Daily in the Word: a ministry of Lancaster Baptist Church
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Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Colossians 4:2-6
At a time when sailing from England to America took six to eight weeks, George Whitefield made the trip thirteen times. He preached up and down, back and forth across both countries and is believed to have delivered some 18,000 sermons during the course of his ministry. He was one of the sparks that lit the revival known as the Great Awakening. As a famous preacher, he could easily have taken a pulpit in a large church and stayed in one place. Instead he continued to travel and speak despite increasingly poor health. He died in 1770 at age fifty-five following a final sermon delivered in Newburyport, Massachusetts. George Whitefield said, “A true faith in Jesus Christ will not suffer us to be idle. No, it is an active, lively, restless principle; it fills the heart, so that it cannot be easy till it is doing something for Jesus Christ.”
God does not need us to accomplish His purposes and work. He could do all that He has planned with a single word or thought. But He has chosen to use us, giving us the great privilege of being part of His plan to reach the world. Paul wrote, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). It is imperative that we carry out the work God places in front of us in light of the awesome responsibility that being entrusted with the gospel places on our shoulders. Our love for God should keep us busy for Him as long as we live.
We must seize the opportunities God places before us while there is still time.
And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Genesis 18:17-19
A recent survey asked parents to describe the criteria by which they would judge whether or not their children's lives were a success. Some of the common responses were that the children would be happy, graduate from college, be a good person, or have good values. One response that was noticeable for its absence was faith and godliness. Less than 10 percent of parents listed those as how they would define success for their children. If faith is not important to us, we surely cannot pass it on to our children and grandchildren. If our faith is not passed on to them, there is no way to feel like we have succeeded in this vital responsibility God has given us.
The Lord's description of Abraham as a man whose children would continue to walk in His ways is one of the highest compliments that could ever be paid to anyone. God said this even before Isaac was born. He already knew that Abraham would take the opportunity to extend the influence and impact of his faith by passing it on. Children often adopt their parents' favorite teams, activities, or foods. We need to be sure that they see our faith is real, and that they treasure the things God values rather than the things of the world. “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is” (1 Corinthians 3:12-13).
Show those who are watching you how important your faith is to you not just in your words but in your actions.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
James 1:1-4
All of us endure trials and tribulations in life. We don't face the same difficulties, but we do face difficulties, at least in type, that others have faced as well. Paul wrote, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Our response to the trials in our lives is not determined by the trial itself. Rather, what determines our response is the point of view we choose to adopt. We do not have to make the choice to be downhearted or defeated because of the obstacles we face. We always have the choice to recognize that God is working through difficulties and thus remain joyful even in the face of severe tests.
When James wrote about trials, he was not speaking hypothetically. He had endured great persecution. And the group to whom he was writing had been scattered from Jerusalem by persecution. The Roman Empire was about to unleash a wave of attacks on Christians that was unprecedented in its scope and ferocity. So James was speaking with experience, and his Holy Spirit-inspired words did not apply to minor difficulties only, but to the extreme. Even in the most trying times, we can be joyful, for our joy is not found in this world. “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). God is always faithful and present and we can always rejoice in Him.
Our ability to rejoice in trials is grounded in our faith that God knows what He is doing.
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
The world values those who are strongest, fastest, or wisest. There are entire books dedicated to documented records in various fields of endeavor. Those who win athletic or academic competitions are lauded as heroes. Yet God does not evaluate based on ability or talent. He is looking for something else. When God told Samuel that Jesse's oldest son was not the chosen king to replace Saul despite his impressive attributes, He explained it this way: “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
God delights in taking people who are overlooked by the world and using them in great and mighty ways. This allows Him to display His power and receive glory. God does not need any talent or resource that we possess to make up for something He lacks. Instead, He places His power upon us to accomplish His purposes. As we remember that it is God who not only gives the assignments but allows and equips us to carry them out, we are reminded to give Him the praise and glory. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Pride has no place in the life of a child of God—it's all about Him.
When we rely on God rather than on ourselves, we get what He can do rather than what we can do.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Avis B. Christensen didn't like the spotlight. Born and raised in Chicago, she attended the Moody Church while H. A. Ironside was the pastor. Her husband was a vice president at Moody Bible Institute. She had been writing poems since childhood, but as an adult she often used a pen name as she authored hundreds of beautiful hymns. One of the best known is “Where Sin Abounded, Grace Abounded More.”
Oh, precious is the promise God has given,
My heart with rapture sings it o’er and o’er;
O balm to souls by storm and tempest driven,
Where sin abounded, grace abounded more!
Where sin abounded, grace abounded more!
My ransomed soul repeats it o’er and o’er;
Though vile as I could be, In love He rescued me,
Where sin abounded, grace abounded more!
