Reconciling Love and War

LUKE 6:27-31 

One area of confusion about war is the apparent discrepancy between Jesus’ words and God‘s approval of battle in the Old Testament. Can such dissimilar teachings be reconciled? How can the God who told Israel to destroy the Canaanites be the same one who said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (v. 27)?

To clarify this issue, we must distinguish between commands issued to nations and instructions given to individuals. The Lord has bestowed certain responsibilities upon governments. He calls them ministers of God for good and entrusts them with avenging evil (Rom. 13:4). But to individuals, He says, “Never take your own revenge” (12:19).

People are killed in war, but this isn’t the same as murder. A soldier on the battlefield carries out his duties under the authority of his government (Rom. 13:1-2). Murder, on the other hand, is an individual’s vengeful response to anger or jealousy and is motivated by a desire to destroy another person.

When governments avenge wrong, innocent people are protected, but when individuals seek their own revenge, they destroy themselves and others. In Luke, Jesus was speaking about personal conflicts, not national wars. He knows that loving our enemies is the only way to protect ourselves from bitterness.

Would we prefer to turn the responsibilities around—are we quick to fight personal battles, but slow to affirm the avenging of evil nationally? Sometimes the only way for a country to have peace is to go to war, but we’ll never experience inner peace if we battle with individuals who wrong us.

Dr. Charles Stanley

Silence Not Denial

Here’s Today’s Devotional from The Vine…

But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.” -Matthew 15:23

 

There is something very remarkable in Christ‘s silence. Usually He was quick to hear every request made to Him by someone in need. It was unusual for anyone to have to ask twice for a favor. His heart was sensitive like a mother’s heart to the cries of her child, and instantly responded to every cry for help. Yet now He stood and listened to this woman’s pleading and chose not to answer her at all. Like a miser with great wealth at his disposal who refuses to acknowledge the cries of the poor and needy who come to him for help, so Jesus stood unmoved by this woman’s cries, though He had all power in His hands.

Why was He silent? It was not because He couldn’t help her, for His arm was never weak. The best of us have our weak hours, our days of emptiness, when we have nothing within us to help; but Christ’s fullness was never exhausted. It was not because He was so engrossed in His own approaching sorrows that He couldn’t think anyone else’s sorrow, for even while being crucified He forgot Himself to show kindness to others. Evidently the reason for silence was to try this mother’s faith, and to draw it out into still greater strength. He was preparing her to ultimately receive a better blessing than she could have received at the beginning.

Our Lord sometimes seems to be silent to His people when they cry to Him. To all their heartfelt cries He doesn’t answer a word. Is His silence a refusal? Not at all! Often it is meant only to make us more determined and to prepare our hearts to receive richer and greater blessings. So when Christ is silent to our prayers, it is so that we might be brought down in deeper humility at His feet, and that our hearts may be made more fit to receive heaven’s gifts and blessings.

Apply This To Your Life Today… Are you feeling like your prayers go unanswered? Keep praying and seeking Jesus. He will come through for you.

Seeing Obstacles through God’s Eyes

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JOSHUA 2:1-24 

Jericho was the first city that the Israelites needed to conquer in their quest for the land of Canaan. When Joshua sent a pair of spies to check it out, he probably didn’t realize that he would receive a glimpse of God‘s impressive behind-the-scenes activity.

God wants us to look at every obstacle through the lens of His unlimited strength and resources. Anything that appears to block His plans is an opportunity for Him to demonstrate His sovereign power. Just because we don’t see anything happening, that doesn’t mean He’s inactive.

Always remember that God is at work on the other side of our obstacles, arrang-ing the details and bringing His plans to fruition. When the spies returned to Joshua, they reported that the people of Jericho were scared to death. Having heard about the Jews’ deliverance from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea, they were gripped by fear of the Lord.

The stage was set for the conquest, yet by that point, Joshua had done nothing. Sometimes we think we need to be involved in the solution to our problem, but God is not limited with regard to whom or what He can use to accomplish His will. In this case, He worked in the hearts of the enemy by instilling demoralizing fear.

For Christians, great obstacles need not be reasons for discouragement. Although much of the Lord’s activity is silent and invisible, we can be sure He is dynamically working out His will for our lives. When the pieces of His plan are in place, He will move us on to victory.

Dr. Charles Stanley

What is the Spirit Filled Life?

EPHESIANS 5:18-21 

Although God wants every believer to be filled with the Spirit, many Christians are not sure what this means or what it looks like. To help us understand that whatever fills us controls us, Paul cites drunkenness as a negative example of “filling” and tells us to avoid it. Every believer is indwelt by God’s Spirit, but the extent of His rule is determined by the Christian’s freedom to comply.

