Do You See Your Calling? by Oswald Chambers

 

Do You See Your Calling? …separated to the gospel of God…  ROMANS 1:1 Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell— it is redemption. The need to perceive this is the most vital need of the Christian worker today. As workers, we have to get used to the revelation that redemption is the only reality. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes. Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who separated me…” (Galatians 1:15). Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption. Christian workers fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire to know God. “Don’t ask me to be confronted with the strong reality of redemption on behalf of the filth of human life surrounding me today; what I want is anything God can do for me to make me more desirable in my own eyes.” To talk that way is a sign that the reality of the gospel of God has not begun to touch me. There is no reckless abandon to God in that. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character. Paul was not conscious of himself. He was recklessly abandoned, totally surrendered, and separated by God for one purpose— to proclaim the gospel of God (see Romans 9:3). From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS It is impossible to read too much, but always keep before you why you read. Remember that “the need to receive, recognize, and rely on the Holy Spirit” is before all else. from Approved Unto God, 11 L

Sunday Reflection: The Freedom to Fly by Charles Stanley

 

Sunday Reflection: The Freedom to Fly

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

The flying trapeze is one of the most thrilling acts at the circus. With faces turned skyward, we watch with a sense of awe as fliers somersault, twist, and glide across the arena into the arms of a catcher, then return to their perch in triumph. 

What we don’t see are the hours of grueling practice. Trapeze artists need to build trust with one another, if they ever want to move together with grace and beauty. It is only through mutual submission that they are free to attain something greater than they ever could alone. 

Believers can experience a similar joy. Paul emphasized the importance of differences and gifts, describing us this way in 1 Corinthians 12:19-20: “If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body.” Yes, we are each uniquely designed. Yet in Christ, we discover our fullest, truest selves by working together as one, surrendering ourselves to each other in love. 

Think about it
• Describe the joy that comes with being part of Christ’s body. If you haven’t experienced it, how might you pursue it? 

• To what specific task in the body are you called? How can you exercise your gift more fully at church, home, or work?

He’s Got Your Past, Present, and Future by Adrian Rogers

 He’s Got Your Past, Present, and Future

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

The Lord Jesus Christ is described as a Shepherd three times in the New Testament. He is called the Good Shepherd in John 10:11: “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” That’s the past — Mount Calvary.

He is called the Chief Shepherd in 1 Peter 5:4: “And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, you will re­ceive a crown of glory that does not fade away.” In the future He will return.

Finally, He is called the Great Shepherd in Hebrews 13:20-21: “… our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever, Amen. …” That’s the present. He makes us complete.

The Good Shepherd—He died for me.

The Chief Shepherd—He's coming for me.

The Great Shepherd—He lives for me.

The Good Shepherd cares for you, past, present and future. Praise Him today—thank Him for making provision for you … before you were even born.

For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org. 

You can also listen to Adrian Rogers at OnePlace.com.

Watch Adrian Rogers and Love Worth Finding Video Online.

January 31 / Streams in the Desert

 He giveth quietness (Job 34:29).

Quietness amid the dash of the storm. We sail the lake with Him still; and as we reach its middle waters, far from land, under midnight skies, suddenly a great storm sweeps down. Earth and hell seem arrayed against us, and each billow threatens to overwhelm. Then He arises from His sleep, and rebukes the winds and the waves; His hand waves benediction and repose over the rage of the tempestuous elements. His voice is heard above the scream of the wind in the cordage and the conflict of the billows, "Peace, be still!" Can you not hear it? And there is instantly a great calm. "He giveth quietness." Quietness amid the loss of inward consolations. He sometimes withdraws these, because we make too much of them. We are tempted to look at our joy, our ecstasies, our transports, or our visions, with too great complacency. Then love for love's sake, withdraws them. But, by His grace, He leads us to distinguish between them and Himself. He draws nigh, and whispers the assurance of His presence. Thus an infinite calm comes to keep our heart and mind. "He giveth quietness."

