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Friday, November 30, 2018
By The Grace Of God I Am What I Am by Oswald Chambers
Listening to God by Charles Stanley
Does the heavenly Father still speak to His children? It’s a question that may be on your mind right now. We all have this need to know the Lord is still communicating with us. We crave the certainty that He hears us—and answers.
In today’s reading, we get a clear picture of God’s heart: He yearns for Israel to listen to Him. Think about that. Here’s the almighty Creator of the universe, pleading with His chosen people to hear His voice. It doesn’t make sense, does it? Why on earth would the Israelites turn a deaf ear to their sustaining, omnipotent heavenly Father?
However, God’s message is sent to inattentive ears. He says, “O Israel, if you would listen to Me! ... But My people did not listen to My voice, and Israel did not obey Me” (Psalm 81:8, Psalm 81:11).
Thousands of years later, I’m certain that same question still rings through heaven. We can practically hear the Lord saying, “Oh, church, if only you would listen to Me. But My church did not listen to My voice. Oh, that My church would listen to Me!”
Have you ever sensed God saying the same thing to you personally? We all can fall out of touch with Him at times. That happens when we put ourselves in one corner and restrict the Lord to someplace “over there” and out of the way. Then we seem to lose track of His voice in our life. And yet, though we may not hear Him, He is still talking.
Quiet your spirit today. Open God’s Word and invite Him to speak to you anew. And then listen.
An Unlikely Heroine by John MacArthur
An Unlikely Heroine |
"By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace" (Heb. 11:31).
Rahab illustrates the depth and breadth of God’s amazing grace.
Our final Old Testament hero of faith is an unlikely addition to the list. Not only was she a prostitute, she also was a Gentile—and a Canaanite at that.
The Canaanites were an idolatrous, barbaric, debauched people, infamous even among pagans for their immorality and cruelty. Yet in the midst of that exceedingly wicked society, Rahab came to faith in the God of Israel.
Joshua 2:9-11 records her confession of faith to the two men Joshua had sent into Jericho as spies: "I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath" (emphasis added).
Rahab demonstrated the genuineness of that profession by risking her life to hide the spies from the king of Jericho, who sought to capture them.
Because Rahab lied to protect the spies (vv. 4-5), some people question the validity of her faith. Surely genuine believers wouldn't lie like that—or would they? Abraham did. Sarah did. Isaac did. Jacob did. But the important thing to understand is that God honored their faith, not their deception.
As with all the heroes of faith before her, Rahab's faith wasn't perfect, nor was her knowledge of God's moral law. But because she trusted God, she was spared during Jericho's conquest, then given an even greater honor. She became the mother of Boaz, who married Ruth, the great-great-grandmother of David, thereby becoming an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:5).
Suggestions for Prayer
Praise God for receiving even the vilest sinner who turns to Him in faith.
For Further Study
Read all about Rahab in Joshua 2:1-24, 6:22-25, and James 2:25.
From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com. |
Draw Near / HE WANTED TO TELL
HE WANTED TO TELL
Many years ago, on a Southern battlefield, a soldier lay dying. An artery in his arm had been shattered severely by a shell fragment. A passing physician stopped and bandaged the youth's wound, saving his life. The army doctor was about to leave when the young man called, "Doctor, what is your name?" To this, the physician replied, "It doesn't matter." "But, Doctor," the man said, "I want to tell my wife and children who saved my life."
When Christ comes into our lives binding up broken spirits and saving our souls, we want to tell others Who saved our lives. This was the same feeling Andrew experienced when he met the Master. He could hardly wait to run and tell his brother: The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ) (John 1:41).
When we find the joys of salvation, we also have the responsibility and privilege of telling others about the comfort we have found. We, like the redeemed songwriter, can sing: "Shout salvation full and free; highest hills and deepest caves; this our song of victory, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!" We, like Andrew and the dying boy on the Civil War battlefield, will want to tell of the One Who saved us.
Many years ago, on a Southern battlefield, a soldier lay dying. An artery in his arm had been shattered severely by a shell fragment. A passing physician stopped and bandaged the youth's wound, saving his life. The army doctor was about to leave when the young man called, "Doctor, what is your name?" To this, the physician replied, "It doesn't matter." "But, Doctor," the man said, "I want to tell my wife and children who saved my life."
When Christ comes into our lives binding up broken spirits and saving our souls, we want to tell others Who saved our lives. This was the same feeling Andrew experienced when he met the Master. He could hardly wait to run and tell his brother: The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ) (John 1:41).
