Today’s Devotional |
Today's Devotional
- Memory Verse
- And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people (John 7:12).
Perhaps you are enduring undeserved criticism. Never mind.
They criticized Jesus.
Dr. Henry Clay Trumbull and Dr. Charles G. Trumbull, editors of “The Sunday School Times” from 1875 to 1941 gave the following advice to those being criticized by others:
- Commit the matter instantly to God, asking him to remove all resentment or counter-criticism on our part, and teach us needed lessons.
- “Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds,” (Hebrews 12:3), remembering that we ourselves are very great sinners, and that the one who has criticized us does not actually know the worst.
- Take account of the personal bias of the speaker or writer.
- Remember that “a soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
- If the criticism is true, and we have made a mistake or committed a sin, let us humbly and frankly, confess our sin to Him, and to anyone whom we may have injured.
- Learn afresh that we are fallible, and that we need His grace and wisdom moment by moment to keep us in the straight path.
- Then, — and not until then — “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before…press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
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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- Soul Food
- Tender Touch
- Memory Verse
- And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).
You may be surprised to learn that God can experience grief. Yet, there are a number of Bible texts that reveal this.
Moses wrote that God was grieved over the wickedness that was on the earth before the flood. David declared that God had been grieved with the Children of Israel because of their complaining in the wilderness; after their escape from Egypt. Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be a “man of sorrows” and said that He would be acquainted with grief.
What grieves the Holy Spirit?
The context of today’s verse reveals a number of things that grieve Him: “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31).
Notice that all these sins have to do with your attitude toward others. You cannot be bitter toward others without grieving the Holy Spirit. You cannot gossip about others without grieving the Holy Spirit. You cannot carry malice in your heart without grieving the Holy Spirit.
To keep from grieving the Holy Spirit, we must be demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit as shown in Ephesians 4:32: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Examine your life for attitudes and actions that grieve the Holy Spirit. As they come to mind, confess them to Christ immediately and accept His forgiveness. Enjoy the sweet release that comes from being sure that all is right between you and your Lord.
Grieve not the Spirit.
- Memory Verse
- Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves (John 6:43).
Complaining is contagious.
Some are always looking for things to complain about. The late T. DeWitt Talmage wrote of such people, “Away with the horrors! they distill poison; they dig graves; and if they could climb so high, they would drown the rejoicings of Heaven with sobs and wailing.”
Christians are either power conscious or problem conscious. Churches have been built and blessed by those who focused on the power of Christ and have gone ahead in His service without fear. The work of the Lord has suffered through the centuries because of those who continually dwell on what they conclude is wrong.
The pastor is wrong.
The choir director is wrong.
The church board is wrong.
The program is wrong.
Mentioning money from the pulpit is wrong.
Busing children to Sunday School is wrong.
Contests are wrong.
Evangelistic meetings are wrong.
Humor on the platform is wrong.
And if there be any other method of reaching people and communicating the Gospel to them that calls for sacrifice and involvement of the complainer that is also wrong.
Especially wrong.
Stop being the hold-back in your church.
Break up your griping group and get busy for Christ. Murmur not among yourselves.
- Memory Verse
- What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Your body is important.
Consider the creation.
Everything in the universe, except the human frame, was simply spoken into existence. “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and the beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so” (Genesis 1:24).
Not so the body of man. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26). “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7).
When Christ came to earth, He was made in the likeness of men and referred to His body as His temple. He said the resurrection of His body would be the proof of His deity (see John 2:18-22).
The coming resurrection reveals divine regard for our bodies. Christ was resurrected bodily from the grave, just as we shall be at His coming.
The most exciting fact about the Christian’s body is that it is the temple of God. This amazing truth should temper every thought and activity. Are you careful about your conduct inside the church building? You should be equally careful at all times. Your body is the dwelling place of God.
- Memory Verse
- Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost (Titus 3:5).
“Your religionists came to visit me,” the man stormed. He was angry about what he considered an invasion of his privacy. I listened calmly and thought about his words. If he had been right about the visitors being but religionists, he would have had a legitimate complaint. The world does not need any more religion.
A missionary once said: “You have the same problem here in America as on the mission field — religion.” He was right. Religion can be a serious barrier that keeps people from salvation. Trusting in their ceremonies and rituals, they often miss the wonderful simplicity of faith in Christ.
Nicodemus was a religious man, a ruler of the Jews. No one would have guessed the emptiness of his heart. Yet, when he came to Jesus, the Lord saw through his religious exterior and informed him that he needed to be born again. Poor confused Nicodemus asked a logical question: “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” (John 3:4). Jesus then explained that this needed new birth was a birth of the Spirit.
The new birth is a mystery. Jesus said: “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). Still, we know how the new birth can be ours: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
- Memory Verse
- I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. (Psalm 77:3).
The Psalmist was troubled: overwhelmed by his problems. Focusing on his burdens, he complained, wondering why God didn’t do something about his situation. Finally, he realized that the problem was not with God but with him: “And I said, This is my infirmity” (Psalm 77:10).
From that point on his heart was filled with praise. The reason?
He had turned his attention from his problems to the faithfulness of God. And that is a good exercise for all complainers.
Has God ever answered prayer for you?
