Tag Archives: Lord

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A Self-Righteous Spirit

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Here’s Today’s Devotional from The Vine…

 

Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye? - Matthew 7:4

 

But is it not a kindness to a friend to take the mote out of his eye? If we met a neighbour with a cinder in his eye, would it not be a brotherly thing to stop and take it out for him? Then why is it not just as true a kindness to want to cure another’s fault, even though we have the same fault ourselves? If we did it in the right spirit it would be. We are bound to seek the welfare of our friends in every possible way, and therefore, if we discover in them things that mar their beauty, we should seek the removal of those things.

But the trouble is we are not apt to look at our neighbour’s faults in this loving and sympathetic way. To begin with, we do not know, or at least we do not confess, that we ourselves have beams in our own eyes; we are not even aware that there are motes in our own eyes. It is the self-righteous spirit that our Lord is here condemning. A man holds up his hands in horror at the speckle has found in his neighbour’s character; and his neighbour, looking up, sees in him an immensely magnified copy of the speck. Will the neighbour be greatly benefited by the rebuke?

Suppose a bad-tempered man lectures us on the sin of giving way to temper, or a dishonest man on some apparent lack of honesty, or a liar on the wickedness of falsehood, or a bad-mannered man on some discourtesy of ours, or a hypocrite on insincerity, what good will such lectures do, even admitting that we are conscious of the faults? We are only irritated by the unfitness of such rebukes from those in whom the faults are ten times greater than in us. We wonder how people can have the face to talk about motes in our eyes when huge beams project from their own eyes. Truly this is not the way to tell others of their faults.

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The Song Of Victory!

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

The children of Israel were in a hopeless predicament!

The Red Sea was before them; the mountains were to the left and right; and
Pharaoh and his iron chariots were closing in from the rear. God‘s people
seemed helplessly trapped—like sitting ducks just waiting to be cut down.
Yet, believe it or not, God purposely had led them into this precarious spot!

It was panic time in the camp of Israel. Men shook with fear, and women and
children wept as they huddled around grandparents and other kin. Suddenly Moses
was mobbed by irate family leaders who cried, “Surely this is the end! Weren’t
there enough graves in Egypt to bury us there? You had to drag us out here to
die? We told you in Egypt to let us alone. It was better to be slaves there
than to die in this miserable wilderness!” (see Exodus 14:10-12).

I wonder if even Moses had a moment of trepidation about their circumstances.
Yet when this man of God wept, the Lord seems to have chided him: “Wherefore
criest thou unto me?” (Exodus 14:15).

No one in Israel could have known what a great deliverance God was about to
bring! Suddenly the winds parted the sea, and the people walked through the
parted waves on dry ground. When Pharaoh and his powerful army tried to follow,
the waters began to rage again, closing in and drowning them all!

What a sight it must have been! The people of God looked back from the other
side and saw their mighty enemy destroyed like tin soldiers. Then a song went
up in the camp as, once again, they realized God had delivered them from
impossible circumstances! Scripture records their reaction—and the song they
sang:

“Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake,
saying, I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse
and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song,
and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an
habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him” (Exodus 15:1-2).

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/22838?src=devo-email

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Sanctification

Apr 26, 2013

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Read | Romans 6:17-22

The Lord has a grand plan for the life of every person, and it can be summed up in a single word:sanctification. If you are scratching your head about what that terms means, you are not alone. Many people—even some longtime Christians—do not know its definition. However, believers should see to it that they acquire that knowledge because it’s an important word, and it definesthem.

In its verb form—sanctify—the term means “to make holy” or “to separate.” So when something is sanctified, it is separated from a common use to a sacred one. In the Old Testament, we are told that the Lord sanctified a number of things: He made the seventh day holy, set aside the Levite tribe as priests, and even consecrated places like the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle (Gen. 2:3; Num. 3).

The Lord still sanctifies people today. Before a person receives salvation, he is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1-3). What’s more, Romans 5:10 tells us that before we come to faith, we’re actually enemies of God. Yet the moment someone trusts in Jesus as his personal Savior, his sins are wiped away, and he is adopted into the Lord’s family. That individual is then set apart as a child of God for a sacred purpose. This means believers are not here simply to chase after personal gain. Rather, they are to serve God and bring Him honor and glory.

As members of God’s family who are called to reflect His glory, believers are referred to as “saints.” This word shares a root with sanctification. We are referred to this way, not because we live sinless lives but because we live a life consistent with the One we represent.

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Receiving The Blessing Of The Cross

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

God delights in using failures—men and women who think they can do almost
nothing right. A woman wrote to me recently saying, “My marriage is failing. I
seem to do everything wrong in raising my children. I feel like I’m not worth
anything to anybody. I’ve not been a very good wife, mother or Christian. I’ve
got to be the world’s worst failure.”

She is just the kind of person the Lord is looking for—people who know that
if anything good happens through them, it must be because of God. All the
hotshot Christians who go about bowling people over with their great abilities
never impress God. God looked down on a scheming, base, weakling of a man
called Jacob and said, “Fear not, thou worm Jacob . . . I will help thee . . .
behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth . . .
thou shalt rejoice in the Lord” (Isaiah 41:14–16).

