Stephen (Acts 6:5, 8; 7:55)

Acts 6:5, “And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch.”
Acts 6:8, “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.”
Acts 7:55, “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God…”

1. Stephen Served.
Stephen had a godly testimony. He was one of the first deacons and the first martyr of the church. Stephen is a great example to each of us as to what we should be filled with. Stephen was a good man of “honest report”. He was a gifted man, “full of...wisdom”. He was a godly man— “full of the Holy Ghost”. The Bible makes it clear that the source of Stephen’s fearlessness was the Holy Spirit. Three times the Bible records that he was “full of the faith”, “God’s grace and power”, or “full of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5, 8; 7:55). He was filled with the Holy Spirit who allowed him to speak truth wisely, witness boldly, and to face death peacefully. Stephen’s character displayed the character of God through the Spirit of God, and that Spirit who gave him a servant’s heart and courage. Stephen became a preacher and died a martyr’s death. He was filled with the Spirit (Acts 6:5), fearless in witness (Acts 6:10), and faithful in service (Acts 6:14). We see the witness of his life (Acts 6:8), the witness of his labors (Acts 6:8), the witness of his learning (Acts 6:10), the witness of his looks (Acts 6:15). The Spirit, who empowered Stephen, is the same Spirit who fills Christ’s followers today. No matter the chaos or opponents to the Gospel you face today, you can have the same power, boldness, and humility as Stephen.

2. Stephen Suffered.
Stephen was a godly young man who followed the teachings of Jesus in a time when much uproar was found in the religious world. Stephen preached Jesus before the Sanhedrin (A supreme council of the Jewish people). Stephen was not filled with fear that day before his opponents. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he boldly shared the truth of God. Stephen preached a long sermon. He began with the “God of glory” (Acts 7:2) and ended with the “God of glory” (Acts 7:55). His purpose in preaching this sermon was to show how each leader of Israel had tried to bring them out of their tradition into a broader revelation of God’s will and purpose for Israel, and how in every instance they had rebelled against the truth. This was exactly what the Sanhedrin was doing as they tried Stephen for blasphemy. He will charge them with rejecting the Christ of Israel. He began with Scripture and used the Scripture to reveal their sinfulness. When Stephen mentioned their crime against the Just One, it was then that they charged him like a rioted mob. Stephen suffered, and through that we see that Saul (Paul) was a witness.

3. Stephen Shined.
His face shown with the brilliance and radiance of an angel of God! He reflected the glory of God because he spent time with the Son of God! Stephen shined at his death. He died calling upon God, asking forgiveness of his enemies. When the religious leaders looked intently upon Stephen, they saw that his face was “as it had been the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15). Stephen’s death was not in vain. God honored his life and his death. Paul witnessed his death, and as a result Paul would later accept Christ as his Saviour. Through His suffering he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”. “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7:59-60). We know that those who exhibit godly character do not necessarily have literal shining faces. They do, however, glow with the countenance of the One who fills their heart. Sharing the Gospel of Christ is the greatest news you could ever spread. Everyday Christians are challenged to speak or remain silent concerning Christ. Although not everyone will receive it well, it always brings pleasure to the LORD.

Faith begins with knowing Christ as your , the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is what gives us victory over the world (I John 5:4-5) and helps us to quench all the fiery darts of Satan (Ephesians 6:16). The Bible mentions no faith, little faith, great faith, and being full of the faith. Stephen was full of faith because he was full of Scripture according to Romans 10:17. The amount of faith we have is in proportion to how close we are to God and His Word.

Points to Ponder:
May we reflect the love and glory of the Lord.
Your testimony will impact others, stand strong and glorify God whenever you get the chance.
When others look on us, I pray that they would see faithful men and women of God who shine the light of Jesus in this world!

Questions to Consider:
Are we letting Jesus shine through us?
What do you face today that brings fear into your heart?
Which of the character qualities that Stephen had do you most need to work on?

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I know You want to fill me, but will not until I remove the barriers. Please bring to my mind my unconfessed sins and help me repent of them. Will You fill me with Your Holy Spirit? Live Your life through me today. Make me the person You want me to be that You would be glorified, in Jesus name, Amen.

