As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom.” And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.  1 Samuel 18:7-9

David had a “rags-to-riches” story. He went from shepherd to future king because God was blessing him. In one of the most famous battles of all time, the shepherd David defeated the giant warrior Goliath. This earned David a special position in King Saul’s court.  But as David was returning from battle, the women danced and began to sing about how great a warrior he was. They went as far as to sing that David was a better warrior than Saul which made Saul bitterly envious of David.  Saul’s jealousy began spiraling out of control. He lost his mind, and eventually his kingdom because he couldn’t focus on what he had. Instead, he wanted only what David had.  Envy and jealousy are not to be taken lightly. Because if these elements start to take root in your mind, they could cause the best things in your life to slip right through your hands.

Dear Lord, Without any conscious effort, the mind can go straight to jealous and envious thoughts about what others have and what I may lack. Please help me to be aware of these issues whenever they start to sneak into my life. Also help me to honor You always in my thoughts and actions and be thankful for everything You have given me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’” (Matthew 25:6)

Some people may believe they are going to heaven and may even be looking forward to the return of Jesus, yet still not necessarily be Christians. As they look at the world today and realize that Bible prophecies are being fulfilled, they might even believe that Christ is returning soon. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they are Christians.

In the parable of the ten bridesmaids, Jesus told the story of bridesmaids who were attending a wedding (see Matthew 25:1-13). Five were wise, and five were foolish. The five wise bridesmaids had oil in their lamps, while the five foolish ones did not. And when the cry went out that the bridegroom was coming, the five bridesmaids who were wise were ready to meet him. But the foolish bridesmaids were unprepared.

Jesus told this story to illustrate the fact that you can appear to be a Christian. You can sit in church next to other Christians. You can carry a Bible like everyone else. You can even believe in the soon-coming of Jesus Christ for His church. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that you know Him.

If you truly have a relationship with Christ, then the truth that He could come back at any time should dramatically impact the way you live. The Bible says, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).

In other words, if you really are a follower of Jesus Christ and believe He will soon return to earth, you will strongly desire to be a more godly person. You will truly want to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord, and you will hate the very idea of grieving or disappointing Him. You will want to avoid the things that would be wrong or sinful or spiritually detrimental, and you’ll be doing your utmost to follow Him and grow in Him.

Does that sound like you? Are you ready for His return?

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Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

One of the first things I remember about the day I put my faith in Christ was the sense of peace filling my heart. It was as though someone had lifted a heavy burden from me. It wasn’t until later, when I read the Bible, that I learned about God’s promise of peace to every believer. He has given it to us as a gift.

This peace, however, doesn’t come from what or who we are, but from what God has done—how He has justified us in response to our faith. A wonderful by-product of this reality is a deep inner peace that floods our soul.

But we can’t have this wonderful effect without the beginning cause. If we are fighting with God, if we are resisting His plan and purpose for our lives, then we won’t experience this supernatural peace.

I think many people would like to have the beautiful results and benefits of the Christian life without having to pay the price. In other words, they would like to know they are forgiven and going to heaven when they die, but they still want to live as they please. They don’t want to put their complete faith and trust in Jesus.

That sort of attitude just won’t fly. We can’t have the pleasing, life-transforming privileges of God’s peace without first meeting God’s requirements. Colossians 1:20 (NLT) says that through Jesus Christ, “God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.” The only way we will experience the peace of God that passes all human understanding is through the blood of the cross, the blood Jesus shed.

You cannot have the peace of God until you first have peace with God.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.  Ephesians 1:4-5

Hank Williams Jr. sang “Family Tradition” which described why he lived such a partying lifestyle. “If I get stoned and sing all night long, it’s a family tradition.” His father, Hank Williams Sr., was a country music star in the 1950’s who died after just 5 short years in the limelight due to drug and alcohol abuse. Sadly, what was started by the father was carried on by the son.  Nobody’s parents are perfect. They all have flaws. And no matter how hard they try, they will pass on those flaws to their children. But we are not bound by the flaws of our parents. We don’t have to keep their short temper, their worrying nature, their greed, pride or lust. Regardless of our past influences, we have the power now to choose our actions, how we behave, and how we influence the world around us. 

What kind of family traditions are you establishing? Whether you’ve had a good role model or not, remember that we’ve been adopted by the best parent of all—our heavenly Father. And Jesus Christ can set us free from our past as long as we seek Him now, rely on His power and live by His example.

Dear Lord, Thank You so much for choosing me, and for adopting me into Your family. Please help me to choose my actions wisely as I walk in Your footsteps, so that I can establish family traditions that will honor You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)

When you want to get in shape, it’s actually through the process of tearing your muscles down that you build them up. The first day of your workout isn’t so hard. But the next day, you’re in pain. Everything hurts. The next time, you feel weak, but you work out anyway. A couple of days later, you’re still weak and sore, but you’re also a little stronger. You increase the weights a bit, then you do a little more. Pretty soon, you notice that you’re getting stronger. It is through the breakingdown process that the building up comes.

In the same way, we need to build up our spiritual muscles. God allows us to go through difficulties. He increases the weights on us. Pretty soon, we are benching a whole lot more than we ever thought possible. We’re learning more than we ever thought we would learn. We’re doing more than we ever thought we would do. Iron is entering our souls, and we are developing that heroic endurance, perseverance, and strength that only comes through difficulty.

