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Each Child Is Unique
“Before you were born I set you apart.” Jer 1:5 NIV
Does a baby come into the world with a complex personality, or is that child a blank slate on which experience will write? In the past, behavioral scientists believed newborns had no temperamental or emotional characteristics upon arrival from the womb. Their little personalities were supposedly formed entirely by the experiences that came their way in ensuing years. But most parents knew better. Every mother of two or more children was convinced that each of her infants had a different personality—a different feel—from the very first time they were held. Now, after years of research, numerous authorities in child development acknowledge that those mothers were right. One important study identified nine characteristics that varied in babies—such as moodiness, level of activity, and responsiveness. They also found that the differences from child to child tended to persist into later life. Indeed, babies do differ in infinite ways that define our humanness and our individuality. If every snowflake that falls has its own design, and if every grain of sand at the seashore is unique, it makes no sense to suppose that children are assembly-line products stamped out by the same giant cookie cutter. There’s no denying the importance of environment and human experience in shaping who we are and how we think. But there can be no doubt that each person on earth is a one-of-a-kind creation from the earliest moments of life. As God told Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” You need to know that about your children.
Don’t Just Read It, Do It (2)
“The Holy Spirit…will teach you…and will remind you of everything I have said.” Jn 14:26 NIV
Jesus ended His Sermon on the Mount with a striking story that addresses the gap between knowing and doing: “Therefore anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Mt 7:24 NIV). The problem is, we find it easier to be smart than to be good. You don’t need to know more about the Bible until you put into practice what you already know. John Ortberg says that when he taught tennis, unskilled novices would agonize over which racket to buy—whether to use nylon or gut strings, whether to string them up at sixty-five or seventy pounds. The problem was, they couldn’t even hit the ball. Instead of debating the minutiae, they simply needed to practice. But a word of caution here: You don’t become a “doer of the word” by drawing on your own strength and willpower. The Holy Spirit who dwells within you is referred to in Scripture as “the paraclete.” The word means “one who comes alongside to help.” When you decide to do what’s right, the Holy Spirit within you empowers you to do it. When a situation arises, He will prompt you as to what you should do. Jesus promised, “The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” You ask, “But what if I don’t get it right?” He will work with you, giving you opportunities until you do get it right.
Don’t Just Read It, Do It (1)
“Be doers of the word…not merely hearers.” Jas 1:22 NRS
A businessman known for his ruthlessness, arrogance, and religiosity told Mark Twain that before he died he intended to visit the Holy Land, climb Mount Sinai, and read the Ten Commandments aloud. “I have a better idea,” Twain replied. “Just stay here in Boston and keep them!” We’d rather cogitate on what we don’t know, than act on what we know we need to do. For example, a company knows it needs to improve its quality control so the executives discuss the problem, listen to presentations, read all kinds of books, look at state-of-the-art systems—but never actually get around to doing anything. Their problem isn’t ignorance; it’s knowing too much but doing too little. Another everyday example: People would rather debate the merits of protein vs. carbs, French cooking vs. vegetarian, lifting weights vs. cardio, than change how they eat. The bottom line is simple: Expend more calories than you take in. Likewise, some Christians would rather debate doctrine than do what Jesus says. As the old ad for Nike sneakers said—just do it! Practice loving a difficult person; try forgiving someone; give some money away; stop and say thanks; worship God; encourage a friend; bless an enemy; when you’re in the wrong say, “I’m sorry.” Face it: You already know more than you need to. And nothing turns people off faster than somebody with a head full of knowledge, who lacks grace and character. It’s the same today as it was when James wrote, “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers.”
