“My Joy…Your Joy” / Oswald Chambers

 

“My Joy…Your Joy” These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. JOHN 15:11 What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2). “I delight to do Your will, O my God…” (Psalm 40:8). Jesus prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me? Living a full and overflowing life does not rest in bodily health, in circumstances, nor even in seeing God’s work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God, and in the same fellowship and oneness with Him that Jesus Himself enjoyed. But the first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances. Jesus said, “…the cares of this world,…choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). And before we even realize what has happened, we are caught up in our cares. All that God has done for us is merely the threshold— He wants us to come to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who Jesus is. Have the right relationship with God, finding your joy there, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38 ). Be a fountain through which Jesus can pour His “living water.” Stop being hypocritical and proud, aware only of yourself, and live “your life…hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS Beware of pronouncing any verdict on the life of faith if you are not living it.

Seeing Obstacles through God's Eyes / Charles Stanley

 Seeing Obstacles through God's Eyes

Joshua 2

Jericho was the first city that the Israelites needed to conquer in their quest for the land of Canaan. When Joshua sent a pair of spies to check it out, he probably didn't realize that he would receive a glimpse of God's impressive behind-the-scenes activity.

God wants us to look at every obstacle through the lens of His unlimited strength and resources. Anything that appears to block His plans is an opportunity for Him to demonstrate His sovereign power. Just because we don't see anything happening, that doesn't mean He's inactive.

Always remember that God is at work on the other side of our obstacles, arranging the details and bringing His plans to fruition. When the spies returned to Joshua, they reported that the people of Jericho were scared to death. Having heard about the Jews' deliverance from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea, they were gripped by fear of the Lord.

The stage was set for the conquest, yet by that point, Joshua had done nothing. Sometimes we think we need to be involved in the solution to our problem, but God is not limited with regard to whom or what He can use to accomplish His will. In this case, He worked in the hearts of the enemy by instilling demoralizing fear.

For Christians, great obstacles need not be reasons for discouragement. Although much of the Lord's activity is silent and invisible, we can be sure He is dynamically working out His will for our lives. When the pieces of His plan are in place, He will move us on to victory.

Are You Wasting First-Rate Enthusiasm on a Second-Rate Cause? Adrian Ross

Are You Wasting First-Rate Enthusiasm on a Second-Rate Cause?                  

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he who wins souls is wise. Proverbs 11:30

It's amazing what gets folks all excited. A Russian came to the United States during football season, and friends took him to a great bowl game. Afterward, they asked him what he thought about it.

Do you know what he said? “I've never seen so much first-rate enthusiasm for such a second-rate cause.”

What's the first-rate cause? What’s the most important thing? “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10).

Getting souls saved is what it's all about.

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30.

“Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:3.

You may have members in your family who are lost. One day they will die, and you’ll say, “My God, why didn't I witness?”

Why don’t you say this week, “I'II make my life a life of one thing. This one thing I do.” It's time we got excited about what excites God, our Father, and that's winning people to Jesus Christ, committed to the cause of the Holy Spirit.

 

The Supernatural Benefits of Wisdom / Chuck Swindoll

 The Supernatural Benefits of Wisdom

by Pastor Chuck SwindollScriptures: Proverbs 2:7–9

Obviously, behaving wisely or sensibly prepares us to respond constructively to difficulties and conflicts. Consider again the examples of Harper Lee and Truman Capote. I don’t know if either of them professed belief in Christ. Regardless, we see how the presence or the absence of wisdom led them to experience life very differently. They began in the same small Alabama town, both moved to New York, both achieved phenomenal success as writers, yet they responded very differently to notoriety. The pursuit of fame consumed Capote, who died early and shamefully. Lee affirmed the impact of her novel, but rejected personal glory. As of this writing, she continues to live quietly and, yes, sensibly.

While wisdom helps us shape our own environments, to make them less chaotic and more constructive, God promises even more. He promises not to leave us to fend for ourselves in a corrupt and foolish world. He promises to remain personally involved with us as we pursue wisdom.

