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And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
—Matthew 4:19 Devotion: One of the greatest needs of the human soul is the need for adventure. We long to be a part of something big, a grand epic, something beyond us. This is what Jesus offered Peter. Jesus said to Peter, “Do not fear. From now on you will catch men” (Luke 5:10). No more slimy, scaly, smelly fish for you, Peter. You shall catch men—such men as you never even dreamt to speak to in your life you shall catch, for I will give your life a meaning and a significance and a purpose that you can’t even dream about. Your life with Me will be an adventure, not a humdrum, because you have taken Me at My word.” The Lord offers us a part in this great adventure. He has a purpose for our lives. What He has for us is way beyond simply going to work and coming home. He wants us to be kingdom-builders. God will reveal Himself to all who seek Him diligently. Question to ponder: How can you open your heart to God’s big adventure? How do we find our purpose? |
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Fishers of Men by D. James Kennedy
Becoming Entirely His by Oswald Chambers
Becoming Entirely His
Many of us appear to be all right in general, but there are still some areas in which we are careless and lazy; it is not a matter of sin, but the remnants of our carnal life that tend to make us careless. Carelessness is an insult to the Holy Spirit. We should have no carelessness about us either in the way we worship God, or even in the way we eat and drink.
Not only must our relationship to God be right, but the outward expression of that relationship must also be right. Ultimately, God will allow nothing to escape; every detail of our lives is under His scrutiny. God will bring us back in countless ways to the same point over and over again. And He never tires of bringing us back to that one point until we learn the lesson, because His purpose is to produce the finished product. It may be a problem arising from our impulsive nature, but again and again, with the most persistent patience, God has brought us back to that one particular point. Or the problem may be our idle and wandering thinking, or our independent nature and self-interest. Through this process, God is trying to impress upon us the one thing that is not entirely right in our lives.
We have been having a wonderful time in our studies over the revealed truth of God’s redemption, and our hearts are perfect toward Him. And His wonderful work in us makes us know that overall we are right with Him. “Let patience have its perfect work….” The Holy Spirit speaking through James said, “Now let your patience become a finished product.” Beware of becoming careless over the small details of life and saying, “Oh, that will have to do for now.” Whatever it may be, God will point it out with persistence until we become entirely His.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
There is nothing, naturally speaking, that makes us lose heart quicker than decay—the decay of bodily beauty, of natural life, of friendship, of associations, all these things make a man lose heart; but Paul says when we are trusting in Jesus Christ these things do not find us discouraged, light comes through them. The Place of Help, 1032 L
The Pathway of Faith by Charles Stanley
Faith is the foundation of our Christian life. Hebrews 11:1 gives us the biblical definition of this term: “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
True belief is more than something we express verbally; it is a pathway you and I follow. Throughout life, our heavenly Father takes us on a journey, allowing us to experience a real relationship with Him as we face each circumstance. Today’s passage illustrates that God has a purpose for everything we encounter. The Lord promised Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars visible in the sky (Gen. 15:5). Then He directed His servant to obey several commands, such as moving from home. Abraham was not told the details of this plan but trusted God anyway.
We now know he was the father of the Jewish nation and his lineage included Jesus, the Savior of mankind. Though the patriarch didn’t obey perfectly, he did step forward in faith, trusting in God’s ultimate purpose.
We, too, can know with certainty that the Lord is weaving together a beautiful plan. He is not obligated to explain His reasoning or reveal every detail. Instead, God shows us what the next step will be (Ps. 119:105), and our job is to obey, even when it doesn’t make sense.
If you want to know what God is doing in your life, obey Him. Often, you won’t understand the intricacies of the plan, but you can trust the goodness of His heart. Rest assured that all He does is purposeful and for your benefit. So step forward in faith, and you will see His faithfulness.
July 31 / Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman
David cared for them with pure motives; he led them with skill. Ps 78:72
When you are doubtful as to your course, submit your judgment absolutely to the Spirit of God, and ask Him to shut against you every door but the right one...Meanwhile keep on as you are, and consider the absence of indication to be the indication of God’s will that you are on His track...As you go down the long corridor, you will find that He has preceded you, and locked many doors which you would fain have entered; but be sure that beyond these there is one which He has left unlocked. Open it and enter, and you will find yourself face to face with a bend of the river of opportunity, broader and deeper than anything you had dared to imagine in your sunniest dreams. Launch forth upon it; it conducts to the open sea.
God guides us, often by circumstances. At one moment the way may seem utterly blocked; and then shortly afterward some trivial incident occurs, which might not seem much to others, but which to the keen eye of faith speaks volumes. Sometimes these things are repeated in various ways, in answer to prayer. They are not haphazard results of chance, but the opening up of circumstances in the direction in which we would walk. And they begin to multiply as we advance toward our goal, just as the lights do as we near a populous town, when darting through the land by night express.
