THE HAPPINESS OF OTHERS

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”  (Philippians 2:3-4 NIV)

Our happiness is greatest when we contribute most to the happiness of others.

-- Harriet Shepard 


#4454

WE ALL NEED HOPE

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  (Jeremiah 29:11)

We all need hope. We all need something to look forward to. We need the ability to move into the future without fear or dread, because if we lose hope in the future, our life in the present becomes powerless, empty, stagnant, and desolate. As Christians, we have hope because we have the promise of continual new beginnings, fresh starts. We believe in sanctifying grace and we live in the hope that God will continue to perfect us, grow us, and challenge us. The poet Louise Fletcher Tarkington expressed this desire and need: “I wish there were some wonderful place, / called the Land of Beginning Again.”

Hope reminds us that there is this place and this power in the grace and love of God. And as Christians, we have the hope that nothing in life now and forever can defeat us. Hope is the buoyant spirit that raises us up when life knocks us down. 

-- James W. Moore and Bob J. Moore in “Lord, Give Me Patience!... And Give It to Me Right Now!” 


#4453

RETURNING GOOD FOR EVIL

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”  (1 Peter 3:9 NIV)

Booker T. Washington was born a slave but came in time to be the most influential African American leader and educator in the United States. His achievements were made against fierce odds, including the treatment he received from racists and those who resented his accomplishments. He vowed, however, that he would never allow anyone to make him "stoop so low" as to hate them. He insisted on returning good will for evil; he didn't take on the image of his enemies.

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas in “If Experience Is such a Good Teacher Why Do I Keep Repeating the Course?” 


#4452

LANGUAGE OF THE HEART

“Out of the depths I cry to You, LORD; Lord, hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If You, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve You. I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope.”  (Psalm 130:1-5 NIV)

How do you pray when you suffer or when people you love suffer? How do you pray when people you do not like (even hate?) get ahead? How do you pray when the world doesn’t make sense? How do you pray when you have some doubts or are angry with God?

I found my answer in the Book of Psalms. The Psalms give us a complete picture of prayer. They take on the whole of life. They give us words for all occasions, from the height of joy to the depths of despair. The Psalms let us feel what we feel. The Psalms meet us where we are and give us words to say to God. They are a language of the heart. 

-- Thomas C. Parker in an article entitled “Language of the Heart” published in “Discipleship Journal” No. 99, May/June 1997


#4451

INVITING PEOPLE TO FOLLOW JESUS

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.”  (1 Corinthians 15:3-5 NIV)

Paul is a prime example of the radical new ways followers of Jesus would spread God’s truth. He had not been among Jesus’ earliest followers, and in fact had persecuted the first believers. But after miraculously experiencing the presence and resurrection power of Christ, Paul devoted the rest of his life to proclaiming the dual call to love God and serve Him through a life of disciple making: “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 NIV)

At great personal cost, Paul traveled throughout the world of his day inviting people to follow Jesus and then encouraging them to go out and invite others to do the same: “So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me His prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life -- not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.”  (2 Timothy 1:8-9a NIV) 

-- From “Side by Side: Disciple-Making for a New Century”, Steve & Lois Rabey, General Editors


#4450

ONLY THE STARTING PLACE

“Jesus answered [Nicodemus], ‘I am telling you the truth: no one can see the Kingdom of God without being born again.’" (John 3:3 GNT)

The initial salvation experience, however it may come and however wonderful it may be, is only the beginning; there is much to follow. It’s like a wedding. It is easy to have a beautiful wedding, but it takes a lot of work and commitment and love to make a beautiful marriage.

I am convinced that many professing Christians do not understand this. They have the simplistic idea that when they have “accepted Christ” and joined the church, that’s all there is and there’s nothing more. They see this initial experience as the final goal when really it is only the starting place. They think they have graduated when really they have barely enrolled. It is a wonderful thing to become “newborn,” to become a “babe in Christ,” but to remain a spiritual baby is tragic. Babies are sweet and adorable, but if they remain infants and never grow up, we consider that a calamity, and it is. 

-- James W. Moore and Bob J. Moore in “Lord, Give Me Patience!... And Give It to Me Right Now!” 


#4449

BY HIS GRACE

“God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”  (Ephesians 2:8 NLT)

Life is not an aimless groping.  We are called.  "By His grace" means that God does not look around to see who will best suit His purposes and then single them out because He is pretty sure that they will do a good job.  It means that God has a capacity so large in love and purpose that He calls us in order to do something for us -- to give us something.  Grace. 

-- Eugene Peterson


#4448

ON THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS

“Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”   (Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV)

The key to the missionary’s work is the authority of Jesus Christ, not the needs of the [world]. We are inclined to look on our Lord as one who assists us in our endeavors for God. Yet our Lord places Himself as the absolute sovereign and supreme Lord over His disciples. He does not say that the [world] will never be saved if we don’t go -- He simply says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…." He says, "Go on the basis of the revealed truth of My sovereignty, teaching and preaching out of your living experience of Me."

