Sum of our Lives, The
May 10, 2007 on 5:41 am | In devotionals | No CommentsFor with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. -Psalm 36:9
It has been determined that the average American spends 15 years of his or her life in front of the television set;15 years. I am not saying we cannot watch TV. But I am saying that we can sure waste a lot of time in front of it. I sure have. I am a channel surfer. My wife likes to watch cooking shows, which to me is not fun. Therefore, I try to gain possession of the remote so I can start clicking. I like to watch about eight things at once. Yet I have been amazed at how I will sit down and say, “I am going to watch TV for five minutes,” but when I look at my watch, an hour-and-a-half has gone by. I have wasted all that time and feel half brain-dead as a result.We can squander time watching television, but we can squander time doing other things as well. So let’s not throw our lives away. Let’s wisely use the precious moments God gives to us each day, each month, and each year, and let’s use them for Him. We will stand before Him on that final day. We should be able to sum up our lives like the apostle Paul and say, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Only the person who can say, “To live is Christ” can then say, “To die is gain.” Some people might say, “To me, to live is sports,” or “To me, to live is music.” Everyone lives for something. What do you live for? How great it is to be able to say, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside CA 92514
Right Kind of Fear, The
May 10, 2007 on 5:36 am | In devotionals | No CommentsThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever. -Psalm 111:10
Even the most committed believer has those moments when fear or worry can kick in. Anxiety can overtake us. Maybe we are concerned about our future, or maybe we are discouraged about some things we have done or failures we’ve experienced. But far too often, we are afraid of the wrong things in life, and we are not afraid of the right things or the right One. Many people don’t fear God. Yet the Bible tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To fear God doesn’t mean that we must cower in terror before Him. Rather, the fear of God has been properly defined as a wholesome dread of displeasing Him. So if I have sinned, my fear should not be based on the anticipation of what God will do to me, but on what I have done to displease Him. That is what it is to fear the Lord. It is to love the Lord so much that you don’t want to sin against Him. We need to fear God. The remarkable thing is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else. On the other hand, if you do not fear God, then you fear everything else. David said, “The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1). Only the person who can say, The Lord is the strength of my life” can then say, “Of whom shall I be afraid?” Maybe you feel that your life has been a failure, or maybe you are discouraged about something or afraid of something. If you’re gripped by fear and worry today, then let the Lord be the strength of your life.
C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside CA 92514
The Key to Contentment
May 10, 2007 on 5:31 am | In devotionals | No CommentsNow godliness with contentment is great gain. -1 Timothy 6:6
As you begin to know God’s love and purpose for you, you can live a life that is unending, even overflowing. It is life as it was meant to be lived. This is exactly what David meant when he said, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). Have you been able to say that? Have you been able to say, “Lord, if You want to give me more, fine. If you don’t want to, fine. I shall not want, because I have found my contentment in You.” The apostle Paul found that contentment. He said he was content, regardless of his circumstances (see Philippians 4:11-12). But how many of us have thought, I would be content if I just had a little more money. . . . I would be content if I just got that promotion. . . . I would be content if I just got married. . . . We never quite reach that place of contentment, however. We are always looking for something just a little beyond what we have. There are certain things that only God can give. And when you are in a relationship with Him in which you say, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” you can say with David, “I shall not want.” In fact, only the person who has said, “The Lord is my Shepherd” can say, “I shall not want.” Our contentment does not come from what we have. It comes from Whom we know. Hebrews 13:5 tells us, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” So when you get down to it, everything you need in life is found in a relationship with God.