When we find the joys of salvation, we also have the responsibility and privilege of telling others about the comfort we have found. We, like the redeemed songwriter, can sing: "Shout salvation full and free; highest hills and deepest caves; this our song of victory, Jesus saves! Jesus saves!" We, like Andrew and the dying boy on the Civil War battlefield, will want to tell of the One Who saved us.
“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 4:19-20 KJV
Shine
Shine
Hopefully we have all experienced a person who amazes us with their exceptional work and performance in their job. For example, the sales person who knows just how to find you exactly what you were looking for without being pushy, the service technician with a bright smile and polite "yes sir" "yes ma'am", the contractor who proudly strives for perfection, meticulously cleans up, and patiently explains everything to his customer, or the doctor or nurse who, with angelic like compassion and tenderness, cares for the dying patient. These people not only bring great credit on themselves, they make their employers and organizations look good to those who see their service.
In much the same way, Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that we are the "light of the world," and to "let your light shine before others, that they will see your good deeds and give glory to your Father in heaven." When we do good, we are bringing credit (glory) to God, whom we follow.
I have heard it said this way, "You may be the only Jesus some people ever see." We have an opportunity every day to demonstrate Gods love to those we contact.
Dear Lord, Help us remember that our actions demonstrate what Christians are to people around us. Help us do good and bring glory to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
You Can Make Suffering Your Servant by Adrian Rogers
You Can Make Suffering Your Servant
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.” Romans 8:17
How do you enlist suffering to make it your servant?
First, you receive it as a gift from God. Job said, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21b).
Second, rely on God’s grace, because with the gift comes His grace. 2 Corinthians 9:8 promises, “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.” God is going to be near you in a special way.
Finally, reflect on the glory of God. There is no greater Christian who ever lived than the Apostle Paul. His greatest motive in all he endured was the glory of God. His pain became a platform from which he declared the glory of God.
Receive it as a gift. Rely upon God’s grace. Reflect upon God’s glory. Choose to glorify Him through it.
November 30 / Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman
And seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest(Jeremiah 45:5).
A promise given for hard places, and a promise of safety and life in the midst of tremendous pressure, a life "for a prey." It may well adjust itself to our own times, which are growing harder as we near the end of the age, and the Tribulation times.
What is the meaning of "a life for a prey"? It means a life snatched out of the jaws of the destroyer, as David snatched the lamb from the lion. It means not removal from the noise of the battle and the presence of our foes; but it means a table in the midst of our enemies, a shelter from the storm, a fortress amid the foe, a life preserved in the face of continual pressure: Paul's healing when pressed out of measure so that he despaired of life; Paul's Divine help when the thorn remained, but the power of Christ rested upon him and the grace of Christ was sufficient.
Lord, give me my life for a prey, and in the hardest places help me today to be victorious.
--Days of Heaven upon Earth
--Days of Heaven upon Earth
We often pray to be delivered from calamities; we even trust that we shall be; but we do not pray to be made what we should be, in the very presence of the calamities; to live amid them, as long as they last, in the consciousness that we are, held and sheltered by the Lord, and can therefore remain in the midst of them, so long as they continue, without any hurt.
For forty days and nights, the Saviour was kept in the presence of Satan in the wilderness, and that, under circumstances of special trial, His human nature being weakened by want of food and rest. The furnace was heated seven times more than it was wont to be heated, but the three Hebrew children were kept a season amid its flames as calm and composed in the presence of the tyrant's last appliances of torture, as they were in the presence of himself before their time of deliverance came. And the livelong night did Daniel sit among the lions, and when he was taken up out of the den, "no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God."
They dwelt in the presence of the enemy, because they dwelt in the presence of God.
Saved and Assured by Stephen Davey
Saved and Assured
What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.
Queen Victoria, sovereign of Great Britain from 1837-1901, attended worship in St. Paul's Cathedral and listened to a sermon that piqued her interest. After the message she asked her chaplain the question, "Can one be absolutely sure in this life of eternal safety?" His answer was, "No, there is no way that anyone can be absolutely sure."
This incident was published afterward in the Court News and came to the notice of a humble minister named John Townsend. After reading the Queen's question and the answer given, he prayed for wisdom, and felt compelled to send these words:
To Her Gracious Majesty, our beloved Queen Victoria, from one of your most humble subjects: With trembling hands, but heart-filled love, and because I know that we can be absolutely sure now for our eternal life in the home that Jesus went to prepare, may I ask Your Most Gracious Majesty to read the following passages of Scripture: John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10. I sign myself, your servant for Jesus' sake, John Townsend.
