December 31 / Elisha's Ridiculous Faith

Do you feel overwhelmed with too many responsibilities and challenges facing you at every turn? Do you feel like you’ve run out of options and you’re doing life on empty? That is likely what the wife of the prophet that died in 2 Kings 4:1-7 felt. With her husband’s death, she was in desperate financial trouble and was in fear of losing everything she had--including her boys--to creditors. She asked Elisha for help. When he asked her what she had to work with she told him that she had nothing at all to work with except a small jar of oil. Maybe you can relate to the widow in that when you don’t think you have enough, you feel desperation and focus solely on your limitations. God sees your problem much differently from the way you do. 

All throughout scripture we see examples of how God specializes in doing a lot with a little and this story is another prime example. The world may see this as illogical or ridiculous, but God doesn’t. God took one jar of oil and multiplied it so the widow could pay her debts. During those times when you feel overwhelmed and you’ve run out of options, remember that what you have is all God needs. God has given you everything you need. Where in life do you feel overwhelmed and feel like you have nothing left? What are some of the things you do have that could help you in changing your focus?

“Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves." Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil." Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full." So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing the vessels to her and she poured. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not one vessel more." And the oil stopped. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest."”

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭4:1-7‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Yesterday by Oswald Chambers

Yesterday You shall not go out with haste,…for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.  ISAIAH 52:12 Security from Yesterday. “…God requires an account of what is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). At the end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise when we remember our yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God’s grace tends to be lessened by the memory of yesterday’s sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present. Security for Tomorrow. “…the Lord will go before you….” This is a gracious revelation— that God will send His forces out where we have failed to do so. He will keep watch so that we will not be tripped up again by the same failures, as would undoubtedly happen if He were not our “rear guard.” And God’s hand reaches back to the past, settling all the claims against our conscience. Security for Today. “You shall not go out with haste….” As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, forgetful delight, nor with the quickness of impulsive thoughtlessness. But let us go out with the patient power of knowing that the God of Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ. Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him. From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS We are all based on a conception of importance, either our own importance, or the importance of someone else; Jesus tells us to go and teach based on the revelation of His importance. “All power is given unto Me.… Go ye therefore ….” from So Send I You, 1325 R

Why Do People Follow Jesus? by Charles Stanley

John 6:22-71

When Jesus walked this earth, a vast multitude followed Him. They came for many reasons—some noble, some self-serving. The same is true today. It’s important to understand what motivates people to come to Christ, since not all who seek Him are really His followers. In fact, we should each analyze our own Christian walk by asking ourselves, What do I want from Him? How committed am I to being His disciple?

Many of the people who followed Jesus did so because they had urgent needs that He alone could meet. Everywhere He went, the sick and demon-possessed were brought to Him—this is one of the ways God draws us to Himself. Those who can solve their own problems don’t know they need a Savior.

Others came for sensationalism—to see signs and miracles and feel a thrill of excitement. Today some people come to church or conferences to get pumped up. But mountaintop experiences are always followed by valleys. When challenges come, such people are quick to abandon the Lord.

But Jesus’ disciples followed Him because they genuinely believed that He was the Messiah, the very Son of God (Matt. 16:16). Their commitment went beyond emotions. They wanted to know Christ and walk closely with Him.

Are you more interested in what Jesus can do for you than in just being with Him? Do you find it hard to stay committed without some impressive experience to sustain you? Our physical and emotional needs can draw us to the Lord but cannot sustain our walk with Him. Consider starting the new year by reevaluating your commitment to the Lord.

The Messenger / Our Daily Bread

The Messenger

Amy Boucher Pye

I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Malachi 3:1

Malachi 3:1–5

“I have a message for you!” A woman working at the conference I was attending handed me a piece of paper, and I wondered if I should be nervous or excited. But when I read, “You have a nephew!” I knew I could rejoice.

Messages can bring good news, bad news, or words that challenge. In the Old Testament, God used His prophets to communicate messages of hope or judgment. But when we look closely, we see that even His words of judgment were intended to lead to repentance, healing, and restoration.

