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at GODRULESTB@....

Today's verse: Isaiah 6:8, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, `Whom
shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, `Here I am, send me.'"

Today's topic: Here I am, Send me

There is a lot to observe in this verse. Let us first notice God's question. It
is a question that is asked by, "Us." This is the whole trinity in action here
in Isaiah and we best not miss it. Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses cannot answer
this. They don't believe in the triune-God of the Bible which puts them outside
of the Christian faith. Isaiah's commission is one that comes from the trinity.

God wins the victory by His Word, His Spirit, and by feeble human instruments.
It by these means that the forces of darkness are triumphed over. We see Isaiah
knew his condition in the fifth verse of this chapter prior to the verse we are
looking at, "Then I said, `Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of
unclean lips; and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen
the King, the Lord of hosts.'" Isaiah was to prophesy against the people of
Israel and have no success. He was commissioned by the Lord to go. In fact, he
seals up the fact that he was commissioned by saying, "send me." He will not go
on his own errand for the Lord, but he would be sent. His mission was one of
futility for the people did not listen. They would not repent, but his
commission was sure and he knew that he was send from above. Our task is not as
hard. We also are told to go, Matthew 28:18-20. We have the Spirit of God with
us. Men and women are brought out of darkness and into light. It is all the more
reason for us to go.

What is the ordination for the Christian worker? It is first that we must lie in
the dust of our sin and confess. We must be purged of our sin by the blood of
Christ. We must have felt, known, and experienced mercy before we can seek to
relate it to others. This is our preparation. We must deal with our sin and
bring it to the Lord so that we are cleansed.

But let me ask all followers of Christ a question. Do you not think that the
Lord has placed you right where you are that you might be His ambassador? Are
you not being asked this moment, "Who will go for me?" Should you not say, "Here
I am, send me?" I put it to you. Have you not friends, co-workers, family,
neighbors, acquaintances that you alone are uniquely placed in such a position
that you may be the means to speaking to them about the things of Christ? I say
it is true. I say that there are those who you can speak to, with an influence
and power, aided by prayer and the Spirit, that no one else can. Is it possible
that the Lord has given you that doctor so that you may speak with him about
Jesus�the woman behind the counter at the store�the neighbor whose lawn is
unkempt? I say it is so. I put it to you plainly: Will you not also say to the
Lord this day, "Here I am, send me?"

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-

If you would like to contact the author, you may write him at
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Today's verse: Habakkuk 2:4, "The righteous will live by his faith."

Today's topic: Faith and Life

It is hard to come up with a more important pair for the Christian than faith
and life. True faith always has with it vital godliness, or it isn't true. A
holy life is always grounded first in an active faith in the things of Christ.
The two must be together or there is certain to be an unbalance somewhere. Faith
is not something that we "work up" in ourselves. Faith is said to have been
"received" in 2 Peter 1:1. This is a good way of understanding faith so that we
don't come down with big head syndrome. Faith, though it is something that we
exercise, is given � received. Faith is the act of man, and the work of God. It
is not something we boast about. It is something that humbles us to the dust
when we know how unworthy we are of such grace and mercy from the Living God. He
gives us faith and thus we have faith. And as our passage says, we then live by
faith. Faith and life are everything to the follower of Christ.

Faith is not really that complicated. Everyone has faith and everyone exercises
faith everyday. The Christian faith is about as simple as it gets. We cast aside
our righteousness (which is no righteousness) and trust in Christ's
righteousness. We make ourselves nothing and Christ everything. Jesus has done
the work for us in making atonement for sin. If we do anything, it has nothing
to do with that � our salvation � if we do anything it is in grateful response
to what Jesus has done. If we do anything it is in service to our King. It is
not complicated because the work is all done for us. We can't mess it up by
trying to contribute because Christ's work of atonement is perfect, but we
dishonor Christ and His pre-eminency when we think so much of ourselves that we
imagine we can "help-out" with our salvation. Such thinking degradates what
Christ did at Calvary.

Life easily follows from this. As said, faith and life are partners. Consider
this: If our new life came from ourselves and was not received as a gift from
God, then that new life must die. If the new life we have is something that
originated within us then it is of the flesh, and the flesh is going to die
(should Christ tarry). If our holiness is something that we can take any credit
for then it is not a gift from God, it cannot last, and it has no eternal value.
In other words if our religiousness springs from anything inside of us it is of
no value. We desire and must have a new principle given us. We need a spiritual
life that is not natural but comes from above. This is where the power comes
from to live unto the Lord. The power to live unto the Lord comes from the Lord
Himself. It is His gift. Divine Power!...in our lives, given through faith and
applied through everything we are and do. This, my friends, is what a Christian
strives unto. It is Christ in us, working out faith applied through life.

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

What do I get Jesus? After all, Christmas is His birthday. I could bake a cake,
but I would be left to eat all the calories myself. I could purchase a happy
birthday card, but I do not believe the postal service delivers to Heaven. He
doesn't need any gift cards or a new sweater.

Instead of the traditional Christmas gifts, I finally decided what to give Jesus
to celebrate His birth: me. Me with all my mistakes, regrets, and uncertainties.
I am not giving Him a list of promises I plan to keep but fail to do. I give Him
myself as I am now.

I realize my present is homemade. It isn't gift wrapped with a pretty bow.
Still, I am acceptable to come to the Lord, just as David was.

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I
take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."�
(Psalm 18:2)

After being chased, hunted, and ensnarled by death, David took the time to
praise God. Previously, David was lamenting over his life, but in Psalm 18,
David declares how much he loved the Lord. God took great pains to rescue David,
who had to live a life on the run. When he needed safety, David went to God, and
he was saved from his enemies. The enemies lost, and God won.

David was no longer the wounded animal praying on King Saul to spare his life.
David cried to God, and He heard His servant. God delivered David from a
life-threatening situation. God can be trusted to take care of us. He is worthy
to be praised.

Lord, direct my steps, I pray, not just today but every day. Thank You for
giving me help to embrace my past, present, and the hopeful future. In Jesus'
name I pray, Amen.

lisacfdev@...
http://www.writingbylisa.com

"The Second Commandment" - Introduction

Exodus 20:4-6

The second commandment is a warning against idolatry. Idolatry is defined as
"worship of idols. - excessive devotion to or reverence for some person or
thing." An idol is defined as "an image of a god, used as an object of worship:
sometimes applied to any heathen deity. - any object of ardent or excessive
devotion." I think you can already see how we may be able to find a way to
directly apply this commandment, but let's not jump the gun, for first, we need
to discuss the commandment itself.

The Commandment Against Idolatry: The command to not make idols follows directly
on the heels of the command not to have any other gods, in the first place.
Since most of the gods of the other nations were portrayed by the manufacture of
idols, it seems the obedience to the second command would go a long way in
helping out with obedience to the first.  In fact, we will see that at the same
time that Moses is receiving the "Ten Commandments," that the children of Israel
are down in camp disobeying this one.

To be continued.

GKragen@...

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GODRULESTB@....

Today's verses: Hebrews 10:11, 12, "And every priest stands daily ministering
and offering, time after time, the same sacrifices, which can never take away
sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at
the right hand of God."

Today's topic: The Sacrifice of Christ

This passage is for sinners. If you are a sinner, then here you have a precious
truth � the most precious truth ever known. Jesus died for sin. If you are not a
sinner, then you don't need to know about this. Consider for a moment what is
being said here. The priests would offer sacrifices for sins, daily (really
morning and evening), that never took away sins. They only pointed to a future
sacrifice which would take away sins. This was done in Christ, by Christ, and
for His elect. Children of God have this incredible and new relation between
them and a holy God. Christ is dead for sin. There is no greater consolation
that can be given a sinner, than that their sins have been laid upon Christ.
They have been removed as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12), and
they are wiped out (Isaiah 44:22). The Gospel tells us that all who come to
Christ have sin put away forever. No one can believe that they will not be
saved, if they are trusting in Jesus, because Christ has "offered one sacrifice
for sins for all time."

