Trusting God in All Situations

Read | Romans 8:28-29

Psalm 34:7 promises that every believer is encircled with God’s presence. We are also assured that even the hardest parts of life will be woven into His plan and nothing can touch us without His permission. That’s good news.

The idea that God is present in everything often brings up a lot of questions in the Christian’s mind. For example:

• Does the Lord cause people to sin? God never initiates sin, nor does He lure us to transgress. His purposes are to rescue us from sin’s power (Col. 1:13) and transform us into Jesus’ likeness (Rom. 8:29).

• How can the Lord use our sin for good? Through the times we fail, He will reveal to us our true nature—that is, our weaknesses, faults, and pride. His Spirit will convict us of wrongdoing and lead us to true repentance (John 16:8). Furthermore, He will teach us the consequences of disobedience and the wonders of His forgiving nature.

• Is God present in the lives of those who are not in His family? The Lord is involved with unbelievers, but in a different way: He continually extends His love in order to convict them of sin and their need for a Savior. However, He does not ignore their rebellion (Rom. 1:18; 2:2).

Now consider the life of Jesus Christ. Though our Savior was without sin, He suffered in many ways during His earthly life because of others’ spiritual rebellion, ignorance, and failures. But notice how the heavenly Father used His Son’s suffering for our good and His glory.

The Holy Spirit is willing to teach us more about this important topic. So request His guidance. Whenever you open the Bible, come with an open mind, and be ready to align your thinking with God’s truth.

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Surviving Our Present Culture

Feb 15, 2013

Read | 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

When we are called into a new life with Christ, we will encounter obstacles. One of the biggest barriers is the culture in which we live. We may not ever recognize the danger we are in until we fall. Let’s look honestly at our world.

First, it’s a secular culture, which means it has little interest in religious matters or the Bible. It teaches us to trust in ourselves and in the things we can see rather than in our unseen triune God.

Our world is also materialistic. Its primary focus is on accumulating possessions and gaining wealth, not on caring about others and giving sacrificially. Tragically, many of the things our culture values stand in opposition to the way Jesus calls us to live. When Scripture contradicts what our society believes, it’s not uncommon for people to belittle our lifestyle as narrow-minded and extreme.

In many ways, our society is spiritually rebellious, in that it defies both the laws of God and the laws of man; obedience is considered optional. A large percentage of the population rejects God’s viewpoint on intimacy and marriage in order to please self—as a result, immorality is prevalent. But they have been deceived into thinking that they can violate God’s laws without any consequences.

Unless we’re careful, we can fall prey to the world’s traps. The key to avoiding its snares is God’s Word. When we study Scripture, the Holy Spirit will identify lies we are believing and show how we can apply God’s truth to set us free. Are you immersed in the culture or in God’s truth?

http://www.intouchminitries.org

The Landmine Of Fear

English: Isaiah; illustration from a Bible card published by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Read | Isaiah 41:10-13

Humans have legitimate reasons to live in fear—our world has many dangers. But although our environment is frightening, Christians are not to accept fear as a way of life. God’s awesome promises allow us to live peacefully in our surroundings.

For our protection, God has instilled some natural apprehensions in us, like a fear of snakes or deep water. Our instinctive concern teaches us to respect these things until we know how to survive an encounter with them. The Creator also gave us a warning system so we’d react quickly to danger. For instance, if a car speeds toward us, an instant reaction of alarm could save our life.

In other words, some fears protect us. But constant, all-consuming dread is unhealthy. While we may feel afraid if we spot a snake, most of us don’t worry much about having such encounters. Some people anguish over dangers that might occur—instead of entrusting loved ones to God, they anxiously imagine all the ways injury might occur.

As anxiety grows, uncertainty builds up until it hinders our relationship with God. Fears about the welfare of loved ones, financial well-being, or eternal security all result from doubt regarding the Lord’s provision. Then our attention is centered on our concerns rather than on the One who promises to hold us in His hand.