2. Benefits of wisdom from above: protection

He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
Guarding the paths of justice,
And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
Then you will discern righteousness and justice 
And equity and every good course. (Proverbs 2:7–9)

Put simply, living wisely places us under an invisible umbrella of divine protection. By choosing to pursue wisdom, we align ourselves with God against foolishness, dishonesty, misconduct, and injustice. He delights to support us when we become a part of His agenda. Even so, the support He provides doesn’t mean we won’t suffer. We are, in fact, at war with evil. The world is a battlefield, and like soldiers, we will endure hardships and suffer wounds. Many thousands of martyrs died as a result of the stand they took for the gospel against powerful persecutors. Wisdom brings supernatural, divine protection. His protective umbrella may be invisible, but that does not make us invincible to evil. Not in this life.

But God promises that we will suffer less at the hands of evil if we accept rather than reject divine wisdom. Furthermore, the suffering we do experience will be used for our good (Romans 8:28–39). Still more than that, the suffering we endure now is temporary, eventually giving way to a time when those who seek God’s wisdom will enjoy eternity, where “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). We receive some protection now and ultimate protection when He redeems the world from its foolishness and evil.

Between now and eternity, wisdom pulls us up from our shallowness, allowing us to both enjoy God’s best now and maintain an eternal perspective in the midst of a sinful, foolish world.

Are You Hoping or Wishing? / Senior Living

 Are You Hoping or Wishing?

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” - Psalm 39:7

Eugene Peterson, who translated The Message Bible, points out that what a lot of people call “hope” is really something different. It's wishing, not hoping: and wishing and hoping are not the same thing.

He says, “Wishing is something all of us do. It projects what we want or think we need into the future. Just because we wish for something good or holy we think it qualifies as hope. It does not. Wishing extends our egos into the future; hope grows out of our faith. Hope is oriented toward what God is doing; wishing is oriented toward what we are doing.”

“Hope,” he continues, “means being surprised, because we don't know what is best for us or how our lives are going to be completed. To cultivate hope is to suppress wishing – to refuse to fantasize about what we want, but live in anticipation of what God is going to do next.” 

When Christ came into the world, He was the Messiah people hoped for, but not the one many wished for. If most people had their way, Christ would have been born in a grand palace – a place fit for a king. But God had other plans – plans that included Christ being made low, born in a humble stable.

But isn’t that so much better? We don’t have a Savior who looks down on us from high. He became like us so that He could save us. What a wonderful blessing that Christ fulfilled hope, not a wish!

Prayer Challenge:

Thank God that Christ came exactly as He planned – not in splendor but in humility.

Questions for Thought:

Why do you think Jesus was born and lived much of His life in such humble circumstances?

What does Christ’s humility teach you about putting aside selfish ambition?

Sharing Jesus / ODB

 

