El grupo de ranas

Mientras un grupo de ranas viajaba por el bosque, dos de ellas cayeron en un pozo profundo. Cuando las otras ranas se amontonaron alrededor del pozo y vieron cuán profundo era, le dijeron a las dos ranas que no les quedaba esperanza.
Sin embargo, las dos ranas decidieron ignorar lo que los otros decían y procedieron a tratar de saltar del pozo. A pesar de sus esfuerzos, el grupo de ranas en la parte superior del hoyo aún decía que deberían rendirse. Que nunca lo entenderían.
Eventualmente, una de las ranas prestó atención a lo que decían los otros y se rindió, cayendo hasta su muerte. La otra rana continuó saltando tan fuerte como pudo. Una vez más, la multitud de ranas le gritó que parara el dolor y simplemente muriera.
Él saltó aún más fuerte y finalmente logró salir. Cuando salió, las otras ranas dijeron: "¿No nos oíste?"
La rana les explicó que era sordo. Pensó que lo estaban animando todo el tiempo.
Moraleja de la historia: las palabras de la gente pueden tener un gran efecto en la vida de los demás. Piensa en lo que dices antes de que salga de tu boca. Podría ser la diferencia entre la vida y la muerte.

Thinking Out of the Box (Creative Thinking)

In a small Italian town, hundreds of years ago, a small business owner owed a large sum of money to a loan-shark. The loan-shark was a very old, unattractive looking guy that just so happened to fancy the business owner’s daughter.

He decided to offer the businessman a deal that would completely wipe out the debt he owed him. However, the catch was that we would only wipe out the debt if he could marry the businessman’s daughter. Needless to say, this proposal was met with a look of disgust.
The loan-shark said that he would place two pebbles into a bag, one white and one black.

The daughter would then have to reach into the bag and pick out a pebble. If it was black, the debt would be wiped, but the loan-shark would then marry her. If it was white, the debt would also be wiped, but the daughter wouldn’t have to marry the loan-shark.
Standing on a pebble-strewn path in the businessman’s garden, the loan-shark bent over and picked up two pebbles. Whilst he was picking them up, the daughter noticed that he’d picked up two black pebbles and placed them both into the bag.
He then asked the daughter to reach into the bag and pick one.
The daughter naturally had three choices as to what she could have done:

1. Refuse to pick a pebble from the bag.
2. Take both pebbles out of the bag and expose the loan-shark for cheating.
3. Pick a pebble from the bag fully well knowing it was black and sacrifice herself for her father’s freedom.

She drew out a pebble from the bag, and before looking at it ‘accidentally’ dropped it into the midst of the other pebbles. She said to the loan-shark;

Oh, how clumsy of me. Never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”

The pebble left in the bag is obviously black, and seeing as the loan-shark didn’t want to be exposed, he had to play along as if the pebble the daughter dropped was white, and clear her father’s debt.

Moral of the story: It’s always possible to overcome a tough situation throughout of the box thinking, and not give in to the only options you think you have to pick from.

The Elephant Rope (Belief)

A gentleman was walking through an elephant camp, and he spotted that the elephants weren’t being kept in cages or held by the use of chains. All that was holding them back from escaping the camp, was a small piece of rope tied to one of their legs.
As the man gazed upon the elephants, he was completely confused as to why the elephants didn’t just use their strength to break the rope and escape the camp. They could easily have done so, but instead, they didn’t try to at all.
Curious and wanting to know the answer, he asked a trainer nearby why the elephants were just standing there and never tried to escape.
The trainer replied;

“when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

The only reason that the elephants weren’t breaking free and escaping from the camp was that over time they adopted the belief that it just wasn’t possible.

Moral of the story: No matter how much the world tries to hold you back, always continue with the belief that what you want to achieve is possible. Believing you can become successful is the most important step in actually achieving it.

How well do you follow through on your promises to others?

Matthew 5:36-37

And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Promise Breakers

I know that I have made promises that I didn’t keep, and in most of these cases, I wasn’t able to because of circumstances. So when I made some promises to my wife and children, I should have qualified it with “if something else doesn’t come up” or “I promise I will to the best of my ability.” I would rather not make promises, but as Jesus said, make it either yes or no (Matt. 5:37). When we make promises and then break them, we become promise breakers, and this destroys trust in relationships. I am very hesitant to make promises; rather, I would say that I’d do what I can, or if it is at all possible, I will do such and such. I think we’re better off not making promises that we can’t keep or might prove difficult in keeping. For example, I can’t make promises to my grandchildren that I will visit them every month because things come up and they live far away. I can’t promise them that they won’t have their feelings hurt or that a friend won’t betray them because I have no power to ensure that these things won’t happen. But as for God? That’s another story.

