Daily in the Word: a ministry of Lancaster Baptist Church
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“Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.”
Philippians 3:15–17
In 1938, a patent lawyer and inventor named Chester Carlson revolutionized the business world with his work in what was known at the time as electrophotography—making exact copies using a machine. He soon begin calling his process xerography, from the Greek for “dry writing.” The Xerox machine was one of the most successful inventions in history. The ability to reproduce page after page of duplicates changed the way people kept records and did business.
God’s plan for His work in the world also revolves around making copies. Paul wrote to Timothy, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). The process we are commanded to follow is patterned after the work Jesus did with twelve chosen men—discipleship, and it is nothing less than making copies of ourselves.
This is not a matter of setting ourselves up in pride as great examples, but a matter of living like Jesus so much that we can say as Paul did to the church at Corinth, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). The more closely we adhere to the example of Jesus, the better copies our lives will produce. We must never forget that whether we intend it or not, we have great influence on those around us. We must be careful to live so that our pattern is a good one for others to follow.
If those you influence turn out to be copies of your life, would you be pleased with the result?
“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 6:19–20
Dr. John Rice said that one of the sermons he heard as a young man had a powerful influence on his life. An old Texas preacher named Dr. J. B. Gambrell delivered a message entitled “Who Owns the Wool?” Dr. Rice remembered, “His argument was very simple. He who owns the sheep owns the wool. And if God owns the Christian, then He owns all his time. He owns all his money. He owns all his family. A Christian ought to say, ‘All I am, all I have belongs to God. I want to use it for Him.’”
There is no circumstance in which a Christian has a right to say “No” to God’s command. It is an act of defiance and rebellion to disobey what the Lord says we are to do—not to mention an act that demonstrates we do not love Him. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Surely there have been times when people have misinterpreted Scripture and incorrectly claimed Divine support for a position. In those cases, it is not disobedience to God to do what He says rather than what men may declare God wants.
But where the Bible is clear, we must obey. We have no right to do otherwise. Because God owns us, both by right of creation and by right of redemption, everything that we are and everything that we have is His. We have a profound obligation to obedience because of the price that was paid for our salvation. A Christian who clings to his possessions without regard to God’s ultimate ownership is a disobedient servant.
Remembering God’s ownership of our lives and all that we possess has a powerful impact on all we do.
“And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
Luke 15:5–7
Because this world is all we have ever known, it is hard for us to comprehend the perfection of Heaven. The place where those who have trusted Christ as Saviour will spend eternity has none of the flaws that are part of daily life here. There is no sin, no sickness, no sadness, and no night. Best of all, there is the constant presence of God Himself.
As wonderful and glorious and perfect as Heaven is, there is something that we can do here on Earth that brings rejoicing even there—to bring other men and women to Jesus. There is no more important task given to God’s children than for us to follow the example of Jesus and work to reach the lost. There are many good and right things that can and should be done, but the essential mission of every believer is to be a witness of the salvation we have received to others. There is an eternal Heaven and an eternal Hell, and every person we meet will spend forever in one of those places.
It is our task to see to it that we warn the lost. We are their only hope. And if we fail in this assignment, the consequences are grave, both for others and for our own lives. “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!” (1 Corinthians 9:16).
The material things of Earth will one day vanish, but the souls of those around endure into eternity.
“But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;”
2 Corinthians 8:16–18
When Catherine Booth died of cancer in 1890 after many years of faithful service with her husband William in the Salvation Army, her body lay in state at Congress Hall in London. Thousands filed past her body, giving honor to the lady who had given so much to so many. The cream of London society and the rich and powerful filed by next to children from the slums and former drunkards. It is recorded that one elderly man paused by her casket and said, “I’ve come sixty miles to see her again. She was the means of saving my two boys.”
The impact that we make on the lives of others is a direct result of the amount of care and compassion we have for them. That is because it is that care that drives our actions. There is no more powerful motivation than love. It changes the way we view other people, and it changes the way we allocate our resources, time, and energy. We invest in what we care about, and when we care, others can tell. “And of some have compassion, making a difference” (Jude 1:22).
The world has many ways to counterfeit a number of the good things God calls us to do and be, but there is no substitute for compassion. The people with whom we work and to whom we minister will know whether they genuinely matter to us. And the more we care for others, the more we will devote ourselves to meeting their needs and reaching them with the gospel.
Only those who truly care for the needs of others are prepared to make a major impact on their lives.
“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
Jonathan Dolliver served as United States Senator from Iowa from 1900 to 1910. During much of the time he was in Washington, his elderly father lived with him and his family. When his father passed away, Senator Dolliver was surprised when the Italian Ambassador sent flowers and asked if he could sit with the family at the funeral. When Senator Dolliver asked why he wanted to come, the ambassador replied, “He was the only person who thought enough of me to speak to me about my soul.”
Many, if not most, of the people we meet day after day are living in this world with little, if any, thought or concern of eternity. Our society does its best to ignore and obscure the reality of death. People go to great lengths to extend their lives. Even the product that pays people’s heirs money upon their death is packed and sold as “life insurance.” Yet, no matter how much we try, we cannot escape the reality that death is coming to everyone.
This reality should be at the front of our minds as we meet people in different walks of life. Whether it is neighbors, co-workers, friends or family members, every person we meet has an eternal destiny. And we must try to reach them. “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 5:11).
We cannot force anyone to be saved, but we should not let anyone go to Hell unwarned.
“And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.”
2 John 1:6–8
For many years Reader’s Digest has published first person accounts of humorous happenings. In 1994, they ran a story from Marion Gilbert: “One morning I opened the door to get the newspaper and was surprised to see a strange little dog with our paper in his mouth. Delighted with this unexpected ‘delivery service,’ I fed him some treats. The following morning I was horrified to see the same dog sitting in front of our door, wagging his tail, surrounded by eight newspapers. I spent the rest of that morning returning the papers to their owners.”
There is enormous power in rewarding good behavior, and that is the way God has created us. In fact, God Himself offers us rewards for our service on earth. “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible” (1 Corinthians 9:25). Our greatest reward will be to hear our Lord say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
Recognizing the power of rewards, it is very important for those of us who lead—parents, teachers, bosses, and influencers in any venue—to review the behavior we are encouraging. Our words of praise or tangible rewards will encourage others to continue the behavior that gained them. Yet many times we do not realize that we are rewarding the very things we want to stop. Instead, we should be sure that we are using the power of rewards to encourage the right actions.
Be sure that the things you are rewarding are the things you actually want to have happen.