Sharing Jesus Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Isaiah 12:4 READ Isaiah 12 Shortly after Dwight Moody (1837–99) came to faith in Christ, the evangelist resolved not to let a day pass without sharing God’s good news with at least one person. On busy days, he’d sometimes forget his resolution until late. One night, he was in bed before he remembered. As he stepped outside, he thought, No one will be out in this pouring rain. Just then he saw a man walking down the street. Moody rushed over and asked to stand under his umbrella to avoid the rain. When granted permission, he asked, “Have you any shelter in the time of storm? Could I tell you about Jesus?” Moody embodied a readiness to share how God saves us from the consequences of our sins. He obeyed God’s instructions to the Israelites to proclaim His name and “make known among the nations what he has done” (Isaiah 12:4). Not only were God’s people called to “proclaim that his name is exalted” (v. 4), but they were also to share how He had “become [their] salvation” (v. 2). Centuries later, our call remains to tell the wonders of Jesus becoming a man, dying on the cross, and rising again. Perhaps we heard about God’s love when, as Moody did, someone left their comfort zone to talk with us about Jesus. And we too, each in our own way, can let someone know about the One who saves. By Amy Boucher Pye What has God done in your life that you can share with another? How has He equipped you to present the good news? Jesus, thank You for setting me free from my sins. Help me to be ready to tell others of Your good news. Read Evangelism: Reaching out through Relationships at DiscoverySeries.org/Q0913.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT Isaiah 11 speaks of the Messiah who will deliver and save His people. With this deliverance and salvation in view, Isaiah 12 gives us two songs of praise that celebrate God’s grace and mercy (vv. 1–3) and proclaim the greatness and majesty of our Savior (vv. 4–6). Our salvation demands a response of personal praise and proclamation. We thank God for who He is and for what He’s done. And we’re instructed that the story of salvation must be told to the nations (v. 4). We’re called to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). And as we go, we echo the words of hymn writer Ernest Nichol, “We’ve a story to tell to the nations, that shall turn their hearts to the right, a story of truth and mercy, a story of peace and light.” K. T. Sim

August 31 / Wisdom from the Psalms

 Psalms 109:5

And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

The old man loved to sit in the park. He had come to the same bench each day for over fifteen years. In that time he had spent many hours talking with children, teaching them games, and telling them stories. In simpler times, they had adored the old man. Now it seemed they treated him with contempt and made fun of him. They no longer flocked to sit at his feet, and he was lonely for bygone times. Each time a young boy or girl hurled an insult, he closed his eyes and asked God to forgive them. No matter how they chose to treat him, he would always love the children.

 

There are many kind and loving people in our world who are treated terribly. They offer nothing but goodness, and they receive evil in return. Our elderly population has much to offer us, and we need to reach out to receive the treasures they hold. To ignore them is the worst kind of cruelty. To a group who has worked long and hard to provide what is good and lasting, we need to extend the hand of fellowship and love . God rejoices when we repay good for good and love with love.

 

Prayer: If I have hurt anyone this day, Lord, help me to make amends and to do better in the future. Let me repay no one evil for good, or evil for evil, either. Let my response always be one of love. Amen.

Rich in Poverty, Strong in Weakness / Alistair Begg

 

Rich in Poverty, Strong in Weakness

And for my arm they wait. 

Isaiah 51:5

In seasons of severe trial the Christian has nothing on earth that he can trust, and so he is compelled to cast himself on God alone. When his vessel is capsizing, and no human deliverance is at hand, he must simply and entirely trust himself to the providence and care of God. Happy storm that wrecks a man on such a rock as this! O blessed hurricane that drives the soul to God and God alone! Sometimes the multitude of our friends keeps us from God; but when a man is so poor, so friendless, so helpless that he has nowhere else to turn, he runs into his Father’s arms, and is blessed to be there! When he is burdened with troubles so pressing and so specific that he cannot tell them to anyone but God, he may be thankful for them; for he will learn more of his Lord then than at any other time.

Oh, tempest-tossed believer, it is a happy trouble that drives you to your Father! Now that you have only God to trust, make sure that you put your complete confidence in Him. Do not dishonor your Lord and Master by unworthy doubts and fears; but be strong in faith, giving glory to God. Show the world that your God is worth ten thousand worlds to you. Show rich men how rich you are in your poverty when the Lord God is your helper. Show the strong man how strong you are in your weakness when underneath you are the everlasting arms. Now is the time for feats of faith and valiant exploits. Be strong and very courageous, and the Lord your God will certainly, as surely as He built the heavens and the earth, glorify Himself in your weakness and magnify His might in the face of your distress. The grandeur of heaven’s arches would be spoiled if the sky were supported by a single visible column, and your faith would lose its glory if it rested on anything discernible by the physical eye. May the Holy Spirit enable you to rest in Jesus on this closing day of the month.

