Today’s Devotional |
Today's Devotional
- Memory Verse
- For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God (Romans 14:11).
We’re accountable for our words.
The Judgment Seat of Christ will test our words as well as our works.
Dr. Wilber Penfield, director of the Montreal Neurological Institute, in a report to the Smithsonian Institute, said: “Your brain contains a permanent record of your past that is like a single continuous strip of movie film, complete with sound tract. This ‘film library’ records your whole waking life from childhood on. You can live again those scenes from your past, one at a time, when a surgeon applies a gentle electrical current to a certain point on the temporal cortex of your brain.” The report goes on to say that as you relive the scene from the past, you feel exactly the same emotions that you did during the original experience.
Could it be that the human race will be confronted with this irrefutable record in judgment when God “shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ” (Romans 2:16)?
Signs of the times indicate the return of Christ for His Church is very near. Remember — the Christian’s first appointment at the Rapture is the Judgment Seat of Christ. We will give an account of all our words and works as they affected our service since we were born again.
On that great day we will gladly own Him as Lord.
Let us prepare for that day by speaking for Him at every opportunity.
At the Judgment Seat of Christ, we’ll be glad we were faithful.
Daily Devotionals
“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God…”
Psalm 42:1, 2
“Soul Food” is a daily devotional written by Dr. Jack Van Impe that brings God’s Word to life.
“The Tender Touch” is a weekly devotional from the heart of Dr. Rexella Van Impe.
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Choose Devotional Type
- Tender Touch
- Soul Food
All of us at some point in our lives have had
traumatic experiences. Life has a way of forcing us to
cope with difficulty, pain, sorrow, and stress.
Some people seem to come through every test
stronger... and rise above every tumult. Others
appear to be in danger of drowning in their sorrow
...of being totally overcome by seemingly
insurmountable circumstances.
What makes the difference?
I believe a large part of the answer is a matter of
perspective... the point-of-view we have of life and
its challenges.
Let me share with you a beautiful experience of
Dr. Van Impe's and mine which helps reveal the
way I feel we should look at life's problems. It
happened when a special friend of the ministry called
and asked if we'd like to ride in his hot air balloon.
Of course we said yes. And Mr. John Raya, of
Father and Son Construction Co. in Rochester,
Michigan, set a time for us to meet him.
So on a glorious afternoon, we climbed into the
passenger basket and looked up at the beautiful
blue-and-white balloon billowing fifty or sixty feet
above us. My pulse was pounding with excitement
...and I have to admit the tiniest bit of
apprehension gripped my stomach.
But not for long! With a blast of flame from a
propane burner above our heads, additional hot air
was pumped into the balloon... the crew turned
loose of the basket... and we took off -- up, up,
and away!
What a sensation! What a thrill! If you've ever
gone up in a balloon, you know what I mean -- it's
an unforgettable experience.
Ballooning is nothing like flying in an airplane,
enclosed by glass and aluminum. Instead, you
begin to feel like a free spirit -- there is a distinct
sense of physical disembodiment as you feel
yourself floating upward, leaving the earth, rising
higher and higher.
A new way to see!
First of all, I was astonished at what I could see.
There was more sky than earth! Once above the
walls and enclosures of man-made structures, a
panorama of incredible beauty and unlimited
space unfolded all around me. I remember
thinking that this must be like seeing things from
God's viewpoint.
In their now miniature size, things that
appeared so important on the ground seemed
somehow insignificant. Dented car fenders, a
burned-out house, rushing traffic -- everything
seemed to blend into a much larger background.
The walls and fences separating people
diminished before my eyes and faded into mere lines in a
magnificent tapestry of soft color and interwoven
patterns.
I began to see a bigger picture of life itself.
Suddenly I understood as never before how
even events that seem like disasters close-up can
actually disappear into the perfect pattern of
God's master plan for our lives. And rather than
being overwhelmed, it is possible to accept each
circumstance as a purposeful part of God's will...
of His greater good for us!
How good it is to develop our spiritual sight in
faith. If only we would make it a practice to allow
the Holy Spirit to lift us above ourselves and see
our situation from God's viewpoint.
A new way to hear!
