Our Labor of Love

2 CORINTHIANS 9:8-11

Faith and works go hand in hand. A Christian is one whom Christ uses to carry out His work on earth. Therefore, serving God is more than just something we do; working for the Lord also defines who we are.

After joining God’s family, believers are recognizable by their fruit, which includes the services they perform for Him and for others. In fact, the Lord rescues people from sin so that they can do the work He has planned (Eph. 2:10). It has often been said that we are God’s hands and feet in this world.

The same Father who calls us to work in His name also provides the necessary resources. As Paul said, the Lord makes grace abound to His children so that they have an abundance for every good deed (2 Cor. 9:8). Moreover, we are equipped by His Word and strengthened and guided by His Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16-17). From these sources, Christians learn lessons about relating to others so they can help, encourage, and give to them.

Let’s be clear that works have nothing to do with salvation. We are saved by grace alone through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Period. After that happens, a believer is motivated to do good in the Lord’s name in order to please Him.

We are called to act out our faith every day. God works through us to reach those who may never otherwise open the Bible or enter a church. What’s more, He borrows our voice to tell His story and uses our life to demonstrate His grace and glory. Good deeds are a believer’s labor of love.

 

 

Contentment in all Circumstances

PHILIPPIANS 4:10-13

Think about the times when you have felt truly satisfied. What caused you to feel that way? For most people, a sense of well-being comes when their environment is just the way they want it, but that wasn’t the case with Paul. He learned to be content in every circumstance, good or bad.

We’d do well to learn a few lessons from him. After all, we can’t avoid all difficult situations, so we might as well discover how to face them with a tranquil, settled spirit rather than with frustration and anxiety.

Contentment isn’t governed by external circumstances. Changing the situation may bring temporary relief, but satisfaction based on circumstances will always be sporadic and fleeting. It’s a matter of how you think, not what you have.

Contentment flows from an inward attitude. The apostle’s inner calm came from a mind set on Christ. Choosing to trust the Savior no matter what, Paul allowed the Holy Spirit within him to rule his emotions and shape his responses.

Contentment is learned experientially. You cannot acquire it from a book or a sermon because it’s a process that must be lived out. Paul learned contentment on the road–in persecution, suffering, and prison. The Lord used every difficulty to transform him.

Situations that cause frustration, anxiety, and dissatisfaction are also the ones God uses to produce contentment in us. When you are fed up with your own grumbling, disappointment, and dissatisfaction, then you are ready to let the Lord teach you His new way of living–in joyous trust!

 

Dr. Charles Stanley

God’s Cake

Image via Wikipedia

Sometimes we wonder, “What did I do to deserve this”, or
“Why did God have to do this to me”. Here is a wonderful
explanation!

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going
wrong, she’s failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her
and her best friend is moving away.

Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her
daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says,
“Absolutely Mom, I love your cake.”

“Here, have some cooking oil,” her Mother offers.

“Yuck” says her daughter.

“How about a couple raw eggs?”

“Gross, Mom!”

“Would you like some flour then?

Or maybe baking soda?”

“Mom, those are all yucky!”

To which the mother replies: “Yes, all those things seem bad
all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right
way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He
would let us go through such bad and difficult times. For God
knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they
always work for good!   We just have to trust Him and,
eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

Pastor Allen

Storm Clouds And Blue Sky

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn READ: Romans 8:18-30 Our light affliction . . . is but for a moment. —2 Corinthians 4:17 Iwas feeling down about some circumstances the other day and wondering how I might lift my spirits. I pulled from my shelf the book Life Is Like Licking Honey Off a Thorn by Susan Lenzkes, and I read this: “We take the laughter and the tears however they come, and let our God of reality make sense of it all.” Lenzkes says some people are optimists who “camp in pleasures and good memories,” denying the brokenness. Others are pessimists who “focus on life’s losses, losing joy and victory in the process.” But people of faith are realists who “receive it all—all the good and bad of life—and repeatedly choose to know that God really loves us and is constantly at work for our good and His glory.” As I read, I looked outside and noticed dark clouds and a steady rain. A little later, a friendly wind came up and blew the clouds away. Suddenly the skies were bright blue. The storms of life blow in and out like that. By faith we cling to God’s promise of Romans 8:28. And we recall that “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17). God loves us, and He’s getting us ready for the day when skies will be forever blue. —Anne Cetas The purposes of God are right, Although we may not see Just how He works all things for good And transforms tragedy. —Sper God promises a safe landing— but not necessarily a calm passage.