Both types of messages appear in Malachi 3 when the Lord promised to send a messenger who would prepare the way for Him. John the Baptist announced the coming of the true Messenger, Jesus (see Matthew 3:11)—“the messenger of the covenant” (Malachi 3:1) who will fulfill God’s promises. But He will act “like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap” (v. 2), for He will purify those who believe in His word. The Lord sent His word to cleanse His people because of His loving concern for their well-being.

God’s message is one of love, hope, and freedom. He sent His Son to be a messenger who speaks our language—sometimes with messages of correction, but always those of hope. We can trust His message.

Lord Jesus Christ, help me not only to understand Your message but to live it.

Ask the Lord to help you share His good news with others in the new year.

Our Sympathetic High Priest by John MacArthur

Our Sympathetic High Priest

"Assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted" (Heb. 2:16-18). Jesus came to sympathize with us, so He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest. In his letters to Timothy, Paul counseled and encouraged his young associate about many things—his health, his critics, his moral and spiritual warfare. His counsel is well summed up in these words: "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David" (2 Tim. 2:8). Like Timothy, we need to be reminded of Christ's humanity, especially when life becomes particularly tough. Then we can pray, "Lord, You know what You endured while You were here. I'm going through it now." We can be sure He knows and will encourage us. Jesus came not only to save us but also to sympathize with us. He experienced what we experience so He could be a "merciful and faithful high priest." After all, "we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). Jesus felt everything we will ever feel—and more. Most of us will never know the full degree of any given temptation because we usually succumb long before we reach it. But since Jesus never sinned, He took the full measure of every temptation. Ours is not a cosmic God, powerful and holy, but indifferent. He knows when we hurt, where we are weak, and how we are tempted. Jesus is not just our Savior, but our loving Lord who sympathizes with us. Rejoice in the greatness of His love for us. Suggestion for Prayer Ask God to remind you of your need of Him at all times, not just when times are tough. For Future Study Memorize 1 Corinthians 10:13 for quick recall whenever you are faced with any trial. 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.

Your Strategy for 2019 by Adrian Rogers

Your Strategy for 2019

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”John 15:11

Do you depend upon Jesus Christ? I mean totally depend upon Him? Here’s the way you can tell—are you resting in Him today?

You see, when you are totally committed to Jesus Christ, you rest in Him. You realize that for your every need, it is necessary for Him to supply it.

Have you ever looked at a branch? It has no other source of life than the vine. If you asked that branch, “What’s your secret for your healthy leaves and fruit?” the branch would answer, “My secret is that I’m resting in the vine.”

“But what about your needs?” you ask. 

“I know I have needs, but that’s not my responsibility. My response is to rest in the vine’s ability to provide. I don’t produce the fruit. I just bear it.” 

Are you resting in the Lord today? Will you choose to rest in Him for the next 365?

Light Up the Runway! by Stephen Davey

Light Up the Runway!

Matthew 5:14-15

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;  nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."

James Dobson told a story about a friend who was flying his single-engine plane toward a small rural airport.  When he arrived at the close of the day, the sun had already dropped behind the mountain.  By the time he had maneuvered into position to land, he couldn't see the shadowy field below.  There was no one on duty at the airport, and there were no lights on the plane. 

The pilot circled the runway for another attempted landing, but the darkness had become even more impenetrable.  For two hours he flew around in the inky blackness, knowing full well that he faced certain death when his fuel tank emptied.

Then, as panic began to seize him, a wonderful thing happened.  Someone who lived near the airport had heard the continuous drone of a small plane engine and realized there was a problem.  That kind, merciful man raced to the airport and drove his car back and forth on the runway to indicate the direction of the airstrip. He then drove to the far end of the runway, positioned his lights, and turned them on high beam, to shine down the stretch of tarmac. 

The pilot landed safely.

We all know the potential disaster that comes from being caught ill-equipped in darkness.

Maybe you drove to the restaurant anyway, even though your daughter reminded you that you don't see well enough to drive at night.  Maybe you tried to get that last section of the deck stained before nightfall and discovered the streaks the next morning. Maybe you stepped on the only Lego left out on the floor as you started down the hallway to get a late-night drink of water.

Darkness can be frightening. Darkness can be dangerous. Darkness can be deadly.

But, "God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6).

This Light that He gave us is Himself.  In John's Gospel, Jesus tells His disciples that He is the Light of the World (John 8:12). In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, Jesus Christ tells His disciples that they are the light of the world. This is to say that Christ puts His Light in us.  This He does by giving us Himself.

