This mornings devotion is an excerpt from a Leadership Page. You can view this current study in its entirety by visiting this sites Leadership Page link. Leadership - Fellowship Baptist Church (fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com)
 
The Value of Having a Good Name (Proverbs 22:1)
 
Proverbs 22:1, A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
 
On March 5, 2005, German long jumper Bianca Kappler created a stir in the world of indoor track and field. During the 28th European Indoor Athletics Championships in Madrid Spain's Palacio of Deportes pavilion, she refused the gold medal award. Kappler's final jump was measured at 22 feet, 10 inches. The next best contender was Naide Gomes of Portugal. Gomes' jump of 21 feet, 11 inches made her a distant second. However, when Kappler was handed the gold, she promptly handed it back, saying, "I know I can't jump that far." Kappler's other jumps were 21-11/2, 21-51/4 and 21-31/4. When officials asked her to reconsider or take a final jump the next day, Kappler declined. She insisted that her best jumps were nearly a foot shorter than that "medal-winning" effort. Judges concluded her jump must have been measured incorrectly and gave the gold medal to Naide Gomes. Kappler ended up with a share of the bronze medal, prompting several newspapers to dub her "the world's most honest athlete." The International Olympic Committee President sent a letter to Bianca Kappler to congratulate her on this gesture.
 
The honor of a good name has more value than great wealth. Character will support a person regardless of the severity or sum of the circumstance. There are many rich people that have no respect or value to their name. The word of the person of character will go farther than all their riches. It means behaving in such a way that we cannot be reproached for inconsistency in our conduct (II Corinthians 8:21; I Timothy 3:2,7).
 
One’s reputation is better than great wealth. The importance of maintaining integrity is beyond any financial price. A good name is more valuable than riches, because it can’t be bought with money. It has to be earned moment by moment, day by day, decision by decision. Having a good name means living in a way that earns the trust of others. It means demonstrating integrity that people can depend on. Maintaining a good name doesn’t mean that you are perfect, but when you make mistakes, you learn from them and do what you can to make things right.
 
Ecclesiastes 7:1 agrees that your name is valuable: “A good name is better than precious ointment;”. It leaves a pleasant fragrance in the air when it is spoken. A good name entails living with a clear conscience by accepting accountability for your actions and restoring when you have hurt someone. While riches we could live without, a life that doesn’t experience love would be devastating. If your name is not in good standing with others in your community, you need to start working on earning a good name today. It might take a while to build or rebuild, but there is no doubt in the end it will be worth it.
 
There are things you can do to get and keep a good name:
1.Live your life in a way that is pleasing to the Lord (Proverbs 16:7-10).
2.Associate with those who have a good name (II Corinthians 6:14–17).
3.Live a sanctified life (I Thessalonians 4:3-7).
4.Be faithful to God’s house (Hebrews 10:24-25).
5.Work hard and be reliable (Proverbs 28:19-20; Ephesians 4:28).
6.Keep your word (Ecclesiastes 5:4-7; Matthew 5:33-37; I John 2:5).
7.Think of others (Philippians 2:3-4).
 
Questions to Consider:

• If someone interviewed five of your friends, what would they say about your character?
• What are you known for?
• What word characterizes your reputation?

 
Points to Ponder:

• The honor of a good name has more value than great wealth.
• There is no greater inheritance we can leave behind, than the legacy of a good name.
• Ask God to help you develop a name for yourself that both you and He are proud of.

 
PRAYER: Lord, help me to have a clean heart and clean hands that my walk in this life will be in absolute integrity. In Jesus Name, AMEN.
 
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Be Filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)

Ephesians 5:18, And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

The Bible commands us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is a command for every believer, not just for ministers or those who are in full time ministry. We need God’s power for every aspect of life. When a person allows the Holy Spirit to control their life He can demonstrate His power in whatever they do. A man once asked D. L. Moody why he focused so much about being filled with the Holy Spirit. Moody replied, “Because I leak!”.

A man who drank heavily was converted to Christ and lived victoriously for several weeks. One day as he passed the open door of a tavern, the pungent odor drifting out aroused his old appetite for liquor. Just then he saw this sign in the window of a nearby cafe: "All the buttermilk you can drink—25 cents!" Dashing inside, he ordered one glass, then another, and still another. After finishing the third he walked past the saloon and was no longer tempted. He was so full of buttermilk that he had no room for that which would be injurious to him. The lesson is clear: To be victorious over our evil desires, we must leave no opportunity for them to repossess us.