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Same Mind One Toward Another (Romans 12:16)

Romans 12:16, “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.”

1. The believer is to “be of the same mind one toward another”.
We are admonished to be of the same attitude toward others. Psalm 133:1, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” The believer is to seek harmony and to associate with the lowly. We are to recognize the fact that every believer is significant. This means we are to avoid partiality and favoritism in the church. We should treat one another the same in Christ, equally. Everybody is somebody in God's house. There are no big shots in God's house. There is no big “I’” or little “you”. The ground is level at the cross and we all were saved from sin. We should endeavor to have unity of mind rather than insisting on having our way. This refers primarily to our attitude and behavior toward others. The believer is to strive to understand them. We are to understand others to such a degree that we can completely identify with and feel for that person. Just think of the enormous impact such love and empathy would have upon the world in bringing peace and unity and in meeting the desperate needs of so many.

2. The believer is to “mind not high things, but to condescend to men of low estate”.
"High things" refers to seeking the things of preeminence, honor, prestige, and recognition. Haughty in mind literally means "minding high things." Christians are not to be snobbish, nor allow our minds to roam around in the high things of this world. We are to avoid haughtiness and associate with the humble. James is not telling us to ignore the rich, or people of stature, only that we should not favor them over others. Paul is calling for unity among believers. It carries the idea of associating with someone. We are to associate with one another regardless of background or social standing. As Christians, we should treat everyone, from the custodian to the CEO, with the same respect. We should never have favorites but treat everyone as equals because in God's sight we are. When we think we are better than others, we lose the ability and the assertiveness to minister to others.

3. The believer is not to “Be not wise in your own conceits”.
The phrase be not wise in your own conceits means not acting like know-it-alls or having inflated or overstated opinions of ourselves. The believer is not to be wise in their own eyes. We are not to have too high an opinion of ourselves, as though we are above and better than others. Beware of overestimating yourself. Not only is it foolish, but it also borders arrogance and is pride. Scripture warns us that the pride of our hearts deceives us. Obadiah 1:3, “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee…” The believer is not to walk through life conceited, thinking himself above and better than other persons. We are to walk humbly, knowing that we are not better than anyone else. We are not to be proud, cocky, arrogant, and have a know-it-all attitude; thinking we are in anyway superior to others. Proverbs 3:7, “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” This reminds us not to be haughty, imagining that we have all the wisdom and that others have none. A conceited, self-promoting Christian is a serious contradiction. Every believer should be humbly submissive to the will of God found in the Word of God.

Mahatma Gandhi wrote in his autobiography that during his student days in America, he read the Gospels and seriously considered converting to Christianity. So one Sunday, he decided to attend a nearby church and talk to the minister. But when he arrived, the usher refused to give him a seat and suggested he go worship with his own people. He said he left the church and decided, “If Christians have a caste system, I might as well remain a Hindu”. There are no caste of any sort in the body of Christ. That usher not only betrayed Jesus, he turned a person away from trust in Him. Reasons like this one are why James, the brother of our Lord, was so emphatic in condemning prejudice. In James 2:1, we find that prejudice is inconsistent with Christ’s teachings; it comes from evil thoughts; it insults people made in God’s image; it is a product of selfish motives; it contradicts the biblical definition of love; it shows a lack of mercy toward the less fortunate; it is hypocritical; and it is sinful. Jesus spent time with the Pharisees, publicans, sinners, poor, rich, sick, and the disciples because He cared for all and so should we. A church that is seeking to faithfully serve Christ will pursue and eagerly accept all believers into its fellowship. The only required common ground should be a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and unqualified submission to the Word of God.

Points to Ponder:
Those who are wise in their own eyes are rarely so in the eyes of other people.
It is very easy and common to become cliquish while shunning others.
A first class mistake is to treat anyone as a second class citizen.

Questions to Consider:
How can you demonstrate such love and understanding?
Are you practicing humility through true Christian unity?
Which of these three areas do you need to grow closer to the Lord in?

PRAYER: Lord, help me to always put others before myself and may I minister to them as I’m ministering to You.

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This morning’s devotion is an excerpt from a Bible Study. For the complete study in its entirety, email [email protected] and request this study and I will send it to your email address.