It is Christ who puts away sins. If we are trusting in our prayers, works, going
to church, etc., they will as easily damn us as lying, blasphemy, murder, and
drunkenness will. We don't trust in anything but Christ for forgiveness. If we
are looking partly to Christ and partly to ourselves, or our works, then we are
not looking to Christ at all for mercy. He must save, and He alone must
accomplish the work of forgiveness from sin. This is what is meant when Jesus
says, "It is finished!" (John 19:30) His work, spoken of in Matt. 1:21, was
done. He had taken sin upon Himself, and made atonement for all who come to Him
in repentance and faith. We trust in Him, and Him alone, to put away our sins.

Lastly, let us also remember that there is no limit in the merit of Christ's
atonement for sin. His well of mercy is not drained by all our sins being
covered by His blood. His mercy is a "well of water springing up to eternal
life," John 4:14. That well is just as full and deep as it ever was. It cannot
be drained beyond full. Add all my sins, all your sins, the sins of all who have
ever trusted in Messiah � ever � and that well is still full of mercy. The sun
will go dark before Christ's merit is exhausted. He has made one sacrifice for
sins � forever � and He is able to save all who come to Him, even the greatest
sinner that has ever lived. His work is perfected. It cannot be improved upon.
It is wisdom this day for us to rest all our eternal hope in Jesus Christ who
"having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand
of God."

Soli Deo Glori,
T

Stomach aches might not seem like a great devotional topic but since I have one
it is what's on my mind. I am actually thankful for this one. You see I got up
this morning with my stomach bothering me. I needed to do a lot of different
things this morning but didn't do them. I just sat there. And while I sat there
I started talking to God. And then I just sat there and listened for awhile.
Sometimes I rush around too much to talk to God or to hear from him. Sometimes
God allows stomach aches or other such things to come into our life so we will
take a timeout.



Listen carefully. God still speaks. "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm
46:10)



IHFHBOH

If you would like to respond to the author of this devotional, you may write him
at GODRULESTB@....
 
Today’s verse: Jeremiah 30:17, “‘For I will restore you to health, and I
will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord.”
 
Today’s topic: Wounds From Sin
 
The Lord often treats sin as a disease. If He were to treat it as it deserves,
and call us before Him to give an account, we would be without hope, if left to
ourselves. In Christ, we are delivered from the power of sin. Jesus looks upon
us compassionately and treats His children, not as we deserve, but as if our
wounds were things to be healed rather than punished. We transgress of heart
willfully, but the Lord restores us to health. Such is God’s great mercy to us
in Christ. Sin is abnormal. It is like a cancerous growth that should not be in
the soul. The curative is Christ. He alone is the health restorative for
sin-sick souls.
 
There is no disease which causes more pain than sin. Most of us are conscious of
our sins, and those of us who are walking with Christ find that confession is
something we cannot live without. Yet sin not only causes pain; it also really
injures us. Sin prevents the full enjoying of this life, and will keep us from
enjoying life with God in Heaven. Thus sin, sin that remains unforgiven, is also
fatal. The end of sin is death. Unless the Lord restores us to health, and heals
our wounds, we are in deeper waters than we can swim in – and there are sharks
everywhere, ready to devour. Sin is the death of our peace. It is the end of
joy. Sin ruins the prospects and hopes of this life and the life to come. It is
a fatal disease. We must believe it to be so, and then we must believe into
Christ, who is the only cure for sin.
 
We might consider here, for awhile, the sufferings of the Messiah for our sins.
It is something that is worthy of frequent and deep meditation. I encourage you
to do so. Let us here just think of one element of Christ’s sufferings. He was
alone in them. We might know something about what it is like to feel alone, and
it is different than being alone by choice. Feeling alone is when there is no
one to whom we might call, or go to in our time of need. Christ was alone in His
sufferings. Even the martyr, while alone on the stake waiting for the fires to
be lit, is not alone. God sustains him, and many can even rejoice in the midst
of pain. (I put this in the present tense. Let us never forget that everyday,
even today, many will die the martyrs’ death because of their commitment to
Jesus Christ.) Jesus did not have the comfort of the Father in His sufferings.
He was forsaken by His Father, Matt. 27:46.
 
But it is Christ Who heals us. He has taken sin upon Himself – the sins of all
who trust Him. He restores us to health and heals the wounds of our sins. Our
faith does not heal, but faith in Christ does heal, because Christ is the One
Who heals our wounds from sin.
 
Soli Deo Gloria, T-






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Turn Toward the Light
 
My husband was doing one of those things that it’s nigh impossible to do for
oneself – aligning and fastening a snowman pin on my dress. He asked me to
“turn toward the light” so he could clearly see what he was doing. And it
occurred to me that we should be continuously turning toward the Light, the
Light of the world.
 

Where many of us live, we are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the
Christmas season, and we need to remind ourselve to “turn toward the Light,”
the “Son of God, love’s pure Light,” as the song “Silent Night”
reminds us. It may sound cliché, but it’s a good idea to regularly remind
ourselves of the “reason for the season,” whether by reading Christmas hymns
in our devotional time, going to a service or play about Christ’s birth, in
which we aren’t “doing” but can simply listen, giving gifts to someone
less fortunate in honor of Christ’s concern for the poor, contributing to a
special offering of your church that helps spread the Gospel - or some other
means.
 

When it’s time to make a decision, whether one thought of as major (career
direction, spousal choice etc.) or an “Everyday decision” (which life is
made of anyway), we need to turn toward the Light, by praying, seeking counsel
from other Christians as God’s word advises us to do, and of course by
studying His word.
 

If you are struggling with a temptation,  a painful situation, you can turn
toward the Light for strength, and (the scary part) for a spotlight that won’t
hide or excuse the sin. We can’t overcome a sin, if we excuse it or refuse to
admit its existence. And the Living Light, Christ, will illuminate what we need
to change, and will help us to make that change.
 

And if you have never made a commitment to follow Christ, that’s the most
important turn of all. If you have just claimed the salvation Christ purchased
for you 2000 years ago on the crosst, and aren’t sure what to do next, if you
will e-mail any of us at cfdevotionals, we’ll be glad to point you in the
right direction.
 
Turn toward the Light today.
 




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

House Historians

"Hard work always pays off;" (The Message) These words from Proverbs 14 are
motivating when you are in the mist of a demanding project.

I was a little nervous as we neared the unfamiliar street. Were we making a
mistake? It was such an imposition. When I saw Bob's smiling face waiting for us
in the driveway, my concerns vanished. I had been relying on fear instead of
God's peace.

"Are you Bob? my husband anxiously asked as he rolled down the car window. The
cheery, gray-haired man answered yes. I couldn't believe it. Here was the man
who breathed life into our new home. Bob was the one who first lived in our
59-year-old house. What stories he could tell about the California ranch.

Five months into our marriage, we bought our first home. No more apartment
living, no more sharing walls with strangers. With this purchase came
independence, more space, responsibility, and a long list of projects. The first
thing to do was to paint over the pink walls in the living room and dining room.
As we started to cover over the boldly decorated walls, I wondered what was
underneath the layers of paint. How did the previous families adorn the rooms,
and were they happy? These casual questions got my husband to thinking, and in a
matter of days, amidst the cleaning, painting, and unpacking, we began
researching the history our home.

