Strength for Today

WHERE GOLD IS REFINED

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:34:00 GMT

"Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold" (Job 23:10 CSB). If anyone knew anything about being refined as gold it was the ancient sufferer Job. He knew that gold is not refined on the mountain tops of joy but in the valley of suffering. It is the fire of trials and testing that brings forth the gold of godliness. Proverbs 17:3 says, "A crucible for silver and a smelter for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts." That's good for us to remember when God is reducing us to a pure state. His testing is to free us from moral imperfections, to burn the dross out of our life, to bring forth the gold of godliness. Why does God expose us to difficult situations? So that we might learn to endure hardship and be refined as pure gold. The white hot flame of the induction furnace does that. Peter wrote to Christians in the first century who were going through fiery trials. He reminded them, "You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to be distressed by various trials so that the genuineness of your faith -- more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire -- may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Christ" (1 Pet. 1:6, 7). The word "crucible" comes from the same root word for "cross." Christ's suffering and death on the cross was not forever and it produced salvation for lost mankind. Your "short time" in the crucible will not be forever either, and it will bring great gain for you and those whom your life touches.

"BEHAVING THE GOSPEL"

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:13:00 GMT

Susanna Wesley (1669-1742) said, "There are two things to do about the gospel -- believe it and behave it." She did her best to instill this thought in her children (she and Samuel Wesley had 19 children; 10 died in infancy). Two of her sons became devout leaders in the Methodist movement: John and Charles. Both of them were exemplary in "behaving the gospel." What does it mean to "behave the gospel?" There is a section in Paul's letter to the Church in Rome that seems to express it best. Some Bibles title this section "The Christian's Behavior" or "Christian Ethics." The passage is Romans 12:9-13 and here follows the inspired list of practical instructions for "behaving the gospel."

1. Love with sincerity.
2. Hate what is evil.
3. Cling to what is good.
4. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
5. Honor one another above yourselves.
6. Never be lacking in zeal.
7. Keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
8. Be joyful in hope.
9. Be patient in affliction.
10. Be faithful in prayer.
11. Share with God's people who are in need.
12. Practice hospitality.

Make this list your "daily dozen" exercises for "behaving the gospel." We all believe the gospel. Now let us behave it.

"THROUGH YOUR PRAYERS"

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:13:00 GMT

"But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you" (Philemon 22). In this little post card that Paul sends to his friend Philemon, the great apostle shows the faith he had in the prayers of his friend. Paul is in Rome, in prison, yet he boldly requests that his friend prepare a guest room for his arrival! He believed that through the prayers of Philemon the government of Rome would release him from prison! Not even Peter had such faith for Peter slept in prison while the church prayed (Acts 12:5, 6). But Paul is packing his bags in anticipation that God would hear and answer the prayer of Philemon. I wonder how many people are depending upon our prayers for release? Some may indeed be in prison but others may be in a state of discouragement or despair. They are counting on your prayers. Be faithful in your prayers. Pray with positive expectancy. Prepare that "guest room" for them, whatever form that "guest room" may take. Prayer is the greatest power in the world. Unleash it today! "Through your prayers" something truly amazing may happen today!

WHEN I PRAY

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:42:00 GMT

"And He said unto them, 'When you pray...'" (Luke 11:2). These three words, "when you pray," precede what is often called "The Lord's Prayer" (Luke 11:2-4). Jesus did not say, "If you pray," He said, "When you pray." He expects us to pray, even as He prayed to the Father. So, what happens "when you pray"? Here is something I wrote a number of years ago. It is my personal testimony, "When I Pray."

WHEN I PRAY . . .
1. My burdens are lifted.
2. God hears my spiritual heartbeat.
3. Angels stoop to listen.
4. The Holy Spirit sorts out my confusion.
5. The presence of Christ becomes real.
6. Providence is set in motion.
7. Lives are touched all over the world.
8. History is changed.
9. Satan is defeated.
10. My faith is strengthened.

A CONTRAST IN RICHES

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:44:00 GMT

"A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished" (Proverbs 28:20). Here we see a contrast in riches. On the one hand there is the man who is faithful. He is faithful to God, to his family, to his own integrity. That man, according to Scripture, will be blessed. And not just blessed, mind you. He will be richly blessed. I assume those blessings will come from Above, from God Himself, for God rewards those who are faithful. I do not presume that those riches are necessarily financial in measure for a man can be richly blessed with friends, good health, talent, or a number of other things. Then we see the one who is "eager to get rich." Because of their lack of connection with God and their lack of integrity, they often fall for (or even create) "ponzi" schemes. Eventually they are caught and punished. They stand convicted because they compromised their convictions for a few dollars more. We often hear it said that God has not called us to be successful but He has called us to be faithful. That point is driven home in today's "Strength for Today" Scripture. Be faithful in all that you do and you will be richly blessed!

THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS by George Washington Carver

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:35:00 GMT

"The secret of my success? It is simple. It is found in the Bible, 'In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths'" (Proverbs 3:6). ~ George Washington Carver (1864 - 1943), American inventor and horticulturalist.

WHO IS A CHRISTIAN?

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:48:00 GMT

With nearly one in four Americans now believing President Obama to be a Muslim (a Time poll says 24%), a reporter asked White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton if the president was a Christian. Burton replied, "Obviously the president is a Christian. He prays every day." It is good to pray every day. Muslims actually pray six times a day. Jews pray. Hindus pray. Buddhists pray. I suppose even atheists pray in a pinch. But praying does not make one a Christian. To what God do we pray? And in whose name? A Christian is one who has given his life to Christ. He believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16). He accepts the claim of Christ: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes unto the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). He believes that the blood of Christ atones for the sins of the world. He has turned from his sins (repentance) and has been baptized for the forgiveness of his sins. He lives a new life, empowered by the Holy Spirit of God. A Christian is a follower of Christ. He or she tries to live according to the teachings of Christ and is not ashamed of the name of Jesus, nor of His words, no matter how out of step they seem to be with modern thinking and living. A Christian will faithfully assemble with other Christians on the first day of the week, share with others in financial needs, will abstain from the very appearance of evil, will have the mind of Christ, will reflect the spirit of Christ in word, thought, and deed. Prayer is a vital part of a Christian's life, but praying every day does not make one a Christian. Saul of Tarsus had been praying for three days and was told by his religious advisor, "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16).

WHY DEATH IS "GAIN"

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:43:00 GMT

"To live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21). We have it all turned around. We think that to to live is gain. And so we work hard to gain this and that, more and more. But Paul says that to live is Christ and to die is gain. Living to gain more was never in God's plan. Living for Christ was. And so is dying. Dying is gain. Paul goes on to say, "To depart and be with Christ is far better" (v. 23). That does not seem to register with most people either -- even Christians. But God's Word is always right. That is why it is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path. So, what do we gain when we die? Well, for starters, Heaven itself and all that goes with it. We gain the very presence of God, perfect knowledge, lasting joy, uninterrupted fellowship, reunion with our loved ones who have died in Christ, fantastic service projects, wonderful worship services, exploring the Holy City, reveling in a mansion built just for you, total freedom from pain, suffering, sorrow and death, visiting with God Himself, Jesus, the apostles, the prophets, and all of the great Bible heroes we have talked about for years, on and on the list can go, and does go. We must quit thinking of death as loss and think of it as gain. "To live is Christ and to die is gain."

GPS - GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:29:00 GMT

Do you have a GPS in your car? A couple of years ago my children bought me one and I have really appreciated having it on trips that I make by car. GPS stands for "global positioning system" or so I am told. All I have to do is punch in the address where I want to go and the GPS takes over and provides me with driving instructions. Today I saw a sign in front of a church that read "We have GPS - God's Plan of Salvation." I liked that. God does have a wonderful plan of salvation for all. "...God our Savior, desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:3, 4). This GPS begins with the first Messianic promise in Genesis 3:15, runs through the Bible like a scarlet thread, and does not end until "The Last Invitation in the Bible" - Revelation 22:17, "And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." You may or may not have a GPS in your car, but you certainly have one in your Bible!

OVERCOME TO BECOME

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:02:00 GMT

"Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit..." (Luke 4:14). Returned from what? From the three temptations in the wilderness. For 40 days Jesus had been tempted by the devil in the wilderness. He successfully resisted the temptations of the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life by quoting Scripture. Now He was returning to Galilee "in the power of the Spirit" to teach in their synagogues (v. 15) and be glorified by all. There is a lesson here for us. Knowing the Word of God will help us resist temptation. And when we do overcome temptation, we can return to our endeavors "in the power of the Spirit." We are not ready to teach until we have overcome temptation. We overcome temptation by the Word of God. We overcome Satan to become better servants. Erwin Lutzer said, "Our response to temptation is an accurate barometer of our love for God." We overcome to become. "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that had overcome the world -- our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:4, 5). Overcome to become!

