HAVE YOU BEEN PARALYZED BY THE FAILURE TO CONFESS?

Today's promise: God is always willing to forgive us

Have you been paralyzed by the failure to confess?

When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable and groaned all day long.

Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them.

I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

Therefore, let all the godly confess their rebellion to you while there is time.

Psalm 32:3-6 NLT

Confessing instead of hiding

We find many ways to get around admitting our sin. We rationalize our sins away. We try to drown out the guilt with all types of distractions. But over time, our sins deplete our will to pray. David was intimately familiar with all the ways one can try to hide sin. He had exhausted himself covering up his own sins. But everything changed when he finally gave up running away from his sin: "Finally, I confessed all my sins to you."

Like David, we can find our prayer life renewed when we freely confess our sins to God. Confess your sin and let God restore your prayer life to what it can and should be.

Prayer for today:

Dear Lord, I don't want to hide my sins anymore; I want to confess them to you today …

From The One Year® Book of Bible Prayers edited by Bruce Barton, Tyndale House Publishers (2000), entry for January 4

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On the other hand…

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them quite so much.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HOW HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED GOD'S FORGIVENESS?

Today's promise: God is always willing to forgive us

How have you experienced God's forgiveness?

Come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.

1 Kings 19:3-4 NLT

Even if he wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, forgive him.

Luke 17:4 NLT

About this week's promise

Since forgiveness is an expression of love, a person whose life has an endless supply of love should be demonstrating an endless supply of forgiveness. We can experience unlimited love in our relationship with God. It is this resource that makes it possible for us to forgive others again and again. First, we recognize that God forgives us time and time again. Second, we want to express God's love in a world that needs desperately to witness it.

adapted from TouchPoint Bible with devotional commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers, Tyndale House Publishers (1996), p 904

Digging Deeper

For more on forgiveness, see Radical Forgiveness by Julie Ann Barnhill, Tyndale House Publishers (2004).

Julie Ann Barnhill helps women understand and embrace the power of Christ to eradicate sin and establish a new life of freedom. Enjoy her typically sassy yet vulnerable style as Julie shares from her own and other women's experiences. Along the way you'll see what real forgiveness looks like in everyday life and relationships.

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It is far better to forgive and forget than to hate and remember.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN

"I can forgive, but I cannot forget," is only another way of saying, "I will not forgive."
HENRY WARD BEECHER

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HOW DO YOU REMIND YOURSELF OF GOD'S LEADING IN THE PAST?

Today's promise: Overcoming discouragement brings great blessing

How do you remind yourself of God's leading in the past?

Joshua said to the people, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: …I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him to the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendents through his son Isaac.… Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I brought terrible plagues on Egypt; and afterward I brought you out as a free people.… With your very own eyes you saw what I did.… Finally, I brought you into the land of the Amorites on the east side of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave you victory over them, and you took possession of their land.… When you crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho, the men of Jericho fought against you. There were also many others who fought you. … It was not your s words or bows that brought you victory. I gave you land you had not worked for, and I gave you cities you did not build—the cities in which you are now living. I gave you vineyards and olive groves for food, though you did not plant them.

Joshua 24:2-13 NLT

Joshua's story of hope

Joshua reminded a discouraged people of all the times God had provided for them and demonstrated his goodness. Reviewing past blessings can encourage us to continue to serve God faithfully. Keep records—through a journal or a scrapbook—of the love God has shown for you. When you need encouragement, review what God has already done, revisiting the mementos of his work in your life. And read the Bible in order to refresh your knowledge of the many blessings God has given his people throughout history.

adapted from TouchPoint Bible with devotional commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers, Tyndale House Publishers (1996), p 208

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

WHAT, ME WORRY?

Today's promise: Overcoming discouragement brings great blessing

What, me worry?

"So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life — whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes.

Matthew 6:25 NLT

Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Psalm 55:22 NLT

The mistrust of anxiety

Words of encouragement from the Master are always welcome. The stresses of life come upon us and a brother or sister in Christ reminds us that He is in control. He is sovereign, He knows when the sparrow falls, He numbers the hairs on our heads, He clothes the lilies of the field. He says not to worry about our life, and we welcome the suggestion as an encouraging pat on the back.

But how often do we view this verse as a commandment from on high? It may not carry the force of "Thou shalt not," and it may not have the emphasis of a "Go into all the world," but it is written as an imperative nonetheless. "Do not," Jesus says, and Paul echoes this injunction in Philippians: "Be anxious for nothing" (4:6). These are our liberating orders. We are told not to do something we hate doing anyway.

