The Danger of Drifting by Adrian Rogers

JANUARY 4

The Danger of Drifting

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” -Hebrews 2:1

Life is like an ocean...a trackless ocean with winds, currents and waves. We’ll meet ships we never knew were on that ocean and we'll have all kinds of opportunities, heartaches, tears and fears as we sail into a new year on an uncharted sea.

Scholars tell us Hebrews 2:1 refers to the sea--the writer is using a nautical term. He must have spent time at sea, because the phrase “giving more earnest heed” and the word “slip” refer to bringing a ship into the harbor, a difficult and sometimes dangerous task. A ship never just drifts into the harbor. The most skillful part of being a sea pilot is bringing the ship into the harbor. "Let them slip" literally means drift away. You have to be careful when you enter the harbor that you don't end up on the rocks or drift past the harbor.

The worst thing that could happen to us this year is that we just drift through it--live an aimless life--letting this year “happen” to us rather than charting a course and getting into God's appointed harbor. The winds of worldliness, the tides of circumstance, and the currents of the old nature are determined to cause you to drift.

You will drift unless you decide not to drift. You must have an anchor. You need a fixed direction. It’s important, because drifting is one of the easiest things in the world to do.

Guarding Against Sin by John MacArthur

Guarding Against Sin

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1).

Knowing and obeying God’s Word helps us walk worthy by protecting us from sin.

While we are discussing the importance of knowing right doctrine before right duty, let’s see one way knowing the Bible helps us to walk worthy: it protects us from sin. From time to time you might hear people who have a fatalistic attitude toward sin saying, “I couldn’t help myself” or “The Devil made me do it.” Such excuses are foolish for Christians to make since God has given us the means to resist temptation.

The psalmist said, “Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee” (Ps. 119:11). Without knowledge, we are defenseless and vulnerable. Knowing God’s truth—by study and by application—enables us to say no to sin and yes to righteousness. Anyone who puts his faith in Jesus Christ but who does not keep God’s Word constantly at the forefront of his mind will find himself entrapped in sin again and again.

Although we must know God’s Word to defend ourselves against sin and to obey God’s will, there is a danger. Once we know His truth, we are held accountable for what we know.

Second Peter 2:21 speaks of apostates, those who knew about Jesus Christ but returned to their former life without ever committing themselves to Him: “It would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.” James 4:17 says, “To one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

So not knowing is better than knowing and not obeying. What’s best, of course, is knowing the Word and obeying it, because it is our spiritual nourishment: “Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). For a Christian, neglecting the Word is spiritual starvation.

Suggestions for Prayer

Ask forgiveness for times you have known the right thing to do but have not done it.

For Further Study

• Read about a young man who gave in to temptation in Proverbs 7. Contrast him with Joseph in Genesis 39. What was the difference between them?
• Think about how Psalm 119:9 relates to them, and to you.

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.

Spiritual Journaling by David Jeremiah

Thursday, January 4 Spiritual Journaling    Treasure my commands within you. Write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 7:1, 3    When writing God’s Word on the tablet of your heart, it’s sometimes helpful to also use pen and ink to record it on a tablet on your desk. From early in Christian history, believers have practiced journaling as an aid to spiritual growth.

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 7:1-5

How to start? First, use whatever technique works best for you. Some people use applications on their phones or laptops, others use a paper journal, a calendar with enough space for notes, or a wide-margined Bible. Second, jot down whatever is helpful to you. You might choose to write a short paragraph about your day to keep track of the events of your life. Otherwise, simply record the passage you’re coming to in your daily Bible reading along with insights from the verses. If you want to take your journal to church, it’s a good place to record sermon notes. Third, connect journaling to your daily time of Bible study and prayer. Add a thanksgiving list or a prayer list if you like. Keep it simple, but do it consistently. As you make your walk with God a priority, journaling is a great way to establish consistency in your steps. Invite God to use your journaling experiences to draw you closer to Him. Whitney Hopler

