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Saturday, February 29, 2020
What Do You Want The Lord to Do for You? by Oswald Chambers
Trusting in the Bible by Charles Stanley
If you were researching a topic for school or work, you’d look for a trustworthy article and then consider the writer’s credentials, wouldn’t you? Let’s try the same approach with Scripture. We can trust the Bible because …
The Holy Spirit is all-knowing. In John 16:8-13, Jesus declares that God’s Spirit will come into the world, not only to teach us about sin, righteousness, and judgment but also to “guide [us] into all the truth.” It is God’s omniscient Spirit who delivered His complete Word in what we now know as the Bible.
The Holy Spirit inspired the writers. As we saw yesterday, all Scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), whose Spirit led over 40 different people to write His inerrant Word over the course of 1,500 years.
The Holy Spirit guides the readers. 1 Corinthians 2:10-14 reminds us that the Holy Spirit reveals truth to us and helps us understand Scripture. Without God’s Spirit, we can’t comprehend spiritual things.
Aren’t you thankful that the Bible is trustworthy? I know I am. We have reliable stories and testimonies of a loving God in whom we can put our faith.
The Secret by Monica La Rose
The Secret
Sometimes I suspect my cat Heathcliff suffers from a bad case of FOMO (fear of missing out). When I come home with groceries, Heathcliff rushes over to inspect the contents. When I’m chopping vegetables, he stands up on his back paws peering at the produce and begging me to share. But when I actually give Heathcliff whatever’s caught his fancy, he quickly loses interest, walking away with an air of bored resentment.
But it’d be hypocritical for me to be hard on my little buddy. He reflects a bit of my own insatiable hunger for more, my assumption that “now” is never enough.
According to Paul, contentment isn’t natural—it’s learned (Philippians 4:11). On our own, we desperately pursue whatever we think will satisfy, moving on to the next thing the minute we realize it won’t. Other times, our discontent takes the form of anxiously shielding ourselves from any and all suspected threats.
Ironically, sometimes it takes experiencing what we’d feared the most in order to stumble into real joy. Having experienced much of the worst life has to offer, Paul could testify firsthand to “the secret” of true contentment (vv. 11–12)—the mysterious reality that as we lift up to God our longings for wholeness, we experience unexplainable peace (vv. 6–7), carried ever deeper into the depths of Christ’s power, beauty, and grace.
But it’d be hypocritical for me to be hard on my little buddy. He reflects a bit of my own insatiable hunger for more, my assumption that “now” is never enough.
According to Paul, contentment isn’t natural—it’s learned (Philippians 4:11). On our own, we desperately pursue whatever we think will satisfy, moving on to the next thing the minute we realize it won’t. Other times, our discontent takes the form of anxiously shielding ourselves from any and all suspected threats.
Ironically, sometimes it takes experiencing what we’d feared the most in order to stumble into real joy. Having experienced much of the worst life has to offer, Paul could testify firsthand to “the secret” of true contentment (vv. 11–12)—the mysterious reality that as we lift up to God our longings for wholeness, we experience unexplainable peace (vv. 6–7), carried ever deeper into the depths of Christ’s power, beauty, and grace.
How have you experienced mysterious peace when you least expected it? What desperate longings or fears might you need to lift up to God?
Father, help me to surrender my attempts to secure my own happiness in exchange for embracing the gift of each moment with You.
Love? Or Knowledge? by Adrian Rogers
Love? Or Knowledge?
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:13
A little girl was reading the Bible one day and came across a picture of angels. She asked her daddy, “What is the difference between a cherubim and a seraphim?” Well, this daddy didn’t know, but he took her to the encyclopedia and they looked for the answer.
He discovered the cherubim excelled in knowledge, and seraphim excelled in love.
The little girl thought for a minute and said, “When I die, I will be a seraphim. I’d rather love God than know everything.” That’s pretty good!
First Corinthians 13:2 says, “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” Love excels knowledge.
