May 21 – Accept No Substitutes (Job 31: 24-28)

“If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’ . . . I would have been unfaithful to God on high.”
(Job 31:24, 28)

IN WORD:
Moses once gave a very long discourse on the blessings of obeying God and the curses of disobedience. God had entered a covenant with His people, one on which He would never default. Would His people? Moses explained what would happen if they did. Their enemies would lay siege to their cities “until the high fortified walls in which they trust fall down” (Deuter. 28:52).
That is one of the dreadful results of sin: We begin to trust our best efforts rather than the ever-dependable God. Our faith in God crumbles, and we must come up with substitutes, however flawed they may be. In Moses’ speech, it was the high walls of the cities — protection, just in case God happened to fail! In Job’s lament, it’s gold — provision, just in case God happened to lack! There is no shortage of securities that we set up to ensure our safety, health, comfort, or pleasure. We can depend upon them heavily. When we do, we take a huge risk: We may gradually learn to place more trust in them than in God. By God’s standards, that’s unfaithfulness.

IN DEED:
Where do you look for your sense of peace? An account? An education? The national defense? Airport security stations? Standard airbags? The list could go on for pages. Not that there’s anything wrong with earthly insurance in the various forms it takes. But our trust in wealth or walls can be a veiled statement of mistrust in God. He must let our false securities fail before our trust turns back to Him.
Don’t you remember? His eye is on the sparrow and the hairs on your head are numbered. The only thing that can undo you is your deliberate disobedience, and even then it’s under His supervision. Let yourself trust the One who is unfailingly trustworthy. Accept no substitutes. Rest in His sovereign arms.

“It is not our trust that keeps us, but the God in whom we trust who keeps us.” -Oswald Chambers-

May 20 – Releasing a Blesser (James 3:1-12)

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.”
(James 3:9)

IN WORD:
Positive words seem less volatile than negative words, but their power can be surprising. A good word can edify. It can confirm the talents, skills — even the life direction — of someone who only needed a little encouragement to keep going. It can change the course of someone’s day, which in turn can change the course of that person’s week, month, or year. The snowball effect of a comment can run in an edifying direction just as easily as a destructive one. Why would anyone neglect such a powerful tool?
Not only can our mouths bless others, they can also draw attention to the glory of God. They can tell of His great works, witness to His unfathomable mercy, and marvel at his remarkable ways. They can be heard in the darkest corners of this world, in the assemblies of the saints, and in the halls of heaven. They can enter His gates with thanksgiving and tell of His marvelous greatness. They can shout with a voice of triumph and proclaim His mercies to all nations. In fact, our mouths were created entirely for such purposes.
It is a violation of the tongue’s created design to degrade, denigrate, demean, or destroy. It is even a violation to excessively express its discontentment and criticism. The tongue was formed exclusively — or at least primarily — to bless. It was given to bless others and to bless God. In so doing, it will bless our own selves.

IN DEED:
Do you have this remarkable tool stashed away somewhere? Have you failed to use this potent source of blessing? If negative words come out of your mouth, reverse the trend. Use your mouth to bless at all times. You will find the current of your life to flow in a corresponding direction. When blessing comes out of your heart, God makes sure that blessing comes into it. Release your tongue to do what it was meant to do.

“Kind words also produce their image on men’s souls; and a beautiful image it is.” -Blaise Pascal-

May 19 – Taming a Destroyer (James 3:1-12)

“The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person.” (James 3:6)

IN WORD:
Every summer, the news story is repeated. Someone in the western United States fails to completely put out a campfire, and from a single ember, a forest blazes. Firefighters battle the consuming enemy from ground and air, and governments spare no expense to extinguish it, but it is relentless. There is virtually no stopping a raging forest fire until the rains come. Before they do, millions of acres are destroyed. And it all starts with one spark.
Such is the power of the tongue, says James. Words burn. Once they’ve ignited, there is no undoing them. The only way to prevent massive damage is to prevent the sparks that start it all. Once spoken, words cannot be unspoken. Combined with the gossip-prone nature of the human community, words spread rapidly. It is virtually impossible to put them out.
The tongue must be tamed. It’s destructive capabilities call for the utmost carefulness. It’s corruption spreads outward and it also works inward. Words not only distort the perception of others, they train our own minds to follow. A careless comment becomes a deeply held conviction all too quickly. There is no such thing as idle chatter. Words matter.

