That's All You Need To Know

From: Anonymous

Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God."

A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible, Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the verse. Little Bobby was excited about the task. But, he just couldn't remember the Psalm. After much practice, he could barely get past the first line.

On the day the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 for their parents and the whole congregation, Bobby was very nervous. When it was his turn he sat there for a moment in silence as if in deep thought. The entire congregation and his parents were filled with anxiety for the little lad. Then he smiled and spoke up proudly...

"The Lord is my shepherd...and that's all you need to know."

Sometimes indeed that is all you need to know.

Personality

From: Oswald Chambers Ministries

John 17:22 "That they may be one even as We are One."

Personality is that peculiar, incalculable thing that is meant when we speak of ourselves as distinct from everyone else. Our personality is always too big for us to grasp. An island in the sea may be but the top of a great mountain. Personality is like an island, we know nothing about the great depths underneath, consequently we cannot estimate ourselves. We begin by thinking that we can, but we come to realize that there is only one Being Who understands us, and that is our Creator.

Personality is the characteristic of the spiritual man as individuality is the characteristic of the natural man. Our Lord can never be defined in terms of individuality and independence, but only in terms of personality, "I and My Father are one."

Personality merges, and you only reach your real identity when you are merged with another person. When love, or the Spirit of God strikes a man, he is transformed, he no longer insists upon his separate individuality. Our Lord never spoke in terms of individuality, but in terms of personality - "that they may be one, even as We are One."

If you give up your right to yourself to God, the real true nature of your personality answers to God straight away. Jesus Christ emancipates the personality, and the individuality is transfigured; the transfiguring element is love, personal devotion to Jesus. Love is the outpouring of one personality in fellowship with another personality.

Stress-buster

From: Love Worth Finding Ministries

Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Stress is nothing new. Noah had it when he was building the ark with no rain in sight. Martha had it when she was preparing a meal for our Lord.

Stress is the gap between the demands placed on us and the strength we have in meeting those demands.

It is not a sin to be stressed, nor a sin to be weary. It is a sin, though, not to seek a lessening of that stress which tears down the temple of the Holy Spirit, your body.

Where is your answer? In waiting upon the Lord — waiting in the midst of demands. When you learn to wait on Him, God steps in to bridge the stress gap with His mighty strength.

Ask God to equip you to be a stress-buster today.

Incomplete Repentance

From: Selwyn Hughes Ministries

2 Corinthians 7:10 "Indeed, sorrow for God's sake produces a repentance without regrets, leading to salvation, whereas worldly sorrow brings death."

Sometimes I am asked: "If a person does not undergo a radical repentance at the time they turn to Christ, does that mean they are not converted and will not go to heaven when they die?" My answer is usually along this line: "It is better if a person experiences a radical repentance at the time of their initial commitment to Christ, as this sets the tilt of the soul in the direction of agreeing with God. But God will come in and live in a person's life by invitation, even though the repentance is not as complete as it should be."

The advantage of a radical repentance at the time of one's commitment to Christ is, as I have said, that it bends the ego in God's direction and teaches it right from the start that submission is essential.

A major reason for lack of spiritual assurance (people who have committed themselves to Christ not feeling saved) is this issue of incomplete repentance. When repentance is incomplete and there is no "godly sorrow" over sin, the effects of sin (guilt and shame) are not eliminated from the soul. Radical conversion siphons off these things and leaves the soul feeling free. To change the metaphor, if the soul is not plowed up by radical repentance, the seeds sown by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God will not take deep root.

Those who have never fully repented ought to do so now -- without delay. Take time this day to evaluate your spiritual condition.

Who Is On The Lord's Side?

From: Power Point Ministries - Jack Graham

Romans 8:31 "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

Many people are not very happy with America these days.

Whether you're watching the news on television, listening to the radio or reading news and magazine reports, this generation is questioning the future of America.

But I believe the answer lies in our Scripture verse for today: "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

What made America great was the favor of Almighty God! God gave birth to this nation. He established and blessed it. And He will continue to bless America IF we place our trust in Him.
We do not exist because of our military might, our ingenuity, or our financial power. We exist because of God's hand of protection.

America was founded in the name of freedom for men and women seeking to live their faith. Our nation was established on Christian foundations and principles. The framers of the Constitution implanted the ethics, morality, values, and beliefs of the Old and New Testaments into our government.

The soul of America belongs to God. But we are in danger of losing that soul today. The day that America decides that we don't need God is the day that America begins to die.

Because the opposite of Romans 8:31 is also true. If God be against us, who can be for us? Ultimately, it's not a question of whether or not God is on our side. The question is who is on the Lord's side?

The Biggest Piece

From: The Word For Today - Bob Gass Ministries

James 4:3 "You do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives."

A major hindrance to answered prayer is - wrong motives! At a birthday party, it came time to serve the cake. A little boy named Brian blurted out, "I want the biggest piece!" His mother scolded him: "Brian, it's not right to ask for the biggest piece." The little boy looked at her in confusion and said, "Well then, how do I get it?" If you have the wrong motives, your prayers won't be answered.