“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.”
2 Timothy 1:12–14
In our society, it seems that one of the worst offenses a person can commit in public is to state with certainty that something is actually right or actually wrong—all the time, in every case, and for every person. That goes against the grain of our “tolerant” culture, which insists that any belief or idea, no matter how much it contradicts reality, must be accepted. Against that current, Christians are called to stand firm in defense of the truth. While we should not be unpleasant or rude in our demeanor, we should be clarion clear in declaring, “thus saith the Lord.”
No one knows everything, but it is possible for us to know with confidence what God has said in His Word. And our commitment to the truth must be firm no matter what others may do. A. W. Tozer said, “Moral power has always accompanied definite beliefs. Great saints have always been dogmatic. We need a return to a gentle dogmatism that smiles while it stands stubborn and firm on the Word of God that lives and abides forever.”
The less the world believes in absolute truth, the more important it is for us to take an unwavering stand for what God has said. There are those who tell us that to have influence we must not state truth with certainty. They are wrong. “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:8).
The message of absolute truth may not be popular but it is still right—and still important.
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”
2 Corinthians 4:7–10
When he was narrowly defeated in his bid for re-election in 1888 by Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland faced a choice—to retire from public life or to continue to fight for the principles he believed. Cleveland chose to continue his career, and in 1892, he became the only man in American history to serve as president twice in non-consecutive terms. He is listed as both the twenty-second and the twenty-fourth presidents. Early in his second term in office, Cleveland was diagnosed with a tumor which required part of his jaw to be removed. Following his surgery, Cleveland wrote, “I have learned how weak the strongest man is under God's decrees; and I see in a new light the necessity of doing my allotted work in the full apprehension of the coming night.”
The fact that things are hard or that we suffer reversals and defeat does not mean that we are left hopeless. Instead, each hardship should remind us that God's grace is always sufficient, and that He has a plan for the future. One of the lessons of suffering is that God must always be exalted instead of us receiving the glory. And when hard times come, we can take heart knowing that God recognizes us as able to endure them in a manner which will bring praise to Him. “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5:41).
Do not allow difficulty to discourage or defeat you. God is still in control no matter what happens.
“And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
1 Corinthians 9:25–27
The most anticipated match up heading into the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988 was the 100 meter dash competition between American Carl Lewis, who had won the event in 1984, and Canadian Ben Johnson. The two athletes easily qualified into the final race, putting them side by side when the starter’s gun sounded. Johnson led throughout the race, crossing the finish line with a new world record. In his post-victory press conference, Johnson said, “A gold medal—that’s something no one can take away from you.” The problem was that Johnson had cheated, and when the mandatory drug test after the event came back positive for steroid use, the gold medal was taken away from Johnson and awarded to Lewis, who had finished second on the track.
There are times when, in the name of expediency or getting results, people are tempted to cut corners and do things they know are not right. Even when these actions are motivated by good intentions, they are always wrong. As Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. put it, “It is never right to do wrong in order to get a chance to do right.” God’s principles and commandments are unchanging, and He does not excuse our violation of them no matter what our motive may be. No amount of work for God and no results justify disobedience to His Word. He will not reward those who excuse taking shortcuts and sin in the name of doing good things for Him.
To win the race and gain the prize, we must stay within the limits and boundaries God has set for us.
“But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.”
Genesis 39:21–23
Think about the various people you have worked with over the years. How many of them would you trust with your life if you knew you would not be checking up on them to make sure they took care of things on your behalf? That is exactly what the keeper of Pharaoh’s prison did with Joseph. The jailer was responsible to keep the prisoners, and if any of them escaped, his own life would be forfeited as penalty. Yet, he placed that responsibility, and thus his own life, in the hands of a young foreign prisoner named Joseph.
Why would the jailer take such a drastic step? Because he recognized in Joseph a faithfulness to God that led to a faithfulness in accepting responsibilities. Matthew Henry wrote, “Faithfulness in a servant lies in the ready, punctual, and thorough execution of his master’s orders; keeping his secrets and counsels, dispatching his affairs, and managing with frugality, and to as much just advantage for his master as he is able; looking well to his trusts, and preventing, as far as he can, all spoil, or loss, or damage.” In a society where excuses run rampant and people routinely break commitments, God still rewards and honors those who fulfill their duties. This is not a secondary trait, but a necessity with Him. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).
Faithfulness to human responsibilities starts with being faithful to God in all things.
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
2 Timothy 4:2–5
It is tempting to look around at a society that is increasingly anti-Christian and think that we are going through something unprecedented. But as Paul’s final letter to Timothy makes clear, the problem of people rejecting the truth is not new. It may take different forms from one generation to the next, but the allure of listening to comfortable lies rather than painful truth is hard to resist. Indeed we need to be on guard in our own lives to reject false teaching that simply tells us what we want to hear.
Our mission is not to, by argument or logic, correct all those who believe what is wrong. Instead, we are simply to stick to proclaiming the truth and trust God to provide the harvest. “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Our responsibility is to be faithful to present the truth. There are times when there are great results and times when there are none. That does not reflect on us if we are remaining faithful in either circumstance.
The temptation is to judge ourselves by whether we are seeing great harvests. But while we should do everything we can to reach others, as President John Quincy Adams liked to say, “Duties are ours, results are God’s.” The seasons may come and go and the harvest will change with them, but He always honors those who remain faithful in His service.
God is looking for those who are willing to remain faithful to the truth in every season of life.
“Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”
1 Corinthians 12:22–25
Michael Costa immigrated to England from Italy in the 1800s and became a noted musician, eventually being knighted by Queen Victoria. Though Costa composed a number of pieces, he became best known as a conductor. In a time when it was common for music to be approached somewhat casually, Costa was noted for his ferocious attention to detail. According to one famous story, as he was conducting an orchestra and choral performance, and the sound of dozens of instruments and voices filled the cathedral, Costa stopped everyone cold. “Where is the piccolo?” he asked. The player had stopped, and the conductor could tell the difference.
Every one of us has a vital role to play in the work of God, and every one of those roles, no matter how large or how small it may appear to be, is important. We live in a society that glorifies the things that are most noticeable, but in truth without each of the parts, the whole will not be complete. When we are tempted to think that no one will notice if we slack off because our job isn’t that important, we must remember that God has designed and equipped each of us for a role no one else can fully play. God’s plan for His work calls for us to be faithful to carry out our assigned responsibilities.
God is looking for people who are faithful to play the role in which He has placed them.