Because God has given Himself to us, we in turn bear witness of God to others. What if the man who had illuminated the runway had decided to stay home?

The souls of the world hang in the balance, and without Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, they are destined to remain in the darkness—without God . . . without hope.

Grab your keys; start the engine; turn on the headlights—someone's in trouble.  Don't make him circle the field again!  Light up the runway . . . bring him in for a safe landing!

Prayer Point: Pray that God will give you opportunity to share Christ with others.  Pray that you will have the courage to shine brightly.

Extra Refreshment: Luke 1:67-79 and experience the same joy as Zacharias in praising God for Jesus, the Light of the World.

Draw Near / HUMILITY OF HEART

HUMILITY OF HEART

A dying minister was visited by his faithful deacon. "Ah, pastor," the deacon said, "you are now about to meet the Lord and receive your rewards." "Oh no," gasped the aged preacher, "not reward, mercy!"

Solomon's attitude was not one of arrogance but of deepest humility. He knew he did not deserve the kingship and quickly admitted his shortcomings. He asked God for wisdom, not for riches, and God graciously gave both.

The proper attitude the Christian must have is one of complete humility before God. We do not deserve His great salvation; and like the dying minister, do not cry for rewards, but mercy. We do not understand why God chose to love us as unlovely as we are, but we thrill to the knowledge that His grace and mercy have been poured out to us. With the songwriter we sing, "And from my smitten heart with tears, two wonders I confess, The wonders of His glorious love and my own worthlessness." Like Solomon, we admit to God we do not know how to go in or come out before Him; and we need His wisdom and strength to live holy in His presence. With this attitude, God will bless and draw us near to Himself.

“Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭3:7‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Let the Thirsty Come by Alistair Begg

Let the Thirsty Come

The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
Jeremiah 8:20

Not saved! Dear reader, is this your sorry condition? Warned of the judgment to come, invited to escape for your life, and yet at this moment not saved! 

You know the way of salvation, you read it in the Bible, you hear it from the pulpit, it is explained to you by friends, and still you neglect it, and therefore you are not saved. You will be without excuse when the Lord shall execute judgment. The Holy Spirit has blessed the Word that has been preached in your hearing, and times of refreshing have come from the divine presence, and yet you are still without Christ. All these hopeful seasons have come and gone—your summer and your harvest have past—and still you are not saved. Years have followed one another into eternity, and your last year will soon be here: Youth has gone, manhood is going, and still you are not saved.

Let me ask you—will you ever be saved? Is there any likelihood of it? Already the most favorable seasons have left you unsaved. Will other occasions alter your condition? Every means has failed with you—the best of means, used perseveringly and with the utmost affection. What more can be done for you? Affliction and prosperity have equally failed to impress you; tears and prayers and sermons have been wasted on your barren heart. Are not the probabilities dead against your ever being saved? Is it not more than likely that you will stay as you are till death forever bars the door of hope? Do you recoil from this idea? Yet it is a most reasonable one: He who is not washed in so many waters will in all probability go filthy to his end. The convenient time never has come—why should it ever come? It is logical to fear that it will never arrive and that like Felix you will find no convenient occasion until you are in hell. Think carefully about hell and of the dreadful probability that you will soon be there!

Reader, suppose you should die unsaved—no words can picture your doom. Write out your dreadful predicament in tears and blood; talk of it with groans and gnashing of teeth: You will be punished with everlasting destruction and banished from the glory of the Lord and from the glory of His power. Allow my words to startle you into serious thought. Be wise, be wise in time, and before another year begins believe in Jesus, who is able to save you completely.

Consecrate these last hours to lonely thought, and if you are brought to deep repentance, it will be well; and if it leads to a humble faith in Jesus, it will be best of all. See to it that this year does not pass away with you still unforgiven. Do not let the new year's midnight bells sound upon a joyless spirit! Now, now, NOW believe and live.

ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE;
LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE,
NEITHER STAY THOU
IN THE PLAIN;
ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAIN,
LEST THOU BE CONSUMED.