The second thing I discovered up in the balloon
was that in addition to a new way to look, there
was also a new way to listen.
As a musician, I am very conscious of sound --
of voices, cries, music. Floating hundreds of feet
in the air, I discovered there was no noise -- no
traffic roar, no barking dogs, no ringing
telephones, no blaring radios or TV sets. There was
only the soft sigh of the wind... and the silence.
It was so quiet I could almost hear my own
heartbeat. I actually had to get used to hearing
nothing. And in the soothing, uninterrupted
silence, I felt a healing, restoring power washing out
my brain and smoothing down the wrinkles in my
inner being.
With crystal clarity, I sensed a message of
reassuring love being whispered inside my heart in a
still, small voice. I recognized that Voice! And
suddenly I thrilled with new understanding of what
my Heavenly Father meant when He gently
commanded, Be still, and know that I am God
(Psalm 46:10).
On that crisp autumn afternoon, drifting
quietly above the patchwork quilts of the earth and
under the brilliant blue of the heavens, I knew God
afresh and anew.
Satisfied!
The Lord ministered to me through all my
senses on that special day. In addition to being
blessed through seeing and hearing, I became so
aware of God's presence that I could almost reach
out and touch Him -- I'm sure I felt Him touch me!
And smell -- the air above our beloved Michigan
homeland was so pure, so unpolluted at that
height. I've never smelled anything so clean. It
was like the very breath of God... exhilarating...
delicious!
I distinctly remember being aware that my
senses were totally filled up -- that I wanted
nothing to be satisfied. I had no need for food or
drink. I could cry out with the Psalmist David, O
taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).
All too soon our balloon ride came to an end, and
it was time to descend back to earth. Almost
reluctantly we left the sky and stood once more on the
ground.
But I'll never be quite the same again. How
much I learned about Christian living through
what I experienced that day up in the balloon.
I'm told that in stormy weather, that greatest of
birds, the eagle, does not seek a shelter or place of
refuge. Instead, he flies high into the sky, turns
into the wind and sets his wings so that the very
force of the storm lifts him safely above it.
Surely it is no coincidence that God's Word
declares --
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as
eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and
they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).
I heard a story recently about a nagging wife
who kept writing complaining letters to her
serviceman husband who was on combat duty in
another country. Finally, after receiving yet
another hateful letter, the husband wrote back,
"Will you please stop writing me vicious letters so
I can fight this war in peace?"
We all want peace, don't we? Personally and
nationally we crave it. Yet, so few of us find it.
I've read that over half the beds in our hospitals
today are filled with people who have mental
problems. These individuals have desperately sought
for peace but haven't found it. At last, they have
reached the place where they can no longer cope
with life, and they have become ill.
A noted doctor once said that if all the
tranquilizers were taken away from the American people,
we would have a national nervous breakdown so
big there wouldn't be enough well people to take
care of the sick ones. People who take
tranquilizers are trying to push the turbulence in
their lives out of their minds. They have to resort
to a little pill to put them in "peaceful" oblivion.
My heart goes out to those who do not know the
meaning of peace. Each day is a repetition of the
previous one, filled with hostility, despair, and
loneliness. They are miserable, frustrated, and
unhappy with themselves and everyone around
them.
A picture of peace
Remember the story of the rich man who
commissioned an artist to paint him a picture
illustrating true peace. The artist painted a
beautiful picture of a lake surrounded by trees. In the
distance were majestic, snow-covered mountains.
When the rich man saw it, he shook his head.
"It's very beautiful," he told the artist, "but it's not
a picture of true peace. Please try again."
This time the artist thought a long time before
he began to paint. On the canvas, he painted a
huge, thundering waterfall. He showed the water
churning over the falls and crashing onto rocks far
below. Then, at one side of the waterfall, he
painted a birch tree whose slender branches
reached out over the roaring water. On one of the
branches, he painted a little bird sitting quietly
and contentedly on her nest, oblivious to the
danger around her.
That is true peace -- not an escape from the
pressures and trials of life but the quiet repose of a
heart at rest with God. Jesus said, These things I
have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but
be of good cheer; I have overcome the world
(John 16:33).
