Have a Merry Christmas

Matthew 1:20-25
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

This is the beginning of the story of Christmas. Joseph was engaged to Mary and he has learned she is pregnant. An angel appears to tell Joseph to take Mary as His wife; for she will have a son that will be the savior of all. The angel said he would be known as Emmanuel that means “God with us.”


Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus into the world. The birth of Jesus fulfilled the prophecy and promises made to God’s people. Jesus was a gift of salvation for all men. God gave this gift that all men might believe in Jesus and have everlasting life with God in heaven. Most people are happy to receive a gift, but at times there are those who reject a gift for whatever reason. The same is true with Jesus; some will receive Him and be happy for the gift of salvation. But there will also be those who reject Jesus. It is sad to me someone would reject such a precious gift, but it happens. If you know someone who does not know Jesus Christ, share the good news of His birth and the salvation He brings. If you know those who have rejected Him pray their hearts might be open to understanding His love for us.

My devotions will be on hold until after the first of the year and then they will resume. I pray everyone will have a blessed and merry Christmas. God is always with us. Remember Jesus and be thankful for all you have been given.

Holding on to beliefs

Daniel 3:16-18 (NLT)
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had refused the king’s orders to bow before the gods of Babylon and before the statue of the king himself. The king was angry because of their insubordination and wanted them thrown into a fiery furnace as punishment. Their response was, “we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”


In 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her bus seat to a white man. Instead she followed what was right within her heart. In her book Quiet Strength, Parks writes: When I sat down on the bus that day, I had no idea history was being made—I was only thinking of getting home. But I had made up my mind. After so many years of being a victim of the mistreatment my people suffered, not giving up my seat—and whatever I had to face afterwards—was not important. I did not feel any fear sitting there. I felt the Lord would give me the strength to endure whatever I had to face. It was time for someone to stand up—or in my case, sit down. So I refused to move. In an interview about that historic day, Parks corrected some misconceptions: People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.

God tells us to be strong in Him and in the power of His might. Rosa Parks held strong to her belief that the Lord would be with her just as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had believed. She was willing to be punished to stand up or as Rosa says, “sit down” for her beliefs of what was right.

Our enemy that stands against us

Romans 8b (NLT)
8b If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

The apostle asks a question of those he is writing to. If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Those who know the true might, power and awesomeness of God know there is nothing He cannot do. God is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. For God is aware of all that takes place. There is not a moment He does not have authority or control over what occurs. God is aware, God has authority and God is present in each and every moment of everyone’s life.


We have an enemy in this world who is always attempting to threaten the peace in our lives. This enemy hides out waiting for opportune times to attack and bring chaos into our lives. This enemy has a desire to see families destroyed. This enemy wants to take away any feeling of hope. This enemy doesn’t want you to know God. Instead he wants you to have a disbelief in God, to question God’s authority and might. This enemy wants you to think God never existed and has never been present in your life. This enemy is Satan and is just as real as God, but does not have any authority over God nor does Satan have God’s might and power. We are told often about Satan through the Bible. Satan stood up against Israel. Satan challenged God about the faithfulness of Job. Zechariah said Satan stands next to God accusing those who follow God, which would include you and me. Jesus was tempted by Satan and Satan often rose up against Jesus through His disciples. Satan works against God trying to hinder the work of His people, trying to pull them away from God towards sin. Satan even challenged Michael the Archangel through lies in an attempt to discredit God. If Satan would challenge God’s most power angel – Satan will challenge you.

Yes, we have an enemy, but we have God who is stronger and mightier than our enemy. It is why the apostle challenges us and says if God is for us, who can ever be against us? It is a reminder for us - as long as we turn to God, as long as we place our faith in God, we are always protected. For God even gave His only Son that we might have life eternal with Him in heaven. There is no greater love than the love of God. There is no greater power than God’s power. There is none like God and there are none who can defeat Him; not even Satan our enemy.

God can use evil for good

Genesis 50:20 (NLT)
20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

This verse follows the death of Jacob, the father to Joseph and his brothers. The brothers of Joseph had committed evil - selling Joseph into slavery. In slavery Joseph had to serve others and was placed in prison for an offense he did not commit. Yet Joseph stayed committed to God and took on a positive outlook. Eventually Joseph was released from prison and put in a powerful position in Egypt. Even though his brothers committed an evil act, Joseph saw where God had used the opportunity to put Joseph in a position where he could help the people of Israel. So what others meant for evil, God used it for good.



Currently in the news we are hearing many allegations of abuse at colleges and other institutes. There have been many atrocities committed and many people wounded. This is not the first and probably the last we will hear of problems like this. These problems have been taking place throughout the course of history. I do believe God is bringing this evil to light for this nation and the world to see what happens when evil hides in secrecy. God is also doing another great work and bringing forward people who have been abused in their life, have dealt with their abuse and can now give hope and advice to others. We will always have evil things to face in this world, but God can take those evil moments and morph them into something that becomes good. Those who have been hurt and wounded are speaking out to help those who have been abused. They are the cheerleaders against abuse. They are the ones brings about laws to help the abused. Yes there was evil committed, but God is using that evil to setup something good for others.

Our pain helping others - Todd Bridges

Lamentations 3:31-33 (NLT)
31 For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. 32 Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. 33 For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.

Matthew Henry writes the following commentary on these verses. Therefore the sufferer is thus penitent, thus patient, because he believes that God is gracious and merciful, which is the great inducement both to evangelical repentance and to Christian patience. We may bear ourselves up with this, 1. That, when we are cast down, yet we are not cast off; the father’s correcting his son is not a disinheriting of him. 2. That though we may seem to be cast off for a time, while sensible comforts are suspended and desired salvations deferred, yet we are not really cast off, because not cast off for ever; the controversy with us shall not be perpetual. 3. That, whatever sorrow we are in, it is what God has allotted us, and his hand is in it. It is he that causes grief, and therefore we may be assured it is ordered wisely and graciously; and it is but for a season, and when need is, that we are in heaviness, 1 Pt. 1:6. 4. That God has compassions and comforts in store even for those whom he has himself grieved. We must be far from thinking that, though God cause grief, the world will relieve and help us. No; the very same that caused the grief must bring in the favour, or we are undone. Una eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit—The same hand inflicted the wound and healed it. he has torn, and he will heal us, Hos. 6:1. 5. That, when God returns to deal graciously with us, it will not be according to our merits, but according to his mercies, according to the multitude, the abundance, of his mercies. So unworthy we are that nothing but an abundant mercy will relieve us; and from that what may we not expect? And God’s causing our grief ought to be no discouragement at all to those expectations.



We have a hard time understanding it, but there is a purpose to the grief and suffering in our lives. We can recall in the Bible Job suffered greatly losing his family, his servants, and even his possessions. God allowed this to happen to show Job’s character, to prove Satan wrong and to Glorify God. God did not leave Job to his suffering, but instead brought healing due to God’s unfailing love. Job didn’t get back the children he lost, but we can be assured they went to be with God where Job would later be with them. Job was also blessed with more children who were raised in a Godly home. Job didn’t get back the servants he first trusted or the wealth he first possessed, but Job did get back more servants he trusted and more possessions than he ever lost.

Last night I saw the childhood actor Todd Bridges, who played Willis in the NBC/ABC sitcom Different Stokes. Todd was on Dr. Drew HLN talking about the abuse he suffered in his life as a child. Todd talked about the pain and grief the abuse cost him. Then he talked about how he survived and how he hopes his story will reach out to others and help them. I know there were those who had to be watching and thinking, “If Todd Bridges made it, I can too!” God doesn’t enjoy the hurting or sorrow we face. However, God is pleased when His people can turn to Him and realize He was always with them even in their moments of pain. God never abandons and His love is always there. He uses our pain to ease the pain of others. God bless Todd Bridges for speaking up and for Dr. Drew brings these painful situations to light to help others heal.

Our thoughts and words need to be guided by God

James 3:5-6 (NLT)
5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

The Apostle James, half-brother of Jesus, tells us we can make grand speeches, but it only takes a few incorrectly chosen words to create a spark that sets the forest on fire. It doesn’t take much for our thoughts and words to turn against us. We need to always guard our heart and keep it on the right path.