Dare we suggest by our worry that some catastrophe may slip by without His notice? No, "tragedies" befell Joseph, Moses, David, Jesus, Paul, and others, and God ordained them all for good. All of these surely could have worried, examining their circumstances while going through them. But looking back, we see God's perfect plan unfolding. Therefore Jesus urges, even commands: Do not worry.

Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength. 

CHARLES SPURGEON

Adapted from At His Feet by Chris Tiegreen, Tyndale House Publishers (2003), p 40.

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED THE PEACE OF GOD DURING TIMES OF TROUBLE?

Today's promise: Overcoming discouragement brings great blessing

Have you experienced the peace of God during times of trouble?

Be silent, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.

Psalm 46:6 NLT

Be still my soul

Be still, my soul! thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past,
Thy hope, they confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul! the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be Still, My Soul (v2) , Katharina Amalia von Schlegel (1697-?)

Whatever your circumstances, if you believe the first line of this great hymn, you will be at rest. In the midst of the psalmist's troubles, the Lord said, "Be still, and know that I am God." It was these same words that spoke to Katharina von Schlegel in the turbulent times of post-Reformation Germany. A century after Luther's reforms, central Europe was racked by the Thirty Years' War, which pitted Catholics against Protestants. The Lutheran church lapsed into formalism and dead orthodoxy. In the darkness of that time, God raised up the Pietist movement, which stressed personal holiness, charity, missions, and music.

The songs of the Pietists were largely unknown outside of Germany until three British women — Jane and Sarah Borthwick and Catherine Winkworth — began to translate them into English a hundred years later. This hymn, penned by the leading woman of the Pietist movement, a canoness of a women's seminary, was among those forgotten songs.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995), entry for January 10.

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO LIFE UP A DISCOURAGED LEADER?

Today's promise: Overcoming discouragement brings great blessing

Have you been able to lift up a discouraged leader?

Commission Joshua and encourage him, for he will lead the people across the Jordan. He will give them the land you now see before you.

Deuteronomy 3:28 NLT

Discouraged encourager

When people spoke with Pastor Larry, they couldn't help feeling better about themselves. But the community he worked in deteriorated. Many people left for better jobs and were replaced by transient families with fewer skills. Schools and stores changed overnight.

Larry felt alienated in a community that once embraced his encouragement. He was ready to throw in the towel. Then an elderly woman named Pearl visited him. "I've watched you for nearly 10 years as you consoled, shepherded, and ministered to this community. You've been an encouragement to everyone," she said.

"Then why are so many people leaving and being replaced by individuals hostile to God's Word?" Larry asked.

"God has brought them to you to grow in your ministry," Pearl said. "I believe God gifted you with an encouraging heart for a time such as this."

Larry thanked Pearl for her honesty, then excused himself to go home. As he approached his house, a family of three greeted him. "Thank you, Pastor," said the father. "We've been to three other cities but never really felt at home till we arrived here."

David Farr in God's Men.

Adapted from Men of Integrity Devotional Bible with devotionals by the editors of Men of Integrity magazine (Christianity Today, Intl), Tyndale House Publishers (2002), p 209.

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Don't be discouraged; it may be the last key in the bunch that opens the door.
STONSIFER

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

ARE YOU A "BIG PICTURE" PERSON?

Today's promise: Overcoming discouragement brings great blessing

Are you a "big picture" person?

Who but God goes up to the heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fist? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name — and his son's name? Tell me if you know!

Proverbs 30:4 NLT

Impressive panorama

When people understand events clearly, we often say that they "see the big picture." This passage in Proverbs makes the point that the clearest view of the "big picture" will always include God. The sequence of rhetorical questions helps us consider the awesome identity and capacity of God. Much like the litany of questions that God showered on Job (Job 38:1-41:34), these push us toward humble and silent worship.

Agur was feeling overwhelmed (30:1), insignificant (30:2), and limited (30:3). But when he turned away from his smallness to contemplate God's greatness, an atmosphere of confidence filled the rest of the chapter. He began with a little picture, no bigger than himself, but he soon looked at the big picture and forgot that he was weary and worn out. God gave him a new and refreshing point of view.

WISE WAYS  One of the best remedies for a weary and tired spirit is to contemplate the majesty and greatness of God. How have you found that to be true?

Dear Lord, when I look at all you have made, I know it makes me feel smaller, but it also fills me with wonder over how great you are! I worship you.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Proverbs by Neil S. Wilson, Tyndale House Publishers (2002), entry for January 30.

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Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

THE WONDER OF THE CROSS

THE WONDER OF THE CROSS

READ:

Hebrews 12:1-4

[Look] unto Jesus, the author

and finisher of our faith, who

for the joy that was set before

Him endured the cross.

