Daily in the Word: a ministry of Lancaster Baptist Church
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“And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
Luke 16:8–10
Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made news when he auctioned off NBA championship rings, signed basketballs, and other memorabilia and raised nearly $3 million for his Skyhook Foundation to promote education for children. Abdul-Jabbar wrote, “Looking back on what I have done with my life, instead of gazing at the sparkle of jewels or gold plating celebrating something I did a long time ago, I’d rather look into the delighted face of a child holding their first caterpillar and think about what I might be doing for their future. That’s a history that has no price.” The basketball star is not a Christian, but practices Islam. Yet even without Christ’s promises regarding investing in eternity, he understands that there are some things which are more important than others.
We do not all have the same physical talents, spiritual gifts, or financial means. However, we do all have the same number of hours in a day. The question is how we will invest that most precious resource God has entrusted to us. Will we spend our lives on things that matter both for this world and the next, or will we waste our lives on things that have no real value or meaning? One day God will judge everything that we have done to see what value it holds. “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15).
Make sure you are using your time and resources for things that have real and lasting value.
“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.)”
2 Corinthians 6:1–2
We live in a world that often devalues people. There is hatred and bigotry in abundance. And among those messages of worthlessness, it can sometimes be hard for us to really believe that God actually loves and values us. The offer of salvation by grace through faith, however, is a powerful measure of how God views our value.
The great evangelist J. Wilbur Chapman said, “I was standing the other day in Tiffany’s, in New York, and I overheard a woman asking to see some pearls. The salesman placed on the counter some wonderful pearls. I heard him say that the price was $17,000. When I looked at them, they seemed overwhelmingly splendid. This sum represented Tiffany’s estimate of the value of the pearls. You may say that your life is not worth very much, but I tell you that you are redeemed by the precious blood of Christ. I tell you that in the sight of God you are worth more than all the gold in the hills, all the diamonds in the fields.”
As great as the offer of salvation is, it must be personally accepted. And the time to make that decision is not at some unknown point in the future—it is today. There is no guarantee of tomorrow given to any of us. “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). The accepted time God offers for salvation is right now.
Because we do not know the future, it is the worst folly to put off receiving God’s gift of salvation until later.
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.”
1 Corinthians 15:20–24
Anyone who has ever planted a vegetable garden knows that it takes a long time for the produce to ripen and be ready to eat. You pick out a good spot and prepare the ground. You plant your seeds and water the soil. Eventually, a small plant emerges from the soil. You weed and water and fertilize and then weed some more. Day after day it seems like no measureable growth is happening. But finally, you get to eat the first tomato or cucumber or ear of corn. That’s an exciting day, but it is just a small taste of what you are about to enjoy as the whole harvest comes in.
The wonderful things that we enjoy now as children of God are just “a foretaste of glory divine” as songwriter Fanny Crosby put it. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was not the end of God’s plan; it was merely the first step of the final phase which will end with us experiencing eternal life and the world placed under His authority and rule. His resurrection was just the beginning of the harvest, for it awaits us as well. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51–52).
Victory is already won, and we are simply waiting for the rest of the harvest to come in.
“And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.”
Luke 19:11–14
God as the creator of everything is the only rightful ruler of the entire universe. Yet since before the world was created, there has been rebellion against Him. Satan led an angelic revolt meant to replace God on the throne. Adam defied the only command he had been given to do something in direct disobedience to God’s instruction. Israel rejected God for the false idols worshiped by their neighbors. Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders of His day because they feared they would lose their privileged positions.
The world does not want God to rule over them. “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Psalm 2:2–3). While rebellion against God by the world is still sinful, it is not shocking. But many Christians also struggle with the issue of obedience to God’s commands. Often it is not that we do not know what we should do, but that we would rather go our own way. We do not have that right, because we do not belong to ourselves. “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).
The best way to affirm Christ’s ownership of your life is to obey Him with glad surrender.
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”
Galatians 5:16-18
In 1337, disputes between England and France over succession to the throne and control of land broke out into open warfare. For the next 116 years, fighting continued in what came to be known as the Hundred Years War. Though there were brief periods of truces and peace, the conflict, along with smaller wars between competing factions and allies of the two nations that went on at the same time, continued until France finally gained the upper hand and England renounced all claims to the French throne. Five generations of English kings ruled during the time the fighting lasted. It was a battle that must have seemed like it would never end.
As Christians we are part of an ongoing spiritual conflict that will never end until we reach Heaven. The new nature that we receive when we trust Christ as Saviour competes with the old sinful nature that we inherited from Adam. The battle never ends. There are no days off or times when it is safe for us to set aside the weapons of spiritual warfare. Satan never gives up on his attempts to drag us down and destroy our lives. We must not grow weary of battle and stop fighting, or we will surely be defeated.
On the other hand, we can rejoice in the fact that, through the Holy Spirit, we are not powerless in this struggle. Second Corinthians 10:3–4 tells us, “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;).”
Walk in the Spirit today, and you will have access to the mighty weapons of God in defeating sin and temptation.
“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
1 Corinthians 6:18–20
When Solomon set out to fulfill David’s dream of having a permanent building for the Ark of the Covenant, to replace the tent it had been kept in since the time of Moses, he left nothing to chance. Every detail was planned and prepared. The stone blocks for the walls and the wood beams for the roof were precut to fit, “So that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building” (1 Kings 6:7).
The Temple was dedicated with massive sacrifices and thousands of singers praising the Lord. The reason they took such extraordinary steps was that they realized exactly what they were building—a holy Temple for the living God. “That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place” (1 Kings 8:29).
There has not been a Temple in Jerusalem since the Romans destroyed it in 70 AD. But there is still a temple of God on earth in each of His children, and we must not forget who we are. And just as Solomon built that Temple to be solely for the worship of God, our temples must be kept holy as well. “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Corinthians 3:17).
Never forget how seriously God takes our personal commitment to holiness.
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
1 Corinthians 12:4–7
God gives each of His children many good things, and among those are gifts designed to be used for His work. The church at Corinth was riven with dissension over spiritual gifts. Rather than viewing them as tools, they were seen more as badges of honor. People vied over who would have the most prominent and public gifts. The spiritual gifts given to the Corinthian believers were viewed through the lens of how they would glorify those who had them rather than how they would glorify God. Though that was not the biggest problem the church had, it was creating divisions and controversies, and at the same time the work that needed doing was not being done.