Failing to Listen to God

GENESIS 3:1-13

Today’s passage offers a picture of what happens when believers don’t listen to God. Eve knew the Lord’s instructions so well that she repeated them almost verbatim to the serpent. However, pride and fleshly appetites got the better of her, and she was deceived. Eve stopped listening to God and opened her ears to the wrong voices.

Think about how many voices we hear in a given day. Media, billboards, and even friends and family bombard our minds with ideas and philosophies. We hear vain and ungodly messages wrapped up in pretty language. It’s easy to fall prey to deception unless we keep scriptural principles always before our eyes and heart.

Eve got into trouble simply by pausing long enough to take in the serpent’s words. Satan twisted God’s meaning sufficiently to tempt her away from truth and into error. He assured Eve that instead of falling over dead, she would become like God: her eyes would open, and she would know truth!

In one way, the Devil‘s words were accurate, but they weren’t true. Eve’s eyes were opened; however, the knowledge wasn’t as wonderful as the serpent implied. She was awakened to her own sinful nature and the chasm that had developed between her and God. Moreover, Eve’s physical body would undergo death as a result of her sin.

Exercise caution when messages vie for your attention. Satan, who is as crafty today as he was in Eden, dresses up deception so that it sounds like truth. But the Evil One lies when he speaks (John 8:44). Tune into God and the principles of His Word instead. He speaks only what is right.

 

Dr. Charles Stanley

Misapplied Learning

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn READ: Romans 6:1-14 Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 6:11 After a 4-year-old got into trouble at preschool, his mom asked him what he had done wrong. He explained, “I was angry with a playmate. But you told me that I should not hit anyone, so I asked my friend to do it for me!” Where does someone so young learn that? The Bible tells us he did not have to be taught—he was born with it! It is part of the fallen nature that all of us have at birth. But the Christian does not have to respond according to his fallen nature. Paul reminds us that “our old man was crucified with [Christ], . . . that we should no longer be slaves of sin” (Rom. 6:6). We are “a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17) and have been set free and have become “slaves of God” (Rom. 6:22). Yet, as Christians we do still struggle with our flesh and its sinful desires (Rom. 7:18-19). But now that “we are alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord,” we can respond in a God-honoring way (Rom. 6:11). Instead of being like the young boy who tried to get revenge, we can obey the instructions of Romans 6:13, “Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God . . . as instruments of righteousness.” —C. P. Hia O help us, Lord, to heed Your Word, Its precepts to obey; And give us strength to quench the urge To do things our own way. —Sper We gain the victory when we give up sin’s pleasure in exchange for Christ’s power.

 

Spiritual Junk Food

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn

READ: Hebrews 13:1-9

Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. —Hebrews 13:9

In many countries, childhood obesity is at an all-time high. A major culprit in such unhealthy weight gain is poor eating habits and junk food.

The term junk food refers to items that taste good but lack nutritional value and are often very high in calories and fat. Chips, soft drinks, candy bars, cookies, and many meals purchased at fast-food restaurants fit these criteria.

To be spiritually healthy, we have to avoid “spiritual junk food” as well. Some religious teachers proclaim “a different gospel” (Gal. 1:6), ranging from health-and-wealth to a counterfeit spirituality. And some Christian music and books also contain false teaching. Taking in this kind of “food” may seem to satisfy spiritual hunger, but it will not lead to spiritual health.

Hebrews warns us: “Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace” (Heb. 13:9). False teaching is detrimental to our health and is not profitable, because it cannot cleanse from sin nor give power for spiritual growth. But biblical content that is based upon grace and truth does both.