–Hebrews 12:2

While visiting Australia, I had the opportunity on a particularly clear night to see the Southern Cross.  Located in the Southern Hemisphere, this constellation is one of the most distinctive.  Mariners and navigators began relying on it as early as the 15^th century for direction and navigation through the seas.  Although relatively small, it is visible throughout most of the year.  The Southern Cross was so vivid on that dark night that even I could pick it out of the bundle of stars.  It was truly a magnificent sight!

The Scriptures tell us of an even more magnificent cross-the cross of Christ.  When we look at the stars, we see the handiwork of the Creator, but when we look at the cross, we see the Creator dying for His creation.  Hebrews 12:2 calls us to “[look] unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The wonder of Calvary’s cross is that while we were still in our sins, our Savior died for us (Romans 5:8).  Those who place their trust in Christ are now reconciled to God, and He navigates them through life (2 Corinthians 1:8-10).

Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is the greatest of all wonders! – Bill Crowder

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride. – Watts

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Christ’s cross provides the only

safe crossing into eternity.

INSIGHT

The writer of Hebrews paints a picture of an athletic competition, using the metaphor of a long-distance foot race to exhort believers to endure and persevere in the life of faith (vv.1-2).  The apostle Paul also often used the idea of the race to speak of the challenges of living the Christian life (1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Galatians 5:7; Philippians 3:13-14; 2 Timothy 4:7).  The constant call is this:  “Don’t give up.  Keep your eyes on the finish line and finish the race!”  The runner who completes the race will receive his reward (1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelations 2:10).

Have a blessed day and week ahead.

God Our Creator’s Love Always

Unity & Peace

MERCY WITHOUT JUDGMENT IS A TREE WITHOUT ROOTS

For more great blogs as this one go to Daniel’s blog site at:  www.Mannsword.blogspot.com

Mercy without Judgment is a Tree without Roots

Being a Christian means being merciful. But what does it mean to be merciful? It is now popular to regard mercy as not showing any judgment or disapproval of others’ behaviors. For instance, Pope Francis, the Times Man of the Year, imprecisely stated:

• “A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: "Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?" We must always consider the person.”

Most secular commentators embraced the Pope’s comments as an endorsement of homosexuality. They likewise embrace Jesus’ words:

• “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged.” (Luke 6:36-37).

Well, what does it mean to “be merciful?” Jesus insisted that our mercy should look like the Father’s mercy. Well, what did His mercy look like? First, there has to be an acknowledgment of our need for mercy:

• Then the Lord said to me [the Prophet Jeremiah]… “Go and proclaim these words… ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the Lord; ‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the Lord; ‘I will not remain angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the Lord your God, and have scattered your charms [devotion] to alien deities under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the Lord.” (Jer. 3:11-13; NKJV)

God’s mercy towards Israel depended upon Israel’s “acknowledgment” of their sin – a small price to pay for the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord. However, Israel consistently refused:

• “Yet you [Israel] say, ‘Because I am innocent, surely His anger shall turn from me.’ Behold, I [God] will plead My case against you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’” (Jer. 2:35; NKJV)

Where there is a refusal to confess sin, there is no mercy. Jesus also reflected this truth in His teachings:

• And if he refuses to hear them [by confessing his sin], tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (Mat. 18:17; NKJV)

• If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” (Luke 17:3-4; NKJV)

If we are going to be merciful as our Father is merciful, then we will forgive and restore the one who confesses their sin and repents. We will be merciful to those who confess their sin and need for mercy. And if they refuse to confess – what then? We must pray for them and receive them back into fellowship when they are ready. This is mercy! Receiving them back into fellowship without confession and repentance is to wink at sin – something that the Father does not do.

Well, what about Jesus’ teaching that we shouldn’t judge so that we wouldn’t be judged by God? This wasn’t Jesus’ final word. It wasn’t an absolute injunction against judging. Right after this, Jesus explained:

• “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” (Luke 6:42; NKJV)

If we are blind, we cannot judge. Once we remove the “plank” or blindness from our own eyes, we “will see clearly” enough to perform some spiritual surgery – judging – on others.

“Sweet” Jesus clearly did His share of judging, calling others “hypocrites” and “swine.” What then does mercy look like? It is a matter of giving what people ultimately need. Some require tough love. We all require the exposure of our ugly sins and rationalizations – something that the false prophets neglected to do. God had explained this principle to Jeremiah:

•  Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not uncovered your iniquity [exposing your sins], to bring back your captives [taken captive by sin], but have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions. (Lament. 2:14; NKJV)

When our sins are exposed, there is hope for confession and mercy:

• “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel, and had caused My people to hear My words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings. (Jer. 23:21-22; NKJV)

In order to be turned from our evil and to find mercy, we require the rebuke! Meanwhile, Pope Francis stated:

•  "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?"