Lamb of God by Scott Hoezee

Lamb of God December 31, 2018 Read: John 1:29-34 Behold, the Lamb of God! (v. 29) Given how famous it is now, it might surprise you to learn that the phrase “the Lamb of God” appears in the Bible only in John 1. Prophets like Isaiah associated a lamb with the coming Messiah. The book of Revelation shows us a slain lamb on a throne. But the exact phrase “Lamb of God” is unique to John the Baptist. Maybe he coined this phrase. But if it had never before been heard, what do you suppose the original hearers made of it? Did it sound like a compliment or a curse? After all, lambs and sheep are not known to be very intelligent. In Israel, lambs were also slaughtered for sacrifice. So did calling Jesus a lamb sound like calling someone today a “dumb bunny,” somebody who seems a little clueless? Or given the sacrifice connection, did it sound like declaring Jesus to be a “dead man walking”? Maybe it was both: Jesus was both innocent and doomed. But Jesus was the Lamb of God. And he would take away the sin of the world. That is what God’s Lamb—and only God’s Lamb—can do. This month we have thought about many things in connection to the advent or coming of Jesus into our world. But as we conclude, it’s fitting to end with the dearest truth of them all: Jesus is the Lamb of God. And he really did take away the sin of the world. Thanks be to God! —Scott Hoezee Prayer: O Lamb of God, take away also my sin that I may live with you forever. Amen.

Time is God's Gift to Us / Senior Living

Time is God's Gift to Us

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle… --Job 7:6

Where are we going so fast? Scientific measurements indicate that we are moving even when we are standing still. Continental land masses sit on enormous slabs of rock that slide very slowly at the rate of 1 to 8 inches per year. In addition, America is gradually moving westward, away from Europe, at the rate of 3 inches per year.

Consider this: our Milky Way galaxy is hurtling through space at 375 miles per second or 1.3 million miles per hour. And within our own galaxy, the sun and its solar system are zooming along at 12.4 miles per second toward the star Vega in the constellation Lyra.

If you were to lie on your back in a quiet park on a cloudless day, you may feel as though all time and movement have stopped under the warm rays of the sun. And when you're walking down the street, you don't notice the earth spinning beneath your feet. But the scientist and the Christian know otherwise. Just as we are hurtling through the heavens at unimaginable speeds according to science, so too are we moving from here to eternity.

Our days and opportunities to live for the Lord and share Him with others pass so quickly that we cannot afford to waste any more time. It is important that we remember our days are numbered and life is but "a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14). Time is God's gift to you, so worship Him, live for Him, and bring others to the saving knowledge of His grace and forgiveness in the days you have left. Live dynamically for Christ today because tomorrow may not come.

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to help you live without desperation or futility as you travel quickly from your earthly home to your heavenly home.

Now the Year Is Over by David Jeremiah

Monday, December 31 Now the Year Is Over    For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 23:18    In his song, “1999,” the late superstar Prince sang, “Life is just a party and parties weren’t meant to last.” As we know, Prince’s party didn’t last. He died of a drug overdose in 2016 at age 57. Tonight millions of people will be partying as the old year draws to a close. The beginning of a new year is certainly worth celebrating, but it’s also a time to remind ourselves that life isn’t simply a party—it’s a calling and commission from God. The brevity of life only reinforces the need for each day to be dedicated to knowing and doing the will of God.

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 23:17-19

Compare Prince’s song to this old English hymn by Emily Elliott: Every day He sends us He Himself prepares; He Himself attends us Through its joys and cares; His true love beseeching, Let us, then, draw near; Seeking guidance, teaching, For the opening year. Now the year is over, let us braver stand, / Seeking to discover His—our Father’s--hand. Emily Elliott