The Difference Between Samson And Samuel (5)
“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable toward this people.’” Jer 15:1 NKJV
Difference five: Prayer. The Bible records only two occasions when Samson prayed: first, when he thought he was dying of thirst and needed water (Jdg 15:18); second, in the last moments of his life when he’d lost everything and ended up in prison (See Jdg 16:28). He was like the little boy who was asked, “Do you say your prayers every night?” He replied, “No; sometimes I don’t need anything.” On the other hand the Bible says, “Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel” (1Sa 12:18 NKJV). One of the greatest tributes given to anyone in Scripture was spoken by God concerning Samuel’s prayer life: “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable toward this people.’” Such is the “clout” Samuel had with God! The Bible also has much to say about the prayer life of Jesus. Sometimes He prayed all through the night; other times He was up praying before dawn. It was the secret of His effectiveness in ministry. He made regular deposits in prayer so He could make regular withdrawals of power when He needed it. And you’ll notice that He seldom prayed for anyone He healed. Why? Because He’d already spent time in prayer. Old-timers in church used to refer to this as “staying prayed up.” And it’s the secret of victorious Christian living.
The Difference Between Samson And Samuel (3)
“The Lord your God was your king.” 1Sa 12:12 NKJV
Difference three: Motives. Samson repeatedly dishonored the Lord by his actions and his lifestyle. That’s because he had no regard for God’s honor. What a contrast Samuel was! When Israel wanted a king in order to be like all the surrounding nations, it broke his heart. He said to the people, “The Lord your God was your king.” Honoring God was his highest priority. And there’s a lesson here for us, especially those in ministry. Every time someone steps behind a pulpit, they must check their ego and ask themselves the motive question: “Is my aim to make God look good, or myself look good?” And it’s a hard question to answer. The Bible says, “For the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed” (1Sa 2:3 NKJV). The truth is that without the power of God’s indwelling Spirit, none of us have what it takes to do the job, and we must never forget that. The tragedy of Samson’s end is described in these two Scriptures: “He awoke from his sleep, and said, ‘I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!’ But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him” (Jdg 16:20 NKJV). “So it happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, ‘Call for Samson, that he may perform for us.’ So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them” (v. 25 NKJV). Note the word perform. Without God’s grace and power we are all, at best, just performers. So stay humble, and seek only to exalt the Lord.
The Difference Between Samson And Samuel (1)
“Time would fail me to tell of…Samson…and Samuel.” Heb 11:32 NKJV
Samson and Samuel are mentioned in the same Scripture, but there are big differences between them. You ask, “Why should I be interested?” Because as a Christian, you are like them. Each had a miraculous birth, so they’re a picture of those who’ve been born again and called to serve God. Paul writes, “These things happened to them as examples, and they were written down for our admonition…Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1Co 10:11-12 NKJV). Difference one: Finances. Samson was greedy and manipulating, whereas Samuel practiced integrity. One day Samson bet thirty Philistines that they couldn’t solve his riddle, saying, “If you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing” (Jdg 14:13 NKJV). Quite a wardrobe, eh? Samson’s emphasis was “you shall give me.” He’s an example of Christians in business who discredit the cause of Christ by unethical practices, and those in ministry who twist the Scriptures and resort to emotional manipulation to raise money. The world is watching, so let’s heed the Scripture: “Provide things honest in the sight of all men” (Ro 12:17). Samuel was totally different. After forty years of his exemplary leadership, the people paid this tribute to him: “You have not cheated or oppressed us” (1Sa 12:4 NKJV). When others can say that about you, you did it right! Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Mt 6:21). The condition of your heart is revealed in how you handle finances.
Give God Your “Firstfruits”
“Honor the Lord with…the firstfruits of all your increase.” Pr 3:9 NKJV
Solomon writes: “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine” (vv. 9-10 NKJV). The people who heard these words lived off their land and their livestock. Whenever they reaped a harvest or birthed new cattle, they’d take the first sheaf or the firstborn calf to the temple and offer it to the Lord. These were called “firstfruits.” By doing this they acknowledged that “everything I have comes from God, and belongs to God. And everything I’ll need for the future depends upon God’s goodness to me.” There’s not a more important money management principle you’ll ever hear than this: Give God your “firstfruits,” not your leftovers! Businessman Arthur DeMoss was a spiritual giant and benefactor who gave millions to God’s work and left behind a foundation to carry on his legacy. Mr. DeMoss said that to be successful you should give God the first dime out of every dollar, the first hour out of every day, and the first day out of every week. And that’s a formula for success in life that can’t be improved on. You ask, “Does that mean God won’t love me if I don’t tithe?” No; you can’t do anything to earn God’s love, but you must do certain things to walk in His blessing each day. And one of them is giving Him the first tenth of your income. When you do that, agriculturally speaking, “Your barns will be filled with plenty.”