Avoid “spiritual junk food” and instead feast on God’s Word to promote your spiritual health. —Dennis Fisher

To walk close by Your side, my dear Savior,
To be led by You, doing each task,
To feast richly on grace at Your table,
And to know You is all that I ask. —Somerville

Feeding on God’s truth will help us avoid swallowing lies.

 

Why Wait?

PSALM
25:4-5

On life’s road, crucial decisions are like intersections that call for a
choice of direction. If we barrel through without seeking the mind of Christ,
the road we pick may lead to regret and heartache. Although the Lord is ready
and willing to offer clear direction, He doesn’t always give it quickly. Knowing
that He has very good reasons for withholding immediate instruction can help us
wait patiently at the intersection for His guidance.

At times God leaves us in our confusion because He wants to get our
attention. When everything is running smoothly, we tend to forget the Lord. But
uncertainty draws us back to Him like a magnet. By aligning our steps with His
and walking in submission to the Spirit, we open our ears to hear His voice.

Our waiting time is God’s preparation time. In bringing about His sovereign
purposes, He may put us on hold while He coordinates events to line up with His
will. Sometimes the Lord has work to accomplish in us before we are ready to
handle what He has planned for our future. If we instantly received His
direction, we would never grow in faith. Spiritual maturity is evidenced in the
ability to wait in peaceful confidence, trusting that in His time, we will know
what to do.

If impatience tempts you to jump ahead of God’s timing at a crossroad of
decision, you risk stepping outside of His will and missing His blessings. But
by waiting until He gives clear direction, you will walk in His peace with
certainty, instead of stumbling around in anxiety and confusion.Very good encouraging devotional!!!!

 

Cross The Divide

 

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn READ: Mark 2:13-17 As [Jesus] was dining in Levi’s house, . . . many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus. —Mark 2:15 Two young men with mischief on their minds approached a missionary’s outreach bus parked in a downtown area of a German city. The missionaries were there to offer refreshments as a way to open up conversations about Christ. The two visitors, wearing skull-and-crossbones bandannas, were there to offer trouble. But the missionaries didn’t respond to the ruffians as they expected. The Christians welcomed them warmly and engaged them in discussion. Surprised, the guys hung around long enough to hear the gospel. One trusted Jesus that day. The other, the next day. Those two young men and the missionaries who reached them were light-years apart culturally. The guys were German; the missionaries, American. The guys were involved in a culture of darkness and death; the missionaries were shining the light. The cultural divide was crossed with cookies and nonjudgmental love. Look at the people around you. How can you show those on the other side of the cultural fence unconditional, unquestioning love? How can you cross the divide and help them see that Jesus’ love knows no boundaries? Cross the divide. Take Christ to the culture—even if it doesn’t look anything like yours. —Dave Branon To cross a cultural divide Takes love that shows we really care; And once the door is open wide, Christ’s saving gospel we can share. —Sper Our witness for Christ is a light for a world in darkness.

God’s Pathway of Brokeness

2 CORINTHIANS 12:7-10

To the human mind, the word “brokenness” can mean something needs to be fixed, is not as good as it was, or is no longer usable. In God‘s kingdom, the word refers to a key element of the sanctification process–one that is beneficial for us.

At salvation, we received a new nature that desires to please God, but we still have our old selfish ways. These ingrained habits, attitudes, and values are based on a common theme–an inward desire to act independently of the Lord.

To become effective servants for God, we must let go of our self-righteousness that says, “I know what is right,” our self-will that claims, “I know what is best for me,” and our self-centeredness that declares, “What I want is most important.” Brokenness is one of the Lord’s tools for replacing self-serving attitudes with Christlike ones. During this difficult but vitally important process, the Holy Spirit worksto remove every obstacle that prevents our complete surrender to Christ‘s lordship and obedience to Him.

Why do we resist letting go of our own plan and embracing God’s? Sometimes we’re wrapped up in worldly entanglements and don’t want to release them. At other times we may fear what will happen if we follow God’s way.

When we resist the Holy Spirit’s leading, our relationship with the heavenly Father will suffer, and our influence and service will be negatively affected. But if we cooperate with the transformation process, we’ll discover that God’s power to change lives will be visible in our brokenness.