Dwight L. Moody once displayed the principle like this: "Tell me," he said to the congregation, "how can I get the air out of the tumbler I have in my hand?" One man said, "Suck it out with a pump." But the evangelist replied, "That would create a vacuum and shatter it." Finally, after numerous suggestions, Moody picked up a pitcher and filled the glass with water. "There," he said, "all the air is now removed." He then explained that victory for the child of God does not come by working hard to eliminate sinful habits, but rather by allowing the Holy Spirit to take full possession.

It’s been said that every Christian is as full of the Holy Spirit as he or she chooses to be. We are filled with the Spirit as we are emptied of ourselves. It is said that when a group of churches met to consider inviting the evangelist D. L. Moody to come to England for a crusade, a young, prideful pastor protested, "Why do we need this 'Mr. Moody'? He's uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?" An older, wiser pastor rose and responded, "No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody."

We should not be controlled by wine because it can be excessive. Instead, we should be controlled by the Spirit, because you can’t get enough of that; you can’t be too filled with the Spirit. We must yield control of our lives to the Holy Spirit in the way that a drunkard yields control of his life to alcohol. This means allowing the Holy Spirit to control our every thought, action, and attitude. May you experience this “filling” of the Spirit even today as you live your life for Christ. God does not want control of our lives only for a while on Sundays or when we are with others from the church. His plan is for His Spirit to control our steps every day in every area of life. Surrender your will to His and you will find yourself walking in the Spirit.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I give myself to You today that You may fill me, guide me, and control me that I may bring glory to You. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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This mornings devotion is an excerpt from a Bible Study. You can view this current study in its entirety by visiting this sites Bible Study link.

Saturating A City with the Gospel (Acts 5:26-29)

Acts 5:26-29, Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us, 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

The apostles were retrieved from the Temple and brought before the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was the Jewish Supreme Court consisting of a total of 70 members and the High Priest who was in charge. In the time of Christ, this court was very corrupt. The Sanhedrin had total jurisdiction over all the theological and religious matters in Israel. The high priest despised the name of Jesus so much that they would not even mention His name. Don’t miss the fact that the whole council was opposed to the work of God through His church, but its ringleader was the high priest. Truth mattered little, if any, to these leaders. The apostles were charged with several offenses. They were charged with defiance to the commands of the council. They were charged with insubordination (they defied the command to not teach in the name of Jesus). They were charged with indoctrination (they filled Jerusalem with the doctrine of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ). They were charged with incrimination (they intended to bring the guilt of the death upon the people). They had broken the specific law that the name and resurrection of Jesus Christ was not to be preached according to Acts 4:18. Believers are sometimes forbidden to speak for their Lord by governments, businesses, fellow workers, schools, institutions, and neighbors. This is in direct conflict with the Lord's command (Acts 1:4, 8). We also find the apostles' victory in speaking the truth. They told the Jews and their religious leaders the truth of what they did to Jesus. They killed the Messiah. The high priest conveniently forgot that he and his associates had said to Pilate, "His blood be upon us and on our children!" (Matthew 27:25). They were only getting what they had asked Pilate to give to them.

The council had commanded the apostles not to teach in the name of Jesus and yet they defied the council. God called and Spirit filled preachers will magnify and exalt the name of Jesus. One of the greatest questions facing every Christian is not, “Is this particular thing or activity convenient, pleasurable, or popular with people?” but, “Is this particular thing or activity right with God and is it what He desires?” Those who aim always to please people will never be able to please God (Galatians 1:10). The apostles were rebuked and they reminded them, "We commanded you to not teach in Jesus name!" Then they had to admit the victory of the apostles in filling the city of Jerusalem with the doctrine of Christ and His Gospel. Despite the external persecution and internal problems, the apostles kept on teaching and preaching. To saturate a city is not easy to do at all, but these men of God did it through the power of God and hard work. Jesus was the talk of the town. Can you imagine what America would be like if Jesus was the talk of every town and people were excited about Him? Following Jesus and serving Jesus will give you many opportunities in life to testify and witness before all kinds of people.