God’s Definition Of “Rich”
“The blessing of the Lord—it makes [truly] rich, and He adds no sorrow with it [neither does toiling increase it].” Pr 10:22 AMPC
When the famous publisher William Randolph Hearst read about a certain painting, he became very interested in acquiring it for his collection. He sent people all over the world to search for it, but they couldn’t find it anywhere. A year later, out of the blue, one of his employees came to him and told him that the painting had been found. Excited about the discovery, Hearst asked where it had been all this time. His employee said, “It was in your basement. You owned it all the time.” The problem was, Hearst had never read the ledger that had the record of everything he owned. Your Bible is a ledger filled with blessings God wants you to experience. Now, none of these blessings are greater than salvation, but it’s not the only blessing. “The blessing of the Lord—it makes [truly] rich, and He adds no sorrow with it [neither does toiling increase it].” John D. Rockefeller once said he’d exchange his fortune for a chance to go back and work as a clerk in his old Cleveland, Ohio, office. Why? Because stress caused him to suffer bouts of insomnia, ulcers, and depression. The blessing of God brings success—without stress! God tells you about it in His Word. He wants you to be “rich” in your relationships, in your health, in your peace of mind, in your career, and in everything that concerns you. So get to know what God has promised you, then begin praying and believing Him for it.
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God Wants To Set You Free
“If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” Jn 8:36 NKJV
When you become a prisoner of war, the enemy controls all your movements and decides what each day of your life will be like. Has the enemy captured you? Perhaps you’ve tried over and over again to be free from your addiction but you are still imprisoned by it. There’s good news: “If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” Whether you are addicted to drugs, lust, alcohol, gambling, food, or anything else, your answer is not natural—but supernatural. Your addiction is a “symptom” of a deeper spiritual condition that Jesus the Great Physician wants to heal. At the core of every twelve-step program is this truth: It’s only by turning to a power greater than ourselves and developing a relationship with Him, that we can get free and stay free. And we know who that “power” is—Jesus! When you feel “restless, irritable, and discontent,” His presence is what brings peace and serenity. When you’re tempted to turn to your addiction to find relief, His presence fills the emptiness within you and enables you to say no. When you experience “euphoric recall” and begin to think about the best times of your addiction rather than the worst ones, His Word renews your mind and reframes your attitude, showing you the right path to take at that moment: “By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path” (Ps 119:105 TM). Peter said, “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations” (2Pe 2:9 NKJV). Today, God wants to set you free.
Dippers And Dwellers
“Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you.” Jn 15:4 AMPC
There’s an art to making good tea. You can dip your teabag up and down in the hot water and then pull it out. Or you can let it dwell there so that you can experience the tea’s full strength and flavor. Jesus said: “Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing” (vv. 4-5 AMPC). The secret of victorious Christian living is not “dipping” in God’s presence once a week in church, but “dwelling” in it every day. That’s why this devotional is a helpful tool for your spiritual growth; it causes you to get into God’s Word each day, meditate on it, and ask, “Lord, what are You saying to me?” When you’re a dipper, you’ve got to “make things happen” by your own effort. You’ve got to move the bag up and down, wrap the string around the spoon, then pull, etc. That’s a lot of effort—and that’s not how God wants you to live the Christian life. No, He wants you to be a “dweller.” It’s the depth and duration of your dwelling that determines the strength and richness of your spiritual life. So the word for you today is: Don’t be a dipper, be a dweller.