Time To Clean House! by Scott Hoezee

Time To Clean House!  Mon, 31 Dec 2018  ‘Sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers and carry out the rubbish.’ 2 Chronicles 29:5 NKJV  In Scotland they have a New Year’s tradition that involves cleaning out your house, dumping the old ashes from your fireplace, and paying off your outstanding debts. It’s about clearing out the old to make room for the new. And from time to time you must clean your spiritual house too. The Bible says, ‘Carry out the rubbish.’ Why? Because over time wrong attitudes, shoddy workmanship, and bad habits creep in and blind us to what’s important.  Sheila Coleman says: ‘Ten years ago I cleaned house from top to bottom. I dusted every nook and cranny… scrubbed the bath and every sink until they shone. I even took a toothbrush to the grout in the kitchen. That house had never been so clean. And today—ten years later… it’s still clean. I’ve never had to pick up another duster… vacuum… or wash the kitchen counter… and my house looks as clean as it did that day, right? WRONG! We continually need spiritual house cleaning because we live in a dirty world. Just as our homes… cars and clothes have to be maintained… our hearts—our spiritual homes—need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Not once a week or once a month, and certainly not once every ten years, or once in a lifetime. We need to let God have His way in us every day, to clean us up and renew us… Is there a room in your “house” you haven’t allowed Him to clean? If it’s been a while since God did a thorough heart-cleaning, make this your prayer: Lord, clean my heart so You can live and shine through me.’ SoulFood: Job 39–42, Lk 2:51–52, Ps 139:13–24, Ecc 11:7–10

At The Right Time

At The Right Time

 

People that do "good," or  that strive to do what they understand is God's direction for them typically are not doing that because they expect some reward.  However, it is interesting what Paul writes in Galatians 6:9,10 "So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.  Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith."

 

I think there are two messages for us in this verse.  First, we will receive blessings for doing good.  Second, the blessings will come at the right time for us.  We may hope and pray for certain things, but they may not be good for us now.  If we keep striving to do what the Bible teaches, and not give up as Paul says, God will give us the blessings we need at the "right time" for each of us.

 

Dear Lord, we know you are watching each of us, and know our needs and desires.  Help us keep doing your will, being blessings to others.  Thank you for blessing us in your time.   In Jesus' name we pray. Amen

The Preeminence of Christ by John MacArthur

The Preeminence of Christ

“[Christ] is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him” (Colossians 1:18-19). Christ has preeminence in everything. The apostle Paul presents four great truths in Colossians 1:18 about Christ’s relation to the church. The first is that Christ is the head of the church. This concept looks at the church as a living organism, inseparably tied together by the living Christ. He controls every part of it and gives it life and direction (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12-20). Christ is also the source of the church. The Greek word translated “beginning” (arche) is used here in the twofold sense of source and primacy. The church has its origins in Jesus. God “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4). As head of the Body, Jesus holds the chief position or highest rank in the church. As the beginning, He is its originator. Another truth is that Christ is the first-born from the dead. Of all those who have been raised from the dead or ever will be, Christ is the highest in rank. Furthermore, it is Christ who will cause the resurrection of others (John 5:28-29; 6:40). Finally, Christ is the preeminent One. As a result of His death and resurrection, Jesus has come to have first place in everything. Paul states that truth to drive home as forcefully as he can that Jesus is not merely another emanation from God. Paul then summarizes his argument by saying that all the fullness of deity dwells in Christ alone (Col. 1:19). It is not spread out in small doses to a group of spirits, as the false teachers were saying. Rather, in Christ, and Him alone, believers are “complete” (2:10). What should be your response to the glorious truths about Christ in Colossians 1:15-19? Be encouraged to meditate on the glory of Christ as revealed in this passage. Doing so will help you be transformed into Christ’s image and will prepare you to behold His glory in Heaven. Suggestions for Prayer Thank the Lord for each of the four truths discussed above. For Further Study According to John 1:16, what have you received? 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.

“And Every Virtue We Possess” by Oswald Chambers

“And Every Virtue We Possess” …All my springs are in you.  PSALM 87:7 Our Lord never “patches up” our natural virtues, that is, our natural traits, qualities, or characteristics. He completely remakes a person on the inside— “…put on the new man…” (Ephesians 4:24). In other words, see that your natural human life is putting on all that is in keeping with the new life. The life God places within us develops its own new virtues, not the virtues of the seed of Adam, but of Jesus Christ. Once God has begun the process of sanctification in your life, watch and see how God causes your confidence in your own natural virtues and power to wither away. He will continue until you learn to draw your life from the reservoir of the resurrection life of Jesus. Thank God if you are going through this drying-up experience! The sign that God is at work in us is that He is destroying our confidence in the natural virtues, because they are not promises of what we are going to be, but only a wasted reminder of what God created man to be. We want to cling to our natural virtues, while all the time God is trying to get us in contact with the life of Jesus Christ— a life that can never be described in terms of natural virtues. It is the saddest thing to see people who are trying to serve God depending on that which the grace of God never gave them. They are depending solely on what they have by virtue of heredity. God does not take our natural virtues and transform them, because our natural virtues could never even come close to what Jesus Christ wants. No natural love, no natural patience, no natural purity can ever come up to His demands. But as we bring every part of our natural bodily life into harmony with the new life God has placed within us, He will exhibit in us the virtues that were characteristic of the Lord Jesus. And every virtue we possess Is His alone. From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS The Bible is the only Book that gives us any indication of the true nature of sin, and where it came from. from The Philosophy of Sin, 1107 R