The parable that Jesus told of the servants who were entrusted with talents while their master was away highlights the vital importance of using what God has given us. When the master returned, he judged the success of the servants, not by how much they earned, but by whether they put what they had to work, and he condemned the servant who buried his talent, doing nothing with it: “His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury” (Matthew 25:27).
Though today we use the word talent more for abilities than for money, the same principle holds true. God has given us gifts to use in a way that is profitable for His kingdom, and He calls us to use our gifts for His work.
It is impossible to obey and please God without using what He has given us to further His work.
“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
1 Corinthians 3:1–3
Though we look back now on the American Revolution from the standpoint of history and see it as settled, at the time of those events the future was very uncertain. There were many different competing and conflicting interests represented by the men who gathered in Philadelphia to consider declaring independence from England. As those divisions threatened the decision making process, Benjamin Franklin reminded everyone of exactly what was at stake when he said, “We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”
The Christian life is not meant to be lived in division, but in unity. “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling” (Ephesians 4:3–4). Yet if we are not careful, it will be easy for us to divide over trivial matters. We should never compromise the truth, and there are some lines which we cannot cross in order to keep peace.
But the church at Corinth was not divided because of strong doctrinal positions. Instead, they were bickering over preferences in minor things. The Corinthian church was characterized by their carnality. The reason they were not growing and becoming mature believers was that they could not handle sound teaching of the truth. Their divisions kept them from developing their spiritual lives, and both the church and the city of Corinth suffered as a result. We must do all that we can to “hang together.”
Being divisive and contentious keeps us from growing spiritually as God intends.
"And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;"
1 Samuel 3:1 - 3
According to Greek mythology, it was Prometheus who first brought fire to mankind. He had a special shrine set up at Athens, in the same olive grove where Plato's famed academy was located. Because of this mythological fable, in the Greek games held to honor the local heroes and deities, there was a “Prometheus race.” Young men would run from the shrine into the city to a post, carrying lighted torches. Winning the prize took more than just running fast, for the victor was crowned for being the first to reach the finish line with his torch still burning.
The instructions God gave to Moses for the tabernacle included the admonition that the light in the menorah was never to go out. “And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always” (Exodus 27:20). Yet by the time of Eli, the priests were letting the light go out every night.
We are called to be lights in the darkness of the world, and we must keep our light shining, not just for ourselves, but for the sake of others. Paul warned, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:” (2 Corinthians 4:3). We have the light that the world needs, but it is only visible to the world if we take care to keep it from being extinguished.
The light we have comes from God, but it is our responsibility to keep it shining brightly.
“For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation: But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.”
Romans 15:18–21
The Roman Empire in the days of Paul was huge, stretching across most of Europe as well as parts of Africa and Asia. Paul took advantage of his status as a full Roman citizen and used the network of roads built by the empire to travel across much of it preaching the gospel. His vision and passion was to go to places where the news of the Saviour had not yet reached, and it was to that cause he devoted so much of his life.
In our day with modern communication technology, we tend to think that the gospel is already everywhere—that there are no places where Christ is not named. But in truth there are still many nations and people groups with no clear gospel witness. This ought to concern all of us who are Christians, for it is our responsibility to change it. Paul wrote, “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:34). Even in America where there are many churches, there is still a great deal of darkness. Between the false teachings that are so popular and those who ignore or oppose all religions, there is much confusion we must counter with the truth.
We need a renewed passion and sense of urgency for reaching the lost with the gospel.
“As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. 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 8:15–18
Titus was something of a trouble shooter for the Apostle Paul. Almost every reference to him in the New Testament revolves around him being sent to a troubled church or city to help make things right. “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee” (Titus 1:5). The main reason Titus kept getting these jobs is that he had a heart for the people who needed his help. Paul described it as “earnest care.”
A deep motivating compassion for the needs of the people He met was a defining characteristic of the life of Christ. He was never too busy to stop and heal the sick, cast out demons, or teach the way of salvation to those He met. He did not view these encounters as interruptions or distractions. The people He met were His mission. He said, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
There are people in all of our lives who are in need of someone to care about them. The world is filled with lonely, hurting hearts, even among those who have a host of online “friends.” We can view these people as problems to be avoided or as people to be loved. God wants us to earnestly care for them and their needs.
We cannot make a serious positive impact on others without genuinely caring for and about them.
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”
1 Timothy 4:1–3
In 1965, Congress passed a law requiring cigarette packages to contain a warning label regarding the contents. The first warning was vague, simply saying: “Caution, Cigarette smoking may be hazardous to your health.” Numerous studies revealed that these warnings had very little impact on people’s behavior when it came to smoking. In the 1980s, many European countries, starting with Iceland, began putting pictures and graphics carrying the warnings. These more pointed statements and illustrations did significantly reduce the number of smokers in the countries where they were used. In 2019 the Food and Drug Administration in the US proposed using them in America.
Clear warnings make it much easier for people to recognize danger and respond. And Paul shared with Timothy such a warning from God—that there would come a time when people abandon the truth for the sake of their own desires and appetites. These are not just people who have not had the truth, though there are many of those. Instead it specifically warns that people will “depart from the faith.” Those who once spoke truth are now speaking falsehoods.
We need this warning because of Satan’s effectiveness at deceiving people and he delights in using people who claim to be teaching and preaching the truth to work that deception. “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” (2 Corinthians 11:13-14). There is no excuse for us to fall for these lies because we have been clearly warned they are coming.
It is critically important that we evaluate every teacher and teaching by the Word of God.
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:26–28
Every child of God receives the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation. This is not something we have to go back and get later, or only receive after some additional spiritual experience. It is immediate. And while we do not always walk in the Spirit, He is always there with us. “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).
He is sent to encourage us and ensure our salvation, but He is also sent to guide us. This is not a mystical guidance that depends on the shape of clouds or the meaning of dreams, but instead a guidance based on the Word of God as the Holy Spirit who inspired the writers helps us understand and apply His truth to our lives.
