"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you
also are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NASB)
In 1490 two struggling artists, Albrecht Durer and his brother Albert,
agreed that one would work full-time to support them while the other
studied. So Albrecht studied while Albert worked, with the
understanding that when Albrecht became successful, he'd return the
favor. After attaining enormous success Albrecht went back to honor
their agreement, only to discover the terrible price his brother
Albert had paid. By engaging in hard manual labor, his fingers had
become stiff and twisted and he could no longer paint. But instead of
becoming jealous and bitter, Albert encouraged Albrecht and prayed for
his continued success. In fact, one day while Albert was praying,
Albrecht quietly sketched his brother's gnarled, misshapen hands.
Today his masterpiece, "The Praying Hands," tell a story of love,
sacrifice, and the power of encouragement! (Visit
http://www.harvestnet.org/basics/prayinghands-64.gif to see this
familiar picture).
Paul's letter to the church at Thessalonica reminded them to encourage
each other and build each other up. Think of the people who've
cheered you on as you struggled to reach life's milestones: the
teacher who encouraged you to believe in yourself; the coach who
pushed you to your limit to get you over the finish line; the boss who
gave you the extra responsibility that led you to your promotion; the
parents and grandparents who were there every step of the way; the
entire chorus of encouragers who sustained you on your journey. Go
ahead, drop them a note, send them an e-mail, surprise them with
flowers. But don't stop there: show your appreciation by doing the
same for those around you.
"For He says: 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day
of salvation I have helped you.'" - 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NKJV)
It was a regular thing. "Now a man crippled from birth was being
carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day
to beg from those going into the temple courts." (Acts 3:2). But when
you've got a problem, even if you're in a beautiful situation you can't
enjoy it. This man was so close to the answer, but because the law
prevented him from entering the temple he was unable to enjoy the
blessings others received. Is that where you're living? Close to the
church, but not close enough to experience what God wants to do for you.
You're singing the songs, praying the prayers and listening to the
sermons, but you're still outside sitting at the gate?
The Bible doesn't tell us how long the lame man had been sitting
there, but he had no reason to think that today would be any different
from yesterday. He didn't know that God had earmarked it on His
calendar as his "day to be helped." How does that relate to you? God
very well could have a life-changing, soul-cleansing,
health-restoring, relationship-renewing experience for you today. But
it won't happen until you acknowledge your need and are prepared for
it. That means:
1. Walking with expectation;
2. Feeding your faith and starving your fears;
3. Keeping your heart open
Just as Jesus used His disciples THEN to bring healing to the lame
man, He can use you NOW to continue His work. The prerequisite is
that you must be ready. And that means being sensitive to the needs
around you and available to God at a moment's notice!
"The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and
forevermore." - Psalm 121:8 (NIV)
A mother wakes up during a thunderstorm and hurries to her son's room
after a particularly bright flash of lightning. She's convinced he's
going to be terrified. To her surprise, he's standing at the window.
"I was looking outside" he said, "and you'll never guess what happened.
God took my picture." This little boy was convinced (and so should we)
that God was at work; therefore his world is a perfectly safe place to
be.
Ask yourself this question: "What would my life look like if I lived
with a heart-deep conviction that because of God's unchanging
character and care, this world is a totally secure place for me to
be?" Your anxiety level would go down. You'd have the assurance that
your life is in the hands of Almighty God, so you wouldn't be tormented
by your own inadequacy. You'd be an unhurried person. You might be
busy, but you'd possess inner calmness and outer poise. You wouldn't
say many of the foolish things you now say because you speak without
thinking. You'd trust God enough to risk obeying Him. That means you
wouldn't have to hoard. Worry makes us depend on ourselves. It robs us
of joy and energy. A person in whom the peace of Christ reigns would be
an oasis of sanity in a world of pandemonium. Can you be that person?
Better yet, do you want to be that person?
Such a person does exist. "The LORD will keep you from all harm. He
will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and
going both now and forevermore." (Psalm 121:7-8). What else do you
need?
"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother
or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive many times as
much, and will inherit eternal life." - Matthew 19:29 (NASB)
Sacrificial love is about work, not play; it's about becoming a servant, not
a hero. Jesus said, "Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your
servant;" (Mark 10:43). You can give without loving, but you can't love
without giving. Real fulfillment can't be found in self-centeredness. One
Christian leader writes: "When I set about the task of loving, I usually end
up giving instead of receiving. Love inevitably costs me three commodities
that are most precious: my time, my energy and my money. I don't part with
these easily because I have them in limited quantities. It's time to strip
away the false glamour that the world (and sometimes the church) puts on
loving, and tell the truth: true love is sacrificial."
A wise woman once said, "When I get up each morning, I remind myself that
today I may be called upon to give more love, more care and more patience
than I get back. In times of sickness and hardship, it seems that I'm
required to do this for weeks or months on end. But when it's my turn and
I'm the person in need, God gives it back, either through my family or
someone else. And it always comes back in an amount equal to my need."
Peter wondered if it was all worthwhile when he asked Jesus, "'We have
left everything and followed You. What do we get out of it?' Jesus
replied, 'And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or
father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, will receive
many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.'" Furthermore, "For
God is not unfair. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and
how you have shown your love to him by caring for other Christians"
(Hebrews 6:10). This kind of love may cost you, but gives back so much more.
Romans 8:1 - "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are
in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according
to the Spirit." (NKJV)
Have you ever considered that if we were still living under the
stringent laws of the Old Testament, most Christians would be walking
around dismembered and maimed? Think about that for a moment, and let
it sink in . . . . If you needed a reason to thank God today, you have
one now! :o) And even though we are no longer under the law, I've
noticed many Christians still act like it in one particular area
because they've yet to discover "the difference". Perhaps, Paul's
authoritative warning in the previously mentioned verse needs to be
shouted from the rooftops.