Keys To Bible Study (3)
“Everyone who hears these words of mine.” Mt 7:24 NIV
Certain products carry a label that says: “Warning! This can be hazardous to your health.” Instead of helping you, certain kinds of Bible study can actually hurt you. The Bible says, “Knowledge puffs up” (1Co 8:1 NIV). The Greek word for “puffs” contains the idea of being inflated, like a hot air balloon. By the time a Pharisee was ordained, he could quote hours and hours of Old Testament law. Yet Jesus said the Pharisees were like beautifully painted gravestones: filled with dead men’s bones. Satan knows the Scriptures so well that he was able to quote them to Jesus in the wilderness temptation. And what is Satan’s chief quality? Pride. It’s the sin that got him thrown out of heaven. The whole point in studying the Scriptures is to make you more dependent on God and give you the right approach to life. People mainly read the Scriptures for three reasons: (1) To find proof texts that support their views. (2) To find promises that apply to their particular needs. (3) To discover principles to live by. If you’re wise you’ll be a member of this third group. Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” When the storms of life came, the wise man’s house stood firm while the foolish man’s—the one who didn’t practice what he knew—came crashing down. Added knowledge brings added responsibility. So if you’re not planning on applying the knowledge you’ve received from your Bible study, you’d be better not to study it at all.
Keys To Bible Study (1)
“Your commands are boundless.” Ps 119:96 NIV
The Psalmist wrote, “To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless.” What does that mean? It means each time you read a Scripture you’ll see something different in it. It’s like shining light on a diamond. Each time you turn it slightly, you see another facet of its beauty. That’s why the Bible is different from any other book you’ll ever read. You’ll learn things about God from personal experience and from listening to the thoughts and experiences of others, but you’ll get to know Him better through the reading of His Word than any other way. You can study the same Scripture over and over again, dig into it, leave it for three or four months, and when you come back to it there is much more to find. The key is this: Stick with it! There’s no limit to the number of questions you can ask, no limit to the observations you can make, and no limit to the applications you can make. So don’t give up! The best attitude to have in Bible study is the one Jacob had when he wrestled with the angel of the Lord: “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” (Ge 32:26 NKJV). As a result God gave him a new name, a new nature, a new walk, and a new future. Bible study has no shortcuts; it takes effort. But if you’re diligent and patient you’ll reap great rewards. Once you’ve felt the joy and satisfaction that comes from finding a great spiritual truth on your own, and applying it to your life, you’ll never approach Bible study the same way again.
In Christ, You Are Irreversibly Blessed
“He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.” Nu 23:20 NKJV
The Israelites conquered the Promised Land and took possession of it, one town and one city at a time. As they approached Moab, one of its princes named Balak hired a prophet named Balaam to pronounce a curse upon the advancing Israeli armies. Standing on a mountain overlooking the camp of Israel, Balak expected curses to come pouring out of Balaam’s mouth. But instead, came blessings. When he asked Balaam why, he replied: “I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it. He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The Lord his God is with him” (vv. 20-21 NKJV). Was that because there was no “iniquity” or “wickedness” among the Israelites? No. Then how could God not see it? For the same reason He doesn’t see your faults and failings—because He has chosen to see you “in Christ” who is perfect, and whose atoning blood covers all your sins from the new birth to the new Jerusalem. When the Israelites set up camp each night, their tents formed the shape of a big cross; picture the tents of eight tribes running vertically, and four tribes running horizontally. Getting the picture? As a redeemed child of God, that’s how your Heavenly Father sees you. He looks at you—through the cross. And since the blood of Jesus paid for every sin you would ever commit, God sees you as “accepted” and “righteous” and “complete.” So the word for you today is: Because God sees you in Christ, you are irreversibly blessed.
The Steps To Success
“He will make certain each step you take is sure.” Ps 37:23 CEV
To succeed in life, you need these four things: (1) Morals. What are you willing to compromise to get where you’re trying to go? You can’t get there any old way you like; you must have boundaries. Yes, we’ve all broken the rules at some time or other, but thank God we had rules to break. We were able to realign ourselves because somebody had pitched a tent on where “right” is. Today folks don’t seem to know or care much about that. (2) Methods. A goal without a plan is like a road to nowhere. First the goal, then the plan, then the process. Adapting this simple three-step formula helps you understand that you won’t just leap into success. There are methods you must employ and stay with! (3) Means. When God gives you the “vision,” He also gives you the “provision.” When that doesn’t happen, either the timing is not right or what you want differs from what He has in mind for you. God’s provision can come as an idea that hits you suddenly, or a thought that takes root and grows over time. And His provision involves help from other people, so walk in love wherever you go. (4) Management. Jesus said, “To whom much is given, of him shall much be required” (Lk 12:48 AMPC). Some people act like “it’s over” when God gives it to them. No, it’s just beginning. And guess who your biggest management challenge will be? You! That’s why the Psalmist wrote, “If you do what the Lord wants, he will make certain each step you take is sure.”
