Christ Reigns!

By David Wilkerson

Often people write to us saying, “I have no one to talk to, no one to share
my burden with. Nobody has time to hear my cry. I need someone I can pour my
heart out to.”

King David was surrounded by people. He was married, with a large family, and
had many companions at his side. Yet we hear the same cry even from David:
“To whom shall I go?” It is in our very nature to want another human being,
with a face, eyes and ears to listen to us and advise us.

When Job became overwhelmed by his trials, he cried out with grief: “Oh that
one would hear me!” (Job 31:35). He uttered this cry while sitting before his
so-called friends. Yet those friends had no sympathy for Job’s troubles.
Instead, they were messengers of despair.

In his sorrow, Job turned only to the Lord: “Behold, my witness is in heaven,
and my record is on high… Mine eye poureth tears unto God” (Job 16:19-20).
In the Psalms, David urged God’s people to do likewise: “Trust in him at
all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us”
(Psalm 62:8). David also wrote in Psalm 142:

“I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make
my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my
trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, thou knewest my path. In the
way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. 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. I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge
and my portion in the land of the living” (142:1-5).

I believe in my heart this message is an invitation to you from the Holy Spirit
to find a private place where you can frequently pour out your soul to the Lord.
David “poured out his complaint,” and so can you. You can speak to Jesus
about everything – your problems, your present trial, your finances, your
health – and tell him how overwhelmed you are, even how discouraged you are.
He will hear you with love and sympathy, and he will not despise your cry.

God answered David. He answered Job. And for centuries he has answered the
heart-cry of everyone who has trusted his promises. Likewise, he has promised
to hear you and guide you. Indeed, he has pledged by oath to be your strength.
Go to him, and you will come out renewed.

God’s Motives

 Today God Is First  Os Hillman

“He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.” - 2 Samuel 22:20

Questioning someone’s motives for their activities can become an overriding response to those to whom we relate. Wrong motives can result in broken relationships, poor business decisions, and falling out of God‘s will. Sometimes we do not know the motive of another person. It is wrong for us to assume what their motive is until we have confidence that we know their intentions. When we respond or react prematurely, we become judge and jury over them.

God has a motive for every one of His children. His desire is to bring us into a spacious place. He wants us to go beyond our borders of safety and security so that we might experience life at a level that goes beyond ourselves. What do you think of when you think of a “spacious place”? No limitations? A large, grassy field? Open air? These are positive images. Sometimes these spacious places encourage us to step out in faith into areas where we’ve never ventured. Sometimes we need to be rescued by the Lord. When Peter walked on the water, God was inviting him to a spacious place. He went beyond the borders of his boat and ventured into a whole new world. He didn’t have complete success in his venturing out, but it was a process that would lead him to the next victory in his faith walk with Jesus. Sometimes failure is what is needed in order to move us to the next level of faith with God. However, we must be willing to fail and let God rescue us.

The Lord delights in this process. His motive for His children is always love. It is always to bring us to a new level of trust and dependence on Him

How to Walk Wisely

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PROVERBS 28:26

Believers are to walk by faith, according to 2 Corinthians 5:7. However, with so many voices clamoring for us to follow worldly paths, we sometimes struggle to hear and apply God‘s wisdom. For example, our natural impulse to withhold mercy is hard to ignore, even though the Lord demands that we forgive (Eph. 4:32).

Godly wisdom is the capacity to view things as the Lord does and to respond according to biblical principles. This discernment isn’t automatic. Yes, God’s Spirit lives inside believers to prompt them to do right. However, each individual chooses whether or not to pursue the wise way.

If a person is going to walk wisely, he or she must commit to remaining on the right path—that is, to determine in the heart, “I will follow God no matter what.” Pleasing the Lord and conforming to His likeness are always the right things to do.

Resolving to honor the Lord transforms the way that believers make decisions. Instead of following instincts or impulses, I choose to seek God’s viewpoint in a given situation. Moreover, rather than relying on other people’s advice, I choose to search Scripture for verification of what I hear Him saying to me. As a result, the Holy Spirit‘s quiet voice becomes easier to discern, and those worldly shouts fade.

You have a loving heavenly Father who honors the heartfelt commitment to walk according to His will. God assumes responsibility for offering His children sought-after wisdom and enabling them to keep walking on the right path (Prov. 3:5-6). Following Him is always the best decision.

Dr. Charles Stanley

Why Does God Allow Evil?

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GENESIS 2:15-17 

When Christians discuss how and when evil entered the world, they most often point to the serpent’s temptation of Eve. But in fact, we must go back a bit further to the moment when God planted the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. By offering Adam and Eve a choice between obedience and rebellion, the Lord allowed for evil to enter His perfect creation.