Ravi Zacharias writes in, Beyond Opinion: Living the Faith We Defend (Thomas Nelson, 2007), pp. 258-261 that In 1981, Stuart McAllister was part of a mission whose primary task was to help the church in Eastern Europe by transporting Bibles, hymn books, and Christian literature to believers.

On one occasion, while attempting to cross the border from Austria into what was then Communist-ruled Czechoslovakia, Stuart and his colleague were arrested and thrown into prison after guards discovered their concealed cargo.

Without any idea when or if he might be released—it would be a two-week confinement—Stuart's empty time and restricted space began to bring to surface feelings, questions, and doubts.

"In such circumstances," Stuart writes [in retrospect], "we are forced to face what we mean when we speak of faith. Do we have to believe in spite of the evidence to the contrary? Do we believe no matter what? How do we handle the deep and pressing questions our own minds bring as our expectations and reality do not match? For me, in my time in prison, I expected God to do certain things, and to do them in a sensible way and time. I expected that God would act fairly quickly and that I would sense his intervention. My reading of Scripture, my grasp of God's promises, my trust in the reliability of God's Word, the teaching I had received, and the message I had embraced, had led me to expect certain things, and in a particular way. When this did not occur in the way I expected, or in the timing that I thought it should, I was both confused and angry." …

Stuart continues: "Since I had never given any conscious thought to worldviews in general, or mine in particular, I was unaware how many unexamined assumptions I was living by. I did not realize how little change had penetrated my heart, and under pressure the gaps were painfully revealed and felt. From the perspective of time, I can now answer these questions meaningfully, but I needed the experience of doubt and hardship to show me how much I did not know or was not rooted in the biblical answers to these core questions. A worldview that merely answers questions intellectually is insufficient; it must also meet us existentially where we have to live."

God With Us

John 3:2 (KJV)
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, came to Jesus by night for fear other Jewish leaders might know he was meeting privately with Jesus. He wanted to speak to Jesus and acknowledge God had to be with Jesus because no man could perform the miracles Jesus performed unless God was with Him.



Reginald Fessenden, a Canadian engineer, worked for Thomas Edison in his New Jersey Laboratory. Fessenden was convinced the “wireless telegraph” which was used to transmit Morse code could carry a human voice. The wireless telegraph was used by the navy to transmit information to offshore ships, through dots and dashes. Suddenly on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1906 from Brant Rock, Massachusetts a voice was heard on the headsets of the wireless operators. Next was a woman’s voice singing as the crews of the ships intently listened. The wireless rooms on the ships were crowded as someone was heard reading a poem through the radio equipment. Then there was a violin solo of O, Holy Night. Fessenden read the Christmas story from the Book of Luke. A phonograph was played and prayer was given. The transmission then ended as Fessenden turned off the equipment.

The miracle of modern radio astounded sailors across the ocean. It is interesting Fessenden who performed this miracle gave testimony to Jesus Christ through music, Bible reading and prayer. This man knew his accomplishments could not have happened apart from God. For Reginald Fessenden before even turning on the switch to send his radio message bowed his head and prayed God would be with him. I think sometimes we have forgotten God has been with us. We don’t give God enough credit for the miracles in our lives. Take a moment today and pray; give God thanks for what He has done in each of our lives. God we give you thanks and we praise you. Amen.

Prayers of the righteous

Proverbs 15:29 (KJV)
The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Matthew Henry writes: God sets himself at a distance from those that set him at defiance: The wicked say to the Almighty, Depart from us, and he is, accordingly, far from them; he does not manifest himself to them, has no communion with them, will not hear them, will not help them, no, not in the time of their need. They shall be for ever banished from his presence and he will behold them afar off. Depart from me, you cursed. 2. He will draw nigh to those in a way of mercy who draw nigh to him in a way of duty: He hears the prayer of the righteous, accepts it, is well pleased with it, and will grant an answer of peace to it.


The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 3:8-9, “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.”

Faith in Christ makes us righteous before God. We know from Proverbs and the book of James that God listens to the prayers of those who are righteous. So those who have faith in Christ their prayers are heard without failure. In fact the Bible tells us Jesus provides intercession to God for us to ensure our prayers are known. With that knowledge we should do as the Bible says and always be in an attitude of prayer; praying for our families, our friends, ourselves and others. Let’s all pray for each other and thank God for all things done in our lives. Let’s lift up the needs of others to God that God may answer according to His will.

It's called Christmas

Esther 2:16-18 (NLT)
16 Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti. 18 To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther’s honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone.

Esther was a Jew, an orphan, and a captive of the country she lived in. Yet she was raised up to be queen of the people. Her beauty stood out among other women and she did not have to flaunt it to impress the king. He recognized her beauty inside and out and loved her more than any of the other women. She became queen to help the Jewish people and in honor of becoming queen a holiday, a celebration was made.

There are many celebrations that take place this time of year. I know for Hindus there is the festival of lights. For the Jewish population Hanukkah is coming soon. For Buddhist the day of enlightenment is a few days off. For Christians there is the Christmas holiday. And after the beginning of the year comes the Chinese New Year. Celebrations have been and are a part of life.

As a Christian I celebrate Christmas, which includes the word Christ. X-mas takes Christ out of Christmas, which I refuse to accept. In my heart I am merry because of Christ and my celebration of Jesus who was born to give His life for me. People can tell me Happy Holidays, but I let them know my happiest holiday is Christmas by saying Merry Christmas. My doctor is Jewish and I had no problem telling him yesterday Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas. Jewish holidays are a part of our Christian heritage. I have friends who are Hindu and they always have brought me candy in celebration of their holiday, The Festival of Lights, which I gladly accept and tell them thank you and that I am most appreciative they have included me in their celebration. I am tolerant of other people and other religions, but that doesn’t mean I can’t profess my belief in Christ and let them know I’m celebrating Christmas. And it doesn’t mean I let someone else tell me I can’t celebrate or have to celebrate a different way because they are offended by Christ. December 25th is when we celebrate Christmas as Christians and I hope every Christian will be saying Merry Christmas this year. And if someone mentions another holiday, acknowledge them out of your love for Christ. For Christ loved all people and still wants to invite everyone to Him. How can you tell them about Christ unless you love them as Christ loved them?

Merry Christ and my love to all who live in this world!!! May everyone enjoy the holiday of their choosing and may all know that Christ loves you too.

Waiting

PSALMS 25:3-5
3 Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.
4 Make me know Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.

These words by King David are full of affection towards God, the out-going of holy desire towards His favor and grace and the faith in His promises.

Verse 5 above says, "For You I wait all the day" and then looking back at verse 3, "NONE of those who wait for You will be ashamed". When we wait on the Lord, waiting for the answers we need, waiting for the deliverance from sin, waiting on a word of hope, we will not be ashamed for the Lord is our salvation and He teaches us His ways. In those moments of temptation wait on the Lord, seek Him out and He will deliver you. Micah 7:7 says, “As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. “

At home with the Lord

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NLT)
6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.

The Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians there is a home waiting for us with the Lord once we leave our earthly bodies. We live for now in a body that will one day die and we have a purpose for our life given to us by God. But we long to be with the Lord and we can be confident that one day we will be with Him.

This morning I am both sad and comforted. A young man who was a friend of my son died last night from brain cancer. I am sad because death came early to this young man. This morning I have been reminded of the Bible verse that said, “Jesus wept” for I am weeping over the loss of a young man whose life has been cut short. I am comforted that I know he is no longer in pain and that he no longer has to suffer. I also find comfort in knowing that this young man went to be home with the Lord. I know he had faith in Jesus Christ and now he is resting comfortably with Him.

Let Christ rule your heart

Matthew 12:1-5 (NLT)

1 At about that time Jesus was walking through some grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. 2 But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.” 3 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. 5 And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath?



In these verses the Pharisees challenge Jesus about the law of the Sabbath. Their contention was there was to be no work done on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were saying it was wrong to pick grain off the stalk to eat it. Had the grain been picked and available for eating there would not have been a problem. Jesus responded with examples of exceptions.