“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. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
2 Corinthians 6:17–7:1
I came across a story from the late 1800s of a group of society young people who decided to tour a nearby coal mine. On the appointed day they showed up and met their guide. While most of them had dressed appropriately for the occasion, one of the young ladies had worn a lovely white tea dress. Her friends questioned her choice of apparel, but she appealed to their tour guide. “Can’t I wear a white dress into the coal mine?” After a moment he replied, “There’s nothing to keep you from wearing a white frock into the mine, but there’s a considerable amount there that will keep you from wearing a white frock out.”
The notion that we can walk deeply into the things of the world without it having an impact on us is folly. While we are not meant to withdraw from the world and become hermits, we also must not yield to the temptation to get as close to sinful things as we can. Those who think that they have reached a point in their sanctification and growth that they can allow themselves some “small” sins without damage are falling right into Satan’s trap. He loves the self-confident Christian, because the devil knows that it will not be long until sin gains control. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27).
If we want a close relationship with God, we must cleanse our hearts of the things of the world.
“Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”
2 Corinthians 4:14–16
Fish have gills which allow them to separate the oxygen from the water in which they swim, but humans have no such apparatus and can only stay underwater for short periods of time. In the late 1800s, large bulky systems to provide oxygen for divers began to be used, mostly for salvage and underwater construction operations. The modern idea of diving for pleasure took longer to develop. In 1952, a Major in the US Army, Christian Lambertsen, received a patent for an idea for a re-breathing system he had developed for use during World War II. The name which we still use today, scuba, is an acronym for the description of the device: self contained underwater breathing apparatus.
The reason that a diver can stay underwater for lengthy periods of time is that he takes an air supply with him. As Christians we are surrounded by a hostile environment in the world. We cannot “breathe” in those surroundings. But we have been given a source of strength and power within that allows us to function with power and victory even though we are operating in enemy territory. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
The ocean outside a diver’s face plate is hostile but unable to harm him as long as the system works properly and he does not allow it inside. The air flows freely from the tank into his lungs. We have the Holy Spirit of God to give us victory over the world—provided that we keep the world on the outside.
The world outside our hearts cannot derail us; that only happens if we let it inside our hearts.
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Matthew 16:24–26
Jonathan Goforth, who spent many years as a missionary in China, recounted the story of two young Chinese men who lived in a neighboring province. They purchased copies of the New Testament from a bookseller and began to read the Word of God in their own language. When they came to the instruction of Jesus to take up the cross, they were not clear on what it meant. So following the instruction literally, they made crosses out of bamboo. The Chinese translation said to “bear his cross on his back,” and so they tied the crosses to their shoulders and carried them everywhere they went. Soon they were directed to the mission outpost in Liuchow where they were presented the gospel. When they understood that Christ had already taken the punishment for their sins on His back as He died on the cross, they trusted Him as their Saviour. Then they returned to their village to tell others the good news.
The cross bearing that God commands for us is not usually a literal demand, but a symbol of sacrifice. Those who are not willing to give up what they hold most dear cannot follow Jesus, because that is what He did, even before His death on the cross. “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). Anything we cling to more than Jesus will prevent us from walking in His footsteps.
It is impossible to follow Jesus and live as He did without first taking up the cross and dying to self.
“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
There is an old Russian story that following a wave of thefts from a construction site in the Soviet Union, special guards were put in place at each exit to stop the robbers. The first day, the guard noticed a worker with a wheelbarrow filled with bags. “What’s in the bags?” he asked suspiciously. “Just sawdust,” the worker replied. Refusing to believe him, the guard made him dump the bags and open them. But there were no tools or other materials inside—just sawdust. This happened every day for a week. The guard was convinced something was going on, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. Finally he asked, “I know you’re up to something, and I promise we won’t arrest you for it. But the curiosity is killing me. What are you doing?” “Stealing wheelbarrows,” the worker replied.
Satan has been deceiving men and women for thousands of years, not because he keeps coming up with new and more elaborate schemes, but because we keep falling for the same lies and temptations. God calls us to be on guard, paying attention, and not allowing the enemy to slip inside our guard. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Since the devil continually attempts to deceive and entrap us, we must be continually watchful, alert to his attempts to lead us astray.
Be alert to the hidden temptations of Satan so you see through his deceit.
“Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.”
Jeremiah 18:3–6
God frequently used captivating images from everyday life to illustrate deep spiritual truths to His people. That was the case when He sent the prophet Jeremiah to visit a craftsman making clay pots. Jeremiah was called to minister to a nation that did not want to hear from God. They were perfectly happy to join the worship of Jehovah in small measure with the false religions of their neighbors, but they had no interest in obeying His commandments.
The culture of Jeremiah’s day was very much like our own. Today many people claim to follow some form of Christianity, but it is mixed with all sorts of false religion. Calling for obedience to divine commands is considered to be at least old fashioned, if not outright bigotry. Yet God is the Potter, and we are the clay. He made us, He owns us, and He has the absolute and complete right to dictate to us how we should live and act.
As long as we insist on our rights and our way, we will not obey God’s command. We must remember that we are not in charge of our lives and live according to the precepts of the Word of God. “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).
Recognizing God’s total right of control over our lives should motivate us to obedience.
“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
When David Livingstone went to Africa, he left behind most of the comforts he could have enjoyed. A medical doctor’s salary would have provided him a lovely home, and many luxuries and comforts. Instead, he spent most of his adult life in harsh and primitive conditions. After some time passed, he constructed a house with a lovely garden at the mission station in Mabotsa. But when Livingstone heard that some other missionaries were criticizing the expense, he gave the house away and moved further into the jungle to ensure that the work was not hindered. Later Livingstone wrote, “I do like a garden, but Paradise will make amends for all our privations here.”
The devil tries to get us to focus on the things of this world. He encourages us to strive to accumulate possessions, and he tempts us to judge our value by what we have and do not have. God, instead, provides things that are lasting and eternal—that do not lose value or fade away. When we value what matters to Him, we will not hold tightly to our earthly possessions. While we should be grateful for every material blessing we receive, we must never forget that this world is not our home. “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17). Our hearts must be fixed on the things that truly matter.
Nothing that exists in this world can compare to what is waiting for those who have trusted Christ.
“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. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
2 Corinthians 5:19–21
Dr. H. A. Ironside told of a church business meeting where a bitter dispute arose between members of the board. Ironside said, “I can remember one man springing to his feet and with clenched fists saying, ‘I will put up with a good deal, but one thing I will not put up with, I will not allow you to put anything over on me; I will have my rights !’ An old Christian responded, ‘You did not mean that; did you? If you had your rights, you would be in Hell. And you are forgetting that Jesus did not come to get His rights; He came to get His wrongs, and He got them.’ I can still see that man standing there for a moment like one transfixed, and then the tears broke from his eyes and he said, ‘Brethren, I have been all wrong. Handle the matter however you think best.’”