The Promise Keeper

God is the only One Who makes promises and never breaks them because He has the power to bring His promises about. I think it’s better not to make a promise or a vow to God unless you are absolutely certain you can keep it. Better not to make a vow at all than to make one to God and then break it (Num. 30:2; Eccl. 5:4-5). God promises to never break any of His covenants or alter any of the words that He proclaims (Psalm 89:34). He doesn’t slack off on what He promises like men or women do (2 Pet. 3:9). God is not like mankind in that He cannot lie (Num. 23:19). Jesus warns us to not make vows with God (Matt. 5:33) because we can’t control circumstances like He can. Not one thing that God has ever spoken in a promise has ever failed (John 23:14). I can’t say the same thing about myself.

Following Through

After reading so much about the unreliability of promises by mankind and the absolute certainty that God will never break a promise He makes, we should do everything within our power to follow through on something that we said we would do. Even if we don’t promise but say we will do this or that, it is essentially the same thing as a promise because we said we’d do it. Our word is our promise. If you want to keep a strong bond of trust among those you know, you will follow through on everything you said, even if it’s to your own hurt. Such a thing happened with Jephthah, who made a foolish vow or promise to God, one that some Bible scholars argue may have cost him his daughter’s life (Judges 11:29-40). Therefore, let your yes be yes and your no be no, even your maybe be maybe, but don’t make promises that you can’t keep with certainty. If you do make promises, do all that is humanly possible to follow through on them.

A Closing Prayer

God, You have promised to give those of us who believe in Your Son eternal life (John 3:16) and to give us Jesus’ own righteousness at His own expense (2 Cor. 5:21). Thank You, God, for being so faithful to Your word, and forgive me when I have broken my own word of promise. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

DO YOU STILL TRUST ME WHEN IT SEEMS YOUR DREAMS HAVE FAILED?

Hebrews 13:5

I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Shattered Pieces

Sometimes our dreams can be like a Chinese vase that is dropped on the floor and shattered into a hundred different pieces, which makes it impossible to ever put back together again, but God can take a shattered dream of ours and assemble the pieces into a much different and far better way. Have you ever had a dream shattered before your eyes? Isn’t it hard to trust God when that happens? Sometimes the hardest part of trusting God is when our dreams are shattered because what we thought was part of our future can suddenly be taken away. What do you do when your dreams have been shattered? Do you try and pick up the pieces yourself and try to glue them back together to begin again? Maybe you just give up on dreaming altogether, but don’t you do that.

The Brokenhearted

The irony is that God cannot fix what is first not broken. In other words, until a person sees their sinful state and then runs to the cross of Christ, God cannot help them. God is near the brokenhearted and promises to save all who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). In fact, God ensures us that He will never despise anyone who is broken and has a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17). The Hebrew word for “contrite” is “dakah” and means “to be crushed, to be broken,” so for those of us who have had our dreams crushed, God promises to not despise us for this. He is kind to the poor in spirit (the humbled) and reaches out to the needy (Psalm 109:16). So what can we do when our dreams have been shattered? We can do much.

Picking up the Pieces

When our dreams have been shattered, we have to trust God enough to realize He knows what He’s doing. If one dream is shattered, then He likely has something different, likely something better, for us. If one is taken, then He can replace it with another that is best for us. We cannot see around the corner of time like God, so perhaps the dreams we sought after that failed would have in the end done us more harm than good. God always knows that which is best for us, better than we ourselves know. I trust Him even in the storms because He is sovereign over the storms. One storm might bring us into the best harbor of all and better than the one we had originally sought. Our failures are never final. Without failure, we’d never know success. Trust God, obey Him, and leave the consequences of it all to Him, Who alone holds our future. I would rather trust a God that I cannot see than trust in myself with eyes that do.

A Closing Prayer

Great God in heaven, You alone know what is for my best. Help me to trust You and not what I think is best for my life. You know so much better what is best for me, so please help me put all the pieces of my shattered dreams into Your hands so that You can make something better. In the King of kings and Lord of lords’ name, Jesus Christ, I pray.

Amen

Is there a Bible character you connect with? What can you learn from their story?

Hebrews 11:39-40

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

From Denial to Trial

Peter is one of my favorite characters in the Bible because I am a lot like him. I have denied Christ before others in my failure to speak up for what is right or when given the chance to be Jesus’ witness. Peter denied Jesus only three times (Mark 14:66-72), but I have denied Him countless times. Even though Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus forgave him and restored him. In fact, he became one of the greatest witnesses for Christ in the New Testament. His powerful sermon on the Day of Pentecost convicted all who listened that day (Acts 2:14-39), and they were cut to the heart (Acts 2:37). As a result, God added many to the church that day (Acts 2:47), and about three thousand were saved (Acts 2:41). Church history indicates that Peter felt so unworthy to be crucified in the manner in which Jesus was that he insisted on being crucified upside down. I’ve learned that none of us are worthy, and that’s exactly the point!