"He giveth quietness." O Elder Brother,
Whose homeless feet have pressed our path of pain,
Whose hands have borne the burden of our sorrow,
That in our losses we might find our gain.
Of all Thy gifts and infinite consolings,
I ask but this: in every troubled hour
To hear Thy voice through all the tumults stealing,
And rest serene beneath its tranquil power.
Cares cannot fret me if my soul be dwelling
In the still air of faith's untroubled day;
Grief cannot shake me if I walk beside thee,
My hand in Thine along the darkening way.
Content to know there comes a radiant morning
When from all shadows I shall find release,
Serene to wait the rapture of its dawning--
Who can make trouble when Thou sendest peace?

Wearing Our Courage by Mike Wittmer

 

Wearing Our Courage

Mike Wittmer

If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven. 2 Kings 1:10

2 Kings 1:9–15

Exodus 23–24; Matthew 20:1–16

Andrew lives in a country that’s closed to the gospel. When I asked how he keeps his faith a secret, he said he doesn’t. He wears a button that advertises his church, and whenever he’s arrested he tells the police that “they need Jesus too.” Andrew has courage because he knows who’s on his side.

Elijah refused to be intimidated, even when the king of Israel sent fifty soldiers to arrest him (2 Kings 1:9). The prophet knew God was with him, and he called down fire that consumed the platoon. The king sent more soldiers, and Elijah did it again (v. 12). The king sent more, but the third platoon had heard about the others. The captain begged Elijah to spare his soldiers’ lives. They were more afraid of him than he’d ever been of them, so the angel of the Lord told Elijah it was safe to go with them (vv. 13–15).

Jesus doesn’t want us to call down fire on our enemies. When the disciples asked if they could call down fire on a Samaritan village, Jesus rebuked them (Luke 9:51–55). We’re living in a different time. But Jesus does want us to have Elijah’s boldness—to be ready to tell everyone about the Savior who died for them. It may seem like one person taking on fifty, but it’s actually One on fifty. Jesus provides what we need to courageously love and reach out to others.

How does Jesus provide what you need to be courageous? What does God want you to know and do?

Holy Spirit, thank You for living in me. Fill me with courage as I tell others about Jesus.

He Can Use Anyone by Billy Graham

 

He Can Use Anyone

Helen Keller, who is a classic example of handling life’s handicaps, said, “I thank God for my handicaps, for through them I have found myself, my work, and my God.” Some people with handicaps drown themselves in self-pity, and thus limit their usefulness and service to mankind and to God. The Apostle Paul knew the pangs of suffering. He used his infirmity rather than allowing his infirmity to use him, and he used it for the glory of God. He seized everything, even death, to glorify his Lord. No matter which way fate turned, he was one jump ahead of it, and using it to magnify his Savior.

Daily Prayer

Even my handicaps can be used by You, Lord Jesus. Like the Apostle Paul, let me rise above them for Your glory.

“For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭

Christ / NKJV 365

 

Christ

(Gk. Christos) (Matthew 11:2; Matthew 16:16; John 1:41; Acts 2:36; 2 Cor. 1:21) Strong’s #5547

Many speak of Jesus Christ but do not realize that the title Christ is, in essence, a confession of faith. The word literally means “the Anointed One.” In the OT, forms of its Hebrew equivalent messiah were applied to prophets (1 Kin. 19:16), priests (Lev. 4:5, 16), and kings (1 Sam. 24:6, 10), in the sense that all of them were anointed with oil, the symbol that God had set them aside for their respective offices. But the preeminent Anointed One would be the promised Messiah, for He would be anointed by God’s Spirit to be the ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King (Is. 61:1; John 3:34). With his dramatic confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (16:16), Peter plainly identified Jesus as the promised Messiah.

Taken from NKJV Study Bible

“John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus,”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Value of Righteousness by Alistair Begg

 

The Value of Righteousness 

The Lord is our righteousness.

Jeremiah 23:6

It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ.

How often are the saints of God downcast and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not think they would be if they could always see their perfection in Christ. There are some who are always talking about corruption and the depravity of the heart and the innate evil of the soul. This is quite true, but why not go a little further and remember that we are perfect in Christ Jesus.