Coached From Within / Davide Jeremiah

Coached From Within But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:27   Thank the Lord that self-control is on the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23! In other words, we needn’t try to develop self-discipline on our own. Like an athlete without a coach, it’s very hard by oneself to keep oneself in game day shape.

Recommended Reading: 1 Corinthians 9: 24 – 27

Yes, we must make the effort. Paul spoke of how he disciplined his body and brought it into subjection. Apparently he worked hard to ward off laziness, gluttony, immoral thoughts and actions, undue expressions of temper, and drunkenness. But his attempts were empowered by the work of the Holy Spirit within him, giving him both the desire and the power to do what pleases the Lord (Philippians 2:13). God gives us the desire to do what we should do, and then He gives us the power to accomplish it. When we walk consciously and constantly with the Lord, we are coached from within by His Spirit, which is the most fulfilling life possible on this earth. We need the rugged strength of Christian character that can only come from discipline. V. Raymond Edman

The Forgotten Vital Organ by Katherine Britton

The Forgotten Vital Organ
by Katherine Britton

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. - Proverbs 18:21

I have decided that many, many medical textbooks are wrong. Each and every one of them has actually left out a vital organ. Yes, they've remembered the heart and the brain and even that strange thing called a pancreas (I know it's important, I just forget why sometimes). But look through the books all you want, and you'll find not one mention of the most obvious vital organ of all: the tongue.

Then again, I myself often choose to ignore the importance of the tongue. I'd rather not believe it has "the power of life and death." I'd like to pretend my tongue is more like an appendix or a gall bladder - easy to forget about because it's not that important - but that's just not the case. Snapping at my family when I'm tired, nagging, and complaining all release a poison from my tongue that works its way through my whole being (James 3:6). Not only that, I infect others with my attitudes and motivations. I begin to spread a disease.

Contrast that with the "words of the wise," as Proverbs says many times. Their words heal and strengthen as they spread encouragement, wisdom, peace, and the Gospel message. Oh, and - get this - the wise actually use their tongues less than other people. The more powerful the tongue, the less it needs to be used. It's like the heart of a well-trained athlete - when someone is really in shape, the beats per minute actually decrease as the heart becomes more and more efficient. In the same way, why don't I condition my tongue to speak fewer words with more meaning?

In Genesis 1, God spoke into the darkness, and there was light. Those "mere words" created something from nothing, showing the power of speaking out. My pastor in college told us that this verse had meaning for us, too, since we are created in God's image. We are meant to speak out and bring light from the darkness as He did. That's the power of the tongue in a crazy world. The question is whether we choose to speak light or just add to the darkness.

That little muscle called the tongue holds the power of life and death. That's no small matter. So let's be careful how we exercise it.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Grab a concordance and look up the words "mouth" and "tongue." The reference lists are extensive. It gets even bigger if you include the words "speak" and words." Then, take a seven day challenge to "tame the tongue" in just one way. Perhaps try encouraging instead of complaining. Even taming just that one area is like trying to control a wildfire (James 3:5). Don't get discouraged, but take each opportunity to thank God for the "new song" that He has given you to sing (Psalm 40:3). 

Man-to-Man / NKJV 365

 

Man-to-Man

David and Jonathan shared a rare friendship, a valuable bond that models how men today can engage in meaningful friendships with other men. The companionship David and Jonathan enjoyed was founded on trust and loyalty so deep that Jonathan, a child of royal privilege, risked much to maintain his friendship with David, a rural shepherd boy who was considered a threat to the royal family. As the two young men became friends, they formalized their commitment to each other with a pledge they honored even when their relationship was severely tested (1 Sam. 18:1–4; 20:1–4).

Many men have numerous acquaintances but few friends, often leaving them feeling isolated and lonely. Even a man who enjoys a healthy marriage can feel misunderstood if no one knows his soul man-to-man, just as women also crave companionship with fellow women. And once a true friend is found, men need not be afraid to enter into a friendship of profound trust and loyalty. A friendship like this is worth any sacrifice.