Even today like the Pharisees there are those who try to enforce strict religious rules upon people. I read a comment the other day about someone putting up a Christmas tree and the response they got was “why are you celebrating a heathen ritual?” I can agree there was a point in history where there were ceremonial trees for non-Christian rituals, but does that automatically make a Christmas tree bad? I would say the answer is no, because it the heart of a person that matters. If they are putting up decorations as a way of commemorating Christ then what is wrong with that action? There are some who believe in magical powers of crystals, but there are also people who just enjoy the beauty of a crystal that God formed. The laws were meant to guide people, but when Christ entered into the hearts of people He let them see what is right and what is wrong. Yes, worshiping a tree might be wrong, but allowing it to be a decoration cannot be held against a person. Let go of rules and let Christ instead rule within your heart.

A hot-tempered person does not see their own problem

Proverbs 29:22 (NLT)
22 An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.

Matthew Henry comments, “See here the mischief that flows from an angry, passionate, furious disposition. 1. It makes men provoking to one another: An angry man stirs up strife, is troublesome and quarrelsome in the family and in the neighbourhood, blows the coals, and even forces those to fall out with him that would live peaceable and quietly by him. 2. It makes men provoking to God: A furious man, who is wedded to his humours and passions, cannot but abound in transgressions. Undue anger is a sin which is the cause of many sins; it not only hinders men from calling upon God’s name, but it occasions their swearing, and cursing, and profaning God’s name. “


From Andy Stanley’s sermon Let the Blames Begin he says - I used to do a lot of marriage counseling, and often one spouse would come in the office and start ranting and raving, "My husband does this …;" "My wife never will do that …;" and it would go on and on. I would sit there thinking, this counseling isn't going to be very effective, because the person who apparently needs to change isn't even in the room. So I would get a pad of paper, draw a circle on it, and say, "This is a pie that represents all the chaos in your marriage. Now, 100 percent of the blame is in that pie, because that's where all the chaos is." I would give them the pen and say, "I want you to draw a slice of pie that you think represents your responsibility for the chaos." The piece of pie that that client would draw was never very big, but I would say, "Okay. So why don't you and I talk about just this. Let's talk about this piece that is your responsibility. Let's talk about your slice." You know what? My approach never worked. I could never get anybody to stay on his or her slice of the pie.

So here is what I want you to do this week: As you experience relational conflict at work, at home, with your friends—any conflict of any sort, big or small—stop and think about your own slice of the pie. Ask yourself, what is in my slice of the pie? Have I taken responsibility for my life, really, or am I enjoying the blame game so much that it has allowed me to ignore what I am ultimately responsible for?

In any relationship, if you can ever get the two parties to own their piece of the pie, you can make progress. But if everybody is focused on the other person's slice of the pie, you will just have chaos.

Remember the less fortunate

Proverbs 28:27 (NLT)
27 Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.

Matthew Henry writes the following in regards to Proverbs 28:27. Here is, 1. A promise to the charitable: He that gives to the poor shall himself be never the poorer for so doing; he shall not lack. If he have but little, and so be in danger of lacking, let him give out of his little, and that will prevent it from coming to nothing; as the bounty of the widow of Sarepta to Elijah (for whom she made a little cake first) saved what she had, when it was reduced to a handful of meal. If he have much, let him give much out of it, and that will prevent its growing less; he and his shall not want what is given in pious charity. What we gave we have. 2. A threatening to the uncharitable: He that hides his eyes, that he may not see the miseries of the poor nor read their petitions, lest his eye should affect his heart and extort some relief from him, he shall have many a curse, both from God and man, and neither causeless, and therefore they shall come. Woeful is the condition of that man who has the word of God and the prayers of the poor against him.


Unfortunately a lot of us have grown cold hearts from those asking for money on the streets. Often we believe they are seeking money to buy some form of drugs that will only bring more misery and ruin to their lives. We feel that in not helping we are helping; but there are people who legitimately need help. There are people who need someone to reach out to them with open eyes seeing their poverty and reaching back to them in love. I remember a man who stopped me out on the street on a very cold day and asked if he could have money for something to eat. I thought here we go again, someone just looking for drug money. I looked at him and said what if I take you somewhere to eat, would that be ok instead of giving you money? He responded with a desperate yes. We walked to one of the restaurants and as we went to enter he hesitated, stopped and said, “They have thrown me out of here before because I was just trying to stay warm.” I reassured him it would be ok. We went in and I paid for his meal, along with a few extra biscuits he wanted to take along for later. I spoke to the people behind the counter, “This man is going to sit over there and enjoy his meal and some warm coffee. Will that be ok if he remains a little while to stay warm?” They gave me their reassurance it would be ok. The man thankful me several times and I left him there warm knowing his need for food had been met.

During this holiday season remember the less fortunate and reach out to them in a positive way. Looks for ways to help that don’t enable a problem, but instead meet a need.

Thanksgiving even in the difficult times

2 Corinthians 4:13-15 (NLT)
13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

In these verses we find it is faith that motivates the apostle and other believers to continue to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ. The apostle states this was done that God’s grace might reach more and more people. The more people receive God’s mercy the more glory and thanksgiving that will be given to God.

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When I think of the generations of people who came before me, life on earth is short. Some get to enjoy a fruitful and long life, while others have their lives cut short in their early years. I have been praying for a young man, a childhood friend of my son, who is battling brain cancer. Hospice has been called and his life is potentially nearing an end. It is difficult for me to imagine what the family is going through on a week focused on Thanksgiving. I know this young man believed in an eternal life and he had accepted that Jesus Christ paid the debt for his sin. I am thankful that even in earthly death there will be eternal life. I am thankful for those who remain and can testify to the memories of his life. I am thankful the family has been there with him during these final precious moments. I am thankful for friends who have been praying and hoping for a recovery. I am thankful for those who love the family and have shown their support. Had these things not been true, then yes, there might not have been much to be thankful for.

I remember the story of a poor man who was distraught because he had no shoes. But when he met a man with no feet and no legs he bowed before God and gave thanks for his ability to walk. There is always something we can be thankful for even when we are facing grim and desperate moments. Like the man without shoes I too have been guilty of not giving God the praise as I should. But then I think of things that could be worst and I can’t help but praise God for what He has done.

This will be my only devotion for this week. If you wish to pray for this young man his name is Seth. God bless each and every one of you as you count your blessings this week.

Be encouraged even in failure

Luke 22:31 (NLT)
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

In these familiar verses Jesus knows Peter's sin that is about to take place. Jesus has prayed on behalf of Peter and Jesus gives words to encourage Peter that once he has failed to use the failure as a way to build up others.


W. Paul Jones, a Roman Catholic priest said, “What one sees depends on where one sets up one's shop. Mine is at the entrance of the empty tomb.” Sometimes God allows us to fail in order that we may be disciplined and learn valuable lessons. It's then that we can take what we intended for evil and let God work in us to use it for good. So when you fail, remember God still cares about you and He has a plan to use your failure for His good purpose. We sitting in God’s shop where God is in control and God is watching over us. Trust God that He will lead you through any difficult circumstance, bring you to repentance, and give you encouragement that you can share joyfully with others.

What do you have a life for?

Ecclesiastes 1:12-15 (NLT)
12 I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem. 13 I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. 14 I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. 15 What is wrong cannot be made right. What is missing cannot be recovered.

In these verses we are privy to the wisdom of King Solomon who was reflecting upon life. He was trying to make sense of the lives we live. King Solomon though even being the wisest person to have lived still was frustrated in trying to understand life. He saw that life on earth was life chasing after the wind, which could never be caught, blew in many directions, and was an empty substance.



In the play Pinocchio a pensive look comes over the face of the puppet-turned-boy. "What do you mean 'I'm alive'?" "What does it mean? Well, unless I'm going mad, and this isn't just a dream, it means you have a life to live," says Geppetto. "And what do you have a life for?" Pinocchio asks in return. Geppetto falls silent, unable to find an answer. "And so is this a good thing or bad thing?" the puppet-turned-boy asks further. "No—it's a beautiful thing. A wonderful thing! What do you have it for? Uhhhhh." Geppetto still has a puzzled look on his face. He concludes, "I'll have to think about it."

Unless we understand what life is for it does become meaningless. It is why God gives us guidance on how we should live our lives through His Word. God gave us Christ, His Son, who showed us what it was like to live a sinless life. God has a desire that we use our lives to live for Him so that life will be a beautiful thing that can be shared with many.