--F. B. Meyer
--F. B. Meyer
If you go to Him to be guided, He will guide you; but He will not comfort your distrust or half-trust of Him by showing you the chart of all His purposes concerning you. He will show you only into a way where, if you go cheerfully and trustfully forward, He will show you on still farther.
--Horace Bushnell
--Horace Bushnell
As moves my fragile bark across the storm-swept sea,
Great waves beat o’er her side, as north wind blows;
Deep in the darkness hid lie threat’ning rocks and shoals;
But all of these, and more, my Pilot knows.
Great waves beat o’er her side, as north wind blows;
Deep in the darkness hid lie threat’ning rocks and shoals;
But all of these, and more, my Pilot knows.
Sometimes when dark the night, and every light gone out,
I wonder to what port my frail ship goes;
Still though the night be long, and restless all my hours,
My distant goal, I’m sure, my Pilot knows.
I wonder to what port my frail ship goes;
Still though the night be long, and restless all my hours,
My distant goal, I’m sure, my Pilot knows.
--Thomas Curtis Clark
Are You One of the Elect? by Adrian Rogers
JULY 31
Are You One of the Elect?
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” - Revelation 22:17
“...And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely...” You don’t have to pay one blessed cent for it. It’s there. Take it and drink it. You will never have your heart’s deepest thirst satisfied until you’re satisfied with Jesus. And if you are thirsty, come and drink. He will save you, I promise on the authority of the Word of God.
You say, “But Pastor Rogers, what if I’m not one of the elect?” Well, would it help? Could I be more sure if He said, “If Adrian Rogers will come and drink.” I could say, “Now wait a minute. There’s more than one Adrian Rogers in the world today.” What if Revelation 22:17 said, “Adrian Pierce Rogers”? There might be another Adrian Pierce Rogers. It might not refer to me.
What if it said, “Adrian Pierce Rogers, born in West Palm Beach, Florida”? Well, there could be another Adrian Pierce Rogers born in West Palm Beach, Florida. What if it said, “Adrian Pierce Rogers, born in West Palm Beach, Florida, who now lives in Shelby County, Tennessee? There might be another one born in West Palm Beach, Adrian. By now you’re saying, “You’re getting ridiculous.”
Let me just solve this thing. Let’s forget all that and just put one word in there: “whosoever.” Whosoever! That’s better than anybody’s name spelled out. Who are the elect? I can settle that in 30 seconds. The elect are the “whosoever wills.”
If you want to be saved, come. Come to Jesus. He’s reaching out His nail-pierced hands to you and saying, “Come, come, come.” Jesus says come. The Spirit says come. The bride says come. The individual says come. You can come and drink.
Internal Strife by Billy Graham
Day By Day With Billy Graham |  |
Day 214 of 366Internal Strife
David, king of ancient Israel, found himself in the midst of a confused national situation. His kingdom was torn by internal strife. Slave hated master; master hated slave. People blamed the government, and government blamed the people. David looked about him and saw that every man thought himself perfect. Each individual placed blame upon other individuals. David knew that if sinful pride continued to increase, his nation would collapse spiritually. He knew that economic depression, moral disintegration, or military defeat inevitably follow spiritual decline. So David turned to God, and it was revealed to him by the Spirit of God that the spiritual tide of his nation could rise no higher than the spiritual level of his own heart. So he fell on his knees in utter humility and prayed, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23,24).
Daily Prayer
Lord, deliver me from the sin of pride, and fill me with continuing humility as I go about the tasks before me this day.
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NIV 365 / With Friends Like These
The NIV 365-Day Devotional Reading Plan | |
Day 213 of 365With Friends Like These
*Think of the last time you tried to comfort someone who was hurting. What did you do right? What did you do wrong?
*What will you do differently next time?
One way God comforts hurting people is to put caring friends in their lives. And if we're following God, one day we'll be one of those caring friends. The apostle Paul says, "Praise be to . . . the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God" (2 Corinthians 1:3 - 4). God uses our experiences to reach out to others with compassion and comfort. Here are some tips to keep in mind when talking with someone who is hurting:
*Ask God to guide you before you speak. He will give you the right words to say.
*Give your hurting friend a chance to share their feelings. Listen closely and ask questions. Don't try to correct anything the person says.
*Don't use clichés or try to give simple answers. Instead, talk about how much you care about your friend.
*Pray with your friend.