Taken from The Modern Life Study Bible

“When the lad was gone, David rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times. And they kissed each other and wept together, but David wept the more.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭20:41‬

Make Room In Your Heart / Billy Graham

 

Make Room In Your Heart

When H. G. Wells summed up the influence of Jesus in history, he said, “Is it any wonder that this Galilean is too much for our small hearts?” And yet the heart of man, though small, is big enough for Christ to live in, if man will only make room for Him. Christ instilled the spirit of Christian love in His followers, so that they lived without malice and died without rancor. The love that Christ talked about can only be given to us by God. It is one of the fruits of the Spirit. When you come to Jesus Christ, He transforms you. Your past is forgiven. You receive a power to love men, beyond your natural ability to love.

Daily Prayer

Instill in me, dear Father, Your same Spirit of love which enabled the disciples to live with true charity.

Make Room In Your Heart

When H. G. Wells summed up the influence of Jesus in history, he said, “Is it any wonder that this Galilean is too much for our small hearts?” And yet the heart of man, though small, is big enough for Christ to live in, if man will only make room for Him. Christ instilled the spirit of Christian love in His followers, so that they lived without malice and died without rancor. The love that Christ talked about can only be given to us by God. It is one of the fruits of the Spirit. When you come to Jesus Christ, He transforms you. Your past is forgiven. You receive a power to love men, beyond your natural ability to love.

Daily Prayer

Instill in me, dear Father, Your same Spirit of love which enabled the disciples to live with true charity.

““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:43-45‬ 

The Promise of Christ’s Return / Greg Laurie

The Promise of Christ’s Return

“Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation’” (2 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV).

Some people falsely envision God as someone who’s eagerly waiting in Heaven to bring judgment on Earth. But the Bible teaches something different. It tells us that God “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV).

However, there are people today who say, “Where is the return of the Lord? Haven’t you Christians been talking about that for some time now? Didn’t you believe the Lord was coming back years ago?”

I’m not ashamed to admit that I did. If you were to walk up to me in 1970 when I was a young kid, newly converted, and ask me if I believed that Jesus Christ was coming back soon, I would have said yes.

So am I disappointed that He hasn’t returned? My answer is no. I still believe that He’s coming back soon. The Bible says that “a day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day” (2 Peter 3:8 NLT).

I thank God that He didn’t come back five decades ago. I would have enjoyed it then, of course, but there would have been significantly fewer people in the Kingdom. So I’m rejoicing in what God is doing, and I feel privileged to be a part of it.

But I also know there’s coming a day when the last person will come to faith in Christ. It is my belief that God is waiting for someone, somewhere out in this world, to believe in Him (see Romans 11:25). And once that person comes into the Kingdom, the Lord will rapture the church.

So God is not late. He’s right on time. And at the appointed hour, He will return. Until that day, we should walk with Him.

Copyright © 2021 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. 

The End Of Our Strength / Streams

The End Of Our Strength

Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed - John 20:29

How strong is the snare of the things that are seen, and how necessary for God to keep us in the things that are unseen! If Peter is to walk on the water he must walk; if he is going to swim, he must swim, but he cannot do both. If the bird is going to fly it must keep away from fences and the trees, and trust to its buoyant wings. But if it tries to keep within easy reach of the ground, it will make poor work of flying.

God had to bring Abraham to the end of his own strength, and to let him see that in his own body he could do nothing. He had to consider his own body as good as dead, and then take God for the whole work; and when he looked away from himself, and trusted God alone, then he became fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was able to perform. That is what God is teaching us, and He has to keep away encouraging results until we learn to trust without them, and then He loves to make His Word real in fact as well as faith.—A. B. Simpson

I do not ask that He must prove  

His Word is true to me,  

And that before I can believe  

He first must let me see.  

It is enough for me to know  

’Tis true because He says ’tis so;  

On His unchanging Word I’ll stand  

And trust till I can understand.  