The Lord offers us strength because He understands how fear can torment us. Don’t allow worry to blind you to His promises and thereby deprive you of the help that He always has available. The Bible reminds us: “My God shall supply all your needs” (Phil. 4:19).

http://www.intouchministries.org

It Rains On The Just And The Unjust

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

I would be lying if I told you that Christians will observe sorrow, trouble,
unemployment and depression on all sides while they themselves remain safe
within a cozy cocoon of health and wealth. The Bible says God causes the rain
to fall on both the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Job was holy—yet he
suffered! But just as God brought Job out of his affliction, so He will bring
us out even though we, too, will go through the fire.

Hundreds of ministers are meeting to pray in different cities, and the same
confession is heard: “Never have so many been so deeply tested. Satan has come
like a flood, with trouble, hardship, deep sorrow and pain befalling the
godly.”

Satan was Job’s troubler and he is your troubler. Could it be that he has stood
again before God and issued a great accusation against the last-days church? He
might have challenged God, “It is the last hour, but You have no true church.
You have no spotless bride. There are no wise virgins; in fact, most of them
are asleep. Look at them—materialistic, self-centered, grasping for riches
and the good life. Listen to their teachers telling them they need not suffer,
that all things are theirs for the asking.

“Take down Your wall of protection, God! Let me put them to the test. You won’t
even have a holy remnant left. I’ll take away their employment. I’ll smite them
with sorrows. I’ll pour out a spirit of fear and despondency, and flood them
with temptations. You will see this last, pampered generation fold. There are
no Jobs in this church. They are spiritual wimps!”

Beloved, this is why the Scripture says, “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth
and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath,
because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Revelation 12:12).

In the midst of your trial, some of you already have adopted the despairing
language of Job. Your heart cries out, “God, what did I do wrong? I don’t
understand why this calamity has fallen on me when I loved You most, my walk
was holy, my heart pure, and my spirit was longing after You. It seems like the
closer I draw to You, the deeper I fall into trouble and the more sorrows
come.”

We do not realize how important it is to God that we trust Him through all the
floods of trouble that come upon us from hell. You see, the devil cannot touch
you or test you unless God first lets down the wall and allows it.

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21371?src=devo-email

Discouragement

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2013

DISCOURAGEMENT
By Gary Wilkerson

Discouragement can hinder but it can never halt God’s plan for victory.
Gideon fought against 100,000 enemy soldiers with his band of 300 and won such
a massive victory that only 15,000 of the enemy were left. After the victory
some of his brethren asked him, “‘What is this that you have done to us,
not to call us when you went to fight against Midian?’ And they accused him
fiercely” (Judges 8:1, ESV). 

The people of Gideon’s own nation questioned his leadership, his decisions,
his motives and his actions. Some of our most disheartening, soul-wrenching
struggles often are not out in the battlefield of life but are in the
fellowship of believers. Sometimes our own brothers and sisters hurl
accusations at us and seem to find much to complain about. We expect such
things from our enemies but we can be caught off guard and surprised when one
of our own brethren fiercely accuses us.

Gideon was not discouraged, distracted or diminished in his faith, however,
when he was questioned—He stayed in the battle! I love what he did: “And he
said to them, ‘What have I done in comparison with you?’” (8:2). Gideon
was saying to his accusers, “What are my victories compared to yours?”
Instead of getting upset and into a fight with them, Gideon did what Nehemiah
had done when he was building the wall and his enemies said to him, “Come
down here. We need to discuss what you are doing.” Nehemiah responded to his
enemies, “I don’t have time to discuss what I’m doing; I’m too busy
doing it” (see Nehemiah 6:1-9).

The Bible says that Gideon and his 300 men “. . . came to the Jordan and
crossed over . . . exhausted yet pursuing” (Judges 8:4). Gideon chose to get
back into warfare with the enemy. He crossed over to the other side of the
river and got back into the battle God had called him to fight. When you live
out the mission that God has called you to; when you are not discouraged and
dissuaded by what others say about you; when it is your holy ambition to do
what God has called you to do—that becomes your victory. 