Have You Received the Spirit? by Alistair Begg
Have You Received the Spirit?
Now we have received . . . The Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.1 Corinthians 2:12
Dear reader, have you received the Spirit who is from God? The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart may be clearly seen from this fact, that all which has been done by God the Father and by God the Son will be ineffectual to us unless the Spirit reveals these things to our souls. What effect does the doctrine of election have upon any man until the Spirit of God enters into him?
Election is a dead letter in my consciousness until the Spirit of God calls me out of darkness into marvelous light. Then through my calling, I see my election, and knowing myself to be called of God, I know myself to have been chosen in the eternal purpose. A covenant was made with the Lord Jesus Christ by His Father; but what good is that covenant to us until the Holy Spirit brings us its blessings and opens our hearts to receive them? These blessings in Christ Jesus are beyond our reach, but the Spirit of God takes them down and hands them to us, and so they actually become ours.
Covenant blessings in themselves are like bread in heaven, far out of mortal reach, but the Spirit of God opens the windows of heaven and scatters the living bread around the camp of the redeemed. Christ's finished work is like wine stored in the wine-vat; through unbelief we can neither draw nor drink. The Holy Spirit dips our vessel into this precious wine, and then we drink; but without the Spirit we are as truly dead in sin as though the Father never had elected, and though the Son had never bought us with His blood. The Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary to our well-being. Let us walk lovingly toward Him and tremble at the thought of grieving Him.
You are not alone. by Billy Graham
You are not alone.
Loneliness is no respecter of persons. It invades the palace as well as the hut. Many turn to drink because of loneliness. Others lose their sanity becasue of loneliness. Many commit suicide because of the despair of loneliness. Thousands have found Christ to be the answer for their loneliness. The Hebrew children were not alone when they were hurled into the fiery furnace of persecution. There was One with them like unto the Son of God. Moses wasn't alone in the Midian Desert when God came to comfort him and call him to a wider ministry. Elijah wasn't alone at the cave when God came near and spoke with the still, small voice. Paul and Silas were not alone in the Philippian jail when God came down and gave them a song at midnight. Whoever you are, Christ can give you comfort and companionship.
Daily Prayer
Whenever I begin to feel alone, help me to remember that You are always with me. Sometimes the way seems dark but You are still there. Thank You, Lord.
“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.””
Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT
HUMAN INVENTIONS / Draw Near Bible App
HUMAN INVENTIONS
An angry black militant sneered, "If Christianity is a valid religion, why is it so divided?" While his question is not new, it deserves an answer. Christendom is divided into Protestant and Roman Catholic, conservatives and liberals. And even these groups are divided. Clearly, there is at best a cold war between some segments of the Kingdom. Why?
Perhaps the best answer is that God never intended the great message of salvation to settle down into one denomination, into narrowness or legalism. We must understand that religious organizations are the invention of man rather than the creation of God.
While religious organizations are often necessary and denominations provide valuable services, the believer must remember that the message of Christ crosses over manmade barriers to heal the hurt of humanity. Christ's ministry was to preach the good tidings to the meek, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, release from prison those who are bound, and proclaim the coming of His Kingdom. The wise believer understands that religious organizations are often very human and are only to speed the preaching of the great Gospel message. Too often, we feud over unimportant things. The believer patterns his ministry after that of his Lord and seeks to bring people together rather than separate them.
An angry black militant sneered, "If Christianity is a valid religion, why is it so divided?" While his question is not new, it deserves an answer. Christendom is divided into Protestant and Roman Catholic, conservatives and liberals. And even these groups are divided. Clearly, there is at best a cold war between some segments of the Kingdom. Why?
Perhaps the best answer is that God never intended the great message of salvation to settle down into one denomination, into narrowness or legalism. We must understand that religious organizations are the invention of man rather than the creation of God.