Sometimes we forget how desperately we need His help. Paul tells us that when we don’t even know how or what we should pray for, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. Most of us have had the experience of looking back at something we wanted and prayed for, sometimes quite fervently, only to later realize that not getting it was a true blessing. Rather than insisting on our own way, we need to walk in the Holy Spirit and accept the help He provides.
We must rely on the work of the Holy Spirit if we are to live as God commands.
“If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Romans 7:16–19
The Apostle Paul was a greatly used and spiritually fruitful Christian. But even Paul struggled with the power of sin in his life. He recognized that even after his conversion he still had the fleshly sin nature that he was born with, and that unless sin was put to death, it would triumph over his will. He wrote to the church at Corinth, “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31).
Satan comes to us with the message that we do not have to completely give up our sin—that we can hold on to the things that we enjoy as long as we limit them. Like all of his temptations, this is a lie. Sin never remains under our control. Only when we utterly defeat it in the power of the Holy Spirit can we be safe.
A. J. Gordon wrote, “Has the body of the flesh become so kind and so helpful to the Spirit, that we have no need, like Paul, to keep it under and bring it into subjection lest we be castaways? If there were no answer from revelation to this question, there is one from universal experience. None has ever yet found untempered self-gratification compatible with strong spiritual growth. None has ever yet discovered how to give nature all it asks, without defrauding grace.”
Sin never stays small. Unless we stamp it out, it will grow until it gains the victory over us.
“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 15:55–58
While Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made their famous moonwalk, the capsule that would return them safely to Earth was being flown by Michael Collins. He was their vital lifeline to get back home. And despite being trusted with that vital role, just a few years before, Collins had been told that he didn’t have what it took to be an astronaut. The West Point graduate and test pilot applied to NASA following John Glenn’s flight around the world, only be to rejected. He later called it, “a big flop, a big failure,” but he refused to give up. He continued working and applying until in 1963, he was accepted into the astronaut program and chosen for the Apollo 11 mission.
There are many times in life when we do not immediately succeed at what we try. The temptation in those moments is to give up and accept that we cannot do what we have set out to do. However, defeat should not discourage us. This is even more true in the spiritual realm than it is in any other part of our lives. Paul pointed out to the church at Corinth that Jesus through His resurrection had already defeated the greatest enemy we face—death. In light of that victory, he called them to faithfulness in service to God. Not everyone to whom we witness gets saved, and not everyone for whom we pray gets healed; but the ultimate victory has been won. We must not quit serving God.
Failure is never final until and unless we give up and accept it as final.
“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
1 Corinthians 9:19–22
In September of 2019, US Air Force Sgt. Kenneth O’Brien was on his way from Japan to the United States. O’Brien had been selected to receive the “Outstanding Airmen of the Year” award to recognize his heroism. He had saved the life of a motorist trapped in a burning car while he was stationed in Korea. That incident happened not long after he took part in supporting the effort to rescue the youth soccer team trapped underground in Thailand. During that effort, he also saved the life of a Thai Navy SEAL team member.
On the flight, a young boy started choking and lost consciousness. O’Brien cleared his airway and after about a minute the child began breathing on his own and regained consciousness. He said, “If someone needs to go do something dangerous, I volunteer. If someone needs a leader, I volunteer. I happened to be in the right place at the right time and that’s what helped me stand out because I sought out key positions or responsibilities.” We need a new generation of Christians who are reaching the lost with the gospel even if it means sacrifice. This was the mindset of Jesus, and we need that thinking toward those around us.
We need to be aware of the spiritual condition of those around us and respond to their needs.
“Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”
1 Corinthians 3:8–10
We are not saved just for our own benefit. God freely brings us into His family without any work or effort on our part, but there are no faithful, obedient, yielded Christians who are not doing something for Him. We all have different gifts and abilities. We all have different opportunities and avenues of service. We all have the choice of whether we will be faithful workers in His kingdom.
Charles Spurgeon said, “We greatly err when we dream that only a preacher can minister to the Lord—for Jesus has work of all sorts for all sorts of followers. As there is no idle angel there ought to be no idle Christian. We are not saved for our own sakes, but that we may be of service to the Lord and to his people; let us not miss our calling.”
The way that we should assess our work for God is not whether we are well known or popular or have a very public and noticeable area of ministry. Rather, we should judge our work as He does—by what motivates it. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (1 Corinthians 3:13). There are no “bonus points” for fame or the applause of men. Instead, God honors those who are faithful to labor for Him no matter what.
The ways in which we serve God may change through our lives, but the necessity of serving Him never does.
“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. 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 4:15–18
Irving Berlin was one of the most prolific and successful songwriters in history. He wrote dozens of hit songs, produced award winning Broadway musicals, and wrote the music for some of the best-loved movies of his day. His song “White Christmas” remains one of the best selling pieces of music in the world, and continues to be recorded by new artists year after year. But in 1962, Berlin’s new musical Mr. President was a complete flop. The reviews were negative, and many suggested that Berlin had lost his touch. From that point on, Berlin stopped producing music publicly, though he continued to write for more than twenty years afterward. He simply refused to submit his music to the judgment and criticism of others.
There is nothing worthwhile that is ever accomplished without struggle and opposition. The fact that we are having difficulty, often is the best indication that we are on the right track. If Paul had not been doing a great missionary work, he would not have faced such harsh opposition. He would have missed out on the beatings, the imprisonment, the stoning, the shipwreck, and more. But he would have also missed the opportunity to spread the gospel across the Roman Empire. He knew that what he was doing was worth the sacrifice.
If we allow our circumstances to stop us from serving God, we will miss our opportunities to glorify Him.
“And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.”
Exodus 35:20–22
The evangelist Gipsy Smith told the story of a letter he received from a woman in London, asking him to come and speak. She wrote, “I have a meeting I want you to come to speak to. It is only a small meeting and will take nothing out of you.” Smith replied, “I cannot come, and it would be of no use if I did come. If it takes nothing out of me it will do nobody any good.” He concluded by saying, “It is service that costs, and a cheap religion is not worth preaching.”