Trust

Proverbs 3:(1) Trust in the LORD with all your heart And (2) do not lean on your own understanding.

One definition in Websters says trust is "one in which confidence is placed". I am sure like most people you have had an experience where the confidence you had in someone was shattered. Maybe they did not keep a promise, maybe they did not tell the trust, or maybe their character came into question. Whatever the experience, it created your own understanding of what trust meant. Proverbs 3:2 says "do not to lean on your own understanding" when it comes to trusting God because our understanding of trust has been warped through life's experiences. For if we trust God the way we trust others, then are we really trusting God with all of our heart?

If you have had your trust shattered in the past, pray that God may restore your trust in Him. Ask God to take away those thoughts, those feelings that prevent you from completly trusting in Him. Lean not on your own understanding, but trust God with all of your heart.

God is always with us

Proverbs 15:3 (NLT)
3 The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.

This is a reminder from King Solomon that God sees everything that takes place in the world. God sees when people do well towards others and do so in an unselfish way. God also sees those who are evil, corrupt and look after only themselves.

It doesn’t matter what we are doing God is there with us. God is constantly watching over all good and all evil so He is there in the quiet moments of our life, the busy moments or our life, the frustrating moments of our life and even the sinful moments of our life. God is always present, always waiting for us to reach out to Him. There isn’t a moment we can’t bow our heads and ask God for help. There isn’t a moment we are tempted by sin that we can’t turn to God for an answer. Remember God is always with you in good times and rough times. Never forget He waits for us to turn to Him for what we need in our lives.

A call to the people

Zechariah 7:9-10 (NLT)
9 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another. 10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and the poor. And do not scheme against each other.”

This is part of the message given by God to Zechariah to express to the people. It was a call for justice and mercy to be given to all. Zechariah said previous generations had refused to listen to this call, but God was once again calling the people to listen. God reminds the people in verse 13, ““Since they refused to listen when I called to them, I would not listen when they called to me, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”


Whoever you are, whatever you might believe the idea to “judge fairly, show mercy and kindness to one another” is something we in the world should all do. We all should also avoid taking advantage of and oppressing widows, orphans, foreigners and the poor. And lastly we all should show love to one another, not scheming or plotting against each other; but instead seeing how we can benefit another person. If we were honest with ourselves the reason we might not do this is because we are selfish and self-center. We tend to put our desires first and sadly we neglect the needs of other people, even sometimes going to the extent of taking advantage of them.

Now speaking to Christians, Christ gave himself freely on the cross as a sacrifice for all of our sin. His motives were not self-centered, they were not selfish; but instead were focused on mercy and grace for others. Christ showed kindness, He showed mercy and most of all He watched after those who could not defend themselves. Take the time to start focusing on others and see what you can do for them. Reach out and help in ways that no one else can help. Love like no one else has loved them before. And always give your heart to the Lord so that He can lead up in your mission to lead others to Christ.

Conversational prayer

Matthew 6:7-13 (NLT)
7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

In these verses Jesus was teaching those listening how to pray. He started by saying not to repeat chants over and over like some might do. Instead Jesus offered the listeners a direct prayer. There was no repetition. The prayer was spoken directly to God. Jesus praised God. He asked for God’s grace to be upon us. Jesus asked that our needs might be met; our sins forgiven; and protection from spiritual battles.

Our prayers are our conversations with God. Some of us learned as children to repeat prayers and that is appropriate when young and learning about God. Most of us should have matured such that we have a relationship with God where we are able to talk to God about our lives, our issues, our love for Him, and anything else that we desire. In Psalms King David would often express his anger, his fear, his hopelessness and other emotions he was feeling. David would also give thanks to God and praise Him for the work in His life. Often I will hear a Muslim speak and they say “thanks be to God” when something is good in their lives. As Christians we too should include God in our conversations and give thanks for what He has done for us. My pastor Johnny Hunt once said he was out at dinner with his wife and he thought how lovely she looked. So he stopped and said, “God I just want to thank you for Miss Janet. She looks lovely tonight, doesn’t she?” God wants our spontaneous thoughts and He wants us to express how we feel, what we need, and how He can help. Take time through your day to stop and pray for yourself, for your family and for others and see how God will bless you.

Following Christ instead of rules

Colossians 2:20-23 (NLT)
20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

Matthew Henry said, “They thought themselves wiser than their neighbours, in observing the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, that they might be sure in the one, at least, to be in the right; but, alas! it was but a show of wisdom, a mere invention and pretence. So they seem to neglect the body, by abstaining from such and such meats, and mortifying their bodily pleasures and appetites; but there is nothing of true devotion in these things, for the gospel teaches us to worship God in spirit and truth and not by ritual observances, and through the mediation of Christ alone and not of any angels.” The apostle was pointing out it is our relationship with Christ that motivates us and moves us to do what is right, not traditions, not learned rules, but our love for our Lord and Savior.


The Apostle Paul asks an important question to the Christians he is addressing, “Why do you keep on following the rules of the world?” Everyone struggles with some temptation in their life. And then there are those, such as addicts, who let temptations take over their life. So an addict may set up boundaries that consist of rules as a safeguard. For instance someone addicted to gambling may decide to follow rules such as:

Not watching sporting events
Making sure to stay away from casinos
Keep away from friends who talk about making idle bets

And while those rules are good to help establish boundaries the person finds themselves always in a constant battle to follow those rules. They may even add new rules worried the current rules aren’t good enough to keep them away from temptation. So they become trapped worried about following the rules of the rules; how to measure up to the world; and how to live to other’s expectations. In truth it is Christ’s expectation we want to live up to. It is Christ who should guide us and set us free from rules. We should follow Christ in our hearts and trust that He will lead us to do what is right. Rules are good to start a boundary, but then let Christ take over so you no longer worry about those boundaries, but instead live a holy and righteous life for His sake.

It might not make sense

1 Corinthians 1:20-23 (NLT)
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

The apostle tells us that all the wisdom of man put together cannot fathom the wisdom of God. The apostle says the teaching of the crucifixion of Christ is foolish to the Jewish religious scholars who look for signs. The Greek scholars are also baffled by why God does for it does not fit human wisdom. Yet Paul continues to preach the message of Christ crucified even when it offends or makes no sense to those who do not wish to believe.



Gary Thomas tells the following story in his book Holy Available about a friend of his who was on a business trip: After the sessions an attractive young woman knocked on his hotel door …. When he opened the door, she pushed through and walked right into his room. You can't be in here," he said.
"Why not?" she asked teasingly. "Are you scared?" The woman started acting seductively. She made it very clear that she was available for any favor of his choosing. When he insisted that she leave, she finally did something … [that] was over-the top provocative. Immediately afterward, my friend wisely told two business associates exactly what happened …. My friend is a godly man, but he's human. He admits he slept very little that night …. He couldn't get this woman's words or related images out of his mind. He tossed and turned, thankful he hadn't fallen but exhausted from being so provoked. Two months later, he returned to that city, working with the same company he had worked with on his previous visit—when the [same] young woman pulled him aside. "We have to talk," she said. My friend's heart started racing as he feared the worst …. Her first words put him at ease. "I can't thank you enough for being the first man who has ever cared about me more than my body." My friend learned that this woman had been abused earlier in life. She had been promiscuous ever since her early teen years, and because of her physical appearance no man had ever been willing to walk away from her advances. And so she kept reliving the moments of her deepest hurt. "I'm going back to church," she told him. "I need to get my life back together. When I finally met a man like you who was more interested in me than in my body, it showed me how messed up I had become." Sisters and brothers, how we live our lives makes a difference. We need to be the people that we already are in God’s eyes. We need to live in the light so that others will come to know Jesus. We need to teach our children by what we say and what we do, that the things of this world don’t compare to the glories we have in Christ. It’s time to stop living like we’re asleep.

Following Christ and living as Christ would have us live might seem foolish to some people, but it will change lives. Our mission is to show the love of Christ and not beat people down for the sins they are committing; that is God’s job move and motivate people in the right direction. This man did what was right and his devotion to God helped change a life. It may have even saved her life.