Before we insist on getting what we deserve, we would be wise to stop and reflect on exactly what that would mean. So often we insist on getting our own way, forgetting that Jesus did exactly the opposite. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God” (Philippians 2:5–6). If Jesus had insisted on clinging to and receiving His rights, we would have no hope of salvation.
Jesus took our sins to provide a way for us to avoid getting what we deserve in God’s judgment.
“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
On a mission trip to India, Dr. George Truett was invited to address the students at a university. Before he spoke, he was warned to expect a hostile response because of the strong influence of Hinduism among the students. One official warned him, “When you are through preaching, people in the audience will ask you questions that are difficult to answer. They will contradict everything that you say.” Dr. Truett prayed earnestly, and then stood and preached a clear gospel message about salvation through faith in Jesus alone. When he finished, there was a long silence. Finally one of the leading Hindu students stood and said, “Sir, we have nothing against the Christ this man has preached.”
The lost world around us wants many things, but what it needs most of all is a clear presentation of Jesus Christ, the only hope of salvation. Just as those foreigners from Greece who came to Jerusalem during the ministry of the Lord, the people around us have a pressing need. “The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus” (John 12:21). It is not our eloquence or our gifting that makes a difference to people, but the Jesus we talk about and reflect in our actions. His name and His righteousness must be lifted up and presented to the world. This is our purpose and calling.
If we faithfully present the message of Jesus and live as He did, those around us will be touched.
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 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 4:3–6
Perhaps the best-known and most widely-distributed gospel tract of the 1800s was called “Come to Jesus.” Written by a British pastor named Newman Hall, the tract was handed out to hundreds of thousands of soldiers during the American Civil War. After the war, Hall became embroiled in a theological dispute that grew quite heated. He used his literary ability to write a response which dissected, not just the opposing point of view, but those who held and promoted it.
After he was done writing, Hall asked a friend to read it before he had it printed and distributed. The friend agreed that it was a powerful and pointed piece, and asked if he had a title for it yet. When Hall replied that he did not and was looking for ideas, the friend said, “Why don’t you call it ‘Go to the Devil’ by the author of ‘Come to Jesus’?”
The way that we act and talk to and treat other people should be a reflection of the grace that God extended to us in allowing us to become part of His family. We have a responsibility as His children to not bring dishonor on the family name. One of the reasons the world is not being reached is because of the failure of Christians to live up to their faith.
We should never treat others in such a way that the hope of the gospel message is obscured by our actions.
“And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 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 5:15–17
Evangelist Harry Rimmer told the story of a man who was saved on a Sunday night in one of his meetings. On Tuesday, the man came to the church and asked for his help. Rimmer said, “He had some trouble starting, but finally informed me that he had deserted his wife and baby daughter six months before. The poor fellow wept like a child as he unfolded his tale. He offered no excuses, asked for no favor, just begged for forgiveness. I somehow phrased his pitiful pleas, and we mailed it together. Two weeks later he came in accompanied by his wife and wee daughter. I never saw a happier man in all my life. When his wife got his letter she wasted no time writing; she answered it in person!”
Those of us who have been saved for a number of years must be careful not to forget the transformation that the new birth brought to our lives. We must continue to walk according to the new nature we have been given. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). God’s plan is not for our conversion to be an event that takes place in the past and left behind. We are to be living in the new nature in the present as well.
The impact of salvation should be clearly visible in our lives every day.
“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?”
2 Corinthians 2:14–16
It was June 5, 1944, the day before the Allied forces launched the Normandy invasion to begin the liberation of Western Europe from the Nazis. All the plans were in place. Thousands of ships and planes were ready to carry tens of thousands of men into battle. It would be the largest sea invasion in human history. No one knew whether it would be possible to dislodge the heavy German defenses, and the direction of the war was hanging in the balance. The Allied troops were under the command of General Dwight Eisenhower. He spent some of the last hours before the invasion started with the men of the 101st Airborne, who would be parachuting behind enemy lines to create diversions and undermine Germany’s ability to respond to the attack. Facing these courageous young men, Eisenhower simply said, “Full victory—nothing else.”
Scripture frequently refers to and pictures the Christian life as a battle. But our war is different from the wars of this world. The ultimate outcome has already been determined for us. And while we face a vicious and powerful foe in Satan, one we cannot overcome in our own strength, we do not have to fight him alone. We lack sufficient power to defeat him, but Jesus has already overthrown his kingdom through His death and resurrection. And with the power of the Holy Spirit living and working in us, we can be victorious.
The victory has already been won for us by Jesus Christ—it is our job to claim it and live in it.
“Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 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; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”
Philippians 2:14–16
Many people bring home souvenirs from the trips they take. A German man named Rainer Wechert has taken that to an unusual level. His particular hobby involves collecting “Do Not Disturb” signs. His collection includes items from more than 180 different countries, and at last count numbered more than 11,500 pieces. Some of his signs are more than 100 years old. It is believed to be the largest such collection in the world.
While there is nothing wrong with having a hobby, it is important to make sure that the bulk of our time, energy, and resources are put to use in things that truly matter. If a man who had accomplished as much for Christ as the Apostle Paul was intent on ensuring that his labor was not wasted, it is wise for us to take stock of how we are spending our lives. Every person has different resources and abilities but we all have the same number of hours and minutes each day. How we use the time determines whether our work will have value.
The reality is that we will one day stand before God to have our service for Him measured and weighed. “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” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Realizing that, we should endeavor to focus on the things that truly matter so that our lives will not be wasted.
Make sure that the things you spend your life on are worthy of the investment you are making in them.
“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
Frederick Booth-Tucker, son-in-law of the founder of the Salvation Army, was a powerful preacher, but not everyone responded to his message. After preaching a sermon on God’s grace in Chicago, a man came to Booth-Tucker and told him that if he had experienced the same kind of losses the man had, he would not continue preaching. A few days later, his wife, Emma, was killed in a train accident while on her way to join her husband. The funeral was held at the Salvation Army headquarters in Chicago.
After all the other speakers were finished, Frederick Booth-Tucker rose and said, “The other day when I was here, a man said, I could not say Christ was sufficient, if my wife were dead, and my children were crying for their mother. My heart is all broken, my heart is all crushed, my heart is all bleeding, but there is a song in my heart and Christ put it there; and if that man is here, I tell him that, though my wife is gone and my children are motherless, Christ comforts me today.”