Has God ever provided for you when there was no human way to meet a need?
Has God honored your faith in the past?
Have there been times when you were filled with anxiety only to have your Lord move circumstances and deliver you from your anticipated tragedy? Have you worried in vain?
And what about God’s goodness to our nation? The Psalmist reviewed God’s care of His people: His many blessings to Israel. As Americans, we also have manifold blessings for which to thank our God. Has He not protected us and guided us through difficult days? As an American and a Christian, you have much for which to thank the Lord. Put your cares to the memory test. And thank God for His faithfulness.
Now about those complaints.
What were they?
Or have you forgotten them in the light of God’s wonderful care in the past and His continuing goodness today?
Remember... He cares.
- Memory Verse
- And it shall come to pass, that a man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you (Numbers 17:5).
C. H. Spurgeon once said that he had one blind eye and one deaf ear and that they were the best ear and eye that he had. He meant that we are far better off not to pay any attention to the complainers. And in the case of a servant of the Lord, God’s protection and vindication is promised: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD”. (Isaiah 54:17).
Travelers in the northern lane of ocean traffic have frequently observed icebergs traveling in one direction in spite of the fact that strong winds are blowing the opposite way. The icebergs often move against the wind. The explanation is that the great bergs, with eight-ninths of their hulk under the waters, are caught in the grip of mighty currents that carry them forward no matter which way the winds blow.
So the dedicated Christian leader has the greater part of his being thrust down into the will of God. The currents of God’s will move him toward righteousness no matter how the winds of passing opinion blow.
When you know you are in God’s will, pay no heed to the detractors. Keep moving ahead. Shrug off the criticism. God’s work must be done and there is not time to be diverted from the task by the small ones who grumble and complain.
Keep on for Jesus.
He will vindicate His own.
- Memory Verse
- Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts (Zechariah 4:6).
This is the day of gimmicks and promotions. Products are palmed off on the public through slick advertising methods. Candidates buy their way into office with expensive election campaigns. The American dream of going from a log cabin to the White House is in danger. Because of the fallen nature of man, these things are not surprising but it is sad when Christians adopt this faithless way in doing God’s work.
Recently someone estimated that 90 percent of present-day Christian work would continue as is even if the Holy Spirit did not exist. One hopes that guess is wrong, but it is safe to say that a lot of religious machinery runs on the energy of the flesh. And this is not altogether in apostate or unbelieving circles. The time has come to return to spiritual methods of doing spiritual work.
The Holy Spirit works in answer to prayer. Dr. D. L. Moody said: “Every great work of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” I wonder what would happen in America if church boards began spending as much time in prayer during their meetings as they do in tossing around promotional ideas. Can you imagine the spiritual impact of multitudes in prayer for pastors and all aspects of the ministry of the church?
Four men arrived early at Spurgeon’s church on Sunday morning and were given a tour of the building. Opening one door, they saw fifteen hundred people on their knees. “That is the heating plant,” said their guide.
Start heating up your church through prayer. You’ll end the spiritual energy crisis!
Fire!
What do you think of when you hear
that word? Does it set off an alarm in your
mind, warning of danger, destruction,
possibly even death from roaring, angry flames?
Or perhaps you envision the cheery
warmth of a fireplace, or the gentle glow of
the kitchen cook stove at breakfast time.
Fire can be either negative or positive, a
fearsome force or a blessing with hope.
Harnessed properly and handled carefully,
flames can bring comfort, joy, and peace.
Unrestrained, flames ruin and destroy
everything they touch.
A campfire is built to provide warmth
and light, and to prepare food. But left
unattended, the positive power of the flames
can quickly become a death-dealing menace.
We all remember the dreadful devastation
in Yellowstone Park. Several small fires
spread and burst into an inferno that roared
across thousands of acres of forest, leaving
only smoldering desolation behind.
Certainly the world is aflame today with
destruction and devastation. The eyes of
the world were riveted to the live television
coverage of the explosive situation in China
as students demonstrating for freedom
clashed with government troops in Beijing's
Tiananmen Square.
During the conflict, in which hundreds
were ultimately killed, a train was set on
fire, and students poured flaming gasoline
inside the turret of an army tank, horribly
burning those inside. The crackling flames
and billowing smoke were unmistakable
evidences of hostility, hatred, and death.
Sin burns out of control
The personal worlds of multitudes of
people are aflame today. Sin is burning out
of control. Drug abuse is rampant. The
flames of alcoholism, divorce, pornography,
sexual abuse, and crime of every kind rage
tumultuously. Tragically, these killer fires
often are first started deliberately. "This is
just a little flame, like a match," says an
unwitting individual. "Surely this couldn't
hurt me. I can handle a little drink, a little
dope, a little illicit sex, a little dishonesty."
But after a while, the flame spreads, then
explodes. What was meant to be simply
bright and exciting rages into an uncontrollable,
hellish nightmare.
These victims of sin's explosion can be
rescued only by another fire -- the flaming
power of the Holy Spirit, proclaiming the
redeeming salvation of Jesus Christ. This
flame brings light and hope to their dark
world.