We are surrounded by a society that is focused on getting and keeping as much as possible. No doubt you’ve seen the popular bumper sticker “He who dies with the most toys wins.” The Christian mindset is directly opposite to that. Rather than trying to hold on to everything we can, we should always be willing to follow the example of Jesus. “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). There is always something else we could do with the time and money that we give to God’s work. Giving our best to Him shows that He is in first place in our hearts.
If we are not willing to make sacrifices, we will never accomplish anything of value for God.
“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
1 Corinthians 1:26–29
One of the things that makes it so hard for us to humble ourselves so that God can use us is that it goes against our nature. We want to be seen as wise and strong and good and gifted. God wants us to glorify Him. We want to be praised for our accomplishments and receive the acclaim of men. God wants us to praise Him. We want to be lifted up, but that is His place alone. And until we come to grips with this truth, we will not be usable by God. D. L. Moody said, “When we are ready to lay down our strength and our weakness before the Lord, He can use us.”
This requirement for humility is not by accident or coincidence. It is specifically part of God’s plan so that He receives the glory instead of us. Our very nature was created by Him to highlight the awesome wonder of His power. Paul wrote, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). God certainly does not need our help. He could accomplish every purpose He has for the rest of time in this world with a single word. He chooses to allow us to be part of His work. And all the glory for that work belongs to Him.
The people God uses are the people who have laid aside their own glory to glorify Him.
“I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Psalm 16:8–11
When Ira Stanphill was pastoring a church in Fort Worth, Texas he drove home one day and on the radio heard an ad for “happy hour” at a local bar. Contrasting the pleasures offered by the world with those offered by Christ, Stanphill began composing music and lyrics for a new song even before he got home. We know the song today as “Happiness Is the Lord.”
Happiness is to know the Savior,
Living a life within His favor,
Having a change in my behavior
Happiness is the Lord.Real joy is mine,
No matter if the teardrops start,
I’ve found the secret,
It’s Jesus in my heart.Happiness is to be forgiven,
Living a life that’s worth the livin’,
Taking a trip that leads to Heaven,
Happiness is the Lord.
The pleasures offered by the world are at best temporary, and they come at a heavy price. Yet too often God’s people yield to the temptation to seek those pleasures rather than turning to Him for what only He can provide. It is in His presence that we find true joy. It is in the working of the Holy Spirit that we experience the blessing of joy. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Galatians 5:22). The joy that Christ brings can reach our hearts even during times of great sorrow. This is why Paul could say he was “as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10). Rather than seeking illicit pleasures, we simply need to take advantage of the close relationship with God He offers to us as His children.
A Christian lacking joy is not living in the presence of God or the power of His Holy Spirit.
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.”
Psalm 32:1–4
David did not find out what he had done was wrong when the prophet Nathan confronted him about his sin. He knew it was wrong before he did it, and afterward he knew that he should repent. Instead David went to great lengths to cover up his sin with Bathsheba, to the extent of arranging the murder of one of his inner circle of warriors on the battlefield at the hands of the enemy. When he married the widow of one of his chief soldiers, David must have thought that his sin was hidden and would stay that way. “And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD” (2 Samuel 11:27).
Even before his sin was revealed and the consequences announced to him, David was suffering from the result. There were serious physical and spiritual results of his attempt to cover his sin. It was not until he repented that David's relationship with God was restored. And it was not until then that his health began to recover. It should be no surprise to us that sin has effects on our bodies as well as our souls. In writing to the church at Corinth, Paul warned them about the results of approaching communion in an unworthy manner: “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep” (1 Corinthians 11:30).
God is never deceived when we try to hide our sin from Him, and He will not allow us rest until we repent.
“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. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
2 Corinthians 4:5–7
We live in a world that constantly promotes self-reliance. We are told to believe in ourselves and find strength within ourselves. While that message is appealing, it is contrary to Scripture. God tells us instead to rely fully and completely on Him. God delights in using unlikely tools to accomplish His purposes. “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27). We do not need more of us, but more of Him. It is His power that works in us to accomplish every good and lasting thing we do, not ours. Unless we lean on Him, we will fall.
Henry Frost, who served for many years as the North American director of the China Inland Mission, wrote, “When I first met Mr. Hudson Taylor, in London in 1887, I expected to see a man with a black beard and a full round voice. Instead, I found him a little man, with a blonde beard and a quiet and gentle voice. I immediately concluded that his power was not in his personality, but rather in God. As the years of my acquaintance lengthened out, this conclusion was increasingly confirmed. To the end of his life he won great victories with God and over men; but the secret was always communion with his Father in Heaven.”
If we insist on working for God in our own power, we will not accomplish what He has set for us to do.
“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”
1 Corinthians 13:1–13
The world has little conception of what awaits in eternity. If people did, they would fear Hell and crave Heaven. Our society is filled with misconceptions about the afterlife. In his play King John, Shakespeare wrote of a grieving mother who had been told of her son’s death. The character of Constance says, “When I shall meet him in the court of Heaven I shall not know him: and therefore never, never must I behold my pretty Arthur more.”
But the Bible tells us that we will know far more in Heaven than we do now. Those who have gone before us and those who are precious to us who are believers will be there, and we will recognize them. We will even know people we have only read about in the pages of the Bible or of history. Jesus said, “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11).
There is so much for us that is in store, and it is beyond our ability to comprehend or even imagine. “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). No matter our circumstances, we have the knowledge of a wonderful eternity with God.
The glories of Heaven that await are certain and sure, and give us hope in difficult days.
“And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
1 Corinthians 9:20–22
When Thomas Guthrie was a young pastor in Edinburgh, Scotland, he became greatly burdened for the large number of children forced to live on the streets. In the 1800s there were no government programs to help address the need. So Guthrie established a “Ragged School” to reach the young boys and girls and teach them. From 8:00 in the morning until 7:00 at night the children received a basic education and Bible instruction along with food and clothing. The school and others like it touched the lives of thousands. Guthrie later wrote, “I have the satisfaction when I lay my head upon my pillow of always finding one part of it soft, and that is that God has made me an instrument in his hands by saving many a poor creature from a life of misery and crime.”
It is not enough just to observe the needs of the people we see and meet. To live as Jesus did, to live as He commands, and to make an impact for eternity, we must care enough to do something about it. Paul was willing to make enormous sacrifices, giving up things to which he had a right for the sake of reaching other people. His passion for sharing the gospel cost him a great deal, but Paul thought it was worth it.