When Paul says "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who
are in Christ Jesus...", literally, he's saying "Once you've come into
a saving knowledge of the person and work of Jesus, your sin does not
bring condemnation, even though it's worthy of condemnation. God
offers pardon to those in Christ Jesus". As those in Christ have died
with Him (see Romans 6:1-4), they have in Him satisfied the law, and
hence they cannot be under condemnation. Jesus, the sinless One, was
made sin for us; so we, forgiven through Him, are made the
righteousness of God in Him (see II Corinthians 5:21). In essence, we
experience adoption (as Believers, we've been given full privileges as
sons & daughters in God's family) and justification (declared
righteous) once we experience the vital union with Christ. We
sometimes forget about the significance of this vital union and fall
victim to what I like to call "Mature Manager Mode". The more mature
in Christ you become, the better you get at managing your sin. We
know we have been freed from the penalty of sin, but still often feel
enslaved by it. If you are a Christian, the uneasiness resulting from
your sin brings conviction (a great example of this can be found in
Psalm 51:1-17). If you are a Non-Christian, the uneasiness resulting
from your sin brings condemnation (see John 3:18). Even though both
condemnation & conviction originate as a consequence of sin, believers
need to hold fast to the stark difference between the two.
With condemnation, there is no hope. With conviction, the hope is in
Christ. Condemnation stems from false guilt brought to us by the
enemy. Conviction stems from genuine guilt brought to us by the Holy
Spirit, and the expected result is repentance. Condemnation exists
when an individual is still in our first federal head, Adam.
Conviction exists when an individual has surrendered the reigns of
his/her life to Christ as Lord. The difference between condemnation &
conviction is similar to the difference between suffering for Christ
and being inconvenienced for Christ: one is authentic, the other is
perceived to be authentic.
Romans gives a masterful presentation of God's plan of salvation. One
of Paul's purposes in penning the book was to give the believers in
Rome a well-instructed faith that they might be established (see
Romans 1:11). With that in mind, my goal in writing this devotional
is to encourage those in Christ and at the same time, admonish those
not in Christ. I'm completely aware that what God calls evil, some
might call "no big deal". But I challenge you to deeply ponder this
thought: the Holy Spirit, which convicts of sin (see John 15:8)
desires to make you distinct from what is common. This action (called
sanctification) refers to a process which is perfect in principle,
though not yet attainted. If you have not yet attained an
understanding to the difference between condemnation & conviction,
will you allow the process to perfect YOU?
"Conviction is worthless unless it is converted into conduct." -
Thomas Carlyle
Edifying, Encouraging & Enlightening, A GospelPreacha
"At just the right time, I will respond to you." - Isaiah 49:8 (NLT)
Just as there's a rhythm to your physical life, there's one to your
spiritual life. And God is the producer; He determines the beat. God
has a set time for all that He does. Sometimes, He moves suddenly.
But usually, He has to prepare you for the changes He has in mind.
Often, He'll start by loosening your grip on things that rival Him for
first-place in your life (i.e. a career that provides security, a
relationship you're too invested in, a side interest you've considered
a non-negotiable, etc.). Once you understand that He's the one who
gave you the passion to pursue those interests in the first place, it
clicks! These things will never be completely fulfilling, if God's
not factored into them. Thus, the desire for change starts to
takes root!
Then, comes the waiting period. Why do we have to wait? Because it
takes time for change to produce the maximum benefit. During that
time, God:
(a) Begins dealing with you about your past so it does not pollute
your future;
(b) Expands your knowledge so you're better prepared;
(c) Develops your character to look more like Jesus.
Even though God says, ". . . I, the LORD, will bring it all to pass at
the right time" (Isaiah 60:22), we don't appreciate His timing until
after the dust has settled. One thing, however, is certain. When you
allow God to work out His plan on His schedule, you get only His best.
And remember, it's easier to know when to move if you stay in step
with God and hear the beat. That sometimes means turning a deaf ear
to the clamor of the outside world or the advice of well-intentioned
friends.
"Through all of this Job did not sin nor did he blame God." - Job 1:22 (NASB)
When God called Job "the greatest of all the men of the east" (Job
1:3), the title was well-deserved. Job, whose name was synonymous
with integrity under fire, had ten children, vast land holdings,
servants and incredible wealth. Then, without warning, he lost
everything, including his children and his health. How could anyone
endure this without becoming bitter? "Through all of this Job did
not sin nor did he blame God." Instead he asked, "Shall we indeed
accept good from God and not accept adversity?" (Job 2:10).
Let's consider these possibilities:
(1) He recognized God's right to control events in his life. When the
dust settled, Job said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him"
(Job 13:15). He understood that anything God permits is ultimately
for the best, so he said, "I know that You can do all things, and that
no purpose of Yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2).
(2) He looked for wisdom in the adversity. Listen: "My flesh may be
destroyed, yet, I will see God and I long for that moment." (Job
19:26-27). When you lose everything temporal, your values change
radically. Job got his eyes off the here and now, took the long view
of a future without pain and sorrow and was strengthened to handle
whatever life threw at him.
(3) He acknowledged his limited understanding. Instead of feeling
compelled to explain every why and wherefore, Job told God, "I have
talked about things that are far beyond my understanding, I heard
about You from others; now I have seen You with my own eyes!" (Job
42:3-5). Seeing God in it . . . that was Job's secret!