It is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their own corruption should wear such downcast looks; but surely if we call to mind "Christ Jesus, whom God made . . . our righteousness,"1we shall be of good cheer. What though distresses afflict me, though Satan assault me, though there may be many things to be experienced before I get to heaven, those are done for me in the covenant of divine grace; there is nothing wanting in my Lord—Christ has done it all. On the cross He said, "It is finished!" and if it be finished, then am I complete in Him and can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, "not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith."2

You will not find on this side of heaven a holier people than those who receive into their hearts the doctrine of Christ's righteousness. When the believer says, "I live on Christ alone; I rest on Him solely for salvation; and I believe that, however unworthy, I am still saved in Jesus," then there rises up as a motive of gratitude this thought: "Shall I not live to Christ? Shall I not love Him and serve Him, seeing that I am saved by His merits?" "The love of Christ controls us,"3 "that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."4 If saved by imputed righteousness, we shall greatly value imparted righteousness.

1) 1 Corinthians 1:30
2) Philippians 3:9
3) 2 Corinthians 5:14
4) 2 Corinthians 5:15

Are You Scared of Loving Zacchaeus? By Laura MacCorkle

 Are You Scared of Loving Zacchaeus?

By Laura MacCorkle

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” Luke 19:5, NIV

I’m scared of some things—and some people—but I’m not too scared about spending time with those who don’t know Jesus. Never have been.

In fact, I enjoy people who are vastly different than me. I must say, though, that I am nowhere even close to the greatest friend-who-knew-no-stranger-of-all-time: Jesus. And so I admire his ability to walk toward those who might scare you and me … those who we might walk away from today.

Zacchaeus was one such character. He really was a despicable little man. As I’m sure you know, tax collectors in Bible times were not the sort of person you invited over for a potluck to your home on an early spring evening. No, they were viewed as the lowest of the low. The pond scum of society. The ones you wouldn’t even let in your front door.

Amazingly, though, Jesus didn’t adjust his course when he was walking through Jericho one fine day. With his eye on the tax collector, Jesus walked right to where Zacchaeus was perched in a sycamore tree. Because he was small in stature, Zacchaeus had climbed up this tree so that he could see who Jesus was when he passed by in the crowd of people. He had heard about him, and now he wanted to see for himself.

Had he heard how he’d performed miracles? How he’d attracted and fed large crowds of people? How he’d touched the untouchables and healed those with leprosy? How he’d stood up to the religious establishment and called them on their legalistic teachings?

Who knows for sure. But whatever he had heard, Zacchaeus wanted to see this man who defied everyone’s expectations of what the Messiah would be.

“Zacchaeus,” Jesus said as he addressed him by name. “Come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

Can you imagine what Zacchaeus must have thought? He knows me! Wait, HOW does he know me? And why is he coming to spend time with me? Doesn’t he know that everyone despises me because I take all of their money? Why would he want to spend time with ME?

But whatever Zaccheus may have thought didn’t stop him from scrambling down the tree and welcoming Jesus “gladly.” He was smitten with the love of the Savior. And he knew that this was the Christ.

“Look, Lord!” Zacchaeus said to him. “Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

And Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

How amazing is that? Jesus didn’t shy away from someone who the rest of society was shunning. He also didn’t get up in Zacchaeus’ face, make him feel like dirt and then strike him down with the Law in his initial effort to love him. No, he just said, “Hey, I see you and I’m going to spend some time with you. Come on, let’s go!”

It’s the “great commission” in action. “Go ye into all the world.” Even to the parts of town that you usually avoid. Even to the societal groups that offend you. Even to the family member who has chosen to live a different lifestyle. He, she, they … any of these people can represent Zacchaeus in your life.

But don’t walk away from them. Walk toward them. And extend an invitation for a better way of living and the hope of a glorious eternity. Just like Jesus did for you.