There are moments of great trial in every life, but there is never a moment for which God’s grace is not provided. Our task is to accept that grace in faith and patience, trusting God to work all things according to His purpose in and through us.
No matter the loss or sorrow we face, or the burdens we bear, God’s grace is always sufficient.
“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 8:8–9
On a cold winter day, an elderly man stood by the Tower Bridge in London, playing a violin in hopes that those who passed by would place money in his hat. He played poorly, and no one seemed interested in helping him. After some time had passed, a well-dressed man appeared. He listened to the violin player for a moment and then walked over. Rather than giving the man money, the visitor asked for his violin. He took a few moments to tune it and then began to play.
Now as a stunning melody filled the air, a crowd began to gather. Word began to spread across the city and soon hundreds of people were standing in rapt attention as the beautiful music continued. When he had finished playing, the most famous violinist in the world, Niccolo Paganini, returned the violin to its owner. One person after another came by and dropped coins into the beggar’s hat until it was overflowing. He owed it all to the one who took his place.
I have been saved for many years, but I never want to lose the sense of gratitude and wonder for what Jesus did for me. He owed me nothing, but in love and grace gave me everything. It cost Paganini only a few minutes of time to help the beggar, but it cost Jesus everything to save me. To not be thankful for all I have received is a horrible offense against God. “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).
Never forget the miraculous gift of salvation you received because of God’s amazing grace.
“For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
2 Corinthians 5:13–15
When we read the story of the life of the Apostle Paul in the Bible, it is a nearly constant record of persecution, opposition, distress, and suffering. He was beaten, stoned, imprisoned, and, according to church history, eventually executed for his fearless gospel witness. This man who had once been a bitter enemy of the church, doing everything in his power to persecute and even kill Christians for their faith, was now willing to endure any hardship for the cause of the gospel. What changed? Paul had an encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, and he never got over it.
There are many motives for serving God. Some people serve out of a desire for rewards. Some serve for fear of disappointing or failing Him or others. But the greatest motive for serving God is a recognition of His love for us and our corresponding love for Him. Vance Havener said, “The primary qualification for a missionary is not love for souls, as we so often hear, but love for Christ.” The same is true for any work that we do for the Lord.
There is nothing more important we can do than to love God above all else. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37–38). We cannot love God as we should without an understanding and appreciation of His amazing love for us.
The love and mercy God extended to us should stay with us every day of our lives.
“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 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. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”
1 Corinthians 2:13–15
In 1799, Pierre-Francois Bouchard, a soldier in Napoleon’s army fighting in Egypt made one of the most important archaeological discoveries in history—what is now known as the Rosetta Stone. Students of history had long recognized Egyptian hieroglyphic pictures as a written record, but had been unable to decipher what they meant. The stone contained the same text in both hieroglyphics and in ancient Greek, allowing the Egyptian written language to be understood for the first time. Information that they had not previously been able to translate could now be learned.
The Bible is a perfect book, inspired by God and completely without error. Yet the truth in its pages is like a foreign language to those who do not know the Lord. They may see the words, but they cannot comprehend the truth of Scripture. Such understanding and comprehension only comes through the work of the Holy Spirit.
And even as believers, we are not meant to rely on our own intellect and understanding when it comes to handling the Word of God. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Instead we are to rely on the indwelling Spirit of God. One of His primary works in our lives is to help us understand and apply what God has given us in His Word. Of course we should study and try to learn as much as we can from the Bible, but we cannot succeed without His help.
The Bible is not grasped and understood through great intelligence, but through Divine power.
“For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
2 Corinthians 5:13–15
Dr. A. T. Schofield got a new dog when he assumed a pastorate in London. The dog had come from the country, and was not used to city traffic. Schofield always put a stout leash on his collar before taking Jock for a walk. Soon the dog came to love his master, and one day Schofield let him off his leash. The dog ran down to the corner, but then quickly returned. Schofield said, “What was the invisible chain that brought him back without fail? It was the simple fact that the dog had given me his heart from which he could not run away. The law of liberty is the law of love.”
The thing that should most keep us from sin and faithful in service is not the rules God has laid out for us to follow, though those are important and must be followed. It is not primarily our fear that we will be chastened if we stray and suffer consequences for our sin. The first and foremost reason for us to do right and serve God is our love for Him in appreciation for what He has done for us.
So many people in our day are focused on liberty so that they can do as they wish. But the proper focus is on our love for God. We must remember that we have been set free, not so we can live however we please, but so that sin no longer can keep us from doing what God commands.
If our love for God is what it should be, our actions will take care of themselves.
“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
In 1841, Michael Culbertson left a promising military career for a new line of work. Culbertson, who had graduated sixth in his class from West Point in 1839 and later taught at that school, determined God was calling him to China as a missionary. He left behind the US Army for God’s army. Culbertson was in China when the American Civil War began, and many of those he had trained at West Point were now leaders of the army.
A friend told Culbertson that if he had remained in America and was still part of the army, he would surely have been a general in the war. Culbertson responded, “No doubt I might. Men I drilled are in that position. Among these are Sherman, Thomas, Rosecrans. But there is not one with whom I would be willing to exchange. There is no post of influence on earth equal to that of a man who is permitted to give the Word of God to four hundred million of his fellow men.”
There are many things in this life which are valuable and important and worthy of our effort, but there is one task that above all others focuses on the next life, and that is reaching out to others with the gospel. If we accomplish great temporal things but do nothing which impacts eternity, the world may praise us, but eternity will not.
There is no more important task for any of us than sharing the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ.
“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (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.) Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:”
2 Corinthians 6:1–3
The story goes that long before England was united into a single nation, one of the ancient Saxon kings faced a rebellion on the part of his nobles. He assembled his forces and marched into the field, where he defeated the armies arrayed against him. In an effort to heal the divisions, he extended an offer of amnesty to anyone who would come before him and renew their oath of allegiance. However, the offer was not extended indefinitely. The king set up a large candle by the entrance to the castle and sent the word out, “You must come before the king before the candle burns out.”
We often talk about the deadline for receiving God’s gift of salvation, because that offer expires when life here on earth ends. While that is true, that is not the only opportunity that can be missed. When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth to instruct them in how to work effectively for God, he quoted the words of Isaiah, a prophet not to the heathen, but to God’s people. These words of warning about missed opportunities are meant for us.