The Island Of Blessing
“You are complete in Him.” Col 2:9 NKJV
In his book Outlive Your Life, author Max Lucado says the Greek word for “blessed,” makarios, was the name of an island off Greece. It was known as “the blessed island” because it was self-contained. The residents didn’t need to leave it in order to get their needs met. The natural resources of this island were so rich that everything needed to enjoy life was already there. There’s a lesson here for you. The moment you trust in Christ as your Savior, He becomes your king and you begin living in His kingdom. You don’t have to leave it and go elsewhere to find what you need, because it’s all around you in the island of blessing. You don’t have to strive for God’s blessing; you simply have to “tune in” and receive it. It’s like your radio; there are no orchestras or newscasters inside it, it’s only a conduit and a point of contact. Even when your radio stops working, there are still signals in the air. All your radio does is receive the signal that comes from another source and deliver it to you. If you lose sight of that fact, you’ll give the radio more credit than it deserves. One of the reasons we don’t recognize the blessings of God in our lives is that we confuse the means of delivery with the source. If something doesn’t miraculously fall into our lap, we think it didn’t come from God. No, God will bless you at different times, through different people, in different ways. But you must always remember that they are only the carriers of blessing, while He is the source of it (See Ps 31:19).
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Your New Christlike Body
“He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own.” Php 3:21 NLT
The Bible says our heavenly bodies will be exactly like the one Jesus had following His resurrection. He resembled Himself, because the disciples could recognize Him. He ate and drank with them. He could be touched. He could miraculously pass through walls. Talk about “time travel”—He could appear in various places to different people without traveling by any recognized means. His transformed body no longer aged, nor was it subject to sickness and death. And your new body will be like His. “Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. After that the end will come” (1Co 15:23-24 NLT). Scottish Presbyterian Robert Baillie learned in 1684 that he would be hanged for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate King Charles II, then drawn and quartered, and his head and hands nailed to a local bridge. How did he respond? By first quoting this Scripture: “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior…who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Php 3:20-21 NKJV). Then he declared: “They may hack and hew my body as they please, but I know assuredly that nothing will be lost, that all these my members shall be wonderfully gathered and made like Christ’s glorious body.” The truth is that whether you get buried in a casket or cremated and your ashes scattered, it makes no difference. God has prepared for you a glorious body just like Christ’s.
The Difference Between Samson And Samuel (4)
“Thus far the Lord has helped us.” 1Sa 7:12 NKJV
Difference four: Accountability. Samson had an independent attitude and refused to be accountable to anyone else. He was a “lone ranger” who refused to work with others. And his erratic attempts at deliverance caused the Philistines to tax God’s people more and make their burdens heavier. Samuel, on the other hand, worked in consensus with others. When he prayed and God gave Israel a spectacular victory over their enemies, he refused to take any of the credit. “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpeh and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far has the Lord helped us.’” Samson was “me” focused, but Samuel was “us” focused. The Psalmist said, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity…for there the Lord commanded the blessing” (Ps 133:1, 3 NKJV). The secret of walking in God’s blessing is not to operate alone, but cooperate with others. That’s how the New Testament church did it. “When they had further threatened them, they let them go…And being let go, they went to their own companions” (Ac 4:21, 23 NKJV). When the apostles came under attack, “they went to their own companions.” They had relationships in place with those who knew how to advise and guide them, strengthen and encourage them, pray and share God’s Word with them. You need such relationships too! And you can’t afford to wait until trouble comes before you establish them. Do it now, in the good times, and they’ll be there for you in the bad times.