Passionately Pursuing the LORD (Psalm 119:1-2)

Psalm 119:1-2, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.”

One evening, a woman was driving home when she noticed a huge truck behind her that was driving uncomfortably close. She stepped on the gas to gain some distance from the truck, but when she sped up, the truck did, too. The faster she drove, the faster the truck did. Now scared, she exited the freeway. But the truck stayed with her. The woman then turned up a main street, hoping to lose her pursuer in traffic. But the truck ran a red light and continued the chase. Reaching the point of panic, the woman whipped her car into a service station and bolted out of her auto screaming for help. The truck driver sprang from his truck and ran toward her car. Yanking the back door open, the driver of the truck pulled out a man hidden in the backseat. The woman was running from the wrong person. From his high vantage point, the truck driver had spotted a would-be rapist in the woman's car. The chase was not his effort to harm her but to save her, even at the cost of his own safety. Likewise, many people run from God fearing what He might do to them. But His plans are for good not evil—to rescue us from the hidden sins that endanger our lives.

If you want to find your purpose in life, then find the LORD. When you find the LORD, His purpose will find you. God’s purpose for your life will be experienced out of your relationship with Him. If there is no relationship, you will not come to know what your purpose is all about. When we read the Scriptures, we find a reoccurring event throughout the 66 books of the Bible. God is trying to get our attention. God wants your attention. He wants to have the Preeminence in our lives. One thing that is refreshing to know is that we can have a relationship with the LORD and have constant fellowship with Him. Seek Him with your whole heart.

Point to Ponder:

• The Bible is God’s Word, and we should make it the highest priority in our lives.

Question to Consider:

• Are you seeking the Lord with all your heart?

PRAYER: Father, thank You for seeking me. Help me to be committed to seeking You with all my heart. I realize that my delight for You could diminish over time and that indifference and apathy for Your truth can grow. May I never stray in my walk in Your Word. Help me to stay pure and to remain passionate in my fellowship and relationship with You. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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Watching for Christ’s Return (Matthew 24:42-44)

Matthew 24:42-44, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your LORD doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

After several days at sea, the captain of a fishing boat was bringing his boat back home. As the boat neared the shore, the men gazed eagerly toward the dock, where a group of their loved ones were waiting. The captain looking identified some of the women, saying, "I see Tom’s Angie, Jonathan’s Candace, Caleb’s Grace." One man was very anxious because his wife was not there. He left the boat with a heavy heart and pressed his steps up the hill, where he saw a light in his cottage. As he opened the door, his wife ran to meet him, saying, "I have been waiting for you!" He replied with a proper rebuke, "Yes, but the other men's wives were watching for them."

Those who are totally devoted to the Lord look forward to His coming. It could be today. Are you watching for the Lord's return? Watch means to keep awake; to stay alert; to be watchful and sleepless; to be vigilant. It also carries the idea of being motivated, of keeping one's attention or mind upon a thing. Watching also has the idea of being alert at the right time. It is at night that a person really needs to stay awake and watch for the thief (I Thessalonians 5:4-9). I Peter 4:7, “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” Because He could come at any moment, those who are devoted to the Lord want to be ready for His coming. They don't want to be ashamed when He comes. Until that day, they do their best to serve Him with all their hearts, keep themselves pure, and maintain a right relationship with God and others.

God does not operate on our timetable, and Jesus will surely return right on schedule. It is important for us not to be lulled into complacency by the fact that Jesus has not yet returned. Jesus pointed out that such false thinking can quickly lead to bad conduct on our part. Each day, our lives should be filled with a conscious awareness that it may be this day that the Lord returns.

This is an exciting time to be a Christian. We might not know the day or the hour of Christ’s return, but we do know it’s going to be soon. As Jesus told His disciples, we need to be watching for His return. We ought to make the most of every opportunity to tell others how they can be saved. And we should be living pure and holy lives so we’re not ashamed when Jesus comes.

The Bible is literally being fulfilled before our eyes. That makes me more excited than ever about seeing my Saviour. If we keep eternity in perspective, then we won’t worry as much about things we lack here on Earth. We will resist temptation because we want Christ to find us pure and blameless at His return. An eternal perspective will help us give the Lord the preeminence. Are you ready to meet Jesus? He’s coming sooner than you might think.