God’s Unchanging Love by Charles Stanley

Romans 8:31-39

The limitless, unfailing love of God is difficult for man to grasp. Yet the Bible clearly teaches that divine love is sure, eternal, and in no way dependent upon our worthiness or good behavior. If we are born-again believers, nothing can lessen the Father’s love for us. However, since we struggle to wrap our minds around this truth, He sometimes increases our perception by using earthly examples.

For many years, I had a German schnauzer named Rommel. Every afternoon as I pulled my car into the driveway, Rommel ran to greet me. Many times he would appear to stand at attention by the front of the house as if to say, “Welcome home, sir. Everything is under control here!”

Now sometimes I had to correct or discipline Rommel for something he had done or for the occasional accident around the house. However, no matter what I did, whether it was a reprimand or withholding attention from time to time, he never seemed to love me any less. Rommel was always happy to see me and longed for my company.

One day while I was playing with him, the Lord taught me a lesson. I looked at my faithful dog and said, “Rommel, no matter what I do, you always love me. I’d like to be that kind of friend.” If a dog can exemplify this simple truth, we should aim for nothing less.

But this realization also taught me something about Jesus: He never changes, and His love never waivers. No matter what I do or how I fail, He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

All Things New by James Banks

All Things New

James Banks

If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Revelation 21:1–7

Junkyards intrigue me. I enjoy working on cars, so I frequently make trips to the one near our home. It’s a lonely place, where the wind whispers through discarded hulks that were once someone’s prized possession. Some were wrecked, some wore out, and others simply outlived their usefulness. As I walk between the rows, a car will sometimes catch my eye, and I’ll find myself wondering about the adventures it had during its “lifetime.” Like a portal to the past, each has a story to tell—of human hankering after the latest model and the inescapable passage of time.

But I take particular pleasure in finding new life for an old part. Whenever I can take something discarded and give it new life in a restored vehicle, it feels like a small victory against time and decline.

It sometimes makes me think of Jesus’s words at the end of the Bible: “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5). These words refer to God’s renewal of creation, which includes believers. Already, all who’ve received Jesus are a “new creation” in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17).

And one day we will enter into His promise of unending days with Him (John 14:3). Age and disease will no longer take their toll, and we will continue the adventure of an eternal lifetime. What stories each of us will have to tell—stories of our Savior’s redeeming love and undying faithfulness.

Loving Lord, I praise You that I am a new creation in You, and that in Your kindness and mercy You have given me the promise of eternal life.

The end of a year and beginning of another is an opportunity for a fresh start. What might God be making new in your life?

Satan's Conqueror by John MacArthur

Satan's Conqueror

"Since . . . the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives" (Heb. 2:14-15). Christ came to break the power of Satan which He did by conquering death. To be free to live with God and share in all His blessings, someone had to shatter Satan's death grip on us. Sin is what gives Satan his powerful hold on us, but the power itself is death. Satan knew that God required death for us because of sin. He knew that all died in Adam—that death became a certain fact of life. And he knew that men, if they remained as they were, would die and go out of God's presence into hell forever. So he wants to hang onto men until they die because once they are dead, the opportunity for salvation is gone forever. To wrest the power of death from Satan's hand, God sent Christ into the world. If you have a greater weapon than your enemy, then his weapon is useless. You can't fight a machine gun with a bow and arrow. Satan's weapon is death, but eternal life is God's weapon, and with it Jesus destroyed death. How was He able to do it? He rose again, proving He had conquered death. That's why He said, "Because I live, you shall live also" (John 14:19). His resurrection provides the believer with eternal life. Nothing terrifies people more than the fear of death. But when we receive Christ, death in reality holds no more fear for us since it simply releases us into the presence of our Lord. We can say with Paul, "To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21). Rejoice that you have placed your hand into the hand of the conqueror of death, who will lead you through death and out the other side. Suggestion for Prayer Ask God to give you a greater realization that He has conquered death to help you live life more fully to His glory. For Further Study Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. How are we to live our lives based on what we know about death? 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.

