moody told the story of a painting he saw displayed in London while he was on one of his preaching trips to England. “From a distance, you seemed to see a monk engaged in prayer, his hands clasped, his head bowed. As you came nearer, however, and examined the painting more closely, you saw that in reality he was squeezing a lemon into a punch bowl! What a picture that is of the human heart! Superficially examined, it is thought to be the seat of all that is good and noble and pleasing in a man; whereas in reality, until regenerated by the Holy Ghost, it is the seat of all corruption.”

It is easy for people to put on a superficial front that conceals what is really in their hearts. It is easy to say all the right things in public while doing the wrong things in private. But it is never right to be a hypocrite. The word hypocrite comes to us from the ancient Greek word for an actor—someone who was just playing a role rather than being real. The Lord calls us to live a life of integrity, not just when others are watching but all the time. Though we may be able to put on a front for a while, eventually our real nature will be displayed. Instead, starting from the inside out, we are to be examples of followers of Jesus Christ. “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men” (Romans 12:17).

And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

2 Kings 10:30-31

Though the various versions of the saying date back at least a hundred years earlier in various European countries, in 1758 Benjamin Franklin introduced it to America in The Way to Wealth:

For want of a nail the shoe was lost,
for want of a shoe the horse was lost;
and for want of a horse the rider was lost;
being overtaken and slain by the enemy,
all for want of care about a horse-shoe nail.

Every part of God's Word deserves our attention, and every instruction He gives deserves our obedience. There are no little commandments. And while there are varying degrees of consequences for disobedience, there are no little sins. We cannot go to God and tell Him that we mostly did what He said and that should be good enough. Saul tried that when he failed to completely destroy the Amalekites and their possessions as God instructed. “And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” (1 Samuel 15:13-14).

God calls us to love Him with all of our hearts and to walk with Him in total obedience. When we love God, we desire to obey Him. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3). Too many Christians treat God's Word as a buffet table where they pick and choose what seems good. When we do so, we are not honoring Christ as our Lord. As Jesus asked, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

2 Corinthians 5:14–15

The story goes that before the crucial Battle of Austerlitz in December of 1805, Napoleon was unable to sleep. Badly outnumbered by the combined Russian and Austrian forces, the French emperor knew that the coming conflict would test his troops to the limit. As he paced around the camp looking out toward the plain where the battle would be fought, Napoleon came across a member of elite Old Guard who had fallen asleep on sentry duty. Though that dereliction of duty was punishable by death, the emperor did not call for other soldiers to come and execute the man. Instead, he picked up the gun and stood watch through the rest of the night himself. When the sun rose, the men of Napoleon's most crucial unit found the emperor standing guard in the place of one of their own. They went into battle determined to prove their loyalty and gratitude, and helped win Napoleon's greatest victory in all of his campaigns.

Jesus came and stood in our place, taking the penalty of death that was rightly ours on Himself. We have been given life when all we deserved was death. We have been given hope when all we deserved was despair. The task of our lives as children of God is not to earn His approval, for that has already been given to us through grace. Our task is to live in gratitude toward the One who gave us this incredible gift. There are opportunities every day for us to give back, and we must take them.

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Luke 18:11-14

Each year D. L. Moody's annual conference in Northfield, Massachusetts, drew attendees from across America and Europe. Pastors and lay people alike came to hear and learn from Moody. Guests were housed in the dormitories of the Northfield Schools Moody had started. Years later, R. A. Torrey shared a story that revealed a great deal about Moody's character. It was the custom in Europe in those days for guests in a hotel to place their shoes outside the door. During the night, the staff would polish them and have them ready to go the next morning. A number of the European pastors and church members had put their shoes out, not realizing that this was not a common American custom and that there was no provision for them to be polished. But Moody had learned of this, and in the early hours after midnight Torrey found Moody polishing the shoes himself.

If we think we are better than other people, we will not have the relationship with God that we need in order to accomplish His purposes. God is looking for people who will be humble, for those are the people who are positioned to receive His grace for His work. “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). Apart from God's mercy and grace we would be no better than the worst sinner in history, and when pride tempts us to look down on others, we must remember that all we have is a gift of God.