Now, you are probably asking the very question that plagues many people, believers and unbelievers alike: Why does a loving God allow evil? Some unsatisfactory answers have been put forward over the years—for example, that the Lord doesn’t care or that He’s helpless to prevent evil. Such responses contradict what God says about Himself in Scripture (Rom. 5:8; Ps. 47:8). The truth is, our loving Father wields absolute authority over this world.

God had a purpose for letting wickedness enter the world. The Tree of Knowledge was a testing ground. Adam and Eve had to choose between rebellion and love, evil and righteousness, disobedience and obedience. Because the Lord desired love from the human beings He created, He had to offer a choice. Genuine love is given freely. The alternatives were either to skip the whole creation process or to program mankind like robots to give Him glory and praise.

The Lord gives two assurances regarding evil. First, His purpose is not for us to sin (James 1:13). He desires that we live with righteous intent so that evil can find no room in our hearts. Second, when we are touched by evil, He will cause the experience to work for our good (Rom. 8:28).

Dr. Charles Stanley

God is Always in Control

ISAIAH 45:5-7 

I admit that I often don’t understand why bad things happen. Even so, I believe that God has a purpose for everything He does or permits. My faith is rooted in the biblical principle that says the Lord is sovereign (Ps. 22:28). He is in absolute control of this universe, the natural and political climate of this earth, and my life and yours.

When we are in the midst of a trial, it is hard to resist crying out, “God, Why is this happening?” Sometimes we get the answer and sometimes we don’t. What we can be sure of is that nothing happens by accident or coincidence. He has a purpose for even our most painful experiences. Moreover, we have His promise to “cause all things to work together for good to those who love God” (Rom. 8:28).

Seeing in advance how the Lord will work evil or hurt for our benefit is very difficult, if not impossible. My limited human perspective doesn’t allow me to grasp His greater plan. However, I can confirm the truth of this biblical promise because the Father’s good handiwork appears all through my pain, hardship, and loss. I have experienced Him turn mourning into gladness and have seen Him reap bountiful blessings and benefits from my darkest hours.

As believers, we must accept that God won’t always make sense to us. Isaiah teaches that His ways and thoughts are higher than our own (Isa. 55:9). He sees the beautifully completed big picture. We can rely on the fact that God is in control, no matter how wildly off-kilter our world seems to spin.

Dr. Charles Stanley

Abraham,Issac,and Jacob

 Today God Is First   By Os Hillman

“Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’” - Genesis 50:24

I was boarding the airplane in Frankfurt, Germany, when a mentor of mine asked me this question, “Would you consider why God referred to Himself as the ‘God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’? Why didn’t He simply say, ‘the God of Jacob’?” What a strange question, I thought to myself.

For the next hour I racked my brain trying to discover the meaning to this question. I had never read it in a commentary, and the Scriptures do not really say why this is so. It became a good exercise with the Holy Spirit that led to some interesting observations – one from my mentor, one from my own insight.

First, could it be that the Lord has given us a “type of trinity” in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Abraham was considered a father figure to the nation of Israel. Isaac was the son who had to be sacrificed on the altar. Jacob was the man who had to learn to walk according to the Holy Spirit instead of his flesh. Each of these patriarchs had a particular relationship with God to fulfill.

My friend asked about an hour into the flight, “So, what did you discover?”

I told him of my observation.

“Hmm…that is interesting. I believe that what we also see in the patriarchs are examples of three distinct types of personalities. If the Lord had cited only one of the patriarchs, we would tend to seek to model that leader. However, the Lord has given us three distinct personalities in whom He performed His work. Abraham was the pioneer who ventured out into unknown territory and was considered righteous for his faith. Isaac was faithful to follow in his inheritance with few ups and downs in his life. He had the fewest calamities among the three. He was called simply to be faithful to what had been already given. Jacob had extreme conflict in his life. He suffered more pit experiences than either of his predecessors. He had much conflict in relationships that became the source of his inheritance. Each of us can identify with one of these men in how God has related to them.”

God works in each person’s life uniquely, and He has provided examples of lives for us to identify with from the Scriptures. Who do you identify with most in your Christian pilgrimage? Discover this for yourself. You will find encouragement as you seek to learn from someone who has gone before you

The Greatest Test

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Today  God Is First   By Os Hillman

“I know, my God, that You test the heart and are pleased with integrity.” - 1 Chronicles 29:17a

God tests His children to know what is in their hearts. God’s desire for each of His children is to walk in relationship with Him, to uphold His righteousness and integrity. It is a high calling that we will fail to achieve without complete dependence on Him.