From Hiding to Hero

Gideon is one of my favorite characters in the Bible, too, and I can relate to him. When God first started moving in my life, I thought there was no way that a man of disaster could ever be a pastor. I still think of myself and often identify myself as the “pastor of disaster,” and even though I’m still sort of a train wreck, God typically sets all of us on the right track. Gideon was basically hiding and considered himself the runt of the litter in his family. He was from the least of the tribes of Israel (Judges 6:15), yet He was called “a mighty man of valor” (Judges 6:12). Perhaps that’s why God used him so mightily. God tends to use those who are small in their own eyes. God loves to use weak, small bands of men and women who the world has little regard for, yet Gideon’s small force of 300 took on a force of 135,000 Midianites, who were trained, skilled, and experienced warriors. But when God’s on your side, who can prevail against you (Rom. 8:31)?

I Give Up

Elijah was perhaps one the greatest men of God mentioned in the Bible, but there were times when he felt like giving up, just lying down to die. Right after his great victory over 850 false prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18), he ran for his life after Jezebel threatened him (1 Kings 19:3). He thought, “I’m finished, Lord, just kill me” (1 Kings 19:4). He felt that he was the only one who was actually serving God (1 Kings 19:10, 14), when there were actually over 7000 Israelites who had not yet bent the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18). Have you ever felt alone as a believer? Like the only one in your neighborhood, at work, or in your family? Elijah also felt this way. Truly, you and I are not alone, even though at times we feel like it and feel like, “Okay, Lord, I’m done.”

A Closing Prayer

Great God in Heaven, You alone know my future. Thank You for these examples in the Bible that give all of us hope (Heb. 11). I have a lot in common with them; I am unworthy, I am nothing of myself, and at times I feel so alone and like giving up. Please give me hope of enduring for Your glory, and in Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Will you use this day I have given you to surrender your worries to Me?

Matthew 6:34

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Sufficient for the Day

The way that we must think biblically is that there is victory only in surrender because God fights for us (Neh. 4:20; Deut. 3:22; Ex. 14:14). We shouldn’t try to carry around the weight of worry today because it will take our eyes off of Jesus. There is enough worry for the day already without having to add to it (Matt. 6:34). The Greek word that is used for “anxious,” as in “do not be anxious,” is “merimnaō,” and it means “worry” or “to be troubled.” So, any time you read the word anxious, just read it as worry because it’s essentially the same thing. One thing that most people might miss about Matthew 6:34 is that this is actually a command by Jesus–an imperative, direct command from Him–because He knows it’s not in our best interest to worry or be anxious about things today or tomorrow. What power do we hold over things we can’t control? We must learn to surrender every worry, concern, and troubling of our hearts to the Lord, for He not only knows the future, He can help us with it.

More Than Food, More Than Clothing

Before Jesus commanded us to not be anxious or worry, He told us that life was more than food, clothing, or drink and said to us there is more to life than these (Matt 6: 25); of course, there is. Jesus promised to take care of our every need if we seek Him and His righteousness first (Matt. 6:33). Have you begun to notice something in this devotional? Almost all the advice is from Jesus, and nearly every bit of it is from Matthew chapter six. There is an interesting pattern in this chapter, because he begins the chapter with helping the poor (Matt. 6:1-4), then shows us how to pray (Matt. 6:5-15) and fast (Matt. 6:16-18) but not to be seen by others, and then the human preoccupation with money (Matt. 6:19-24).  Finally, and fittingly, He concludes with our worry over things of this life that we have no control over (Matt. 6:25-34). There is a pattern here in how we should help others, how to pray for that help, how to not make money our source of help, how to gain rewards from heaven, and finally how to avoid depending on ourselves but God for our needs.

Ready to Surrender?

I think the theme of Matthew chapter six is all about surrender and depending solely on God and not ourselves. Worry only shows a lack of trust in God to provide for us. We must hand over that which we have no control over and surrender it to the God Who knows the future and has total control over everything. My question to you and to myself is will we use this day that the Lord has given to surrender all our worries to Him?  Will I try in vain to handle what I have no control over, or will I take those things I have no handle on and place them in His hands? That is, will I surrender it all to Him?

A Closing Prayer

Father God, please forgive me when I try to tightly hold onto my own worries without surrendering them to You because I am incapable of doing anything about those things in my life that are out of my control, but You are sovereign over all things. So, help me to surrender my worries over to You, and in the mighty, strong name of Jesus I pray.

Amen

If you had one day to live, how would you spend it?