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Jeremiah 31:31-33

In 1967, more than sixty years after the first attempt, Dr. Christian Barnard at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, completed the first successful heart transplant. A wave of advances in transplant technology in the 1950s helped pave the way for Dr. Barnard to place the heart of Denise Darvall, a twenty-five-year-old who suffered a fatal brain injury in a car wreck into the body of fifty-three-year-old Louis Washkansky. Assisted by nearly three dozen medical personnel, Dr. Barnard removed Washkansky's diseased heart and replaced it with a healthy one. Though Washkansky contracted pneumonia and died eighteen days later, the successful operation launched a new era of life-saving transplant surgeries around the world.

God knows that the root problems of human behavior are not caused externally, but instead are internal. Jesus said, “And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders” (Mark 7:20-21). No amount of will power, resolution or determination to do what is right will help a heart that is not fixed on God. When His law is written on our hearts, we have everything we need to overcome temptation and walk victoriously. Our hearts must be renewed by the power of the Word of God and His Spirit, not just when we are saved, but day by day.

For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

John 5:26-29

During the Thirty Years War in the 1600s, many people who refused to renounce their faith and join the Catholic Church were forced to flee their homes. Among the refugees was a young pastor named Paul Gerhardt. He had recently completed his training for the ministry when he and his wife had to leave their home and everything they had behind. Sitting in a small inn wondering if they would escape with their lives, Gerhardt assured his weeping wife that God had not forsaken them. Not long after he wrote:

Give to the winds thy fears,
Hope and be undismayed;
God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears;
God shall lift up thy head.

Let us in life, in death,
Thy steadfast truth declare,
And publish with our latest breath
Thy love and guardian care.

Death is greatly feared by many people, but for a Christian it holds no terror. God never abandons His children, either in life or in death. Jesus provided that we have nothing to fear when He rose from the grave, and His power is our assurance of the future. There is coming a day of resurrection when even those who are dead will hear His voice and rise again. Paul wrote, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1 Thessalonians 4:16). The hope that we have comforts us no matter what circumstances we may have to face.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

John 1:6-9

R. A. Torrey told this story about the importance of doing what we can: “I remember hearing of a man at sea who was very sea-sick. If there is a time when a man feels that he cannot do any work for the Lord it is then—in my opinion. While this man was sick he heard that a man had fallen overboard. He was wondering if he could do anything to help to save him. He laid hold of a light, and held it up on the port-hole. The drowning man was saved. When this man got over his attack of sickness he was up on deck one day, and was talking to the man who was rescued. The man said he had gone down the second time, and was just going down again for the last time, when he put out his hand. Just then, he said, someone held a light at the port-hole, and the light fell on his hand. A man caught him by the hand and pulled him into the lifeboat.”

Every Christian has a responsibility to be a witness for the Lord. Many times people allow fear or a feeling of inadequacy keep them from sharing the good news. But God uses people who are willing, not people who are brilliantly talented. When Moses protested that he was not a good enough speaker to confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelites to the Promised Land, God rejected his excuse. “And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?” (Exodus 4:11). Our job is to show the Light to a world in darkness, and God will help when we try to do that.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Matthew 3:7-9

Hudson Taylor's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all devoted Christians and lay preachers in the Methodist church. But Taylor had no interest in religious things. His friends had convinced him that Christianity was old fashioned and he wanted no part of it. His parents and sister began to pray fervently for his salvation. When he was seventeen, he picked up a gospel tract and began reading. As he read he was convinced of his need for a Savior. Later Taylor wrote, “And with this dawned the joyful conviction, as light was flashed into my soul by the Holy Spirit, that there was nothing in the world to be done but to fall down on my knees, and accepting this Savior and His salvation, to praise Him evermore.”

The fact that Hudson Taylor came from a family that had been believers for generations did not change his need for a personal Savior. None of us inherit Christianity. Someone said, “God doesn't have any grandchildren, only children.” No matter what our heritage is, every person born into the world is born a sinner. This is just as true for a preacher's children as the children of an atheist. No one else can trust God for us. Salvation only comes by grace through faith, and that must be an individual decision. Each person chooses salvation through Jesus Christ or rejects Him and pays the penalty for his own sins. There are not many paths to God and Heaven as some people claim; there is only one path—through Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; But he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, That I will break his yoke from off thy neck, And will burst thy bonds, And strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: But they shall serve the Lord their God, And David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

Jeremiah 30:7-9

After years of Bible study, William Miller declared he had identified the date when Jesus would return. He published a book with his findings and became a popular speaker in churches across Massachusetts. In the spring of 1844 a comet so bright it could be seen during the day appeared in the sky, and Miller announced October 22 as the date of the second coming. Thousands of his followers, known as Millerites, sold possessions, quit jobs, and put on white robes. Standing on hillsides and even climbing trees to be closer to Heaven when Jesus appeared, they stood and waited. Nothing happened. Miller was wrong.