Life is not meant to be lived in a careless and casual manner. Each day brings us opportunities for service to God and others that will never come again. We are not promised tomorrow. Knowing that life is uncertain and brief, we must be busy while we are alive, doing all that we can to do God’s work in this world.
Since none of us knows how long our “candle” is, we must make the most of every opportunity while we can.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Philippians 2:5–8
All of the glory and majesty of Heaven were rightfully in the person of Jesus Christ before He came into the world. The infinite perfection of God was His nature and had been since eternity past. The radiance of His beauty was and is beyond the ability of human tongues to explain or human minds to fully grasp. Anything that He purposed to accomplish could be done simply by speaking it into existence, just as He created everything we see in the world around us. “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9).
Yet despite all that He had, Jesus willingly laid it aside. As Charles Wesley put it, Jesus “emptied Himself of all but love, and bled for Adam’s helpless race.” This was not a forced sacrifice, but one that Jesus chose despite knowing what it would cost. His love for us was so great that He was willing to pay the price. “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).
Many people struggle with feelings of failure and inadequacy. They wonder if anyone loves them, or if anyone would still love them if what they truly were became public knowledge. The birth of Jesus is the answer to that question. God loves us, and the fact that Christ emptied Himself proves it.
The Christmas story is an unmistakable measure of the astonishing love God has for us.
“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
I read that years ago the giant British retail chain Tesco placed an advertisement for seasonal help during the Christmas season. They were not looking for greeters, or stock people, or checkout clerks. Instead, they wanted people who would help untangle their massive quantity of Christmas lights. The ad specified that the people they were looking for had to be “passionate about Christmas” and be able to “untangle three meters of Christmas lights in under three minutes.”
Though Christmas is a joyous season, it is also a time of great stress for many people. There are financial pressures, family ruptures, time crunches, long lines, backed up traffic at stores, and many other worries that can easily tangle up our lives and make Christmas a time of defeat and hassle, instead of joy and celebration. Too many people go through the holidays like Ebenezer Scrooge before he learned the importance of Christmas instead of like Tiny Tim. The key to avoid becoming tangled up is found in our source of power.
The Christian life cannot be lived in our own strength. The power for successful living can only come from God. And when we have that power, it does not matter if we are troubled, perplexed, persecuted, or cast down. We will still be at peace. We will not be distressed, in despair, forsaken, or destroyed. This is the key to peaceful living not only during the holidays, but every day of the year. Rest in God’s strength rather than your own.
As long as we are working and living in God’s strength instead of our own, we can be victorious.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:12–14
Senator Daniel Webster was known for his eloquence, his devotion to the United States, and his unshakable faith in God. The story goes that he was dining with some literary men in Boston. During the dinner, the conversation turned to Christianity, and Webster clearly stated his belief in the deity of Christ and his dependence upon the atonement. One of those present said to him, “Mr. Webster, can you comprehend how Christ could be both God and man?” Mr. Webster promptly replied, “No, sir, I cannot comprehend it. If I could comprehend Him, He would be no greater than myself. I feel that I need a super-human Saviour.”
Faith is a requirement for the Christian life because even having the Bible and the Holy Spirit within to help us understand and apply it to our lives, God's nature is beyond our understanding. The mind of man is not able to comprehend an unlimited, eternal deity. When we do not understand, we must accept that what He says is true and act accordingly.
This is what faith in action looks like. We not only give mental assent to what God says, but we allow it to control what we do. Paul reminds us, “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” (2 Corinthians 5:7). God has the right to demand our obedience without explanation. He is always right, and we are safe when we follow and obey Him in faith.
Even when what God says is beyond what we can understand, we must believe it and act on it.
“For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body.”
1 Corinthians 12:14-20
Dr. Paul Brand, who was born to missionary parents in India and later went there for nearly twenty years of ministry as a medical doctor working with leprosy patients, wrote about the use of the Bible’s analogy of the church to a human body. Brand said, “The Body of Christ, like our own bodies, is composed of individual, unlike cells that are knit together to form one body. The joy of the body increases as individual cells realize they can be diverse without becoming isolated outposts.”
Statistics say that between 60 and 100 churches close every week in the United States. While some of these are churches that long ago turned away from Bible truth, others were churches that preached the truth but for one reason or another failed to continue and grow. One of the major problems is self-focus.
We live in an increasingly isolated society. Despite all the connections made possible by social media, many people are actually lonely in real life. They are missing the meaningful connections they need, and this can be true in the church as well. It is vitally important for us to truly care for each other. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
Each of us have a duty to care for the needs and burdens of our fellow church members.
“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.
“Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”
Acts 4:34–37
The members of the early church in Jerusalem included many who had come from across the Roman Empire for the Jewish feast days. Many of them were far from home, and their financial needs were acute. There were no facilities or programs such as we take for granted today, and no real organized structure to meeting urgent needs. But their needs were met by those in the church who had the means to give to help them.
Among those who stepped forward in this way was Joses, better known to us as Barnabas. The gift that Barnabas made was not convenient. Cyprus is roughly 250 miles from Jerusalem. Arranging the sale of land from so far away would not have been easy. But because of his compassion for those in need, Barnabas did the work necessary to be in possession of the money so that he was able to provide financial support.
Over the years, I’ve observed that it is almost never the “right” time when people most need help. There are always competing priorities and conflicting claims on our time. But to be a source of help and hope, we must be willing to do what is necessary. Paul wrote to Corinth, “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved” (2 Corinthians 12:15).
We cannot be a source of comfort and encouragement to others unless we are willing to pay the price.
“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
Over the years I’ve heard a lot of people talk about Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.” Many have speculated as to what that thorn was. Some believe it was a problem with his eyes or perhaps another physical ailment, perhaps caused by the beatings and stonings Paul received. But very few people think of the thorn in the flesh in terms of it being a gift. Yet, that is how Paul described it. When he said, “there was given to me a thorn,” he used the same Greek word that Jesus used when He taught His disciples to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). We find such gifts unwelcome, but God sends them so that His grace can be manifest.
George Matheson, the Scottish preacher who wrote the beautiful hymn “O Love that Will Not Let Me Go” knew about hardship because of the blindness he had to deal with throughout his ministry. Matheson wrote, “My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn. I have thanked Thee a thousand times for my roses, but not once for my thorn. I have been looking forward to a world where I shall get compensation for my cross, but I have never thought of my cross as itself a present glory. Thou divine Love, whose human path has been perfected through sufferings, teach me the glory of my cross, teach me the value of my thorn.”