The urgent needs of the lost world around us should produce in us an intense focus on sharing the gospel.
“But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.”
Philippians 2:19–22
Dr. H. A. Ironside related a story from a pastor who was sitting in his office, working to prepare a sermon. He heard the door creak, but didn’t look up until he heard a cry of pain. He found that his young daughter had caught her fingers in the door. He called for her mother to quickly come and look after her. After her mother freed her and asked how bad it was, the child replied, “It hurts, but the worst is that Daddy didn’t even say ‘Oh!’” Ironside concluded, “How we like someone who says, ‘Oh!’ someone who sighs for us, weeps with us, feels with us in our troubles; and you remember what is said of our Lord, ‘In all their affliction he was afflicted.’”
Our world is more connected today than ever before, yet despite all the technology at our fingertips, many people still face a prevailing sense of loneliness and isolation. They wonder if anyone cares about their hurts or their hearts. Most of us have felt that way at one time or another. In truth, Christians should be known by our care and concern for each other. We should have that source of comfort. But whether or not we find human comfort, we are also called to be a source of comfort. “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:4).
We may not always have someone who cares for us, but we can always be that person who cares for others.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:1–3
If a job were advertised that required long hours, regular serious sacrifice, and the risk of great danger, there would probably still be some people who would respond to take on the challenge. However if the ad pointed out that there was no pay associated with the job, the number of responses would drop to zero. No one is interested in spending their lives in a way that is completely without result or recompense. Though some are willing to work for things other than money, everyone wants to profit from their labor in some way.
When it comes to our service to God, although He commands our obedience, He also offers rewards to those who faithfully serve Him. Yet it is possible for us to do all of the right things—to make great sacrifices, accomplish great victories, and demonstrate significant human achievement—and yet receive nothing in return. John wrote, “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward” (2 John 1:8).
Though we may deceive others, God always sees our hearts. He not only knows what we do, but why we do it. And to be acceptable in His sight and produce profit to our account, it must have the right motives. Without the proper love, even the greatest and most overwhelming human achievements produce nothing of lasting value or profit.
Only when what we do is motivated by our love for God will we receive the promised reward.
“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
Paul knew a lot about trouble. Most of his ministry was marked by opposition and persecution, and eventually he was martyred for his faith. Yet despite all that he endured, Paul remained undefeated—not because nothing went wrong, but because nothing could make him quit. Paul said, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
The devil does not have the power to stop us. But he does have great skill in convincing us to stop ourselves. He whispers in our ears that we are failures and that we should give up. He is lying. The great basketball player Michael Jordan said, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions, I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that’s precisely why I succeed.”
If we give up because we are troubled, perplexed, persecuted, or cast down, we will not win the victory in the battle God has placed before us. Trouble is not a sign of His displeasure. Instead it is often a measure of how effective we have been in our work. Do not let setbacks stop your service to God.
The only way to win victories for God is to remain in the battle.
“But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”
Romans 14:10–13
Most of us find it easier to judge those around us than to look in the mirror and honestly assess our own failings and shortcomings. That part of our nature is why there are so many admonitions in the Bible against judging other people. When we are focused on other people, we cannot be focused on the Lord as we should. It is not our place to evaluate someone else’s service to God, but rather to make sure our own is right.
The lure of comparing ourselves to others can derail us in two ways. We can find things we think are superior about our lives and service, and thus give in to pride. Or we can find things we think are inferior about our lives and service, and thus give in to self-pity. Both of those are wrong. God does not measure us against what others do, but against what we do with what He has given to us.
Our responsibility is not to keep everyone else in line. We should be helpful and encouraging, but the only person we should be judging is ourselves. When we do that, it offers us protection. Paul wrote, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Corinthians 11:31).
Focusing on our own service to God rather than others protects us from temptation and danger.
“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
Though the devil has brought down many believers through the centuries, it is not because he keeps coming up with new ways to deceive God’s children. Rather, it is that the same ways keep working, and that means that the better we understand how Satan attacks us, the better equipped to resist his temptations we will be.
One of his most effective tools is revealed in the warning Jesus gave to Peter just before he denied the Lord three times. “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). In Bible times wheat was often threshed with a tribulum (from which we get the word tribulation), a heavy board with stones and iron attached to it. Harnessed animals would drag the tribulum across the grain, separating the wheat from the chaff.
That is what Jesus told Peter Satan wanted to do to him, and it is often what the devil does to us. By bringing hardship and pain into our lives, he tries to turn us against God. He lies to us that God does not love us because if He did, bad things wouldn’t happen. He lies to us that we have been forsaken. When Satan drags the tribulum across our lives so that he can sift us, we do not have to yield. We can turn to God instead and cling to faith in Him.
The hard times in our lives provide us an opportunity to overcome temptation and trust God more.
“Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.”
Acts 8:29–31
When the Holy Spirit directed Philip to leave the revival in Samaria and go into the desert, it must have seemed like a strange thing. Going from a place where many people were responding to the gospel to a place where there were almost no people at all is not in keeping with human logic. Yet God knew that there was one important individual on his way home from Jerusalem, and He wanted Philip to meet him. Philip showed no hesitation. He immediately went where God directed, and when he saw the chariot, he ran to meet the Ethiopian eunuch and took advantage of the opportunity God placed before Him.
If we want to find excuses not to witness to someone, we can always do that. But if we take eternity seriously, if we take the commands of God seriously, and if we take our Christian duty seriously, we must instead be ready to take advantage of any open door to share the good news with those around us. Whether it is family members, co-workers, neighbors, friends, or strangers, every person we know and every person we meet will spend eternity either in Heaven or in Hell.
God has assigned the responsibility for reaching the lost to His children. Paul wrote, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). We cannot assume that someone else will step forward to fulfill this obligation. There are people each of us have a chance to reach and we must reach them.
We need to be constantly alert to every opportunity to share the gospel with others.
“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
1 Corinthians 1:22–25
It is no secret that the world around us wants less and less to do with Christianity. The number of people going to church continues to decline and the number of people without formal religious affiliation continues to climb. In response to this, many people are trying to come up with new ways to draw people to Jesus. But God has already given us the only way that works, which is to lift up Jesus Christ as the center of everything we do. “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18). In both our individual lives and in our churches, Jesus must be the main attraction. Reaching people is not a matter of technique or program, but a matter of the heart.