IN DEED:
How careful are you with your tongue? Biblical wisdom has much to teach us about the power of speech. Jesus said in Matthew 15:18, “The things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean.” Words reveal our inner impurities, and those impurities may offend others. The childhood saying about sticks and stones simply isn’t true. Words can hurt.
Guard your tongues. They can set the whole course of your life, according to James. Anything with that kind of power must be tamed.

“Cold words freeze people, hot words scorch them, and bitter words make them bitter.” -Blaise Pascal-

May 18 – Unshakeable (Psalm 71:1-3)

“When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge.” (Proverbs 14:32)

IN WORD:
How do you react in a crisis? Or, to ask an even more revealing question, how do you react in the minor irritations of everyday life? The answer is not a matter of your familiarity, even intimacy, with your Father. As much as we say that He is trustworthy and true, our tower of strength and our shield, those are only words until they are tested. And in this world, they are tested often.
Have you ever known Christians who believe the right things about God but who panic at every difficulty? It’s hard to believe that someone’s belief in the sovereignty and faithfulness of God are more than skin deep when his panic sets in. The truth of our relationship with God comes out when the heat is on. We discover whether we really trust him or not when we’re put in a position of having to trust Him. A belief in God’s providence means little until one lacks essentials, and a belief in God’s strength means little until one is completely helpless. Then the truth comes out.
Those who have not put their trust in the Refuge, who ignore Him and go their own way, are wicked, according to the Bible. That may seem harsh, but that’s the true assessment of the human rebellion. And those who do not really trust Him will be brought down by every calamity. Those who do trust Him can’t be brought down by anything — even death.

IN DEED:
So, where do you stand? Do you have a shallow belief in God’s faithfulness, applying his promises to others’ situations but not to your own? We are called to live in a different dimension than we once lived in. We must know who our Fortress is. We are not to become strong; we are to find our strength in Him. We must let His peace speak louder to us than our trials do. God stands firm when everything else moves. Can you?

“As sure as God puts His children in the furnace, He will be in the furnace with them.” -Charles Spurgeon-

May 17 – The Perfect Word (Colossians 3:16)

“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”(Proverbs 30:5)

IN WORD:
In a world of shifting loyalties, devious cons, and ever-evolving ideas, we need to know where to anchor our souls. We aren’t diligent enough to analyze every counterfeit that comes our way, nor are we perceptive enough to expose every false philosophy. Human rationalism is not equipped to establish eternal truth. That’s why we need help. Only God can point us in the right direction.
It’s a comfort when we are searching for absolutes to actually find them. According to this proverb, such absolute truth will shield us. What from? Every subtle deceit, every malicious word, every doctrinal error, and every false messiah. Much to our dismay, the world is full of empty promises. If we are left to ourselves to figure them all out, we will spend our lives tossed around on tumultuous waves of competing “truths.” By the time we obtain understanding by our own efforts, it’s too late to settle on the foundation of God’s wisdom. In short, we need to be anchored in revelation.

IN DEED:
How do we do that? A daily. Time in God’s Word is a good first step. It works truth into our minds on a regular basis. But is that really enough? Is a daily quiet time, often on the run, enough to protect us against error?
Here’s a good pattern to follow: First, ask God every day to convince your heart of His truth and to give you discernment of lies. Second, find at least one verse a week to memorize. Chew on it, let it sink in, look at it from every angle, and come up with specific ways to apply it. Third, don’t just study God’s Word. Fall in love with it. Consume it as voraciously as your favorite meal. God has a way of working into our hearts the things that we love. If we love the flawless Word, the flawless Word will dwell within us.
The New Testament affirms the proverb. We are to let the Word of Christ richly dwell within us (Colossians 3:16). Perhaps that would be a good memory’s verse to start with. Let it richly dwell in you this week. In a world of lies, isn’t it good to know you can embrace something flawless?