Often we are reluctant to receive hardship and difficulty from God, but they are part of His plan for us.
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.”
Matthew 6:1–4
Though many of us are blessed to find great enjoyment and fulfillment in our work, that is not true for everyone. Some people are, for various reasons, working at jobs they do not particularly like. But in either case, the fact that the job brings a paycheck is a major factor for most people in choosing their employment. Very few people would willingly work for an extended period of time if they knew that the paycheck they received from their employer wouldn’t be honored when they tried to cash it. We expect to receive the agreed upon reward in exchange for our work.
Yet it is possible for us to do the right things for God and not be rewarded. This is not because God is unfair or unjust. He rewards just as He has promised. But if our good works are not done with the right motives and for the right reasons, we have no valid reason to expect to receive rewards for them. Even the most generous and extreme gifts have no eternal value if we do them out of selfish motives. Paul wrote, “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 13:3).
God examines our motives as well as our actions to determine the value of our work for Him.
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
2 Kings 6:15-17
Though the Syrian army was stronger than the Israelite army, they were not winning battles. That is because Elisha was giving updated military intelligence to the king of Israel, warning him of where the Syrians were planning to attack and setting up ambushes. The king of Syria thought he had a spy in his palace, but one of his advisers told him the problem was the prophet who lived in Dothan. So the king decided to take care of that problem permanently and sent his army to capture or kill Elisha. The presence of the enemy alarmed the servant, but Elisha had no fear. That is because he recognized the power of God that had deployed in his defense.
Once the servant's eyes were opened to the angels standing guard, his fear fled. There is a great spiritual battle going on all around us, and it is important for us to be aware of it.
Paul wrote, “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;)” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4). We have no shortage of power available to us—but we must be conscious of the conflict and seek God's help for victory.
Though we have a determined and powerful enemy, the power of God provides us with victory.
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
2 Timothy 2:20–22
Before electricity came into widespread use, most homes in America were lighted at night by some form of oil lamp. Whale oil was one of the first commonly used substances, but when kerosene became available it quickly became the most used oil in lighting. A wick was placed in a container of kerosene and then set on fire. It would burn slowly and continually to provide constant, though not very bright, illumination. To prevent the fire from getting out of control, a glass container would be placed over the flame. As the lamp was used day after day, the glass would become clouded by the soot and debris from the burning wick. If the glass was not cleaned, the light would be greatly diminished.
It is not that the fire glows less brightly, but that the means through which we view the fire has become obscured that causes the lessening of the light. This same principle applies to our spiritual lives. Dr. Bobby Roberson said, “I don’t have to worry about keeping the light shining, I just have to keep the lamp clean.” The light has been provided already. There is no diminishing of its brightness and glory. But it still can be concealed from those around us. Paul warned the carnal church at Corinth of the impact of disobedient living. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost” (2 Corinthians 4:3).
If our lives are clouded by sin, the Light of the World cannot be clearly seen through us.
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 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 2:12–15
When Mary Slessor heard that David Livingstone had died in Africa, she was convinced that God’s call was for her to become a missionary. Though it was rare for a single woman to be approved as a missionary, she sailed for Nigeria in 1876. Her work there bore great fruit. In addition to helping spread the gospel, she helped put an end to the practice of killing twins at birth because of the local belief that they were a curse. After a few years on the field, she was visited by friends from Scotland who expressed amazement at what she had been able to accomplish in the face of such great obstacles. One of the native chiefs who had been converted said, “You have clearly forgotten to think of the woman’s God.”
Though we are to be diligent in our labor for the Lord, we must never forget that it is not our strength, wisdom, and effort that bring the results. Paul wrote, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Remembering how dependent we are on God’s power to make our work have meaning, value, and results helps keep us from yielding to the sin of pride. The praise and glory and honor must go to Him alone, because it is He alone who makes the work that we do fruitful.
Only when we work in God’s power, will we see the results that only He can produce in our lives.
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
2 Corinthians 11:13–15
In December of 1944, the beleaguered German army launched a desperate counterattack, attempting to drive back the advancing forces in what came to be known as the Battle of the Bulge. Taking advantage of bad weather, which kept Allied planes grounded, they launched a surprise attack. In heavy fighting, American forces suffered many casualties before finally restoring their lines and halting the German offensive. This was the final serious German offensive of the war, and in May they surrendered.
A vital element of the German plan for the Battle of the Bulge was Operation Griffin, led by a highly decorated commando named Otto Skorzeny. He and his men, all of whom spoke fluent English, wearing captured American uniforms and driving captured American vehicles, made their way in secret across the American lines before the attack was launched. Then they changed road signs, acted as traffic coordinators to intentionally send responding units in the wrong direction, and spread false reports and rumors to sow confusion about what was actually happening.
Just because someone stands behind a pulpit, opens a Bible, and speaks eloquently, does not mean that he is speaking the truth. There are a host of quite popular teachers and preachers who are undermining if not outright denying much of what the Bible teaches. Although they are wearing the “uniform,” they are enemy agents sent to sow confusion and discord. It is vitally important that we exercise discernment rather than blindly accept what someone says because of the packaging in which it is presented. The devil is out to deceive us, and we must remain on guard.
Unless you evaluate teaching and preaching by the Word of God, you are subject to deception.
“For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”
2 Corinthians 11:2–4
In the final years of his life, after decades of highly praised work in the scientific field, Isaac Newton was appointed Master of the Royal Mint in London. Though the post had largely been symbolic in the past, Newton took the responsibilities of the post seriously, especially with the rise in counterfeiting coins that was undermining people’s confidence in the government and the economy. Newton instituted new guidelines, including placing ridges around the edge of coins to make them hard to copy. He gave people confidence that the money in circulation was good.
Just as many people have made fake copies of money over the years, Satan offers many false counterfeits of Christ to deceive people. He does not care what people believe or how sincerely they believe it as long as they are believing a lie. In fact, the more sincerely people believe something that is false, the better the devil likes it. Since the Garden of Eden, his main tactic has been to undermine people’s faith and confidence in what God has spoken.
Just as with counterfeit money, the best tool to detect false doctrine is a close familiarity with the truth. The more we know about what is real, the easier it is for us to detect what is false. It should not be any surprise to us when we encounter false doctrine.
The only sure judge of authenticity is not our feelings but the unfailing Word of God.
“And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
1 Corinthians 9:25–27
At the IAAF World Indoor Championship held in England in 2018, the third qualifying race in the 400-meter event had five entrants. The top two finishers were to advance to the next round of competition. After one runner was disqualified for a false start, the remaining four began their dash around the track. Because the track is oval, the runners start at staggered distances, each in a separate lane in which they must stay until they reach a certain distance. All four of the competitors were disqualified for running out of their lanes too early, leaving no one to go on to the next race.