Proverbs 27:1

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

An Appointment With Death

This sounds morbid, and I don’t mean for it to, but no one knows the day of their death. All we know for sure is that we’re all destined to die and then face the judgment (Heb. 9:27), so none of us can take our lives for granted and just rest, relax, eat, and be happy (Luke 12:19) because our very life might end tonight. What would you do differently if you knew you had only one day to live? I have been with some people who were on their deathbed and knocking on heaven’s door, and none had remorse over the lack of money they could have made, their desire to have finer things, or that they’d spent more time at work. Just the opposite is what I found to be true. They wished they had studied the Bible more to know God better, they wished they had spent more time with their family and told them more often how much they loved them, and they wished they would have been better witnesses to their lost friends and family members. I suggest you live like today is your last because you never know–it might be.

Don’t Boast About Tomorrow

How can we ever brag or boast about what we’ll do tomorrow when there is no guarantee that tomorrow will ever come (James 4:13-14)? Life is like a morning fog–it comes and then suddenly is gone. What would you do today if you knew it was your last? Would you go to that friend with whom you’ve been sharing the Gospel and tell them once more about how they might be saved (Acts 4:12)? Would you have one last great meal like they offer those on death row just before their execution? What would be your priority today if you knew it was your very last one? Should we not live like that every day?

Make Today a God’s-Will Day

James said that we shouldn’t brag about doing something tomorrow but rather seek to do God’s will today and tomorrow and say if it’s God’s will then I will do this or I will do that (James 4:15) because if you confidently boast about what you’ll do tomorrow, God sees that as evil (James 4:16). That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t plan things for tomorrow, but your plans should include seeking what God would want you to do. We should live today like there’s no tomorrow because there might not be a tomorrow for us on this earth. Would you be more generous today with your money, with your time, and with your prayers? I believe we should live every day like it could be our last for another reason: Christ could return at any given moment (1 Thess. 4:16-18). So live today like it’s your last on earth and like Christ will return today!

A Closing Prayer

God, You alone know the day of my death, so teach me to number each and every day (Psalm 90:12) like it might be my last because it could be. Let me die with no regrets or remorse if You were to send Your Son back to earth today for His church, and in Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Effective Discipling

     We know that children loved to be around Jesus because he loved to be around them. Children are perceptive. They wouldn't keep going to someone if that person didn't like them. Jesus' love toward them was deeply compelling.
     As mothers, our most important job is to point our children to Jesus. Churches and ministries provide many aids to assist us in our job of discipling our children, but we must make sure the fruit of these aids is drawing our children closer to God and not hindering their growth. While many of those tools and programs might be helpful, they can never replace a child's own parent sitting down with them and pointing them to the Lord.
     "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Luke 18:16, NIV).
     Do you spend time discipling your children or do you let other ministries do it? You will care far more about your child's spiritual growth than a volunteer will, and you will be better able to detect if the program is helping your child really know God. Do your best to make sure your children view God rightly.

Is there anything not possible if you rely on Me for your source of strength?

Matthew 19:26

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Doing Nothing Without God

We cannot really do anything substantial and of lasting value without God (John 15:5) and nothing does not mean a little something. If we think we can really do anything apart from God we are deceiving ourselves. If we even think we’re something without God we are really nothing, again we are deceiving ourselves (Gal 6:3). If we do what Jesus asks us to do then our prayers are more likely to be answered (John 15:15) so we can’t do much through our prayers until we do much for the One Who we pray too. We cannot even please God without faith (Heb 11:6) but even our faith is a gift from God and there is no way we can work for that or brag about it (Eph 2:8-9). Salvation is fully a work of God and what is humanly impossible is nothing to God. The only thing that we can possibly do well is to sin to the nth degree (Gen 11:6).

Doing All Things Through Christ

We have already read that we can’t do anything without God but the opposite is also true; we can do all things through Christ but only by His strengthening us (Phil 4:13). Even our daily struggles and the titanic battles we go through we don’t go through them alone because God is really the One Who fights for us (2 Chro 20:15). If we even try to help God in any way we’ll stumble because God doesn’t need our help and by God’s bringing us the victory, He is more glorified. One of the things God cannot do is lie (Heb 6:18) but that’s only because it’s against His very nature of being holy. We can move the proverbial mountains but it takes faith and again, this faith is not in us but is from God.

Our Source of Strength

As we have read, we have no strength apart from Christ do to anything of consequence. There were times during Paul’s many struggles and suffering that he felt he had no strength to go on (2 Cor 1:8) so we must trust God like he did as our source of strength when we are weak and faint-hearted (Isaiah 40:29). Paul acknowledged the fact that his strength came from God (1 Tim 1:12) and even when everyone had abandoned him, Jesus never did and strengthened Paul during the last few hours or days of his life (2 Tim 4:17). I can’t even serve or minister to the church without God’s giving me the strength to do so (1 Pet 4:11). Churches are much like people and sometimes grow weary and must be strengthened in their faith by God, particularly when membership grows rapidly (Acts 16:5). Is there anything really impossible if we rely on God and His strength?