Jesus' life was anything but peaceful. Yet, His
last legacy to His disciples and to all those who
would follow Him was the promise of peace. Peace
I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as
the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your
heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John
14:27).
I love the old hymn that goes:
Trust and rest when all around thee
Let no fear or foe confound thee,
Wait for God and trust and rest.
Trust and rest with heart abiding,
Like a birdling in its nest,
Underneath His feathers hiding,
Fold thy wings and trust and rest.
I don't know the things in your life that cause
you unrest and destroy your peace. But I want to
remind you that there is a way to handle them.
God has given us guidelines that can take us
through these troublesome times.
Guidelines for troubled times
In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said,
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be
called the children of God (Matthew 5:9). What
does that mean to you in your everyday life? It
means that if you will turn your thoughts to God,
He will take control. Then, regardless of the
conditions around you, you have His abiding peace, joy,
patience -- whatever you need at the moment -- to
draw on.
The Apostle Paul tells us that He [Jesus] is our
[way of] peace (Ephesians 2:14). It's only when we
follow after Him that the walls of hostility which
surround us come tumbling down. He is our way
of living at peace with others. Paul also speaks of
those who do not seek after God, and he observes
that they do not know the way of peace (see
Romans 3:17).
A verse that has helped so many who were going
through turbulent times is Isaiah 26:3, Thou wilt
keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed
on thee: because he trusteth in thee. When you
keep your mind on the Lord and trust
unwaveringly in Him, you can truly live in peace though
the world around you be filled with turmoil and
strife.
My prayer for you today is that... the peace of
God, which passeth all understanding, shall
keep your hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
"You have such an exciting life! It must be
wonderful to travel about and meet so many
interesting and important people..."
In years past, Dr. Van Impe and I have visited
dozens of cities hosting fellowship banquets and
conducting areawide evangelistic crusades. It
always was a delight to renew old acquaintances
and make new friends. And always we were
overjoyed at the tremendous results we saw in the
crusades. Truly, the Holy Spirit is at work bringing
revival to America!
Many people I talked with said they had seen me
on television and some mentioned that they
enjoyed the on-location interviews I've had over
the years with various well-known people. They
often expressed the feeling that I was fortunate to
be able to enjoy such interesting encounters.
And they're right. Jack and I have had many
beautiful encounters with people in this life. We're
grateful for the wonderful opportunities God has
given us to serve Him and minister across the
United States and Canada and around the world.
We've met important international figures, like
Israel's Abba Eban, and numerous national
leaders, such as Senator Charles Grassley, Senator
William Armstrong, Senator Roger Jepsen,
Congressman Mark Siljander, Mrs. Barbara Bush
(when her husband was Vice President), and so
many others.
We've had encounters with rich and successful
businessmen, great men of science, national
heroes like several of our astronauts, and some of
the most beautiful and charming women in the
world.
It has been intensely interesting to have
encounters with great writers and performers --
learned men and women, experts and authorities
in many fields.
We've also had the pleasure of working personally
with a great many outstanding Christian
leaders, including some 10,000 pastors all across
this great nation. These are encounters we can
never forget!
A life-changing encounter
Of course, the greatest encounter of my life was
when I met Jesus and accepted His salvation.
Never have I experienced such love, such
renewing, cleansing, life-giving power! He
touched me... changed me... transformed me.
Since that great and wondrous encounter, I've
never been the same.
And every day since then, I've had the privilege
of going into the presence of God himself and
having personal, precious fellowship with the
Lord Jesus Christ, my Saviour, my Strength, and
my Friend.
In the words of that grand old song -- "And He
walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells
me I am His own; and the joy we share as we tarry
there, none other has ever known."
Because of that encounter, I have dedicated my
life to serving Christ. I want to do everything I can
to help others have this same wonderful
encounter with God. Right now my heart is
rejoicing because of the thousands and thousands
who have accepted Christ through the witness of
our national television specials and weekly
telecasts. God used the messages of these programs
to bring a great harvest of souls. More than 60,000
people responded to the telecast on "The Occult
World," either requesting literature and prayer or
sharing their testimony about making a decision
for Christ. Thank God for allowing us to be a part
of these great soulwinning outreaches.