The Difference Between Samson And Samuel (2)
“Get her for me, for she pleases me well.” Jdg 14:3 NKJV
Difference two: Relationships. “Then his father and mother said to him, ‘Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren…that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?’ And Samson said to his father, ‘Get her for me, for she pleases me well.’” When it came to relationships, Samson was guided by his lower impulses instead of the principles of God’s Word. And he paid dearly for it. Three times we read in Scripture: “Samson went down” (v. 1 NKJV). He went down to Timnath and married the wrong woman. He went down to Gaza and spent the night with a harlot. He went down to Sorek, ended up in the lap of Delilah, and lost his strength, his freedom, his reputation, his anointing, and his life. Samuel, on the other hand, was raised up to purify the ministry. Eli the High Priest had two sons called Hophni and Phinehas that he had ordained to the priesthood, but they were taking bribes to cover sin and brazenly consorting with prostitutes. There’s a lesson here for every redeemed child of God: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers” (2Co 6:14 NIV). Is God being biased or unloving? No, He’s being protective! When you’re “yoked together” in a relationship with someone who doesn’t share your faith, your values, your goals, and your priorities, you end up in a tug of war with each pulling in a different direction. When problems arise, as they surely will, what you need is someone by your side who turns to the same source you do for the solution–God.
Start A Journal Of Your Spiritual Journey
“Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar.” Ex 24:4 NKJV
One of the secrets of Moses’ great success in life was this: He spent time each day with God, and he wrote down what God told him. And you should do that too. Here’s why. Writing (a) clarifies your thoughts; (b) gives you a permanent record you can refer back to; (c) allows you to measure your progress. We only remember what we take time to record. One of the best known American missionaries was Jim Elliot, who became a martyr for Christ in 1956 in Ecuador. He kept a spiritual journal, and it makes interesting reading: “My devotional reading pattern was broken. I have never restored it…prayer as a single man was difficult…now it’s too hard to get out of bed in the morning…I’ve made resolutions on this score before now, but not followed them up.” Such writings become a mirror that reflects your true spiritual condition—a condition it’s easy to forget unless it’s staring you in the face each day. Elliot, like all of us, struggled with the spiritual disciplines. But unlike most of us, he kept a written record of his spiritual defeats as well as his spiritual victories. Keeping such a journal will force you to reflect on your heart’s true condition, record your progress, regain your lost momentum, reject your bad habits, reinforce your good habits, and help you to reach your spiritual goals. Do you know any other discipline that offers such benefits? No? Then start a journal of your spiritual journey today.
The Virtue Of Diligence
“The hand of the diligent makes rich.” Pr 10:4 NKJV
The word diligent means “to cut or sharpen.” It describes a worker who’s sharp, decisive, and keen. He or she wants to work, make a difference, and contribute to their families and to society. Life “owes” you nothing except an opportunity to succeed. And you’ll have to work for that success. One day two teens were talking when one said to the other, “I’m really worried. Dad slaves away at his job so I’ll never want for anything. He pays all my bills and sends me to college. Mom slaves every day washing, ironing, cleaning up after me, and even takes care of me when I’m sick.” Puzzled, his friend asked, “So, what’re you worried about?” He replied, “I’m worried the slaves might escape!” If you’re a parent, teach your children the virtue of diligence. And don’t just preach it—live it! You’ll know you’re succeeding when they no longer feel “entitled” to an allowance, and stop seeing you as a human ATM machine with the words “Give me!” stamped on your forehead. Your children will spend over half the waking hours of their prime adult lives working, and they need to know that it was God’s idea and not a form of punishment. Some people think work was the result of the curse in Eden, but it wasn’t. God gave Adam the job of tending the garden before sin came on the scene (See Ge 2:15). Jesus was a carpenter (See Mk 6:3). And Paul, one of the greatest Christians in history, was a tentmaker (See Ac 18:1-3). There’s nothing dishonorable about work worth doing, and work done well.