The Lord has so beautifully laid on our
hearts to use the world aflame as the
logotype of our ministry. This attractive symbol
is both a reminder of the world's urgent
need and an eloquent testimony to the light,
hope, and power of the gospel.
As Christ's ambassadors in these last
days, our mission and purpose is clear -- to
light new fires of revival, redemption, and
reconciliation...across America and around
the world. Oh, how our neighbors and
friends need the purifying, cleansing,
healing flame of the Holy Spirit in their
blackened, scarred, and ruined lives today.
On fire for God
There was a time when Christians spoke
of being "on fire for God." By this they
meant that they were eager to share the
transforming power, the light and hope of
Christ's gospel, with everyone around them.
Too few are still "on fire" today.
Sadly, many actually have been afraid
of God's power, backing so far away from
its vital force that they have become
impotent and ineffectual. The flames of faith
have died down, and in too many cases,
even the embers have turned cold and dead!
I heard about a church that had a real
revival among their youth. These young
people were excited and passionately
enthusiastic about their salvation and sharing
the good news.
Someone went to the pastor and said,
"These kids are about to overdo this. Aren't
you afraid this enthusiasm will get out of
hand and we'll have some wildfire?"
"That doesn't concern me a bit," said
the wise old minister. "If any wildfire should
break out, there are always plenty of 'wet
blankets' around to put it out!"
Oh, it's time we stopped going through
the motions of being religious and really
begin shining for Jesus!
A flame of fire
During our Celebration of Faith banquet,
when we officially opened the World
Outreach Center, my husband, Jack, delivered
a tremendous prophetic message the Lord
had laid upon his heart. Now, over the
years, I've heard him preach hundreds and
hundreds of times. But this night was really
special.
As I watched and listened to him speak,
suddenly he appeared as a flame of light,
hope, and power, proclaiming the Truth of
Revelation! God's anointing was upon him
in such a marvelous way; the power and
warmth of the Spirit flowed through him
and filled the hall. It was a glorious
experience...and many who were there
commented about this special message.
Truly, God maketh his angels spirits, and
his ministers a flame of fire (Hebrews 1:7).
Lamplighters
I love the illustration often used by my
dear friend, Mary Dorr, head of International
Religion in Media. Her organization has
awarded several "Angel" awards to Jack and
me for our television ministry.
She tells of the young Robert Lewis
Stevenson, peering out the window as a
workman came by and lit the gaslights along
the street. When asked what he was
watching, the lad said, "I see a man making
holes in the darkness!"
Thank God, each of us can be gospel
lamplighters. We can harness the force of
fire to do God's work, God's way. Individually,
we can be a flame for the Lord in
whatever sphere or circle He has placed us.
And working with other believers, we can
help send the light to the darkest corners of
the world by supporting those ministers who
are "flames of fire."
If your heart burns within you with a
sense of urgency, as mine does, take my
hand and let us work together. We must
reach the world with the gospel -- quickly --
for the Lord is coming back again...perhaps
today!
I heard her crying the minute I got out
of the car!
Dr. Van Impe and I had just arrived home
from a crusade trip on a beautiful August
night several years ago. It was almost 3
o'clock in the morning and we were eager to
get the car unpacked and get inside.
But we heard a little cry -- almost like
the sound of a baby. I hurried over to some
nearby shrubbery, reached down...and there
was a tiny little kitten!
I picked up that wee ball of fur and
gently stroked her. She was so little, so
lost, so alone. Our house was not near the
city or heavily-traveled areas, so I couldn't
imagine where that cat could have come from.
Later, I decided the Lord just allowed
her to come to our house.
"Can I feed her?" I asked my husband.
"That's really not a very good idea," he
said. "Once you feed her, you'll have a cat.
And you know we're traveling all the time,
often by air. That cat could never travel
with us. So I don't think you'd better feed
her."
Well, I finally went to bed that night, but
I didn't sleep. I kept thinking about that
poor little kitty outside. As soon as it got
light the next morning, I was up. And there
was the kitten out on our patio!
"Can't I feed her just a little now?" I asked.
And Jack gave in. So I got her some milk.
Winning our hearts
As we cared for that tiny animal, she
quickly began to win our hearts. We could
see that she was very hungry, weak, and
sick. But she was so sweet and appreciative
of the attention we gave her.
I took her to a veterinarian who found
that she had mites in her ears, intestinal
worms, and that her eyes were infected. He
gave me some medicine for her, and told me
she was about four weeks old. He said she
apparently had been abandoned by her
mother, and that if we had not cared for
her, she would have certainly died.
When I got home with her, Jack said,
"We'll feed her and nurse her back to health,
but she has to stay out in the garage -- she
can't come inside the house." So we fixed
up a comfortable place for her and she got
stronger and better by the day.
I was so happy to have this little stray
kitten because, with our travel schedule,
we'd never even considered having a pet of
any kind. We decided that the man who
mowed our grass during the summer could
come by the house every day when we were
gone and feed Finica.
That's what we named her -- Finica, a
derivative of the Flemish word for Josephine.
The "CA" on the end of the word indicates
precious or beloved. And so she is!
Finica's bed in the garage lasted for one
trip. I could hardly wait to get back home
to check on her. And she was so glad to see
US.
