Daily in the Word: a ministry of Lancaster Baptist Church
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“For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”
1 Corinthians 14:31–33
Our society is filled with confusion. Truths that have been known and believed for centuries are being questioned and cast aside. Everything seems to be up for debate, discussion, or decision through a popularity contest. A good deal of this confusion is the result of a concerted campaign to blur the clear lines of truth and replace them with indistinct markers that can be crossed or redrawn at any time without consequences.
The reality is that no matter what the world around us may say, truth is eternal and unchanging. What God said in the past is still true today. Just as the law of gravity operates whether a person believes it or not, the laws God has given in His Word apply equally to believers and unbelievers. There are no exceptions—no special cases to whom the rules do not apply. And while we should always be gracious in our dealings with others, we should not allow the confusion that clouds the truth to infect our language or our thinking.
When God’s people abandon the certainty of truth, confusion always follows. We should not be surprised when the world blurs the lines. That process has been going on since the Garden of Eden. Our task is to take a stand on the truths God has declared in His Word and refuse all efforts to change or alter what He has spoken. Both the church and the world need the clarion voice of truth, more in this day of confusion than ever before. “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:8).
It is impossible to rightly follow Jesus without being willing to take a stand for the truth.
“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; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”
2 Corinthians 10:3–6
Anyone who has ever tried to drive a nail with the handle of a screwdriver or the heel of a shoe knows that it can be very difficult to do a job with the wrong tool. Sometimes it is impossible. There is only one tool that will work, and no matter how hard we may try, we cannot do the job without the right tool. Spiritual warfare is one of those areas. The tool that we have been given is the Bible. Nothing else will suffice.
Charles Spurgeon said, “‘It is written.’ Stand upon it, and if the devil were fifty devils in one, he could not overcome you. On the other hand, if you leave ‘It is written,’ Satan knows more about reasoning than you do. He is far older, has studied mankind very thoroughly, and knows all our weak points. Therefore, the contest will be an unequal one. Do not argue with him, but wave in his face the banner of God’s Word. Satan cannot endure the infallible truth, for it is death to the falsehood of which he is the father.”
Every day we do not use the Bible to respond to temptation, is a day when we will be defeated. The Lord has not called us to do battle with our own weapons, but with His Word. It is our protection, our strength, our guide, our wisdom, and the sole weapon with which we can resist Satan.
Rather than relying on our wisdom or power, we must use the Bible to overcome the enemy.
“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:12–14
The collapse of the French defenses and the rapid advance of the Nazi armies in May of 1940 left hundreds of thousands of British, Canadian, and French forces in danger of being surrounded and destroyed. A desperate rescue effort was put in place called Operation Dynamo. British officials hoped to save at least 45,000 troops by using naval boats and fishing vessels to ferry them across the English Channel before the Germans arrived. The operation was a huge success, and in the end nearly 350,000 Allied soldiers were rescued. Many in England viewed it as a triumph, but Winston Churchill took to the floor of the House of Commons to point out a painful truth amid the rejoicing. “We must be very careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory. Wars are not won by evacuations.”
The direction of the Christian life is meant to be forward, not backward. Though we encounter obstacles and opposition, we must remember that retreat is not an option and that the victory has already been secured for us. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). We are not to be constantly looking back either in regret for things done or undone, or with desire for what is in the past. Instead we are to be looking to Jesus and striving to accomplish all that we can for Him.
God has given us power to overcome the world, and we must move ahead to claim the victory for Him.
“The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:”
Acts 1:1–3
The most important doctrinal truth of all is the resurrection. The fact that Jesus truly died and then came back to life is essential, because without that, there is no salvation. Paul wrote, “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). The Christian faith is utterly and completely reliant on the resurrection—if that were false the rest would fall apart. But it is not false, and we have, as Acts 1:3 says, “infallible proofs” so we can believe with complete and utter confidence that Jesus is alive. This is crucial to our salvation, and it is a vital part of the message of the gospel.
In his sermon “The Resurrection of the Dead,” Charles Spurgeon said, “Reflecting the other day upon the sad state of the churches at the present moment, I was led to look back to apostolic times, and to consider wherein the preaching of the present day differed from the preaching of the apostles. I was surprised to find that I had not been copying the apostolic fashion half as nearly as I might have done. The apostles when they preached always testified concerning the resurrection of Jesus, and the consequent resurrection of the dead. It appears that the Alpha and the Omega of their gospel was the testimony that Jesus Christ died and rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures.”
The resurrection of Jesus is not a wish or a fable, but a settled fact that we can and must fully believe.
“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”
2 Corinthians 9:6–8
The life of Harlan Sanders was certainly full. When he was a young man, he fed thousands of workers at the secret Oak Ridge nuclear weapons research facility during World War II. When he began trying to sell chicken in commercial settings, he struggled greatly financially. Then at sixty-five years of age he developed the franchise model that made Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants a fixture across America and around the world. After he sold his stake in the business, Sanders turned to philanthropic interests, establishing foundations that are still giving away millions of dollars each year nearly forty years after Sanders died. Colonel Sanders once said, “There’s no good reason to be the richest man in the cemetery.”
Each of us has the opportunity to make investments with the time, talents, and resources God has entrusted to us. We can do as little as possible, hoping to hang on to as much as we can. Or we can do as much as possible, hoping to make an eternal difference for God. The heart attitude that we have toward what we give to God’s work is the most important part—far more important than the amount of time or money we may invest. The Lord is looking for those who with a cheerful heart are sowing enough seeds to produce a bountiful harvest. These are the people who accomplish great things in the eyes of God, and live a life that makes a real difference.
The decisions we make each day determine the results we will achieve with our lives.
“How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”
2 Corinthians 8:2–5
On March 10, 1863, Edward Prince of Wales married Princess Alexandria of Denmark. The wedding was a major event in England, and the royal couple received thousands of presents. Commenting on the gifts and the motivation of the givers, Charles Spurgeon said, “The position of the Princess is such that we do not view it as any great liberality to subscribe to a diamond necklace, since those who give are honored by her acceptance.” The motive of our giving, rather than the amount, determines whether our giving is acceptable in God’s eyes. It is ultimately a matter of the heart.
When we give our resources, we may be doing right, or we may be seeking the attention or approval of others. But when we first give ourselves to God, the problem of motivation will take care of itself. When Paul described the members of the churches in Macedonia to encourage the Corinthian believers in their giving, he pointed out that these Christians, despite their great poverty, begged him to accept what they were able to give.