While religious organizations are often necessary and denominations provide valuable services, the believer must remember that the message of Christ crosses over manmade barriers to heal the hurt of humanity. Christ's ministry was to preach the good tidings to the meek, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, release from prison those who are bound, and proclaim the coming of His Kingdom. The wise believer understands that religious organizations are often very human and are only to speed the preaching of the great Gospel message. Too often, we feud over unimportant things. The believer patterns his ministry after that of his Lord and seeks to bring people together rather than separate them.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.”
Isaiah 61:1 NLT
Why Thoughts Matter by Greg Laurie
Why Thoughts Matter
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3 nlt)
Maintaining personal peace involves both the heart and the mind. Isaiah 26:3 says of the Lord, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (nlt).
Why do thoughts matter? Because what we think about ultimately affects what we do. Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he” (nkjv). Guard your mind. Protect it. Think about what you’re going to watch or what you’re going to download and listen to.
Ask yourself whether what you’re going to do will build you up or tear you down spiritually, because ultimately it will affect your actions.
The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8 nlt).
We need to think about godly things more, and we need to think biblically. Replace thoughts of anxiety, worry, and panic with godly thoughts. And turn your panic into prayer. Pray for little things and big things. Pray for everything.
The Bible says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7 nlt).
The rain falls, the Bible says, on both the just and the unjust (see Matthew 5:45). Everyone has trouble in life. Nonbelievers experience tragedies, and Christians experience tragedies as well. So fill your mind with the Word of God, and it will be there to strengthen you in your time of need.
February 29 / Streams in the Desert
I will make all my mountains a way (Isaiah 49:11).
God will make obstacles serve His purpose. We all have mountains in our lives. There are people and things that threaten to bar our progress in the Divine life. Those heavy claims, that uncongenial occupation, that thorn in the flesh, that daily cross -- we think that if only these were removed we might live purer, tenderer, holier lives; and often we pray for their removal.
"Oh, fools, and slow of heart!" These are the very conditions of achievement; they have been put into our lives as the means to the very graces and virtues for which we have been praying so long. Thou hast prayed for patience through long years, but there is something that tries thee beyond endurance; thou hast fled from it, evaded it, accounted it an unsurmountable obstacle to the desired attainment, and supposed that its removal would secure thy immediate deliverance and victory.
Not so! Thou wouldest gain only the cessation of temptations to impatience. But this would not be patience. Patience can be acquired only through just such trials as now seem unbearable.
Go back; submit thyself. Claim to be a partaker in the patience of Jesus. Meet thy trials in Him. There is nothing in life which harasses and annoys that may not become subservient to the highest ends. They are His mountains. He puts them there. We know that God will not fail to keep His promise.
"God understandeth the way thereof and knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven"; and when we come to the foot of the mountains, we shall find the way.
--Christ in Isaiah, by Meyer
--Christ in Isaiah, by Meyer
The meaning of trials is not only to test worthiness, but to increase it; as the oak is not only tested by the storms, but toughened by them.
Love: Take the Leap! by David Jeremiah
Love: Take the Leap!
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up….Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4, 8
1 Corinthians 13:4, 8
Recommended Reading: 1 Peter 4:8
In 2008, Zelmyra and Herbert Fisher broke the Guinness World Record for the longest marriage. At that point, they had been married for 84 years. When Herbert died in 2011 at age 105, they had been married for just under 87 years. How did they do it? “Love each other with ALL of your heart Marriage is not a contest, … never keep a score.”1
The Fishers exemplified what the apostle Paul meant when he said, “Love never fails.” The love he referred to was agape love—the unconditional, sacrificial love that God has for us. But let’s face it: Making love last, and never having love fail, is not easy. In fact, it’s impossible, humanly speaking. We need the never-failing love of God within us to have a human love that never fails.
Is there someone in your life for whom your love sometimes fails? Commit to the love-leap in the coming week. Recommit to showing that person that your love for them is alive and well with a unique, unexpected demonstration of affection.