Intersecting Faith & Life: So maybe you think I missed that one part of the Zacchaeus story with the crowd. Well, I didn’t. I just saved it for last. When the crowd witnessed Jesus make his invitation to Zacchaeus, they muttered, ”He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’” How sad. But isn’t that also you and me? We all have a person or a people group who is hard for us to love. Don’t be scared of loving the Zacchaeuses in your life. The Lord will help you follow his example as you love others to him.

Further Reading:

Mark 16:15, NIV
John 13:34-35, NIV
1 Peter 4:8-11, NIV

January 31 / Wisdom from the Psalms

 Psalms 13:3

Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.

Bill was beginning to doubt his faith. He had been confirmed into a church almost twenty years ago, he had once read the Bible regularly, and he still prayed occasionally, always at meals. Still, he felt like he was just stumbling through life like a sleepwalker. Nothing seemed to matter, and Bill felt that his life laced purpose. There had to be something more, but Bill was wondering what it was.

 

If the Lord is not a real and vital part of our lives, then we are only half living. God renews us and puts purpose into our being. We are spiritual batteries which constantly need to be recharged. We cannot be recharged apart from the power source: Jesus Christ. The Bible, the church, fellowship with other believers, prayer; these and many other activities draw us close to God and therefore energize our spiritual lives. Draw close to God and feel the power. It's waiting right now, and it is given freely.

 

Prayer: Energize my life with the power of Your Holy Spirit, Lord. Grant that I might live life fully, not halfway. Open my eyes to the glorious life I have been given. Amen.

Rise Up and Step Out by Max Lucado

 

Rise Up and Step Out

Listen to Today's Devotion Peter discovered the wonder of God’s second chance. One day Jesus preached from Peter’s boat, then he told Peter to take him fishing. The apostle-to-be had no interest. He was tired; he had fished all night. He was discouraged; he had caught nothing. He was dubious; what did Jesus know about catching fish? But Jesus insisted, and Peter relented. “At your word I will let down the net” (Luke 5:5). This was a moment of truth for Peter. He was saying, “I will begin again, your way.” And when he did, the catch of fish was so great the boat nearly sank. Sometimes we just need to begin again with Christ in the boat. Don’t miss your opportunity by inaction. It’s time to rise up and step out. God has not forgotten you. Keep your head up — you never know what good awaits you. Read more Begin Again

The Dilemma of Obedience by Oswald Chambers

 

The Dilemma of Obedience Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.  1 SAMUEL 3:15 God never speaks to us in dramatic ways, but in ways that are easy to misunderstand. Then we say, “I wonder if that is God’s voice?” Isaiah said that the Lord spoke to him “with a strong hand,” that is, by the pressure of his circumstances (Isaiah 8:11). Without the sovereign hand of God Himself, nothing touches our lives. Do we discern His hand at work, or do we see things as mere occurrences? Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance (1 Samuel 3:9). Every time circumstances press in on you, say, “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline— it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? Was it Luke 11:13, or was it 1 Thessalonians 5:23? As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time. Should I tell my “Eli” what God has shown to me? This is where the dilemma of obedience hits us. We disobey God by becoming amateur providences and thinking, “I must shield ‘Eli,’ ” who represents the best people we know. God did not tell Samuel to tell Eli— he had to decide that for himself. God’s message to you may hurt your “Eli,” but trying to prevent suffering in another’s life will prove to be an obstruction between your soul and God. It is at your own risk that you prevent someone’s right hand being cut off or right eye being plucked out (see Matthew 5:29-30). Never ask another person’s advice about anything God makes you decide before Him. If you ask advice, you will almost always side with Satan. “…I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood…” (Galatians 1:16). From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS We never enter into the Kingdom of God by having our head questions answered, but only by commitment. from The Highest Good—Thy Great Redemption, 565 R

The Danger of Error in the Church by Charles Stanley

 

The Danger of Error in the Church

2 Timothy 2:16-21

Ever since the beginning of church history, believers have been in a battle for the truth. That’s why, in today’s reading, Paul admonished Timothy to be faithful—not only in preaching God’s Word but also in refuting false doctrines. Both types of instruction are necessary for the health of a local congregation. False teaching …

• Leads to further ungodliness (2 Timothy 2:16). A false teacher’s words may sound religious, but something counterfeit can never make a person righteous. Apart from the true Word of God (John 17:17), no one can grow in holiness. 