Stay focused on your battle, stay focused on your calling, and God will give
you the victory!

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21289?src=devo-email

The Book Of Life

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

God has recorded every passion and motive of every person—every single
thought, word and deed. The motives of the Christian are entered in a “book of
remembrance,” which is the Book of Life, and on the day of judgment, Christ is
going to remember all who are in this book.

“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord . . .
heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared
the Lord. . . . And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day
when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son
that serveth him” (Malachi 3:16-17).

If you love Jesus with all your heart and are cleansed by His blood, then your
name is written in His book of remembrance. This message should not produce
fear; in fact, it should bring great rejoicing to your heart as you see all
that God has planned for those who love Him!

There are books but then there is “The Book.” The Bible says each life has
its own book, a record of an entire lifetime on earth:

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the
earth and the heaven fled away. . . . And I saw the dead, small and great,
stand before God; and the books were opened . . . and the dead were judged out
of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And
the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the
dead which were in them: and they were judged according to their works”
(Revelation 20:11-13).

The wicked and ungodly will be judged by everything written in those
books—one by one—before the Judge of all!

Scripture says every person will have a resurrection body at that time. The
sinner will have a body “fitted to destruction” (Romans 9:22). But the godly
will be given a new body, likened unto the Lord’s! And when the judgment is
over, the Lamb will rise up from His throne and lead His flock into eternal
paradise.

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/21245?src=devo-email

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Standing Before A Holy God

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2012

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

“Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will
the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of
oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for
the sin of my soul?” (Micah 6:6-7).

The Israelites in this passage were asking a good question: “How can any human
approach a holy God? How can we ever please Him and be accepted by Him? What
kind of sacrifice does He want from us? Our blood, our bodies, our children?”

God’s answer appears throughout the Scriptures: “I do not want your sacrifices,
your good works, your promises, your moral deeds. Not one of these fleshly
things is acceptable in My sight. Nothing can please or delight Me except My
Son and all who are gathered in Him.”

Think of the most moral, upright person you know. Even he or she is not
accepted in God’s presence outside of Christ. All of that person’s good works,
kind nature and generosity are filthy rags in God’s sight.

So, how are we accepted by God? Paul writes, “He hath made us accepted in the
beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). Our good works come as a result of being in Him.

If you have given your heart fully to Jesus, you have probably voiced the same
questions Israel asked: “Oh, God, how can I please You? How can I be a delight
to You? I’ve made promises and tried my best, but every time I think I’m making
progress, I take two steps back. Should I read more of the Bible? Should I spend
more time in prayer? Should I do more witnessing? Lord, what do You want from
me?”

God answers us as He did Israel: “I don’t want any of your sacrifices or good
works. I recognize only the work of My Son, who delights and pleases Me. I
chose you from before the foundation of the world to be wed to My Son. I wooed
you, convicted you and through my Spirit I brought you into Him. I cannot hate
My own flesh!”

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/20960?src=devo-email

 

Standing Before A Holy God

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

“Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will
the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of
oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for
the sin of my soul?” (Micah 6:6-7).

The Israelites in this passage were asking a good question: “How can any human
approach a holy God? How can we ever please Him and be accepted by Him? What
kind of sacrifice does He want from us? Our blood, our bodies, our children?”

God’s answer appears throughout the Scriptures: “I do not want your sacrifices,
your good works, your promises, your moral deeds. Not one of these fleshly
things is acceptable in My sight. Nothing can please or delight Me except My
Son and all who are gathered in Him.”

Think of the most moral, upright person you know. Even he or she is not
accepted in God’s presence outside of Christ. All of that person’s good works,
kind nature and generosity are filthy rags in God’s sight.

So, how are we accepted by God? Paul writes, “He hath made us accepted in the
beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). Our good works come as a result of being in Him.