John Townsend took others into his confidence, and they offered up prayer to God on Her Majesty's behalf. About two weeks later, he received the following letter:
To John Townsend: I have carefully and prayerfully read the portions of Scripture referred to. I now believe in the finished work of Christ for me, and trust by God's grace, to meet you one day in that place He has prepared for us in heaven. Victoria Guelph
The Queen of England bowed her heart and surrendered her life to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords—the One whose majesty extends over all the earth. After she discovered the assurance of salvation through faith in Christ alone, she eventually carried copies of a small booklet to give to her subjects. Safety, Certainty, and Enjoyment contained the plan of salvation and the assurance that one could have in Christ. These were the very things she had discovered upon receiving the Truth.
My friend, don't be deceived by the wisdom of the present age, which says that truth cannot be known, and that material, scientific evidence must be obtained before anything can be proven. As John writes, the proof is in our hearts, and only those who have tasted the everlasting water which God has so freely offered (John 6) can be assured of its never-ending benefit.
Here are the facts: Jesus was born; He died; He rose again on the third day; He is living in the hearts of all those who trust in Him.
And the Apostle John says . . . of this we can be assured!
Prayer Point: Thank the Lord for writing down an eyewitness account of His ministry, His miracles, and His mission, so that "you may know that you have eternal life." Then, thank Him for giving you assurance in your heart, even when you are crippled by doubt.
Extra Refreshment: Read John 20—a passage where Christ proves His divinity by conquering death, and blesses those who have "believed in Him even though we have never seen Him."
How Can I? by David Jeremiah
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Knowing God's Will by John MacArthur
Knowing God's Will |
“Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17).
God’s will is revealed in His Word.
How can a Christian walk wisely and know the will of God for his life? The will of God is explicitly revealed to us in the pages of Scripture. God’s will is that we be:
Saved—“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-4; compare 2 Peter 3:9).
Spirit-filled—“Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:17-18).
Sanctified—“This is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thess. 4:3). Submissive—“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God” (1 Peter 2:13-15).
Suffering for His sake—“It is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong” (1 Peter 3:17).
Saying thanks—“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18).
You may say, “Those are good principles, but they don’t tell me where I ought to go to school or whom I should marry.” But if you’re saved, sanctified, submissive, suffering, and saying thanks, you can do whatever you want! That’s what the psalmist meant when he said, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Ps. 37:4). Does that mean He fulfills the desire? Yes, but before He fulfills it, He puts it in your heart. If you are living a godly life, He will give you the right desires and then fulfill them.
Suggestions for Prayer
Give thanks to God for revealing His will in His Word so that you can live wisely, not foolishly.
For Further Study
Christ acted only in accordance with His Father’s will. Read the following verses, and note how that was so: Matthew 26:42; John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38.
From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com. |
Honoring God with Thanks / Our Daily Bread
Honoring God with Thanks
The doctor wasn’t frowning, despite talking to my husband about his recent cancer diagnosis. Smiling, she offered a suggestion: start each day by giving thanks. “For at least three things,” the doctor said. Dan agreed, knowing that gratitude opens our hearts to find encouragement in God’s goodness. Thus, Dan starts each day with words of praise. Thank You, God, for a good night’s sleep. For my clean bed. For sunshine. For breakfast on the table. For a smile on my lips.
Each word is heartfelt. But could it sound trivial? Does our praise in life’s small details matter to Almighty God? In Psalm 50, David’s chief musician, Asaph, offers a clear answer. God has “no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens” (v. 9). Instead of these once-formal Israelite sacrifices of gratitude, God wants His people to give Him our hearts and lives in gratitude (vv. 14, 23).
As my husband experienced, whole-hearted gratitude helps our spirits flourish. Then when we call on the Lord “in the day of trouble,” He will “deliver” us (v. 15). Does this mean Dan will be healed, spiritually and physically, during his two-year treatment? Or not until after this lifetime? We don’t know. But for now, Dan delights in showing God he’s grateful for His love, and for who God is: Redeemer. Healer. Friend. And friends delight to hear these beautiful words: Thank You.
Each word is heartfelt. But could it sound trivial? Does our praise in life’s small details matter to Almighty God? In Psalm 50, David’s chief musician, Asaph, offers a clear answer. God has “no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens” (v. 9). Instead of these once-formal Israelite sacrifices of gratitude, God wants His people to give Him our hearts and lives in gratitude (vv. 14, 23).