A Closing Prayer

Glorious, Righteous Father, I can do nothing in my own strength but by Your strength alone can I do anything. Please help me rely on Your strength because mine is insufficient and in this way You’ll be glorified and in Jesus Mighty Name I pray.

Amen

What area of your life requires courage today?

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.

Finances

I don’t personally know of anyone who has not struggled at one time or another with fears over their finances and needed the courage to trust God. God has promised in His word that no child of His will suffer from hunger or starve to death (Prov. 10:3), and those who fear God will lack nothing at all, even if they grow weak from hunger (Psalm 34:10). The fear of finances keeps so many people up at night that I lost track of counting them all. Is this an area where you require courage? I suggest you read some of the Proverbs and the Psalms because God promises to never forsake us by reminding us that His own children will not have to go out and beg for bread (Psalm 37:25). If God provides for the birds of the air that don’t even need a job, then why would He not do the same for us, whom He values infinitely more (Matt. 6:26)?

Witnessing

I have done door-to-door and street evangelism and even one-on-one witnessing, and I still tremble at times. My heart starts to pound, my brow grows sweaty, and my voice sometimes gets shaky, but real courage is not being afraid–it is doing what needs to be done despite the fear. Courage is not the elimination of fear; it is acting regardless of fear. Take comfort in the fact that it’s hard for everyone. Ask God to give you the courage to step out and risk for the sake of the kingdom. Ask others to pray for you about this. Great rewards come with great risks, and I can look back on times in my life where I was afraid to share the Gospel with someone but who later placed their trust in Christ. What if I hadn’t gone through with it? Paul frequently asked the church to pray for Him in witnessing boldly for Christ and specifically asked that he might declare it fearlessly, as he should (Eph. 6:19-20). The fear of man is a big obstacle that can trip us up, but trusting God always helps (Prov. 29:25) because if we trust in God, we have no reason to fear anything that man can do to us (Psalm 56:11).

Goliaths

Many of us have our own giants that we face. These might be a disease or illness, a troubled marriage, a dying spouse, unemployment, or whatever else seems to be impossible to you. David had his Goliath, but we have ours, too, and even though David faced a giant about ten times (or more) his size, David trusted in God. David told Goliath that he was certain that God was going to take him down that day (1 Sam. 17:44) because the Lord was going to give Goliath into David’s hands, for the battle is the Lord’s (1 Sam. 17:47). When Moses was near the end of his life, he told Joshua to have courage and be strong because he had no reason to be in fear or dread the future because the Lord promised to go before them in battle when they crossed over into the Promised Land because God was not going to forsake them (Deut. 31:6).

A Closing Prayer

Oh mighty God of the universe, please forgive me when I fall into fearful circumstances and don’t trust You enough, knowing that You will never leave me or forsake me and that You will take care of my every need. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

The Flock

     When God created Adam, he also made him a partner. He said it's not good for us to be alone. We are meant to live in fellowship with others. In the Bible we are called sheep--and sheep are apparently very social animals. Sheep require other sheep to be around or they won't display normal sheep-like behavior. They just don't do well on their own.
     In light of this, isn't it interesting that we are compared to sheep in Scripture? A sense of normalcy is possible when we don't isolate ourselves from others. There's no need to feel anxious or alone in this journey of life because God has given us a family--his family.
     You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it ( 1 Corinthians 12:27, NIV).
     Do you have a flock of sheep to accompany you in this life? Be encouraged today to embrace the church community around you. Make the effort to be hospitable and spend dedicated time with others who are like-minded. You might be surprised just how normal you are.

UNFAILING LOVE

     Could your child lose your love? Think of the worst things they've ever done, or if they are still very young, imagine the worst they could do. Now picture them sleeping. Recall the day they were born. Despite any level of anger, disappointment, or betrayal, could you honestly turn off your love for them?
     I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below--indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39, NLT).
     Consider all the evidence in your life of God's love for you. Write out a prayer of thanksgiving and love to the one who loves you without condition and without fail.

What would others say that you treasure most?

Second Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Where Are Your Treasures At?

Jesus once said that where our treasures are, there is where our heart truly lies (Matt. 6:21). So, what would people say that you treasure the most? Is it your job? Maybe it’s your family. Perhaps it’s something else. But can anything on earth really measure up to the value of the Spirit of God in us? No, that is the most treasured of all things and in particular Jesus Christ, Who came to die for us and truly didn’t deserve it. What is more valuable than your soul and your eternal destination? Can a man or woman put a price on their saving faith? What can compare with the riches that are found only in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 8:9)? The point is, where you keep your treasure, that’s where your heart is (Luke 12:34).