*Ask if you can do simple things, like chores or errands, to make your friend's life a little easier.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for putting loved ones in our lives who care about us and comfort us. Teach us to be people who can offer care and comfort to other hurting people. Amen.
Taken from Once a Day At the Table
Job 2:12-13 KJV
12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great. |
The Price of Admission / Our Daily Bread
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Our Daily Bread -- The Price of Admission
July 31, 2016
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All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. —Romans 3:24
Every year some two million people from all over the world visit St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. It is well worth the admission fee to experience the magnificent structure designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren during the late 17th century. But tourism is secondary at this place of Christian worship. A primary mission of the cathedral is “to enable people in all their diversity to encounter the transforming presence of God in Jesus Christ.” If you want to tour the building and admire the architecture, you must pay an admission fee. But there is no charge to enter and attend any of the daily worship services at St. Paul’s.
How much does it cost to enter the kingdom of God? Entry is free because Jesus Christ paid the price for us by His death. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:23-24). When we acknowledge our spiritual need and accept by faith God’s forgiveness for our sins, we have a new and everlasting life in Him.
You can enter a new life today because, by His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, Jesus has paid the price of admission! —David McCasland
You can invite Jesus into your life by praying something like this: Dear Jesus, I believe that You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I want to accept You as my Savior and follow You. Please forgive my sins and help me, from this moment on, to live a life that is pleasing to You.
Jesus paid the price so we can enter God’s kingdom.
INSIGHT: What does it mean to “fall short of the glory of God”? (Rom. 3:23). The glory of God is the outward manifestation of God’s character, which, at the center, is holiness and love. In God’s plan of redemption, human beings are to share in this glory. Those who respond to Christ’s offer of salvation begin a process of reflecting God’s character (2 Cor. 3:18). In heaven multitudes will ascribe glory to God for His work of salvation (Rev. 19:1). In contrast, those who have rebelled against God have chosen a path that does not seek or reflect God’s holy love. Dennis Fisher
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Saturday, July 30, 2016
The Teaching of Disillusionment by Oswald Chambers
The Teaching of Disillusionment
Disillusionment means having no more misconceptions, false impressions, and false judgments in life; it means being free from these deceptions. However, though no longer deceived, our experience of disillusionment may actually leave us cynical and overly critical in our judgment of others. But the disillusionment that comes from God brings us to the point where we see people as they really are, yet without any cynicism or any stinging and bitter criticism. Many of the things in life that inflict the greatest injury, grief, or pain, stem from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts, seeing each other as we really are; we are only true to our misconceived ideas of one another. According to our thinking, everything is either delightful and good, or it is evil, malicious, and cowardly.
Refusing to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering of human life. And this is how that suffering happens— if we love someone, but do not love God, we demand total perfection and righteousness from that person, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; yet we are demanding of a human being something which he or she cannot possibly give. There is only one Being who can completely satisfy to the absolute depth of the hurting human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is so obviously uncompromising with regard to every human relationship because He knows that every relationship that is not based on faithfulness to Himself will end in disaster. Our Lord trusted no one, and never placed His faith in people, yet He was never suspicious or bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God, and in what God’s grace could do for anyone, was so perfect that He never despaired, never giving up hope for any person. If our trust is placed in human beings, we will end up despairing of everyone.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The great thing about faith in God is that it keeps a man undisturbed in the midst of disturbance. Notes on Isaiah, 1376 R
No Exceptions to God's Love by Charles Stanley
Oftentimes I preach, “God loves you, and He has a plan and a purpose for your life.” Yet whenever I do, it seems someone in the crowd believes that he or she is an exception. I have heard many reasons why people decide verses like “For God so loved the world ...” (John 3:16) don’t apply to them. Sadly, they have bought into the devil’s lie that they aren’t important enough to be singled out for blessing from among the billions on earth. Or they listen to Satan’s deceiving voice when he insists that they are too weak, sinful, or scarred to merit the Lord’s love.
How do I know that God thinks you are special? Jesus Christ died for you. Because of the heavenly Father’s love for the world, He sent His Son to die on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of everyone living in the past, present, or future. None of us deserve the Father’s care and protection, but thankfully, deserving isn’t the basis for His love. In fact, God’s very nature is love, which He demonstrated through Christ’s death “while we were yet sinners” (Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:8).
God cares so much for His children that He gives each one a place in His plan for the world. Believers are gifted with the talents and attributes needed to carry out His purpose (1 Cor. 12:11). However, Christians who consider themselves exempt from His love aren’t looking for the opportunities He sends. They are too distracted by Satan’s lying voice.
The Lord loves you. He says so again and again in the Scriptures. But don’t take myword for it. Read His Word for yourself and see how much He cares.