What Do the Experts Say? / Our Daily Bread

What Do the Experts Say? January 4, 2018

Read: John 5:31–40 Bible in a Year: Genesis 10–12; Matthew 4 These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.—John 5:39–40 Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby writes of the “uncanny ability of experts to get things hopelessly, cataclysmically wrong.” A quick glance at recent history shows he’s right. The great inventor Thomas Edison, for instance, once declared that talking movies would never replace silent films. And in 1928, Henry Ford declared, “People are becoming too intelligent ever to have another war.” Countless other predictions by “experts” have missed the mark badly. Genius obviously has its limits. Only one Person is completely reliable, and He had strong words for some so-called experts. The religious leaders of Jesus’s day claimed to have the truth. These scholars and theologians thought they knew what the promised Messiah would be like when He arrived. Jesus cautioned them, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.” Then He pointed out how they were missing the heart of the matter. “These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:39-40). As another new year gets underway, we’ll hear predictions ranging from the terrifying to the wildly optimistic. Many of them will be stated with a great deal of confidence and authority. Don’t be alarmed. Our confidence remains in the One at the very heart of the Scriptures. He has a firm grip on us and on our future. —Tim Gustafson Father, whenever we are troubled or alarmed, help us to seek You. We commit this coming year and all it holds to You. Knowing the future is uncertain; knowing the One who holds the future is a sure thing. INSIGHT: An Old Testament example of “experts” who missed the mark is the account of the “wise men” in the book of Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered them to explain his dreams, but these experts admitted, “No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans” (2:11). However, God enabled Daniel to explain the dreams, and he told the king: “No wise man . . . can explain . . . the mystery. . . ,  but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (vv. 27-28). The king’s experts were right to say no one can reveal mysteries except God, but they were clearly wrong that God does “not live among humans” (v. 11). The Scriptures tell us, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). How does knowing Jesus is God and lives in us through the Spirit give you confidence in this world of uncertainty? Sim Kay Tee

Clouds and Darkness by Oswald Chambers

Clouds and Darkness Clouds and darkness surround Him…  PSALM 97:2 A person who has not been born again by the Spirit of God will tell you that the teachings of Jesus are simple. But when he is baptized by the Holy Spirit, he finds that “clouds and darkness surround Him….” When we come into close contact with the teachings of Jesus Christ we have our first realization of this. The only possible way to have full understanding of the teachings of Jesus is through the light of the Spirit of God shining inside us. If we have never had the experience of taking our casual, religious shoes off our casual, religious feet— getting rid of all the excessive informality with which we approach God— it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence. The people who are flippant and disrespectful in their approach to God are those who have never been introduced to Jesus Christ. Only after the amazing delight and liberty of realizing what Jesus Christ does, comes the impenetrable “darkness” of realizing who He is. Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Once, the Bible was just so many words to us — “clouds and darkness”— then, suddenly, the words become spirit and life because Jesus re-speaks them to us when our circumstances make the words new. That is the way God speaks to us; not by visions and dreams, but by words. When a man gets to God, it is by the most simple way— words. From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS Sincerity means that the appearance and the reality are exactly the same. from Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, 1449 L

January 3 - Heart to Heart

HEART TO HEART

Ralph Waldo Emerson lovingly visited the grave of his young wife every day for two years after her death. And though his was one of the great intellects of his day, ordinary people learned to love him for his sentiment and honesty. One New Englander said, "We are a simple folk here, but we understand Mr. Emerson because he speaks our language." And he did speak their language. His lofty ideas and deep intellect were never wasted through arrogance or conceit.

In his letter to young Timothy, Paul insisted that Timothy always speak to the hearts of the people. He said some false teachers who had come into the church delighted in using high-sounding words and impressing everyone with their knowledge. Timothy was never to do this. Rather, his life and lips were to overflow with love, a good conscience, and genuine faith.