True Treasures

In Jesus Christ we have all the treasures that anyone could ever desire, if they only knew in Whom those who are saved are hidden in, and those are the treasures of the true wisdom and knowledge of Jesus Christ (Col. 2:3). We can’t even fathom the depth of the riches and knowledge of God because they’re totally unsearchable (Rom. 11:33). Let’s imagine that we lived in nation that is hostile to Christianity. Sixty percent of the world lives in these areas; that is around 100 million people in all. Now imagine you are there and they drag you into a court. Would there be enough evidence to convict you in a court of law that you treasure Jesus Christ and your faith more than anything else? Would your neighbors be witnesses and have enough evidence on you to convict you of being a Christian? If not, they would say you didn’t treasure God enough to be sent to prison for your faith. What would your best friends say you most treasure in life? Would they clearly know it was God? Would that be the first thing they said about you or about me? I would pray it would be that we treasure Jesus Christ above everything.

Time and Money

They say that time is money, but if we break this down into different categories, what do you spend the most time doing? Where does most of your money go? Bill Bright once said that Christians spend only 2.3% of their money in supporting the work of Christ. Americans spend more than eight times their money on pets than they do on the kingdom. What does that say about me? What does that say about you? Would others say you love your pets more than God? Some people I counsel say their family is more loving and tender with their pets and spends more time with their pets than they do with them? They speak to their pets in a much softer, gentler tone than they do them! In other words, some people treat their pets better than their own family and friends! Is that true about you? What about me!? Would people say you adore your pets more than God? If we asked people who know you and who know me, would they say that you and I treasure our weekends, our sports, our money, our jobs, and our pets more than God? Very convicting, isn’t it?

A Closing Prayer

Great God, please forgive me for not always putting You first, and help me to invest my time into those things which are eternal and not things that will pass away, things like a kind act, a generous gift, and a selfless love of others. I pray others would clearly answer the question that what they treasure most is You and that nothing else comes close. In Jesus strong name I pray.

Amen

Are insecurities preventing you from sharing the Good News with others?

Proverbs 29:25

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

Fear of Failure

Paul had less of a fear of men because he feared God so much, but even when he came to the Corinthians, he said he came to them in weakness, fear, and trembling (1 Cor. 2:3). In looking at the context of this chapter, it wasn’t the fear of his preaching the Gospel and it being rejected or that he’d face persecution. Rather, he had a deep, holy, reverential fear of preaching the Word of God accurately. Since Paul feared in this way, we too should make sure to handle the Scriptures accurately in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost. Paul never feared whether his message would be received well or not because he knew that God was the one who added to the church and not him (Acts 2:47; 5:14; 9:31). So, if you remember that they are not rejecting you but the message, that should take the responsibility off your shoulders as to whether someone is saved or not. It is not your responsibility to save anyone; it is their response to His ability, even though it is our responsibility to tell them. Don’t fear their not receiving it because God is the One Who actually saves them, not us (John 6:44).

Our Own Weaknesses

Paul admitted his own weaknesses, and you can see how he battled the flesh in Romans 7, but this weakness of Paul’s never inhibited him from sharing the Gospel. I think there is actually strength in admitting our own weaknesses before the lost because it gives them hope that they, too, can be saved. Transparency before the lost can be used as a way for the lost to see how they also can be saved and that it’s not going to be a matter of human effort (Eph. 2:8-9). That might be the reason why so many won’t repent and trust in Christ, because they think that they’re not strong enough to overcome their sins, but the good news of the Gospel is that there is no sin that the blood of the Lamb cannot cover except that of rejecting Him as Savior (John 3:18; 3:36b).

Lack of Ability

I hear many people who think they’re not gifted enough to share the Gospel. They feel inadequate in speech or intelligence to try and tell others about Christ, but we are missing something very important about the Gospel. The Gospel has its own power, and that power is the Gospel itself, for the Gospel is actually the very power of God (Rom. 1:16). All we have to do it unleash the Gospel, and God promises that His Word will do what He sends it out to do and will accomplish exactly what He intends (Isaiah 55:11), so it doesn’t depend on us, our speech, persuasion, or eloquent delivery of the Gospel, for the power is in the message and not in the messenger. So, why not release this God-power through your mouth and then leave the results up to God.

A Closing Prayer

Righteous Father, I know it’s Your desire that no one should perish (2 Pet. 3:9), so please use me, as weak as I am, in personal evangelizing, and help me to remember to trust You with the results and that the real power is in Your Word and not in me. Help me to remember that the power is in the Gospel itself, and in Jesus’ precious name I pray.