—E. M. Winter

August 31 / Daily Blessings

 Daily Blessings

“He gives power to the faint.” - Isa 40:29

The Lord often gives his people power to take a longing, languishing look at the blood and righteousness of Jesus; to come to the Lord, as “mighty to save,” with the same feelings with which Esther went into the presence of the king—“I will go in, and if I perish, I perish.” It is with them sometimes as with the four lepers who sat at the entering in of the gate of Samaria—“And they said one to another, Why sit here until we die? If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there—and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians—if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die” (2 Kings 7:3, 4). And so the Lord’s people are sometimes brought to this state—“If I perish, I will perish at his footstool.” If he gives no answer of mercy, they will still cling to his feet, and beseech him to look upon, and save them.

Now this is “power,” real power. Despair would have laid hold upon their soul, if this secret power had not been given to them. Sometimes we learn this by painful experience. Our trials sometimes stun us, and then there is no power to seek or pray. But when power is given, there is a pleading with the Lord, a going out of the heart’s desires after him, and a fulfillment in the soul of the experience described by the prophet, “I will wait upon the Lord, that hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.”

God gives power also to believe; for it is the work of the blessed Spirit to raise up living faith in the heart. He gives power to hope; for it is only so far as he communicates power, that we can cast forth this anchor of the soul. He gives power to love; for it is only as he gives power, that we feel any measure of affection either to the Lord or to his people. In a word, every spiritual desire, every breath of fervent prayer, every movement of the soul heavenward, every trusting in God’s name, relying on his word, and hanging upon his promises, spring out of power communicated by the Lord to the faint and feeble.

Take Your Needs to Jesus / Max Lucado

 

Take Your Needs to Jesus

Click below to listen to today's devotional

TAKE YOUR NEEDS TO JESUS - August 30, 2021

Jesus was attending a wedding with the disciples and his mother, Mary, when she approached him with a seemingly irrelevant problem. “‘They have no more wine,’ she told him” (John 2:3). Mary presented the problem, Jesus commanded a solution, and the wineless wedding was suddenly wine flush. And we are left with this message: our diminishing supplies, no matter how insignificant, matter to heaven.

Listen, if Jesus was willing to use divine clout to solve a social faux pas, how much more would he be willing to intervene on the weightier matters of life? He wants you to know that you can take your needs—all your needs—to him. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

Usefulness or Relationship? / Oswald Chambers

 

Usefulness or Relationship? Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. LUKE 10:20 Jesus Christ is saying here, “Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me.” The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you do not have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour “rivers of living water” through you (John 7:38 ). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7). Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God— something of great value to His Father. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory…” (Hebrews 2:10).

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS There is no condition of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus. We have to learn to abide in Him wherever we are placed. from Our Brilliant Heritage

Reasons to Surrender / Charles Stanley

 Reasons to Surrender

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

As we learned yesterday, God tells us to surrender our lives to Him. This is no small task. All our plans, every desire we feel, each entitlement that once seemed our right—everything is put aside in order to make way for our King’s will. But perhaps you have wondered why God can ask this of us.

The Lord has every right to demand that we give Him our all. First, Scripture teaches us that He is sovereign—the King and Ruler over the entire universe. As a result, we are under His authority, whether we choose to submit or not. Next, through His death and resurrection, Jesus saved us from our sin and its consequences. Therefore, we are indebted to Him more than we could ever repay. And finally, He sustains us; we should consider each breath and heartbeat a gift from Him.

Undoubtedly, God is entitled to ask that we yield our life to Him. At the same time, surrender is in our best interest. The Father promises that following Him leads to hope and an established future. Psalm 31:19 states, “How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You . . .” So, while He is the Almighty One with all authority to demand our life, He promises to care for us and to do what will benefit us most.

Are you willing to put yourself aside in order to follow Jesus? His way is best, and it offers hope, joy, and peace. We will not always like everything He chooses at the moment, but He promises to work all things for good. Will you trust God enough to hand the reins over to Him?