• Spreads like gangrene (2 Timothy 2:17). Once deceitful ideas infiltrate a church and are accepted by a few, contagion can ultimately make the entire congregation spiritually sick and prone to ignore the Spirit’s power. 

• Overthrows the faith of some (2 Timothy 2:18-19). The church as a whole loses effectiveness when individual members turn away from Christ to embrace error. 

If we’re firmly grounded in the Scriptures, we can more easily recognize and flee from seductive ideas that would lead us astray. Accurate knowledge of God’s Word is our best protection.

January 30 / NKJV 365

 As a man, Jesus became tired, just as we do. When He needed to get from point A to point B, He walked, just like everybody else. Jesus felt physical hunger. We know that after He fasted for forty days and nights, He got hungry. He got thirsty. When He hung on the cross, He said, “I thirst” (John 19:28). I think we can safely say that Jesus was a man’s man, but even so, He could grow weary and weak. He died like a man when His battered body ceased to function. And although He never flew off the handle or lost His temper, Jesus sometimes got angry — with genuine righteous indignation. When Jesus came to the tomb of one of His closest friends who had just died, He also felt deep, deep sorrow. The Scripture says simply, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35).

Taken from Start! The Bible for New Believers

“And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:2‬ 

Use Your Time Wisely by Billy Graham

 

Use Your Time Wisely

Nothing takes God by surprise. Everything is moving according to a plan; and God wants you in that plan. The devil also has a plan for the world. God has a plan and the devil has a plan, and you will have to decide which plan you are going to fit into. Scripture says that God allows us 70 years and some beyond. The first 15 are spent in childhood and early adolescence. Twenty years are spent in bed; and in the last five, physical limitations start to curtail our activities. That gives us about 30 years in which to live as adults. We take time out for eating, and for figuring our taxes, and we are down to perhaps 15 years. Now suppose we spend seven of those years watching television. That cuts us down to seven or eight years. Our time is short! The time we can invest for God, in creative things, in reaching our fellowmen for Christ, is short!

Daily Prayer

Each hour of every day that is left of this earthly life, I would spend serving You, Lord Jesus. Forgive the time spent so often in needless endeavor.

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

‭‭James‬ ‭4:14‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Window Shopping Through the Bible by Adrian Rogers

 Window Shopping Through the Bible

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

Most of us just kind of go window-shopping through the Bible. “Oh, isn’t that a precious promise?”  “Hmm, what a sweet promise.”  “Oh, that’s a wonderful promise.”  We take verses, memorize them, and even put them on our refrigerator door, but never lay hold on them.  Just kind of window-shopping. But do we believe them?

Leonard Ravenhill said, “One of these days somebody is going to pick up this book, read it and believe it, and the rest of us are going to be ashamed of ourselves.”  Promises are wonderful, but the Word of God was never meant to be just a grab bag of promises. It is a lamp to our feet and the light for our path.

Don’t wait another day to commit to making this a year of being devoted to reading the Bible and to prayer. Plan to read through the Bible this year, cover to cover.

For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org. 

You can also listen to Adrian Rogers at OnePlace.com.

Watch Adrian Rogers and Love Worth Finding Video Online.

Let God Handle It by Greg Laurie

 Let God Handle It

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19 NKJV).

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great British preacher, said, “Let us go to Calvary to learn how we may be forgiven; and then let us linger there to learn how we may forgive.”

We need God’s forgiveness because we have sinned against Him. And as we spend time at the cross of Calvary, we’ll learn more about forgiving others.

We all get hurt in life. Husbands are going to hurt wives. Wives are going to hurt husbands. Parents are going to hurt children, and children are going to hurt parents. Friends are going to hurt friends. That is just human nature, and it happens both intentionally and unintentionally. 