Jack said, "Now, we can't let her into
the house, you know." And I replied, "Oh,
let's just take her in for a little while so I
can love her a little bit."
The moment she set foot inside the door,
Finica became queen of the house. And
she never went back to the garage again!
In two weeks' time, she went from an
abandoned stray to a member of our family.
For many years now, she has been a
great joy! And we have learned so many
lessons from her -- gentleness, unqualified
love, dependence with dignity, devotion, and
patience.
Little traveler
She immediately adapted herself to our
life-style. Because we spend so much time
working, she learned independence and
self-entertainment. She has always required
a minimum of fuss.
And she took to travel like a real trooper.
She began traveling in the car when she
was just a month old. Unlike many animals,
she never was nervous or upset, and never
had to be tranquilized.
So when it came time to fly, she went
right on the plane with me. She's been on
hundreds of flights -- even all the way to
Alaska. She adapts to different hotel rooms
without complaint. When we come in at
night, tired from a busy evening, there she
is with a gentle purr, ready to cuddle for a
while. It's just like having "family" on the
road with us.
Although she still goes with us all the
time, now that she's getting older, Finica
does enjoy home life a bit more than traveling.
She especially loves to lie in front of
the fireplace on a cold evening, or just sit
and look out the window during the day.
She doesn't require a lot to be content.
And you know, the one who first said,
"Don't feed her" -- I just don't know what he
would do without her now. Jack loves Finica
as much as I do. Some might have a hard
time visualizing this manly, busy scholar
having time for a cat -- but you should just
see them together! They're quite a pair.
When we travel, he never complains
about going to the airport a little early to
make special arrangements for Finica. He
likes to take her with us and would do
anything within reason for her.
So often when I'm enjoying the
companionship of my beloved friend and pet, I think
of what we would have missed had we not
taken her in. We had to get involved -- we
fed her, nursed her, met her needs. And
over the years, she's required some of our
time and attention. But, oh, how much
she's given back to us! How we've been
blessed in return.
Dare to get involved
So often in today's world, we miss out
on the opportunities God gives us to be
enriched and blessed by avoiding those we
could help. "I know that person has a need,"
we say, "but I don't want to get involved. It
would be too much trouble...take too much
time...and it might be risky."
So even when we have the resources to
share and wisdom that is needed, we pass
on by...or sit back doing nothing. We let
the inconvenience of caring rob us of the
rewards of becoming involved. Who knows
when the person you minister to in Christian
love will turn out to be a dear friend -- a
"beloved" one? And what greater incentive
could we have to show love than the example
of our Saviour and the teachings of the
Word of God?
John, the Apostle of Love, wrote, But
whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his
brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels
of compassion from him, how dwelleth
the love of God in him? My little children, let
us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in
deed and in truth (1 John 3:17,18).
I can think of no greater joy than to get
involved spiritually with people. How
wonderful to lead someone to Christ and see
changes begin to take place in his life. What
a thrill it will be to see that dear one in
heaven!
That's why Dr. Van Impe and I just
cannot give enough these days -- of our time,
our talents, our best efforts, or our personal
funds -- to get involved with people crying
out for spiritual help.
We care! We are involved. And, oh, how
we are blessed!
We're hearing so much in this day about
the New Age Movement and how we should
be in contact with our "other self" through
our "spirit guide." These concepts are being
taught in our public schools, even at the
lower grade levels. Misguided, deceived
individuals are teaching our innocent children
about transcendental meditation, yoga, and
the spirit world.
Numerous celebrities, such as Shirley
MacLaine, Linda Evans, and John Denver,
have publicized their involvement with such
fearsome ancient spirit guides as Ramtha,
Spectra, and Lazirus, who supposedly
possess supernatural knowledge and can assist
them in making important decisions and
choices.
The truth is that most of the spirits out
there are not holy. It is vitally important to
recognize this fact. Sadly, too many people
do not realize that when they participate in
activities like "channeling," trances, seances,
etc., they are opening themselves up to all
kinds of demonic spirits. Often, people
actually give themselves over to evil spirits,
with tragic results.
Our Guide
As Christians, our Spirit Guide lives
within us. Your body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost which is in you (1 Corinthians
6:19). Therefore, if our Spirit Guide is within
us, we have no need to go outside ourselves
for guidance as others suggest. He is all we
need.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is
come, he will guide you into all truth: for he
shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever
he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he
willshow you things to come (John 16:13).
Imagine, you have access to the greatest
Spirit of all -- the precious Holy Spirit. You
can possess, and be possessed by, the most
powerful force in all the universe, the
omniscient, omnipresent Spirit of the eternal God.
Shirley MacLaine and others talk about their
spirit guides being so special because they
are ancient. But our Spirit Guide -- the Holy
Spirit -- helped create the world, even man.
Genesis 1:1,2 says, In the beginning God
created the heaven and the earth. And the
earth was without form, and void; and
darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of
the waters. So the Holy Spirit was there at
the dawn of creation -- as a part of the
Trinity. He is from the beginning and predates
all other spirit guides.
We can have contact with this Holy Spirit
and be guided by Him, but first we must
possess Him. The only way that can happen
is by the illumination of His Word. He must
convince us of the truth. John 16:8 says,
And when he is come, he will reprove
[convince] the world of sin, and of righteousness,
and of judgment. He convinces us that we
need Him and guides us to the born-again
experience.