The encouraging words found in Ecclesiastes 4:9 certainly rang true for us
during this project: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return
for their work:"� (NIV)

The nature of the hobby demanded long hours together. We had a common goal and
worked collectively to accomplish it. Our hard work was satisfying when answers
were found, but also rewarding when we learned more about each other.

Based on our findings, we narrowed down the first owner to three men still
living in our state. Using an Internet directory, my husband located and bravely
contacted the correct Bob: the man who purchased the house over 50 years ago. He
was now in his 80s and living a few hours away. Bob graciously invited us to
meet him, his wife, and his daughter, who grew up in the house. Not many would
open their lives, let alone their past, to strangers, but Bob was delighted to
talk about what he remembered about his, and now our, first home.

It was fun being a detective, uncovering the history that we are now a part of.
Now when I look at our walls, I know what they would say, if they could talk.
They would proudly reminisce of joyful memories, and are looking forward to the
happy times ahead.

lisacfdev@...
http://www.writingbylisa.com

Please note: Due to technical difficulties, we are unable to send out the next
installment of Pastor Geoff's Ten Commandments Study at this time.�We apologize
for this inconvenience, and our technical manager is working on�it!�After
prayer, we�(your CF Staff)�chose an "encore" devotional (originally published
11-28-1999),�that we trust God will use to bless you. Since many churches around
the world have begun their Advent celebration, we present Old Testament
passages, along with correlating New Testament ones, which predict Christ's
coming.

Isa 49:6-7 (NRSV) He says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my
servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the
end of the earth." Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers, "Kings
shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of
the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
�
John 1:6-12 (NRSV) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came
as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He
himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light,
which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and
the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came
to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who
received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.
�
�
Isa 40:3 (NRSV) A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the
LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."
�
Mark 1:1-4 (NRSV)The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of
you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" John the baptizer
appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the
forgiveness of sins.
�
�
Isa 9:6-7 (NRSV) For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority
rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and
there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will
establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time
onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Luke 1:30-33 (NRSV) The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have
found favor with God.And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and
you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the
Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.
He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be
no end."
�
�
Isa 7:14 (NRSV) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young
woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
Mat 1:23 (NRSV)"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall
name him Emmanuel,"which means, "God is with us."




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

 If you would like to write the author of this devotional, you may contact him
at GODRULESTB@....
 
Today’s verse: Colossians 2:23, “The appearance of wisdom in self-made
religion…”
 
Today’s topic: Peace with the Living God
 
It is not uncommon to see people struggling to find peace with God by using
their own agenda as the standard of measure. This does not lead to peace with
God. Trying to obtain the blessings of eternal life, using our own plan, is like
buying bottled water to fill up the gas tank before a long trip. It takes some
effort to pour one 16.9 ounce bottle after another into the tank, but no one is
going to applaud the effort. It saves money, as the water is cheaper than gas,
but no one will praise such frugality. It is foolish, and we do someone a
disservice if we encourage them in such absurdities. We do ourselves real harm,
if we engage in such mindlessness ourselves. Our eternal condition is of a much
more serious nature, and it is wisdom to trust in the Lord the Lord with all our
heart, Prov. 3:5.
 
The effort we might expend in trying to save ourselves is all in vain. Someone
will give up cursing, and this is good, but it is not something that leads to
eternal hope. It doesn’t matter what “good” work we speak about – it
cannot save. Moral reforms are good things, but they are bad if we trust in
them. What does Jesus tell Nicodemus? Jesus says, “You must be born again,”
John 3:7. Unless our reforms stem from the foundation of regeneration, they
cannot be good in any saving way. They can actually be deceptive. Trusting in
works is not unlike the punishment given to the 49 daughters of Danaus in Greek
mythology. They were punished by being forced to fill a tub that had no bottom,
using buckets that leaked, to carry water. It was an exercise in futility, since
it could never be done. So it is with those who trust in their own righteousness
or works to save them. It is a self-made religion that does not save. We must be
born again.
 
May the Lord deliver us from trusting in ourselves rather than in His mercy. We
cannot repair our lives, outside of Christ putting things back together. All our
efforts at such are useless, even pitiable. All our strivings that do not first
begin with the Lord are sure to hit the mark of non-success. Where is our trust?
It must be in Christ. It is because Christ is holy, that there is hope. It is
not because I am holy. He gives His righteousness to those who trust Him and
receive Him by faith. Our trust is here…It is in Christ, who He is, and what
He is making us by His grace. It is in Christ, what He did, and how the Holy
Spirit is applying His work of redemption into our lives – let us personalize
this – into my life. It is wonderful to give up trying to save ourselves by
merit. It is even more glorious to then place all our trust in One who actually
“seals the deal” and brings us salvation. It is the only way that we may
have peace with the
  Living God.
 




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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adam@....
The Master's ministering

...lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen

Disciples are made through teaching, though not with words only, but with the
power of the always-present Jesus, who will be present with His people until the
end. Isn't that awesome to know that Jesus is always here to help us when we
need it. We even have a promise recorded in Hebrews 13:5b "…for he [Jesus]
hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." He will always be with us
to aid us, guide us, minister to us. Even though it's true that we serve Him as
disciples, it is also true that in this way, he serves us. Amen is from Hebrew
meaning "so be it". That's the way it is - and the way it will be.
 
The methodical map
There is a geographic plan for spreading the gospel. It is a carefully crafted
plan of attack. To see this, you only have to look over and read Acts 1:8.
 
Acts 1:8 - But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and
in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the Earth.
 
Here we see we are to start locally and work our way out. Charity begins at
home, and so too must sharing. Sharing with friends and family is tough, because
you can shrug off a stranger, but you see these all the time. But if you don't
tell them, you are screaming "Go to Hell!" to each and everyone of them. The
prayer of Jabez is popular; it says "enlarge my coast" or "increase my
territories." That needs to be our prayer when it comes to evangelism. You and I
must work in the territory God has given us, and the increase will come.
 
The mighty message

If you remember, I skipped the first few words of this verse, so now returning
to those first few words of Matthew 18.
And Jesus came…
John 3:16 tells us God loved us all and sent His Son. And Jesus came. He came,,
and He died and He rose again. He did it for us; we have all purchased sin after
sin on credit. He paid the balance in full, so we would not have to. The price
He paid was death. He died for us, so we could live forever. That is the mighty
message.
 
We must admit we are sinners, believe that Jesus, the son of God, came and died
for those sins and that he rose again, and confess our sins and beliefs to him
or, in other words, pray and tell Him. This is the mighty message, because
believing gives us life. John 20:31b tells us "…and that believing, ye might
have life through his name." Romans 1:16 compels and encourages us, saying, "For
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto
salvation, to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the
Greek."
 
For many of us, it may not be the great commission - but the great omission. If
you're not telling others, why not? Do you need to get right with God, or maybe
this is your first time hearing the Gospel message. If that's the case, don't
let the final M's become the missed moment.
 
A 13-year-old Mongolian inherited land from his father. Through great strategy
and awesome fighting ability, he formed fighting bands that conquered village
after village. Eventually, he became known as Genghis Khan and ruled over 2
million people. His empire stretched from China to India and from Siberia to the
edges of Western Europe. Meanwhile, in Western Europe, a great revival was
occurring under the preaching of men like St. Francis of Assisi. At his death,
the bulk of Khan's empire went to his grandson, Kublai Khan. He had 2 Italians
in his court named Polo (the father and uncle of Marco) that told him of Christ.
Kublai was very interested, and he sent them back to Europe with a request to
bring 100 missionaries, saying "When we learn about Christianity, there will be
more Christians in my empire than in all Europe."