The view we have of our resources is shaped and formed by the view that we have of God. When He is high and lifted up, and we love and adore Him above all else in the world, we do not look at what we have as our own, but as His.
We will never give to God’s work as we should unless we have first given Him all of our heart.
“And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying, Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.”
1 Kings 16:11–13
William Wilberforce was already a rising star in the British political world when he was saved at twenty-five years of age. His faith led him to take action to end the slave trade within the British Empire, which was a very unpopular idea at the time. Wilberforce was mocked, ridiculed, slandered, and opposed but he continued on. He said, “Our motto must continue to be perseverance. And ultimately I trust the Almighty will crown our efforts with success.” Eventually the tide of public opinion turned, and in 1833, just three days before Wilberforce died, the Abolition of Slavery bill was finally passed into law.
There are many who make judgments of success or failure based on immediate results. And in truth, almost all of us would prefer for things to happen quickly. But most good things are not accomplished immediately. Instead they take continued and persistent effort and investment. When we decide we have failed because something didn’t work right away, we lose both the result that would eventually have come if we had persisted and the character that would have been built by continued effort along the way.
In the end God does not measure by visible results, but by faithfulness. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). Those who give up and walk away because the task is hard will not ever accomplish anything meaningful. Instead we should keep doing right and trust God for the final outcome.
There is no substitute for the power of continuing to do right regardless of immediate results.
“For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.”
1 Corinthians 9:16–18
We tend to think of preaching solely in the context of a pulpit ministry, but the Bible uses the word more frequently to refer to individual witnessing. Each time we share the gospel with someone, we are doing the task that God has laid upon every believer as a calling. We should view it as the critical assignment of our lives—something that must not be overlooked or ignored. There should be a driving passion for the lost that motivates us to faithful service.
Charles Spurgeon said, “A man who has really within him the inspiration of the Holy Ghost calling him to preach cannot help it. He must preach. As fire within the bones, so will that influence be until it blazes forth. Friends may check him, foes criticize him, despisers sneer at him, the man is indomitable; he must preach if he has the call of heaven.”
Too many Christians are content to let the paid staff of the church do the work of reaching the lost, ignoring the command of God to them to be busy proclaiming the gospel. There are many people that pastors and staff members never meet. God has placed each of us in a position to reach some people more effectively than anyone else. He desires for our heart to be burdened for the lost just as His is burdened. He desires for us to have love for those around us and concern for their eternal destiny.
Every person you meet today will spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell. Ask God for opportunities to share the gospel with them.
“For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
2 Corinthians 7:8–10
Pete Rose was one of baseball’s greatest stars, amassing more hits than anyone who had ever played the game. Rose became the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. But in 1989, he was banned from baseball for life for betting on games. Though Rose denied the allegations for fifteen years, he eventually admitted in an autobiography that he had indeed placed bets on baseball games. Though he has asked to be reinstated to baseball, the ban remains in place. In 2006, stores began selling baseballs which read, “I’m sorry I bet on baseball.” They were signed by Pete Rose and sold for around $300 each. It’s hard to see monetizing wrongdoing as an expression of genuine sorrow.
As Christians, God calls us to a repentance that is far more than merely saying we are sorry, while still planning to continue in sin. True repentance is far more than just feeling bad about what we have done. It leads to a change in how we live. It is impossible to hold onto God with one hand while we hold onto our sin with the other.
When we sin, God calls us to have the genuine sorrow that leads to forsaking that sin.
“Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 5:5–8
I read about a new pilot who had just received his instrument rating and was excited to fly by himself. But when the clouds closed in, he was extremely nervous about making an instrument landing on a runway he couldn’t see. He was beginning to panic when a stern voice came over the radio, “You just obey instructions, and we’ll take care of the obstructions.”
We do not have to see the path in front of us to walk in the way God commands. He knows the future. He knows what will happen to you tomorrow and next week and next year. He knows every event that will be part of the rest of your life. He knows the exact place and moment of your death (or if the Rapture will come first). He knows every trial you will face, and how you will respond. We do not need more information; we need more faith so that we will do what God says no matter what we see.
Corrie ten Boom, who knew a great deal about trusting God through great trial, once said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” The Bible tells us everything God knew that we needed to know in order to live lives that are pleasing to Him. Rather than trying to understand all about the future, we should trust that doing what God says will produce the results that He promises. We can trust Him whether we see His plan or not.
You will never go wrong by following what God has spoken in His unfailing Word.
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”
2 Timothy 2:9–11
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation: “On the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” The intention of the proclamation was to end slavery in the Southern states, but because those states were still fighting against the government in Washington, they did not recognize the proclamation as legitimate and binding. It would not be until the war ended and the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was adopted that slavery would be officially abolished.
There is a spiritual war taking place in our world today. Satan continues his rebellion against God, and although, through Christ’s death and resurrection Jesus has already defeated Satan, the full freedom purchased through His blood has not yet been realized. It will not be until the war has ended that the complete victory will be obvious. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26). Yet the continuing war should not discourage or dishearten us. It is real, but the final outcome has already been determined. We have the power and ability through Jesus Christ to experience victory not just at some point in the future, but day after day in this present world.
Though the battle continues, we can rest in confident assurance that the victory has already been won.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:1–3
Peter Drucker was one of the most profound and influential thinkers of the business world. He remained in demand as a consultant and speaker into his nineties. One of Drucker’s most profound observations was regarding the gap between what many people focus on and the most important priorities. He wrote, “Management is doing things right—improving operational performance, maximizing revenues, and reducing expenses while increasing artistic production values and audience appreciation. Leadership is doing the right things—setting organizational priorities and allocating human and fiscal resources to fulfill the organization’s vision.”
It is important for us to do what is right and it is important for us to do acts of kindness. But as Christians, it’s not enough to do the right things. The Bible tells us that our motives—the why behind what we do—matters.
Samuel told King Saul, “Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22). God calls us to live righteously, because He is infinitely holy. But outward forms do not suffice. We need to serve Him with the right motives, or all the right actions will not produce any profit for our eternal accounts.
Only faithful service motivated by love for God will give meaning and eternal value to service for Him.
“Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”
2 Corinthians 5:9–11
In 1879, a notorious English criminal named Charles Peace was sentenced to be executed. He had killed at least two men and committed a number of burglaries in wealthy neighborhoods in and around London. A large reward was offered for his capture. He was eventually arrested while robbing a house and convicted after a sensational trial that riveted the entire city.