Thank God, the Spirit does strive with
us and illuminates the truth to us.
Our Intercessor
Not only does the Spirit convince us of
our need of Christ, He also creates
intercessory thoughts in us. There are times
when we don't even know what we need --
what is good for us. So many times we may
not even know how we should pray or what
we should ask for. So we have to join our
spirit with the Holy Spirit to seek out God's
best plan for our lives. Romans 8:26 says,
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
for we know not what we should pray
for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered.
There are times when we come to God,
praying only for what we want -- asking for
His approval -- instead of seeking His will
for our lives. I'm convinced that on those
occasions when we come to God, asking
selfishly, the Holy Spirit is saying, "No,
Father, no." When we do not ask within the
will of God, then the Holy Spirit, in His
mercy, intercedes for what is best.
As a young bride, I had an experience
like this. I wanted a baby so much that I
begged God to let me have one. I refused to
consider how much a child would have
hampered and burdened my calling and
ministry, which at that time required me to
live "on the road" for months at a time. I
avoided thinking about how cruel and unfair
my work load and life-style would be to a
helpless, wholly-dependent little one.
Even after I knew that motherhood was
not God's will for me, I asked anyway. But
the Holy Spirit, in His goodness, interceded
for me -- for my own good. And now, when I
can see things clearly and in perspective,
that knowledge brings me great comfort.
There may also be times when we
experience a yearning for something that is
undefined and inexpressible. It's a hunger or
yearning we simply can't understand. At
times like these, we can join our spirits
with the Holy Spirit and let Him create
intercessory thoughts within us. Then we
can have peace that what is being sought in
our behalf is for our good...and will be done.
And this is the confidence that we have in
him, that, if we ask any thing according to
his will, he heareth us: and if we know that
he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know
that we have the petitions that we desired of
him (1 John 5:14,15).
Allowing the Holy Spirit to create
intercessory thoughts and prayers brings such
satisfaction and fulfillment. It goes beyond
our understanding or ability to put it into
words. It is so beautiful and powerful.
Our Comforter
Then, the Holy Spirit comforts us. I will
not leave you comfortless: I will come to you
(John 14:18).
I love the story about a very sad
unbeliever who was seated next to a Christian
man on a train. During the trip, the unsaved
man began to cry and weep. The believer
said to him, "I see you are troubled and
sad. Is there some way I can help you?"
The sorrowful man replied, "I've just lost
my wife. Our home seems so empty. All I
have left to keep me company is her
parakeet."
The believer replied, "Well, as a Christian
I have the Paraclete -- the Holy Spirit. He
never leaves me. And He will meet your
need if you'll allow Him to."
Paraclete, in the Greek, means
"comforter" and is the name given for the Holy
Spirit. As Christians, we have the constant,
unfailing presence of the Holy Spirit to guide
and comfort us.
Our Spiritual Gift-giver
The Holy Spirit also controls the spiritual
gifts bestowed upon the body of Christ,
the Church. The manifestation of the Spirit
is given to every man to profit withal For to
one is given by the Spirit the word of
wisdom; to another the word of knowledge...to
another faith...to another the gifts of healing...
to another the working of miracles; to another
prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to
another divers kinds of tongues; to another
the interpretation of tongues: but all these
worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit,
dividing to every man severally as he will
(1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
God gives these gifts to each believer, as
He wills. Each of us has been given a very
special gift -- and the Holy Spirit will guide
us into a place of service using the particular
gift He has chosen for us. He will also
give us power when using that gift.
Peter had the gift of communication --
the ability to preach. But after he was filled
with the Holy Spirit (see Acts 1:8; 2:4), he
not only had the gift but also the fruit...
boldness (see Acts 4:13). So the Holy Spirit
not only gives us spiritual gifts, He also
gives us the ability (fruit) and strength to
use them.
Spiritual gifts are not given to hoard for
our own benefit or enjoyment. They are
given to enable us to minister to others.
And the Spirit will provide the opportunity --
He will definitely show us our place of service.
I believe there are times, depending on
the circumstances, when more than one
gift of the Spirit may be exercised through
you. A situation may arise where there is
no one else to depend on and the Holy
Spirit manifests (or works) a particular gift
through you to meet a particular need at a
particular time. It may be a gift that has
never operated in your life before, but when
the Spirit puts you in a situation, He will
illuminate your mind to meet the need. You
will discover that where God guides, He
provides.
The Holy Spirit is our Keeper
Not only is our Spirit Guide with us in
life, but He remains with us even after death.
Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman relates a beautiful
story about how he personally discovered
this thrilling truth. He was sitting in his
home, reading an address delivered by Dr.
Moorhead at a Bible Conference. Dr.
Moorhead declared that when one becomes
a child of God, the Spirit of God comes in to
dwell in that person and will continue in
that body until the Resurrection. Even after
the human spirit has departed to be with
the Lord, the third member of the godhead
remains with that body until the Resurrection.