The Polos returned to Europe to enlist men willing to share the gospel. They
begged and pleaded, but only 2 friars and Marco would follow them back to the
Orient. So these 5 men began their long journey, but the 2 friars turned back.
When the 3 men arrived in Kublai's realm, Kublai asked "Where are the
missionaries?"

No one came. No one cared enough. Despite the great revival going on in Europe,
no one was willing to serve the Lord. Oh eventually, the church did send a small
handful of missionaries, but by then it was too late. Can you imagine what the
largest Communist nation today would be like if it were the largest Christian
nation?
 
You can dream of worthy accomplishments, or you can stay awake and do them.
Now's your chance; come to the Lord, and make your life right with Him.
 




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Psalm 40:11-17 (NASB)

   11. You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me;
       Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.
   12. For evils beyond number have surrounded me;
       My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see;
       They are more numerous than the hairs of my head,
       And my heart has failed me.
   13. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me;
       Make haste, O LORD, to help me.
   14. Let those be ashamed and humiliated together
       Who seek my life to destroy it;
       Let those be turned back and dishonored
       Who delight in my hurt.
   15. Let those be appalled because of their shame
       Who say to me, "Aha, aha!"
   16. Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
       Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
       "The LORD be magnified!"
   17. Since I am afflicted and needy,
       Let the Lord be mindful of me.
       You are my help and my deliverer;
       Do not delay, O my God.

King David - chosen King of Israel by the Lord knows what it is to fall in sin.
"My iniquities have overtaken me", David writes. As Christians we are forgiven
our sins past, present and future. We try to keep our accounts short with the
Lord and our friends when we do stumble and fall. But we are not excused the
consequences unless it is by God's mercy and for His purpose for Him to do so.

There is nothing about this Psalm that tells us when it was written, but David
is feeling the weight of his failures. They may be recent or he may be just
having his history thrown back in his face. Have you ever felt this way? Like
you've blown it so badly that God could never use you again? Then remember Peter
who knew that failure after denying Jesus the night of His crucifixion. Jesus
figuratively picked Peter up out of the dust and restored him when his heart was
broken by his sin - when his heart had failed him (v. 12).

The last thing is this: David's plea for deliverance had a goal - so that the
Lord would be praised (magnified). David was not asking just to be rescued from
the trouble he had made for himself. He didn't want God to be dishonored by his
failure.

Most of us will have no trouble remembering a time when we have failed God
badly. We know that Jesus is just and faithful to forgive us. We know that those
sins were covered by His shed blood on the cross. It is important to remember
that our sins, along with the sins of all mankind, held Jesus to the cross that
day. He bore the shame of those sins in our place. If we can keep in the front
of our minds the shame Jesus carried for us it might be a little easier to stand
and live for Him when it's hard to do. When we ask for His help that it is not
exclusively to extract us from the trouble we are in, but it should be for God's
purpose and honor.

Selah.

Grace and Peace,
Mike

mhoskins@...

If you would like to respond to the author, you may write him at
GODRULESTB@....
 
Today’s verse: Hosea 14:8, “Out of Me comes your fruit.”
 
Today’s topic: Good Fruit/Works
 
There is an apple tree, outside my window at the church, that I don’t bother
with any more. I tried for a while to find a good apple on it, but many times, I
have come up empty. This year I am just letting it sit. I will not bother to
even bother with it. It produces bad fruit. Christians, however, by God’s
grace, can produce good fruit. Today we have before us a little phrase, but
there is a lot of meaning packed in this thought from God’s Word. Let us look
at two things here. Let us consider that our fruit is, in fact, our fruit.
Secondly, let us consider that it comes from God. “Apart from Me you can do
nothing,” John 15:5.
 
Maybe it seems an obvious point, but it is true. The Holy Spirit may work in us,
and so give us the desire and ability to do good works, but we still do them.
The fruit that we bear is an overflow of what the Spirit has worked in us. The
true Christian longs for holiness and usefulness. It is the Christian’s true
desire to be doing for the Lord. The good that the Christian does – he or she
really does. The Spirit does not repent for us. The Spirit does not give the
drink to the thirsty. We do these things. If anyone desires further proof that
good works are really our works, I would point out that we know they are our
work, because we lament over them. We feel bad that they are not better. Our
best works are imperfect, mixed with sin. It is our unhappy reality to know
this, but it shows that our works are, in fact, our works.
 
The other issue to consider is that all our works proceed from God, as the first
principle. It is because of our union with Christ, that we even can do good
works. This does not negate what we said above. We still do them, but we do them
because the Lord has changed our ruling principle. We have to understand that we
derive all from the Lord. It is His providence, providential grace really, that
even places us in a position to do good works. We bring out from what we have
been given.
 
Let us be certain that we never seek to bear fruit to earn God’s favor, or to
think that somehow we can win His love. I see this creeping out all too often.
It is the concept that God will reward, or owes us something, if we do what we
should. Since it is true that all the fruit that we ever bear we first got from
God, let us never think that we are bringing Jesus a present by serving Him. He
does not need us. It is an honor to be used by Him. He could raise up better
servants unto His glory, from off the sidewalk.
 
Lastly, never let us think that we cannot do good work, or come to Christ,
because we are not good enough. The only fitness for coming to Christ is need
– and we all have that. We don’t have to purify ourselves so that Christ can
make us pure. He does all that work, or it is not done at all. We come to Christ
filthy, without fruit, and He purifies us, thus making us able to bear fruit
unto Him.
 
Soli Deo Gloria, T-




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Looking for Crayons
 
. Recently I was intensely focused on a detailed project at work, and determined
to meet a self-appointed deadline by the end of the day. Naturally, I was hoping
for no “interruptions.” But right ‘smack dab’ in the middle of it, a
prosecutor came into the office, and said that one of our young witnesses, who
was waiting during a trial, was in need of some crayons. It is my privilege to
do victim advocacy in the Criminal Justice System, and I consider everything we
do to be important – because like the “Good Samaritan,” we serve those who
have been victimized. But as I was searching ‘high and low’ for the crayons,
something occurred to me. THIS is the most important thing that I have done all
day, and probably the most important “work” that I will do all week. THIS is
what it’s all about. Meeting our victims/witnesses where in their need,
whether the need is for a “listening ear,” information, a companion during
hearings  - or
  finding a box of crayons.
 
What are the crayons in your life? Do you ever think that you could really
accomplish a lot at home, work or church – if people would just stop
interrupting you? Did you ever consider that perhapas those “interruptions”
are moments of ministry and calling? Did you ever think that perhaps just as
with Esther, you were in that place and time, for “just such a time as
this?”
 
C.S. Lewis has said, “…What one calls the interruptions are precisely
one’s real life—the life God is sending one day by day…”. I challenge us
all to ask God to open our eyes to the myriad  of ministry opportunities He
places before us every day.




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Life Lessons from a Feline: Rest

Sleep comes naturally for cats. They spend half of their day in dreamland. They
make rest a priority. My cats sleep as sardines on purpose. They choose a small
section of the sofa curled together. Marty balls himself as if he is training
for the Olympics, and soon he is snoring, with sounds similar to the noises made
by a Woodpecker digging in a tree. While Marty snores, Gibby stretches forward,
revealing her sharp claws. As soon as she sees me, Gibby chirps, I pet her, and
she settles back down to rest.