We are saved by grace alone, and the same grace of God that provides that salvation continues to be with us day after day as we follow Jesus. When we reach the point where we think we cannot go on, grace is there. When we are troubled and confused, grace is available to meet the need. Because of God's grace, we can face and overcome every obstacle and bear every burden. Paul wrote, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8). If we find ourselves downcast and despairing, it is not because there is no grace available to us, but because we have not humbly sought God to receive it.
There is always more than enough grace for those who rely on God to receive it.
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2 Corinthians 8:7-9
It is impossible for our minds to grasp the fullness of the glory of Heaven that belonged to Jesus. The halls of that perfect place ring with His praises. “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” (Revelation 5:9). All of the power and majesty of eternal perfection were His. Yet Jesus willingly laid all that aside, giving up what was rightfully His for our sake. The measure of His love for us is seen both in what He gave for our salvation—His very life, and in what He gave up—His glory.
The Christian life is a life of sacrifice and service to others. We cannot be like Jesus unless we are willing to pay that price. Jesus said, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:38-39). The point of our lives is not our own comfort, pleasure or prominence. The point of our lives is to share the grace and the good news we have been given with others. Our willingness to give up what we could claim as our own demonstrates that we are truly living like Jesus and following in His footsteps.
Sharing the gospel with others will require sacrifice, but nothing compared to the sacrifice Jesus made when He came to us.
Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female. And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.
Leviticus 12:7-8
Joseph and Mary were observant and obedient to the law of Moses. At a time when many in Israel had adopted the lax ethics and morals of the nations who had conquered the land over centuries, this couple remained pure during their betrothal. They were not sinless, but they were committed to following God. They believed His promises and obeyed His commands. When it was time for them to take Jesus to the Temple for His dedication according to the law, they brought the offering according to Moses' instructions to the poor. Unable to afford a lamb, they brought birds, presumably ones they could catch without spending money.
We know that Jesus gave up a great deal when He came down from Heaven, but sometimes we forget how extremely poor His earthly parents were. He could have come to a wealthy family and enjoyed the best this world had to offer. Instead He lived in a backwater village without any luxuries. This willingness to do without is the measure of His great love for us. Paul wrote, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
The pattern Jesus set for us is clear. For us to be truly like Him, we have to be willing to set aside our own wants and priorities in exchange for what God has called us to do. There are times when obedience may require a significant sacrifice, but it will always be worth making.
What we have is always enough if we are willing to give it obediently and cheerfully to God.
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
1 Timothy 3:15-16
There are many facets to the life and ministry of Jesus and His arrival in the world as both fully God and fully man. One of those was to make God's nature and character something that we could see. Throughout history people in different cultures and countries routinely created idols and images to represent the gods and goddesses they worshiped. God forbade that to His people. Instead of a statue He sent His Son to show what He is like.
The ancient Wexford Carol begins with these words:
Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind,
What our good God for us has done,
In sending His beloved Son.
Though God is infinite and beyond our ability to fully understand, we do need a way to grasp His nature and character. The life of Jesus Christ here in this world shows that to us, not in academic terms, but in real life example. In the Upper Room Philip asked to be shown the Father. “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” (John 14:9).
In the life and example of Jesus we see both the glory and love of God, and a pattern for us to follow so that we will become more like Him. Everything Jesus did brought honor and glory to His Father, and our lives are to do the same. Paul wrote, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's” (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Jesus gives us the pattern to live in a way that truly honors and glorifies God.
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
John 9:1-5
Imagine what it would be like to have never been able to see. For all of your life you would be dependent on someone else to help make sure that you could get where you needed to go. You would have no ability to choose your path. This is the state of the world apart from God—blind in sin. Paul wrote, “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Jesus came as the Light of the World. Just as He healed a number of people who were physically blind, making it possible for them to see, He offers the light of salvation as the cure for spiritual blindness to all who believe in Him as Saviour. Yet those of us who have come to the Light must never forget what we have been given. Peter warns us: “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:9). God offers us guidance and direction for life, but if we are not careful, we can lose sight of the changes He has made and the path in which He desires for us to walk.
Never lose sight of the light which God has given to guide your path through life.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
John 3:19-21
The world around us is filled with people who are living in sin. Sometimes that sin is open and obvious. Other times it is hidden from public view. In either case, that sin is there for a reason, and the reason is that people like it that way. Because of the fallen nature of every man and woman who is born into this world, we have an appetite and desire for sin. Given the choice, people will choose the darkness of sin over the light of the truth, rather than having to confront the reality of sin and the penalty for sin—and even more to avoid having to change.
So often we hear the idea that if people knew better they would do better. This leads to the notion that we can educate people to perfection. But the problem is not a lack of knowledge, but a lack of desire for what is good. Peter described this characteristic well: “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water” (2 Peter 3:5). Often times, people simply don't want to know the truth. When that is the case, all the education in the world won't change that.