-- Oswald Chambers in “My Utmost for His Highest”


#4447

JESUS PAID OUR DUES

"Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”  (Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV)

My father is a podiatrist; he heals hurting feet for a living.  When I was in college, I needed to earn some money, so dad invited me to come work in his office for the summer.  I pictured myself happily typing letters, answering phones, and taking long lunches.  Instead, I was given the unpleasant tasks of washing dirty feet and clipping gnarly toenails.  As if that wasn't enough, my dad also expected me to show up early to wash windows and clean toilets -- something the other office girls never did.  "Don't they have janitors for that sort of thing?" I argued, thinking I was above that job.  I guess my father wanted me to learn that I had to pay my dues in the work world so I'd grow into a productive adult.

God the Father created heaven and earth, and He heals hurting hearts for a living.  His Son wanted to join the family business, and do you know what?  He washed feet, too!  And He touched lepers.  Slept without a bed.  And if that were not enough, He endured the shame of the Cross, descended to the lower parts of the earth, and then ascended far above the heavens.  Jesus paid the dues for all of humanity's sin so we could grow into mature Christians. 

-- Lenya Heitzig and Penny Pierce Rose in “Pathway to God's Treasure: Ephesians”


#4446

THE WRONG QUESTION

"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.”  (John 4:34)

Jesus considered God’s will to be His highest priority (see John 4:43-34). Following God’s will is also important to you. Often when people want to know God’s will, they will ask, “What is God’s will for my life?” As one of my seminary professors, Gaines S. Dobbins, used to say, “If you ask the wrong question, you are going to get the wrong answer.”

“What is God’s will for my life?” is not the best question to ask. The better inquiry is, “What is God’s will?” Because people are naturally self-centered, we tend to view the whole world -- even God’s activity -- in terms of our own lives. Of course, we want to know what we should do and how events will affect us. But that is actually an inverted life-perspective. Once I know God’s will, my life gains its proper perspective, and I can adjust my life to Him and to His purposes. In other words, what is it that God is purposing to accomplish where I am? Once I know what God is doing, then I see what I should do. My focus needs to be outward on God and His purposes, not inward on my life…

Discovering God’s greater plan helps you know what He wants to do through you. 

-- Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby and Claude King in “Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God”


#4445

MEDITATING ON GOD’S WORD

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on His law day and night.”  (Psalm 1:1-2 NIV)

When you let your thoughts wander, what do you think about? If you will cultivate the habit of thinking about God and His Word and prayerfully expressing your thoughts to Him, you will find that the most ordinary activities of your life are permeated by the presence of God. You will discover how His Word is relevant to your actions, your decisions, your problems. 

-- Jerry Bridges, from an article entitled “Staying Faithful Through the Years: How Can You Keep Walking with God Throughout Your Life?” in “Discipleship Journal," No. 58


#4444

THE GOSPEL LIFE

“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!”  (2 Corinthians 5:17 NRSV)

God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost isn’t a consulting firm we bring in to give us expert advice on how to run our lives. The gospel life isn’t something we learn about and then put together with instructions from the manufacturer; it’s something we become as God does His work of creation and salvation in us and as we accustom ourselves to a life of belief and obedience and prayer. 

-- Eugene H. Peterson


#4443

DEEP ROOTS

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”  (Colossians 2:6-7 NIV)

In his book “Like a Rock,” Andy Stanley describes a solitary, two-hundred-year-old, evergreen tree at the edge of a rocky overlook in the Appalachian foothills. Stanley writes, "Through the years, it has defied heavy snow, hailstorms, and the steady, westerly winds rising off the valley floor. From it's vulnerable view of endless ridges and valleys, it has seen conditions that would snap most trees in half. Nevertheless, it stands strong. What's the secret?... The answer lies below the surface. For literally two centuries, the elements have hurled their assaults against the tree. But while storms raged on the outside, the tree quietly developed an inner support system to sustain it. Every gust of wind sent the roots sprawling deeper into the soil, expanding the tree's tenacious grip on the mountain..."

Each one of us is like a tree. We are subjected to the stormy elements of life. And when, not if, those storms come, we either snap or grow stronger. What makes the difference is not the strength of the storm but the depth of our relationship in Christ. Sink your roots deep. 

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson 


#4442

SUFFERING TODAY, REJOICING TOMORROW

“Weeping may linger for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning…
You have turned my mourning into dancing;
    You have taken off my sackcloth
    and clothed me with joy,
so that my soul may praise You and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”  (Psalm 30:5b,11,12)

Our sorrows are all, like ourselves, mortal. There are no immortal sorrows for immortal souls. They come, but blessed be God, they also go. Like birds of the air, they fly over our heads. But they cannot make their abode in our souls. We suffer today, but we shall rejoice tomorrow. 