God doesn’t tell us some things for a reason. He wants us to live each and every day as if this could be the day! Today could be the day. But no one will be able to claim, “I knew it!” We’re all going to be surprised. But not all of us are going to be ready! Are you ready if Christ returns today?

Questions to Consider:
· Are you watching for the Lord's return?

• What evidence in my life would demonstrate that I’m OK with Christ coming back today?
• What, if anything, do I need to set aside as a distraction from expecting Christ’s return?

Points to Ponder:

• Watch and stay ready for the Lord's return.
• Keep your eyes open and watch for the signs of Christ's return.
• Walk, watch, and work faithfully and wisely before the Lord and others.

Prayer: LORD, help me to see anything in my life that would keep me from loving Your appearing. And help me to be more purposeful in keeping my relationships right and my attitude fully expectant of Your return. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

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Compelled To Be Compassionate (Jude 22)

Jude 22, “And of some have compassion, making a difference:”

Jesus felt others hurts. He wept, He hurt, and He did something about it. He had compassion on the sick, suffering, sinful, suppressed, shattered, secluded, and un-saved. Jude 22 tells us that our compassion makes a difference in the lives of others, “and of some have compassion, making a difference”. Compassion is feeling another’s sorrows or hardships and doing what you can to help. It is not fact, but act.

Consider five things that compassion does.

1. Compassion’s Help.

The world is full of people that are hurting and many people suppose that nobody cares. The Psalmist penned the most heartbreaking words in Psalm 142:4, “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul”. We all know of people who are in a hopeless and desperate situation. May we seek for opportunities to offer help to those that have encountered hurt. We must be constantly looking to help the hurting. The life of many suffering people has been uplifted from the visit of one who has compassion. We must always pray and seek for compassion and never allow ourselves to become calloused. Your faithful ministry of compassion will be rewarded in glory.

2. Compassion’s Healing.
As we seek the opportunity to help people, we can help bring about their spiritual healing. I am not talking about the physical nature of their healing, but the spiritual, the mental, or their physiological well-being. The Lord will open many doors to those who are committed to ministering the compassion of Christ. The healing of the secluded. In visiting lonely people, God may allow you to kindle a friendship that helps produce healing in their heart. The healing of the shattered. A visit to the physician may bring healing to a broken hand, but will it heal a broken heart? The compassionate encounters opportunities that very well could mend the broken hearted. The healing of scattered. Never give up on being compassionate to others, even if it seems that they are not responding. In ministry, we will not always see immediate results, but it is patient and enduring. The compassionate believes in the power of God’s promises and does not lose hope. Scriptures never tells us how long the prodigal was gone from home, yet when he finally returned, his father was still watching for him and ran to meet him. The healing of sinfulness. The greatest encounter we will ever have is the one that leads a lost sinner to a loving Saviour.

3. Compassion’s Hope.
The compassionate can shed hope upon the dark dreary despair that faces those he or she encounters in their everyday affairs. Our daily affairs should evolve into opportunities for our ministry. It should be taken as a blessing to offer mercy and grace to those that the world has bruised, battered, and beaten. The compassionate proclaims hope in these last days. Hope is free and abundant at the feet of our blessed Saviour, Jesus Christ. In this day of struggles and suffering, a ray of hope that shines forth from the darkness would help many a people. Divorce and defeat has entered the homes of many, however, it’s the compassionate that offers hope to the home. The leaders of our homes need a word of hope. The loved ones in our homes need a well-placed word of hope and encouragement. The home has been abused, abandoned, and abhorred by society. The home must have a friend that tenderly breathes a word of hope into the lives of those grasping for anything to help them survive.

4. Compassion’s Honor.
In Jude, we find that the writer challenges us to display compassion upon the sinner. In displaying this compassion, we could win them to Christ. The difference between heaven and hell could be the compassionate doing the right thing concerning a lost soul. It would do us well to consider the people that God places upon our path.

5. Compassion’s Heaven.
The compassionate can make a difference in the lives of many a person; namely the saint and the sinner. The compassionate has a heavenly ministry in dealing with the unconverted. The compassionate seeks and sees the guidance of God as they embraces this ministry of compassion. Every one will make a decision in this life. The decision will be made for Christ, or against Christ, but it will be made.