Dr. Chapman said that as he thought
about this, he started to cry. He said, "We
hitched the horse to the carriage, and my
wife and I rode out to a little graveyard
where we had buried our firstborn son. As
we stood there beside that little grave, we
said, ëThank You, Lord, for keeping watch.'
Immediately the peace of God flooded our
souls." He went on, "Later, when I stood by
the grave of my mother, again I said, 'Thank
You, Holy Spirit, for staying with Your temple
and keeping watch.'"
What a comfort! On the day of
Resurrection the Spirit will touch the body with
new life, reunite it with the soul, and sweep
our triuned body, soul, and spirit to be with
God. How amazing and beautiful!
I encourage you today to get in contact
with your Spirit Guide. But don't be fooled
by the false teachers of the so-called New
Age Movement. Satan always has a
counterfeit for the real and profitable things in
life. He would like to deceive you into
listening to his emissaries of evil and guide
you into darkness. But he is no match for
the real "Spirit Guide" -- the Holy Spirit, who
will always guide you into all truth.
Remember, Greater is he that is in you, than
he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).
There is no easy road to satisfaction. One reason for
this is that no one has ever lived a life free from
difficulties. Everyone faces trials, and all of us know
suffering in one way or another. I've noticed that
wherever I am, in every culture and every
geographical region, when I mention the subject of
suffering, there is an instant rapport, a bond of mutual
understanding.
Suffering: A Door to Finding Satisfaction
We can take comfort in the knowledge that Scripture
teaches that God's perfect plan for each of us
includes suffering, trials, and pain. The wonderful
truth is that our most frustrating trials can be a source
of great joy. James wrote:
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into
divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of
your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her
perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire,
wanting nothing (James 1:2-4). Trials will make us
either bitter or better.
I know what it is like to be broken -- literally. In
my book The Tender Touch, I told of the terrible
automobile accident my husband and I experienced
in Brussels in 1979. We were in Europe for our
twenty-seventh wedding anniversary and planned to
celebrate the joyous occasion with members of Jack's
family.
That particular afternoon, we had traveled to Brussels
to shop for anniversary gifts. We leisurely
walked and talked, truly enjoying our visit to this
fascinating city. We even stopped for afternoon tea
and shared a sandwich. (A cousin was preparing a
feast for our anniversary dinner that night and we
didn't want to ruin our appetites!)
The afternoon ended all too quickly, and we soon
found ourselves driving back to the home of the
cousin with whom we were staying. Suddenly, seemingly
out of nowhere, a bus traveling 50 miles an hour
struck our vehicle with such impact that my side of the
car was ripped away and the rest of the automobile
completely demolished. I remember saying,
"Jack, there's a bus!" He attempted to swerve, but it
was too late. My last thoughts as I fell out onto the
busy street was, This is what it's like to die.
Everything went black. I felt no pain until my
husband's warm tears falling on my face revived me.
His voice was choked with emotion as he wept and
prayed over me. "Lord, must it end this way? Don't
let it happen. Please work a miracle!"
I felt that I was slipping away from him, and I
wanted him to know how much I loved him. "Honey,
I think I am dying," I whispered. "I don't want to
leave you."
"Oh no," Jack cried. "Oh, God, please help us,
Somehow spare her life."
I wish that in some way I could convey the peace
that I experienced from God during this time. Even
Christians sometimes wonder about and perhaps are
somewhat afraid of the unknown -- that valley of the
shadow of death through which we must one day
pass. I would love to stand on a mountaintop and call
to every believer everywhere, "Don't be afraid!" At
the moment of departure, He is there to give us peace
and sustain our hearts. What a comfort to know that
we are the Lord's most prized possessions and that
He will never allow us to go through the transition
from this world to the next in fear. I rejoice over this
experience today because I can say with David, I will
fear no evil; for thou art with me (Psalm 23:4).
Suspended in God's sweet peace, I was almost in
the presence of the Lord. Then suddenly, I was pulled
back from going over. A hand grasped my wrist and a
man stood beside me. He tenderly placed a blanket
over my body and in perfect English said, "Don't
move her. She will be all right." Immediately, my
mind began to clear and I knew that I would live.
As quickly as he had appeared, he was gone. The
Lord had sent a man or an angel (only He knows) to
provide perfect comfort and to minister to us in a
special way Hebrews 1:14 says: Are they [angels]
not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for
them who shall be heirs of salvation?
An ambulance rushed us to the hospital. I looked at
Jack and was reassured to know that he was all right. I
knew that somehow God was doing something special
in our lives -- something that would ultimately
glorify Him if we would not faint (see II Corinthians
4:16).
I had sustained a severe head injury. X rays revealed
that I had a broken collarbone and two broken
ribs. I had also sustained numerous cuts and bruises,
and fragments of glass were embedded in parts of my
body. In fact, the doctor spent four hours removing
glass from my legs, head, and ears. God had divinely
and miraculously spared my face and eyes, for which
I shall forever be grateful.
Because of my head injury, I was unable to receive
any pain medication for 18 hours. In addition, I was
told that if the bleeding from my head wound did not
stop during the night, doctors would be forced to
shave my head in order to suture the extreme abrasion.
Jack remained by my side every minute of that
entire night, praying with me, comforting me, and
talking with me. We asked God for a miracle, and He
gave us one. By morning, the bleeding had stopped.