The opening of our eyes at salvation gives us a different perspective. Paul wrote, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Only through the Holy Spirit can we develop a desire for the light and truth of God's Word.
Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
2 Corinthians 5:5-9
There are lots of things that can make us doubt and face the future with fear and dread. While some of these may be imaginary—things we come up with while thinking about worst case scenarios—others are real threats. Paul knew all about the dangers he might face. He had already experienced many of those dangers when he wrote to the church at Corinth declaring his confidence in God's plan. Paul was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and thrown in prison. Much of the New Testament was penned from jail as Paul used his pen when he could not be present in person to use his voice. Paul did not know things were going to be easy. What he knew was that God was faithful.
This attitude even directed Paul's attitude toward the possibility of his death. He knew the Jewish religious leaders wanted him dead. He knew Roman officials wanted him dead. He was confident anyway. That is because his faith and hope for the future did not depend on his circumstances, but on God. The bottom line for Paul was that no matter when or how his earthly life ended, when it did God would fulfill the promise of salvation and Paul would go to be with Him. No matter what happens, His faithfulness will never change. As Martin Luther put it,
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still,
His Kingdom is forever.
Nothing in this world can change God's promise of eternity or His ability to deliver on that promise.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
While there are many things we do not know about the future, we can confidently say that there will be trouble and hardship and difficulties in the days ahead. The fact that we live in a fallen world means that God's original perfect design is no longer in place. While Adam had work to do before his sin, afterward it became much more difficult. “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:18-19).
Yet, although "thorns and thistles" are part of the curse of sin, God, in His great wisdom and grace, also uses them for our benefit. God is able to use hardship and difficulty as tools to prune our lives and prepare us to be more effective in our service to Him. Charles Spurgeon said, “The scouring of the vessel has fitted it for the Master’s use. Immersion in suffering has preceded the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Fasting gives an appetite for the banquet. The Lord is revealed in the backside of the desert, while his servant keepeth the sheep and waits in solitary awe. The wilderness is the way to Canaan. The low valley leads to the towering mountain. Defeat prepares for victory.” We must learn to rely on God's grace when things are hard so that we will not fail to benefit from the trials in our lives.
We must never let difficult circumstances lead us to doubt God's faithfulness to us.
“Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” 2 Corinthians 2:8–11 John Selwyn was born in New Zealand in 1844. After going to England for his education, he set out for the Melanesian Islands as a missionary. The inhabitants of Norfolk Island were not open to the gospel and often were harsh in their treatment of foreigners. One day as Selwyn was talking to a teenage boy, the boy became angry and struck him in the face. Selwyn said nothing in response, and walked away. After a few years, Selwyn’s health failed, forcing him to return to England. Many years passed, and another missionary was summoned to talk to a dying man who wished to be saved before he met God. When the missionary asked his name, he replied, “Call me John Selwyn, because he taught me what Christ was like when I struck him.” The choice to forgive is more than just a matter of obedience to God and following the example of Jesus. It is vital both to our own physical and spiritual health, and it is vital to our relationships with others. The things that we hold close and refuse to let go keep us trapped far more than they trap the person who did them. Forgiveness does not mean the offense did not happen or that we deserved what happened or that there are no consequences to the offender. Forgiveness means that we have released it into God’s hands, and we trust Him to deal with the offender as He sees best.
Those who refuse to forgive will never escape the bondage of the past.
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20
When George Shultz was Secretary of State during the Reagan Administration, he would meet with every newly appointed ambassador before he or she left for the new posting. He kept a globe in his office, and Shultz would bring it out during the conversation. “Show me where your country is,” he would say. In almost every case the new ambassador would spin the globe, find the country to which they had been assigned and point to it. Then Shultz would correct them. Pointing to America he would say, “This is your country.” He wanted them to remember who they represented and what their true allegiance was even when they were in a foreign land.
The Lord not only saved us, but He has a purpose and a mission for us to fulfill with our lives. We are to be living examples and testimonies of His grace and power. Paul wrote, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). Everywhere we go we are representatives of Jesus Christ. We carry His name, and in many ways the image that the world has of Him is formed by the way in which His children live. We have an awesome responsibility to be a good reflection on the Lord we represent each day of our lives. We are to put His kingdom above all earthly interests and be a good ambassador to a world in need.
A good ambassador never forgets that he is representing someone else and that all he does reflects on them.
