“By the Grace of God I Am What I Am” by Oswald Chambers

 

“By the Grace of God I Am What I Am” By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain…  1 CORINTHIANS 15:10 The way we continually talk about our own inabilities is an insult to our Creator. To complain over our incompetence is to accuse God falsely of having overlooked us. Get into the habit of examining from God’s perspective those things that sound so humble to men. You will be amazed at how unbelievably inappropriate and disrespectful they are to Him. We say things such as, “Oh, I shouldn’t claim to be sanctified; I’m not a saint.” But to say that before God means, “No, Lord, it is impossible for You to save and sanctify me; there are opportunities I have not had and so many imperfections in my brain and body; no, Lord, it isn’t possible.” That may sound wonderfully humble to others, but before God it is an attitude of defiance. Conversely, the things that sound humble before God may sound exactly the opposite to people. To say, “Thank God, I know I am saved and sanctified,” is in God’s eyes the purest expression of humility. It means you have so completely surrendered yourself to God that you know He is true. Never worry about whether what you say sounds humble before others or not. But always be humble before God, and allow Him to be your all in all. There is only one relationship that really matters, and that is your personal relationship to your personal Redeemer and Lord. If you maintain that at all costs, letting everything else go, God will fulfill His purpose through your life. One individual life may be of priceless value to God’s purposes, and yours may be that life. From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS The great point of Abraham’s faith in God was that he was prepared to do anything for God. from Not Knowing Whither, 903 R

God Is in Control by Charles Stanley

 

God Is in Control

Psalm 103:19-22

In today’s psalm, David discusses a fundamental attribute of God: His sovereignty. This means God has complete authority and control over all human beings and every aspect of the universe. It also means that “luck” and “good fortune” have no place in a discussion about Him. And because God is good, we can have full confidence in His absolute and loving control over every aspect of our existence. 

When we trust in the Father’s sovereignty, we stand on two assurances. The first is that He is intimately involved in our daily life. No matter what, He never stops providing, protecting, and caring for every believer. He knows what we need for today and tomorrow. 

The second is that the Lord will work every circumstance for our benefit—without exception! When situations are more demanding, our confidence may waiver, but Scripture promises “that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). 

You and I do not live by chance. As children of a sovereign God, we live secure and under His control. Trust Him to carry you through whatever trial stands in your way. 

When Tragedy Strikes, What Do You Do? by Adrian Rogers

When Tragedy Strikes, What Do You Do?

And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be 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. No greater Christian 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.

His Presence by Billy Graham

 

His Presence

W.C. Burns of India wrote, “Oh to have a martyr’s heart, if not a martyr’s crown.” Popularity and adulation are far more dangerous for the Christian than persecution. It is easy, when all goes smoothly, to lose our sense of balance and our perspective. The important thing is to walk with Christ, to live for Christ, and to have one consuming passion—to please Him. Then, whatever happens, we know that He has permitted it in order to teach us some priceless lesson and to perfect us for His service. He will enrich our circumstances, be they pleasant or disagreeable, by the fact of His presence with us.

Daily Prayer

Lord, my soul wants to love and know You far more deeply. Forgive the times I have set my eyes on things that keep me from You.

“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

November 30 / Streams in the Desert

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

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.

A Perfect Friend by Greg Laurie

 A Perfect Friend

“So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (Romans 5:11 nlt).

Someone has said that a true friend stabs you in the front, not in the back. We all need friends who will tell us the truth.

For instance, maybe you’re getting ready to leave the house, and you’re not sure whether you’re dressed OK. So you ask some friends, “Does this look good?”

“You look awesome. Let’s go.”

But then you turn to another friend and say, “What do you think?”

And your friend says, “I think you need to change.”

That’s a true friend. Those other so-called friends don’t really care about you because a real friend will tell you the truth.

Though we’ve done nothing to merit it, God has made us His friends. The Bible tells us, “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (Romans 5:11 nlt).

We have friendship with God because Jesus made it possible.

Maybe you have a friend that you constantly text or communicate with. It’s an ongoing conversation throughout the day that picks up the next day. That’s what friendship is.

My best friend is my wife (she’s also my prettiest friend). But I don’t get up in the morning and say to her, “Most awesome Honey, please make me a blessed breakfast today.” She’d wonder what was wrong with me.