C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside CA 92514
Temporary Unknowns
May 10, 2007 on 5:26 am | In devotionals | No CommentsFor now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. -1 Corinthians 13:12
Often the question comes up as to whether we will know one another in heaven. I cannot give a definite answer to that, because the Bible does not specifically address this, although it does say we will know as we are known (see 1 Corinthians 13:12). For the time being, I don’t have a complete knowledge of what is going on. I have an incomplete knowledge of God. But one day in a new body, I will see Him face-to-face, and all of my questions will be answered. The apostle Paul had a remarkable experience in which he died and then was revived (see Acts 14:19-20). This wasn’t a near-death experience; Paul literally died. But he didn’t write a book about it. He basically said, “I was caught up in the third heaven and heard things that I can’t even describe to you, but it was paradise” (see 2 Corinthians 12:2). That is all he would say. It does appear, however, that we will recognize one another in heaven. After all, when Moses and Elijah met with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, the disciples recognized them. So you might ask, “How will I know you if I’m looking for you?” Well, look for the guy with the full head of brand-new hair. That will be me. Yes, there is that day when we will be with the Lord. We don’t know everything about heaven. But we know it will exceed our wildest dreams. We will see the Lord and we will see one another. And all of the mysteries will be solved.
C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside CA 92514
Standing By
May 10, 2007 on 5:22 am | In devotionals | No CommentsBe of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord. -Psalm 31:24
Paul had gone to Jerusalem to preach the gospel, and the next thing he knew, he was locked up in a cold, damp, dark prison cell. I’m sure that on his first night there, he was a discouraged man.Why do I say that? Because of the Lord’s words to him: “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome” (Acts 23:11). The phrase “be of good cheer” could also be translated, “be of good courage.” In Scripture, whenever an angel of the Lord would appear and say, “Fear not,” it was usually because someone was afraid at that given moment. So I conclude that when the Lord himself told Paul, “Be of good courage,” he needed a special word of encouragement at that particular moment. Acts 23:11 includes this important detail: “But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Be of good cheer. . . . ‘ ” The Lord stood by him. Sometimes, it may seem as though the Lord is the only one standing by us. But if everyone else had abandoned Paul, Jesus was company enough. If all others despised him, the smile of Jesus was approval enough. Though his circumstances were less than ideal, I am sure Paul knew that it was better to be in jail with the Lord than anywhere else without Him. Jesus is there in your prison as well. For some, it might be a literal prison cell. For others, it might be the prison of a hospital room or the prison of mourning. Whatever or wherever that prison is in your life, Jesus is standing by you. And He is saying, “Be of good courage.”
C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside CA 92514
Real Worship
May 10, 2007 on 5:17 am | In devotionals | No Comments“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” -Revelation 5:12
A number of words in the Bible are translated “worship.” The one used the most often means “to bow down and do homage.” Another biblical word for worship means “to kiss toward.” Put the two words together, and you will have a good idea of what real worship is. We worship God because He is worthy. In doing so, we bow down and pay homage to Him. That speaks of reverence and respect for God. But we also “kiss toward” Him, which speaks of tenderness and intimacy. We ought to be learning all we can about worship, because it will be one of the primary activities of heaven. And Jesus made it clear that there is a right way and a wrong way to worship. There is true and false worship. The Pharisees, who thought they were experts at worship, were by and large not even close. Jesus said of them, ” ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’ ” (Matthew 15:8-9). Some people are too flippant and casual with God. They seem to think of Him as their celestial Big Buddy and approach Him that way in prayer: “Hey, Lord, how are you doing?” Others recognize God as holy and all-powerful and may even tremble before Him, but they don’t realize that God wants to be known in an intimate and personal way. We are to revere God. We are to honor Him. But we are also to embrace Him in closeness. We are to engage our hearts, with no hypocrisy. That encompasses true worship.
C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside CA 92514
Peace in the Kingdom
May 10, 2007 on 5:11 am | In devotionals | No CommentsFor the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. -Romans 14:17
Jesus calls us His sheep, and we know that the Shepherd’s primary objective for His sheep is that they flourish. He wants His sheep to be well-fed. He wants them to be well-cared for. He wants them to be content and satisfied. It is the joy of the Shepherd to lead His sheep to green pastures and still waters. Jesus also has given His sheep a great promise. He said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). There is great security in knowing that the Lord is our Shepherd. We are under His protection. Did you know that God loves to bless you? Did you know that God loves to pour His grace out upon you? Did you know that the Lord enjoys working in your life? He wants to bless you more than you want to be blessed. He wants to answer your prayers more than you want them answered. He wants to speak to you even more than you want to be spoken to. And He wants to use you even more than you want to be used. He loves you. Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). It is His joy, His pleasure, to give you the kingdom. And what is that kingdom? The Bible says the kingdom of God is “righteousness and peace and joy and the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). He wants His righteousness, peace, and joy to permeate every level of your life.