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21
The Christian life is not promised to be an easy one. Our purpose is not to avoid trouble or be popular, but instead to glorify God. We must never forget that it is the same God who saved us that empowers and equips us for His service. And we must never forget that we are completely and utterly dependent on Him for everything that we do. He alone deserves the praise and glory for anything we accomplish in His work. Paul wrote, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
God has given us talents and abilities to use in His work, and it is up to us to maximize them to the greatest extent that we can. But apart from Him, none of that will produce anything of lasting value. Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). The devil tempts us to think that we have things together, and encourages us to act independently of God. Like everything else Satan says, that is a lie. We do not have what we need on our own. We do not do most of the work while God adds a little at the end to finish it off. We do God's work in God's power, fully relying on Him, or we will never accomplish what He has set for us to do.
When we live in complete dependence on God, we receive the grace and power to live victoriously.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
In 2017, the US military deployed a new weapon for the first time during fighting in Afghanistan. The GBU-43/B that was dropped on a tunnel complex lived up to its name. Known officially as the Massive Ordinance Air Blast, and unofficially as the “Mother of all bombs,” it is believed to be the most powerful non-nuclear bomb ever used in combat. Development of the GBU-43/B started in 2002 and it was tested for the first time the next year. Because of its destructive range, it was not suited for most uses in battle. But when it was called into action, the resulting explosion put to rest any doubts about its power. The thirty foot long bomb carries the blast equivalent of 11 tons of TNT.
When we talk about spiritual warfare, we must remember that God has given us weapons that are powerful enough to defeat an enemy that we could never defeat on our own. Though Satan is strong, nothing in his arsenal compares to what God has given to us, and if we use God's weapons in God's way and fight in God's power, we will be victorious. Although none of us will ever be perfect as long as we live in this world, we are not meant to live defeated lives. God has given us what we need to win the battles over temptation. When we yield to sin, it's because we are not using the weapons He has provided. In the fourteen years between the time when the GBU-43/B was successfully tested and when it was first used in combat, each one of the bombs had the same explosive potential. But none of that potential was recognized until the bomb was dropped. Similarly, until we use the powerful weapons God has provided, we will not realize their potential.
The weapons God has provided for us to fight the enemy only work when we use them.
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1 Corinthians 15:52-55
Surveys have repeatedly shown that death is at the very top of the list of things people fear. It consistently ranks above other common fears like public speaking, going to the dentist, or animals. Yet for the Christian, death is merely a stepping stone into eternity. It is not something to fear because Jesus has already defeated death. When He rose from the grave on Easter morning, all of the power death holds over us was gone forever. Unless He returns during our lives, all of us will one day face death, but that is not a source of terror. Death has no power over the believer.
David knew a lot about the reality of the threat of death. He fought in numerous wars and battles, including against the giant Goliath. He was hunted by armies and betrayed by friends. However, he also knew that even death could not separate him from God. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). It is interesting that David describes death as a shadow. A shadow may be frightening or confusing, but it cannot hurt you. It does not have any real power beyond what our imagination may give to it. Death is only a shadow at most. It has no sting left to hurt us, and when it comes it opens the door for us to eternity with God.
Our faith in God and our hope of Heaven mean we have no reason to fear death.
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
2 Corinthians 5:6-9
None of us know what the future will hold. We make plans and set goals and there is certainly nothing wrong with that, but all of us know what it is like to have our plans and goals completely reworked by events we did not see coming. Solomon warned, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1). Since the future is unknown and uncertain, some people live in a constant state of fear and worry. Americans spend around $5 billion every year on sleeping aids. Yet God offers us a different perspective. Rather than fearing the future, we can face it with confidence. Rather than living with dread and doubt, we can trust Him to fulfill all that He has spoken.
While we do not know how events will unfold and we do not know that things will develop and play out the way we would prefer, we do know that God is always with us. And as His children we know that we will one day enter His presence to spend eternity with Him. The temporal things of this life may play out in different ways, but the eternal things of the next are already settled. Faith does not look at the circumstances around us, but at the Author of the promises. God never fails and never changes. God keeps every single promise He has made. “Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant” (1 Kings 8:56).
Faith in God transcends any circumstance, difficulty, or opposition we may face.
And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Mark 2:15-17
Perhaps one of the most common sinful attitudes people have toward others is a feeling of superiority. We compare our strengths to other people's weaknesses and smugly conclude that we are better. We overlook our own failings and focus on theirs and confidently assume we have no need to improve. But the successes or failures of others are not the standard by which God measures our lives. Compared to His perfection, all of us fall far short of what we should be. Even in cases where we might truly be better in some way, that is still a reflection of God's grace rather than our excellence. “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).
Some people are saved after many years of living in the world apart from God. Others are saved at a young age, having grown up in a Christian home without ever being exposed to certain sinful habits or behaviors. But in truth both groups of people need Jesus just as much. Neither can claim any hope of salvation apart from Him. The same is true for our Christian life as we strive to grow in Christlikeness. Paul wrote, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him” (Colossians 2:6). We are justified by grace through faith, and our sanctification processes the same way. We must never forget how much we need God.