Maybe you’re thinking, “But you don’t know how deeply I’m wounded.”

Look at what God has done for you. A forgiven person should be a forgiving person. And if you aren’t a forgiving person, then I have to wonder how much you know of the forgiveness of God.

If you’re a true follower of Jesus, then you should obey the Lord in this area. When you don’t forgive, you’re not only disobeying Scripture, but you’re essentially taking the place of God Himself. 

When you decide to hold back your mercy, forgiveness, and love, then basically you’re saying, “I will repay” instead of leaving it in the hands of God.

Let God take care of it. The Bible says, “For it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19 NKJV).

Let the Lord settle those accounts. Be willing to forgive. Don’t take vengeance. Don’t pay back. Extend forgiveness.

We’d better learn how to forgive because if we don’t, it will eat us up on the inside. We’ll get hearts that are hard and filled with bitterness.

Is there someone who has hurt you or wronged you? It’s time to forgive.

Copyright © 2021 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.

Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.

January 30 / Streams in the Desert

 I will be as the dew unto Israel (Hosea 14:5).

The dew is a source of freshness. It is nature's provision for renewing the face of the earth. It falls at night, and without it the vegetation would die. It is this great value of the dew which is so often recognized in the Scriptures. It is used as the symbol of spiritual refreshing. Just as nature is bathed in dew, so the Lord renews His people. In Titus 3:5 the same thought of spiritual refreshing is connected with the ministry of the Holy Ghost--"renewing of the Holy Ghost."

Many Christian workers do not recognize the importance of the heavenly dew in their lives, and as a result they lack freshness and vigor. Their spirits are drooping for lack of dew.

Beloved fellow-worker, you recognize the folly of a laboring man attempting to do his day's work without eating. Do you recognize the folly of a servant of God attempting to minister without eating of the heavenly manna? Nor will it suffice to have spiritual nourishment occasionally. Every day you must receive the renewing of the Holy Ghost. You know when your whole being is pulsating with the vigor and freshness of Divine life and when you feel jaded and worn. Quietness and absorption bring the dew. At night when the leaf and blade are still, the vegetable pores are open to receive the refreshing and invigorating bath; so spiritual dew comes from quiet lingering in the Master's presence. Get still before Him. Haste will prevent your receiving the dew. Wait before God until you feel saturated with His presence; then go forth to your next duty with the conscious freshness and vigor of Christ.
--Dr. Pardington

Dew will never gather while there is either heat or wind. The temperature must fall, and the wind cease, and the air come to a point of coolness and rest--absolute rest, so to speak--before it can yield up its invisible particles of moisture to bedew either herb or flower. So the grace of God does not come forth to rest the soul of man until the still point is fairly and fully reached.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease:
Take from our souls the strain and stress;
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.
Breathe through the pulses of desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, its beats expire:
Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire,
O still small voice of calm!

Be Prepared by Alistair Begg

 

Be Prepared 

And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself.

2 Samuel 5:24

The members of Christ's Church should be very prayerful, always seeking the unction of the Holy One to rest upon their hearts, that the kingdom of Christ may come, and that His "will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."1 But there are times when God seems especially to favor Zion; such seasons ought to be to them like "the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees."

We ought then to be doubly prayerful, doubly earnest, wrestling more at the throne than we have been used to do. Action should then be prompt and vigorous. The tide is flowing—now let us pull manfully for the shore. O for Pentecostal outpourings and Pentecostal labors.

Christian, in yourself there are times "when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees." You have a peculiar power in prayer; the Spirit of God gives you joy and gladness; the Scripture is open to you; the promises are applied; you walk in the light of God's countenance; you have peculiar freedom and liberty in devotion, and more closeness of communion with Christ than before. Now, at such joyous periods when you hear the "sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees," is the time to rouse yourself; now is the time to get rid of any evil habit, while God the Spirit helps your infirmities. Spread your sail; but remember what you sometimes sing...

I can only spread the sail;
But God must breathe the auspicious gale.