Instead I might say, “Cathe, I’m late. I’ve got to go. Can you make me something to eat?” She understands that because she’s my wife and my friend.

In the same way, I think we sometimes overly formalize our friendship with God. He’s always there, ready to communicate with us, because friends like to spend time with each other. And He will always tell us the truth because He loves us. He’s always in our corner.

Copyright © 2020 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

Giving Our Best by Xochitl Dixon

 

Giving Our Best

Xochitl Dixon

He will purify . . . and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness. Malachi 3:3

Malachi 1:8–14

We stared at the piles of donated shoes as we entered a local homeless shelter. The director had invited our youth group to help sort through the heaps of used footwear. We spent the morning searching for matches and lining them up in rows across the concrete floor. At the end of the day, we threw away more than half of the shoes because they were too damaged for others to use. Though the shelter couldn’t stop people from giving poor quality items, they refused to distribute shoes that were in bad condition.

The Israelites struggled with giving God their damaged goods too. When He spoke through the prophet Malachi, He rebuked the Israelites for sacrificing blind, lame, or diseased animals when they had strong animals to offer (Malachi 1:6–8). He announced His displeasure (v. 10), affirmed His worthiness, and reprimanded the Israelites for keeping the best for themselves (v. 14). But God also promised to send the Messiah, whose love and grace would transform their hearts and ignite their desire to bring offerings that would be pleasing to Him (3:1–4).

At times, it can be tempting to give God our leftovers. We praise Him and expect Him to give us His all, yet we offer Him our crumbs. When we consider all God has done, we can rejoice in celebrating His worthiness and giving Him our very best.

Why are you sometimes tempted to give God your leftovers or damaged goods? In what ways will you give Him your best today?

Mighty God, please help me place You first and give You my best.

ONLY ADOPTED / Draw Near Bible App

 ONLY ADOPTED

"You're not a real child. You're only adopted." These words sent Marsha into tears. The mocking taunts of her five-year-old playmates sounded in her ears as she ran to her mother and cried, "Mother, am I adopted?" He mother placed loving arms around her and wisely answered, "Honey, Daddy and I wanted a little girl for many years. We looked and looked for a child who would be just right. When we finally found you, we knew you were the one we wanted for our daughter. Other parents have to accept the child born into their family, but we were able to choose our daughter from among many children. We chose you." From that time on, Marsha felt a little bit better than her playmates who had not been "chosen."

Jesus came into this world to make us children of God. In the passage today, He is described as the Word Who came offering adoption to any who receive Him. The Gospel records: He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:11-13).

In this world of sin, we are orphans from God. We desperately need adoption. Every day, we need the wisdom, help, and guidance of a heavenly Father. The good news of the Gospel is that God offers us the opportunity to become His sons and daughters. Let us always remember that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).

“We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:1-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Ready for Battle by Alistair Begg

 

Ready for Battle 

. . . Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back. 

Revelation 12:7

War always will rage between the two great sovereignties until one or the other is crushed. Peace between good and evil is an impossibility; to pretend otherwise would signal a victory for the powers of darkness. Michael will always fight; his holy soul is vexed with sin and will not endure it. Jesus will always be the dragon's foe, and not in any quiet sense but actively, vigorously, with full determination to exterminate evil. All His servants, whether angels in heaven or messengers on earth, will and must fight; they are born to be warriors. At the cross they enter into a covenant never to make a truce with evil; they are a warlike company, firm in defense and fierce in attack. The duty of every soldier in the army of the Lord is every day, with all his heart and soul and strength, to fight against the dragon.

The dragon and his angels will fight back; they are incessant in their onslaughts, prepared to use every kind of weaponry. We are foolish to expect to serve God without opposition: The more zealous we are, the more we can expect to be attacked by the ruffians of hell. The church may become lazy, but her great antagonist does not; his restless spirit never allows the war to pause; he hates the woman's seed and would happily devour the Church if he could. The servants of Satan share a great deal of the old dragon's energy and are usually an active crew. War rages all around, and to dream of peace is dangerous and futile.