Each of us has a specific work to do for our Lord. Perhaps yours is to teach or occasionally preach. Most likely it is just to share Christ with friends one-to-one. It is vital that we remember Paul's exhortation to speak to people's hearts. We do this by being honest and open with them. We need not impress them with our great knowledge; we need only touch them with our love.

“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Praying Through God's Name - Jehovah Elohim Tsaba

Jehovah Elohim Tsaba

Meaning: 
LORD God of Hosts.

Prayer:  Thanksgiving
Jehovah Elohim Tsaba thank you that you are the Lord God of hosts. Thank you that you have made your strength available to me through my relationship with you. I’m grateful to you for each and every time in my past that you have shown up to right a wrong, or to defend me in a situation where I had been wronged. I have seen your powerful hand in history and I trust I will continue to see it in the days ahead. Thank you for your presence as I face trials and troubles in my life. In Christ’s name, amen.

“Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭59:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Believer’s Transformation by Charles Stanley

Ezekiel 36:25-27

I marvel at the metamorphosis of a caterpillar. A crawling, slimy, and spiky bug disappears into a chrysalis spun from its own body, and before long, a delicate and graceful winged butterfly emerges. It is magnificent.

Our change at the moment of salvation is just as radical and miraculous. From a death-bound, sinful, and depraved heart, God brings about a brand-new creature—one that is forgiven, made righteous, and designed to be the place where He Himself resides (2 Corinthians 5:21; John 14:17).

Have you ever wondered why, then, we continue to struggle with sin after trusting Christ as Savior? Shouldn’t all the habits and tendencies of our old heart have vanished? The answer is that the term “new creature” refers to our position in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is true that believers are forgiven and eternally secure as children of the heavenly Father. Yet we remain in fleshly bodies, and as long as we are on earth, there will be an ongoing battle between spirit and flesh.

Throughout our life, God is transforming us to be increasingly like Jesus—His Spirit residing within helps us to combat sin and teaches us how to live. This process, called sanctification, is a journey that will last until we are called home to heaven.

While salvation is a one-time event, sanctification is a lifelong adventure. And though the Lord sees believers as righteous, we still have the capacity to sin. Thankfully, God’s Spirit guides and empowers us to become more like Jesus, and as we yield to Him, our behavior and thoughts will change.

The Lord Will Be My Helper--I Will Not Fear by Adrian Rogers

The Lord Will Be My Helper--I Will Not Fear

So that we may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Hebrews 13:6

If you are going to face this year with steadfast resolve, you must find your contentment, your companionship, and your confidence in Christ. And then you'll find your comfort in Christ. Then you may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

I'm not trying to tell you life’s going to be all honey and no bees. No, the Christians in the book of Hebrews faced heartaches and trials. They had opposition from family, friends and foes alike. They faced mockery and brutality. Yet they could boldly say, “The Lord is my helper."

Friend, this coming year may be difficult for you. But I am telling you that you can stand upon the promises of the Word of God.

We don't know what the coming year will bring--sickness, heartache, or trouble. But I do know that you can boldly say, “The Lord will be my helper. I will not fear what man shall do to me.” Find your contentment, your companionship, and your confidence in Jesus. In Him you will find your comfort and your courage.

January 3 / Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman

 

I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure (Genesis 33:14).

What a beautiful picture of Jacob's thoughtfulness for the cattle and the children! He would not allow them to be overdriven even for one day. He would not lead on according to what a strong man like Esau could do and expected them to do, but only according to what they were able to endure. He knew exactly how far they could go in a day; and he made that his only consideration in arranging the marches. He had gone the same wilderness journey years before, and knew all about its roughness and heat and length, by personal experience. And so he said, "I will lead on softly." "For ye have not passed this way heretofore" (Josh.3:4.).