Amen

How will carrying the sword of the Spirit daily change your life?

Ephesians 6:17

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Sword of the Word

The Word of God is often spoken of as a sword, and the Greek word used for the sword in Ephesians 6:17 is “machaira,” which is really not the long sword we typically think of but literally a very small sword or large knife that was used for close, hand-to-hand combat where a large, cumbersome sword would be nearly useless. It has a small curve in it for ease of use and a large cutting surface, but that’s what the author of Hebrews calls the Word of God: a two-edged sword (same Greek word, “machaira”) that is active, alive or living; cuts both ways; cuts down to the bone and marrow; and can even discern our thoughts and intents (Heb. 4:12). Doesn’t that perfectly describe what the Word of God is like? It cuts us to the quick, it convicts us, it is sharp and cuts in order to heal. But Paul has another idea in mind when he tells the church at Ephesus to take up the sword of the Spirit.

The Sword of the Spirit

God the Holy Spirit moved men to write the Word of God (2 Pet. 1:21), so perhaps Paul calls the Word of God the sword of the Spirit because God the Holy Spirit is the Originator of the Word. Notice that the word “Spirit” is capitalized, which means it’s a proper noun or person, and that person is God the Holy Spirit, Who is the real Author of all Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Just like the keyboard on my computer is inputting the words into this devotional but is not the author–I am. In a similar manner, God’s Spirit moved men to write the Word, so the sword of the Spirit is the sword from the Spirit, and we’ll need it every single day to help us change our lives for the better.

Carrying the Sword

We probably cannot take our Bible with us everywhere we go, so we should memorize Scripture in order that wherever we go, we’ll have the sword of the Spirit with us. The psalmist hid or memorized God’s Word in his heart so that he would not sin (Psalm 119:11); at least, he wouldn’t sin as easily as if he didn’t have it with him. If we read, memorize, and even meditate on God’s Word before we leave our home for the day, then we’ll have that sword with us everywhere we go, and we can be ready to resist temptation in order to avoid sin.

A Closing Prayer

God, once again, I thank You for equipping me with all that I need to change my life every day. Nothing changes my life or the lives of others more than Your Word and, of course, Your Spirit, so I thank You, God, for giving me the help I so desperately need. In Jesus’ precious name I pray.

Amen

How will wearing the helmet of salvation daily change your life?

Ephesians 6:17

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Protecting Our Heads

I had a cousin die many years ago from a motorcycle accident, and the police said that if he had been wearing a helmet, he would likely not have died. Even though that’s a poor analogy, I think the idea is still important: We must protect our heads. But here in this verse specifically, it is meant to protect our thinking. The helmet of salvation goes around and is placed over our heads, but I think it more specifically means it protects our brains or our thinking–our seat of intellect. It doesn’t make much sense to take up all the armor and put it on but then leave off the helmet, which can help direct us in how to use the armor.

Head Knowledge

Did you know that the armor of God isn’t likely original with Paul’s writing? Paul seems to have taken the idea of the helmet of salvation from Isaiah 59:17 where the breastplate of righteousness is also mentioned. Paul, like Isaiah, typically puts pieces of the armor equipment together because they are all necessary, but in the case of the helmet of salvation, it seems to indicate the seat of intellect where the knowledge of our salvation resides. For example, we know that we can’t be saved by works (Eph. 2:8-9), that believing or trusting in Christ brings eternal life (John 3:16), that Jesus promises to turn away no one who comes to Him (John 6:37), that He is the One and only way to be saved (Acts 4:12), and that not one whom He has saved will be lost (John 6:39; 10:28-29). If you have that knowledge in your head, you already have on the helmet of salvation, so be sure to be in the Bible daily so you can be sure to take that helmet with you to change your life today and every day.

A Thicker Helmet

If you are into the Word of God, the Word of God will get into you and stay in you. This is how our minds are renewed (Rom. 12:2). The more Word of God you read, the stronger your knowledge of salvation will be, and this knowledge should make you ready to go out into the world with a head protected by this knowledge, which is the helmet of salvation. The enemy would love you to take off your helmet and set it down because he’s roaming about seeking the weakest foes to devour (1 Pet. 5:8). The helmet of salvation will also protect against the mighty blows the enemy will seek to inflict upon you and me. No wonder that Paul calls this helmet elsewhere in Scripture “the hope of salvation” (1 Thes. 5:8), because that hope is as firm as God’s promises, which are unbreakable. God’s promise is a know-so knowledge, not a hope-so thinking.

A Closing Prayer

God my Father, You know my weaknesses, and sometimes the enemy will try to get me to doubt Your promises in Your Word, so help me to be secure in my salvation by my daily putting on the helmet of salvation that You forged from Your Word by staying in Your Word. It’s just what I need today and every day to change my life, and in Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

How will wearing the sandals of peace daily change your life?