Don’t Label People—Love Them
“We have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view.” 2Co 5:16 NLT
If you tend to associate only with “your own kind,” think about this: “We have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view.” Jesus went miles out of His way to meet a Samaritan woman at a well. From a cultural and religious point of view, it was a bad move. First, she’d been divorced five times so she had a tarnished reputation. Second, she was a Gentile. And in those days a Jew couldn’t drink water drawn by Gentiles or eat their food. Jewish physicians couldn’t attend to non-Jewish patients. Jews actually referred to Gentiles as “unclean,” believing that by mixing with them they too would become unclean. But Jesus was all about including people, not excluding them: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood” (Jn 1:14 TM). Jesus touched lepers, loved foreigners, and spent so much time with partygoers that religious leaders called him a “lush, a friend of the riffraff” (Mt 11:19 TM). Jesus didn’t label people; He loved them. And when you follow Him, He puts His finger on your prejudices and makes you deal with them. That’s because He wants to change the way you look at people, not seeing them as Jews or Gentiles, insiders or outsiders, liberals or conservatives, etc. “We have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view.” Today you may come across some discarded people like the woman at the well. They may have been thrown out of church or just turned off by church, and you’ll have a chance to label them or love them. Honor God—and love them!
Stop Doing Things That Don’t Work
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.” Col 3:16 NKJV
The story’s told of a couple who decided to go duck hunting together. They heard that they needed a good duck hunting dog, so they went to a kennel and got one. They heard that they needed a good shotgun, so they went to the store and bought one. Then they went hunting. At the end of the day they hadn’t got a single duck. The husband said to his wife, “Honey, we’ve got to be doing something wrong here.” His wife replied, “Well, maybe if we throw the dog up a little higher he could catch a duck this time.” When it comes to the Christian life, we try to accomplish things with tools that don’t work or don’t make sense. A dog is not the right weapon to get ducks—you need firepower to bring a duck down. Why did Paul write, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom”? Because when the word of Christ dwells richly in your heart, you’re equipped with God’s wisdom. You can’t solve a problem by using the very elements that caused it. You need God’s wisdom, and it’s found in His Word. Less than 30 percent of Christians read their Bible daily. Think about that: 70 percent of Christians look for the answer in the wrong places. When you have a problem, the first thing you should ask is, “What does God’s Word say about this?” “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple” (Ps 119:130 NKJV). Instead of doing things that don’t work—turn to God’s Word.
Keep Morphing!
“Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle.” Heb 11:34 NLT
The word metamorphosis means to be changed from one form into another. In Hebrews chapter eleven, we find famous people such as Moses and David. Did they have weaknesses? Yes. Did they sometimes struggle? Absolutely. But: “Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle.” Picture a caterpillar morphing into a butterfly. It starts out slow and slimy, and takes hours to crawl two or three feet. When it undergoes the process of metamorphosis, however, it becomes a beautiful butterfly that can fly long distances by simply riding the air currents. The butterfly’s wings developed as a result of struggling in the cocoon until it broke free. No fight, no flight! Getting the idea? Are you struggling with something today? Are you in a spiritual battle? It’s your struggles that develop your strength, and your battles that bring your victories. Satan doesn’t want you to know that. He hopes the battle you are in will destroy you instead of develop you, so he keeps pouring on the pressure. When Paul’s life became so hard that he thought he couldn’t stand another day of it, God told him, “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness” (2Co 12:9 TM). How did Paul respond? He writes: “It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take my limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become” (vv. 9-10 TM).
Get Closer To God
“Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world.” Jas 1:7-8 NLT
The planet Mercury is hot, whereas Pluto is cold. That’s because Mercury is close to the sun and Pluto is a long way off. A planet’s temperature and climate are determined by its proximity to the sun. There’s an important spiritual principle here. As a redeemed child of God, your spiritual temperature is determined by how close you are to Jesus. You say, “I wish I were closer to the Lord.” The truth is that you are as close to Him as you desire to be, decide to be, and discipline yourself to be. Your pursuit of God reveals your passion for God—or the lack of it. To experience true intimacy with someone, you must be willing to sacrifice other things and give yourself fully to that person. The Psalmist wrote: “You have said, Seek My face [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]. My heart says to You, Your face (Your presence), Lord, will I seek, inquire for, and require [of necessity]” (Ps 27:8 AMPC). You’ll notice that the Psalmist didn’t say you were to seek God’s gifts, but His face! Not the gifts, but the Giver of the gifts! And a wonderful thing happens when you do that: “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord [roll…each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass” (Ps 37:4-5 AMPC).