The apostles did not hold back. They were not intimidated into silence. They looked them in the eyes and boldly told them the facts without fear or hesitation. The eternal destiny of these people was at stake. They needed to be saved and the only way to reach them was to reveal to them their sin and their solution...Jesus Christ. John Phillips wrote, “There was a higher court in Israel than the Sanhedrin: the Supreme Court of Heaven. The God of heaven had sent His Son into the world; He had sent His Spirit into the world; He had now sent His servants into the world. The Sanhedrin had no authority to forbid them to preach in the name of Jesus. They knew it. The apostles knew it. It was simply a question of loyalty.” Christians today struggle to share the Gospel with unsaved friends and family because of fear and intimidation. If you can overcome that fear, you have won a great victory. If you can saturate a city with the Gospel, you have won a great victory. Not all people will be saved, but if you can at least give people the opportunity to hear or read the Gospel, you have achieved, with God's help, a victory.

Points to Ponder:
We will face these same problems throughout our ministry, yet we too should keep on keeping on.
Help us to fear and hate sin because we fear and love God, who is holy!
We must obey God by proclaiming and teaching that Jesus Christ is the risen Saviour and Lord.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me to remain steadfast to preach Your Word and minister to others. In Jesus Name, AMEN!

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Honor God…and He Will Honor You (I Samuel 2:30)

I Samuel 2:30, Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

A profound principle which extends to this day remains: those that honor the Lord will be honored. Those who have little regard for Him and His precepts will receive little esteem from Him. God blesses those who honor Him and at the least withholds His blessing from those who ignore Him.

Leaving his young son in boarding school in Great Britain was the hardest thing Rev. James Dunlop Liddell, Scottish missionary to China, had ever done. But Eric thrived like a hare in the highlands. He studied hard. He loved sports, particularly rugby. He joined a Bible study, faithfully attended church regularly, and became a member of the Crusader Christian Union. He also began his lifelong habit of early morning Bible reading and prayer.

Eric advanced to the university, joined the track team, and won races like a thoroughbred. Every week he brought home more prizes and trophies until he soon ran out of storage space. His legs became a Scottish national treasure, and all the world followed him to the 1924 Olympics.

All the while, Eric’s Christian life continued on the fast track as well, and his newly-found fame gave plenty of opportunities for preaching and witnessing. At the Paris Olympics, his faith was put to the test when his chosen venue, the 100-meter race, was scheduled for Sunday. Eric, who didn’t believe in competing on the Lord’s Day, opted out. In spite of pressure and criticism, he instead entered the 400-meter run that was on a different day, as the world watched and wondered at this unusual young man.

In his dressing room just before the race, Eric unfolded a small bit of paper that had been given to him by the team masseur. It read: “In the old book it says ‘He that honors me I will honor.’ Wishing you the best of success always.” Eric knew the verse very well. It was I Samuel 2:30. He smiled and made up his mind that, win or lose, he would honor God and that he did.

I Samuel 2:30, played an important role in the life of Eric Liddell. He and the Lord had honored each other. He won the gold medal. His time that day was 47.6 seconds. He set a new world record. The Lord had blessed him with speed like a stallion. God's Word is clear that those who honor Him will be honored, and those who despise Him will be held in low esteem. God honors and blesses faithfulness.

God places great merit on faithfulness. He is looking for men and women faithful to Him. Proverbs 20:6, Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? I Corinthians 4:2, Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

God is looking for faithful men like:

1. Job. Job 23:11, My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
2. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Daniel 3:18, But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
3. Peter & John. Acts 4:19-20, But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
4. Paul. Acts 20:24, But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
5. Timothy. I Corinthians 4:17, For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

Points to Ponder:
God places great merit on faithfulness.
He is looking for men and women faithful to Him (Proverbs 20:6; I Corinthians 4:2).
Honor God and He will honor you and your faithfulness to Him.

Questions to Consider:
Are you faithful or a failure in obedience to the Lord?
Are you honoring the Lord with your life?
How will you choose to honor the Lord today?

PRAYER: Lord, I want You to know how important You are in my life, so I come to You now, giving You the first portion of my day. Help me to honor You in attitude and actions today. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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Spiritual Bodyguard (Psalm 121:1-8)

Psalm 121:1-8, I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Psalm 121 describes our God as One Who is a present help every step of the way we travel. Gaining help from God involves seeking help from God. The psalm begins with the psalmist seeking help from God for his troubles and trials. God is always with us, guiding us every step of the way. God has promised to provide stability and security for those walking in the center of His will (Psalm 16:8; 55:22; 91:1-4). Six times we are reminded that the Lord is able to take care of every problem we encounter (Psalm 121:3-8). None of the things that happen to you, none of the troubles you encounter, have any power to get between you and God, sap His grace in you, side track His will from you (Romans 8:28, 31-32).