As we go through each day, we must remember the multitudes of people who are sick, suffering, sinful, suppressed, shattered, secluded, and un-saved. Where all other sources may fail, our Biblical compassion can make a difference in their lives. More than any other past year of ministry, I am thrilled with the opportunity that God has given His people to make a difference. May we anticipate what He will do in and through our lives!

Prayer: Lord, I desire so much to be compassionate. Use me as a vessel of compassion for a world in need. I want to be aware of those in need. Please let me see those around me that are in need of hope. Compel me to listen to them, to hear their needs. Let me be what others need, Lord. In Jesus name Amen.

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​Listening to God (James 1:19)

James 1:19a, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear…”

Best friends since childhood, a wall-street investor and a farmer were walking through Central Park conversing. At one point, the farmer said to his friend, “Did you hear that cricket?” The banker replied, “With all the noise in this park, how do you hear a cricket?” The farmer said, “You hear what you train yourself to hear.” To prove his point, he took a few coins from his pocket and threw them on the sidewalk. Everyone nearby immediately stopped and looked.

If we are going to walk with God in the midst of a society that is set on going in the other direction, we must hear His voice. There will always be other voices calling out to distract us from our course, but our ears should be open and eager to hear what God has to say. This is what James had in mind when he instructed us to “be swift to hear” (James 1:9).

Though the world speaks loudly, God often whispers. This was the experience Elijah had when he was alone on a mountain. He witnessed loud and powerful events. “And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice” (I Kings 19:12).

Hearing that “still small voice” is vital to the renewal of our strength for the Christian walk day after day. But it does not happen unless we are willing to focus our hearing to discover what God has to say. Jesus spoke that those who know Him hear His voice. John 8:47a, “He that is of God heareth God's words…” John 10:4b, “…and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.”

There are times when God speaks loudly, but most of the time He speaks in a still small voice. If we are wise, we will be listening intently when He does. To do so, we must plan some out some quality time with God each day and study His Word and allow Him to guide us.

Questions to Consider:

• Can you be still long enough to listen to His still small voice?
• Are you willing to pray sincerely and them wait quietly for God’s response?

Points to Ponder:

• If you sincerely desire to hear His voice, you must listen intently in your heart.
• God’s voice will always agree with the Bible.
• When listening for God’s voice always remember that God's voice will be in harmony with God's Word.

Prayer: Lord, every day of my life there are many things I hear. Some I’d rather not hear, and others I need to hear. Nothing else gives me greater joy than to hear from You. When I open my eyes in the morning, I long to hear from You. When my head rests on the pillow at night, I desire you hear from You. When troubles, successes, sadness, and joy come my way, I yearn to hear from You. Whether I’m fearing or at peace, my delight is to hear from You. In Jesus’ name, amen.


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Death to Self (II Corinthians 5:14-15)

II Corinthians 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”

From the time of his conversion, Paul no longer lived unto himself but unto Him who died for him and rose again. In essence, Paul was saying that Christ’s dying for Christians obligates them to live for Him and for His people. This is the consistent teaching of the Scriptures (Romans 6:11, 13, 18; 14:9; Titus 2:14; I Peter 2:24; 3:18; 4:1-3). Those who live their life unto themselves are not displaying Christlikeness; but those who live their life unto Christ are manifesting Christlikeness. Living our life unto Christ is the only proof that we are a Christian. When Paul contemplated Christ’s great love for him, love expressed in His dying in his stead, he felt morally constrained to make the will of Christ the rule of his life and the glory of Christ the goal of his life.

Paul expresses his motive for dedicated ministry. Christ’s love for Paul was reflected in his love for Christ. It compelled him to continue. Paul identifies his driving motive and his core value in his life and ministry, and both deeply rooted in Christ and the Bible. Because Jesus Christ died for us, we ought not therefore live unto ourselves but unto Him which died for us. The doctrine of the substitutionary death of Christ must stir total dedication to Him in day-to-day living. Love for Christ ought to constrain us to serve Him. Christ’s love constrains us that we should no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died for us. The believer’s new life is characterized as a life purposefully devoted to the One who died and rose on our behalf. May we follow in His steps.