The doctrine of the Second Coming is true. Jesus promised us that He will return. But the point of that doctrine is not when it will occur; it is that we should always be ready. In His final conversation with the disciples Jesus made this clear. “And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power” (Acts 1:7). The point of the certain knowledge of the Lord's return is to influence the way in which we live in this world. “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 3:2-3). God is still in control no matter what is happening in the world around us, and we can trust His plan and walk in His way no matter what.

And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

2 Samuel 12:13-15

If David had been where he should have been, he would not have been tempted to sin with Bathsheba. “And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 11:1). But he was tempted, and he sinned. The consequences of that sin were staggering in human terms. Uriah, one of David's mighty men, was killed as part of David's plot to cover up his adultery. Yet beyond those awful events, perhaps the worst effect of David's sin was that he brought disgrace to the name of God.

Our behavior always reflects on our Father in Heaven, just as a child's behavior reflects on his parents here on earth. When we do things that are wrong, there will always be people ready to point out that our conduct does not match our professed beliefs. The name of God is holy and precious and we are commanded to honor it—not just in our words, refraining from casually or carelessly using His name as a curse, but in our actions as well. “Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain” (Proverbs 30:9). Of the many reasons we should hate and avoid sin, honoring God's name should be at the top of the list.

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 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 5:12-14

There is an old joke about a man who rushed aboard a small plane that was idling near the end of the run. “Let's go!” he shouted to the pilot. After the takeoff as they pulled up from the airport, the passenger began taking his camera equipment out of his bag. Then he asked the pilot to head west and circle over a wildfire that was burning so that he could get photos of it. After a few moments of silence the pilot asked, “So you're not the flight instructor?”

All of us need teachers and instructors who pour knowledge and wisdom into our lives. But we must never forget that all of us are to be teachers as well. Although there is a spiritual gift of teaching that some Christians have, all of us are teaching others every day. Our words and actions will be heard and seen by others and will have an influence on them. It is our responsibility to make sure that our teaching is positive rather than negative. The instruction Paul gave to his protege Timothy is not just for pastors but for everyone. “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). The more that we know and follow the Word of God, the more positive our influence will be. That is the foundation of effective teaching of others in the Christian life.

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

1 Peter 1:9-11

God's Word is perfect and sure, because He inspired men of God to faithfully record His words, and He kept those words for us. Second Peter 1:21 tells us, "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." We can place full faith and confidence in everything that the Bible says.

One of the interesting aspects of God's inspiration of Scripture is that the human authors did not always fully understand the timing and implications of what they were given to record. Yet they believed what God said, even without seeing it all fulfilled. “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

God wants us to trust Him, not because we fully understand everything He has said or everything He is doing, but because He is God and He is good. Every struggle of life is an opportunity for our faith to grow. George Müller said, “God delights to increase the faith of His children. I say, and say it deliberately—trials, difficulties and sometimes defeat, are the very food of faith. We should take them out of His hands as evidences of His love and care for us in developing more and more that faith which He is seeking to strengthen in us.”

The foundation of our faith is the Word of God. Paul wrote, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). This is true for our salvation as the Scriptures show us the way to God through Jesus. It is also true for our daily lives as the Holy Spirit guides us through the words He inspired.

And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

Deuteronomy 17:18-20

At the time of Moses, the nation of Israel did not have a king. But God knew they would one day have one. So as God gave the Law to Moses, He provided instructions for those kings to keep them from being lifted up and turning away from Him. The heart of that instruction was that they would handwrite a copy of Scripture and read it daily. This was so that he would remember that he was not the ultimate sovereign, but that he was accountable to God.

In Federalist #51 Alexander Hamilton wrote, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.”

Most of us are not leaders of governments, but we face the same temptation to pride that the kings of Israel did. The cure for pride is found in the Word of God. The more we read and obey it, the more humble we will be. The Bible removes any doubt about our greatness and reminds us that God is above all. The Bible destroys our pretensions to being better than others, reminding us that all are sinners in need of God's deliverance. When the Bible fills our hearts and minds, it will be obvious because it changes the way we live.