You will find as you go through life that Satan will try to keep your focus upon your sorrows and difficulties. Sometimes the only thing we can see are our mountains or hills. God wants us to look higher than our hills at Him. Even when the outlook of your present circumstances may seem dark, the "uplook" is always bright when you focus your faith on the Lord and rest in His care. Those who look up will be lifted up. The starting point for looking higher than your hills is searching for His help instead of trying to solve all your problems on your own.

God’s children are always under His protection and watchful care (I Peter 1:5; Matthew 10:30-31). God guards our spiritual well-being from the time we receive Christ’s forgiveness and entrust our lives to Him until the time we leave this life to be with God forever. From justification (Romans 5:9) to the time of your glorification with the saints in heaven (I Corinthians 15:51-54), you are safe: " The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil." Even while we sleep, God is on duty. We can rest in peace because He is always awake. Our great Protector never sleeps. Our spiritual bodyguard is always on duty. What a blessed assurance! The thought is how that our God is never drowsy nor goes to sleep on the job. He is always there for the protection of His people. That was true for Israel when they were in the center of God’s will. It remains true for Christians in the center of His will. There is a great benefit in serving God and living our lives for Him. It means the providential protection of God is always at hand.

When God saves our soul, He then preserves our salvation. It is He who keeps us and not ourselves. It is He who is our spiritual preservation. The only serious mistake we can make when illness comes, when anxiety threatens, when conflict disturbs our relationships with others is to begin to entertain the thought that God has gotten bored looking after us and has shifted His attention to a more devoted Christian. God’s desire and interest in us never waxes and wanes in response to our spiritual temperature.

If you want to look higher than your hills, then understand the fact that God is our keeper. He is our covering and protector. This is important because our mountains can be very scary. Fear can create panic, stress, and worry. Resting in the fact that the Lord is our protector will give us peace, confidence, and faith.
​
As you learn to trust in the LORD for direction it will take care of your proneness to wander wayward from His holy standards. It will keep you honest and pure in every professional and social contact. It will keep you mindful of the One to whom you belong and who you serve. It will guard you from many wrong steps in life where God’s name is debased and dishonored.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, at this time in my life, the struggles I’m facing (whether: physical, financial, social, etc.) I ask You to intervene in this situation. Right now, I don’t see a way out of it, but I know Heaven is my eternal home. The pains of this world are only for a season, but the joys of spending forever with You can never be taken away from me. Rather than staring down at life’s problems, help me to keep looking up to You for strength. 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. 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.
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 given 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 the 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. James taught this same truth. James 4:10, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 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?

PRAYER: 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 it, that 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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Precious Things (I & II Peter)

Peter had ups and downs spiritually. There were mountain tops and valleys. Peter had lived long enough to know the importance of helping to encourage believers at various times in their life. Peter had faced many discouraging things in his life and he wanted to be a blessing to others. Peter not only wanted to inform other believers, but he had a Scriptural view and wanted to inspire them as well. Peter understood that we all need encouragement and, at times, motivation to do what is right. Peter had a mature, godly perspective and he was seeking other believers to move forward in their life. God allowed him to pen down the Scriptures concerning “Precious Things”.

Because of Jesus, God loves us, cares for us, accepts us, and takes pleasure in us, and views us as precious to Him. God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ. The word "precious" means of great honor and price; of great value and privilege. We must take notice of some things in the Scriptures that are said to be “precious” in the passages. When the Lord spoke of something being “precious” we should realize it is important to seriously consider it.

Below are five of ‘the precious things of heaven’ revealed to us.
1. Our Precious Saviour (I Peter 2:7).
I Peter 2:7, Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
Christ is the treasure hid in a field, the pearl of great price, for which every believer has gladly sold all that he has to obtain that treasure and have that pearl.

2. His Precious Blood (I Peter 1:18-19).
I Peter 1:18-19, Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
The blood of Christ is precious because it is His blood, the blood of the God-man. The blood was foreordained of God as the atonement, for our sins. The blood reveals our Saviour’s love. The blood satisfies divine justice of a holy God and removes our sin. The blood secures our forgiveness, pardon, justification and eternal glory. The blood was shed for us. All these things make the blood of Christ precious.

3. The Precious Promises of our God (II Peter 1:4).
II Peter 1:4, Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
The promises of God are precious because they are God’s promises. There are mega promises hidden for us in His Word as we become familiar with it. The Bible is full of promises which give us insight and help in the issues of life. They speak of exceedingly great and precious things: pardon, peace, protection, provision, preservation, providence, and perfection.