C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside CA 92514
Open Access
May 10, 2007 on 5:06 am | In devotionals | No CommentsHaving predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. -Ephesians 1:5-6
Within the first few verses of Jude’s short epistle, he uses an important word twice: “beloved.” In verse 1, he writes, “To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ. . . . ” The word “sanctified” could better be translated “beloved.” Jude begins verse 3 with the same word. Here we have a foundational truth, which Jude brings front and center: We are the beloved of God. How often we hear about what we are supposed to do for God. Yet the emphasis of the Bible is not on what we are supposed to do for God. Rather, it is on what God has done for us. If we can get hold of that in our minds and hearts, it will change our outlook and actions. The more we understand of what God has done for us, the more we will want to do for Him. This is important, because the devil loves to keep us from praying by telling us that we are not worthy to approach God: Do you think that God would hear your prayers after what you have done? But the real question to ask is this: “Is Jesus Christ worthy to come into the presence of the Father whenever He wants?” Of course He is. The fact is that we are made “accepted in the Beloved.” Because Christ has open access to the presence of the Father at any time, we have the same access as we come to God the Father through our relationship with Jesus. It is not on the basis of what we have done for God. It is solely on the basis of what Christ has done for us.
C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside CA 92514
One at a Time
May 10, 2007 on 5:01 am | In devotionals | No CommentsWhen they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” -Acts 17:32
The apostle Paul was probably the greatest communicator the church ever produced. As a brilliant orator and a great student of Scripture, history, and culture, he knew how to make his case. That is clear when you read anything that the Holy Spirit inspired him to write. Yet even Paul’s preaching of the gospel was rejected by some. It serves as a reminder that even if you are the greatest witness, even if you live a truly godly life, even if you are an effective communicator, even if you usually have the answer to every hard question people come up with, not everyone will be convinced. After all, Jesus Christ was the perfect example. He never slipped up, not even once. He was God in human form. He was absolutely flawless and perfect. Yet in spite of that, Judas Iscariot sold Him out for 30 pieces of silver. This refutes the timeworn argument of those who say the reason they are not a Christian is because there are so many hypocrites in the church. Jesus was never a hypocrite. But Judas sold Him out anyway. Even if you are a godly person, you are not going to convince everyone. Even the great apostle Paul did not have everyone believe when he preached. So what do we do? We need to start with the world around us. We should seek to live godly lives and share the gospel with those we come in contact with. We need to remember that the process will not always be easy. But just as it was in Paul’s day, God is in the business of changing lives, one person at a time.
C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside CA 92514
Not of this World
May 10, 2007 on 4:55 am | In devotionals | No Comments“My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” -John 18:36
So often the world misconstrues what Christians say. It draws erroneous conclusions because it never takes the time to really listen carefully to the gospel message. Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). The early Christians were insulted and criticized for what they were doing and were even accused of treason. It was suggested they were actually advocating the overthrow of Caesar, which really was not the case. It was a complete misunderstanding of what the objectives of the Christians really were. Anyone who would give even a careful listen to what they were saying would realize these Christians were not seeking to establish an earthly kingdom. They were not seeking to overthrow Caesar or Rome. Yet it is worth nothing that the first-century Christians made no attempts to conquer paganism by reacting blow by blow. Instead, they out-thought, out-prayed, and out-lived the unbelievers. Their weapons were positive, not negative. They prayed, preached, and proclaimed the message of the gospel. As a result, these Christians dramatically impacted their world. In the end, they prevailed. In retrospect, where is Rome today? It is no longer a world power. Do we remember the names of the great emperors of Rome? For the most part, no. There have been numerous attempts throughout history to destroy the Christian faith. But they will always fail for one simple reason: Christianity is Christ. He will prevail in the end and establish His kingdom. And because we are with Him, we will win in the end too.
C4W Devotions are used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie P.O. Box 4000 Riverside CA 92514
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