The Bible says God is the giver of rest (Exodus 33:14) so why is it so difficult
for us to make the commitment to rest? I seem to sacrifice relaxation for
getting things accomplished. Although it may be a little late in the year to
begin a new resolution, I am determined to start living the way the Lord
suggests. "For in six days, the LORD made the heavens and the Earth, the sea,
and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD
blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." (Exodus 20:11 NIV)

Lord, Let me adhere to Your commands and promises. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

For other Scriptures on rest, go to Psalms 23:1-2 and 116:7.

lisacfdev@...
http://www.writingbylisa.com

 
If you wish to respond to the author of this study, you may write him directly
at GKragen@....  For additional Bible studies by Geoff, visit
http://www.cfdevotionals.org/links/authgeof.htm. For more info about the author,
visit www.GKRAGEN.com.
 
The First Commandment - Our Relationship with God
 
Some say religion is a crutch, and therefore something we should learn to get
along without. Better said that if one is crippled from sin, then the crutch
that Christ offers, Himself, His Spirit should be gratefully accepted.
 
“When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your
teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the
sick”” (Matthew 9:11-12).
 
With dependence on the Lord, must also come submission.
 
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you” (James 4:7).
 
Why should there be such a problem submitting to the one who gave up all for us?
The problem is that our sinful nature gets in the way. Webster tells us
that “submission is yielding control to another.” Can we do any better,
then, than to submit to the God of the universe?
 
I think you can see that when we are talking about the first commandment, we are
really talking about our relationship to God, and the fact that we are called to
put Him before all others, that we are commanded to worship Him. I want you to
think in terms of worshiping the Lord for yourself, not in terms of something
the church leadership does on Sunday Mornings. I also want you to take seriously
the fact that the worship of God should be the first priority of one who really
wants to respond to the Lord.
 
“ You shall have no other gods before Me.” for “I am the Lord your
God,…” therefore “Worship the Lord with reverence, and rejoice with
trembling. Do homage to the Son,… How blessed are all who take refuge in
Him!” (Exodus 20:3; 20:2; Psalm 2:11-12)
 
 
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
      let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
      and extol him with music and song.
 
For the Lord is the great God,
      the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the Earth,
      and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it,
      and his hands formed the dry land.
 
Come, let us bow down in worship,
      let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God,
      and we are the people of his pasture,
      the flock under his care…”
(Psalm 95:1-7).
Next week, we will begin a study of the Second Commandment.
 




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If you would like to respond to the author of this devotional, you may contact
him at GODRULESTB@....
 
Today’s verse: Isaiah 2:5, “Let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
 
Today’s topic: Walking on Sunshine
 
I encourage you to read verses 1-5 of this chapter in Isaiah. It is the
wonderful passage where swords are beaten into plowshares. and spears into
pruning hooks. It has important eschatological implications that nobody agrees
about. I thought about just skipping the theological debate, and looking at this
practical advice from the prophet. Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
 
The distinction between light and darkness is all over the Bible. It starts in
Genesis 1:4 and continues throughout. We probably know the punchline, that light
is good, and dark is bad. Even if we have only watched the movies, we know this.
But God’s Word tells us that the Lord brings light into our lives. He shows us
our darkness, our sin, our transgressions….our crimes against His holiness. He
does this by shedding light upon these things, and the light shows us a better
way. A way that is more pleasing to Him, and better for us all around. How does
He do this? Probably many ways, but the two that get the most press and are
clearly noted in Scripture, are the Spirit and the Word. As we study the Word,
learn from God’s Word, and as the Spirit applies God’s Word to our
lives…then we live in the light. The light is found in looking to Christ, but
it is applied by the Spirit.
 
Charles Spurgeon tells the story of an Irishman who had recently been converted
to Christ. His priest told him that he best not read the Bible, because it had
led many young/inexperienced believers astray. He said, “I will bring the milk
of the Word and will bring it to you.” The new believer replied, “I will be
very much obliged if you do so; but, still, I mean to keep a cow myself, and so
I shall be sure to get the milk pure.” We need to cultivate such a mindset
ourselves. It is important to listen to the wisdom of others, as they seek to
draw out truths from God’s Word. The insights of others are often very
helpful, but we also must be Acts 17:11 Christians – Berean Christians – who
“received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to
see if these things were so.” That, my friends, is walking in the light of the
Lord.
 
Let us do so. It will appear in our lives, if we do. We are to be students of
God’s Word, take what we glean there, and apply it to our daily lives. One
thing that light indicates in Scripture is knowledge. Darkness is an indicator
of ignorance. If we would have true wisdom, knowledge of God and of ourselves
(as John Calvin put it, in the first paragraph of his Institutes), then we must
look to the place where we can find light: The Word of God. For anyone who
desires to have the best conduct, most joy, happiest life, and eternal security,
I can point you to no better place, and no wiser habit, than to be a student of
God’s Word. I would go as far as to say that you will have these things –
things greatly to be desired – in direct proportion, as you study the Bible.
This is walking in the light of the Lord.
 
Soli Deo Gloria, T-





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Originally Published 2005-11-24

     Ps 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping
may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (KJV)

I have many memories of Thanksgiving, as many of us do. Some of funny family
stories, and 30+ people in one house all playing games and talking. But one
memory I have is from my reading. I read a book years ago called The Light and
the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel. I'm not even sure it is in print
any more. The book cataloged the history of our country from a perspective that
God may have had a purpose in hiding the Americas from Europe for so long. A few
chapters focused on the Puritans. I read many interesting bits and burst a few
myths about the group. They did wear fairly plain clothing for everyday. But
they also had very colorful clothes for special events - like community parties
- like Thanksgiving. They were not always the stereotypical "wear gray and
frown" crowd that we are led to believe they were. Of course, there are times
for reverence and for reserved behavior. But there are times for thanksgiving
and smiles as well.

Most of us have heard the stories of the terrible winter, when rodents got into
the stored grain and food they had setup for the winter. It was going to be
close as it was. But now they found themselves desperately short of food. There
was no hope of a ship to save them any time soon. I doubt they would have gone
anyway. They had to tighten their belts severely. Even so, quite a number died
that winter. The ones who lived had every reason for thanks, even in their loss.
At the low point of the food shortages, they were all living on five kernels of
corn for the day. Their hunger must have been unimaginable to us.

The survivors thanked God for the spring and a good growing season. They bathed
their lives and their work in prayer, and pulled together to prevent the same
thing from ever happening again. At the famous Thanksgiving feast, where the
native Americans showed up to join them, I'm sure those colorful outfits were
pulled out for the occasion. They had a reminder at each place setting. At each
place on the table, there was a small plate with five kernels of corn.

What a powerful reminder of their utter dependence on God and of what He had
brought them through.

God bless us all on this day when we remember to stop and give thanks for the
blessings we have. And I hope, between the football and the food and the talk -
we can all stop and remember those five kernels of corn, and realize how very
very much we have to give thanks for and how much we really do depend on the
Lord.

Amen.

Grace and Peace,
Mike

mhoskins@...

“THANKSLIVING”
 
I didn’t originate the word “thanksliving,” and I don’t know who did.
But I think it’s apropos not only for this time of year (Thanksgiving week, in
the US ), but year-round for all of us.  In fact, per the Apostle Paul, it’s
to be our lifestyle, giving thanks in everything:
 
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB) In everything give thanks; for this is God's will
for you in Christ Jesus.
 
Does this mean we have to act like everything’s wonderful, when we are
hurting, angry, worried or stressed? Absolutely not. Both the Psalmists and our
Lord Christ expressed anger, grief, depression and other emotions; in fact, it's
unhealthy to supress our feelings, and they will come out later, sometimes
tragically (like loved ones who feel they have to say they are joyous their
loved one is 'with God' and then kill themselves). But no matter what we are
going through, we still have much for which we should thank God.
 