You'll Be Known by the Master You Follow by Adrian Rogers
JULY 30
You’ll Be Known by the Master You Follow
“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour.” - John 12:25-26
You know, sometimes it’s hard to look at an individual and know whether they’re saved or not saved. One way to illustrate it is, if there is a group of people standing around and there’s a dog in the midst, it’s hard to tell which man that dog belongs to. Let’s say two men are having a conversation and the dog is sitting on the floor. When the two men part, you’re going to find out who the dog belongs to, because the dog will follow his master, is that not right?
Friend, I made up my mind that if a dog can follow his master, I’m going to follow mine. And do you know how you’re going to be known? In high school, some kids are going to go this way and Jesus is going to go that way, and you’re going to go that way, because Jesus is your Master. In business, some men are going to go this way and Jesus is going to go that way. And Mr. Christian Businessman, you’ll go that way.
Make it your purpose to do what Jesus said so long ago: “Follow me.”
July 30 / Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman
A cup of cold water only (>Matthew 10:42).
What am I to do? I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good work, therefore, any kindness, or any service I can render to any soul of man or animal let me do it now. Let me not neglect or defer it, for I shall not pass this way again.
--An Old Quaker Saying
--An Old Quaker Saying
It isn't the thing you do, dear,
It's the thing you leave undone,
Which gives you the bitter heartache
At the setting of the sun;
The tender word unspoken,
The letter you did not write,
The flower you might have sent, dear,
Are your haunting ghosts at night.
The stone you might have lifted
Out of your brother's way,
The bit of heartsome counsel
You were hurried too much to say;
The loving touch of the hand, dear,
The gentle and winsome tone,
That you had no time or thought for,
With troubles enough of your own.
These little acts of kindness,
So easily out of mind,
These chances to be angels,
Which even mortals find
They come in night and silence,
Each chill reproachful wraith,
When hope is faint and flagging,
And a blight has dropped on faith.
For life is all too short, dear.
And sorrow is all too great,
To suffer our slow compassion
That tarries until too late.
And it's not the thing you do, dear,
It's the thing you leave undone,
Which gives you the bitter heartache,
At the setting of the sun.
--Adelaide Proctor
It's the thing you leave undone,
Which gives you the bitter heartache
At the setting of the sun;
The tender word unspoken,
The letter you did not write,
The flower you might have sent, dear,
Are your haunting ghosts at night.
The stone you might have lifted
Out of your brother's way,
The bit of heartsome counsel
You were hurried too much to say;
The loving touch of the hand, dear,
The gentle and winsome tone,
That you had no time or thought for,
With troubles enough of your own.
These little acts of kindness,
So easily out of mind,
These chances to be angels,
Which even mortals find
They come in night and silence,
Each chill reproachful wraith,
When hope is faint and flagging,
And a blight has dropped on faith.
For life is all too short, dear.
And sorrow is all too great,
To suffer our slow compassion
That tarries until too late.
And it's not the thing you do, dear,
It's the thing you leave undone,
Which gives you the bitter heartache,
At the setting of the sun.
--Adelaide Proctor
Give what you have; to someone it may be better than you dare to think.
--Longfellow
--Longfellow
Molding You by Billy Graham
Day By Day With Billy Graham | |
Day 213 of 366Molding You
I have a friend who during the Depression lost his job, a fortune, a wife, and a home. But he tenaciously held to his faith-the only thing he had left. One day he stopped to watch some men doing stonework on a huge church. One of them was chiseling a triangular piece of stone. "What are you going to do with that?" asked my friend. The workman said, "See that little opening away up there near the spire? Well, I'm shaping this down here, so it will fit in up there." Tears filled the eyes of my friend as he walked away, for it seemed that God had spoken through the workman to explain his ordeal through which he was passing, "I'm shaping you down here, so you'll fit in up there."
Daily Prayer
Thank You, Lord, for all the "shaping" in my life, which brings me closer to You.
2 Timothy 2:11 KJV
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
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NIV 365 / Tending Each Other's Wounds
The NIV 365-Day Devotional Reading Plan | |
Day 212 of 365Tending Each Other's Wounds
The book of Hebrews was written to Christians who were facing persecution. Though evidently none of them had as yet been martyred because of their faith (see Hebrews 12:4), a number had been jailed or had their property confiscated (see Hebrews 10:34).
Most of the believers addressed in Hebrews had converted to Christianity from Judaism. Now, because of persecution, they were being pressured to return to Judaism. Some went along with the change, reasoning that the commandments and teachings of the Hebrew religion were the same as that of Christianity, but without Jesus.
The writer of Hebrews urged these believers to recognize that no faith is complete without Jesus. To turn away from Jesus is to cut out the very heart of Christianity.