If an individual Christian does not show love toward other true Christians, the world has a right to judge that he or she is not a Christian.
Francis Schaeffer
Francis Schaeffer
February 29 / Wisdom from the Psalms
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Friday, February 28, 2020
On depression by C.S. Lewis
On depression
My own idea, for what it is worth, is that all sadness which is not either arising from the repentance of a concrete sin and hastening towards concrete amendment or restitution, or else arising from pity and hastening to active assistance, is simply bad; and I think that we all sin by needlessly disobeying the apostolic injunction to “rejoice” as by anything else. Humility, after the first shock, is a cheerful virtue: it is the high-minded unbeliever desperately trying in the teeth of repeated disillusions to retain his “faith in human nature” who is really sad.
“Do You Now Believe?” by Oswald Chambers
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Our Textbook by Charles Stanley
You and I know there are many people in the world who reject the Bible’s authority. But have you considered that some of them are Christians? Many believers unwittingly do this when they choose which parts of the Bible to believe and which parts to throw out.
But the truth is that the Bible is the very Word of God—spoken to and through His messengers, passed down through time, and relevant to every generation. It’s God’s magnificent revelation of Himself to the world, and everything He said was intentional.
We cannot break up Scripture or pull pieces out of context without the risk of altering its meaning. In 2 Timothy 3:16, we read that every word of the Bible is God-breathed and valuable. That means no part of it was written without a specific purpose, so whatever portion we’re reading, we should pay attention to surrounding verses, the book’s intended audience, and historical context.
Do you ever choose which parts of the Bible you want to believe and follow? Let’s bravely ask the Holy Spirit to show us any sections of Scripture we may have thrown aside—and to help us trust in the authority of God’s Word.
The Faith to Endure by Linda Washington
The Faith to Endure
Ernest Shackleton (1874–1922) led an unsuccessful expedition to cross Antarctica in 1914. When his ship, aptly named Endurance, became trapped in heavy ice in the Weddell Sea, it became an endurance race just to survive. With no means of communicating with the rest of the world, Shackleton and his crew used lifeboats to make the journey to the nearest shore—Elephant Island. While most of the crew stayed behind on the island, Shackleton and five crewmen spent two weeks traveling 800 miles across the ocean to South Georgia to get help for those left behind. The “failed” expedition became a victorious entry in the history books when all of Shackleton’s men survived, thanks to their courage and endurance.
The apostle Paul knew what it meant to endure. During a stormy sea voyage to Rome to face trial for his belief in Jesus, Paul learned from an angel of God that the ship would sink. But the apostle kept the men aboard encouraged, thanks to God’s promise that all would survive, despite the loss of the ship (Acts 27:23–24).
When disaster strikes, we tend to want God to immediately make everything better. But God gives us the faith to endure and grow. As Paul wrote to the Romans, “Suffering produces endurance” (Romans 5:3 esv). Knowing that, we can encourage each other to keep trusting God in hard times.
The apostle Paul knew what it meant to endure. During a stormy sea voyage to Rome to face trial for his belief in Jesus, Paul learned from an angel of God that the ship would sink. But the apostle kept the men aboard encouraged, thanks to God’s promise that all would survive, despite the loss of the ship (Acts 27:23–24).
When disaster strikes, we tend to want God to immediately make everything better. But God gives us the faith to endure and grow. As Paul wrote to the Romans, “Suffering produces endurance” (Romans 5:3 esv). Knowing that, we can encourage each other to keep trusting God in hard times.
What’s your usual response to hardship? How can you encourage someone who’s going through difficult times?
Heavenly Father, I need Your help to keep going, even when it’s tough.
Is God Enough? by Arian Rogers
Is God Enough?
We took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in the throng. Psalm 55:14
The church has the sweetest fellowship this side of Heaven. There are brothers and sisters who are loving, encouraging, and exhorting us as we serve alongside each other to the glory of God.