On the morning of his execution, Peace was visited by a clergyman and expressed his annoyance that the church had shown little interest in people like him. Peace said, “Sir, if I believed what you and the church of God say that you believe, even if England were covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would walk over it, if need be, on hands and knees and think it worthwhile living, just to save one soul from an eternal Hell like that!”
There is a real eternity in either Heaven or Hell awaiting every person born into this world. And God has tasked His children with the responsibility to proclaim the gospel, the only hope of Heaven, to those around us. Yet it is clear that for many churches and many Christians, reaching the lost is barely an afterthought rather than a passionate commitment. The test of our love for the lost (and of our love for God) is not found in what we say, but in what we do. Are we taking the task of sharing the gospel seriously?
We need a renewed sense of urgency when it comes to reaching the lost with the gospel.
“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
1 Corinthians 6:18–20
I read about a military instructor who was teaching a group of new recruits a class on unarmed combat and self defense. He reviewed a number of potential attacks they might face and the responses that would allow them to protect themselves. Then he decided to test their knowledge. He asked the new soldiers, “What steps would you take if someone came at you with a machete?” One eager young private replied, “BIG steps…in the opposite direction!”
There is a time to stand and fight, but there is also a time when the only safe thing to do is to run. Joseph recognized this moment when he was tempted by Potiphar’s wife. He left his coat in her hand in his haste to get out of the house. One of the things that leads Christians to fall into sin is lingering in the neighborhood of temptation.
We see this striking truth illustrated in Solomon’s description of the path that leads a simple young man to moral ruin. “Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night” (Proverbs 7:8–9). He was in a place he should not have been, and he stayed there while the sun went down. Instead of prolonging our stay in the growing darkness and getting as close to sin as we can, we should take every opportunity to avoid the places of temptation.
If we flee from the places of temptation, we will find it much easier to resist sin.
“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 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. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.”
1 Corinthians 3:5–8
I am grateful for every pastor, leader, and Christian worker who has invested in my life over the years. I’ve benefited greatly from their wisdom and counsel and input. The example of faithfulness they have left has been one I’ve tried to follow in my own life. But there is a danger that we become divided and cut up into groups by determining to follow one leader to the exclusion of all others. The church at Corinth, that struggled with so many issues, dealt with this. Some claimed Peter as their example, while other followed Apollos, and some lifted up Paul. No man is worthy of the adoration and devotion that we are to give to Christ alone.
Paul wrote, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20–21). We are to be praising and honoring and lifting up Jesus, rather than having our focus on leaders in this world. Those who faithfully follow Christ are worthy of honor, but they are not to be our source of identity or reliance. Only Christ has the ability to produce results in our work for Him, and only He is perfect and unfailing. Our hearts should be consumed with love for Jesus, and He should be the focus and theme of our lives.
Those who rely on any man are doomed to eventual disappointment. Only Jesus never fails.
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.”
1 Corinthians 10:31–33
Many people are looking for a purpose or meaning in their lives. Books regularly hit the best-seller list by promising help in this search. Television is filled with programs and advertisements that offer (usually for a small fee or three easy payments) to guide people to finding meaning. Yet such efforts are focused in the wrong place. This life is not about us, but about God. We do not belong to ourselves, but to Him. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Charles Spurgeon said, “If God had willed it, each of us might have entered Heaven at the moment of conversion. Why then are we here? Would God keep His children out of paradise a single moment longer than was necessary? We remain on earth as sowers to scatter good seed; as ploughmen to break up the fallow ground; as heralds publishing salvation. We are here as the ‘salt of the earth,’ to be a blessing to the world. We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life.”
The life that is aimed at bringing glory to God will look different from one that is focused on human accomplishment and meaning. Rather than trying to be promoted, we will be humble. Rather than trying to be prominent, we will be serving. Rather than trying to be successful, we will be faithful. The world may not value such a life, but God certainly does.
Seeking to glorify God in all that we do changes how we think, how we speak, and how we act.
“And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.”
Exodus 35:21–22
I read about a chaplain who was tasked with visiting soldiers who had been seriously wounded in a battle. As he made his way through the field hospital, he came to a cot where a young soldier was recovering from the amputation of his arm. Wanting to comfort the soldier, the chaplain said, “You have lost an arm in a great cause.” With a smile, the wounded man corrected him. “No,” he said, “I didn’t lose it—I gave it.”
The Christian life is not successfully lived by those who grasp and cling to everything they can, to keep it for themselves. Instead, it is rightly lived by those who, recognizing the grace that has been extended to them, are grateful for the opportunity to express their gratitude in return. This is the spirit that God wishes to see in our lives. “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
The person who gives out of an overflowing, willing heart is demonstrating the mind of Christ. He laid aside all the glory of Heaven—the wealth and majesty that are rightfully His—and took on a human body for the sake of our salvation. The perfect life He laid down for us should inspire us to recognize that our willing sacrifices are still less than He deserves.
If we understand what God has given to us, we will not be hesitant to give what we have to Him.
“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. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.”
1 Corinthians 3:12–14
There is an old story of a man who dreamed of visiting Heaven. In his dream, after he was shown through the wonders of the beautiful city, he asked to see the mansion where he would be living for eternity. To his shock, he was taken to a run down shack that looked completely out of place among the surrounding splendor. When he asked why this tiny and dilapidated building was to be his eternal home, he was told, “We did the best we could, but this was all we could build out of the materials you sent ahead.”
While the Bible does not teach that our mansions in Heaven are built from materials we provide, it does teach that there are rewards for those who are faithful in their service and diligent in their stewardship of what God has provided. Each of us faces the choice between living for what is eternal and living for what is temporal. And while we may be able to deceive those around us, the fire of God’s judgment will reveal the truth.
There are some whose lives are judged a great success by those around them because of their material prosperity, but if that God-given increase is not put to work for His kingdom, then there will be only ashes left when we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. The truth that eternal reward awaits should motivate us to choose our building materials with great care so that we will be glad when we stand before the Lord.
The choices we make with our resources in this life impact the rewards we will receive in Heaven.
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
Matthew 24:36–39
In His grace and mercy, God delayed the judgment on mankind for more than one hundred years. During that time, as Noah completed the ark, he also sounded the warning that God’s delay did not mean that the judgment would not come. No one listened. In our day, many claim that there is no God and, therefore, no need to prepare for the day when we must stand before Him. But human denial does not change truth. Every one of us will be judged, either in our own righteousness, which falls far short of God’s standard, or in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, applied to our lives by grace through faith.