Think of this as a voluntary choice to surrender your life to the Holy Spirit‘s control–in other words, to be sensitive to His leadership and guidance, obedient to His promptings, and dependent upon His strength. The evidence of the Spirit’s control is revealed in a person’s character. Those who have yielded their lives to Christ‘s leadership are continually being transformed into His likeness. The degree of surrender determines the level of transformation.

Even though good works and faithful service are a result of being filled with the Spirit, they are not necessarily signs of it. Remember, we are talking about character, not what we do. It’s easier to serve the Lord in some manner than to love the unlovable or be patient with difficult people. But when the Spirit is in charge of our lives, He does through us what we cannot do for ourselves.

Each believer decides who rules his life, by either actively surrendering to Christ or deliberately going his own way. Even those who try to avoid the issue by making no choice at all unknowingly opt for self-rule. The fullness of the Spirit and godly character await those who choose God over self.

Dr. Charles Stanley

Small Things

Image by Spenser Marie via Flickr

 Today God Is First  By Os Hillman

“Who despises the day of small things?” Zechariah 4:10

Life is filled with a series of small things that can amount to something big. Have you ever considered why the God of the universe came to earth and spent 33 years identifying with mankind through work? Jesus grew up as a carpenter’s son and, no doubt, learned the trade from His daily routine of helping His father. For 30 years He worked. When it was time for Him to begin to fulfill His purpose for mankind, He told countless stories of people and their work. He told stories of landowners, farmers, fishermen, tax collectors, and so on. He related to the everyday man because He Himself was one. This is why it was important for Him to have some personal work experience.

Life is filled with daily routines. Every now and then, God takes us to the mountaintop to experience His presence in a dramatic way. This is not the norm. It was not the norm for those in the Bible either. Moses spent 40 years in preparation. Paul spent a great deal of his life working toward the wrong purpose until a dramatic event changed his life. Jacob spent 20 years working for Laban.

God uses work to develop character qualities that He plans to use at the appropriate time. In the small things we develop trustworthiness with God. The day-in and day-out grind of working life molds us and makes us into what God desires. God may still be preparing you for something far greater. For now, however, you are learning the daily lessons of small things. Pray that you will be faithful. 

The Role of Conscience

1 TIMOTHY 1:18-20 

God gave every person a conscience, which is like a radar system meant to send warnings when a behavior or decision might be harmful. This makes it possible for people to distinguish between what is morally right and morally wrong, especially as it applies to their own lives. We ignore the conscience at our own peril.

In a believer, the conscience is a tool of the Holy Spirit. He programs it with principles from God’s Word and sharpens it to respond quickly. Even so, our radar’s sole purpose is to send a signal; what happens next is up to us. Either we ignore the warning, or we stop to hear what the Spirit has to say about the situation. The Holy Spirit reveals God’s will or reminds us of His principles so we can make a wise decision about the warning bell ringing in our conscience.

Paul’s letter to Timothy mentions people who had rejected God’s leadership and guidance in their lives—they’d paid no attention to the alarm of their conscience (1 Tim. 1:19). The result was shipwrecked faith. When something appears on radar that speaks of disobedience to God, we have to reject that action. Otherwise, the detection device becomes impaired and won’t work right. If we keep ignoring the alarms, it will eventually go completely silent.

We all know people who’ve “run aground” in life. A shipwrecked faith is inevitable when believers ignore their conscience and rationalize or defend disobedience. It’s far better to turn yourself over to the great captain of your soul, Jesus Christ. His Holy Spirit will guide you correctly.

Dr. Charles Stanley

BREAD OF STRENGTH

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

I once spent a week weeping before the Lord, crying out to him for a message of
comfort and hope for all the hurting believers who write to our ministry. While
working in New York City with addicts, alcoholics and the homeless, I have
prayed, “Lord, everywhere I look I see pain, distress, grief and trouble.
What message can I possibly give to those in such dire need? What is your word
to them? Surely you care for these precious people. Surely you long to bring
them a word that can set them free.”

The Lord gave me assurance that he has provided a way to strengthen every child
of his to resist the enemy. This strength comes only from eating the Bread sent
down from heaven. Our spiritual health depends on getting this Bread into us.

Listen carefully to the words of Jesus: “As the living Father hath sent me,
and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me”
(John 6:57). Jesus was in such close communion with the Father, and was so
committed to doing only his will, that the Father’s words became his very
food and drink. Jesus was sustained daily by hearing and seeing what the Father
wanted, which was the result of spending much time alone with him.

Christ told his disciples, “I have meat to eat that you know not of…. My
meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John
4:32 and 34). He also instructed them, “Labor not for the meat which
perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the
Son of man shall give unto you” (John 6:27). We dare not miss this secret of
strength; even as Christ lived by the Father, we must also receive our life by
feeding on Christ.