Ephesians 6:15

And, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

Standing Firm

Part of standing firm in our faith comes just before Paul mentions putting on the shoes of the gospel of peace where he says that we must stand firm with the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness (Eph. 6:14). So, the shoes will do us no good if we don’t first put on the breastplate and belt because these will help us stand firm. Take away one part of the full armor of God (Eph. 6:10-17) and we’re not fully dressed for combat against an overwhelming, invisible enemy. If you have the shoes of the gospel of peace on your feet, you’re better able to stand firm. But what are the sandals or shoes of the gospel of peace?

The Gospel of Peace

The shoes represent taking the gospel into the whole world (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8), but it also represents what we stand for because if we don’t stand for something, we’ll fall for anything. Part of the meaning of the gospel of peace that we put on our feet is that we have peace now with God through Jesus’ death (Rom. 5:1), and this gospel is uncompromising: by Christ alone can we be saved (Acts 4:12). With that peace, we have passed from judgment or condemnation (Rom. 8:1) to eternal life, and we won’t have to stand before Christ as our Judge at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:12-15) but will stand before Him to receive the rewards from our service for Him while on Earth. The gospel is a message of God making peace with sinners who previously had the wrath of God on them by their disbelief (John 3:36b). God placed His wrath on Jesus so we could have His peace, and the peace that Jesus gives remains with us permanently and isn’t anything like what the world calls peace, which can be fleeting and temporary (John 14:27).

Beautiful Feet

If we have the gospel of peace on our feet, then we are walking into the lost world to bring the good news of this peace to others. No wonder Isaiah wrote about how blessed those are whose feet bring good news to those who need it (Isaiah 52:7). Paul tied in preaching the gospel to the lost with this very same verse in Romans 10:15 where he quoted Isaiah, so we have support elsewhere in Scripture that the shoes or sandals of peace of the gospel of Christ means that it’s to be taken into all the world. If we had a cure for cancer, wouldn’t we feel compelled to share it? Yet we have something far better than a temporary cure because someone who’s cured of something will surely die again, but those who believe in Christ have eternal life (John 3:16). It would be criminal negligence not to share such a cure.  We have knowledge of the cure for eternal death with us, and that is the gospel of peace. So, put on the sandals or shoes of the gospel of peace every day to seek the lost. Your feet will be happy feet, or blessed feet, because sharing the gospel, or soul-winning in particular, is one of the greatest joys there is.

A Closing Prayer

Great God in heaven, please set divine appointments for me today and every day where I’ll have a chance to point people to Christ and take the gospel with me wherever my feet will carry me today, and I pray for this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

Amen

God's Plan for Saving Man

1. Divine Love: John 3:16
    
2. God’s Grace: Ephesians 2:8
    
3. Christ’s Blood: Romans 5:9
    
4. Holy Spirit’s Word: Romans 1:16
    
5. Sinner’s Faith: Acts 16:31
    
6. Sinner’s Repentance: Luke 13:3
    
7. Sinner’s Confession: Romans 10:10
    
8. Sinner’s Baptism: Acts 22:16
    
9. Christian’s Love: Matthew 22:37
    
10. Christian’s Work: James 2:24
     
11. Christian’s Hope: Romans 8:24
     
12. Christian’s Endurance: Revelation 2:10

HELPFUL HINTS FOR PARENTS

1. Make your home the brightest and most attractive place on earth.
2. Let your child invite friends to your home and table so that he/she had rather be there than any other place.
3. Make your child responsible for the performance of daily duties. Never do for your child what they are capable of doing.
4. Never punish your child in anger.
5. Talk about God and the Bible. Let the Lord be a natural part of who you are.
6. Do not criticize your child as a person, but rather encourage his/her abilities and help his/her weaknesses.
7. Live uprightly before your child at all times. Do not hesitate to confess weaknesses and ask forgiveness when you fail.
8. Let your child hear you say, “I love you.” Say it to your spouse and your child.
9. Impress on your child that making character is more important than making money.
10. Be much in prayer that the Lord will help you. A contrite and humble heart before God accomplishes much.

THE DIMENSIONS OF GOD'S AMAZING LOVE

Paul spoke of the width, length, depth, and height of God’s love (Ephesians 3:18). Jesus spoke of the same dimensions, in the same order, in the most famous verse of the Bible: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

 

For God so loved the world --- Width of God’s Love.

 

That He gave His only begotten Son --- Length of God’s Love.

 

Whoever believes in Him should not perish --- Depth of God’s Love.

 

But have everlasting life --- Height of God’s Love

 

God’s love is comprehensive and overwhelming! --Mark Posey, Decatur, Alabama