None of us have any hope of reaching God through our own merit or works. Only by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross can our sins be cleansed. This vital decision is one that cannot be delayed—for as with the people in the days of Noah, we do not know when our lives will end. The Apostle Paul wrote, “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). God calls each of us to accept salvation freely offered through Christ’s shed blood, but that offer will not remain forever.
The offer of God’s salvation must be accepted in this life before it is too late.
“Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
Isaiah 43:10–12
Under United States law, a person can be compelled to give testimony in a courtroom, even against his wishes as long as that testimony does not implicate him in a crime. In 2015, James Risen, a two time Pulitzer Prize winning writer for The New York Times, was turned down by the Supreme Court in his attempt not to have to testify in the trial of a government employee who had leaked secret intelligence documents, which Risen had used in his reporting. The court ruled that he had no right to not be a witness when he himself faced no legal jeopardy.
While there may be cases when it makes sense for someone not to want to testify in a criminal or civil court case, the same does not apply in the Christian life. We are called and commissioned to witness to the world of what we have experienced thanks to God’s grace. The salvation we have received should motivate us to be faithful to share this Good News with others. Paul described his motivation to witness this way: “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). Yet so often, Christians find it difficult to speak up and talk to lost people. But we don’t need a court order to compel us to testify—we have the command of God that we must obey.
Our love for God and for others should be all the motivation we need to be faithful witnesses of the gospel.
“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16–18
Experienced pilots say one of the most difficult and dangerous conditions for flying is being completely surrounded by fog or clouds. With no visual points of reference, it is easy to become disoriented. Pilots report not being able to tell if they are climbing or falling, or even flying upside down. Investigators believe that this kind of confusion was responsible for the plane crash that killed John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his wife in 1999. Kennedy was only rated for VFR—visual flight rules—as a pilot. But the plane was caught in fog, and crashed, killing all those on board.
It is very difficult for us to move forward when we cannot see the path clearly. But God calls us to live by faith in what we cannot see. The Bible and church history are filled with examples of people who simply took God at His word, despite not having any tangible indication that what He promised was even possible. No one who has trusted what God said has ever been let down.
We sometimes think that we would trust God more if He showed us part of His plan, or if we could figure out for ourselves how things might work out. But God’s plan does not work that way. We have the instruments of the Bible to follow, and when we cannot see anything else and do not know which way to go, we must simply follow His Word.
Just because we cannot see God at work does not mean that He is not actively involved in our lives.
“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:5–7
I saw a rather amazing study not long ago that revealed that one out of five gift card recipients never actually use the cards they are given. At the time of the study, the unused cards totaled nearly a billion dollars. That is a staggering amount of unused and unclaimed gifts. Researchers revealed that the number one reason cited for not using gift cards, by roughly half the people, was that they just didn’t have time. Another quarter said they had either lost the card, or that it had expired before they got around to using it. What a waste!
That waste pales in comparison to the loss suffered when Christians fail to use their spiritual gifts. Speaking of those gifts, Paul wrote, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal” (1 Corinthians 12:7). The gifts God has entrusted to us are not meant to be put on a shelf and admired, but rather put to work. The home, the church, and the country all suffer when we ignore the gifts we have been given.
If you gave someone a gift card but then later found out they had never used it, you would think long and hard before giving them another one. In the same way, if we do not use what God has already given us, why should we expect Him to give us more? Use what you have for His Kingdom today.
God has gifted and equipped you to do things for Him that no one else can do in exactly the same way.
“The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”
John 10:13–16
Recently, I saw a survey that measured the effectiveness of the marketing for the Coca Cola company. According to their estimates, 91 percent of the world’s population has heard of Coke. Three quarters have seen Coke, and 51 percent, have tasted it for themselves. That is an impressive level of market penetration. By contrast, a recent missionary survey estimated that only 10 percent of the world’s 7.5 billion people have heard a clear presentation of the gospel even once. And this is not just a problem in other nations. The latest Gallup survey in America found that a full third of those under the age of 35 are “nones,” having no religious interest or affiliation.
The only way they will hear is if someone tells them. Jesus is no longer in this world, so if people are to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd, then they must hear it from us. The church needs a renewed sense of responsibility and urgency about reaching the lost. The fact that marketers, advertisers, and brand managers are more committed to selling products and making money than Christians are to obeying God and reaching the lost should break our hearts and encourage us to change our ways. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:34).
We are the messengers God has chosen to take the good news of salvation to the lost before it is too late.
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”
Colossians 3:1–4
The evangelist D. L. Moody told a story about an elderly Christian lady who was noted in her church for her cheerful spirit, even though illness had confined her to her bed. One day two friends went to visit the rundown building where she lived in the attic. One of them remarked on the darkness and dirt of the second floor, but the other said, “It’s better higher up.” By the time they reached the third landing, the woman said, “Things look even worse here.” But her friend simply repeated, “It’s better higher up.” When they finally reached the room, they found a smiling woman in the bed. The room was tiny and cramped, and one of the visitors said, “It must be very difficult for you to be here like this.” The woman in the bed replied, “It’s better higher up!”
The Lord does not promise us a life without problems when we become His children. Instead He promises grace, peace, and strength for every challenge. He does care about our struggles and burdens, but His focus (as ours should be) is primarily on the eternal. The Apostle Paul, who experienced great persecution and suffering wrote, “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). Our task is to keep our focus on what really matters, and keep looking up. If our hearts are fixed on Heaven, the burdens of life will be lessened.
A Christian who is focused on Heaven will not be discouraged by the circumstances of life.
“For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.”
2 Corinthians 13:8–10
I read about a young lady named Mary who had a tough day at school. As soon as she got home, she started commiserating about it. She moaned, “Nobody loves me. the whole school hates me. In fact, the whole world hates me!” Her teenage brother quickly responded, “That’s not true, Mary. Some people don’t even know you.” There are many times when those around us fail to provide the help and encouragement that we could use in a difficult moment.
In truth, all of us have the opportunity to edify and encourage others, and that is God’s plan for our lives. God’s creation was perfect before sin entered the world, yet God still said it was “not good” for man to be alone. While that specifically referred to marriage, it is true in every area of life. We are not designed to live in isolation. Solomon wrote, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10).
While we cannot guarantee we will always receive words of encouragement from others, we do have full control over what others hear from us. We always have the ability to speak kindly. As someone once said, “Nice is free.” There are no shortage of people around us who would be thrilled to hear a word of comfort and hope from someone who cares.