Men often use God to achieve fortune, fame, honor and respect. Talent,
personality and cleverness are used to advance God’s kingdom, but He is not
impressed. His strength is perfected in our weakness, our inability to obey His
commandments in our own strength.

God calls us to a life of holiness and separation. He tells us we can be free
from the bondage of sin. His Word comes to us with some impossible challenges:
“Resist the devil. Walk in the Spirit. Come out from among them. Love your
enemies. Leave behind all your fears. Put down your lustful desires. Let no sin
have dominion over you.”

When you think honestly about how little you can do on your own to fulfill
these challenges, you realize how very weak you are. Your heart begins to cry,
“Lord, how can we do such great, holy things?” That is when our Lord takes
over! He comes with such a comforting message: “Lay down your weapons. Quit
trying to be so self–sufficient and strong. I am your weapon and your
strength. Let Me do what you never can do. I will give you My righteousness, My
holiness, My rest, My strength. You cannot save yourself or please Me in any way
other than by receiving the blessings of the cross by faith. Let Me be in charge
of your growth in holiness.”

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/22537?src=devo-email

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Looking Beyond Disappointment

Read | John 11:3-6blue3

When disappointments come your way in life, it is easy to blame yourself or others—or even both. Frequently it is difficult to know what to say or do because you cannot quite identify the real cause or purpose of the letdown.

Disappointment is often an emotional response to our own failure—or someone else’s—to achieve a desire, hope, dream, or goal. This can lead to losing faith in someone on whom we were depending—perhaps even a person we love.

The gospel of John tells us that Jesus loved Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother Lazarus. Because of this, they didn’t sense the need to tell the Lord anything more than “He whom You love is sick” (John 11:3). Their expectation was that as soon as Jesus heard this, He would come and heal their brother. But He didn’t set out for two more days.

When He arrived, Martha came out to meet Him and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died”(v. 21). She’d had the expectation that He would come right away, thereby saving Lazarus’s life. She didn’t see His purpose, which was to perform a greater miracle.

God has reasons for permitting us to experience disappointments. He could prevent them, but He wants to show us His purpose. His desire is that we will trust and believe—and let our circumstance bring glory to Him (vv. 4, 25).

When disappointments come, will you be stalled and derailed from God’s plans for your life? Or will you find yourself open to what He wants to show you and eager to understand His purpose and lesson in those situations? The right response is simply to trust Him.

http://www.intouch.org

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In The Midst Of The Storm

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

“But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the
wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them,
walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they
were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But
straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not
afraid” (Matthew 14:24-27).

The disciples were so swamped, so suddenly overwhelmed, the very thought that
Jesus was nearby watching over them was absurd. One probably said, “This is the
work of Satan. The devil is out to kill us because of all those miracles we’ve
had a part in.” Another said, “Where did we go wrong? Which one of us has sin
in his life? God is mad at somebody on this boat!” Another could have asked,
“Why us? We’re doing what He said to do. We’re obedient. Why this storm all of
a sudden?”

And in the darkest hour, “Jesus went unto them.” How difficult it must have
been for Jesus to wait on the edge of the storm, loving them so much, feeling
every pain they felt, wanting so much to keep them from getting hurt, yearning
after them as a father for his children in trouble. Yet, He knew they could
never fully know or trust Him until the full fury of the storm was upon them.
He would reveal Himself only when they had reached the limit of their faith.
The boat would not have gone down, but their fear would have drowned them more
quickly than the waves beating on the ship. The fear of drowning was from
despair—not water!

“And when the disciples saw Him . . . they were troubled, saying, It is a
spirit [ghost]” (Matthew 14:26).

They did not recognize Jesus in that storm. They saw a ghost—an apparition.
The thought of Jesus being so near, so much a part of what they were going
through, did not even enter their minds.

The danger we all face is not being able to see Jesus in our troubles. Instead,
we see ghosts. In that very peak moment of fear, when the night is the blackest,
the storm is the angriest, the winds are the loudest, and the hopelessness so
overwhelming, Jesus always draws near to us to reveal Himself as the Lord of
the flood—the Savior in storms.

“The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever” (Psalm
29:10).

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/22481?src=devo-email

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Because He Is Risen

 

Read | 1 Corinthians 15:20-23Heaven_Pic

Jesus is alive. He was resurrected from the dead and lives in heaven, interceding on our behalf. Because He is risen, we can have confidence that . . .

• Our sins are forgiven. Jesus came into this world to give His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28). Through His death on the cross, the debt for our iniquities has been paid completely. We are a forgiven people.

• The Lord is actively involved in our lives. Jesus made many promises to His followers of all generations. He pledged that those who abide in Him and do His will would bear much fruit for God’s kingdom, enjoy spiritual blessings, and have guidance from the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is ever-present (Matt. 5:1-12; John 15:5).

Jesus spoke several times about the power of prayer for those who believe—we have assurance that our petitions will be heard and answered. When our requests are in accordance with the Lord’s will, we’ll receive what we have asked for (1 John 5:14-15).