When the children of Israel were in the wilderness, the manna that sustained
them was dispensed daily. Through this example God is telling us that what we
ate of Christ yesterday will not supply our need for today. We must admit we
will starve spiritually and become weak and helpless without a daily supply of
fresh heavenly Bread. We must come to the Lord’s Table often.

The Meaning of the Cross

MATTHEW 16:21-27 

The theme of God‘s redemptive plan runs through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. At its heart is Calvary, the place where Jesus died so we could be forgiven. As we read the Scriptures, we see that the cross symbolizes . . .

Salvation. Jesus bore our sins upon the cross and died in our place so we could be reconciled to God and receive eternal life.

Sacrifice. Christ, who was “in very nature God” (Phil. 2:6 niv), chose to leave the perfection of heaven and live among sinful people. Laying aside His divine authority, He was born a helpless baby, completely dependent upon others. His first 30 years were spent in obscurity, without recognition of His Messiahship. During His public ministry, He faithfully carried out God’s plan all the way to His death on the cross. Jesus’ days on earth are an example to us of the sacrificial life (Rom. 12:1-2).

Service. Jesus said He “did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Christ’s supreme act of service was dying on the cross so we might have eternal life. Our Savior calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him through sacrificial service to others (Luke 9:23). As we embrace a lifestyle of humility and servanthood, we will bring glory to our heavenly Father.Â

In our culture, success is based on achievement. We admire those who perform well in athletics, business, and the arts. However, greatness in God’s kingdom is found in a life of obedience. Are you following His plan and helping others as Jesus did? Have you shared with them the good news of Christ?

Dr. Charles Stanley

Our Security

Today’s Devotional from The Vine…

This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day. - John 6:39

There is no shadow of doubt in the Christian’s hope. There are no broken links in the chain that binds the believer to eternal hope. There are no missing steps in the ladder that reaches up from the depths of sin to the heights of glory. “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30). These are the links in the Christian’s hope as St. Paul saw them; in the words of today’s text we have the same links as they appeared to our Savior’s eye.

The assurance is that Christ will never lose any soul that puts his/her hope in Him for salvation. “Yet Christians die, just like other people” says someone. Yes — but they are not then lost; their spirits pass at once into glory with Christ, and their bodies will only rest in the grave until the resurrection.

An old Christian sailor put it well. When asked if he was not afraid when the storms were very high, he answered that according to the Bible God held the waters “in the hollow of his hand” (Isaiah 40:12) and ever if the ship were wrecked, and he should fall into the sea, he would but drop into his Father’s hand. That is what death is to a Christian, however and wherever he may die, breathing his soul into the hands of God.

The grave seems dark, but we have Christ’s own pledge here that none of His own shall ever be lost or left in the grave. No matter where we die, or where our bodies lie, we have the Savior’s word. We need to receive this assurance in simplicity, without questioning or doubting it – that He “will lose nothing, but will raise it up again at the last day.” (John 6:39).

Apply This To Your Life Today… Is your eternal hope in Christ? Do you know where you will go when you die?

This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day. - John 6:39

 

Where Is The Victory?

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By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

Most of us know that sin is at the root of all our problems—our fear, guilt,
anger, depression. We know it robs us of spiritual courage and vitality, but
what we do not know is how to overcome the “sin which doth so easily beset
us” (see Hebrews 12:1).

We know that victory over all our enemies comes through Jesus Christ our Lord.
But how do we get the power out of his vine into our puny little branch? How
does this work? I love Jesus, always have, and I know that he has all power. I
also know he promises me victory, but just what does that mean and how does the
victory come?

I am just beginning to see a little light on this mystery of godliness. God is
asking me to do the following three things in my own search for total victory
over all my besetting sin.

* I must learn to hunger for holiness and hate my sin. Sin pollutes me
and God cannot look upon sin; he cannot condone it. The fear of God is the
basis of all freedom. Don’t expect to be excused or given special privileges.
My sin must be confessed and forsaken.
* I must be convinced that God loves me in spite of my sin! God hates my
sin with a perfect hatred, while at the same time he loves me with an infinite
compassion. His love will never compromise with sin, but he clings to his
sinning child with one purpose in mind—to reclaim him.
* I must accept the loving help of my Father in resisting and
overcoming. Sin is like an octopus with many tentacles trying to crush my life.
Seldom do all the tentacles loosen their hold on me at once. It is one tentacle
at a time, one small victory at a time. God dispatches the Holy Spirit to me
with clear direction on how to fight, when to run, where to strike next. The
battle against principalities and powers is his—not mine. I am just a
soldier, fighting in his war. God wants me to totally believe in him. My part
in this war is to believe that God will bring me out of the battle
victoriously!