A few kind words of encouragement cost us nothing, but they mean so very much to the hearer.
“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”
1 Corinthians 13:4–7
The first winter the Pilgrims spent in Massachusetts was a time of great hardship and suffering. Though the weather was not especially harsh, they were not prepared for winter. The lack of adequate food and shelter, and the spread of disease from cramped living conditions took a dreadful toll. By the time spring arrived, 45 of the 102 who had made the journey from England seeking religious freedom were dead. But the losses were not equally distributed. While only three of the thirteen children perished, thirteen of the eighteen married women died. They were making sure their children ate rather than caring for themselves—because of their love.
Love is not selfish. It does not focus on what it can get, but what it can give. Much of what the world refers to as love in our day is radically different from the Bible standard. God’s love, the love which we are to have in our lives as a fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit, looks out for the welfare and benefit of others rather than self. Genuine love in any relationship does not look for what it can get, but what it can give. If we say we love someone but are not willing to sacrifice and put their interests first, it is at best a very shallow imitation of love. Love gives and gives and gives for the sake of the one who is loved. Jesus said, “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:15).
To love as God loves, we must care more about the needs of others than our own.
“But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.”
1 Thessalonians 2:7–9
At a time without any of the modern communication or travel tools that we take for granted, the Apostle Paul journeyed thousands of miles, enduring great physical suffering to preach the gospel to multitudes of people. He planted churches across the Roman Empire, preaching with power and teaching the new converts. Young believers that he trained, like Timothy and Titus, carried on the work of the gospel ministry as they led churches in places like Crete and Ephesus, continuing what Paul had begun. There is no question that Paul’s ministry was effective. But why did he accomplish so much?
We tend to look at Paul as a giant of the faith, but while he was a great pattern and model of ministry, Paul was not without his faults and his detractors. It was not so much his talent or gifts as a speaker that produced the results as it was the power of the Spirit poured out through Paul’s heart for those to whom he ministered. In fact, Paul’s speaking was sometimes critiqued as ineffective. “For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible” (2 Corinthians 10:10).
But no one could deny the compassion and fervor with which Paul labored to reach the lost and train the saints. He cared about people. As a result, he was patient, gentle, dedicated, and loving in his approach. Paul shook the world not by his gifts, but by his compassion.
Effective ministry to others is not a matter of talent, skill, and gifts, but of obedience and heart.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 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.”
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
All over the world there are people who realize that they need to have a proper relationship with God. While some deny His existence, most recognize the reality of a Deity, even if they do not fully understand who God is. There are many religions and belief systems that attempt to bring us into alignment with God, but there is only one way that works. Only through accepting the payment made for our sins by Christ on the cross, can we be reconciled to God. There are no other options.
No effort on our part can atone for our sins, because the only just and fitting penalty for sin is separation from God forever. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Yet in His amazing love and mercy, God provided His Son Jesus as the sacrifice for our sins, and when we claim His offer of salvation in faith, our sins are forgiven—completely and forever.
Charles Spurgeon said, “When God pardons a man’s sins, he pardons them all; he makes a clean sweep of the whole. God never pardons half a man’s sins, and leaves the rest in His book. He has pardon for all sin at once.” When we turn to Christ and accept Him as our Saviour, His perfect holiness is credited to our account in place of our sins. There is no other way to be right with God.
If you claim Christ’s offer of salvation, your sins will be forgiven forever and you will receive eternal life.
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
James 1:13–15
In 1958, a high school guidance counselor wrote a recommendation to Harvard University, urging them to admit one of her students. She said, “I believe Ted has one of the greatest contributions to make to society. He is reflective, sensitive, and deeply conscious of his responsibilities to society.” The student she was recommending had an IQ of 167 and was graduating from high school at just sixteen years of age. The young man, who so many expected to do great things was Ted Kaczynski, who became the terrorist murderer known as the “Unabomber.”
Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, “Behind every tragedy in human character lies a long process of wicked thinking.” We do not accomplish good things because we are good. Every human born into this world starts out with a sinful nature that is opposed to God. The most brilliant minds and the best education money can buy cannot change the inherent nature of man. Only God can do that through the power of salvation that provides a new nature. The only hope, the only cure, for sin is found in turning to Christ. The Bible tells us, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Once we are saved, we still wrestle with fleshly desires that lead us into temptation. Only by recognizing that we have been delivered from sin and relying on the power of God to resist temptation will we be able to experience victory.
Rather than blaming our circumstances for temptation, we should look to God for His help in overcoming it.
“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
The idea that a Christian will only receive good things from God and coast through life on a bed of blessings sounds good and draws large crowds and television audiences. But it is not the reality of life presented in Scripture. David, who was known as a man after God’s own heart, spent years running for his life. He was the number one target on Saul’s list, singled out for death not because he had done wrong, but because of Saul’s jealousy. Yet even on days when it seemed that everyone on Earth had turned against him, David clung to his faith in God.
Faith is not a barrier that prevents trouble from coming; it is a shield that keeps those troubles from conquering us. In the moments that challenge us the most, we sometimes feel that we must be strong. But victory is not found in our strength; it is only found in the power of God. Even the apostle Paul, to whom we look as a great example of the Christian life, knew what it was like to be pushed to the edge. He wrote, “For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears” (2 Corinthians 7:5).
We sometimes think that if our faith were stronger we wouldn’t worry at all. But David was overwhelmed and Paul was troubled. We must understand that faith is not the absence of fear, but the continuance of trust and obedience.
Faith in times of trial provides the strength to trust God until the victory comes.
“And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go. For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”
1 Corinthians 16:6–9
Although there are some who teach that the Christian life is an uninterrupted succession of blessings followed by happiness that leads to relaxation and enjoyment in great abundance, this is not what we find in God’s Word. While God does bless His children, He does not promise us a life of ease. Everyone who has accomplished great things for His Kingdom has done so in the face of obstacles. In fact if we are not being resisted and opposed by the forces of evil, it is probably an indication that we are not doing what we should for God.
If we are doing something meaningful and important for God, we should not expect things to go smoothly. The night before the crucifixion Jesus told His disciples, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). If our perfect Lord was violently and bitterly opposed, why should we expect acceptance and ease?
Rather than looking to the world for comfort, we should expect opposition while knowing the Lord Himself will comfort our hearts. Rather than being discouraged by obstacles, we should be encouraged knowing that Jesus has overcome the world and can give us peace through the difficulties. In fact, sometimes opposition is a sign that we are making a difference for God. Even Paul found that God’s open doors of ministry didn’t come without spiritual conflict.