Neither of us slept during that long, unforgettable
night. As we talked about why it happened, I felt a
kinship with Job. God had allowed Satan to test us
but not destroy us or our ministry together. He
allowed the test to go so far, and no further. I knew
that my Father was in control and that my Saviour was
not leaving me alone. Indeed, I knew that He was
feeling my infirmity with even greater intensity than I.
Jack spent the next 48 hours trying to get the
doctors to release me for our return to America.
British Airways agreed to fly us and graciously
provided wheelchair and ambulance service all the
way to Detroit. Still, the hours in flight were painfully
long, Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me,
and strengthened me (II Timothy 4:17).
During the next three months, I received extensive
medical treatment and stringent therapy. Adhesions
formed as the damaged muscles and tendons in my
crushed shoulder healed. Doctors said that without
corrective surgery I would never use my arm again.
Instead, I underwent months of excruciating
rehabilitative exercises to correct the situation. Still, I
would not want to look back upon this experience
with anything but rejoicing and praise -- rejoicing in
the Lord's protection and love in bringing me through
this trial and praise that He counted me worthy to be
put to the test.
Resistance to Suffering is Counterproductive
It would have been easy, I suppose, to resist in my
heart and be bitter against the Lord for allowing such
a thing to happen. Yet it never occurred to me to
question what God was doing. Years earlier Jack and
I had committed ourselves to pursuing the Lord's will
whatever the cost -- and when we made that commitment,
we knew it could involve suffering. It has,
but the rewards have been rich. God has filled our
lives with blessings that exceed anything we could
ask or think.
Unfortunately, instead of counting problems and
trials as joy and allowing them to work patience and
maturity, many people tend to follow their natural
inclination, and the difficulties produce bitterness
and resentmeat. That, in turn,only amplifies
dissatisfaction, until finally they are caught in a
never-ending cycle of devastatingly negative feelings.
The only effect resistance has on our trials is to
make them more dificult to bear. When we rebel
against God and turn from Him, we shut out the One
who can enable us to carry whatever burden He gives
us. How tragic it is to see someone who has gone
through grief and pain who then turns sorrow into
bitterness against God! That is not what God wants.
He wants to make the burden light and the yoke easy
to bear (see Matthew 11:30).
I know that it is normal to want to resist problems,
and, of course, it is right and even necessary to resist
some things. For example, we should not give in to
immoral acts, so we must resist temptation. Scripture
tells us to resist Satan (see James 4:7; I Peter 5:9).
Nevertheless, when we are confronted with trials that
are beyond our control, we need to see ourselves as
Paul did -- like clay in the hands of the Potter,
submissive to His will for our lives. We must realize
that through these trials He is molding us. shaping us.
and perfecting us -- until we become vessels that He
can use.
Have you ever watched a potter work on a pottery
wheel? He squeezes and pinches and applies
pressure, and from what was an ugly lump of clay comes
forth a beautiful, useful piece of pottery. The potter
knows just where to poke and just where to rub -- it is
a fascinating process to watch. Occasionally, the
potter will decide a radical change is in order, and he
will smash a nearly molded pot and begin again from
the beginning.
Jeremiah described the process:
I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he
wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he
made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so
he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to
the potter to make it (Jeremiah 18:3-4).
Perhaps you feel like the Potter has smashed you
that way. I have good news for you. God is one Potter
who always rebuilds the vessels He allows to be
broken so that they are better than before. It may not
always be in the way we desire or think is best, but in
the process, it is nonproductive for us to resist and
become bitter. Instead we should try to see what is
happening from God's perspective, even though we
may not understand what He is doing, and yield to
His will for us. Paul wrote, Shall the thing formed say
to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Hath not the potter power over the clay? (Romans
9:20, 21).
Acceptance: A New Name for Satisfaction
How much better it is to accept our trials as from
the Lord who permits them! Job accepted his trials, as
hard as they were for him. This incredible man lost all
his earthly possessions and all his children in a series
of disasters that happened in just one day. Soon after
that, he lost his health as well. He was reduced to a
mass of sores, sitting in a pile of ashes, scraping
himself with a piece of broken pottery (how appropriate!).
He did not understand what God was doing.
but his response was, The Lord gave, and the Lord
hath taken away; blessed be the name of the
Lord... Shall we receive good at the hand of God,
and shall we not receive evil? (Job 1:21; 2:10).
Yes, Job bore all the pain -- in his case both
physical pain and mental anguish -- and did not sin
with his lips. He never accused God or spoke bitterly
against Him. Quite the contrary, Job accepted the
negative things as graciously as he had accepted the
good things. Though the task was not easy, out of
Job's afflictions came some wonderful fruit. The first
is the book of Job -- a good source of comfort in times
of despair and doubt. In addition, Job grew wiser and
closer to the Lord through his ordeal. Even his
so-called comforters learned from his sufferings.
What became of Job. The answer is recorded for
us in verses 12 and 13 and chapter 42: So the Lord
blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.
After this lived Job an hundred and forty years...