Normally, we tend to make “resolutions” on New  Year’s Eve, but I
challenge us all, as we express our thanks for God’s many blessings this
coming Thursday, to cultivate a habit of “thanksliving” in our daily lives.
 
How can we live a life of thanksliving? Sometimes, it’s as simple as
intentionally thinking of things for which we are grateful, whether weekly,
daily or sporadically.
 
And at other times, it can translate into actively doing “good deeds” to
demonstrate our thanksgiving. If we have a full refrigerator (or overflowing in
some cases), we can donate some food to folks whose cupboards are bare. If we
have loving family members and friends, we can provide a listening ear to a
lonely soul – or even invite them to eat a meal with us (whether in or out). I
would love to hear any ideas you have, and if I receive some, I will publish
them in an upcoming devotional.
 
And of course, the answer that would “cover all bases” would be that we show
God our appreciation, by living lives of loving obedience to Him. Then
everything else will naturally fall into place.
 
On behalf of the staff of cfdevotionals / webservants’ ministries, I would
like to wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving and a life of thanksliving. We know
this is a difficult time for many who have recently lost loved ones, or are
facing other painful times. And you will be in our prayers.
 
Jan
 
 




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

If you would like to respond to the author, you may write him at
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Today’s verse: Revelation 11:12, “And they heard a loud voice from Heaven
saying to them, ‘Come up here.’”
 
Today’s topic: Getting Ready
 
The verse applies to the two prophets in the chapter, but have you ever
considered your entrance into Heaven? Some day, we will have the notice given to
us, “Come up here.” It might be sudden and unexpected, or it could be after
a long illness, but one day, we will be called to be with the Lord. It is a
glorious thought. The struggles, temptations, trials, and worries of this life
will be over, and we will be with Jesus, like Jesus, and knowing perfect peace.
Come up here…we are not allowed to hasten it. We do everything we can to
preserve life, but when God calls, then we go, and we go joyfully.
 
The first thing to assure ourselves, is that when we leave this life we will
have such a call. The alternative is not attractive, “Go down there.” We
ought to make the certainty of this matter a thing of resolution in our lives.
Are we sure that the call will come for us to join the heavenly chorus,
rejoicing with all the saints? Maybe we give it a 50/50 chance…not good
enough…not good enough at all. It is wisdom to make our future call sure. It
is foolishness to wait, or hesitate, or rely on “maybe.” In this case
“maybe” isn’t good enough. “Be all the more diligent to make certain
about His calling and choosing you,” 2 Peter 1:10.
 
There is another kind of calling, also, that is not mentioned in this verse. It
is the calling of those who have gone before. I don’t really think that those
we have known can call us to Heaven, but there is a sort of calling in our
hearts. Think of someone who admonished you when a child, to follow Christ and
come to trust Him for all your hope. It might be a mother, grandmother, friend,
pastor, brother, or sister – they have now gone to be with Jesus, but you
still remember their words. You still remember how they used to caution you
about the danger of living outside of Christ. You maybe can hear the inflection
in their voice right now. They also, in some manner, are calling you. They have
given you a warning, but also positive advice to seek the Lord. Are you? Only
you know. Only you know if your relationship with Christ is on par with the idea
that they were seeking to communicate to you. Either way, they are still calling
you by their past
  counsel. You still hear their voice, and their guidance is still with you, long
after they have gone to Christ.
 
Lastly, consider that our words to others might also function as a call to them.
Our very words may still ring in their minds, after we are gone. This truth
makes it clear that we must speak the things of Christ one to another. We have
to say the words ourselves, of admonition to others, maybe others who might not
receive it well when we say it. Our words are likely to function as a call to
them, when we are not around. Our words can be, and often are, a call to them to
seek the Lord while He may be found. Let us be often speaking to others
concerning the things of Christ, and the Spirit may use our words long after we
can no longer speak. How blessed it would be to still be used by the Lord in the
lives of others, long after we are already in His presence.


Soli Deo Gloria, T-

hasEML = false;




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The momentous mark

Now we come to the grand objective or the big picture. It's really a threefold
goal. That is, there are 3 parts to this objective - 3 tasks necessary to hit
the mark. Doing just one or two - and we'll fail to hit the target.
 
...teach all nations…
In the NKJV, it says make disciples of all the nations. If we look back at the
Greek, we see the word matheteuo (math-ayt-yoo'-o), which means intransitively,
to become a pupil and transitively, to disciple, i.e. enroll as scholar:--be
disciple, instruct, teach. The command is to make disciples, not merely converts
or supporters of a cause. Then the word nation is from Greek ethnos (eth'-nos).
You may recognize it as the root of our word ethnic. Ethnos means race or tribe;
specially, a foreign one (usually, by implication, pagan). Two of the other
great commissions record this part as "…ye shall be witnesses unto me…"
(Acts 1:8b) and "…preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15b).
 
There's a story of an old man walking down a beach at sunrise. As he is walking,
he encounters a kid throwing starfish into the sea. Of course, this seems odd,
so the man asks what he is doing. The kid responds, "Throwin' them back so they
won't die in the hot morning sun." "Useless, the beach goes on for miles,"
proclaims the man. "What difference will it make? There are so many starfish
that nothing you can do will matter."

Picking up and throwing another, the kid says quietly, "It matters to this one."
 
...baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy
ghost…
After conversion comes baptism. They become part of the fellowship of believers.
They are converted or saved, and then baptized. In case I stuttered, baptism is
NOT a required portion of salvation. It is a simple step to take to share your
testimony with others, and to begin to lovingly serve him and follow his
teachings and example.
 
...teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…
Here's the tough part: stay with them. Teach them and minister to them. Don't
show them The Way, then go your own. Don't give them the Light of the world,
then leave them in the dark. At salvation, a spark is lit; encourage that spark
to burn and grow into a roaring fire.
 
Ephesians 4:11-13
11   And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers; 12   For the perfecting of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13   Till we all
come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
 
Look at this other translation, the Worldwide English version, reads as follows:
The gifts he gave are these: some are to be apostles; some prophets; some
evangelists; some pastors and teachers.
 
 These gifts are to make God's people better able to do their work for him, and
to make the body of Christ become stronger. The gifts are given so that we will
all believe the one way, and all know the Son of God. They are given so that we
will be really grown-up Christians, like Christ himself.
 
A guy in seminary was called on to speak, at the last minute. Nervous and afraid
to speak, he says, "How many of you know what I am going to say?"
No one raised their hand. "Well then neither do I!" he exclaims and he sits
down.
The president of the school calls on him again at a later date, hoping he will
overcome his fear of speaking, and again the question comes, "How many of you
know what I am going to say?"
Knowing what happened last time, everyone raised their hand." Then if you
already know, I don't need to tell you." and again he sits down
The president decides to give him one more opportunity to speak, and called on
the young man a third time, and again the question comes but this time only half
raise their hand.
"Then those of you who know can tell those of you who don't."

Funny story, but still a lot of truth in that final statement. That's exactly
what we are all to do. Tell those that don't know, what it is that we know.

 




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

In today's devotional titled "Sad on the Inside" is a link that was broken. Here
is the corrected link. http://www.cfdevotionals.org/devpg08/de080307.htm

I apologize for the inconvenience.

Thank you.

Lisa
lisacfdev@...