The self-confident and self-righteous have no room left to receive the grace they so desperately need.
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1 Corinthians 3:7-10
Among the many problems in the church at Corinth was a division among the people over which preacher they should follow and who was worthy of the most praise and attention. Paul wrote, “Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:12). Those divisions led to a lack of fellowship and unity, and they weakened the church. There is nothing wrong with hearing different preachers and teachers and even having a favorite. However we are to give thanks for what each one has taught us rather than comparing them and holding up one above another.
All of us have different roles to play in God's work. In the end, He will not ask us what others did, nor will He compare us to others. When Jesus foretold to Peter his death for the cause of Christ, Peter immediately tried to turn attention to John. “Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me” (John 21:21-22). Jesus rejected that attempt. He was focused on Peter, and He wanted Peter to be focused on Him, not on others. If we want to be wise we must keep our focus right. God laid the foundation, and it is up to us how we build on it.
The more firmly our eyes are fixed on Jesus, the more wisely we will build on the foundation given to us.
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.
Psalm 61:1-4
There were two constants in David's life. Most of his adult years were spent battling enemies, both inside and outside the nation of Israel. And most of his adult years were spent in reliance on God, seeking Divine help, protection, and power. David experienced many dark and difficult days, as we sometimes do. When David felt he was about to be overwhelmed, he cried out to God for help. Over and over we read his prayers and pleas for God to work. Trouble is real, even for Christians. We face times of sadness and even depression of spirit.
Charles Spurgeon wrote, “I know, perhaps as well as anyone, what depression means, and what it is to feel myself sinking lower and lower. Yet at the worst, when I reach the lowest depths, I have an inward peace which no pain or depression can in the least disturb. Trusting in Jesus Christ my Saviour, there is still a blessed quietness in the deep caverns of my soul, though upon the surface, a rough tempest may be raging, and there may be little apparent calm.”
The thing that gets us through times when we feel overwhelmed is not having all our problems disappear. The thing that gets us through is the power and grace of God. Paul wrote, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). The power of God to raise us up is more than enough for any challenge we face. We simply rely on Him and keep doing what He has called us to do.
God is an unfailing rock in every storm to those who fully rely on Him.
But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.
Acts 9:22-25
The change made in Paul's life following his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus was complete and total. Everything he had fought so hard to stamp out he now believed. He immediately began fulfilling the mission God had given to him. Later Paul recounted his assignment from the Lord this way: “But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee” (Acts 26:16).
God did not promise Paul things would be easy or simple or that his preaching would be well received. In fact, Paul's preaching was so pointed and powerful that right from the start of his ministry people wanted to kill him. Again and again he had to be delivered from plots to assassinate him. Yet through all of that he just kept on preaching the gospel. Most of us have never experienced true persecution because we live in a country where freedom of religion is a long tradition. However God does not promise us that freedom. In many countries around the world people are being beaten, jailed, and even killed because of their faith.
Of course, we are not to seek out persecution, but we should determine now to remain faithful if such trials come into our lives. And it is for us to remain faithful today regardless of any trials we may face. The reason Paul was willing to keep going despite the cost was the love he had received from the Lord and the love he had for Him. “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead” (2 Corinthians 5:14).
Faithfulness is not dictated or determined by our circumstances but by our love for God.
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
2 Corinthians 5:1-4
The story goes that not long before he died at the age of eighty, John Quincy Adams met a friend on the streets of Boston. The man asked, “How is John Qunicy Adams?” The aged former President replied, “John Quincy Adams himself is very well, thank you; but the house he lives in is sadly dilapidated. It is tottering on its foundations. The walls are badly shattered, and the roof is worn. The building trembles with every wind. And I think that John Quincy Adams will have to move out of it before long. But he himself is very well.”
All of us face the reality that unless the Lord returns, our bodies will age and we will eventually die. Yet those of us who have trusted Christ as Savior have the wonderful promise of a new and perfect body in a perfect place. This world is not all there is. And as the old song put it, it is not our home. We are just passing through this life on the way to Heaven. We do not know how long we will live, but we do know what will happen when this life is over. If the day comes when our earthly bodies are placed into a grave, we will still be alive. In fact, we will be more alive than we are right now and will be in the direct presence of God. As Paul wrote, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).
Because of the faithful promises of God, there is never any need for a Christian to fear the future.
Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
1 Corinthians 11:17-19
There was a good deal of concern among army leaders when the Spanish-American War began in 1898. The divisions from the Civil War were still very real, and a number of the soldiers had fought for either the North or the South in that conflict. There was concern that these men would not be willing to fight together, even against a common enemy. But Lieutenant-Colonel Curtis Guild, Jr, stationed in Cuba, recounted how the former enemies were brought together. “On Christmas eve of 1898 I sat before my tent in the balmy tropical night chatting with a fellow-officer of Christmas and home. Suddenly from the camp of the Forty-ninth Iowa rang a sentinel’s call, 'Number ten; twelve o’clock, and all’s well!' It was Christmas morning. Scarcely had the cry of the sentinel died away, when from the bandsmen’s tents of that same regiment there rose the music of an old, familiar hymn, and one clear baritone voice led the chorus that quickly ran along those moonlit fields: ‘How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord!’ Another voice joined in, and another, and another, and in a moment the whole regiment was singing, and then the Sixth Missouri joined in, with the Fourth Virginia, and all the rest, till there, on the long ridges above the great city a whole American army corps was singing.”
Christians come from all different regions, backgrounds, ethnicities, social standings, and experiences. Yet what unites us above all the differences and divisions is the gospel. We who have trusted Christ have the same Savior. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. And God calls us to have a fervent love for one another. "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).
The more that we love God the more we will love other believers.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Revelation 21:1-3
Though the Bible tells us with great certainty that Heaven is the eternal destination of the children of God, it does not give us a large amount of detail and description of Heaven. We see glimpses of it, but the fullness of the glory and majesty of Heaven is not possible to put into words. In fact, Paul declared that he was not allowed to share what he had seen when God gave him a preview of what Heaven would be like, possibly when he was stoned and left for dead at Lystra. “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Corinthians 12:4).
The glory and beauty of Heaven is not merely in its golden streets or crystal clear river or wall made of precious stones or gates of pearls. The glory and beauty of Heaven is the presence of God Himself. All of eternity will be spent in the place where He is. The cares and pains and heartaches of the world will be left behind and forgotten. The need for fervent and urgent prayer will be replaced. The longing for purpose and meaning so many feel will be met by the presence of God. We will no longer need clocks and calendars, for time will reach an end. We will never need a light for Jesus is the constant and unchanging light of Heaven. This is our eternal home.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ and the faithful promises of God are our assurance that we will spend eternity in His presence in Heaven.
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
Titus 1:9-11
Paul gave Titus a difficult assignment by sending him to Crete. The island was noted throughout the region as a place where people were lazy and dishonest. “One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies” (Titus 1:12). They did not need to be coddled or affirmed, but rather they needed a strong dose of the truth. So Paul instructed Titus to appoint leaders who would not just believe the truth but be willing to speak it even in the face of opposition. The “gainsayers” would speak out against the truth, but Paul noted that sound doctrine could overcome their objections.
Our world is becoming increasingly removed from the truth. In fact, today many people challenge the very idea that there is such a thing as objective absolute truth. That's why we hear people saying things like, “My truth is...” as they try to justify their actions and beliefs. There is no such thing as “my truth” or “your truth.” There is absolute truth, and it is found in the Word of God. Our challenge is to hold firmly to the truth—not to be harsh or judgmental, but to be committed to what is right. The truth is still the truth even if no one else believes or accepts it. Our assignment is to be a source of sound doctrine and good instruction to all those who are willing to receive it. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Truth is not determined by popular vote, but by the unchanging Word of God.
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1 Corinthians 15:14-20
One of the things that worried and confused many believers in the early church was what would happen to those who died. They knew that Jesus had promised to return, and they expected His return to happen in their lifetime. So they did not know whether there was hope for those who died before Christ returned. Paul wrote, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Paul went on to explain, "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him" (1 Thessalonians 4:14).
Most of us have stood at gravesides and wept as we buried loved ones. Yet in the midst of the sorrow we feel, there is hope for the future. That hope is based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In fact, the bedrock foundation of the Christian faith is the belief in the truth that Jesus not only died, but that He rose from the dead. Without that central truth, nothing that we teach or preach has any meaning. Without the empty tomb the Christian faith has no power to save, and is no different from any other religion. Jesus died on the cross, making the payment through His blood for our sins, but if He had stayed dead the door to salvation would not have been opened. We would have no hope for the future, and even in this life we would be miserable. But Jesus is alive. The power of death could not restrain or hold Him. The stone in front of the door of the tomb could not stop Him from rising from the dead.
All of our faith and hope for the future rest on the foundational truth that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:4-6
The first thing God did in His creation of the world was to bring light where before there had only been darkness. The command to create light is the first statement by God recorded in Scripture. “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:3-4). Throughout the Bible light is associated with God and goodness, and darkness is associated with Satan and evil. Jesus made that distinction clear when He came into the world to be the Savior of the lost. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:4-5).
After Christ's resurrection, He returned to Heaven, leaving His followers with the task of carrying on the mission of taking light to a dark world. When the world around us moves further away from God and the darkness intensifies, the light becomes even more apparent—provided that we are properly reflecting God's light to those around us. The old saying, “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness” is a good concept, but it is not quite a fully accurate description of our assignment. The candle is already burning brightly with God's greatness and glory. We don't need to worry about that part. We must make sure that we are not doing things that obscure that light from those who need to see it.