The "secret" of Job's success and blessing is
rooted in the fact that he endured his suffering. He
never turned from God. Instead, he repented! Why
would a man who was perfect and upright, and one
that feared God, and eschewed evil (1:1) do such a
thing? Because Job, through his suffering, was
privileged to get a glimpse of God in His holiness. As a
result, he saw himself as completely unworthy so that
he said, I abhor myself(2:6). And in doing that, he
discovered yet a third way of responding to trials.
Rejoicing: A Perspective You May Have Overlooked
This third type of response is what James referred
to in the opening passage of this chapter -- rejoicing,
or glorying, in our trials. Admittedly, rejoicing in the
midst of tribulation is not an easy thing to do. A
woman wrote to us a short time ago:
| I am having a very hard time adjusting my life. My husband died not too long ago at age 53, and I just can't seem to get my life together. I never worked in all the years we were married. I was a family person and never made many friends outside our home, I am lonely and frightened. Please pray for me. |
My heart goes out to this dear woman and many
others like her. In fact, one might well ask how she
could possibly rejoice in the midst of such a difficult
trial. She cannot rejoice that her husband has died.
How then can she find joy in the midst of her deep
loneliness, fear, and doubts?
The answer is found in the perspective we choose
to take. No one rejoices in the death of a loved one.
Job didn't, and even Jesus wept at the grave of His
friend Lazarus. Scripture acknowledges that sorrow
and grief are appropriate and normal responses to
death.
Bitterness comes when we focus on our sorrows or
trials themselves rather than on the Lord and what He
is attempting to accomplish through them. From this
perspective, we can easily become discouraged.
Unfortunately, this is exactly the place in which many
dissatisfied people find themselves. However, if we
look beyond the trials and understand that God is
working in the midst of them, if we focus our hearts
on Him, a miracle begins to occur. He brings peace in
the midst of pain, and joy in the midst of sorrow.
Truly, His grace is sufficient.
My Grandmother Shelton taught me firsthand the
meaning of glorying in tribulation. She knew trials all
her life. She was the mother of eight children and, as
a diabetic, had to take insulin shots every day of her
life. She was a tall, vibrant, robust lady who would
pick me up (literally) and shake me like a rag doll and
say, "I love you, Rexella." What a shock when she
lost first one leg, then the other, to amputation
because of complications from her disease. She would
never walk again; yet, I never heard her mention her
trials or complain. Her focus went far beyond them.
And as she looked to the Lord and leaned on Him, she
was actually able to glory in her infirmities! She was
always rejoicing. I remember her often taking out a
little harmonica and playing it. Just being around her
brought me great joy, and I seldom thought of her as
being in pain, although I'm certain she suffered
greatly.
There is something to be said for pain. Trials are
not pleasant, but they are valuable. A flower must be
crushed before it yields perfume. A grain of wheat
must fall to the ground and die before it can bear fruit
(see John 12:24). And we must suffer for the Lord if
we are to be glorified witb Him (see Romans 8:17).
If you are going through a trial, don't resist it. And
don't just accept it or endure it. Learn to glory in it!
God is doing something through your trials. You may
not understand it fully, and He does not always give
us explanations. But He does give us promises -- and
He always keeps them.
| Trials are medicines which our gracious and wise physician prescribes, because we need them; and he proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires. Let us trust his skill and thank him for his prescription. --- Isaac Newton
|
I came across something that helped me to further
understand these precious truths. In Job 41:25 are to
be found these few obscure words: By reason of
breakings they purify themselves. What can that
possibly mean?
Elsewhere the Bible teaches that the sacrifices God
accepts are broken and contrite hearts (see Psalm
51:17). This is illustrated throughout the Bible as one
observes God using for His glory those people and
things which are most perfectly broken. Here are
some examples:
- Jacob at Peniel, where his natural strength
was broken. - Moses and the rock at Horeb; when he
struck it, out gushed cool water for the thirsty
people. - Gideon and his band of 300 elect soldiers.
When they broke their pitchers -- a type of
breaking of themselves -- their hidden lights
shone forth to the consternation of their
adversaries. - The poor widow who broke the seal on the
little pot of oil, and it poured forth, whereby
God multiplied it to pay her debts and her
sons didn't have to be taken as bondmen. - Queen Esther risking her life, breaking
through the rigid etiquette of a heathen court,
thus obtaining favor to rescue her people from
death. - Jesus taking the five loaves of bread,
breaking them, and in the act of breaking,
there was sufficient to feed 5,000. - Mary breaking her alabaster box, rendering
it uselees, but this allowed the perfume to
fill the house. - Jesus allowing His body to be broken by
thorns, nails, and the spear, so that His life
was poured out for us to live.
God must have broken things -- throughout all
plant life, all history, all the great biographical
accounts, and in all spiritual life, this fact is
preeminent.
Why should we then shrink from those things,
which may break us at some point? If we will but
allow Him, the brokenness we experience can be
used for our purer good and for God's glory. Such
brokenness may come in the form of being broken in
wealth, half-will, ambitions, ideals, reputation.
affections, and even brokenness in health. Remember
the final tally of life is not seen in the here and now.
Can you, like James wrote, "Count it all joy?"
Footprints
| One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonging to him and the other to the LORD. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. This really bothered him, and he questioned The LORD replied, "My precious, precious Author unknown
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