Your most important encounter
Would you be excited and filled with anticipation
if you knew you were going to meet the
President of the United States? Of course! No
doubt you would try to look and act your best for
such an important encounter.
But I tell you, there is Someone greater than
him waiting for you, eager to be with you and
have intimate, personal fellowship with you -- not
just once, but every moment of every day, for now
and forever!
His name is Jesus.
Don't neglect your encounter with God --
renew it daily. Nothing... and nobody... is more
important!
If you were to make only one resolution in your
whole life, it should be to have a daily encounter
with Christ Jesus. And remember, as you allow
the Holy Spirit to fill you, this will become a
reality. What could be more exciting, more
thrilling, more fulfilling than this?
"How do I handle the guilt of having lived in
adultery for twenty years?" a woman asked me.
First, I led her to the Lord. Then I assured her that
the past was forgotten, just as if she had never sinned.
The blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).
The moment we receive Him, we start a new life. Our
past is never remembered again.
God has promised, "Their sins and their iniquities
will I remember no more" (Heb. 8:12). It is often said
that God casts our sins into the sea of His forgetfulness
and puts up a sign: "No fishing allowed."
However, Satan can use guilt feelings to rob us of
our joy and effectiveness for Christ. Often he brings to
our remembrance the past with all its ugliness. To
overcome this assault, we must have full assurance
that we have been forgiven of our sin (the promise of 1
John 1:9). Then we must dwell with Christ in daily
communion, constantly aware of His glory and the joy
of knowing that He wants to use us in spite of our past.
Having received forgiveness in Christ, we must next
forgive ourselves for our failures. This is what I believe
the apostle Paul was thinking when he wrote, "forgetting
those things which are behind, and reaching forth
unto those things which are before" (Phil. 3:13).
I picture Paul sitting down one day and, in a state of
despair, declaring, "I am the worst of sinners." Then
the Holy Spirit whispers, "Forget those things which
are behind. You did your best. You did all that you
could do, and God knows all about it, so forget all the
things which are behind you. Press toward the mark
for the prize of the high calling of Christ" (see Phil.
3:13,14).
The Holy Spirit makes the same statement to us
today. Do all that you can now and leave the rest with
the Lord. Look toward the future.
Our thought processes can work to our advantage
or to our disadvantage. I believe that "Gird up the
loins of your mind" (1 Pet. 1:13) means don't allow
yourself to look back, especially on failure and on the
sins for which you have been forgiven. Think on those
things that edify the soul. Philippians 4:8 expresses
beautifully the kinds of thoughts that should fill the
minds of Christians: things that are true, honest, just,
pure, lovely, and of good report.
It is very hard for me to reflect on my life. I have
found it much healthier to look ahead, reflecting only
long enough to say "Thank you, Lord." I never
wallow in guilt, even for two minutes. I will not allow my
mind to do that.
I learned to control my thoughts at a very young
age. After singing in church one night, I was angry
with myself because I thought I had done a bad job.
My brother Bob asked, "Did you do your best?"
"Yes, I did," I answered.
He simply said, "Well?"
"Thank you, Bob," I replied.
That lesson stuck with me. During the first year of
our ministry, I fought those angry feelings when I
didn't do a good job. The Holy Spirit seemed to speak
to me as Bob had done.
"Did you do your best?"
I did.
"Well?"
I realized that although I might not do a superb job
every night, I could do my best... and that's all that is
required.
Each of us struggles with personal failure.
Remember Paul's frustration in Romans 7? The things he
wanted to do, he didn't do. The things he didn't want
to do, he ended up doing. That is also true in my life. I
echo his cry, "O wretched man that I am! who shall
deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God
through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 7:24,25).
You may feel guilty over a son or daughter who has
strayed away from God. Don't condemn yourself by
asking, "Where did I go wrong?" Did you do your best
in rearing him or her for Christ? Then claim the promise
of Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he
should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from
it." Don't spend the rest of your days in regret. Rather,
seek God's guidance in helping your child now.
Forget the past and let your love and concern show
through your prayers to the God who cares. Hands
off -- God is at work!