“We must both affirm the inerrancy of Scripture and then live under it.” -Francis Schaeffer-

May 16 – Resist Flight (Psalm 55:4-8, 16-18)

“I said, ‘Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest — I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.’ “(Psalm 55:6-8)

IN WORD:
David was a man after God’s own heart and a great, anointed king. But in many ways, he was just like us. Psalm 55 is an example. When the pressure was on, David just wanted to run away.
All of us have had similar urges. When life gets intense and troubles seem to offer no way out, we just want to get out of the situation. Every Christian who has been prepared by God and stretched to his or her limits can relate: There are times when we would do anything if God would just remove us from our trial. We’ll pray for ways of escape, but God often leaves us surrounded until His time is right.
God has no scorn for such feelings. He made us and He knows our frailties. He understands our impulse to flee from whatever difficulties we face. But He also insists on our endurance, because it has spiritual results that nothing else can accomplish. And there is no way to learn endurance other than simply to endure. We can’t learn it in principle or in theory; only pain can teach it to us. We must be put in a position of having to lean on our God and to learn of His ways. Experience is the only way to know Him.

IN DEED:
The good news for those who go through intense trials and suffering is that once the impulse to flee is broken, God delivers. When endurance is complete, God removes the tribulation we endure. Every fear of verses 4-8 is followed by every blessing of verses 16-18. Our God does not leave us in our troubles. He has put us there to discover His provision; He will not withhold it indefinitely. There will be a day of deliverance. It is God who is enthroned forever (v. 19), not suffering. We don’t have to flee; we simply call on the One who dwells above our trials.

“Nothing great was ever done without much enduring.”
-Catherine of Siena-

May 15 – The Battle Within (Psalm 86)

“Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.”
(Psalm 86:11)

IN WORD:
Is there a Christian alive who has not struggled with a duel nature? Probably not. We who are gloriously born of the Holy Spirit of God are also genetically confirmed, card-carrying descendants of Adam. The Spirit enables us to live godly lives, but our tendency to do so is sporadic. While our spirit is often willing, the flesh remains weak. The Jekyll-and-Hyde syndrome may be common to all mankind, but it is especially common to the redeemed. Two natures in one body can make for an exhausting struggle. Are you exhausted yet? Don’t think you’re alone. You’re not.
The burden of the divided heart is common in Scripture. It is the burden of which Paul wrote in Romans 7 — “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out” (v. 18). It is the same contradiction Peter felt, claiming one evening that he could never forsake his Lord, then denying Him 3 times that same night. Every one of us has — at least occasionally — known the anguish of a divided heart & soul.
A false solution to the problem has become epidemic. It is to resign oneself to the lower of the two natures, forfeiting the call to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15). Mistakenly calling true holiness “legalism,” we can become far too accepting of our corruption. We sometimes even embrace it. We give up the battle and let the old nature win.

IN DEED:
There is a wiser way, and it is the work of God’s Spirit, not of ourselves. We will never be completely delivered from the fight until we are in heaven, but victory is possible. Paul said so (Romans 7:24-25), and after Pentecost, Peter would agree. God answers the prayer of the psalmist; an undivided heart is possible. Ask for it daily! Be aware of all that would compete for the throne of God in your heart. Take your attention off of it, whatever it is, and put it on the breathtaking beauty of God. Be captivated by Him alone. If your heart is immersed in Him, sin will have no room to thrive.