If you have given your heart fully to Jesus, you have probably voiced the same
questions Israel asked: “Oh, God, how can I please You? How can I be a delight
to You? I’ve made promises and tried my best, but every time I think I’m making
progress, I take two steps back. Should I read more of the Bible? Should I spend
more time in prayer? Should I do more witnessing? Lord, what do You want from
me?”

God answers us as He did Israel: “I don’t want any of your sacrifices or good
works. I recognize only the work of My Son, who delights and pleases Me. I
chose you from before the foundation of the world to be wed to My Son. I wooed
you, convicted you and through my Spirit I brought you into Him. I cannot hate
My own flesh!”
 

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/20960?src=devo-email

We Must Take God At His Word

Lot leaving Sodom, Woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012
By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

“The Lord said . . . the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and . . . their
sin is very grievous” (Genesis 18:20). We all love to hear about God‘s mercy,
grace and longsuffering. But we do not want to face the fact that someday soon
He will come against everything that is of Sodom.

God revealed His nature to Moses this way: “The Lord passed by before him, and
proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and
abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity
and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7). Yet in the very next phrase, God
added: “[I] will by no means clear the guilty” (verse 7).

The Lord was saying, “I will not wink at sin! Yes, I am merciful and
longsuffering, but the time is coming when my patience with your sin will end.
And that is when Sodom will burn!”

Two angels came to Lot and warned, “Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters
which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city” (Genesis
19:15).

Apparently Lot did not take this warning seriously because he slept in the next
morning and the angels had to rouse him. His sons-in-law must have thought, “If
he really believed the warning, he’d be on his way out of here right now. He
doesn’t believe it, so why should we?” This should be a lesson to us all. We
need to live as if Christ is about to return so that others will listen to our
witness.

I believe in what are called “divine ultimatums”—times when the Holy Spirit
knows your sin is about to bring you to ruin. The Lord comes to you and says,
“I am the God of grace, and I want to deliver you out of this. Now, turn from
your sin. Obey My Word!“

These ultimatums are found throughout the Bible. For instance, Acts tells us
Ananias and Sapphira were warned not to grieve the Holy Ghost by lying to Him.
But they disobeyed and lied—and instantly dropped dead (see Acts 5).

It does not matter how much you pray or fast, or how faithful you are in doing
God’s work; if you do not believe God will deal seriously with your sin, you
are deceived!
Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/20531?src=devo-email

This Is A Test

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

Take this test to see whether you have already taken the first steps toward
hardness of heart.

1.  How many times have you heard messages about the danger of
neglecting daily prayer and Bible reading?

If you neglect your secret closet at home—if you think praying at church
takes care of all your needs—you will never survive the troubled days ahead.
If you will not heed the Word that is meant to heal and strengthen you in good
times, how will you ever find power to overcome during the difficult days to
come? Having a personal knowledge of your heavenly Father is the only way to
prepare for what is coming!

2.  How many times have you been warned of the awful consequences of
gossip?

At times, my warnings on the subject of gossip have been like soft, gentle rain
and at other times, they have been like rolling thunder. Time after time, the
Israelites were warned of the dangers of this sin. But they persisted in
disobeying the Lord and it brought them a lifetime of misery in a
snake-infested desert. Gossip and murmuring cost Israel everything.

Have you said something against a brother or a sister during the past week,
something you had no business repeating? Or have you listened to any gossip
about that person? If so, did you allow a seed of doubt about him or her to be
planted in your soul? If you continue to gossip in light of all the warnings
you have heard, you have started down the path toward hardness of heart.

3.  How many warnings have you heard against harboring a secret sin?

What about that secret sin, the one that God‘s Spirit has continually spoken to
you about? Over the years I have written many warnings about the dangers of
flirting with a pet sin. Yet, not only have I preached against sin, but I have
taught of God’s resurrection power. I have preached that the Lord both endues
us with overcoming power through His Spirit, and puts a will in our hearts to
do right.

The person who dares sit under loving reproof week after week and yet goes on
sinning is heading down the path toward hardness of heart. Don’t be such a
person!

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/20422?src=devo-email

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