The Bible tells us, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4). In the original language, the word used here for “patience” means “perseverance,” “endurance,” “steadfastness,” or simply “staying power.”

If you are going through a time of testing and trial, realize that God has a purpose in it. Most likely, He is preparing you and training you today for what He will do in your life tomorrow.

 “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:3

Contrary to what some might believe, the Bible doesn’t teach that if you are a Christian, you will never stumble, fail, or fall short. But it does teach that if you are a true believer and have had a lapse or a stumble, you will always get up and move forward. That is one strong way to truly determine whether someone is a real believer.  Although Abraham was a friend of God, which Scripture specifically mentions three times, it is also clear that he had his lapses of faith. Yet the Bible says that “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3). Does this mean that Abraham was declared righteous because of the good things he did? Did God justify Abraham because he lived such a holy, pure, and flawless life? Hardly. Any honest look at the life of Abraham would clearly show that he was a flawed man. Having said that, it is also important to point out that although Abraham deviated occasionally from the straight and narrow, he always came back.

If someone says he or she is a Christian but falls away and never returns to the faith, then he or she was not a believer. As 1 John 2:19 says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”

True believers will be miserable in their sin and will eventually beat a quick path back to the cross of Calvary.

Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”   Matthew 16:24

OH, how I wish the words of this passage in Psalm 71 described me. As a child, I accepted as fact that Jesus died on a cross and was raised back to life. Although I thought I was a ChristianA, following Jesus was not the focus of my life. I was. My hopes, prayers, and thoughts generally revolved around me and my needs. My confidence was in myself.  Years later, I came to understand that being a Christian means submitting myself to Christ Jesus as my Lord, following him, and submitting to his plans for me. It means resting in the love and the peace he gives. It means so much more than this and so much more than I understood as a child.  Whether we grew up loving Christ Jesus and relying on him every day or rarely thinking of him, we can’t change the past. Tomorrow is not here, but we have this moment. Jesus said, “Follow me.” That we can do. Right now. This moment. 

Lord Jesus, we submit our desires, our plans, our lives to you. Help us, Lord, to follow you. Amen.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said.   Matthew 4:19

FOR Peter, Andrew, James, and John the call was clear. Jesus invited them to leave what they were doing to follow him. And they did! Later Jesus set them to work, saying, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Luke 10:2).  That was then; but what about today? I want to follow Jesus, but he’s not walking down the busy streets of my town. Or is he? While those early disciples could follow in Jesus’ earthly footsteps, we have the Holy Spirit who helps us to know Christ’s voice. As individuals, we are called to serve God in many different places. One may follow Jesus to a foreign land; another may follow him into a schoolroom. Some may follow him to the business world, while others may serve in public office or as homemakers, taxi drivers, or police officers.

The field that Jesus talked about is all around us. Not only is it across the ocean; it is in the house next door, the desk across from ours at work, the playground where our children play. In these places we follow Jesus, sharing his love so that other people can respond to his voice and follow him, too. 

Lord Jesus, teach us to walk with you today. Make us willing to go wherever you lead us. Amen.

While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him.   Luke 22:47

Betrayal started in the Garden of Eden, but it didn’t end there. One of the most famous names of betrayal comes from later in the Bible—Judas. He followed Jesus for three years as a disciple before handing Him over to be crucified. It was the ultimate betrayal in Jesus’ life, and perhaps in the history of the world.  As I was talking to a very prominent leader one evening when the subject of betrayal came up, he looked at me and said, “You know what I’ve discovered, Bruce? There’s always a Judas at your table. And he is close enough to kiss your cheek.”  I thought that was powerful. Betrayal comes from those closest to us. But regardless of who pushed you into the pit, it does not have to be a place where you break down. The pit can become a place where you break out to become who God has designed you to be.

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your discernment and guidance in life, and for opening my eyes to the intentions of those closest to me. Please dissolve any plans someone may have to betray me. And if their plans do succeed, please use the experience to help me break out of the pit so that I can become the person You designed me to be. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

When I look back on my life at the things God has allowed me to do and the opportunities He has opened up, I can see the wisdom of His perfect timing.  Our tendency is to rush things. But just because something has never;’ happened in your life today doesn’t mean it won’t happen tomorrow. And just because it doesn’t happen tomorrow doesn’t mean it won’t happen a month or a year from now. Maybe one phase of your life is ending and another is beginning. Maybe everything that has happened to you up to this point in your life has been preparation for what is still ahead.

Moses didn’t get going until he was eighty. Then there was Caleb, another Israelite who left Egypt in the Exodus. Along with Joshua, Caleb came back full of optimism and belief when they were sent to spy out the Promised Land. But when the Israelites believed the pessimistic report of the ten other spies, God was so displeased that He refused to allow them to enter the land.

Years later, when Joshua led a new generation of Israelites into the Promised Land, Caleb was among them. And at eighty years old, he said to Joshua, “I’m asking you to give me the hill country that the LORD promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the Anakites living there in great, walled cities. But if the LORD is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the LORD said” (Joshua 14:12, NLT). Joshua gave him his little segment of land as was promised, and Caleb drove out all of its inhabitants. Caleb believed God’s promises, and God was faithful. We need to do the same.