Abandoned

Hebrews 13:5 (NLT)
For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

In these verses we find important promises from God. First God will never fail you. No matter what the circumstance is that you are going through God won’t fail to keep His promises towards you. Second, God will never abandon you. Whatever trial, whatever difficulty, whatever pain you face, God is there with you.



The word abandoned means to be given up. Someone abandoned has been left behind, forsaken. Whoever was responsible for providing care has failed. They have betrayed trust and left the person alone. My father was an abusive alcoholic. My mother had to divorce him because he continued to beat her. He shot at her, tried to run her over with the car and did many other abusive things. He abandoned us for the sake of his alcohol. My mother remarried and my step-father left just after my brother was born. He abandoned us because he didn’t want to face responsibility. The fear of abandonment can become overwhelming. I think back to all the times I was the responsible one for watching my brother, for cleaning the house, for taking care of the yard. I was abandoned to those duties because the men who should have been there to help were not. Thankfully my Father God has always been there to encourage me, watch after me, and lead me through difficult times. Thankfully I can say I never abandoned my children because my God never abandoned me.

Maybe some of you have been abandoned and because of that you have held on to bitterness in your life. Maybe your abandonment issues have caused you to abandon others. I pray God will heal your heart and fill it with His love. May you know God will never fail you nor will he abandon you.

Repeated sin

Hebrews 10:1-2 (NLT)
1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.

In these verses the apostle explains how the Mosaic Law required a repeated cleaning for sin. Why? Because no matter how hard one tried they always fell back into repeating sin which required atonement. Had it been possible to provide a onetime permanent cleansing there would have been no need to repeat the process time after time.


Here's the gospel: you're more sinful than you ever dared believe; you're more loved than you ever dared hope. (Tim Keller) Christ gave His life to atone once and all for the sin of the world. Christ sacrificed himself so our repetition of sins would not require a repetition of cleansing. For every time a sin was repeated there was also the shame that came with the sin knowing the sin needed to be cleansed. But in Christ there is no shame for He paid your debt in full once and for all and for all time. Give thanks to Christ who took away the guilt and shame of sin that you could live a life to glorify God.

Do not allow others to entice you

Proverbs 1:10-14 (NLT)
10 My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! 11 They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent! 12 Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.13 Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.14 Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.”

This proverb is the advice of a father to his child to acquire wisdom and stay away from those who might lead them away from wise action. We see the follies of those ignoring wisdom. They look for those they may attack and kill just for the pleasure of taking their riches.


The following is a true story from Dave Jackson written in Leadership magazine. "Our train rolled into Kansas City at 1 a.m. Dim lights came on to help the new passengers find seats. Many of us who had been riding home through the night had spread out to occupy two seats apiece. An attractive woman made her way down the aisle with her bags. She was looking from side to side, hoping for someone to move. I turned toward the window and watched her in the reflection. ‘May I sit here?’ she asked. ‘Sure.’ I looked up and smiled as I moved over. She threw her things into the rack above and sat down. Near the back of the car, only one of my colleagues from the church had managed to keep his extra space. ‘Lucky guy’. ‘My name's Kathy. What's yours?’ I told her, and we talked quietly for a while. She was on her way to visit her mother after some rough spats with her husband. I was eager to get home and see my wife and family after an exhausting church leadership conference. Soon we both slipped off to sleep. At some later stop, I awoke to find Kathy cuddled next to me. 'You don't mind if I lean my head on your shoulder, do you?' she said sleepily. ‘Uh, no. I guess not.' She was just tired... wasn't she? And besides, I had a wonderful wife and a great marriage and would be home before noon. I looked around to see if anyone was noticing. She cuddled closer. I wondered what she really wanted‑‑or would allow. At first I couldn't believe what I was thinking. But then it was her fault. She knew exactly what she was doing. I might as well enjoy it. After all, what could happen on a train full of people? Nothing, nothing really... except what Jesus warned about happening in the heart. Finally, I excused myself so I could go back and talk with my friend‑‑the ‘lucky’ one with the empty seat beside him. Or maybe I was the lucky one since that extra space was still available. I only knew I didn't need to stay where I had been.

We need to watch the circumstances we fall into and beware of those who might lead us into the temptation of sin. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

Stand for God even in the fire

Daniel 3:13-18 (NLT)
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Nebuchadnezzar had made a decree that at the time everyone heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, they must fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Whoever did not fall down and worship the golden image would be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Three men who stood for God refused and were seen not bowing in public. The king gave them the chance to bow or be thrown into the fire. They chose to be thrown into the fire whether God saved them or not.



Johnny Cash had a song called The Forth Man in the Fire. It went like this:

Refrain: They wouldn't bend. They held on to the will of God so we are told. They wouldn't bow. They would not bow their knees to Idols made of gold. They wouldn't burn. They were protected by the Fourth Man in the fire. They wouldn't bend. They wouldn't bow, they wouldn't burn. Now the prophet Daniel tells about three men who walked with God Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Before the wicked king they stood and the king commanded them bound and thrown into the fiery furnace that day. But the fire was so hot that the men were slain that forced them on their way.

Refrain: Now when the three were cast in and the king rose up to witness this awful fate.
He began to tremble at what he saw in astonished tones he spake. Did we not cast three men bound
into the midst of the fire? Well, Lo, I see four men unhurt, unbound and walkin' down there; there's Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery coals they trod. But the form of the Fourth Man that I see is like the Son of God

Three men refused to do anything but God’s will in their lives. They were willing to die for what the believed. The fire was hot enough for it consumed the guards who threw them into the fire. These three men met the pre-incarnate Christ who was there in the fire with them, reassuring them they would survive. And they emerged untouched by the fire showing the true God was their protector.

We need to remember we should always stand for God no matter what the cost. For this world is a temporary place and if God still has plans for us here He will protect us.

Sorry and it's ok

Galatians 5:14 (KJV)
"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Matthew Henry wrote of this verse, “Love is the sum of the whole law; as love to God comprises the duties of the first table, so love to our neighbour those of the second. The apostle takes notice of the latter here, because he is speaking of their behaviour towards one another; and, when he makes use of this as an argument to persuade them to mutual love, he intimates both that this would be a good evidence of their sincerity in religion and also the most likely means of rooting out those dissensions and divisions that were among them. It will appear that we are the disciples of Christ indeed when we have love one to another.”


When our love for God comes first everything else just fits into place. We learn what a true relationship is like. We learn how God’s love for us is not dependent upon our actions. We learn mercy and grace is offered to us when we don’t deserve it. We find God loves us no matter what the circumstance. We find forgiveness for others as God forgave us.

As I watched the TV show “The Middle” last night, Patricia Heaton’s character, Frankie, was struggling with the issue of how people respond in happenstances. She happened to bump into one man’s shopping cart and he became very rude and disrespectful; even when she said she was sorry. Later while taking a group of her son’s classmates Trick-or-Treating the kids happened to be in the way and again Frankie said “I’m sorry”. But the words went unnoticed and the woman who couldn’t get by with her daughter made a rude comment about the kids. This time Frankie wanted to show the children people shouldn’t treat a person that way so she confronted the woman and gave her a lecture. At the end of the frustrated lecture the woman said, “I’m sorry” and Frankie replies, “It’s ok”, smiles and walks off.

We need to learn the words “I’m sorry” and say them when it is perceived we have done something wrong. We also need to let go of anger and replace it with love by saying, “It’s ok, I understand.” Most of us have wronged someone and there are those who have wronged us. Make it right by loving your neighbor instead of hating your neighbor and by forgiving as God would forgive.

Discipleship - looking past your needs

Philemon 1:21 (NLT)
21 I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more!

The book of Philemon is written by the Apostle Paul as a letter to a fellow Christian named Philemon whom Paul had the privilege of leading to Christ. The main purpose of Paul’s writing was to ask Philemon to reconcile with Onesimus, an indentured slave who had run away from Philemon. Paul wanted Philemon not only to reconcile, but also consider releasing Onesimus that he might serve the Lord freely.


William Culbertson in Listening to the Giants, Christianity Today writes, I find that discipleship means, first, truly living. It does not mean a joy ride to heaven; it does not mean that there are no trials and no burdens. But it does mean peace in your soul and joy in your heart, and a sense, a supreme sense, of the smile of the Lord upon you. It is living. And discipleship means that you are using your time on earth to the best possible advantage. The Lord Jesus says so.