But suppose God took you out of that precious fellowship. What if you became so ill you had to be hospitalized with no visitors for days on end? What if you were transferred to Siberia and there wasn’t a Christian around for 250 miles? Or what if you decide not to smoke pot when all your friends are? Or decide to abstain from premarital sex? Or choose not to go drinking with your college buddies?
Is God enough when your dearest friend on earth forsakes or fails you? Is He enough of a friend that you can stand with Him alone? Corrie Ten Boom said, “You can never learn that Christ is all you need until Christ is all you have.”
God is enough, but you won’t realize it until you have begun to cultivate sweet fellowship with Him. How? Someone once said the best way to spell “relationship” is T-I-M-E. Spend time with your Savior in prayer and meditating on His Word.
God's Infinite Mercies by Alistair Begg
God's Infinite Mercies
The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.1 Kings 17:16
Consider the faithfulness of divine love. It is clear that this woman had daily necessities. She had to feed her son and herself in a time of famine; and now, in addition, the prophet Elijah was also to be fed. But though the need was threefold, the supply was not spent, for it was constant. Each day she made withdrawals from the jar, but each day it remained the same.
You, dear reader, have daily necessities, and because they come so frequently, you are apt to fear that the jar of flour will one day be empty, and the jug of oil will fail you. Rest assured that, according to the Word of God, this shall not be the case. Each day, though it bring its trouble, it shall also bring its help; and though you should live longer than Methuselah, and your needs should be as many as the sands of the seashore, yet God's grace and mercy will last through all your necessities, and you will never know a real lack.
For three long years, in this widow's days, the heavens never saw a cloud, and the stars never wept a holy tear of dew upon the wicked earth: famine and desolation and death made the land a howling wilderness, but this woman was never hungry but always joyful in abundance. So it will be with you. You will see the sinner's hope perish, for he trusts in himself; you will see the proud Pharisee's confidence crumble, for he builds his hope upon the sand; you will even see your own plans blown apart, but you will discover that your daily needs are amply supplied. Better to have God for your guardian than the Bank of England for your possession. You might spend the wealth of the nations, but you can never exhaust the infinite mercies of God.
February 28 / Streams in the Desert
Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually (Heb. 13:15).
A city missionary, stumbling through the dirt of a dark entry, heard a voice say, "Who's there, Honey?" Striking a match, he caught a vision of earthly want and suffering, of saintly trust and peace, "cut in ebony"--calm, appealing eyes set amid the wrinkles of a pinched, black face that lay on a tattered bed. It was a bitter night in February, and she had no fire, no fuel, no light. She had had no supper, no dinner, no breakfast. She seemed to have nothing at all but rheumatism and faith in God. One could not well be more completely exiled from all pleasantness of circumstances, yet the favorite song of this old creature ran:
Nobody knows de trouble I see,
Nobody knows but Jesus;
Nobody knows de trouble I see--
Sing Glory Hallelu!
Nobody knows but Jesus;
Nobody knows de trouble I see--
Sing Glory Hallelu!
Sometimes I'm up, sometimes I'm down,
Sometimes I'm level on the groun',
Sometimes the glory shines aroun'
Sing Glory Hallelu!
Sometimes I'm level on the groun',
Sometimes the glory shines aroun'
Sing Glory Hallelu!
And so it went on: "Nobody knows de work I does, Nobody knows de griefs I has," the constant refrain being the "Glory Hallelu!" until the last verse rose:
Nobody knows de joys I has,
Nobody knows but Jesus!
Nobody knows but Jesus!
"Troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed." It takes great Biblewords to tell the cheer of that old negro auntie.
Remember Luther on his sick-bed. Between his groans he managed to preach on this wise: "These pains and trouble here are like the type which the printers set; as they look now, we have to read them backwards, and they seem to have no sense or meaning in them; but up yonder, when the Lord God prints us off in the life to come, we shall find they make brave reading." Only we do not need to wait till then.