More than one hundred years ago, E. M. Bounds wrote, “The masses of people are not in the church, and to get them there is of the first importance. Under the stress to do something, many ingenious expedients have been devised and adopted. At times some of these expedients are successful in drawing crowds to the church. The main objection is that the spiritual force of the service must be lowered to get the people there, and still further depraved to hold them there. The crowds who are drawn by an appeal to itching ears, by sensational methods, must have their itchings gratified or else they will not come again.”
Nothing can be allowed to take the place of Jesus in our churches, our homes, and our lives.
“Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
John 11:23–26
Scientists in Israel recently announced that they had successfully grown date palm trees from two thousand-year-old seeds. The seeds were discovered at the fortress of Masada and in caves near Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. They were turned over to a special team who treated the seeds and then planted them. Despite the centuries that had passed, what seemed to be dead came alive again. Date palm seeds are tough and acclimated to a dry climate, and so the passage of time did not change what was inside.
The promise of Jesus is that those who believe in Him as their Saviour, claiming His free offer of salvation by faith, will have eternal life. Those who have believed on Him through the years, even though their physical bodies have died, are still alive and will never perish. Throughout eternity, this life of salvation will endure. Paul wrote, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
Even though he had been dead for four days, when Jesus called, Lazarus came out of the grave. Though one day, in the fullness of time, his physical body died again, Lazarus had a life that would never end. This is the promise of salvation—to replace the death which is the rightful penalty for our sin with the life that only Jesus can provide. No work that we can do can provide salvation, but faith in Jesus gives us life.
The promise of eternal life is made to everyone who will come to Jesus Christ in faith.
“These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”
John 1:28–31
Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would provide an offering for the sins of the entire nation of Israel. Two goats would be selected for the sacrifice. The first would be killed, and the blood would be taken into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled on the mercy seat. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11). The second would be driven into the desert, symbolically taking away the sins from the nation—where we get the concept of a scapegoat.
But the sins were not gone. They were covered by the blood on the mercy seat, but they were only symbolically taken away. Only the Lamb of God could not only atone for sin but remove it from our account before the Father. “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 5:21). There are things each of us have in the past that we wish were not there. But while some consequences for sin may remain, the guilt of sin is gone forever—not just temporarily covered up, but permanently replaced with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Jesus has paid it all on our behalf, and our sins are gone from our record forever.
“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
If you’ve been going to church for any length of time, you’ve probably heard a sermon from someone you didn’t expect to hear. Perhaps a severe illness or injury prevented the regular speaker from making it to church. It may have been the unexpected early arrival of a baby, or perhaps even a car wreck. But for some reason, the scheduled speaker was not in his place. When that happens, someone else steps in to preach God’s Word. But the substitute speaker is expected preach the same biblical doctrine as the pastor would have. The same could be said for a substitute school teacher or speaker at an event. The substitute is expected to give a message that aligns with the content or convictions of what the one who asked them to fill in would share.
In the same way, as Christians we have been tasked with speaking for God in our world. Though the Holy Spirit is in each believer and empowers our work for God, the voice that those around us hear is ours. That means that we must be faithful to speak up and to speak the truth. Eternal destinies are at stake. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost” (2 Corinthians 4:3). We should never speak to others without an awareness that we are speaking to them in the place of God. We must make sure that what we say is an accurate reflection of what He has commanded. There should be no difference between what we say and what He would say.
We have been given the awesome responsibility to speak to others on God’s behalf, and we must fulfill it.
“I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.”
1 Corinthians 4:14–16
Robert Chapman was well educated as a child and became a lawyer in London. After his conversion in 1823, however, he became actively involved in church work. After a few years he left the legal profession to become a pastor, and spent nearly seven decades reaching people with the gospel. He lived what he preached, and Charles Spurgeon called him “the saintliest man I know.” Chapman was a great friend and helper of George Mueller in his work with orphans, and called on his people to put their faith into action. Robert Chapman said, “There are many who preach Christ, but not so many who live Christ. My great aim will be to live Christ.”
When Paul wrote to the church at Corinth and told the people to copy his life, he was not boasting or holding himself up as some kind of spiritual giant. His reason for being confident to ask others to follow him was simply that he was a follower of Christ. “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Jesus is not just for Sundays at church. He is an example for us to follow every day, and those who know us best should see His principles and priorities on display in our lives.
Though it is not as popular now as it once was, the expression WWJD—what would Jesus do?—is a valid standard by which to guide our actions and decisions. If we love Him as we should and grow to know Him more through Bible reading and prayer, it will be easier for us to see how He would act, and then do the same.
It is not in our intentions, but in our actions that we must live like Jesus did.
“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.”
Matthew 4:17–20
At the start of His ministry, Jesus clearly laid out His expectations for those He called to follow Him. They would embark on a lifetime course that would revolve around reaching other people. Jesus did not initially tell them they would be preachers or teachers or writers, but He did tell them they would be soulwinners. They would trade in catching fish for catching men. Dr. Curtis Hutson said, “Soulwinning is not a request; it is a responsibility. Soulwinning is not an opportunity; it is an obligation. The only alternative to soulwinning is disobedience to a clear command of Scripture. Everybody is to be involved. Nobody is excluded.”
It is impossible to say that we are truly following Jesus until we are doing our part to share the gospel with others. This was His purpose. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). And it must be our purpose as well. Everywhere we go, we meet people who are either heading for Heaven or for Hell, and we have a responsibility to them that we must not shirk. Paul wrote, “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). If Heaven and Hell are real, and they are, we must make the eternal destiny of others a priority in our lives every day.
God has placed people in each of our lives who need salvation, and we must reach out to the lost.
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Stuart Robson was a well-known comedian and actor in the late 1800s. He told the story of finding out that the daughter or a fellow actor was going to get married. So Robson sent his daughter to the wedding with a large check as a gift. When she returned home, he asked her how the couple responded. “They didn't say anything,” she replied, “but they shed tears.” “How long?” he asked. “I didn't time it, but it must have been at least a minute,” the daughter answered. “Just one minute? I cried for an hour after I signed it!” Robson concluded.