Jesus gave His word that He would prepare a place for us in heaven and return one day to bring us to our everlasting home. Then we will live with Him forever. We can face each day secure in the knowledge of these truths. We can face each day secure in the knowledge of these truths.

Because Jesus has accomplished all this for us, He deserves our steadfast allegiance. Our worldview is to be framed by His life and words. We must stand firm and not compromise when the world tries to draw us away. Honor our risen Savior by following Him wholeheartedly (1 Cor. 15:58).

http://www.intouchministries.org

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Righteousness By Faith 

praise
By Gary Wilkerson


A lot of Christians today are worn down from their efforts to ward off sin.
They pour all their energies into it until they’re drained of every last
ounce of joy. The victory Christ has won for them gets lost in their dogged
efforts to establish a righteousness of their own.

Righteousness that is pursued by anything other than faith will always fail.
You see, there cannot be God’s righteousness and our righteousness. That
would mean there are two Gospels: His and ours. We cannot mix our
self-righteousness with God’s holy righteousness. 

Maybe you wonder, “But aren’t we supposed to put forth some effort?
Doesn’t the Bible say we’re to avoid sin?” The only way to avoid sin is
through Jesus! He is not just a truth you accept; He is the living God and your
Sanctifier. His sanctifying work in you never stops day or night.

Paul answers the question of self-effort in Romans 9 when he speaks of a people
who actually attained righteousness: “[The] Gentiles who did not pursue
righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith”
(Romans 9:30, ESV). These people did not get worn down by their own efforts nor
were they weighed down by their failures. They put all their faith in Jesus’
work for them on the cross—and they were sustained by His abundant life.

“Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes”
(Romans 10:4). Christ is the end. There is nothing else! “So then it depends
not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:16).
These verses have brought freedom to all generations of believers.

Friend, are you worn down from trying to do better? Are you weary of the
endless cycle of recommitment and failure? Put it all behind you! Let all your
striving cease. Your right standing with the Lord does not depend on your will
but on God, who has mercy. Trust in Him alone for your victory.
 



Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/22173?src=devo-email
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An Unusual Word

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

Recently the Holy Spirit gave me an unusual word, one that I did not want to
hear! He said, “You are bound to a very limited vision of the Lord’s ocean of
tender, loving mercies. You have endured much guilt, condemnation and fear
because you have not allowed the Holy Spirit to reveal the vastness of My
forgiving, healing, reconciling mercies. You do not know Me for My tenderness!”

God showed me that this is a root cause for many giving up and falling away.
When sin strikes—when Satan comes in like a flood, when you fall into some
old habit or sin—the devil creates a bondage. First, the guilt comes flooding
in, then fear fills your heart. A sense of total failure and helplessness
overwhelms your soul. At this point, most believers run out of grace—because
their view of God’s mercy is so limited.

Satan comes to you and says, “You’ve reached your limit. You’ve confessed
your sin time after time. There is no way God will forgive you now, because
you’ve sinned against the light. If you return and confess once more,
you’ll turn around and sin all over again. So quit now!”

The devil does not want you to see God’s ocean of mercy; he wants you to see
only a trickle! Because of our ignorance of the forgiving, restoring power of
Christ’s love, we are destroyed. We run out of mercy for ourselves because we
are horribly bound by a limited vision. Our eyes have not yet been opened to the
endless mercies of our tender Father! We are so bound by a false, limited view
of His mercies, we find it almost impossible to believe or accept what James
said: “[We] have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful (full
of compassion), and of tender mercy” (James 5:11).

This verse means, “God is easily crushed by our troubles and hurts. He feels
our pain and our failures, and He is kind and compassionate to us. He loved us
even when we were His enemy. Even when we offend Him, He is quick to help,
restore and forgive us.”

The word mercy means “kind and compassionate treatment of an offender under
one’s power.” God has the power to damn us to hell every time we sin; He has us
under His control and can do with us as He pleases. And it pleases His tender
heart to be compassionate, loving and kind toward those who have failed Him the
most.

Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/22159?src=devo-email

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The Power Of Testimony

Mar 20, 2013flower5

Read | John 9:1-38

Have you ever considered the sheer power in your simple testimony? John’s gospel tells a wonderful story of a blind man whom Jesus healed. If the story simply ended with the man opening his eyes and praising God, even that would surely be powerful. However, John takes the account further and shows us what happened next.

The Jewish authorities didn’t know what to make of this miraculous healing. They had all the facts—a man they knew was born blind, the crowd that overheard his interaction with Jesus, the proof of identity that his parents provided—and yet they refused to believe what was clear to so many. That is, they challenged the man’s testimony.

The religious authorities voiced their disbelief by calling Jesus a sinner (John 9:24), as if this untruth would somehow disqualify His miracle.

The man’s response in John 9:25 was brilliant in its simplicity: “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

No matter what else was said, the man knew the Pharisees could not refute the basic fact that he had been healed. Scripture
shows that the authorities lost their tempers because they could not argue their way around that fact.

People simply cannot argue against the truth of your experience with Jesus. Rejoice that the Lord has given you such a powerful weapon in the midst of so great a spiritual battle. In situations where you anticipate a confrontation about your faith, take the time to reread John 9 so God can encourage you.

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