December 30 / Elisha's Ridiculous Faith

Chapter 3 of 2 Kings is a fascinating story where we find the three kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom joining forces to fight a war they thought they could easily win, but things didn’t go as planned. The kings then ask Elisha for help in their fight. The answer Elisha gives the kings is not what they expected. Elisha tells them (in the King James Version) to go and dig ditches and that God will fill the ditches with water, which will nourish the troops and their cattle. If they do this, Elisha tells the kings that God will deliver Moab into their hands. The kings likely found Elisha’s request a bit ridiculous, but they believed in God’s promise and did as they were told. 

This story is all about faith. Only God can send the water, but he wants you to dig the ditches. If you want to see some water in your life, then dig a ditch. Real faith works and believes big, but you must be willing to start small. The size of your vision isn’t intimidating to God. Many don’t think big enough, but even more won’t start small. How do you dig a ditch? Take your “shovel” and hit the ground one “shovel” at a time. You can’t expect God to give you big things if you won’t start small. Believe big. Start small. Put your faith into action by digging some ditches. What’s a big vision you have that you need God’s help in accomplishing? What small ditches might you need to dig to begin the process of making that vision a reality?

“Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. He did evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and his mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal which his father had made. Nevertheless, he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin; he did not depart from them. Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. And King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, "The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?" And he said, "I will go up; I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses." He said, "Which way shall we go up?" And he answered, "The way of the wilderness of Edom." So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days' journey, and there was no water for the army or for the cattle that followed them. Then the king of Israel said, "Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab." But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?" And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, "Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah." Jehoshaphat said, "The word of the LORD is with him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What do I have to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother." And the king of Israel said to him, "No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab." Elisha said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you. But now bring me a minstrel." And it came about, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. He said, "Thus says the LORD, 'Make this valley full of trenches.' For thus says the LORD, 'You shall not see wind nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, both you and your cattle and your beasts. This is but a slight thing in the sight of the LORD; He will also give the Moabites into your hand. Then you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and fell every good tree and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.'" It happened in the morning about the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. Now all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. And all who were able to put on armor and older were summoned and stood on the border. They rose early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. Then they said, "This is blood; the kings have surely fought together, and they have slain one another. Now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!" But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites arose and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land, slaughtering the Moabites. Thus they destroyed the cities; and each one threw a stone on every piece of good land and filled it. So they stopped all the springs of water and felled all the good trees, until in Kir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the slingers went about it and struck it. When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him 700 men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.”

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭3:1-27‬ ‭NASB‬‬

Are You Stepping Out of Line? by Adrian Rogers

Are You Stepping Out of Line?

“Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” John 5:8

In the Gospels, we learn about a man who languished by a pool for 38 years, hoping for someone to put him in a pool when the waters stirred so he could be healed (see John 5:1-9). He had a place in line, but someone always stepped in front of him. What was Jesus’ response? Step out of line, take up your bed and walk!

Suppose a man had been standing in line for Super Bowl tickets for 38 years. His buddy comes up to him and says, “I have two tickets on the 50-yard line. Come on.” If he steps out of line, he puts all of his trust into this guy’s word that he has two tickets on the 50-yard line.

Do you know what a lot of us do? We want to make a provision for our flesh or we want to keep our spot in line. Jesus says, “Leave it behind.”

You’ll have to make a decision at some point—to stay put or risk it all, following Him!

Our Actions

Our Actions

 

How would you act at the DMV if the person at the counter was your best friend?  How would you act if the slow driver in the parking lot was your mother?  How would you treat the waiter or waitress if it was your niece or nephew?

 

John writes in 1 John 3:18, "Dear children, let us not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions."

 

The way we treat people is one way Christians are to be different from others.  Jesus says in John 13:34-35, "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

 

Dear Lord, Our selfishness often gets in the way of our love for others.  Help us find the joy that comes from showing our love for one another.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.