We have not passed this way heretofore, but the Lord Jesus has. It is all untrodden and unknown ground to us, but He knows it all by personal experience. The steep bits that take away our breath, the stony bits that make our feet ache so, the hot shadeless stretches that make us feel so exhausted, the rushing rivers that we have to pass through -- Jesus has gone through it all before us. "He was wearied with his journey." Not some, but all the many waters went over Him, and yet did not quench His love. He was made a perfect Leader by the things which He suffered. "He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." Think of that when you are tempted to question the gentleness of His leading. He is remembering all the time; and not one step will He make you take beyond what your foot is able to endure. Never mind if you think it will not be able for the step that seems to come next; either He will so strengthen it that it shall be able, or He will call a sudden halt, and you shall not have to take it at all.
--Frances Ridley Havergal

In "pastures green"? Not always; sometimes He
Who knowest best, in kindness leadeth me
In weary ways, where heavy shadows be.
So, whether on the hill-tops high and fair
I dwell, or in the sunless valleys, where
The shadows lie, what matter? He is there.
--Barry

From Doctrine to Duty by John MacArthur

From Doctrine to Duty

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called” (Ephesians 4:1).

There can be no right living without right principles.

Imagine someone saying, “I have some extra money lying around. I think I’ll send a large check to the government.” Absurd, isn’t it? But every year, honest wage-earners fill out forms and give part of their income to the government. Why? It’s not because they are generous but because there is a law— a doctrine—that says they have to.

Unless people know the reason for what they should do, it’s unlikely they’ll make a commitment to do it. Paul understood that, so he always taught doctrine before duty. “Therefore” in Ephesians 4:1 links the doctrine of chapters 1—3 to the duty of chapters 4—6. Doctrine and duty are inseparably linked; duty always flows out of doctrine. Right living is based on right principles. Paul told the Colossian church, “We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (1:9). For what purpose? “So that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” (v. 10). Spiritual knowledge, wisdom, and understanding make up the pathway of a worthy walk.

When pastors teach duty without teaching doctrine, they weaken the Word of God because they’ve eliminated the motive. They may be able to stir up emotions, but that brings no long-term commitment. The pastor’s responsibility is to teach the truth of God, and the hearer’s responsibility is to obey it.

Of course, the source of God’s truth is His Word: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Knowing the Bible well is our means of equipping ourselves for a righteous life.

As we think about our worthy walk, let’s avoid emotionalism and legalism, and instead focus on living what we learn from a thorough and personal study of God’s Word.

Suggestions for Prayer

If you have neglected studying the Bible, confess that to God, and ask Him to give you a greater desire to learn His Word.

For Further Study

Read Ephesians 1—3 and list all we are or have in Christ. Knowing what God has given you, can you do any less than commit yourself to Him completely?

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.

Additional Resources

• The Study Bible (mobile app)
• Grace to You Sermons (mobile app)
• John MacArthur’s complete sermon archive
• The MacArthur Study Bible
• The complete MacArthur New Testament Commentary series

Your Heart Is His Priority by David Jeremiah

Wednesday, January 3 Your Heart Is His Priority    Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23    Pulitzer prize-winning American writer Ernest Hemingway lived an eclectic life that was reflected as a reporter in war-torn Europe and other locations around the world. During his life, depression besieged Hemingway, and that, along with heavy drinking and many near-death accidents, took a toll on him. Seeking a cure for his state of mind, he was unsuccessfully treated with electric shock therapy. In the end, Hemingway took his own life in 1961. In the foreword of his last book, A Moveable Feast, Hemingway explained that he was trying to write his memoir from storage places of his memory and heart, though, he said, one had been tampered with and the other no longer existed.