The devil never gives up without a struggle, and if we are working for God, we can expect his opposition.
“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 2:2–5
Cato the Elder, the noted Roman orator and statesman fought nobly for his country against Carthage in the Second Punic War two hundred years before the birth of Christ. After the defeat of Hannibal and his elephants, the Romans signed a peace treaty with Carthage that gave them large areas of land, but allowed Carthage to remain a potential future threat. Cato feared that the Romans had simply turned a blind eye to the danger posed by Carthage, correctly realizing that one day another war would have to be fought—and if care was not taken it would be fought on terms unfavorable to Rome.
Cato the Elder began ending every speech with the words Carthago delenda est—”Carthage must be destroyed.” The message was clear, but decades passed and Carthage indeed raised a new army before military action was finally taken to finally remove Carthage as a threat.
For the words that we speak to others to have a life-changing impact, we need more than just insight and wisdom. It is not enough just to be right. We need power, and that power can only come from the Holy Spirit.
There are many gifted preachers and teachers and soulwinners, but the impact that they have on others is not caused by their gifts, but by their empowering to use those gifts. It is not our wisdom and talent that produces change, but the work of God through us. Nothing less will be effective.
If we want to truly make a difference, then we must be yielded to and filled with the Holy Spirit.
“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 limited understanding to fully grasp the glory and riches of Heaven. We read about the wonders of our eternal home in Scripture, but they at best paint a dim picture of what we will one day see. That perfect place was home to Jesus before the world was created. When He left everything behind to come to Earth as our Saviour, He gave up wealth and power beyond our imagination. Though anything in our world would have been a massive step down, Jesus could still have chosen to be born into what passes for wealth and luxury. He could have been born in a palace surrounded by all the comforts available.
Instead He chose an ordinary poor family. We know that Mary and Joseph had very little, for the offering that they brought to the Temple was the substitute offering Moses provided for those who could not afford the full sacrifice commanded in the law. “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 12:8). The love of God for us is measured by the cost of our salvation. It was not just on the cross but in every part of His life that Jesus sacrificed.
The story of Christmas cannot be appreciated without understanding the sacrifice Christ made for us.
“Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
John 4:12–14
I read about two coworkers who were discussing their holiday celebrations after everyone got back to the office from the Christmas break. Dan asked Bob, “So what did you get for Christmas?” Bob replied, “See that brand new red Ferrari parked out in the parking lot?” Dan was shocked. “Seriously? That’s incredible!” But Bob said with a sigh, “I got a tie that’s the exact same color as that Ferrari.”
Most of us know what it is like to be disappointed with a Christmas present. Maybe it was when we were a child with an expectation of something specific we had asked for but instead received a replacement. Maybe it was a style or color that we just didn’t like as a teenager. Maybe it was completely different from what we were expecting. But when we finished tearing off the wrapping paper and opening the box, we had to do our best to put a smile on our face that didn’t match how we felt, because we had been let down by what we received.
That never happens when we come to Jesus. He meets every need and satisfies every longing in the human heart. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice for our sins, and the perfect Saviour to answer our desires for love, fulfillment, and meaning in life. No wonder the Apostle Paul declared that Jesus is beyond human ability to describe. “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). When we come to Him we are never turned away and never left unsatisfied.
Christmas is ultimately the celebration of the greatest gift in all of history.
“Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
Galatians 4:3–6
Politicians are not always known for keeping the promises they make, but I came across an old news story about one who did. When George Jelinek was running for the Kansas state legislature back in the 1960s, he printed up flyers that read, “I will work for you.” According to the article Jelinek won his election and then had an unexpected request from a constituent. “One farmer,” Jelinek said, “told me he voted for me and now he needed some help putting up some alfalfa in the barn. And I did it. But I’m going to have to watch what I say!”
Man may break promises, but God is always faithful. He does not work on our timetable, but everything He says will be done. Thousands of years passed between the time God told Adam and Eve about the coming Messiah who would defeat Satan and the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. But it happened just as God said. In fact there are a large number of Old Testament references to the coming of Jesus—the location, timing, and circumstances are given in great detail—and every one of those prophecies were fulfilled.
The Christmas story is not just a baby in a manger, shepherds, angels, and wise men. It is a vivid reminder that everything God says happens just as He promises. “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Christmas is a reminder that we can fully rely on everything that God has promised in His Word.
“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 6:16–18
There is a great temptation to adapt ourselves to our surroundings so that we fit in rather than stand apart as the people of God. Even many churches are becoming more and more like the world. There is too often an unwillingness on the part of Christians to be looked down on or mocked for being different.
This is not the first time this issue has been faced, however. Charles Spurgeon decried the danger of compromising with the world in an effort to reach the world in a sermon preached 130 years ago when he said, “This is the suggestion of the present hour: If the world will not come to Jesus.... Shall not the church go down to the world? Instead of bidding men to be converted, and come out from among sinners, and be separate from them, let us join with the ungodly world, enter into union with it, and so pervade it with our influence by allowing it to influence us. Let us have a Christian world.”
The plan of becoming more like the world did not work in Spurgeon’s day, and it will not work in ours. God is still looking for faithful men and women who are willing to endure reproach for the cause of Christ as they share the message of the gospel.
Being like Jesus is not the path of least resistance, but it is the only right path for a Christian.
“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
One of the people who did the most to reach people through rescue missions was Mel Trotter. He knew firsthand the power of the gospel to change a life. Trotter was an alcoholic, who returned home from one of his benders to find that his two-year-old son had died. Believing that he was to blame, he swore that he would never drink again. Two hours later, he was staggering out of a saloon. He took a train to Chicago, where he sold his shoes for enough money to buy one more drink, planning to kill himself. On his way to Lake Michigan he passed the Pacific Garden Rescue Mission and went inside. When he heard the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, he was converted and devoted the rest of his life to helping reach others.
The salvation that God offers freely by grace through faith to all those who come to Christ and trust Him as their Saviour changes far more than just our eternal destiny. It changes everything about this life as well. The word gospel means “good news,” and the message of salvation—that God gave Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice for us to be cleansed from our sins through His blood—is the best news anyone can ever receive. The only hope that we have is in Jesus, for our sins separate us from God, and nothing we can do can bridge that gap.
There is no genuine salvation which does not produce a new nature and new character.