Glory be to God, we know the end of the war. The great dragon will be cast out and forever destroyed, while Jesus and those who are with Him will receive the crown. So let us sharpen our swords tonight, and ask the Holy Spirit to make us ready for the conflict. Battle was never so important, and the crown never so glorious. Every one to their positions as warriors of the cross, and may the Lord tread Satan under your feet shortly!

God’s Reminder to Us This Christmas Season: Do Not Fear / Crosswalk

God’s Reminder to Us This Christmas Season: Do Not Fear

By Debbie McDaniel

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy the will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10

Four times in the Christmas story, angels appeared at appointed times to give a message to key individuals who were a part of Jesus' life and birth. And every time, those to whom they appeared were greatly "troubled," "afraid," or even "gripped with fear." And every time the angels said these powerful words, "Do not be afraid..."

To the shepherds: "But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy the will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10-11

To Mary: "But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus." Luke 1:30-31

To Joseph: "...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you are to give him he name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:20-21

To Zechariah: "But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid Zechariah, your prayer has been heard, Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you are to give him the name John." Luke 1:13

Just like these in the Christmas story so many years ago, we’re often people who can easily become fearful, troubled, even gripped with fear. It's a natural human emotion, but God never intends for us to stay stuck there. And His powerful words and message to us is still the same, for He never changes. He says, “Do not fear,” over and over in His Word, reminding us that He is with us. And He made sure it was part of the message given to each of those to whom an angel appeared to announce His Son's birth.

"Do not be afraid."

For perfect love casts out all fear.

Jesus came bringing peace that the world could never give.

Jesus came bringing light that the darkness could never overcome.

Jesus came bringing freedom from the barrier of sin and brought victory over death, once and for all.

The opposite of fear is not really simply "courage," but it is peace, faith, love, the assurance that we are held by a God who is Mighty and Sovereign and Strong.

Many of you have faced deep loss this year, the hurt of losing a loved one too soon, illness, cancer, financial troubles, or job loss. Others are struggling through the pain of broken relationships. Many are fighting depression and despair, facing addictions and giants that seem too big.

Whatever you might be battling this season, I pray that you will find deep peace in Him. The One who loves you so much and says, "Do not fear..."

He is greater. Always. He came to overcome it all. And He is with us.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Give God your worries and fears today, again, and afresh. Choose to leave it all in the hands that have the power to bring us deep peace and assurance, that the world can never give or take away. Be assured His Presence is with you and His love never fails.

Further Reading:
Luke 1:11-33
Luke 2:8-14
Matthew 1:20-21

How to Deal with Anger Graciously / Senior Living

How to Deal with Anger Graciously

A hot-tempered man stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel. - Proverbs 15:18

Many years ago, a senior executive of the then Standard Oil Company made a wrong decision that cost the company more than $2 million. Everyone at the company knew the executive’s career was likely over. And most of the executives were finding various ways of avoiding the company’s president, John D. Rockefeller, lest his wrath descend on their heads.

There was one exception, however. He was Edward T. Bedford, a partner in the company who kept his appointment with Mr. Rockefeller. When he entered the office, he saw Rockefeller at his desk busily writing with a pencil on a pad of paper.

Across the top of the page was written “Points in favor of Mr. _______.” There followed a long list of the guilty executive’s virtues, including a brief description of how he had helped the company make the right decision on three separate occasions that had earned many times the cost of his recent error.

It can sometimes be easy to lose your temper. That’s because so often, reactions to events tend to be just that—reactions—instead of responses. But if you take how you want to react, think it through, and consider the perspectives of others, you’ll be much more inclined to respond biblically than react angrily.

Prayer Challenge:

Ask God to reveal to you in times of anger how you can respond rather than react. Pray that He would help you see others with a biblical perspective and that you would have a forgiving spirit when dealing with conflict.

November 30 / Wisdom from the Psalms

Psalms 140:7

God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

 

Larry had to face the fact: His surgery was less than three days away, and he was scared. He'd hardly been sick a day in his life, and now he was preparing to go under the knife for heart surgery. Nothing had ever prepared him for something like this. He lay back and closed his eyes and began to pray. As he did, an image came into his mind. He was dressed as a soldier, and the surgery ahead was a foe to defeat. But, Larry didn't stand alone. God was with him, and beside the awesome image of God, the foe didn't look large at all. When Larry ended his prayer, he opened his eyes with a renewed sense of hope and a heart that was strangely calm. The Lord had prepared him for battle, and Larry felt that it was already won.