We will never be perfect in this life, but it's good to
know we have been forgiven -- not only for our past
sins, but also for our daily shortcomings and the
weaknesses that will cause us to fall short of the glory
of God throughout life on earth.
Think of it! We are forgiven... past, present, and
future! "There is therefore now no condemnation to
them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1).
No condemnation! And no guilt!
- Memory Verse
- And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed (Romans 13:11).
We live in a strategic period of history. This is not time for lazy, lethargic Christianity. There is too much at stake, too much to do.
Vance Havner hit the target when he wrote: “We have too many casual Christians who dabble in everything but are not committed to anything. They have a nodding acquaintance with a score of subjects but are sold on nothing.” Evaluating the conditions in many churches he said, “Most church members live so far below the standard, you’d have to backslide to be in fellowship. We are so subnormal that if we were to become normal, people would think we were abnormal!”
And all this when closing time seems to be upon us! The prospect of the Lord’s soon return ought to awaken us to the need of total involvement in taking the gospel to the world. D. L. Moody said, “I have felt like working three times as hard since I came to understand that my Lord is coming again.” How has that truth affected your life?
In what areas of Christian responsibility are you lethargic? What would a genuine awakening do to your lifestyle? Which of your present activities would cease? How would your involvement in your church change? What would happen to your giving?
Time is counting down.
Days of opportunity are slipping away.
Christ is coming.
It is high time to awake out of sleep.
- Memory Verse
- But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only (Matthew 24:36).
Somewhere in time there is a sacred date known only to the Lord, the date of Christ’s return for His Bride...the Church. No one on earth can tell the day or pinpoint the hour of this long promised event. We know only that it is sure to come and that wise ones get ready for it.
In his book, Pepper ‘N Salt, Dr. Vance Havner tells of a wild duck that came down on migration into a barnyard and liked it so well that he stayed there. In the fall his former companions passed overhead and his first impulse was to rise and join them, but he had fed so well that he could rise no higher than the eaves of the barn. As time passed, the day finally came when his old fellow travelers could pass overhead without his even hearing their call. Many Christians have become content in this world and scarcely hear the call of God concerning the needs in their lives. Preaching doesn’t touch them. They have settled down in the barnyard and have forgotten they belong to the Lord.
On that special day to come, they will hear the call of the Lord and will rise to meet Him. All who have been born again will be taken in the Rapture of the Church...but many will be ashamed. The weight of worldly trinkets had overloaded them. John warned: “And now, Little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28). The coming of Christ is imminent...an event to be expected at all times. He will return right on time. PERHAPS TODAY!
Remember who you are.
The time of His coming draws nigh.
Get out of the barnyard.
- Memory Verse
- For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
James and John, like many of us, longed for places of power: “They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.” Jesus rebuked them for their carnal craving and taught them the value of ministering. That, He said, was His purpose in coming to earth.
And what a minister He was. As a boy in the temple, at the age of twelve, He ministered to the religious leaders, answering their questions. He ministered to the sick. They came to Him with all manner of diseases and He healed them all. He ministered to the grieving, weeping with them, and often He went to the heart of their grief, restoring their loved ones who had been lost in death. He ministered to children and parents. Though He was here on heaven’s most important mission, He had time to lay His hands on little children and pray for them. He ministered to His disciples, taking a towel and basin and washing their feet. He ministered to lost sinners, explaining the way of eternal life. He ministered to a multi-married woman at the well of Samaria and gave her living water to quench her thirst of soul. He ministered to a dying thief who longed to be forgiven for a life of sin and to be remembered in the Kingdom. He ministered to His crucifiers as He prayed for their forgiveness.
What lessons there are in the life of Jesus to show us the sin of self exaltation! He humbled Himself and gave His life a ransom. We will do well to follow His steps by ministering to others today.
- Memory Verse
- But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased (Daniel 12:4).
Time is winding down. No one knows the day nor the hour of the Lord’s coming, but many sense that something is in the wind and students of Bible prophecy are aware of the many signs of our day that point to the return of our Saviour.