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 4:20-27

Life is often harder than any of us expected. It tries to beat us up and tear us down. The devil looks for places to get a foothold in our hearts—especially if we become discouraged. We must keep our hearts with all diligence, and that means putting Jesus Christ first, trusting every word He speaks, and leaning on Him with every care. Make knowing Christ your highest priority, the object of your praise, and the pursuit of your life. He will never fail you, and His strength will bear you through the anxious moments in life. His priority is to watch over you. A consuming love for the Lord Jesus Christ ought to be the priority of our lives. John MacArthur, in A Simple Christianity

Breathtaking Glory / Our Daily Bread

Breathtaking Glory January 3, 2018

Read: 1 Chronicles 29:10–13 Bible in a Year: Genesis 7–9; Matthew 3 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor.—1 Chronicles 29:11 One of the pleasures of a trip to Europe is visiting the grand cathedrals that dot the landscape. They are breathtakingly beautiful as they soar toward the heavens. The architecture, art, and symbolism found in these amazing buildings present a spellbinding experience of wonder and magnificence. As I thought about the fact that these structures were built to reflect God’s magnificence and His all-surpassing splendor, I wondered how we could possibly recapture in our hearts and minds a similar feeling of God’s grandeur and be reminded again of His greatness. One way we can do that is to look beyond man’s grand, regal structures and contemplate the greatness of what God Himself has created. Take one look at a starry night sky and think of God’s power as He spoke the universe into existence. Hold a newborn baby in your arms and thank God for the miracle of life itself. Look at the snow-covered mountains of Alaska or the majestic Atlantic Ocean teeming with millions of God-designed creatures and imagine the power that makes that ecosystem work. Mankind is not wrong to reach for the sky with structures that are intended to point us to God. But our truest admiration should be reserved for God Himself as we say to Him, “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor” (1 Chronicles 29:11). —Dave Branon Lord, You do take our breath away with Your greatness. Thank You for reminding us of Your grandeur in Your world and in Your Word.  God alone is worthy of our worship. INSIGHT: David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 29 paints a beautiful portrait of a powerful and generous God. While these sentiments—God is everlasting, everything belongs to Him, and He strengthens His people—are all undoubtedly true, David isn’t just praying a random prayer. First Chronicles 29 is about the people giving resources and materials to the building of the temple. David’s prayer follows a listing of the resources people donated to the “building fund”—gold, silver, precious jewels, bronze, wood. We see a striking similarity between the descriptions of the building materials and the descriptions of God in that both are written in terms that inspire awe. The temple materials, both in amount and in type, would have been something to behold. Similarly, David describes God in terms that inspire awestruck reverence at His glory. Could it be that the writer was attempting to make the point that the house should reflect the occupant? The temple was where God resided among His people. Shouldn’t it reflect His glory? Today God’s Spirit dwells in believers. Knowing that you are the temple of God’s Spirit, how can you reflect His glory? J.R. Hudberg

Will You Go Out Without Knowing? by Oswald Chambers

Will You Go Out Without Knowing? He went out, not knowing where he was going.  HEBREWS 11:8 Have you ever “gone out” in this way? If so, there is no logical answer possible when anyone asks you what you are doing. One of the most difficult questions to answer in Christian work is, “What do you expect to do?” You don’t know what you are going to do. The only thing you know is that God knows what He is doing. Continually examine your attitude toward God to see if you are willing to “go out” in every area of your life, trusting in God entirely. It is this attitude that keeps you in constant wonder, because you don’t know what God is going to do next. Each morning as you wake, there is a new opportunity to “go out,” building your confidence in God. “…do not worry about your life…nor about the body…” (Luke 12:22). In other words, don’t worry about the things that concerned you before you did “go out.” Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you. God does not tell you what He is going to do— He reveals to you who He is. Do you believe in a miracle-working God, and will you “go out” in complete surrender to Him until you are not surprised one iota by anything He does? Believe God is always the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him. Then think how unnecessary and disrespectful worry is! Let the attitude of your life be a continual willingness to “go out” in dependence upon God, and your life will have a sacred and inexpressible charm about it that is very satisfying to Jesus. You must learn to “go out” through your convictions, creeds, or experiences until you come to the point in your faith where there is nothing between yourself and God. From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS The root of faith is the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest snares is the idea that God is sure to lead us to success. from My Utmost for His Highest, March 19, 761 L