4. Our Precious Faith (II Peter 1:1).
II Peter 1:1, Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
The doctrine of faith, the Gospel, is precious. And the grace of faith is precious, precious because it is rare. Faith in the Lord honors God and it saves the soul. The faith of Jesus Christ is precious because it makes us acceptable to God. It ushers us into the very presence of God Himself.

5. Our Precious Trials (I Peter 1:7).
I Peter 1:7, That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Your faith is genuine and reveals your Father’s love. The trial of faith is precious because it causes your love, faith and joy in Christ to grow; causes you to enjoy and anticipate your inheritance in heaven and will give you great cause to praise and honor God in heaven.

We may find it difficult to fathom God’s incredible love for us. In and of ourselves, there would be nothing to attract Him, nothing for Him to delight in. But He has made us new creations in Christ, created in the likeness of Jesus, in whom is all His delight.

Points to Ponder:
Jesus loves you and rejoices in your faithful service.
As we learn more about Jesus and draw closer to him it will help us greatly in our life.

Questions to Consider:
What five precious things of God can you write down right now?
How did each of them become memorable to you?


PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I thank You already for what You are going to do for me. For Your Son’s promise to always be with me. Thank You for the confidence to face the uncertainties ahead because I can have confidence in You.

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Jesus Christ…Our Peace (Ephesians 2:14)

Ephesians 2:14, For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

Two painters were in a contest where each said they could paint a picture of peace. One painter painted this sunset with the sun going down over the calm water. It all looked very nice and the picture had a very calming effect. The other painter painted a picture of a fierce storm. In it, the sky was dark and there was lightning, thunder, and dark clouds rolling overhead. The picture showed the waves crashing against the rocks. Things looked fairly chaotic. But in the corner of the painting, at the bottom, were two big stones with a bird in the middle of them. The bird was singing. Now that's peace. Peace is where God's calm and God's tranquility overrule your concerns. He has not only made peace and proclaimed peace, but Christ is our peace.

A wall in the Jerusalem temple prevented Gentiles from entering, but the cross removes such barriers, granting Jews and Gentiles equal access to God. Jesus Christ is the reconciler between Jew and gentile. He has “broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” In the Temple at Jerusalem, there was a wall in the Temple court partitioning off the area in which gentiles were allowed. Christ has eliminated the barrier between Jew and gentile in the church. The law shut up everyone under sin. It is impossible for sinners to earn a righteous standing before God through keeping of the Law (Galatians 3:19-24). God’s holy law created a barrier between sinners and God. Jesus Christ broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, which created enmity between the Jews and the Gentiles. The wall of separation has been removed between Jewish and Gentile believers through Jesus Christ. Jesus removed these barriers by fulfilling the requirements of the Law. Christians are no longer living under the Law. They are living under grace. God's standard of holiness is still revealed in the Law, but Christ fulfilled this standard. In Him, we have salvation and are declared righteous. This verse takes our minds back to the veil of the Temple that separated man from the holy of holies where God dwelt. This veil was torn in two the very moment that Christ died (Matthew 27:50-51). Christ not only made peace, but He is our peace. Peace can be found only in one place, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, because He alone can deal with our inherent sin problem. If you are in Christ and I am in Christ, then He Himself becomes the source of peace between us.

Without justification it is impossible to have real peace. Conscience forbids it. Sin is a mountain between a man and God, and must be taken away. The sense of guilt lies heavy on the heart and must be removed. Unpardoned sin will murder peace. The true Christian knows all this well. His peace arises from a consciousness of his sins being forgiven, and his guilt being put away... He has peace with God, because he is justified.—J.C. Ryle

Christ is our peace with God.
There was a wall of partition separating us from God: our sin and guilt. But Christ came in human flesh to reconcile a holy God and His sinful people. In order to do so, He established righteousness for us, such as God’s law required, and satisfied the justice of God against us by pouring out His own life’s blood unto death as our Substitute. By His great atonement the Son of God has taken away the sin which separated God and His chosen people. By the power of His Spirit, through the preaching of the gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ has persuaded us who believe to be reconciled to God. He is our peace, because He has reconciled God to us by His blood and reconciled us to God by his grace.