The greatest tests come not in great adversities, but in great prosperity. For it is in prosperity that we begin to lose the sensitivity to sin in our lives. Adversity motivates us to righteousness out of a desire to see our adversity changed. Prosperity fails to provide this motivation for obedience. We fall into a satisfaction and confidence in life that is based on our prosperity rather than on God.

Hezekiah was a great godly king. He was a faithful, God-honoring king most of his life, but toward the end he became proud. God wanted to find out if he would still honor Him and recognize His blessings in his life. He failed the test when God sent an envoy to his palace to inquire about a miracle that God performed on behalf of Hezekiah. The test was designed to find out if Hezekiah would publicly acknowledge the miracle performed on his behalf.

But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart (2 Chronicle 32:31).

Hezekiah’s failure resulted in his children failing to carry on as rulers of Israel, and the nation would eventually be taken over by Babylon.

The lesson of Hezekiah is clear. If we are to remain faithful to our Lord, we must remain steadfast in our obedience to Him. Prosperity can be our greatest test. Ask the Lord to give you the grace to be a faithful follower during times of prosperity.

Filled to Overflowing

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Our Daily Devotional:

Psalm 23:5, NIV: “You prepare a table before me in
the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup
overflows.”

God calls me to do something, and I begin with enthusiasm. But as
some point my fervor fades, and my dedication dissipates. I find I’ve very
little left to give. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been neglecting being filled.
David said, “My cup overflows.” It is difficult to find your cup overflowing if
you do not intentionally hold your cup under the outpouring of God. All too
often, we ask the Lord why we feel empty, or why we don’t see His fruits, or why
we don’t feel His presence, or His power, or understand His purpose. All too
often, we struggle to find His will and wonder what we’re missing; all the while
we have yet to diligently seek Him with all our heart. We are like a man who
eats nothing all day and wonders why he is hungry the next morning. But God is
faithful, and “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Are you empty
inside? Seek the Lord diligently and with all your heart. “Blessed are they that
hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

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When a Nation Turns It’s Back on God

2 CHRONICLES 33:1-25

Hezekiah was a god-fearing king who brought about reformation among the Israelites. His son Manasseh, however, was an evil ruler. He had watched his father walk with God and live according to Scripture. Yet he chose to ignore the Lord.

Manasseh worshipped false gods, even to the point of sacrificing his sons by fire in order to praise Molech. He practiced much evil—including witchcraft and sorcery— and led Israel astray, thereby provoking God to anger. The king, along with the people, paid a high price for his rebellion.

This story illustrates the Lord’s intolerance of a nation’s disregard toward Him. Now consider our country. We, too, are a nation that pushes God aside—one that has turned away from the only true God and embraced idols. Perhaps these aren’t statues of stone, but we worship money, sports ability, fame, and reputation, to name a few.

The United States of America was founded on biblical principles with the intent to guarantee freedom of worship. But over time, we have removed the Lord from many aspects of public life. Prayer in schools, for instance, was deemed unconstitutional. What was once a “nation under God” has turned into a country that tolerates a growing number of sins and yet belittles absolute truth.

If a nation turns its back on the Lord, His judgment is inevitable unless the people repent and make Him Lord once again. As believers, our responsibility is to pray that God would draw the heart of our country back to Himself—and to help the gospel and truth spread through our land.

Dr. Charles Stanley

When We Ignore God

JAMES 4:17

Have you ever felt ignored? Everyone longs for love, acceptance, and attention, but perhaps a friend or close relative has shown little interest in you or what you have to say. Such treatment is hurtful and can lead to feelings of inadequacy.

There’s something even worse, though, than displaying no concern for others: disregarding God. Yet all of us have done this. One way we disregard Him is by failing to obey when we know His instructions. For example, if we are feeling cornered, we can be tempted to justify a white lie, but once falsehood has left our lips, we’ve ignored the Lord. The same principle holds true when we sense His leading but do not follow. And unless we discipline ourselves to spend time with our Father in His Word and in prayer, we are neglecting Him again.

The consequences are painful. For one thing, neglect grieves God because He is our heavenly Father, who desires closeness with each of His children. We also miss out on the best for our lives. Since connection with the Lord is like being “plugged into” the source of life, ignoring Him will mean missing out on His best for us. And then we shortchange ourselves out of fulfilling the purpose for which He created us—glorifying Him. And remember, we eventually will be held accountable for our actions.

How are you choosing to live—do you heed what the Almighty says, or are you living with your own set of standards? Your conscious choices affect your walk with Jesus. If you tune your spirit to listen and discipline yourself to obey, you will enjoy great intimacy with the Lord.

Dr. Charles Stanley