Only be sure you have the sail up. Do not miss the gale for want of preparation for it. Seek help from God, that you may be more earnest in duty when made more strong in faith, that you may be more constant in prayer when you have more liberty at the throne, that you may be more holy in your conversation while you live more closely with Christ.

1) Matthew 6:10

Getting Rid of Pineapple Hospitality by Katherine Britton

 Getting Rid of Pineapple Hospitality

by Katherine Britton

Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. - Romans 12:13

On Friday night, my house will be clean. The kitchen will sparkle like one from Better Homes and Gardens, the guest room curtains will gently ripple in the breeze, and - best of all - my guests and friends will feel such warmth that they never want to leave.

Ever had that dream?

The impending arrival of friends has made me reconsider just what it means to practice hospitality. Part of me knows that the house is just not "ready" for guests - I don't even have a pineapple tacked on the wall at this point. Granted, the boxes have diminished, but I don't consider my house properly "finished" yet. For that reason, part of me feels like I can't offer my guests "real" hospitality.

Ever lived that reality?

So what does hospitality mean? The dictionary definition of hospitality surprised me. Hospitality is "the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way." Not one word about wowing the guests with the food, the after-dinner entertainment, or even the surroundings. The very definition takes the focus off of things and puts it back where it belongs - on people and fellowship. It's an attitude as well as an action.

Many of my favorite growing-up memories feature a table with lots of people around it. I remember laughter, encouraging conversation, challenging conversation. My parents still love to invite people they meet at church back to the house for brunch, even though many of their guests are total strangers two hours prior to the meal. They ask people about their lives and share their own. They don't put on a show, but they do offer authenticity and a desire to encourage others.

My house sure isn't perfect, but then, neither am I. Neither are the people who walk through my door. Waiting until the house is perfect actually signals a pride issue for me, because it's an excuse not to offer what I do have. I want to be like Lydia in Acts, who probably hadn't planned to shelter the disciples at her house until she asked them. She just saw the need and shared what she could. I desire that kind of heart, a heart that can share God's gifts of love, provision, and joy.

I think human hospitality is actually a pale reflection of how God welcomes us into His house. I can offer food, shelter, and company - He offers the bread of life, shelter from the storms, and a relationship with Him. I was the stranger in desperate need of His hospitality, and He opened the door. How's that for a precedent?

When my friends arrive on Friday, it'll be okay if I missed a cobweb. And if a stray box or two is still in the living room, my friends will probably chuckle and ask how the unpacking is going. Then we'll swap stories about their own recent moves and laugh at old trinkets we've rediscovered, like my Nerf gun. And my prayer is that throughout the course of the evening, we'll encourage each other in the new directions that God is pushing us. Yep. That's what hospitality means.

Intersecting Faith & Life: I want to view my home as not just a place to eat and sleep. I want it to be a place where ministry happens and God touches people, and that means taking the opportunities to see Him work. What opportunities do you have to practice hospitality? Are you letting appearances hold you back? Or are you ready to invite others into a welcome and caring atmosphere?

New Year, New You—Looking Forward by David Jeremiah

 

New Year, New You—Looking Forward

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2 Peter 3:8

 Recommended Reading: 2 Peter 3:8-13

The word year in the Bible typically describes a period of time which, for us, seems to pass quickly. We’re often amazed at how fast our birthdays approach, and we shake our heads at how quickly our children grow up. The older we grow, the more we realize the brevity of life.

It’s helpful to remember that our God does not experience time as we do. His eternal nature is never flustered by how slowly or how quickly time is passing. To Him, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day.

For us, His children, that means the brevity of our earthly life is countered by the endless nature of our eternal life. If you’re missing a loved one in heaven, don’t brood over your memories of past happiness. Look forward to future fellowship! If you’re feeling poorly, don’t give up; look up. Nothing will help you be fresher or newer than focusing your attention on the Almighty God who resides in the eternal realms. Let this new year bring a new you.

Life is hard—but God is good, and Heaven is real.

Billy Graham