There are guidelines and markers laid down for us in the Bible that are meant to be followed. They are not suggestions, but requirements. Because the “lanes” are clearly established for us, we have no excuse for wavering uncertainly through life. We are not left to grope through the darkness. God lights the way for those who are committed to following Him. “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18).
Paul recognized the danger that even after years of ministry, if he did not keep to a certain course, he would fall. There are no exceptions to the commands of God. He does not give permission to sin because of past service to Him. We must stay on the certain course all the days of our lives.
Determine now to stay faithful to the Lord and His Word through your entire life’s race.
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 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 15:1–4
The message of the gospel is not just the cross—it is also the empty tomb. As we celebrate the resurrection on Easter, we are commemorating the ultimate triumph of God’s plan over all the powers of evil that Satan could muster. It was not for lack of effort on the part of the enemy that Jesus arose. The empty tomb proves that there is no force—human or demonic—which could bind Jesus Christ. They could place a huge stone in front of the door and post guards outside, but they could not stop Life from bursting forth. They could spread false stories to obscure the truth, but this fact remains at the core of our faith: He is risen indeed.
R. A. Torrey said, “This was the glad tidings, first, that Christ died for our sins and made atonement; and second, that He rose again. The crucifixion loses its meaning without the resurrection. Without the resurrection, the death of Christ was only the heroic death of a noble martyr. With the resurrection, it is the atoning death of the Son of God. It shows that death to be of sufficient value to cover all our sins, for it was the sacrifice of the Son of God. In it we have an all-sufficient ground for knowing that the blackest sin is atoned for. Disprove the resurrection of Jesus Christ and Christian faith is vain.”
The tomb is empty, and the risen Lord is our assurance of an eternity with Him in Heaven.
“And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me. And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.”
1 Kings 20:10–11
Most corporate CEOs are fairly anonymous to the general population, but not Todd Davis. The cofounder of LifeLock, the company that provides identity theft prevention services became very well known during the company’s aggressive advertising campaign. Davis publicized his own Social Security number, basically daring anyone to steal his identity. Many of the commercials featured shocked people warning him of the danger that his stunt posed. Davis declared his trust in his company, but it proved to be misplaced. A number of people succeeded in opening various accounts using Davis’s information and identity. He was confident, but he was wrong.
The world tells us to believe in ourselves, but God tells us to believe in Him. The world says that we can be anything we want to be, but God says we can do all things through His strength. Rather than becoming self-confident, God wants us to be completely dependent upon Him so that He gets all the glory. “And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me” (Judges 7:2).
Building confidence in ourselves does not make us stronger, but more vulnerable to attack and temptation. Paul warns, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). While we should be not fearful or discouraged, it is vital that we remember our strength and ultimate victory are all God’s doing and not our own. Confidence in Him is never misplaced or disappointed.
When we place our confidence in ourselves rather than God, we are headed for trouble.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Romans 12:1–2
It is a normal part of human nature to resist change. We see it in families, in churches, in businesses, in politics—all across the board new ideas tend to be met with at least skepticism if not outright rejection. I read about a man who said his doctor had told him to cut red meat out of his diet, and as a result, he had stopped putting ketchup on his hamburgers! This resistance to change is not all bad, as not all change is good. Since the truth never changes, there are things that must not change. But there are some changes that are an integral part of God’s plan for our lives.
He did not save us for us to stay as we were. “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). If nothing is changing, if we are not becoming more and more like Jesus, something is wrong. God’s plan is for us to be transformed in His image. Only as we allow Him to change us will we become what He wills for us to be.
The problem often comes when we are reluctant to make a change that we know is necessary for godly living. We easily get attached to our sins and want to hold them fast. We find holiness to be confining, keeping us from pleasures we should not enjoy. Instead we must be willing participants in God’s lifelong program to change us to be like Him.
If there is anything we refuse to transform to be more like Jesus, we are living in rebellion.
“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
Normally graduation ceremonies are conducted in alphabetical order. But, in 2019, when Terri Furrh graduated from Moulton High School in Texas, she was asked to wait until all the other members of her class had been called across the stage. When her name was finally read, more than fifty police officers came forward and lined the stage. Terri’s father had been a policeman, but he was killed in the line of duty when she was just three months old. Moulton Chief of Police David Beyer had worked with her father. He told Terri, “I made a phone call, and because he couldn’t be here tonight to stand and congratulate you, all his brothers and sisters showed up to do that.”
Despite what many teach, only Christians have a relationship with God as a true Father. Though He is God over all, there is no family relationship except for those who accept Christ as Saviour. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). When we come to Him in faith, He accepts us—not temporarily or based on something we do, but on His grace. Our earthly fathers can’t live forever, gut God is eternal. Nothing can take Him away from us, and nothing can take us away from Him. Those who are saved are saved forever.
God never abandons those He has graciously accepted into His family.
“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in. mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
Malachi 3:8–10
From 1869 to 1882, Jesse James was the most famous outlaw in America. Along with his brother Frank and some of their friends and fellow Civil War veterans, James robbed banks and trains across the American Midwest. He had an eye for publicity as well as crime, often leaving press releases behind to bolster his reputation as a thief. James continued his murderous crime spree until he was betrayed and killed by a fellow gang member who hoped to collect the large reward placed on Jesse James.
We rightly condemn Jesse James for his criminal life. We observe that his end was far from unexpected given the violence he visited on others. Yet too often God’s children are living from the proceeds of robbery—not of other people, but of Him. Rather than responding to God’s grace by tithing and generous giving, they hold back from God what is rightfully His.
Tithes and offerings are a Christian’s way to affirm that everything he has comes from God and belongs to God. Giving that first 10 percent back to God is something He has instructed in His Word, and giving is something we see Christians in the New Testament practice as well. Actually, many New Testament Christians gave far above their tithes. In 2 Corinthians 8:5, as Paul described the Macedonian Christians’ sacrificial giving to the Lord, he wrote, “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord….”
In contrast to these sacrificial gifts, a Barna survey in the United States indicated that only about 8 percent of the people who identify as Christians tithe. When we rob God in tithes and offerings, we may think that we are getting ahead and will have more than if we give generously. Instead we are impoverishing ourselves and limiting the opportunities we have to invest in God’s eternal work.
First give yourself to the Lord, and then give to Him from what He has given to you.