A motive is the why behind the what. In prayer, the reason we pray is much more important than the words we say. Having a pure heart that loves God and loves people is always an acceptable motive to the Lord. Selfishness is unacceptable; revenge is unacceptable; manipulation and control are unacceptable; jealousy is unacceptable; pride is unacceptable. In fact, anything that is selfish is an unacceptable motive.

To pray effectively we must purify our hearts on a regular basis, especially when we find ourselves wanting "the biggest piece". We need to examine our motives. Taking a look at them will be painful, but it must be done if we desire to see our prayers answered.

As You Practice, So You Play

From: Bryant Wright Ministries

1 Timothy 4:7 "Train yourself for the life of piety, for while physical training is to some extent valuable, the discipline of religion is incalculably more so with its promise of life here and hereafter."

Football coaches have a saying about preparing for the big game. As you practice, so you play. It works the same way in our spiritual lives. Regular time alone with God is how we practice staying close to God each day. And certainly if we're going to have meaningful, weekly worship with other believers, it's always more meaningful when we've spent time alone with God.

Have you ever been to a worship service that just seemed to fall flat? Maybe you thought your pastor let you down and gave a sermon that was just plain boring! Or maybe the music didn't connect or wasn't the style you were in the mood for that day. Some days things just don't connect and you think, "Well, there's an hour of my life I'll never get back."

I guess that sometimes ministers do fall short, but maybe it's just a little too easy to blame the worship leaders for a flat experience. When a weekly service disappoints, it might be because you haven't been in practice all week. As you practice, so you play the game. You'll be amazed how much anticipation there is for weekly worship if you have regular time alone with God.

Don't Be Defensive

From: Daily In Christ Ministries

1 Peter 2:23 "While being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously."

There are two reasons why you should not be defensive when there is a critical, negative evaluation of you.

First, if you are in the wrong, you don't have a defense. If you are criticized for saying something which is out of order or doing something which is wrong, and the criticism is valid, any defensiveness on your part would be a rationalization at best and a lie at worst. You must simply respond, "You're right; I was wrong," then take steps to improve your character and behavior.

Second, if you are right, you don't need a defense. Peter encouraged us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus who "while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously." If you are in the right, you don't need to defend yourself. The Righteous Judge, who knows who you are and what you have done, will exonerate you.

A dear lady entered my office with a well-thought-out list of "things for me" and "things against me." I suggested that she share the "things for me" first. That didn't take long! As she was going through the "things against me," the part of me that is made of earth wanted to respond to every allegation. But I didn't. When she was finished, there was an awkward pause before I said, "It must have taken a lot of courage to come in and share that with me. What do you suggest I do?" She started to cry.

Nobody tears another down from a position of strength or judges another without being judged. Judgmental people are people in pain. If you can learn not to be defensive when someone exposes your character defects or attacks your performance, you may have an opportunity to turn the situation around and minister to that person.

Gone With The Wind

From: Our Daily Bread Ministries

Ecclesiastes 1:14 "All is vanity and a chase after wind."

The epic film based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel Gone With the Wind opens with these lines:
“There was a land of Cavaliers and Cotton Fields called the Old South. Here in this pretty world, Gallantry took its last bow. . . . Look for it only in books, for it is no more than a dream remembered, a Civilization gone with the wind.”

Not only does a way of life disappear but also the dreams that drive the main characters. Throughout the Civil War, Scarlett O’Hara is preoccupied with her love for Ashley Wilkes. But by story’s end, she is disillusioned.

Solomon saw the futility of seeking satisfaction in people and things. Despite amassing wealth and knowledge, completing great projects, and marrying many wives, he said, “All is vanity and a chase after wind.”

Why does chasing transitory things leave us unfulfilled? The biblical answer is that we were created to find our ultimate fulfillment in God. Jesus promised, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

People and things come and go. But the spiritual satisfaction Christ offers sustains us in this world and will endure into eternity.

Be Ready When Opportunities Come

From: The Word For Today - Bob Gass Ministries

2 Timothy 2:15 "Work hard so God can approve you."

Moses spent 80 years preparing for a job that would last 40. That's a two-to-one ratio of preparation to execution. The greater the goal, the greater the preparation! Much of your life can be spent getting ready for what seems like a brief season and assignment. But to be able to say at the end, "I have finished my course" is to have lived successfully. And that's so whether you are called to run a marathon or a 100-meter sprint.

Before passing the torch to Timothy, Paul says, "Work hard so God can approve you." Who does God use? People who prepare well. Whether you're called to business, education, politics, art, medicine or ministry, this principle remains - God uses prepared people. The price tag required for long-term success cannot be lowered. We all want what successful people have, we're just not all willing to pay the price they paid to achieve it. You must be prepared when your opportunities come.

Abraham Lincoln said, "I will prepare and some day my chance will come." Benjamin Disraeli said, "The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his time when it comes." When the fate of the Jews hung in the balance, Mordecai told Esther that her experience in the king's palace had prepared her, "For such a time as this" (Esther 4:14). She responded and the Jews were saved. All these people had talent, prepared themselves and made the most of their opportunities when they arose. So your greatest challenge is not lack of opportunity, but being ready when it comes.