Keys To Bible Study (2)
“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” Ps 119:18 NIV
Here are some helpful keys to getting more out of your Bible study time: (1) Ask questions. The more questions you ask, the more you’ll get out of it. Who was this written to? What was the situation the writer was facing? What was the main message the author was trying to get through to them? As you ask these questions you’ll begin to discover things you’ve overlooked or never seen before. The Psalmist was a meditator and an in-depth studier of God’s Word. That’s why he prayed, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” (2) Write down the answers. The purpose of asking questions is to get answers. Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, used to say, “Thoughts disentangle themselves as they pass through the lips and fingertips.” So have your notebook handy and write down the nuggets of truth God gives you. If you don’t, you’ll lose them. (3) Don’t just discover it, do it! Evangelist D. L. Moody said, “The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives.” James wrote, “Do not merely listen to the word…Do what it says” (Jas 1:22 NIV). Ask yourself, “What attitudes do I need to change? What do I need to stop doing, or start doing? What do I need to believe, or stop believing? What relationships do I need to work on? What ministry should I be having to others?” Don’t go to your Bible with the attitude of finding some truth nobody’s ever seen before, or something to impress others with. Find out what God is saying to you.
Understanding Your Position Of Righteousness Before God
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2Co 5:21 NKJV Jesus, who never sinned one time, became sin from head to toe at the cross. The Bible says, “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa 53:6 NKJV). You say, “That’s amazing!” Yes—and here’s something even more amazing: The moment you put your trust in Christ, God views you as “righteous” from head to toe. Does that mean you don’t have faults and flaws, or that you will never sin? No, it means that God has chosen to see you as being “in Christ,” and therefore you are always acceptable to Him. It takes faith to believe that God sees you as righteous. And where does such faith come from? By looking at yourself and examining your performance? No; if you do that it will totally discourage you. So what’s the answer? The Bible gives it to us: “Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]” (Heb 12:2 AMPC). Where does such faith come from? Jesus. You are saved by His performance—not your own (See Eph 2:8-9). The more you look to Jesus and consider His finished work for you on the cross, the greater your faith will be. Faith for what? (a) Faith to believe that all your sins are truly forgiven. (b) Faith to see yourself positioned “in Christ,” which will motivate you to become more Christlike in every area of your life.
Reduce Your Debt
“The borrower is servant to the lender.” Pr 22:7 NLT
Albert Einstein believed the Rule of 72 (the compounding of interest) was a more important discovery than his theory of relativity. Here’s the rule: Divide 72 by the interest rate of your savings to discover the number of years in which your savings will double. For instance, one thousand dollars saved at 6 percent annual interest becomes two thousand dollars in twelve years. But credit card issuers also know the Rule of 72. For example, if you make a one-thousand-dollar purchase on your credit card at 18 percent interest and don’t pay it off, that balance becomes two thousand dollars in just four years. Instead of earning you money, your one thousand dollars is earning huge profits for the credit card company. The Bible says, “Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.” Have you any idea how many marriages are in trouble, or how many people are on medication because they’re drowning in debt? God doesn’t want you to live that way. When God made the world, He established this rule: “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest…shall not cease” (Ge 8:22 NKJV). If you want a harvest when you need it, you must sow—even when you don’t feel like it. When you sow a single tomato seed you’ll get back many more in return—it’s only a matter of time. So reduce your debt and be a good steward of the funds God has entrusted to you. Then you can stand on this promise: “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Php 4:19).
The Open-Door Policy
“We could only conclude that God was [calling] us.” Ac 16:10 TLB
The Bible says, “Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas. That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!’ So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there” (vv. 6-10 NLT). God has an “open-door policy.” When He opens a door, you’re supposed to walk through it. Note, however, that when God kept Paul from going into Asia, he didn’t hang around asking, “Why, Lord?” He kept moving. For Paul, trying something and having it not work out was no big deal. He believed that his gift to God was his willing heart and his mobility, and God’s gift to him was that He’d always guide him to where he needed to be. What God prevents is as much divine guidance as what He permits. Every door that didn’t open, every opportunity you didn’t get, and every call that didn’t come were as much God’s leadings as those that did. So knowing you can’t stay where you are right now may be the starting point for God’s leadings in your life. And such leadings often begin with a stirring and restlessness in your soul.