“And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.”
Exodus 2:13–15
All of us have failures in our lives. There are moments we would like to change, moments where we did things we should not have done or failed to do the things we should have done. And there are consequences to some of those failures that remain with us, even after we have confessed and forsaken our sins and done what we can to make things right with those we have hurt. But past failure is not an unbreakable bondage that means we can never do anything for God with the rest of our lives—unless we allow ourselves to be bound by the past.
Paul knew something about living with the past. He was prolific in his persecution of the early church, going to great lengths to stamp out the new religion being preached by the followers of Jesus. But after Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, his life took on a completely new direction. I’m sure Paul thought of his own past when he was inspired to pen these words: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). While we should do what we can to undo damage we have brought on others in the past, we find freedom from our past confessing our sin to the Lord and trusting the pardon bought by His blood.
The past cannot bind us and render us ineffective to God’s service unless we allow it to do so.
“And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.”
Exodus 4:1–3
The devil often keeps God’s people from doing what they should for His Kingdom by convincing them that they lack the resources to accomplish what needs to be done. The feeling of inadequacy—that what we have or can contribute is not enough to do the job—may keep us from doing anything at all. Yet the Bible is filled with examples of small things being used by God to accomplish mighty works once they are given to Him. The question is not whether what is already in our hand is sufficient, but whether we are willing to launch out in faith and trust God to work in a great way. F. B. Meyer wrote, “God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves.”
I believe in wise planning and careful living, but at the same time, we cannot leave God out of our thinking. As Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” (2 Corinthians 5:7). The God who took a shepherd’s rod and parted the Red Sea, who took a boy’s sling and killed a giant, and who took another boy’s lunch and fed thousands is able to supply whatever we need to do His work. But God does not work with what we hold back. We must be willing to give what we have and trust Him to see Him supply what is lacking.
Faith reaches beyond what is seen and depends on God to do what He has promised.
“And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us. And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.”
Exodus 5:21–23
Sometimes the difficulties of life are the natural consequence of sins and mistakes. Sometimes they are God’s chastisement to encourage us to repent and return to Him. But there are times when we are doing right to the best of our ability and walking by faith when it seems like things just keep getting worse. The more we try to follow God, the harder our pathway becomes. This should not come as a surprise to us, for we have an active enemy who is committed to hindering us in our spiritual walk and work for God.
The critical thing for us to remember is that difficulty does not equal God’s displeasure. Sometimes the things which are most painful to us are in our lives because God is using them to work in a greater way than we can see. Paul faced this with the “thorn in the flesh” that came into his life. After his repeated prayers for its removal were not answered, Paul accepted his suffering as a gift, and gloried in God’s sufficient grace. “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 Lord does not promise us ease and comfort, but He does promise us His grace.
When you do right and things go wrong, keep trusting God and doing right.
“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”
1 Corinthians 2:1–4
In 1973, after decades of preaching the gospel, Dr. Lee Roberson woke up one morning unable to speak above a whisper. He had to cancel all of his meetings, and for an entire year he was unable to preach in his church. He traveled all over the country to see various specialists, but none of them could help. Finally a local surgeon operated, and after a few week’s recovery, Dr. Roberson was preaching again, which he continued until he was almost ninety-seven years old.
Looking back later, he remarked how greatly God had blessed the church during the year when he could only sit silently on the platform while someone else filled the pulpit. He said it was one of the most blessed years of ministry he had ever known. Attendance, offerings, and conversions increased. Dr. Roberson said, “That just showed this preacher something. It didn’t depend so much on what I was doing. It depended on the working of the power of God through our lives.”
Too many times we rely on our talent and efforts rather than depending on God. The results of our labor for the Lord are not on our shoulders. If we want God’s power and blessing, we must abandon self-reliance. “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6).
We must rely on God’s strength rather than ours if we hope to accomplish anything lasting for Him.
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
Ephesians 2:1–3
There is no question that our society is filled with evil, and that we are seeing evil not just accepted but actively promoted. Those who hold to the truth are scorned and mocked, and a number of people have faced legal battles for trying to hold to what they believed was right.
It is easy for us to fall into the trap of condemning evil in the world while forgetting that we too were once a part of the world. Even those who were saved at an early age without ever going deep into an obviously sinful lifestyle were dead in their sin. Their outward lives may not have been scarred and marked because of the things they were protected from doing, but they were just as much sinners in need of a Saviour as someone who has lived apart from God in the worst sins the world has to offer.
All of us needed God’s salvation. And those who have not yet received God’s gift are not to be scorned, but to be the objects of both compassion and outreach. We must never forget that Satan is actively working to keep them from recognizing the truth. “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).
Since we were once lost, it is our duty to reach out to those who have not yet responded to the truth.
“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 6:16–18
Unlike a football field or basketball court where the boundaries are permanently painted, the line markers on the baseball field are made with chalk. This means that over the course of a game the lines—especially around home plate where there is a lot of coming and going—start to get blurred. Often the umpire will take a moment to wipe the dust off the plate so he can clearly see where the boundaries of the strike zone should be. And if the foot traffic is heavy enough, he may even call for the batter's box to be re-chalked so that the places where it is legal for the batter to stand are clearly visible.
The lines in life serve a purpose. This is just as true in important matters as it is in sports. God has given us clear guidelines, both in specific commandments and in specific principles (which apply where there is no commandment.) God has made His way plain to us in His Word. We do sometimes come to difficult choices and decisions that require us to carefully study the Bible to determine which principles apply. But in most cases, the blurring of the lines comes not from a lack of understanding what is right, but from not really wanting to do what we know to be right, and looking for alternatives.
A close relationship with God requires that we draw clear lines of distinction between ourselves and the world.
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
1 John 3:16–18
On October 1, 2017, concert goers at an outdoor venue in Las Vegas, Nevada, were attacked in what became one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history. As bullets flew among the shocked crowds, people rushed for safety, seeking a way to escape. Among the more than twenty thousand who attended the concert were a couple from Tennessee, Sonny and Heather Melton. Sonny placed his body between his wife and the shooter and kept the bullets from reaching her. He was shot, but her life was spared by his sacrifice.
Most of us will, hopefully, never face a life and death choice where we would have to protect someone else with our own bodies. Yet each day we are faced with choices of whether we will live for self or for others. There is no way to emulate the life of Christ without loving others to the point where we are willing to sacrifice for them. “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).