 

Prayer: Lord, I put my trust in You. As I face the challenges of everyday life, help me to remember that You stand with me, supplying my strength and my courage. Amen.

  

The Price of Service by David Jeremiah

 

The Price of Service  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Mark 10:45    In the ancient world, a ransom was money paid to purchase, then set free, a slave.  “Ransom” appears twice in the New Testament when Jesus gave His reason for coming to earth: He came “to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45). That is, He purchased with His own life those who were slaves to sin and set them free to live a new life.

Recommended Reading: Philippians 2: 5 – 8

What’s interesting about the ransom Jesus paid is what that payment is connected to: service. Jesus said He came to serve by giving His life a ransom for many. Jesus’ own life and actions illustrate that there is a price to service. In Jesus’ case, the price was extremely high. We may never be called on to serve others by dying for them physically, but we are called on daily to serve others by dying to our selfish desires. When Paul wrote about Christ as a servant, he wrote, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”—that is, the mind of a servant (Philippians 2:5). Be prepared today to pay whatever price Christ-like service requires. [Be] willing to do those things that seem unimportant in human estimation but count as everything to God. Oswald Chambers

The Supremacy of Jesus Christ by Oswald Chambers

 

The Supremacy of Jesus Christ He will glorify Me…  JOHN 16:14 The holiness movements of today have none of the rugged reality of the New Testament about them. There is nothing about them that needs the death of Jesus Christ. All that is required is a pious atmosphere, prayer, and devotion. This type of experience is not supernatural nor miraculous. It did not cost the sufferings of God, nor is it stained with “the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11). It is not marked or sealed by the Holy Spirit as being genuine, and it has no visual sign that causes people to exclaim with awe and wonder, “That is the work of God Almighty!” Yet the New Testament is about the work of God and nothing else. The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ. Every other kind of so-called Christian experience is detached from the Person of Jesus. There is no regeneration— no being born again into the kingdom in which Christ lives and reigns supreme. There is only the idea that He is our pattern. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is the Savior long before He is the pattern. Today He is being portrayed as the figurehead of a religion— a mere example. He is that, but He is infinitely more. He is salvation itself; He is the gospel of God! Jesus said, “…when He, the Spirit of truth, has come,…He will glorify Me…” (John 16:13-14). When I commit myself to the revealed truth of the New Testament, I receive from God the gift of the Holy Spirit, who then begins interpreting to me what Jesus did. The Spirit of God does in me internally all that Jesus Christ did for me externally. From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS The fiery furnaces are there by God’s direct permission. It is misleading to imagine that we are developed in spite of our circumstances; we are developed because of them. It is mastery in circumstances that is needed, not mastery over them. from The Love of God—The Message of Invincible Consolation, 674 R

Full of Grace by Charles Stanley

 

Full of Grace

To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the Scripture referenced throughout.

When chefs season the food they’re preparing, their goal is to bring out the flavor already present in the dish without overpowering it. That requires great skill. Perhaps this is what Paul had in mind when he wrote to the Colossians. In his letter, He reminded them that when we engage with one another, and especially with those who are “outsiders,” we must have grace—“as though seasoned with salt” (Col. 4:5-6).
In extending grace, we offer something that God generously gives to each of us. There are many opportunities to skillfully and gently “season” our relationships by offering a listening ear, meeting a physical or financial need, or studying together and challenging one another intellectually. Thankfully, the Lord will help us discern how to do this. We just have to ask for His help.

Think About It

• Do you ever struggle to “know how you should respond to each person” (Col. 4:6)? What makes doing this so difficult?
• Have you ever found yourself hesitant to ask for God’s help? Why or why not? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any hindrances you may have.

Sweet Again by Marvin Williams

 

Sweet Again

Marvin Williams

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples. Isaiah 25:6

Isaiah 25:1–9

Russian wedding customs are filled with beauty and significance. One such custom takes place during the reception as the toastmaster proposes a toast in honor of the couple. Everyone takes a sip from their raised glass and then shouts, “Gor’ko! Gor’ko!” meaning “Bitter! Bitter!” When the guests shout that word, the newlyweds must rise and kiss each other in order to make the drink sweet again.