Sad on the Inside

Last year I wrote a devotional about my grandmother. See this link:
http://www.cfdevotionals.org/devpg08/de080307.htm. She passed away due to cancer
a few days ago. During the last week of her life, she was in considerable pain.
One day she was playing bingo; the next, a nurse was putting the telephone up to
her ear, as she had no strength to pick up the telephone.

I am so grateful her sickness has ended. I do not believe it has sunk in, that I
will not talk to her again, or get a cheerful note from her in the mail.

I have asked myself why I am not more sad or tearful. I am sad on the inside.
Does that count?

Do I have peace because I know she is no longer suffering? Perhaps it is an
unexplainable peace that comes from putting one's faith in the Lord. Perhaps
like other questions in life, they will go unanswered. I may never understand
why my grandmother had to experience such excruciating pain.

God's Word provides comfort. "There is a time for everything, and a season for
every activity under Heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to
plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear
down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn
and a time to dance," (Ephesians 3:1-4 NIV)

Lord, As Ephesians 2:14 tells us, You are our peace. There are many things I do
not understand. The loss of a loved one is a sad and tragic experience to go
through. Help us to endure the sadness, and to always focus on the happy
memories. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

lisacfdev@...
http://www.postapraise.com
http://www.writingbylisa.com

Monotheism continued
Dependence vs. Independence
 
What are some of God’s properties that make Him praiseworthy? He is to be
highly esteemed above all. His attributes include His justice, love, mercy,
righteousness, patience, etc. He, in His love, was willing to take on human
form, and to come down here to die for each of us individually. If we truly
understand these factors, and apply them to ourselves, then we will certainly
put the Lord first, and will be in no danger of violating the first commandment.
 
Now it would seem if we (first) know God, and (second) acknowledge who He is, if
we worship Him and put Him before all others, then one would hope there would be
certain effects in the quality of our walk.
 
One quality we have been discussing a great deal is dependency on Him. So much
of modern life is focused on making us independent. Men are taught it is macho
to “pull one up by one’s bootstraps.” Women are taught the day has come
when they should depend on no one but themselves. Where the need for dependence
is recognized, it is often filled with “religion,” philosophy, drugs,
escapism - everything but what is truly needed - the Lord. But for us, as
believers, we must learn to be truly dependent on the Lord.
 
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we
drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these
things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his
kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as
well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about
itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:31-34).
 
To be continued.
 




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Today’s verse: Hosea 14:4, “I will heal their backsliding.”
 
Today’s topic: Cure For Backsliding
 
Followers of Christ are supposed to have fellowship with Him, but sometimes that
fellowship is stinted because we fall into sin. How much have you "backslidden"
lately? Prayer is often the first thing to go, and a sure sign that we have
backslidden. How is your prayer life? How consistent is your reading of God’s
Word? Is it as sweet to you as it once was? Are you running on the path to
heaven, or standing around admiring the flowers – making no progress towards
the Heavenly City? I think that most of us would have to admit that there is
always some measure of backsliding in us. We are not what we desire to be. It is
to be mourned that this is so, but there is hope.
 
God promises to “heal” our backslidings. It is a deficiency, an ailment, a
disease, to be backslidden. God does not treat us as the rebels that we are.
Jesus has taken the sin of His children upon Himself on the cross. He doesn’t
treat us as we deserve. He is the great physician, and He says here that He will
heal us. Notice also that Christ Himself heals our soul sickness. “I” will
heal (says Christ). It is the Lord Himself who promises us this mercy. He has
not said that “somehow” your backsliding will be healed. No, He says that
“I” will do it – He Himself. This is such a mercy. He doesn’t tell us to
go to a minister or a priest to look for healing. They cannot heal us. Only
Christ offers healing for backsliders. We go to Him for the healing, because He
has said He will do it.
 
Let us remark also that the Lord says that He “will” heal His children. We
can come before the Lord and plead this passage. “Lord, You have promised in
Your true Word that You will heal the backslidings of Your people. I ask You to
heal this sin-sickness that is besetting me. Cleanse me, I pray, this day. Renew
me, revive me according to Your gracious mercy.” It is a good prayer for
any/all of us to pray.
 
Let us take note also of the very personal nature of this passage. It is
“their” backslidings that the Lord promises to heal. Who is “their?” It
means His followers – His precious children whom He loves. Thus, we can go
before the Lord and plead, “Lord, heal ‘my’ backsliding. I hate it. I want
that fellowship with You that I once knew. Please heal me.”
 
It is an awful thing to fall into a backsliding condition. It can feel that you
are falling down a mountain, and picking up steam as you head to whatever it is
that you will finally hit – but you are sure it isn’t good. The Lord gives
us a valuable promise here, one that we can trust. He promises to cure our
sin-sickness. It is His pleasure to do so, and here is the wonder of it
all….it is His pleasure to do so, because He loves His children.
 
Soli Deo Gloria, T-




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If you would like to respond to the author of this devotional, you may write him
at adam@.... Adam is "out of pocket" for a few weeks, and will
respond to your mail when he is able.The modest mandate
...Go…
Go is really a simple command. Don't wait for them to come to you; go to them.
Go is
translated from a Greek word poreuomai (por-yoo'-om-ahee) meaning go forth, go
one's way.
In other words, as you go - as you go about your lives or as part of your daily
routine.
Nothing out of the ordinary here; Jesus doesn't say go to a foreign land; He
says go
wherever you normally go in your day-to-day life.

Also notice this is a command, and not a suggestion. It isn't something we can
do; it is
something we should do. It is an order from the Master to the servant and from
the King
to His foot soldiers. A cartoon I've seen shows a man with his feet propped up
on his
desk. He's kicked back and relaxed looking yapping on the phone and he says,
"Boy I
haven't done a thing since I discovered this new boss judges us by faith and not
works." Funny as that may seem that is the attitude of many today. The great
thing
about Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses is that they are eager to tell others about
their
religion because they are judged by their works. Whereas, we sit back and think
well
God's taken care of it all, I'll come to church on Sunday mornings since he
saved my life
but I don't want to do anything more than I have to.

According to legend, after Jesus ascended back to Heaven, all of the angels
gathered
around to welcome him home. They all talked for quite some time. Finally Gabriel
asked,
"Master, you suffered terribly down there. Do they know and appreciate the
extent of
your sacrifice?"
"No," said Jesus "Not yet. Only a handful in Palestine know"
"Then what have you done to let everyone else know?" asked Gabriel
"I've asked Peter, James, and John and a few others to spread the news. They
will
tell others who will tell others who will tell others until the message spreads
to the
ends of the earth."
Trying not to doubt Jesus but still knowing the nature of man, Gabriel asks, "So
what's plan B?"
"I have no plan B," replied Christ. "There's no alternative strategy. I am
counting on them"
2000 years later, there's still no plan B. He's counting on you and me! Do you
want to let
down the one who died for you?

The many messengers
...ye…
Who is this ye? He was not addressing the 12 apostles, nor was he speaking just
to the
leaders. He was addressing all His followers, every believer. He has given this
message
to everyone that receives Him as Lord and Savior from that day forward. As A.T.
Pierson
puts it, "Witnessing is the whole work of the whole church for the whole age."
We are all called but only a few answer. You know it breaks Christ's heart but
He knew
while he was alive that not every one would have the faith to face their fears
or the
courage to take a stand for their beliefs or the compassion to share the plan of
salvation. In fact Luke 10:2 records Jesus saying, "...The harvest truly is
great,
but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he
would send
forth labourers into his harvest."