We are God's plan to show the light of His love and the way of salvation to those living in darkness.
And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
1 Thessalonians 1:6-9
The Bible is filled with warnings against pride and self promotion. We are not meant to be building up our reputation and seeking our glory, but rather to glorify God and humble ourselves. Yet when we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit in obedience to the Word of God, it does produce a notable impact on others. Our faith should be so real that it is visible in the way we live, work, talk, and worship. Our faith should be unmistakable, shaping every part of our lives. Our faith should be an example that others can follow. This is not saying that we are something special, but that we are living the way Jesus lived. Paul wrote, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Our behavior reflects on our Father in Heaven. We carry His name. When we live in righteousness and obedience, it does not bring credit to us, but to Him. “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12). A Christian is meant to stand out from the world rather than blending in. Our values, our conduct, and our morals are not shaped by what is popular in our society, but by what God said.
If those around us cannot tell that we are Christians from the way we live, we are not living as we should.
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Ephesians 4:1-4
If anybody had an excuse to feel like God had not kept His promises and taken care of him, it was the Apostle Paul. He faithfully and fearlessly proclaimed the truth of the gospel across the Roman Empire. In response he was beaten, stoned, jailed, falsely accused, and imprisoned. Paul could have used those hardships as an excuse to stop serving God. Instead, he saw all these troubles as nothing compared to the importance of the cause and the certainty of the reward. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
What Paul recognized and was that circumstances do not dictate conduct. The necessity of walking in a way that was worthy of being a child of God was the same in jail as it was in a synagogue. The fact that Paul was in jail did not change his responsibility to God and others. The fact that the people in Ephesus to whom he wrote were free did not change their responsibility either. In every situation, they were to do what was right and what would bring honor and glory to God. “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 4:12). In whatever situation we find ourselves, we are to do what is right, living up to the high privilege God has given us to be called His children.
Obedience and faithfulness are possible and needed in every situation and circumstance of our lives.
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
2 Corinthians 3:1-3
German power spread in the late 1930s and the extent of Hitler's hatred for Jewish people and plan for their destruction became more widely known. A young British stockbroker named Nicholas Winton was asked to go to what was then Czechoslovakia and help refugees who had fled from Germany and Austria. Despite the obstacles, he worked with various governments to obtain permissions and visas, and eventually helped transport 669 children, most of them Jewish, to safety in England. He did not seek fame for his work, and it was almost fifty years later before the public found out what he had done. A British television program had him as a guest, and without his knowledge had assembled a number of those children, along with their children and grandchildren. Winton was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in recognition of the scope and effect of his work.
Nothing we can build or accomplish compares to the impact that we make by investing in the lives of others. The legacy that truly lasts is not a building or a business or an empire, but the people for whom we have made a difference. Jesus could have chosen any number of ways to go about His ministry, but He focused much of His time and effort on just a few people into whose lives He poured Himself. That group of ordinary men went out and changed the world. Those who do not spend time investing in others will find little left behind when they are gone. Every day is an opportunity to write a “living epistle” that will endure.
The greatest legacy we can leave behind is the impact we make on the eternal souls of those around us.
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
1 Corinthians 1:21-24
Many people in the world today believe that there are many ways to get to God. They are looking for philosophies or religious practices that appeal to their intellect or their senses. They are searching for dramatic signs that will give them a new perspective. But there is only one means of salvation. Jesus said, “All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:8-9). We have no other message to give to people. Jesus is the only way of salvation and our only hope of Heaven. He must be at the very center of everything that we do and say and share with others.
Not everyone will receive the gospel message, but that does not mean the message needs to be changed or updated. We do not need to know who will respond or how they will respond; we simply need to deliver the good news. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins is the only message that can transform lives. All human efforts at reformation and renewal come up short, because those who attempt them are bound by the sinful nature all people have since the fall. Only a perfect Savior could die as a sacrifice to make atonement for sin. Why Jesus came and what He accomplished is the message we have been commanded and commissioned to take to the world.
If Jesus is not the center of our message, no program or work that we attempt for Him can succeed.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
God calls His children to live in a way that brings honor and glory to Him. Despite what the world around us may say or think, there are things that are right which we should do and things that are wrong which we should not do. God's standard of holiness and His commands are unchanging and they are the proper measure of how we should live. The key to living obediently and doing what is right is not in actions but in our thinking. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. said, “Behind every tragedy of human character lies a long process of wicked thinking.” Our thoughts are not random things over which we have no control. It is within our ability through the power that God provides His children to ensure that our thoughts are obedient to what honors and glorifies God.