Christ is our peace with one another.
He has made all believers one in Himself. Coming to Christ in faith, we are united in heart and purpose with all other believers. Faith in Christ destroys all those distinctions of the flesh which alienate sinful men: race, social standing, education, etc. In the kingdom of grace there is neither black nor white, male nor female, rich nor poor: but Christ is all, and in all. ‘He is our peace,’ because we are one in Him.

Christ is our peace within ourselves.
When Christ rules in a man’s heart, He causes that heart to be at peace. It is written: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee (Isaiah 26:3). “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7).” He is our peace,’ because He brings peace to the heart.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for the Prince of Peace and all the ways He brings peace to my life. Thank You first for establishing peace with me by allowing Your Son to settle all the debts and offenses that would have prevented me from ever knowing You. Thank You for the peace of Your presence and power in my life that overcomes all obstacles and draws me to You. In Jesus Name, AMEN!

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A Clean and Willing Vessel (Psalm 139:23-24)

Psalm 139:23-24, Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Even though God speaks to many people, some do not hear because they are not willing vessels. People are unprepared vessels when they can't make good use of a word from God because of how they are living. So we ask ourselves: Do I stand ready to obey and change, should God direct that? Do I want to know if I am wrong?

1. Search Me.
David is inviting God into his heart, where all sin originates. David sought for God to search him and reveal to him any sin that might have crept in. He surely was transparent before God. Though God knew his every thought, David invited God to shine His pure light into the inner crevasses of his heart to reveal to him his thought life. He wanted the Lord to search his heart and to go beyond his words and deeds and to probe the innermost depths of his being and to expose anything that grieved Him so that he might repent of it, if there was anything in his heart that grieved or caused sorrow for God.

Opening ourselves up entirely to God may prove to be a painful process. Not only will we have to confront our sins, or the sins we might not currently be aware of, but we will also have to repent of them. When we are willing to go through this process of letting God explore us, expose what is within us, and extract it from our hearts, we will possess a clean heart. More than anything else, our greatest desire should be to please the Lord.

David wanted to be obedient to God. He wanted to live in the way that would honor God. The heart reveals the true you. Acknowledging the omniscience of God once again, David pled with God to reveal any wickedness in his heart. David asked God to see if there was any wicked way in him. He wanted his life to be in accord with Divine requirements and wanted all wickedness exposed and removed that might remain in his heart.

David invited the Lord to go beyond his words and deeds to examine the innermost part of his being. He wanted God to know his heart, his feelings, intentions, and motives. David asked God to try or to test him so that He would even know his thoughts. To try something is an expression used of refining metals for the purpose of purifying and proving them (Job 23:10; I Corinthians 3:13). David desired that God fully examine him to prove that he was pure within.

God knows us better than we know ourselves. We need to regularly open our hearts to God and ask Him to search us within. We need to invite God to investigate us to the very core of our being, to test and prove us, and to reveal any sinful ways that are within us. More than anything else, our greatest desire should be to please the Lord.

2.Lead Me.
“Obedience to God is the most infallible evidence of sincere and supreme love to him”, Nathanael Emmons. God does not expect negotiation, He expects obedience in every part of our lives. Even believers who have known Jesus for years admit, “I’m not following perfectly.” Jesus knows you can’t follow Him flawlessly. In spite of that, He invites you to follow Him anyway. The leading of God will mean that David will not walk in sinful paths but will be led in the right ways that are pleasing to the Lord. If you want to be right with God, you must constantly confront your thought life with God’s Word. When God’s Word exposes where we are wrong, we must submit to the Lord and walk in His way. We all need to be led. Believers have the Scriptures and the Spirit to guide them, but too often allow self, or the flesh, do the leading. God has not promised to keep our lives free from times of distress, but He has promised to be with us through them and to use them to bring about our ultimate sanctification. Followers of Jesus Christ whose greatest desire is to be like the Lord, understand that they must have a daily walk and conversation with Him. He provides His constant presence to help you do what you are incapable of doing on your own. This is why you can call Jesus your Shepherd. He is the perfect Shepherd even though you’re not a perfect sheep. Thank Him for being your Shepherd today.

Questions to Consider:
Do you want to know if you are on a wrong path?
Do you stand ready to obey and change, should that be what God directs?
Where are you most resistant to hearing God's direction (for example, in circumstances that require humility or honesty or purity)?
When you sit down to read the Bible or hear a sermon, are you willing to ask God to show you where you are wrong and what you need to know to be corrected?

PRAYER: Father, I ask You to search my heart and reveal to me anything that is hidden so that I can repent of it and lead a life that pleases You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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