We live in a world that glorifies selfishness. The value of sacrifice in God’s eyes is still great, but it is little valued by most of those around us. But we are not called to be like the world, or to be great in their eyes. Instead, we are called to lay down our lives, pick up the cross, and walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
The Christian life is not about serving ourselves, but rather sacrificially loving and caring for others.
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”
2 Corinthians 4:7–10
From the earliest records of human history, man has been making idols and images to worship. The false gods are merely an imitation of the real thing, a diversion designed by Satan to substitute for true worship. But their creation across so many cultures and centuries reveals a truth about the human heart—we have a longing to see something that is greater than we are. Even the most ardent atheist, no matter how much he tries to conceal, has this void of longing inside. God is real, and we need Him.
Because God is invisible, we cannot see Him. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18). Jesus was only present on the Earth for a few years, and while He was fully and completely God, He did not appear in glory and power except for brief moments. Instead, He revealed God to the world through His actions, His words, and His compassion and love for others. Today, it falls to us to show the world the true nature of God.
Annie Johnson Flint wrote:
We are the only Bible
The careless world will read;
We are the sinner’s gospel,
We are the scoffer’s creed;
We are the Lord’s last message,
Given in deed and word;
What if the type is crooked?
What if the print is blurred?
What if our hands are busy
With other work than His?
It is our privilege and responsibility to show the world a true picture of what God is like.
“If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.”
1 Corinthians 15:32–34
According to the latest statistics, the world’s population is rapidly approaching eight billion people. Never before have so many been alive on earth at one time. Though the typical lifespan varies greatly from country to country, on average a person born today will live about sixty-seven years. At the end of each life, whether long or short, lies eternity. Though many teach other concepts, the Bible makes it clear that there are only two destinations for that eternity—Heaven or Hell.
The fact that billions of people have never heard a clear presentation of the gospel should motivate us to actively work and support missionary efforts, both around the globe and across the street from where we live. Paul told the church at Corinth the fact that the lost have not yet been reached should bring shame to them. Charles Spurgeon said, “If there be any one point in which the Christian church ought to keep its fervor at a white heat, it is concerning missions. If there be anything about which we cannot tolerate lukewarmness, it is in the matter of sending the gospel to a dying world.”
The primary mission of the church and of each Christian is to fulfill the command to reach the lost. This was the heartbeat of Jesus throughout His life and ministry and it should be ours as well. “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).
We cannot say we are truly like Jesus if we are not burdened to action by the fate of a lost and dying world.
“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
The first railroads represented an amazing increase in the speed of travel compared to what had come before, but they were still very slow by modern standards. And passenger comfort was limited by the noise, the smoke, and the very uneven ride of early trains. I read about a little boy who was making a lengthy trip on a train by himself. At one point, a lady who had been watching him asked if he was getting tired after so long a trip. He quickly replied that he wasn’t tired. “I’m going to see my father as soon as we arrive,” he explained.
If our focus is on God as much as it should be, our greatest longing will be to be in His presence. While we know that we have the certainty of spending eternity with Him through the salvation provided by grace through faith, His presence is not just something we will experience in the future. Certainly our fellowship with God will be on a much different level in Heaven, but for those who seek His face, His presence can be experienced and enjoyed here on earth. David wrote, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). There is no such thing as a powerful, victorious Christian life apart from the abiding presence of God.
If our hearts do not long for a real sense of God’s presence, it is a sign that something is wrong in our lives.
“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 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.”
2 Corinthians 12:7–9
One of the reasons the Peanuts comics were popular for so many years is the level of insight into adult issues that appear in the mouths of young children. In one strip, Linus is talking to Charlie Brown when he says, “I don’t like to face problems head on. I think the best way to solve problems is to avoid them. In fact, this is a distinct philosophy of mine. No problem is so big or so complicated that it can’t be run away from.”
While that approach to problems may be attractive, it doesn’t truly resolve anything. In fact, problems that we refuse to deal with do not somehow magically disappear. They usually become even greater when we try to avoid them. The right approach is to take inventory of our own life and determine whether the problem is caused by something we have done or failed to do. Many of the difficulties we face are self-inflicted and can only be addressed by making a change.
But in the cases where the problem has an external cause, the most important thing we can do is run to God and seek His grace. While some of our prayers for relief will be answered quickly, some hardships will not be removed because they are part of God’s program to shape our lives. In either case, we must rely on His grace.
Only by facing our problems head on in God’s strength and grace can we see true victory.
“For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.”
1 Corinthians 15:9–11
The cartoon character Popeye made his first appearance in 1929 just before the start of the Great Depression. First introduced as a character in another comic strip, Popeye quickly became one of the most popular fictional characters of the 1930s in both print and film. The spinach-eating sailor dispatched bad guys and saved the day, while singing his famous theme song:
I’m Popeye the Sailor Man,
I’m Popeye the Sailor Man…
None of us have the power to save ourselves. We are utterly dependent on God’s grace. But that grace is not just extended to us for salvation—it brings change into our lives, making us more like Christ. And it equips and enables us for a life of service. All that we are, for good and for God, is a result of grace. Truly understanding this fact allows us both to remain humble and to recognize and praise God for His goodness to us.
Paul realized that all he was and all he had done was because of God’s grace. He had done much of which he could have been proud, but instead, he kept his focus on what God had done for him and through him. The devil has destroyed many promising lives and ministries by pride. When we attempt to work in our own strength, apart from God’s grace, we can never accomplish anything of lasting value.
When we forget the role God’s grace plays in our lives, we are headed for pride and destruction.
“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”
Job 19:25–27
Thousands of years before Jesus came to the world as the Saviour and Messiah who had been promised, those who knew and believed God had a great faith that this life is not the end—that there is an eternity beyond this life. Job lived long before there was a written promise of the resurrection recorded in Scripture, yet in the midst of his great trial, he declared with confidence that after his death he would see God in his physical body.
The death of Christ alone could not be the end of the story for us to have salvation. It was necessary that He also rise from the dead. Paul wrote, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The resurrection is just as much a part of the gospel as the cross.
The fact—not a myth or a legend or a tradition, but a historical, demonstrated fact—that Jesus rose from the dead is the evidence that all of God’s promises concerning our future are reliable. The power that overcame death and the grave guarantees our place in Heaven. This is the message of the resurrection. It is the center and source of our hope. It is the greatest miracle in all of human history. The empty tomb is an assurance that God will fulfill all of His commitments to us, and that one day the Lord will return to take us home.
We should live every day in the reality of the resurrection and the certainty of Christ’s return.