If we let our thoughts control us, our enemies—the world, the flesh and the devil—will quickly fill our minds with things that will lead to sinful actions. If we humble ourselves before God and place our thoughts under His control, we will reject the things that lead us away from Him. We cannot control everything that enters our mind, but we can control what lingers there. So God calls us to bring our minds into the captivity—or under the control—of that which is in obedience to Him. The prayer of the psalmist is a good one for us: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
The process of conforming our behavior to God's commands begins with making our thoughts obedient to His truth.
What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
1 Corinthians 10:19-22
In Pilgrim's Progress John Bunyan described the town of Fair Speech that Christian and Hopeful came to on their journey to the Celestial City. One of the most prominent residents of the town was named Mr. Facing-Both-Ways. He was easy to get along with, because he never took a firm and settled position on anything. Charles Spurgeon said, he “made all his money as a waterman [using his boat to ferry passengers across a river], by looking one way and pulling the other.” The temptation to try to keep one foot in the world and one foot in the things of God invariably leaves us crippled and unable to move forward in either direction.
Living for Christ is an all or nothing proposition. We do not take part of God's Word and part of our culture and part of tradition for our doctrine. We either accept what God said fully, or we do not really accept it at all. The world in which we live is filled with alternatives to fully committing to God. But He is looking for nothing less. He does not want us to be focused on the past because He knows if we are, we will eventually return to the things we left behind to follow Him. “And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned” (Hebrews 11:15). Instead of trying to straddle the line between God and the world we must focus all of our love and attention on Him.
Looking back toward the things of the world keeps us from properly following Jesus.
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
George Müller was a notorious sinner in his younger days. He started stealing money from his father when he was just ten years old. Before long, he developed a serious drinking habit, and was widely known for his immoral behavior as a student. His speech was foul, and yet when a fellow college student invited him to a prayer meeting, he agreed to go. Müller later wrote, “I had no Bible, and had not read in it for years. I went to church but seldom. I had never heard the gospel preached, up to the beginning of November 1825. I had never met with a person who told me that he meant, by the help of God, to live according to the Holy Scriptures.”
That night Müller's eyes were opened to the love of God. He said, “What all the exhortations and precepts of my father and others could not effect; what all my own resolutions could not bring about, even to renounce a life of sin and profligacy: I was enabled to do, constrained by the love of Jesus.” Every person born into the world is a sinner. Whether those sins are flagrant and open, or instead internal and largely concealed from the world they are real. Every person needs a Saviour, and Jesus is the only way to Heaven. The power of the gospel not only changes our eternal destiny, but it changes our lives here on Earth as well. It transforms us from being like the world to becoming more and more like Jesus.
The power of the gospel dramatically alters the hearts and minds of those who receive it.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:7-9
When David and Svea Flood went to the mission field in Africa, they had great hopes for God to do a work there. But instead of being welcomed by the people of the Congo (now Zaire) they were treated with suspicion and distrust. Most of the people refused to even listen to them. The only convert they reached was a six-year-old boy. Just after giving birth to a daughter, Svea died and David left the country, leaving his little girl Alina with another missionary couple to raise. Alina grew up in America, When she was forty, she saw an article in a mission report about a village in Africa where six hundred people had trusted Christ. She saw a photo of her mother's grave and wanted to hear more of the story. It turned out that the little boy, the Flood's only convert, had grown up, started a school, and led nearly the entire village to Christ. What seemed to be a complete failure had produced a great harvest.
We often do not see the full results of what God is doing through our work. When it seems like we are not accomplishing as much as we would like, we may actually be planting seeds for something amazing. Our task is to remain faithful to the work whether we see an immediate harvest or not. God knows what He is doing, and He sees the future. We must simply do whatever He places before us, trusting Him for the results. “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).
We can trust God with the results of our faithful work for Him because He never fails.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
1 Corinthians 13:11-13
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was one of the most gifted poets America has ever seen. He was a master of long form poetry, telling detailed stories in beautiful language. But Longfellow knew a great deal about sorrow and suffering, and his faith was tested more than once. His most severe trial was the death of his beloved wife Fanny. The famous portraits of Longfellow with a long beard do not show the scars that lay beneath where his face had been severely burned trying to save Fanny from the fire that took her life. Many years later when he reached the end of his own life, Longfellow wrote, “For the Christian, the grave itself is but a covered bridge leading from light to light, through a brief darkness.”
In this life, no matter how much we learn and how much time we spend in fellowship with God, we do not have the ability to grasp what lies ahead for us. We know the future is secure and we do not need to fear eternity, but there is much more waiting for us than we can imagine. When the “glass darkly” is removed and the full light of God's glory and love can be seen, everything about us will be changed. John wrote, “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” (1 John 3:2). This glorious hope means that even death holds no fear for us.
Nothing in the future holds any reason to fear for the child of God.