Remember Paul walking the hurricane deck amid a boiling sea, bidding the frightened crew "Be of good cheer," Luther, the old negro auntie--all of them human sun-flowers.
--Wm. G. Garnett
--Wm. G. Garnett
He gave me eternal life! by Billy Graham
He gave me eternal life!
Recently I read that it will cost this country a hundred billion dollars to get one man safely to Mars. It cost God the priceless blood of His only Son to get us sinners to heaven. By tasting death for every man, Jesus took over our penalty as He erased our guilt. Now God can forgive. In a moment of thanksgiving, Paul once exclaimed, “He loved me and gave Himself for me!” Will you repeat these words right now, even as you read? If you do, I believe you will have cause to be thankful too, and that you will experience the love of God in your heart. Try it and see. The Bible teaches that you can be absolutely sure that you are saved.
Daily Prayer
Father, although my finite mind cannot understand all the wonders of the Gospel, I thank You for the assurance of my salvation through Christ.
“I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.”
1 John 5:13 NLT
UNFINISHED BUILDINGS / Draw Near Bible App
UNFINISHED BUILDINGS
When trouble plagues them, the people of Rome say, "It's just like St. Peter's; it is never finished." They have resigned themselves to the fact that St. Peter's Basilica, a beautiful place of worship whose construction was begun more than five hundred years ago, will never be completed. What may be true of St. Peter's is certainly true of a building about which the Bible talks.
Paul described the believer and his growth as a field under God's cultivation, or, if you like, a house being built to his plan (1 Corinthians 3:9, Phillips). Some seem to think the Christian springs fully grown from the womb of conversion. How wrong they are! God's Word repeatedly tells us that knowing Christ involves daily growth. It is as if each day God adds new building blocks to our daily lives. We help Him build by daily devoting ourselves and submitting to His will.
To build properly, nothing is ever left to chance. Therefore, Peter tells us exactly how God will help us grow. God adds to our faith virtue, then knowledge, then temperance, then patience, then godliness, then brotherly kindness, and finally love. Peter said something that staggers the mind: Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble(1 Peter 1:10). May we remember that God is working on and in our lives, and building us for eternity.
When trouble plagues them, the people of Rome say, "It's just like St. Peter's; it is never finished." They have resigned themselves to the fact that St. Peter's Basilica, a beautiful place of worship whose construction was begun more than five hundred years ago, will never be completed. What may be true of St. Peter's is certainly true of a building about which the Bible talks.
Paul described the believer and his growth as a field under God's cultivation, or, if you like, a house being built to his plan (1 Corinthians 3:9, Phillips). Some seem to think the Christian springs fully grown from the womb of conversion. How wrong they are! God's Word repeatedly tells us that knowing Christ involves daily growth. It is as if each day God adds new building blocks to our daily lives. We help Him build by daily devoting ourselves and submitting to His will.
To build properly, nothing is ever left to chance. Therefore, Peter tells us exactly how God will help us grow. God adds to our faith virtue, then knowledge, then temperance, then patience, then godliness, then brotherly kindness, and finally love. Peter said something that staggers the mind: Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble(1 Peter 1:10). May we remember that God is working on and in our lives, and building us for eternity.
“The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:8 NLT
From Worry to Worship by Greg Laurie
From Worry to Worship
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 nkjv)
Awhile back I was driving somewhere with my wife when we realized that I lost both my cell phone and wallet. We decided to try the phone using its “find my phone” feature. And sure enough, it showed up at a certain spot. There was my phone, with my wallet next to it. So we scooped them up and gave thanks to God.
We sought those items out. We were going to find them, no matter what. That is the idea of putting God’s kingdom first. Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33–34 nkjv).
If you don’t want to live in anxiety, fear, and worry, then put matters in God’s hands. Don’t give up on this. Seek it above all things.
How do you do that? Make your faith stronger. Grow in faith by studying and believing the Word of God. Your faith grows by hearing God’s Word and acting on it. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (nkjv).