The Apostle Paul lived under a tremendous burden of being imprisoned for following in the footsteps of Jesus. Paul suffered and faced painful trials in his life. Yet Paul had a strong faith in God that God would answer his prayers. In the midst of Paul’s difficulties, Paul still found it within himself to reach out and disciple others. Paul reached out to the churches and to individuals. Paul continued to love and support others even if his circumstances were dismal.

Considering the circumstances of your life are you using your time to the best possible advantage? Are you focused on yourself or are you looking to help the needs of others?

Character

Proverbs 24:3-4 (NLT)
3 A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. 4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

We are always tempted by riches of the world thinking that wealth brings happiness to a home. Yet there are many who are rich and still painfully suffer the trials of everyday life. King Solomon recognized it is one who builds their family and home by honest means, with a good conscience, a good name, and a respect of God that will find their rooms filled with the precious riches of life. For each family member will possession a wealth of wisdom, a love of God, and a hope for eternal life.

Donald Miller relates in his book, To Own a Dragon, an interesting story goes like this: I lived for a time with my friend and mentor John MacMurray, where the first rule is to always tell the truth. John and I were sitting in the family room one night when he asked about my new cell phone. “I got it free,” I told him. “How did you get it for free?” he asked. “Well, my other one broke, so I took it in to see if they could replace it. They had this new computer system at the store and they didn’t have their records. They didn’t know whether mine was still under warranty. It wasn’t, I knew, because it was more than a year old. The guy asked me about it, and I told him I didn’t know, but it was right around a year. Just a white lie, you know. Anyway, the phone was so messed up they replaced it with a newer model. So, I got a free phone.” “Did you ever see that movie The Family Man with Nicolas Cage?” John asked. “There’s this scene where Nicolas Cage walks into a store to get a cup of coffee. And Don Cheadle plays the guy working at the counter. There’s a girl in line before Nicolas Cage, and she’s buying something for ninety-nine cents, and she hands Cheadle a dollar. Cheadle takes nine dollars out of the till and counts it out, giving her way too much change. She sees that he is handing her way too much money, yet she picks it up and puts it in her pocket without saying a word. As she is walking out the door, Cheadle stops her to give her another chance. He asks her if there is anything else she needs. She shakes her head no and walks out.” “I see what you’re getting at, John,” I say. “Let me finish,” he says. “So Cheadle looks over at Nicolas Cage, and he says, ‘Did you see that? She was willing to sell her character for nine dollars. Nine dollars!’” After a little while, I spoke up. “Do you think that is what I am doing with the phone? Do you think I am selling my character?” And to be honest, I said this with a smirk. “I do,” John said. “The Bible talks about having a calloused heart. That’s when sin, after a period of time, has so deceived us we no longer care whether our thoughts and actions are right or wrong. Our hearts will go there easily, and often over what looks like little things—little white lies. All I am saying to you, as your friend, is, watch for this kind of thing.” Miller concludes the story saying: I went back to the store the next day. It cost me more than nine dollars, but I got my character back.

Do you have friends you will confront you in love for your own good? It’s important to have friends who know God’s heart. When confronted do you react smugly or humbly? We need to humble ourselves and listen to those who have our best interest at heart. Could it be that something came to mind as you read this story and there is something you need to do? Maybe now is the time to act in order to get your character back.

Fair and just

Proverbs 21:2
2 People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.

Matthew Henry writes, “Note, 1. We are all apt to be partial in judging of ourselves and our own actions, and to think too favourably of our own character, as if there was nothing amiss in it: Every way of a man, even his by-way, is right in his own eyes. The proud heart is very ingenious in putting a fair face upon a foul matter, and in making that appear right to itself which is far from being so, to stop the mouth of conscience. 2. We are sure that the judgment of God concerning us is according to truth. Whatever our judgment is concerning ourselves, the Lord ponders the heart. God looks at the heart, and judges of men according to that, of their actions according to their principles and intentions; and his judgment of that is as exact as ours is of that which we ponder most, and more so; he weighs it in an unerring balance, ch. 16:2 (All the ways of a man [are] clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.)”


First I want to make a confession about myself. There are many times I make statements which I truly believe, but it does not make them right. I know I have been guilty of thinking I know the facts, thinking I know the truth, and thinking I have the right understanding only later to be convicted I was slanted or wrong in my thoughts. Sometimes it is a friend who gives reproof and I see my error. Often it is God who convicts my heart there are other ways to see and view the truth. God is the one who examines the hearts of people and He alone knows what is right. I need to listen more to God and listen less to myself.

With that said I want to share a quote I read yesterday that said, “Those who try to enforce tolerance upon others need to be careful or they themselves will be found intolerant.” I find that often to be true. People try to make something so right they go beyond what is right and make their objective wrong. I have seen it happen in racial issues where one group says things should be this way to be fair, but then they go on to establish benefits slanted towards their own desires. We all need to stop trying to figure out what is right and fair for us and instead determine what God believes is just and fair for all.

Following the crowd

Exodus 23:2 (NLT)
You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong.

This was a call from God to follow justice and not the crowd. The people were being reminded they should not be swayed by opinion, but instead seek the truth in a situation. They were to seek God’s wisdom and speak on their own accord.


Stuart Briscoe told the following story in his book, Everyday Discipleship for Ordinary People: One of my young colleagues was officiating at the funeral of a war veteran. The dead man's military friends wished to have a part in the service at the funeral home, so they requested the pastor to lead them down to the casket, stand with them for a solemn moment of remembrance, and then lead them out through the side door. This he proceeded to do, but unfortunately the effect was somewhat marred when he picked the wrong door. The result was that they marched with military precision into a broom closet, in full view of the mourners, and had to beat a hasty retreat covered with confusion.

It is so easy to follow the crowd, but it doesn’t mean we end up where we are supposed to be. This is why it is so important we have a solid foundation in our life from which we can make good choices.

Contentment

Philippians 4:15-17 (NLT)
15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.

The apostle Paul gives thanks to the Philippians for the financial support they offered him when he traveled through their area speaking on the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Philippians didn’t stop with the original gift, but also sent a second gift to meet Paul’s financial needs. Many might make an excuse they have given once and why should they give again? But that was not the case with the Philippians who were generous from the heart. Paul then went on to tell them he was thanking them, not begging for more financial assistance, but for the kindness they had already displayed.


C. H. Spurgeon once said, “You say, “If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.” You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled. Jerry Bridges, an evangelical Christian author wrote, “The contented person experiences the sufficiency of God’s provision for his needs and the sufficiency of God’s grace for his circumstances. He believes God will indeed meet all his material needs and that He will work in all his circumstances for his good. That is why Paul could say, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” The godly person has found what the greedy or envious or discontented person always searches for but never finds. He has found satisfaction and rest in his soul.”

The very first temptation of the world was about contentment. Adam and Eve were tempted with being more than who they were and they fell into Satan’s trap of discontentment. When we are discouraged it is because discontentment tells us we are lacking something. Those who are content have gratitude in their hearts for what they have received and they bless others for their kindness. They don’t see themselves as one giving too much to God, nor do they see themselves as one who does not receive enough from God. Instead they are rich, for they know God will meet their needs and they need no more than what God provides.

Listening

Proverbs 18:13 (NLT)
13 Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.

Matthew Henry said of theses verses -- Some take a pride in being quick. They answer a matter before they hear it, hear it out, nay, as soon as they but hear of it. They think it is their honour to take up a cause suddenly; and, when they have heard one side, they think the matter so plain that they need not trouble themselves to hear the other; they are already apprized of it, and masters of all the merits of the cause. Whereas, though a ready wit is an agreeable thing to play with, it is solid judgment and sound wisdom that do business. Those that take a pride in being quick commonly fall under the just reproach of being impertinent. It is folly for a man to go about to speak to a thing which he does not understand, or to pass sentence upon a matter which he is not truly and fully informed of, and has not patience to make a strict enquiry into; and, if it be folly, it is and will be shame.


From Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (New York: Harper & Row, 1954), pages 97-8, come these words: The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them. Just as love to God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. It is God's love for us that He not only gives us His Word but also lends us His ear. So it is His work that we do for our brother when we learn to listen to him. Christians, especially ministers, so often think they must always contribute something when they are in the company of others, that this is the one service they have to render. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking. Many people are looking for an ear that will listen. They do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking where they should be listening. But he who can no longer listen to his brother will soon be no longer listening to God either; he will be doing nothing but prattle in the presence of God too. This is the beginning of the death of the spiritual life, and in the end there is nothing left but spiritual chatter and clerical condescension arrayed in pious words. One who cannot listen long and patiently will presently be talking beside the point and be never really speaking to others, albeit he be not conscious of it. Anyone who thinks that his time is too valuable to spend keeping quiet will eventually have no time for God and his brother, but only for himself and for his own follies.

Self-control

1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV)
22Abstain from all appearance of evil.

In this verse and the prior verses the apostle encourages the church to do those things which are right in God’s eyes. Here we find the apostle saying to abstain not only from those things that are evil, but to also abstain from the things that might even appear evil. Corrupt affections indulged in the heart, and evil practices allowed in one’s life will tend to promote flawed thoughts in the mind. However a pure heart and integrity in life will move men towards the truth God has given them. Matthew Henry gave this observation, “He who is not shy of the appearances of sin, who shuns not the occasions of sin, and who avoids not the temptations and approaches to sin, will not long abstain from the actual commission of sin.”


In a September 20, 1998 segment of ABC's news magazine show "20/20," reporter John Stossel interviewed Dr. Roy Baumeister of Case Western Reserve University. Baumeister said, "If you look at the social and personal problems facing people in the United States—we're talking drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, unsafe sex, school failure, shopping problems, gambling—over and over, the majority of them have self-control failure as central to them. Studies show that self-control does predict success in life over a very long time."

The report included video of an experiment Stossel conducted at a nursery school. "By testing how well four-year-olds can resist temptation," Stossel explained, "researchers say they can predict what kind of adults they're likely to be. In the experiment, the kids are given a choice: They'll get five pieces of candy if they can wait ten minutes until the teacher comes back into the room—or just two pieces if they can't wait and give in to the temptation before the ten minutes are up.

"So the kids tried. It wasn't easy. Most fidgeted and looked as if they were being tortured. Some touched the candy. One boy counted the candy—maybe to remind himself that five is more than two. One girl looked heavenward as she waited, seeming to ask for God's help. Seven of the nine kids we tested lasted the full ten minutes. Most spent some time with their hand hovering over the bell." Ringing the bell meant the temptation to take the candy was too strong.

Stossel was recreating an experiment conducted thirty years earlier at Columbia University. Using a much larger group of children, the Columbia study found out which kids had the self-control to resist temptation and hold out for the full reward later—and which did not. The children were checked on over the next few decades to see which group tended to do better in life. The result of the study, Stossel said, was astonishingly clear-cut: "Kids who did well on this test years ago tended to do better in life. Better in lots of ways. Their SAT scores were higher. As teenagers, the boys had fewer run-ins with the law. The girls were less likely to get pregnant."

Self-control, then, is a key indicator of whether or not we will be successful. We can't control everything in life, but if there is one thing we can control and must control, it is the self. As Dr. Baumeister concluded on "20/20," "If we're concerned about raising children to be successful and healthy and happy, forget about self-esteem. Concentrate on self-control."

Giving the right response

Mark 12:13-17 (NLT)
13 Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 14 “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. You teach the way of God truthfully. Now tell us—is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay them, or shouldn’t we?” Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me a Roman coin,[c] and I’ll tell you.” 16 When they handed it to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 17 “Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” His reply completely amazed them.

Matthew Henry wrote the following commentary about these verses above -- The persons (enemies of Christ) they employed were the Pharisees and the Herodians, men that in this matter were contrary to one another, and yet concurred against Christ, v. 13. The Pharisees were great sticklers for the liberty of the Jews, and, if he should say, It is lawful to give tribute to Caesar, they would incense the common people against him, and the Herodians would, underhand, assist them in it. The Herodians were great sticklers for the Roman power, and, if he should discountenance the paying of tribute to Caesar, they would incense the governor against him, yea, and the Pharisees, against their own principles, would join with them in it. It is no new thing for those that are at variance in other things, to join in a confederacy against Christ.


The religious leaders had tried to find anything wrong with Christ that they could and they had failed. Now they plotted to wage Jesus against both religion and politics by asking Him a tax question. However Jesus responded in a way that answered those who were religious and those who were political. Jesus knew where He stood both on religion and politics. God had established government and put it in power and Jesus knew to give an answer that was correct for both groups. In our everyday lives there will be those who try to find issue against us whether it be personal, religious or political. It is important to know who you are in Christ so that your decisions and answers reflect God to those who hear you.

God our protector

Psalm 91:9-16 (NLT)
9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. 11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. 13 You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! 14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. 16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

In these verses the psalmist assures those who believe in God they will receive rich and precious mercy from God. If they make God their refuge; God becomes their shelter and their protector. They find rest from threats and they are able to persevere. They become strong in the face of adversity knowing God will rescue and protect them; for salvation and long life is theirs to hold.



In Leadership Weekly, “God Winks” (12-18-02) , Joe McKeever writes: Late one night, a man in Slim Cornett's church was showing Slim around a county airport in rural Mississippi. "This switch lights up the runway," the man said as he flipped it. "Then, let's say there is a plane in distress up there. I would throw this switch and turn on the search lights." As the night skies lit up, a small plane materialized out of the darkness and landed. Slim and his friend watched in amazement as Franklin Graham, son of the famous evangelist, stepped off the plane. The pilot had been flying Franklin back to school in Texas when the electrical system shut down, leaving them stranded in the Mississippi night without lights or radio or any means of guidance. From out of nowhere, the search beam had come on and guided them to the landing strip. As Franklin's mother, Ruth, tells the story, earlier that evening before they left home, Billy Graham had prayed for the Father to protect and guide his son and the pilot.

God is our protector and hope in the face of fear. Out of the dark God shines brightly guiding us to a path of safety.

Trust

Genesis 39:5-9 (NLT)
5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat! Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, 7 and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. 8 But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked
thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

This is the account of Joseph being held as a slave in Egypt after his brothers sold him into slavery. Joseph’s brother first sought to kill him out of jealousy, but then relented and sold him as a slave. As a slave, Joseph was put in charge of Potiphar’s house, the prison guard. Potiphar trusted him with everything. But Potiphar’s wife had lustful thoughts for Joseph and sought to seduce him.

Joseph understood the concept of trust. He understood he was given privileges that came with the trust he earned from Potiphar. Joseph even stated, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire house.” Joseph was responsible for all that went on in the home even the safety and integrity of his master’s wife. And even though Potiphar’s wife plotted to seduce Joseph, Joseph maintained his integrity. He knew ultimately God saw and knew everything he did. It was God Joseph was out to please by maintaining Potiphar’s trust. Yet The Bible tells us Potiphar lost trust in Joseph when Potiphar’s wife lied about Joseph. Joseph was thrown innocently into prison. God knew what happend and watched over and blessed Joseph. We might desire the trust of others, but it is God whose trust we should earn.

Trials and joy

1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)
6 So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. 7 These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Peter is writing to Christians who have been scattered throughout the nations. Peter is preparing them for the hardships they will possibly face as they live out their Christian faith. He tells them there will be trials of faith that will take place, but these are to purify their faith, to make it stronger. And if their faith remains strong it will be something to celebrate when Christ returns.

If someone walked up to you and said, "Be joyful! Distress, suffering and pain is about to come your way.", wouldn't you think they had lost their mind? How can a person even think about joy when they are about to face horrible problems? James tells us to "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." So the joy to be found is that God is maturing us, completing us and shaping us to be more like the person he wants us to be. The trials we go through may not be pleasant or desired, but God has a purpose for putting us through those trials. Maybe you have experienced or are experiencing a test of faith. Pray that God would strengthen your faith in Him and help you endure whatever trial you face. Look for the joy of things to come, knowing that he is building and molding who you are.

Grace

Nahum 3:7 (NASV)

7"And it will come about that all who see you Will shrink from you and say, 'Nineveh is devastated! Who will grieve for her?' Where will I seek comforters for you?"