Peter Cameron Scott was a gifted young singer whose dream was to be a famous. He was on the steps of an audition when he faced the crucial decision of his life. Would he seek a life of self-glory and applause under the spotlight of the entertainment world, or would he dedicate his life to God’s service? The decision was final. He chose to serve God. He recruited others to join him in the cause of reaching Africa with the gospel. With seven others, including his brother and sister, Peter went to Africa in October, 1895. Peter’s brother died from the harsh conditions. Peter built his brother’s coffin and dug the grave himself. In his first year’s report, four stations had opened, educational and medical programs had been set up, and linguistic training was successful. Just 14 months after this optimistic report, Scott, age 29, fell ill and died on December, 1896. Soon after, workers died and many others had to give up for health reasons. The area became known as “the white man’s graveyard”. By the summer of 1899, only one missionary remained on the field. More missionaries died than people became Christians during those first years. But other missionaries came, packing their belongings in coffins. The Africans were amazed by their determination. They said, “Surely only a message of great importance would inspire such actions!” In 1971, the Africa Inland Mission became the Africa Inland Church, numbering about one and a half million.

Dedicated service touches every area of our lives. Whether it be full-time service, secular work, or volunteer service, all should be done to the glory of God, with efficiency and fervency. Paul was gripped by a great God. God's grip moves us to live our lives for the Lord and not ourselves. Paul said the love of God constrained him. The love of Jesus Christ motivated and controlled Paul's life to share with others the Gospel. The overpowering love of Christ was demonstrated when He died on the cross for us.

Stephen F. Olford said, “You can never be devoted without being dynamic. You will never be dynamic without being determined.” Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” When a man asked George Müller the secret of his service, Müller responded, “There was a day when I died, utterly died; died to George Muller, his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends; and since then I have studied to show myself approved only to God.”

Points to Ponder:

• The love of Christ calls for a monumental response.
• We are indebted to Jesus Christ because of the sacrifice He made for our sins on the cross.
• We owe Him our all: life, health, spiritual progress, and our spiritual and material blessings.
• We should serve Him as long as we live.
• Our love for Him should move us to live for Him and let the Lord live His life through us.

Questions to Consider:

• What is your measure of love for Christ? Is it cold, lukewarm, or hot?
• Are you serving your Saviour today?
• Have you fully considered the sacrifice He made for you?
• What would it take to motivate you to serve the Lord as long as you live?
  
• Will you serve the Lord as long as you live?

PRAYER: Lord, my love for You is not as strong as I would like it to be, but my desire is to present my body to be a a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You. May every area of my life bring pleasure to You. Help me to surrender my will to Yours. Help me to step out in faith moment by moment as I surrender my life to You. Father, take my life I pray, and use it as You will. I choose today to surrender my all to You. In Jesus Name, AMEN!

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Honesty and Humility (Proverbs 12:19; 29:23)

1. Honesty.
​Proverbs 12:19, “The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.”
Honesty and truthfulness will produce a long-lasting reputation. However, a lying tongue brings only short-lived benefit. Words of truth, like the Word of God, are established forever (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8). And the lips that speak truth will endure and be blessed forever. However, people with lying tongues will not endure but last only for a moment. Whatever advantage which might accrue from lying quickly evaporates as the truth is eventually made known. In contrast, truthfulness and honesty have long-term benefits. Being truthful and honest with others is important in achieving your goals. You may deceive people to get what you want, but you won't keep what you got. Once the word gets out that you are a liar and cheat, you won't get it again. You won't achieve anything except failure. Too often people have burned bridges, ruined their reputation leaving them to change jobs, careers, and locations.

Coming home from work, a woman stopped at the corner deli to buy a chicken for supper. The butcher reached into a barrel, grabbed the last chicken he had, flung it on the scales behind the counter, and told the woman its weight. She thought for a moment. "I really need a bit more chicken than that", she said. "Do you have any larger ones?" Without a word, the butcher put the chicken back into the barrel, groped around as though finding another, pulled the same chicken out, and placed it on the scales. "This chicken weighs one pound more", he announced. The woman pondered her options and then said, "Okay. I'll take them both". He was caught! Honesty and truth show a person with integrity. People with integrity beckon the trust and admiration of people. God demands that we be honest in all of our dealings. With His blessing and favor, what we are able to acquire through honest effort will be enough. Even if you are convinced that no one will ever discover your scheme, God will know. It is far better to live with transparency and honesty. That is how you build a business and good relationships with others.