Isaiah prophesies that the bitter drink of desolation, ruin, and the curse upon the earth (ch. 24) will give way to the sweet hope of a new heaven and new earth (ch. 25). God will prepare a feast of rich foods and the finest and sweetest of drinks. It will be a banquet of continual blessing, fruitfulness, and provision for all people (25:6). There’s more. Under the sovereign reign of the righteous King, death is swallowed up, bitter tears are wiped away, and the shroud of disgrace is removed (vv. 7–8). And His people will rejoice because the One they trusted in and waited for will bring salvation and turn the bitter cup of life sweet again (v. 9).

One day, we’ll be together with Jesus at the wedding supper of the Lamb. When He welcomes His bride (the church) home, the promise of Isaiah 25 will be fulfilled. The life once bitter will be made sweet again.

What makes you long for God to make what is bitter sweet again? While you wait for Jesus’ return, what are some things you can do to make others’ bitter experience sweet again?

God, as I witness and experience so much pain, suffering, ruin, and death, sometimes it’s difficult to believe You’ll make what is bitter sweet again. Help me to put my hope in You, the One who’s promised to give me beauty for ashes and joy for mourning.

HE WANTED TO TELL / Draw Near Bible App

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.

“Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:19-20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Satan at Work by Billy Graham

 

Satan at Work

Satan is at work in our world. The Bible is my authority. He exists and he has control over thousands of young people, whose hearts have never been captured by Jesus Christ. He has hundreds of agents writing pornographic literature and producing sex movies to pollute young minds. He has intellectuals in high positions teaching a hedonistic and permissive philosophy. 

Daily I come in contact with mixed-up people who are caught in the anguish of their own unpreparedness, intellectuals who have been seduced by false science, and rich men who are held in the grip of insecurity. They have no commitment to any goal. They lack an anchor for their real selves. And I long to take every one of them by the hand and lead them into the presence of the One who said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Daily Prayer

So many are without You, Lord! Use me to lead others from a destructive course to the one which will give them the satisfaction that only You can give.

“He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

November 29 / Streams in the Desert

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!"

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!

A Holy Anointing by Alistair Begg

 

A Holy Anointing

Spices for the anointing oil. 

Exodus 35:8

Much use was made of this anointing oil under the law, and that which it represents is of primary importance under the Gospel. The Holy Spirit, who anoints us for all holy service, is indispensable to us if we would serve the Lord acceptably. Without His help our religious services are just an empty show, and our inward experience is a dead thing. Whenever our ministry is without unction, what miserable stuff it becomes! And the prayers, praises, meditations, and efforts of private Christians are no better.

A holy anointing is the soul and life of godly devotion, its absence the most serious of all calamities. To go before the Lord without anointing would be like a common Levite thrusting himself into the priest's role—his religious services would be sins, not sacrifices. May we never embark upon holy tasks without sacred anointings. They fall upon us from our glorious Head; from His anointing we who are but the skirts of His garments receive a generous unction. Choice spices were mixed with great skill and care to form the anointing oil, to let us see how rich are all the influences of the Holy Spirit.

All good things are found in the divine Comforter. Matchless consolation, infallible instruction, immortal quickening, spiritual energy, and divine sanctification are all mixed with other excellencies in the heavenly anointing oil of the Holy Spirit. It imparts a delightful fragrance to the character and person of the one upon whom it is poured. Nothing like it can be found in all the treasures of the wealthy or the secrets of the wise. It is not to be imitated. It only comes from God, and it is freely given, through Jesus Christ, to every waiting soul. Let us seek it, for we may have it, even this very evening. O Lord, anoint Your servants.

Saying "Yes" to God by Debbie Holloway

Saying "Yes" to God
by Debbie Holloway

It seems like every day one hears about all kinds of troubling behavior from people who ought to know better. A family friend leaves his wife and children for his secretary. A pastor resigns from his parish after his drug addiction is discovered. A CEO is caught with his hands on company money. We see it in the news. We hear about it from friends. It invades our households. Destructive, self-centered, sin. And so often the guilty party seems completely blind to his error, or unable to fathom how he ever made such a huge mistake.