In the Southern Baptist Convention there are over 40,000 churches. Last year
10,000 of
these churches had 0 baptisms - that's 0 people coming to know God. I did not
say that
these churches didn't grow as members moved from one church to another but they
had now
new growth only grafts from one tree to another. Doing a little math here that's
10,000
preachers preaching at least 2 times a week or 1,040,000 messages. Figuring at 5
deacons
per church, that's another 50,000 people - deacons not bearing fruit in their
lives. Even
just a mere 6 Sunday School teachers per church means that 60,000 teacher
teaching 1
lesson per week taught 3,120,000 lessons without stirring the soul of a single
person.
120,000 people "working" and not a single soul won. Exactly what are they
working for - their own glory or the glory of God?

All Christians are willing, some are willing to work, and others are willing to
let them. What
group of willing will you be in?




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Originally Published 2005-01-06

     Luke 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and
when he saw him, he had compassion on him, (KJV)

Jesus led by example. If He was not leading the disciples by His deeds and
actions, He was teaching them by His words with examples they could easily grasp
firmly. This made things Jesus taught easy to remember. One man said to me that
it was like putting handles on the thoughts so they could be easily carried
along the way. I have also been told that the things we remember most engage our
emotions and sense in at least three points. The twelve men who followed Jesus,
the man questioning Jesus about who was considered a neighbor, or the crowd that
Jesus was speaking to had any difficulty gasping one central point that may have
been more than a little uncomfortable - engaging their emotions, along with
their eyes and ears.

The Jews and the Samaritans were very bitter toward each other. To say that
there was no love lost between them would be an understatement. And yet, the
hero of this story was not the Jewish Priest or the Levite. Their actions were
actually put into question by Jesus. The hero of Jesus' story was a Samaritan.
The Samaritan was a neighbor to the man who was robbed by being his neighbor by
his actions. It was not who was my neighbor. It was who am I a neighbor to
around me.

I have one more thought about the victims of the tsunami around the Indian
Ocean. While we have sent an air craft carrier battle group, doctors, rescue
teams, medicine, medical units, and aid of all forms, we are outsiders. We often
do not speak the local language if it is not english. We believe very
differently, in some ways at very fundamental levels. We are seen as the rich
man on top of the hill living a life of ease. Stories about the ugly Americans
circulate with varying degrees of truth about them. Some of these stories are
biased, and some have enough of a sting of truth that we should listen. To some
of these people, as odd as it may seem from where we sit, we are the hated or
distrusted Samaritans.

I'm very proud to be an American when I see the effort being put out by many
unselfish men and women working to save lives, reunite families and prevent
disease from making this disaster even more devastating than it has already
become. I saw a picture of a soldier carrying a small child to a doctor because
his mother walking beside the soldier was too weak to carry the child further.
The soldier was a U.S. Marine according to the reporter. The soldier had become
the good samaritan. And that samaritan was supported by other unseen samaritans
who were members of his unit, the task force the brought him to the area, the
men and women who got the ships and supplies prepared and loaded, the taxpayers
and those who made donations to send the medicines, water purification systems
and soldiers to help people in desperate need who they will likely never meet in
this lifetime.

It's easy to see the bad with such devastating death and destruction poured out
in this event. Maybe bad news is more sensational and sells more advertisements.
I challenge you to look past the network news stories when they present the
gloom and despair, and look for the samaritans.

Lord Jesus - Thank You for the example of the Samaritan, who has become a goal
for us to live up to in Your name as we walk along the road of this life. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Mike

mhoskins@...

If you would like to respond to the author of this devotional, you may write him
at GODRULESTB@....

Today's verse: Revelation 14:1 "And I looked, and behold, the Lamb standing on
Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name
and the name of His Father written on their foreheads."

Today's topic: The 144,000, Part 2

Let us look at this certain number given, 144,000. Spurgeon calls it, 'a certain
number put for an uncertain.' It is given as a certain number. It is not
139,999. So we may say that John saw this group, and keep the number, if we
like. What we can't say, if we desire to stick with this number, is that this
number includes all who are in Heaven. We might say it is a unit of Heaven.
Spurgeon goes on to say that he believes that there will be more in Heaven than
in Hell, because he thinks the dominion of Christ must be greater than that of
Satan, but I am not so sure about that since Satan's kingdom is really part of
Christ's kingdom. Christ reigns, even where He has conquered. Satan has no
kingdom in eternity. Lastly, the reason Spurgeon thinks that there will be more
in Heaven than in Hell is because he adds to the heavenly rolls all infants who
have died, and this would include, in our day, all aborted infants. He thinks
that will push the number higher than those who are in Hell. I think it is
speculation, but let us all agree that Heaven's ranks will be swelled
"innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore," Hebrews 11:12, Genesis
32:12.
�
I would like us to notice this "certain" number. There is a certain number that
will be in Heaven. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism says, "God having, out
of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life,
did enter into a Covenant of Grace..." All those who Christ purchased with His
shed blood will be in Heaven. They are "born not of blood, nor of the will of
the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God," John 1:13. They are born
spiritually, and these are those who will be with Christ in Heaven. We cannot
cut the doctrine of election from our Bibles. It permeates throughout it, and
why would we want to do so? Not only would we have a Bible full of holes, but we
would be left with an incomplete revelation from God. It is a blessing that the
Lord has revealed this to us, and I will tell you why.

Some think the doctrine of election, this certain number that will be in Heaven,
is a discouragement to coming to faith in Christ, but I do not see how this is.
It is a blessing that God loses none that are His. It in no way changes the
appeals of Scripture that call us to repent and turn to Christ. We are
admonished to believe into Christ, even begged to do so. The blessing is that
all who come to Christ are assuredly saved. They cannot lose their salvation
once they have obtained mercy. "He who has begun a good work in you will perfect
it to the day of Christ," Philippians 1:6. Isn't this wonderful? This should
bring us to the point of open rejoicing at the grace of God. All who repent are
elect. They would not do so unless they were. It ought to warm our hearts that
God saves completely, without condition, and He saves perfectly. He knows those
who are His. He knows the number, because God knows the end from the beginning.
It prompts us to say that He is worthy of our trust.

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-

Pastor Geoff's Study on the Ten Commandments, Continued
�
  How Should we Practice Monotheism?: What are the ways that we practice
Monotheism? What do we mean by putting God before all others? Do you see any
similarities with the list we already have up?

The whole issue seems to revolve around the question of worship. The Israelites
were to worship no other gods, but their adoration belonged only to the God of
their fathers, the One who brought them from Egypt, freeing them from their
slavery. To love God as Christ calls us to, is to worship Him, to obey Him. For
Israel the focus of life was centered on the relationship with God.

What are the ways our life can be focused on God? How do our lives reflect an
attitude of worship versus how should they? Let's list some of the ways that we
can demonstrate a worship-oriented life, keeping in mind we are called to a life
to "glorify God and enjoy Him forever." We are preparing for a life of eternal
worship. It is no wonder that this command comes first.

Now the first thing that must be present, if we are to truly worship, is an
understanding of Him whom we worship. Allen and Borror describe worship as
“...declaring God’s worth,… God’s plan for us� a matter of art and of
the heart.” [1] Even from these few words, I suspect that you can already
think of some additional ways that we can worship the Lord. What can we add to
the list?

We can see then the first thing we need to be obedient to the commandment is to
know God. As we’ve said before, the true result of knowing God should be an
outflowing of worship. Second, if we know the Lord, then there needs to be an
acknowledgement of His greatness. This is why much of what we consider
witnessing can be considered a form of worship.

To be continued.





[1]        Allen, Ronald & Gordon Borror, Worship – Rediscovering the
Missing Jewel, Multnomah Press, Portland, OR, 1982, adapted from Chapters 1 & 2.




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