BUNYAN ON PRAYER

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:23:00 GMT

"Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan." ~ John Bunyan (1628 - 1688)

Bunyan was right. Because the Word of God is right. "Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one ... praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit ... " (Eph. 6:16, 18). "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service ... continuing steadfastly in prayer ... " (Rom. 12:1, 12). Prayer is your shield for the soul, your living sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan. Prayer, Don't leave home without it. Prayer, Don't enter battle without it. Prayer. Don't have church without it.

THE SUN IS DOWN BUT SIN IS UP

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:25:00 GMT

"Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold" (2 Sam. 11:2). Charles Spurgeon reminds us that we are never out of reach of temptation. "The morning opens with peril, and the shades of evening find us still in jeopardy." It is possible that David could not sleep and went on the roof to commune with God. If so, that teaches us that we are never beyond the reach of temptation. David, sadly, succumbed to the lust of the flesh and the end result was the deaths of two innocent people. Spurgeon notes: "The sun is down but sin is up. We need a watchman for the night as well as a guardian for the day." To me, that watchman and guardian is the Holy Spirit of God. The apostle Paul gives us this word of wisdom: "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh . . . If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Gal. 5:16, 25). Living in the Spirit will give you "strength for today" in overcoming tempation.

UNDER THE STARS

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:25:00 GMT

Last night (and early this morning) we were in a cornfield gazing up at the skies watching a meteor shower. It was really something. We drove nearly 30 miles (with the help of Google Earth and a GPS) to where the skies were darkest, away from all the "light pollution" of Joplin, just to watch the show. As we sat there in our lawn chairs, hearing nothing but a bullfrog in a pond somewhere close, my thoughts were threefold. (1) God is a marvelous Creator. "He also made the stars" are the five words allotted to the creation of the stars in Genesis 1:16. The stars are the work of His fingers. He flung them into space and there they are today for us to behold. The Milky Way, The Big Dipper, The North Star ~ all there thousands of years later. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiowrk" (Psa. 19:1). (2) I thought of my parents, and tens of thousands of other believers, who are now safe "beyond the stars." They are with God in His home above ~ the third Heaven of which the Bible speaks. How long did it take for them to get there when they died? "Just one sigh and we are there" was Charles Spurgeon's answer. Jesus went to Heaven to prepare a place for us. They are there. Some day we shall join them on our "Flight Final" beyond the stars. (3) I am but a particle on this planet. Yet God cares for me. David said, "When I consider Your Heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him...?" (Psa. 8:3, 4). How mindful is that? Consider the words of an old hymn: "From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride; with His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died" (The Church's One Foundation, Samuel J. Stone). You were worth coming for; you were worth dying for. And some day, perhaps today, Jesus will return from Heaven to take us home forevermore. "Come, Lord Jesus!"

JUST SO YOU KNOW

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:31:00 GMT

Sometimes we get a little discouraged when we read the newspapers, listen to the radio, or see on the news that the economy continues to spiral and that sin is abounding more and more. Well, today I want to remind you that . . .

Almighty God is still on His throne and is in full control of affairs of the universe.
The Bible is still the Word of God and will never change; what God has said is still the truth and will be forever.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
The Holy Spirit is our mighty comforter and is still in the business of convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgment to come.
The Church is still the bride of Christ and not even the gates of hell can prevail against this church divine.
Prayer remains a great privilege and our greatest weapon against the enemy.
Heaven is still the promised home of the believer and it will be worth it all when we see Jesus!

"Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near" ~ Luke 21:28

HOUSE INSPECTION

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:09:00 GMT

"What have they seen in your house?" (2 Kings 20:15) This is an interesting question. Isaiah the prophet asked it of Hezekiah the king. Hezekiah had foolishly allowed envoys from Babylon to inspect his house. "There was nothing in his house...that he did not show them" (v. 13). This rash act would be like inviting a professional cat burgler to inspect your home. Isaiah informed Hezekiah that everything in his house and in his dominion would be carried off into captivity (v. 17), even his sons, who would be turned into eunuchs (v. 18). It is not a wise thing to invite enemies into your house for a "house inspection."

But the question posed to Hezekiah, I think, is still a good one: "What have they seen in your house?" When we invite people (not burglers or home invaders) into our home, what do they see? Do they see hospitality, kindness, mercy, love, forgiveness, and other Christian traits? Do they see any Bibles laid out? Would they see a picture of Christ or a passage of Scripture framed on the wall? My wife has always stenciled a short verse on the fireplace mantle whereever we have lived. The home we are living in right now has one that reads: "God is our refuge and strength." Many people have commented on it. Above the sink she always has a memory verse on a 3x5 card. These are little things but people take notice. "What have they seen in your house?" That is a good question for us today. Would you pass a "house inspection" from God?