The city of Nineveh had been spared when Jonah spoke to them of God’s judgment and they had repented from their sins. But the city had fallen back into its evil ways, repenting of their repentance. The city had once again become an enemy of God and Nahum was warning the people of its destruction. God had trouble getting Jonah to plead to the city, and now God was saying where will I find comforters for you when the city is devastated?



The great city of Nineveh had been given a chance by God to repent and begin a new life. Even though Jonah did not want to preach to Nineveh because of its great sin, God sent Jonah to preach about their imminent fall from grace. The people realized their sins and turned to God and were spared the destruction Jonah wanted to see fall on the people. Jonah knew how great their sin was and he did not want to see God’s grace given to them. And here they were once again, another prophet speaking to them as they were about to be destroyed. This time the people had hardened their hearts against God and this time they were not willing to repent. In verse 19 Nahum speaks for God and says, “There is no healing for your wound; your injury is fatal. All who hear of your destruction will clap their hands for joy. Where can anyone be found who has not suffered from your continual cruelty?” God desires to give grace. God desires to see everyone repent of their sins and follow him. But God will not be mocked by those who receive His grace and then abuse it. Remember the words of the great hymn below:



Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary 's mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all my sin.

Sin and despair like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide,
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! there is flowing a crimson tide;
Whiter than snow you may be today.

Accept criticism before it's too late

Proverbs 29:1
1 Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.

This proverb tells us there are many who stubbornly refuse to listen to reason when it comes to their faults. They may be reproved by parents, friends, ministers, police, judges, or the consequences God has set in front of them. Yet they harden their hearts and will not give a thought to the reproof presented to them. There is a great consequence for these people in that their sins will take them to a point of destruction where there is no hope for recovery.




Anthony Mangione entered his plea in federal court Wednesday. The 50-year-old was indicted on charges of transportation, receipt and possession of child pornography. If convicted, Mangione could face up to 20 years in prison. Each of the transportation and receipt charges carry mandatory minimum sentences of five years. [Associated Press, Sept. 28, 2011] The problem is that Anthony Mangione has been chief of the Federal Government’s ICE Miami-based office since 2007. ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is responsible for cybercrimes and child exploitation. The Child Exploitation Section employs the latest technology to collect evidence and track the activities of individuals and organized groups who sexually exploit children through the use of websites, chat rooms, newsgroups and peer-to-peer trading. If it is true Mr. Mangione is guilty of the crimes he is charged for then he has truly not listened to his own criticism or the criticism of others around him regarding these crimes against children. Proverbs 29:1 tells us those “whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.”

Listening to criticism

Proverbs 28:23 (NLT)
23 In the end, people appreciate honest criticism far more than flattery.

Matthew Henry gave the following comments regarding this verse. Note, 1. Flatterers may please those for a time who, upon second thoughts, will detest and despise them. If ever they come to be convinced of the evil of those sinful courses they were flattered in, and to be ashamed of the pride and vanity which were humoured and gratified by those flatteries, they will hate the fawning flatterers as having had an ill design upon them, and the fulsome flatteries as having had an ill effect upon them and become nauseous. 2. Reprovers may displease those at first who yet afterwards, when the passion is over and the bitter physic begins to work well, will love and respect them. He that deals faithfully with his friend, in telling him of his faults, though he may put him into some heat for the present, and perhaps have hard words, instead of thanks, for his pains, yet afterwards he will not only have the comfort in his own bosom of having done his duty, but he also whom he reproved will acknowledge that it was a kindness, will entertain a high opinion of his wisdom and faithfulness, and look upon him as fit to be a friend. He that cries out against his surgeon for hurting him when he is searching his wound will yet pay him well, and thank him too, when he has cured it.



The creator of Dennis the Menace, Hank Ketcham, once said, “Flattery is chewing gum. Enjoy it, but don’t swallow it.” We all enjoy flattering comments; it’s part of our nature. However, there are times when we need to hear constructive criticism. Criticism may be painful to hear, but if it helps us correct something in our lives for our benefit we need to hear it. In the end we will appreciate the honesty shared with us more than any flattering comment someone could make.

God's warning about alcohol

Proverbs 23:29-35 (NLT)
29 Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks. 31 Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is, how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down. 32 For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake; it stings like a viper. 33 You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things. 34 You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. 35 And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?”

In these verses King Solomon lays out the consequences for those who consume too much alcohol. The people he refers to are most likely alcoholics since he describes them having hallucinations and saying things that don’t make sense. They are unable to manage themselves physically as they stagger around trying to hold onto something to steady them. They even fall prey to others; victimized because they are unable to defend themselves in their stupor. Even with the consequences they don’t learn as they wake up looking to consume another drink.


At the Sundance Festival in Park City, Utah, Robert Downey Jr. said: Oh, I can't drink these days. I'm allergic to alcohol and narcotics. If I use them, I break out in handcuffs.

A recent study ranked alcohol as the "most harmful" drug among a list of 20 other drugs. The study, released in a British medical journal, claimed that alcohol was even more dangerous than crack and heroin—when assessed for its potential harm to the "drug-taker" and those harmed by his drug-taking. Hardcore drugs like heroin, crack cocaine, and crystal meth are the deadliest drugs. But when researchers analyzed other important categories—the addictive nature of the drug, how it harms the body, the drug's role on society (such as tearing families apart)—alcohol far exceeded all the other drugs in terms of overall harm.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has also noted the harmfulness of alcohol abuse. This institute places a whopping price tag—nearly $235 billion—on the annual bill in the United States for the medical, social, and economic cost of alcohol abuse. That's almost 80 percent more than the related costs for all other addictive drugs combined. In the United States, alcohol also claims more than 80,000 lives every year, and is responsible for or involved in about one-third of all fatal car crashes, half of all homicides, one-third of all suicides and one-third of all hospital admissions. [Sources: Maria Cheng, "Study finds alcohol most dangerous drug," Post and Courier (11-1-2010); "The Party's Over," Nature (11-25-2010)]

God’s purpose in warning us about issues such as alcohol is to prevent us from falling into a trap such as addiction. God loves us and wants the best for us. He doesn’t want us to fear that we will wake up, beaten and find ourselves in handcuffs because we chose sin over His words of wisdom.

It's ok to be different

Romans 14:1-4 (NLT)
1 Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him judge whether they are right or wrong. And with the Lord’s help, they will do what is right and will receive his approval.

In these verses the apostles tells us how we are to handle differences in belief between each other. There were some who had strong convictions it was ok to eat anything, while there were some who would only eat vegetables. The bottom line was one group should not condemn the other for God had accepted them. If we are God’s servants and responsible to the Lord; then we have no right to judge each other. In the end God will give his approval to those who are doing right.


Improvisation is the willingness to live within the bounds of the past and yet search for the future at the same time. Improvisation is the desire to make something new out of something old.… It is experienced in being open to letting the people around you…have impact on what you are creating. Wynton Marsalis is the artistic director of jazz at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. He's earned a Pulitzer Prize, written several books, and plays a mean trumpet. On a Tuesday evening late in August 2001 at the Village Vanguard in Greenwich Village, he was playing "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You" on his trumpet without accompaniment. As he neared the end of the song, the sound of a cell phone intruded into the drama of the moment. A jazz critic in the audience scrawled on a sheet of notepaper, "MAGIC, RUINED," and people began to chatter. Marsalis improvised. He played the notes of the cell phone ring tone—slow, fast, and in different keys—and when all ears were back on him, he seamlessly transitioned the silly cell phone tune back to the ballad and finished the song. In the words of the jazz critic, "The ovation was tremendous." [Robert Gelinas, Finding the Groove (Zondervan, 2008), pp. 33-34]

There are many of us called by Christ to perform His work within His church and yet many of us are different. We have different feelings about how things should be done. We have different thoughts about what is good for us and what is not. Yet we can bring all those differences together and use them as a great contribution to the Lord. For instance, in the verses above those who only ate vegetables could relate to those who followed the same manner of eating and could lead them to the Lord. Some enjoyed eating whatever they pleased and they too could appeal to a certain group. We should always be willing to embrace the differences of others as long as we are all following and serving our Lord and Savior.