Still, the threat of further persecution was real. Things would get very difficult for the believers. The writer of this letter responded to this threat by reminding his readers, first, that Jesus had endured hardships and persecution and therefore understood what they were going through. Jesus would provide them with divine assistance and encouragement, no matter how severe their suffering. Second, they could not make it on their own; they needed to help one another, precisely because of the tough times ahead.
That is good advice for spouses who need to encourage one another, particularly in times of crisis, such as financial hardship, relationship challenges, infertility issues or painful losses. No matter what happens or how severe our pain, the only way to triumph over trial is to be anchored in Christ and in each other.
Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones. But no. Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed.
Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from anger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal.
A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts, Mead said.
That sounds a lot like the gospel, doesn't it? Jesus died for our sins when we were still sinners. He is our comfort and salvation when we are broken and dying. He is our lifeline in suffering. Now, as the writer of Hebrews said, we get to do the same for one another.
-Wayne Brouwer
Taken from NIV Couples' Devotional Bible
Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. |
Beach Time by David Jeremiah
Summer Getaway—Beach Time
And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:18-19
Matthew 4:18-19
There’s something about the rhythmic crash of the waves, the shrill cry of the seagulls, and the salty bite of the air that calms our nerves and helps us ponder our problems or pray through our decisions. If we can’t get to a seacoast, a lakeside will do, or a riverbank, or a flowing fountain. Water is therapeutic for the soul; perhaps that’s why God spread it across three-fourths of the surface of the world.
Recommended Reading: Mark 1:14-20
As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee one day, He saw two fishermen and said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” He wasn’t just speaking to Peter and Andrew, but to you and me.
Notice the phrase: “I will make you….” We’re not self-made men or women; we’re made by Jesus. We can’t make ourselves into successful people or find significance in a life that excludes Him. We must put Him first, study His Word, and invest ourselves in His cause—and He makes us. He builds us. He grows us. He blesses us. And He places us on the shoreline of humanity as fishers of men.
Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium.
Paul Harvey
Paul Harvey
Keeping Faith / Our Daily Bread
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Our Daily Bread -- Keeping Faith
July 30, 2016
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Without faith it is impossible to please God. —Hebrews 11:6
It’s tempting to think of faith as a kind of magic formula. If you muster up enough of it, you’ll get rich, stay healthy, and live a contented life with automatic answers to all your prayers. But life does not work according to such neat formulas. As proof, the author of Hebrews presents a stirring reminder of what constitutes “true faith” by reviewing the lives of some Old Testament giants of faith (Heb. 11).
“Without faith,” the author says bluntly, “it is impossible to please God” (11:6). In describing faith he uses the word persevered (v. 27). As a result of their faith, some heroes triumphed: They routed armies, escaped the sword, survived lions. But others met less happy ends: They were flogged, stoned, sawed in two. The chapter concludes, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised” (v. 39).
The picture of faith that emerges does not fit into an easy formula. Sometimes it leads to victory and triumph. Sometimes it requires a gritty determination to “hang on at any cost.” Of such people, “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” (v. 16).
What our faith rests on is the belief that God is in ultimate control and will indeed keep His promises—whether that happens in this life or the next. —Philip Yancey
Give me a faith that trusts You wholeheartedly, Lord.
Our greatest comfort in sorrow is to know that God is in control.
INSIGHT: Hebrews 11 has been called the Hall of Faith. In it we read of diverse people who faced trials and tribulations far beyond what most of us face. Yet all persevered by trusting the Lord. By the grace of God, we can do the same. Dennis Fisher
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The Eye of the Tebow by Troy Schmidt
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The American Bible Challenge: The Eye of the Tebow
Read Philippians 4:1-14.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. — Philippians 4:6
Tim Tebow loved to write this verse under his eyes, but it’s a verse we should have written in our hearts. Many times we will need to call up this verse and claim it in our situations.
It’s hard to imagine quarterbacks living this verse, especially in the extreme situations they face.
I’m sure Tim Tebow muttered quick prayers in desperate situations, but notice he claimed the verse before the kickoff, not during the fourth quarter. He was prepared for the worst situations, setting his heart monitor before things got tough, not trying to remember the verse while his heart rate skyrocketed.
While things are calm, we need to tell ourselves not to worry.
We need to present every possible request now, so when something comes up we’re not surprised. We need to know now that God can handle anything, even if we fumble the ball.
Today’s Bible Challenge
Excerpted with permission from The American Bible Challenge by Troy Schmidt, copyright Troy Schmidt.
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Friday, July 29, 2016
Your Father is Here by Max Lucado
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