As my husband experienced, whole-hearted gratitude helps our spirits flourish. Then when we call on the Lord “in the day of trouble,” He will “deliver” us (v. 15). Does this mean Dan will be healed, spiritually and physically, during his two-year treatment? Or not until after this lifetime? We don’t know. But for now, Dan delights in showing God he’s grateful for His love, and for who God is: Redeemer. Healer. Friend. And friends delight to hear these beautiful words: Thank You.
What verses bring you comfort in trials? Share at Facebook.com/ourdailybread.
My gratitude to God is great to Him.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
The Absoluteness Of Jesus Christ by Oswald Chambers
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When God Looks on Us With Favor by Charles Stanley
Believers are always under the canopy of God’s grace and love. Nothing we do can change that. At the same time, our behavior and the condition of our heart do determine whether we receive the fullness of His blessings. So let’s see what Scripture teaches about how to experience the Father’s favor.
First, God desires that we have a contrite heart and humble spirit (Psalm 51:17). For that to be the case, all aspects of our life must be surrendered to Jesus. Yet some dreams, desires, and people are difficult to release into His hands. Anything we do not give over to His authority is evidence of pride, which is the exact opposite of what our Father wants in His children. Remember that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Lack of submission proves that we think our way is better than His plan.
Second, God tells us to tremble at His Word (Isa. 66:2). Scripture—the unfolding revelation of Jesus Christ—is living and powerful to teach and transform us. Consider how we treat this treasure. Do we devote time each day to know what the Bible says and how to apply its principles? Do we hunger for more of the Word in our life so we can know its Creator better? One measure of our reverence is obedience: To honor the Lord, we must obey Him.
We all desire God’s favor. Are you living in a manner that positions you to receive the fullness of His blessing? Prayerfully consider whether you have submitted all areas of your life to Jesus Christ—from finances and health to relationships and work habits. Recognize His authority in all things, and revere His Word.
Are You Still Right Where You Began? by Adrian Rogers
Are You Still Right Where You Began?
“He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21
A little boy fell out of bed and was crying. His mother came, picked him up, and said, “Honey, what’s wrong? How did you fall out of bed?” He said, “Well, I guess I went to sleep too close to where I got in.”
I think there are a lot of people who have done exactly that. They get into Christ and somehow they just seem to go to sleep right there. They say, “I’m saved and that’s it.” But friend, that’s not it. It’s just the beginning of a relationship that will last through all eternity.
God wants to move you further into a knowledge of Himself. I don’t know about you, but I’m not satisfied with the status quo of my life. I want to go deep into the heart of Jesus. I desire the same for you.
November 29 / Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman
Nevertheless afterward (Heb. 12:11).
There is a legend that tells of a German baron who, at his castle on the Rhine, stretched wires from tower to tower, that the winds might convert them into an Aeolian harp. And the soft breezes played about the castle, but no music was born.
But one night there arose a great tempest, and hill and castle were smitten by the fury of the mighty winds. The baron went to the threshold to look out upon the terror of the storm, and the Aeolian harp was filling the air with strains that rang out even above the clamor of the tempest. It needed the tempest to bring out the music!
And have we not known men whose lives have not given out any entrancing music in the day of a calm prosperity, but who, when the tempest drove against them have astonished their fellows by the power and strength of their music?
"Rain, rain
Beating against the pane!
How endlessly it pours
Out of doors
From the blackened sky
I wonder why!
Flowers, flowers,
Upspringing after showers,
Blossoming fresh and fair,
Everywhere!
Ah, God has explained
Why it rained!"
Beating against the pane!
How endlessly it pours
Out of doors
From the blackened sky
I wonder why!
Flowers, flowers,
Upspringing after showers,
Blossoming fresh and fair,
Everywhere!
Ah, God has explained
Why it rained!"
You can always count on God to make the "afterward" of difficulties, if rightly overcome, a thousand times richer and fairer than the forward. "No chastening... seemeth joyous, nevertheless afterward..." What a yield!
Saved from the Flames by Stephen Davey
Saved from the Flames
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
I will never forget reading about a Midwestern fire that swept across the prairie, devastating crops, houses, and everything else that lay in its path. It ravaged without warning, leaving families and homesteads in ruin. Only one family was unharmed, and this is their story.
They had seen the smoke coming from a distance and knew they could never outrun it. The father grabbed a brand from the hearth and set their own field afire, lighting smaller fires in patches along the surrounding area. The wind fanned the flames and carried them a mile or so ahead of the on-coming prairie fire. He loaded his family into the wagon and then drove into the middle of their burned-out field . . . and they waited.