2. Humility
Proverbs 29:23, “A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”
Human reasoning teaches that the way to success is through self-elevation, but this is a false assumption. Scripture clearly teaches that pride and self-promotion do not exalt people, but rather result in dishonor and humiliation. God’s Word declares that the arrogant will be humbled through a painful, disgraceful fall. Those who maintain a humble spirit will be held in high esteem—if not in this life, then in the next (Proverbs 16:18-19). Other than love, humility is the most taught character trait in the New Testament. What does it mean to have a humble attitude? Humility causes you to see yourself from God's viewpoint and acknowledges God's grace and work in your life. Humility gives you an accurate view of yourself. The smaller you become, the more room God has to work in your life. D.L. Moody said, "God will send no one away empty except those who are full of themselves". When we are full of ourselves, we are giving God no room to work within us. Pride prevents you from progress. Humility prepares us to fulfill our purpose. Have you ever chosen to not ask for help just to save face? Pride can prevent us from asking for help and making progress by telling us we are fine to stay in the same place.

Do you have humility? D.L. Moody said, "A man can counterfeit many graces and character traits, but it is difficult to counterfeit humility". One man tried to counterfeit his humility when he said, "Only my great humility keeps me from telling you how truly wonderful I am". Pride always backfires. It deceives one into thinking he is better than he is. It exalts oneself and eventually brings them down. He that exalts himself shall be abased. It is inevitable. In contrast, true humbleness of spirit brings promotion. This leads to success and achieving your goals. The world’s way is to exalt oneself. God’s way is to be humble. It eventually brings promotion.

God will test your humility and whether you have a servant's heart. Luke 14:11, “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." A true test of servanthood is if I act like one when I am treated like one. A humble person remains the same person in all circumstances: whether you’re put down, exalted, humiliated, or honored. If a person has a humble servant's heart, there will be no limit to what they can accomplish if they are unconcerned with who gets the credit. If you have a humble spirit, it will help you to be teachable, reachable, reasonable, and sensible. Humility leads to honor. God Himself will exalt us throughout eternity if we humbly bow before Him and submit to Him. James taught this same truth. James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” The great example of this is the Lord Jesus Christ who was meek and lowly in heart; yet He is acknowledged by most people to be the greatest man of human history (Matthew 11:29). As believers, we are to walk humbly on this earth. Do you want to be honored? If so, then you need to have humility.

Points to Ponder:

• The place to start being honest is at home, then at school or work.

• Only as we humble ourselves do we receive the grace of God for victory in our daily lives.

Questions to Consider:

• How can you apply humility in your own life today?
• How can you make your work more honest and God-honoring?
  

Father in Heaven, renew my mind. Give me a clear understanding of humility, as modeled by Jesus Christ. Jesus restrained His power, and as an ultimate act of strength, He humbled Himself and served. Lord, I admit that it is hard for me. Help me to understand and help me to do it. If Jesus could get low and serve, so should I. I humble myself before You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

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Don’t Put It Off Another Day (Hebrews 3:7-9)

Hebrews 3:7-9, “Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.”

On Sunday night, October 8, 1871, D. L. Moody was preaching the gospel in downtown Chicago. He challenged the listening crowd to go home and “think about what I’ve said about the gospel and come back tomorrow and tell me what you’ve decided about following the Lord.” Sounds OK, right? “It’s a big decision. Don’t rush into it. Weigh your options.” About the same hour that meeting was breaking up, a few blocks west of downtown, a blaze had begun in Patrick O’Leary’s cow barn. By midnight, the fire had jumped the Chicago River’s south branch and by 1:30 a.m., the entire business district (where Moody had been preaching) was in flames. By 3:00 a.m., the inferno had raced northward, jumped the main river, and devoured over 100,000 homes. Not until after midnight the following day was the fire extinguished as a steady rain left Chicago smoldering and in rubbles—with hundreds dead. Many of the people who had heard the gospel on Sunday night perished in the flames. By not deciding to follow Jesus the moment they heard the invitation, they had missed their opportunity to respond to God’s good news. D.L. Moody’s ministry was changed forever. He said, “From now on, every chance I get I will urge upon people a decision today, today. Today, sir, make a decision today. Although you can choose your actions; you cannot choose the consequences.”