When we listen to God’s Word, it puts everything in perspective. We see God for who He is. And we see life with all of its challenges for what it is. We see everything as we ought to see it.
Instead of worrying, put God and His Word first in your life. Seek Him principally above everything else. Give Him priority.
All too often we turn to people for help and forget that we need to turn to the Lord. So place it in God’s hands, and trade your worry for worship.
How You Can Live with an Attitude of Action / Senior Living
How You Can Live with an Attitude of Action
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. - 1 John 3:18
Larry Walters was an adventurous soul. One day, he went to the local army surplus store and purchased 45 used weather balloons. He filled them up with helium, tied the balloons to a lawn chair one by one, and strapped himself in. Armed with a BB gun to shoot the balloons and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Walters took flight.
He only expected to ascend about 100 feet, but quickly found himself 11,000 feet in the sky and in the middle of the air traffic pattern of Los Angeles International Airport. Too scared to shoot the balloons, he stayed airborne for over 2 hours, prompting an airport shutdown.
When he was finally safely grounded and cited by the police, a local reporter asked him, “Why did you do it?”
Walters responded, “Because you can’t just sit there.”
While misguided, the spirit of Walters’ comment is spot on. As believers in Christ, we can’t just sit there. Whether old or young, rich or poor, in good health or bad, we can’t ever use our circumstances as an excuse to just sit there. We have to get involved in God’s purposes!
Don’t just sit there. Get involved in God’s work. Make intentional time to encourage others in their walk with Christ. Share Jesus with the lost. As long as you’re breathing, you have a mission!
Prayer Challenge
Ask God to show you how He wants you to be involved in His purposes on earth.
Questions for Thought
Why do you think many people are content to sit and do nothing for the Kingdom?
How do you feel God might be calling you into action for His purposes?
February 28 / Wisdom from the Psalms
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
I had a friend who thought some boys were trying to mug him. In his efforts to run away, he fell down a flight of stairs and landed in a pile of garbage. He suffered many broken bones and scrapes, and required a large number of stitches. As he lay in pain and refuse, he heard the boys draw close. He prayed to God for help. He heard the boys getting steadily closer, and as his prayers increased, the boys moved out of the alley and across to the top of the steps. IN the light that shined there, the man saw that the boys were scouts. IN a wave of relief and embarrassment, my friend sank back into the garbage and passed out.
It is good to know that even in our own foolishness we can turn to the Lord for help. Often we are our own worst enemies, but that doesn't matter to the Lord. In our brokenness, God reaches out to us and love us.
Prayer: Lord, I often am guilty of doing foolish things. I hurt myself in so many needless ways. Protect me from myself, and in my times of greatest suffering and pain, be the source of my comfort. Amen.
The Praise of Men by David Jeremiah
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Thursday, February 27, 2020
The Impoverished Ministry of Jesus by Oswald Chambers
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Two Gates, Two Ways by Charles Stanley
The broad path is easy to find. In fact, unless you make a conscious choice to avoid it, that’s where you’ll find yourself walking. Most people like this wide road because it’s comfortable, fairly easy, and culturally acceptable.
What those who travel the broad road fail to realize is that it doesn’t lead to life. All the “promises” it gives of satisfaction and fulfillment end in disappointment because it’s a path without God.
The narrow way, however, follows the direction and desires of the Father. In Matthew 7:14, when Jesus Christ talked about our options, He said, “The way is narrow that leads to life.” And what’s the narrow way? It’s “the way and the truth and the life”—in other words, Jesus Himself (John 14:6). Those who enter by the narrow gate of faith in Christ find the peace and joy of a relationship with Him, which truly satisfies the heart.
Which path would you say you’re traveling on today? The narrow way isn’t always easy, but it’s where we’ll find fullness of joy, peace, and righteousness (Psalm 16:11; Eph. 2:14; 1 Corinthians 1:30). And if we choose Jesus, He promises to be with us throughout eternity.
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