When we give freely of what God has given to us, we should never regret it. Everything that we have comes from Him. When we work, He gives us strength. When we plan, He gives us wisdom. When we succeed, He gives us blessing. When we have resources, it is because of Him, not us. “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:18).
When we recognize all that God has given to us, and His central role in giving all that we have, it is clear why we should not be grudging givers, but instead give joyfully and willingly. A Christian who is not happy to give to God's work has lost sight of what matters most in life.
God deserves our very best, and we should never begrudge anything He asks us to give.
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1 Corinthians 15:14-17
While He was with the disciples, Jesus told them what was coming in the future. But they did not really grasp the implication of His teaching until later. When the angels met the women at the empty tomb, they told them to remind the disciples of what Jesus had said. “But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you” (Mark 16:7). The resurrection is essential, and just as much a part of God's plan of salvation as the cross is. There is no hope of Heaven if Jesus did not rise from the dead. But He did. And as we celebrate that victory over the grave, we are reminded of our certain future with Him in Heaven.
J. C. Ryle said that the resurrection “is the crowning proof that He has paid the debt which He undertook to pay on our behalf, won the battle which He fought to deliver us from hell, and is accepted as our Surety and our Substitute by our Father in heaven. Had He never come forth from the prison of the grave, how could we ever have been sure that our ransom had been fully paid? Had He never risen from His conflict with the last enemy, how could we have felt confident that He has overcome death, and him that had the power of death, that is, the devil?”
The resurrection is our certainty that we will have the eternal life Jesus purchased for us.
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Romans 14:10-12
All of us either know or have known people who are extremely judgmental. They constantly evaluate others, deciding for themselves whether what those people are doing measures up to what they expect or not. This kind of judgment occurs for two main reasons. First, it shows that the person has forgotten that God is in charge and that He is the only one who can accurately judge. “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
Second, it shows that the person has forgotten that one day he will be called to give an account, not for those he has judged, but for himself. Each of us is building on the foundation we have been given, and our work will be subjected to a thorough and revealing testing. “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is” (1 Corinthians 3:12-13). Rather than trying to make ourselves feel better by finding someone we can judge as failing to measure up, we should be investing our time and attention in the work God has given us to do.
Remembering that there is a God and we will give an account to Him keeps us from being judgmental toward others.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
Luke 16:10-12
Many times people are tempted to cut corners or not be diligent in things they do not think are important. But the truth is that there are no little things—it all matters. Champion football coach Tony Dungy said, “Character begins with the little things in life. We must show that we can be trusted with even the trivial things.” In the eyes of Heaven, nothing on earth is more trivial than money. The street of Heaven is made of gold—it is only fit to walk on there, not something precious.
Yet the way we handle the financial resources which have been entrusted to us is anything but trivial. In fact, Jesus said that if we are not faithful with our money, there is no reason for us to expect God to trust us with spiritual things. Whether our resources are large or small, we are still meant to be faithful in how we use them. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).
Many churches struggle because the members are not faithful with their money. The resources for the work God calls us to do for Him do not normally come in miraculous ways. Though God can do anything, His plan is for His work to be financed by the obedience of His children. When we remember that everything we have belongs to God and not to us, we see why it is so important to do even little things faithfully.
In everything, whether we think it is large or small, we should always be faithful to do what is right.
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
2 Corinthians 5:1-4
The evidence that we live in a fallen world is easy to see. Everywhere we look, we are reminded that things are not operating as God originally designed them. The very creation around us desires to be returned to its perfection. “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:22). In contrast, the Heaven that is waiting for us as believers is perfect. Nothing can ever enter it that would change that. Yet in spite of the perfection of Heaven and the corruption of Earth, some people show little interest in the place God has prepared for us. Nothing should be allowed to eclipse the glory of Heaven, and eternity should be our focus.
D. L. Moody said, “If I were going to dwell in any place in this country, if I were going to make it my home, I would inquire about its climate, about the neighbors I would have—about everything, in fact, that I could learn concerning it. If soon you were going to emigrate, that is the way you would feel. Well, we are all going to emigrate in a very little while. We are going to spend eternity in another world. Is it not natural that we should look and listen and try to find out who is already there and what is the route to take?”
The desire of our heart should be filled with a longing to enter the presence of God.
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
If anyone had reason to quit serving God, we would think it was Paul. His powerful and faithful witness brought many to faith in Christ, but it also brought much opposition and persecution. Paul was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, imprisoned, slandered, and hated. None of that happened because he was doing wrong. The persecution came because he was doing right. Yet in all that he endured, Paul refused to stop proclaiming the gospel.
Paul was not focused on the outward circumstances, but on the eternal reward. He called all of his sufferings “light affliction,” not because they were not real and painful, but because they were temporary and fleeting, and he was looking for Heaven. The way we view our troubles is primarily determined not by how severe those troubles are, but by our perspective. Someone once said that the best question you can ask to keep your perspective is, “Compared to what?” How are we measuring our situation?
Jesus set the example for us to follow. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). When we have Heaven in view, the troubles of the outward man pale and the strength of the inner man is restored. Focusing on what is in store helps us stay on the right path no matter what troubles may come.
When we look at eternal things, the troubles of the present become insignificant.
Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
1 Corinthians 4:13-16
You might say that the church at Corinth was the “problem child” of first century churches. They were riven by division, confused about spiritual gifts, and tolerated immorality in the church. They had trouble with giving and didn't understand the resurrection very well. Some of the members were not happy when Paul wrote to correct their errant behavior and conduct. They even critiqued his speaking style and his appearance.
Yet in spite of all of the problems and all of the turmoil, Paul still loved them. He stayed in Corinth for eighteen months on his first visit, much longer than he spent in most cities. Paul had given his heart to those people, and that did not change when he left and went on to other places. Bible scholars think the first letter Paul wrote (1 Corinthians) was four or five years after he left Corinth. Yet he was still thinking of them and loving them like a father loves his children.