-- Charles Spurgeon


#4441

GOD’S COMFORTING AND GUIDING PRESENCE

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
    I fear no evil;
for You are with me;
    Your rod and Your staff --
    they comfort me.”  (Psalm 23:4 NIV)

God is present in all things, even those events and circumstances that seem terrible.  Within any circumstance is the seed that can bear the fruit of the greater good, if we are willing to ask God to lead us in bringing forth that good. 

-- Mary Manin Morrissey 


#4440

YOUR SOURCE OF AUTHORITY

The Bible is God’s Word to you. The Holy Spirit honors and uses God’s Word as He speaks to you. The Scriptures are your source of authority for how you live your Christian life and how you relate to God. You can’t depend on human traditions, your experience, or the opinions of others to be accurate authorities on God’s will and ways. While these can be helpful, they must always be evaluated in light of the teaching of Scripture.

Anything of spiritual significance that happens in your life will be a result of God’s activity in you. He is infinitely more concerned with your life and your relationship with Him than you or I could possibility be. Let God’s Spirit bring you into an intimate relationship with the Lord of the universe “who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think -- according to the power that works in you” (Ephesians 3:20)… As you prepare to obey Him, trust that God who has already begun a good work in you will complete it in His time (Philippians 1:6). 

-- Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby and Claude King in “Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God” 


#4439

FINISHING STRONG

[The righteous] will still bear fruit in old age,” declares the psalmist, “they will stay fresh and green” (Psalm 92:14). I think of an older friend of mine, now in her eighties, who is still bearing fruit. She is limited in her physical mobility, but in her prayer life she ranges all over the globe, praying for Christian works and workers worldwide. She is not turning aside from God’s work, nor is she stagnating in her inner spiritual life. She will stay fruitful to the end because she will continue to serve God to the end.

None of us is ever finished “doing our share.” We can never repay the debt of love we owe to Christ. If we are running for the long haul we must determine to never to quit His service. If we want to run with endurance we must keep asking as long as we live, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Only in that way can we expect to stay faithful to the end and be greeted at the finish line by our Lord’s voice saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” 

-- Jerry Bridges in “Staying Faithful Through the Years: How Can You Keep Walking with God Throughout Your Life?” from “Discipleship Journal,” No. 58


#4438

GOD’S INITIATIVE

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved.”  (Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV)

The divine Presence constantly moves toward us.  Initiative for our relationship with God always comes from God…

Every prayer you pray, every thought you think of God -- even the deepest yearnings of your being for fulfillment and final satisfaction -- are but responses to the Spirit of God who has initiated your hunger for the relationship. 

-- Ben Campbell Johnson in “Calming the Restless Spirit”


#4438

GOD’S IMMEASURABLE LOVE

God created you for a love relationship with Him. He yearns for you to love Him and to respond to His immeasurable love for you. God’s nature is perfect, holy, total love. He will never relate to you in any other way although you may not always understand His actions. There will be times when you do not comprehend why He allows certain things to occur, and that is to be expected. He is the infinite God while we are limited human creatures. He sees the eternal ramifications of everything that happens. We don’t. 

-- Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby and Claude King in “Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God”


#4436

WHATEVER

To be honest, the word ‘whatever’ isn’t my favorite word as a parent. It’s often a dismissive word that can have disrespectful undertones, but I think it’s redeemable. In fact, it’s one of my one-word prayers to God. When used in a submissive way, the word ‘whatever’ is a statement of absolute surrender.

Think of Gethsemane, the garden where Jesus Himself wrestled with the will of God. He said to His Father, “Take this cup from Me.” It was a reference to the cup of wrath. Jesus knew He’d have to drink it to the dregs, but before He did, He asked the Father if He would take it away, if there was any other way. But then He qualified His request with the ultimate all in prayer: “Not My will, but Yours be done.”

This was Jesus’ all in moment. This was His ‘whatever’ prayer. 

-- Mark Batterson in “All In”


#4435

GOD’S GOOD, PLEASING AND PERFECT WILL

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- His good, pleasing and perfect will.”  (Romans 12:2 NIV)

God is sufficiently wise and good and powerful and merciful to turn even the most, apparently, disastrous event to the advantage and profit of those who humbly adore and accept His will in all that He permits. 

-- Jean-Pierre de Caussade as quoted in “The Little Book of Grace”


#4434

DYING IN GRACE

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"  (John 11:25-26 NIV)

Those who die in grace go no further from us than God -- and God is very near. 

-- Pierre Teilhard de Chardin as quoted in “The Little Book of Grace”


#4433

RADIATING GOD’S LOVE

Until God's will holds sway in our own hearts and lives, we bear no living witness to the Good News of God's transforming love. The gospel is not a general principle of goodness in the world. It is the concrete vision of God's love realized in person; first and foremost in the person of Jesus Christ, then in those of His disciples who have proved willing to become like Him in extraordinary love. They are called saints. Whether widely or little known, it is the lives of such persons that bear power to attract and transform others. It is not their own power. Their lives are simply so transparent to the Spirit that God's love radiates through them.

-- Rev. Marjorie Thompson in “Leading from the Center” Newsletter 


#4432