As a recent member of what most would consider the “adult” world, I have often pondered how seemingly well-adjusted, often God-fearing members of society can justify such actions in their minds. In fact, in my more panicky moments, I have had a fear of suddenly lapsing into some dreaded sin myself – like these perfectly capable people I see all around me.

After all, does my righteousness exceed that of the Pharisees? How can I claim to have more wisdom than my parents or my pastor? Do I know more about the world than my professors? Could I possibly have a better understanding of morals and truth than my government leaders? If I watch them stumble into seemingly obvious moral blunders, how could I possibly escape the same fate?

After recently confiding this dread to a loved one, I was reminded that drastic sin or extreme lifestyle choices don’t just appear out of nowhere. Adultery doesn’t just happen. Divorce doesn’t just happen. Heartless slander and libel don’t just happen. Sin must begin as a small seed, creep in, take root, and grow. We can choose to feed it …or starve it.

The hard part is that often our sin nature is just as appealing as the prompting of Holy Spirit. Far too often we know right away what the godly course of action would be. Humility. Purity. Hard work. Compassion. Faithfulness. But we still get tired, exasperated, lustful, and proud. So we start making decisions which violate our consciences. Tiny decisions that seem meaningless. But those tiny choices grow and grow. Eventually, our life becomes a messy sin explosion and we cry out, “Where did I lose control?”

The comforting part is that it’s a process. I won’t wake up one morning and all of a sudden think it’s totally OK to steal someone’s car or send nasty, gossipy emails about people I don’t like. 1 John 1:7 says that,

“If we walk in the light, as [God] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

If I say “yes” to God when he shows me how I can remain faithful to him in my lifestyle, in the little things, that will strengthen me to say “no” to life-wrecking choices.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Don’t live in fear of becoming something you hate. Just make conscious choices to be like Christ.

Further Reading

Proverbs 28:13
Luke 17:3

November 29 / Wisdom from the Psalms

Psalms 139:17

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!

 

Luke was considered by many to be one of the most influential men in American business. He controlled millions of dollars, was responsible for employing millions of workers, and made decisions that affected millions of people's lives. He spent time with most of the truly important people in the world; but no one more important, in Luke's mind, than the Lord. Schedules were always packed full, but never so full that Luke didn't take some time with God. No decision was made without consulting the Lord. When so much depended on the integrity of Luke's decisions, he wanted to make sure he took into consideration the Word of the Lord. To do less would be absurd.

 

The counsel of the Lord should be precious to us all. God holds the sum of all wisdom and knowledge. He is the ground of all common sense. Why wouldn't we want to consult the Lord when we make the important decisions in our lives? Doing less is absurd.

 

Prayer: Fill my mind with Your own thoughts, O God. Help me to see problems through Your eyes and meet them with Your solutions. Teach me to use the gifts of reason, logic, and wisdom that You have given me. Amen.

 

The Riches of the Destitute by Oswald Chambers

 

The Riches of the Destitute …being justified freely by His grace…  ROMANS 3:24 The gospel of the grace of God awakens an intense longing in human souls and an equally intense resentment, because the truth that it reveals is not palatable or easy to swallow. There is a certain pride in people that causes them to give and give, but to come and accept a gift is another thing. I will give my life to martyrdom; I will dedicate my life to service— I will do anything. But do not humiliate me to the level of the most hell-deserving sinner and tell me that all I have to do is accept the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. We have to realize that we cannot earn or win anything from God through our own efforts. We must either receive it as a gift or do without it. The greatest spiritual blessing we receive is when we come to the knowledge that we are destitute. Until we get there, our Lord is powerless. He can do nothing for us as long as we think we are sufficient in and of ourselves. We must enter into His kingdom through the door of destitution. As long as we are “rich,” particularly in the area of pride or independence, God can do nothing for us. It is only when we get hungry spiritually that we receive the Holy Spirit. The gift of the essential nature of God is placed and made effective in us by the Holy Spirit. He imparts to us the quickening life of Jesus, making us truly alive. He takes that which was “beyond” us and places it “within” us. And immediately, once “the beyond” has come “within,” it rises up to “the above,” and we are lifted into the kingdom where Jesus lives and reigns (see John 3:5). From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS We are not to preach the doing of good things; good deeds are not to be preached, they are to be performed. from So Send I You, 1330 L