If we are not willing to give our hearts to our family, to our churches, to our classes and fellowships, and to our friends and neighbors, we should not expect to make a deep and lasting positive impact. The costs of making that kind of difference may be high, but much like parents with their children, it is worth making the investment. Putting your heart into something that matters may be painful and costly, but it is required to be like Jesus.
It can be costly to invest your heart in others, but there is no other way to reach them.
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
After his conversion, Thomas Chisholm gave up his newspaper career and trained for the ministry. But not long after he became a pastor, ill health forced him to leave the pulpit. Rather than giving up the idea of serving God, Chisholm put his literary skills to work and began to write poems, many of which became well-known hymns. One of the best known is Living for Jesus.
Living for Jesus a life that is true,
Striving to please him in all that I do,
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.
O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to thee,
for thou, in thy atonement, didst give thyself for me;
I own no other master, my heart shall be thy throne,
my life I give, henceforth to live,
O Christ, for thee alone.
One of the most extraordinary traits of Jesus was His sacrificial love for others. He deserves all glory and praise and worship and service, but rather than insisting on His rights, He devoted Himself to meeting the needs of others. “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). If we are going to truly live for Jesus, we must live like Him. And to live like Jesus, we must acknowledge His right to rule and reign over every part of our lives, including being willing to put our own interests and desires after those of others.
Our lives are neither for us or about us, but about what God has called us to do for Him.
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 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. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
2 Timothy 2:1-4
There are many reasons that motivate service to God, but the most important one is a desire to acknowledge the love He has shown to us by acting in ways that please Him. Paul's life was transformed by meeting Jesus Christ, and the man who had led the persecution of believers became the greatest missionary of the early church. But Paul’s new life was not an easy life. He faced opposition, persecution, and great hardship; yet his service to God never wavered. The love God had showed toward him created an obligation on Paul's part to do the work to which God had called him. He wrote, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead” (2 Corinthians 5:14).
If our motive for serving God is not right, it will not withstand the trials and hardships of life. Many people start out serving God only to later turn aside. If we recognize that our lives are not about pleasing ourselves but about pleasing God, it changes the way we look at both service and difficulty. When our hearts are filled with love for God and appreciation for the love He has freely given to us, we will be quick to serve. We will be willing to give up certain things, even those to which we may have a right, in order to be a more effective servant of Jesus Christ.
Our highest goal should be to honor and please God because of His grace and great love for us.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James 1:22-25
The Christian life is not a spectator sport. The cloud of witnesses described in Hebrews 12 is comprised of those who have already reached Heaven—not those who are here on Earth sitting around doing nothing. The Word of God is not given to us merely for informational purposes. It is life-changing, but only to the extent that we put it into action in our lives. Knowing the truth is not the same thing as doing the truth.
The devil tempts us to substitute knowledge for obedience. He tells us that if we know what is right, that is sufficient. Like all of his lies, this contains a tiny portion of truth. It is important to know what is true and right, but it is not enough. Nothing changes in our lives until our behavior changes in obedience to the conviction and commandments of the Bible. There is no blessing apart from doing.
The acquisition of knowledge alone is dangerous. Paul wrote, “Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth” (1 Corinthians 8:1). Paul was one of the most educated men in the early church. Unlike most of the disciples who had no formal training, he had been to the best rabbinical schools. Yet he did not rest on his knowledge of God. Instead he lived out the truth from day to day.
Only when we put the truth into practice does it begin to change our lives and impact others.
"For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 3:9-11
Edward Mote was born in England in 1794. His father ran a pub, and Edward received little care as a child. After working as a cabinet maker, he was saved and eventually became a Baptist pastor. He also wrote a number of hymns.
The hymn by Edward Mote that we best remember is "The Solid Rock." Mote was working on the hymn when he learned about the dying wife of a church member. Mote went to visit the woman and shared his words of comfort: "On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand." These words brought the woman hope, and Mote finished his hymn which we still sing today.
You have been given a solid and unshakeable foundation as a child of God. The faithfulness of every one of His promises has been proven again and again by centuries of believers. The ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes said, "If you give me a lever long enough and a place to stand, I can move the world." You have that place to stand today—on the promises of God.
Knowing the certainty of God’s truth and the surety of His promises gives us a responsibility—to build something of strong and lasting value on that foundation. Our lives are not our own; they are meant for His purpose. The Christian life is not an unstable or uncertain life; rather it is a life of meaning built upon a firm and solid Rock.
Even if all others fail you, the faithfulness of God is a foundation on which you can build.
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
Colossians 3:1-4
Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation's deserts. All that vultures see is rotting meat, because that is what they look for. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for.
Our affections—the things that we love—determine the things we focus on. The world is filled with trouble and heartbreak, yet the same world is filled with blessings and benefits from God. Which one we choose to focus on to a large measure determines whether we will be content and happy or not. Believers who are joyful Christians are not somehow spared from the hardships of life. But they are focused on the things of God.
This world is just temporary. The trials that we endure and the hardships we experience do not force us into bitterness or depression. Paul certainly endured much more than his share in the way of trouble, yet he viewed it as being for his own benefit. Paul wrote that his afflictions created "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4:17). He could say that because his heart was settled in Heaven.
Check your focus today: are you looking at the things of Heaven, or are you fixated on the things of Earth?
"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."
John 15:11-14
Former Congressman J.C. Watts from Oklahoma once said, "Compassion can’t be measured in dollars and cents. It does come with a price tag, but the price tag isn’t the amount of money spent. The price tag is love." Love is anything but free. The nature of godly love is that it is willing to make sacrifices for the good of the other rather than being focused on protecting itself or getting its own way.
Of course the ultimate example of this love is found in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. He willingly came "to give his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). This is a different kind of love from the kind our world knows today. Most of what is called love would more properly be called attraction, and in many cases simply lust. This kind of self-focused behavior is far short of what God has in mind.
It is no surprise that the world falls short when it comes to love, but that should never be true for us. Each of our relationships—with family members, friends, fellow church members and the lost—should be characterized by this divine love that "seeketh not her own" (1 Corinthians 13:5). As we evaluate our love for others, we should not measure our feelings or our words, but our actions. Are we loving as Christ did, willing to give up that which we have every right to claim in order that someone else may benefit? Truly loving another is never an inexpensive proposition.
It is impossible to truly love people without being willing to sacrificially give to them.