“No one ever lost out by excessive devotion to Christ.”
-H. A. Ironside-

May 14 – A Refuge and a Ruin

“The way of the Lord is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.”(Proverbs 10:29)

IN WORD:
Early explorers who dared to cross oceans quickly learned a valuable lesson: The currents of the sea could carry them to their destination, if followed correctly. Those currents could also divert them from their journey, if ignored. The very same currents can have either a positive effect on a sailing vessel; it all depends on the knowledge and the response of the crew.
God’s wisdom is, in some ways, like the currents of the sea. It can carry us where we need to go. It is our refuge, the means to keep us safe and bring us to our desired destination. But only if we follow it. The benefit of His wisdom only applies to those who are willing to line up with it and set their course accordingly. Otherwise, those same beneficial currents will lead to ruin.
History is filled with millions who have tried to follow a path contrary to God’s wisdom. It may be a false religion or philosophy, a personal ambition, a political agenda, an economic strategy, or any other thing that we humans, in our ignorance, may set our hearts on. Millions have sailed against the currents of God and failed. Their end is miserable. What looked so promising was found to be futile. Anything that contradicts the eternal wisdom of the living God always is.

IN DEED:
Do you have a personal agenda? Plans for your future? Strategies for living a comfortable or rewarding life? Examine them closely and ask yourself if they are thoroughly consistent with God’s ways. If not, you could sail comfortably for thousands of miles, thinking you’re headed toward the right destination, only to find out you’re far, far away. Even slight variations in the beginning can lead you way off course in the end. If you find out when you finally hit shore, it’s too late. Plan now. Learn the currents. Take refuge in the wisdom of God.

“The center of God’s will is our only safety.” -Betsie Ten Boom-

Billy Graham is probably the most influential Christian in the last 100 years. His simple proclamation of the gospel is responsible for more people being ushered into the Kingdom of God than anyone else in history. He was once quoted as saying,”I have found that when I present the simple message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, with authority, quoting the very Word of God — He takes that message and drives it supernaturally into the human heart.”In June of 2005, Dr. Graham preached his final crusade message. It, once again, was a simple presentation of the gospel; the same message that he proclaimed throughout his 80 years of ministry: We are all sinners, but God loves us and will forgive us when we turn from our sin and by faith put our trust in Jesus Christ. With permission, I am re-printing that message here in this forum, for you to read or share with anyone who might need to hear it. At the end of the message, we will put a couple of phone numbers to call if anyone has any questions about being saved or becoming a part of God’s church.
May God bless the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

May 13 – All-Seeing Eyes (Psalm 139:1-17)

“The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.”(Proverbs 15:3)

IN WORD:
Our knowledge of God’s omnipresence is somewhere in the back of our minds, but are we really aware of it? There are few thoughts as sobering as this: Whatever we do, whatever deep motives prompt us to do it, wherever we go, and the reasons we go there, God sees. He knows our every impulse, whether good or bad. We cannot tell Him a story He does not already know the truth behind. We cannot paint a pretty picture of our ugly scenes. He has seen it all.
That is more than a little disarming. We know, deep down, what we are like. We know the little white lies we tell others in order to make ourselves look good. We know the real body under the cosmetics and the clothes, both literally and figuratively. We even know, at some level, that we deceive ourselves about many things. When we strip away all of the false securities we’ve constructed and the image we’ve presented, we shudder to think of what we might see. But that’s exactly what God already sees.
There is great comfort in knowing about this all-seeing God, too. Why? Because once we realize that He sees us as we truly are, and understand that He has offered us this wonderful invitation to be saved and loved by Him anyway, we can relax in utter security. He has seen our worst and it has not sent Him running in the other direction. He still pursues us. He still asks for our fellowship. He sees all, and it’s okay.

IN DEED:
There is no fooling God. Our acting ability is not that good. The best relationship with Him is an honest one. He learns nothing new by our honesty, but we cannot learn anything about Him without it. When we drop the pose, we find our security in Him rather than in our image. We know His love must be deep; He loves us!
Be sobered by God’s all-seeing eyes, and let that acute awareness guide your every step. But rest in that awareness. You can’t take a step He hasn’t already known.

“God is always near you and with you; leave Him not alone.”
-Brother Lawrence-