Writing on our text, Dr. H. A. Ironside commented: “Daniel was told to shut up the words and seal the book, even to the Time of the End. This is in marked contrast with the message of the angel to the Apostle John at the close of the Book of Revelation. “And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand” (Revelation 22:10). The present age or church period is looked at as being but a moment, so to speak, in the ways of God. Messiah having come and been rejected by Israel, the next thing in prophetic order is the Time of the End. If this dispensation is made a little longer, it is but an evidence of God’s long-suffering to sinners, being not willing that any should perish; but that all should turn to Him and live.
“John says that all Christians who really believe in the return of the Lord take steps to get their lives in order. That is, they do more than sit around and speculate over the identity of the Antichrist. They forsake sin and seek the will of God in every area of life. Here are John’s words: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2,3). Expect His return every day.
- Memory Verse
- And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief (Matthew 13:58).
No hero’s welcome awaited Jesus when He returned to Nazareth. Though His wisdom astonished His countrymen when He taught in their synagogue, they questioned His authority. Isaiah had written: “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief...” (Isaiah 53:3). The Saviour’s home neighborhood was the first to have a part in fulfilling that prophecy.
Familiarity sometimes brings contempt. We are often slow to recognize the gifts and abilities of those nearest to us. Even familiarity with the Bible can cause one to overlook its treasures. I once advised a discouraged minister to begin reading the Gospel of John just as if he were a new convert. He took my advice and found rich blessing in doing so.
The people of Nazareth missed the opportunity of the ages. Here in their midst was the Promised One and they rejected Him. Millions, through coming millennia, would find life in Jesus, but Nazareth would not believe. Because of their unbelief they saw few miracles and missed many blessings. Eternity will haunt them.
Many limit God by lack of faith. Talk is cheap and it is easy to extol the truths of the power of God, but it is another matter to trust God for His working in daily life. As long as unbelief determines our decisions, we will remain strangers to His bounty. Do not let familiarity rob you of faith.
Believe God with the expectancy of a little child and experience His mighty power in your life!
- Memory Verse
- For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it (Mark 8:35).
There were two sons in the Taylor family in England. The older said that he intended to spend his life making a name for his family and so set as his goal an office in Parliament. The younger, Hudson Taylor, decided to invest his life in missionary work in China. By the time of his death, Hudson Taylor was known around the world for his effective missionary work and as an outstanding Christian. He is still the subject of books and is often quoted by writers and speakers. His older brother, who sought fame, is listed in one English encyclopedia only as “The Brother of Hudson Taylor.”
The Taylor sons illustrate an unaltering Biblical principle that stands out in the ministry of Jesus: We save by losing and lose by saving. When we try to draw all things to ourselves and are afraid to surrender to the will of God, we lose. The person who spends his life gathering trophies to impress others is a loser. Focusing on wealth and property to the exclusion of spiritual values produces poverty in the real areas of life. It is the giver who gains; the investor who draws interest; the man of faith who moves mountains.
What then shall we do? There is but one answer: GIVE CHRIST FIRST PLACE! When we do that, in losing our lives, we save them.
And our savings will last for eternity!
- Memory Verse
- Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee (Mark 10:28).
When Jesus called His disciples, they left their temporal work and invested their lives with Him. They must have appeared to be fanatics and fools to their neighbors and associates. But how many of their friends’ names do you know on this date nearly two thousand years later? Time has demonstrated the wisdom of their dedication.
Few who reach for fame in this world attain it, but those who choose eternal values will never regret their decisions. Of course, not all who surrender completely to Christ are called to leave their jobs and careers to give full time to preaching the gospel. But all are called to be full time Christians. And many more are called to full time Christian work than respond.
Surrender always involves struggle. The flesh does not give up easily. The love of money and ease afflicts the race of Adam and eternal rewards often go begging while attention and energy are given to the toys of this life.
Enough of this talking in generalities! What about you? What are you doing about the will of God? Are you sure you are serving God as you ought? Is there a struggle for surrender within? Are you missing God’s best? Will you regret your present course? Do you fear public reaction if you yield to God’s will? Do you think you will lose too much by leaving all to follow Christ?
Continuing as you are you may reach the top. But don’t forget: “...many that are first shall be last; and the last first.”