Within minutes, the great wall of fire reached the edge of their field. Finding nothing to burn, it merely licked its way along the outer edges. Ultimately, the massive wall of flames met at the back of the field and continued downwind with a fury.
They were safe!
Why? Because they were standing on ground that had already been burned. It had withstood the fire and could not be burned again. It had become this family's propitiation.
Do you know why you will never have to face the wrath of God in fiery judgment? Because you stand in Christ—He is your propitiation. Against Him, the wrath of God has already burned, and for us who are in Him, the fire of God will never burn again. John tells us why God did this for us in 1 John 4:10: "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
We come to Christ as our Propitiator, not because of something we did or some measure of worth that we had in ourselves, but because of what He did on the cross and because of His eternal worth as God the Son.
There is a coming firestorm that will sweep up those who have not accepted the propitiatory work of Christ. It is a place called hell; in it, the wrath of God will burn against all those not standing in the finished work of Christ.
For those who have placed their faith in Christ, they are forever safe from that flame. Because of the cross, which is stained with the perfect blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God's judgment for sin has been fully satisfied.
The wall of flames has passed away for those who are in Christ . . . there is no need to fear.
Prayer Point: Thank Jesus for drinking the cup of God's wrath that you deserved, and for standing in the way of the fire that was headed for your doorstep. Thank Him for a love so great that He was willing to die on the cross.
Extra Refreshment: Read all of 1 John 4
Living Unselfishly by John MacArthur
Living Unselfishly |
“Making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16).
Time will tell whether you’re unselfish or selfish.
In 1842 Robert Murray M’Cheyne, pastor of St. Peter’s Church in Dundee, Scotland, wrote a pastoral letter to an individual who was an unbeliever. The following is an excerpt from his letter:
I was reading this morning (Luke ii. 29), what old Simeon said when he got the child Jesus into his arms: “Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.” If you get a firm hold of the Lord Jesus, you will be able to say the same. . . . God is leading you to the very spot where the Redeemer is,—a lowly, despised, spit-upon, crucified Saviour. Can this be the Saviour of the world? Yes, dear soul; kneel down and call Him your Redeemer. He died for such as you and me.
M’Cheyne lived unselfishly, caring for the spiritual welfare of both believers and unbelievers. Because of poor health, he died at age twenty-nine after ministering but a short seven and a half years. His spiritual legacy of passionate love for the Lord and pastoral love for people continues to serve as an inspiring example for believers today.
M’Cheyne’s life illustrates what the apostle Paul was saying to the Ephesian believers: make the most of your time. In Ephesians 5:16 the Greek term translated “making the most of” means “buy up for yourself.” That doesn’t mean you’re to hoard your time for your own use; rather, you’re to buy up for yourself time that will give God glory. Every day brings new opportunities to be seized for God—opportunities for good, for righteousness, for holiness.
Like M’Cheyne, buy up opportunities daily for God’s glory and the good of others. Be committed to minister to the spiritual needs of believers and unbelievers. By doing so, you will make your time count for eternity.
Suggestions for Prayer
Ask God to help you be unselfish and serve others effectively by His grace.
For Further Study
Read the following verses: Galatians 6:10; 1 Corinthians 10:24; Philippians 2:3-4. How do they say you are to live?
From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com. |
Fly The Airplane
Fly The Airplane
I am a pilot, and one of the things pilots learn in training, and practice routinely, is handling emergencies. For instance, what do you do if the engine fails, what if there is a fire, what if the landing gear do not extend or retract, and so on. In training, we all learn that the first thing to do in an emergency is, "Fly the Airplane." You might think, that no pilot has to be taught this because it is so obvious. What happens, however, is pilots can get so wrapped up in solving the problem that they forget the most important thing, flying the airplane. When they put too much attention on problem solving, and not enough on flying the plane they can create an even bigger problem while trying to solve what might be a simple problem.
Our Christian life can be somewhat similar. How so? The first thing we must remember is to love God above all else. When we love God, we strive to do his will, which results in us making good decisions in our lives, and prevents us from making a small issue a much bigger problem.
When asked "What is the greatest commandment?" Jesus says in Matthew 22:37, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind."
Dear Lord, you are the solution we need in our day to day activities, or in our emergencies. Help us remember the first and most important thing to love you. When we do you will help us through all our challenges. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Say “Yes”! by David Jeremiah
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