Jesus had an encounter with Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10. Luke 19:5, “Our Lord said to Zacchaeus,” …Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.” Every word is important; but notice these two words ‘haste’ and ‘today’. God’s call is urgent. It demands an immediate response. As it was in Paul’s day with Felix, Festus, and Agrippa (Acts 24, 25, 26), it is with us today. Again and again, people hear the message of the Gospel proclaimed faithfully and are sincerely admonishing to repent and believe on Christ, but they reply, “Tomorrow!”

God’s call is not for tomorrow. It is written, …To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation…’” God’s grace always comes with urgent dispatch. Tomorrow is in Satan’s calendar, but nowhere else. II Corinthians 6:2, “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”

When you hear what God’s Word says, do something about it. If you want to go further with God than you have in years gone by, decide today that every time God shows you something, you’re going to get after it. If He lays it out for you, don’t put it off. If the Lord is calling, you need to respond immediately without hesitation.

PRAYER: Father, too often I have ignored Your prompting when You have called me to speak to others. This life will end sooner than I think. Help me to remain faithful until the end of this life’s journey. In Jesus name, AMEN.

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Spiritual Rut (Psalm 40:1-2)

Psalm 40:1-2, “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”

If you have ever traveled down some backcountry road following heavy rains, you have probably driven through ruts. No matter how hard we try, we often fall into a “rut” of one kind or another. Many friends in my teen years had 4X4 pickup trucks. After hard rains, we would take our truck to the bottoms outside of Memphis, TN, and go “mudding”. We often spent most of the time pulling one another’s trucks out of ruts.

Have you ever been stuck in a rut? What about a spiritual rut? This happens often when we have stopped studying as we should, or maybe we have begun to forsake assembling together. Once we get into a rut, it is difficult to work our way out. If you are in a spiritual rut, you need to make daily time in the Word of God a priority. Whenever we find ourselves in a spiritual rut, we must begin living the way God instructed us. God’s Word tells us that an important part of life in Christ is corporate worship. We need to worship with other believers. Especially when you are struggling spiritually, don’t give up on Sunday mornings. Realize that God can use the ruts in life to get us to wait on Him and to draw you closer to Him.

The pit Joseph found himself in became a blessing for him. The pit which confined Joseph was a triumph to God's timing and providence. Job 23:10, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” God knew Joseph's path, and Joseph did come forth as gold. He turned out to be worth his weight in gold in the future when Joseph, the slave, became a superior ruler in Egypt and a savior to the people. He saved their lives and families in the years ahead by the wisdom that God gave to him.

Do you feel like you are in a spiritual rut? Are you in a rut and stuck in the mud of the mundane? Realize that the Lord can bless your ruts. Joseph found himself in a rut the Bible called a pit. Often God puts us in trying circumstances because He wants us to wait on Him so that He can bless us. Our problem arises when we get impatient and give up before He can bless us. For example, did you know the largest pure gold nugget was discovered in 1869 in Australia? It was found in a wagon rut just a few inches below the soil. It weighed 2,248 troy ounces or around 154 pounds. At today's rate of $1,930.00 per ounce, its value would be a little over 4.7 million dollars. A great treasure was found in a rut. God can provide great blessings for you in your ruts, too. The spiritual ruts in your life may actually be times of blessing and refuge. It is difficult to see this at first. All that we can see is darkness and feel pain or hurt. The spiritual rut is part of a bigger plan that God has for you as you place your refuge in the Lord.

Prayer: Father in Heaven, I know that I’m not alone in this spiritual rut. I’m fully aware that there are potential blessings in this rut if I’ll wait on. Help me to trust in You as I cling to the rope of hope by believing Your Word. In Jesus name, Amen!

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