However, judge we must! Jesus had even warned:

•  “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 11:2-5; NKJV)

It is mercy that requires us to likewise judge!

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN HOPE FADES?

Today's promise: Overcoming discouragement brings great blessing

What Do You Do When Hope Fades?

Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck.

Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can't find a foothold to stand on.

I am in deep water, and the floods overwhelm me.

I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is parched and dry.

My eyes are swollen with weeping, waiting for my God to help me…

But I keep right on praying to you, Lord, hoping this is the time you will show me favor.

Psalm 69:1-3, 13 NLT

Praying when hope seems dim

David's prayer recorded in this psalm essentially amounts to a simple, "Save me, I'm sinking." It's the cry of a desperate man who can't even think of helping himself. But at least David knew whom he needed to ask for help. Although he was exhausted from crying to the Lord in prayer, he kept on shouting to his God, the only one who could save him.

When waves of adversity threaten to drown you in despair, pray to God. Remember David's persistence, and keep on asking God for help.

Prayer for today:

Dear Lord, I am exhausted from crying for help, but I will keep on praying to you.

From The One Year® Book of Bible Prayers edited by Bruce Barton, Tyndale House Publishers (2000), entry for February 9

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I never allow myself to become discouraged under any circumstances.… The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.
Thomas A. Edison

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

WHEN DID YOU TAKE YOUR FIRST STEP OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD?

Today's promise: Obeying God brings great joy

When did you take your first step of obedience to God?

Then said, "I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven."

Matthew 18:3 NLT

The momentous step

Oswald J. Smith grew up in Embro, Ontario. In the winter of 1906 when Oswald was sixteen, the Toronto newspapers told of a great evangelistic crusade being conducted by Dr. R. A. Torrey.

Oswald and his younger brother Ernie asked their mother if they could go the ninety-four miles to Toronto to attend the meetings. Smith tells what happened:

The second to the last meeting came. We had made up our minds to accept Christ that afternoon. We did not know that our mother had written to Dr. Torrey asking him to pray that her sons might be converted.

At the close of his message he gave the invitation. To my amazement I was turned into a chunk of lead. Presently my brother quietly nudged me, and that broke the spell. I sprang out of my seat and took the momentous step.

Christ had entered and I was a new creature. That was January 28, 1906.

Oswald went on to found and pastor Canada's largest church, the People's Church of Toronto. Throughout his ministry, he wrote twelve hundred hymns, published thirty-five books in 128 languages, raised twenty-three million dollars for missions, and helped send out hundreds of missionaries.

From that first step in Toronto, Oswald J. Smith walked with the Lord for three days short of eighty more years.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Christian History by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten, Tyndale House Publishers (2003), pp 56-7

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Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

DO YOU FALL INTO DISCOURAGEMENT AFTER SPIRITUAL HIGHS?

Today's promise: Overcoming discouragement brings great blessing

Do you fall into discouragement after spiritual highs?

Elijah was afraid and fled for his life.… Then he went alone into the desert.… He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die.

1 Kings 19:3-4 NLT

About this week's promise

Elijah experienced the depths of fatigue and discouragement just after his two great spiritual victories: the defeat of the prophets of Baal and the answered prayer for rain. To lead him out of depression, God first let Elijah rest and eat. Then God confronted him with the need to return to his mission in life — to be God's prophet.

Elijah's battles were not over; there was still work for him to do. Often discouragement sets in after great spiritual experiences, especially those that produce a high level of emotional excitement or that require a lot from us physically. When you feel let down after a spiritual "high," do what is necessary to restore your inner resources. And remember that God still has a purpose and plan for you.

Adapted from TouchPoint Bible with devotional commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers, Tyndale House Publishers (1996), p 311.

Digging Deeper

For more on facing discouragement, see The One Year® Book of Hope by Nancy Guthrie, Tyndale House Publishers (2005).

Through a year's worth of thoughtful entries, the reader will learn how much God longs to lift us up, carry us through in times of difficulty and uncertainty, and give us true, lasting joy. Each daily step draws you closer to a God who truly cares and the hopeful life he wants you to enjoy.

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If the devil cannot make you puffed up by pride, he will try to dampen your spirit by discouragement. It's his best tool!
AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

IN HARMONY

IN HARMONY

READ:

1 Peter 4:7-11

As each one has received a

gift, minister it to one another,

as good stewards of the manifold

grace of God. -1 Peter 4:10

I love playing the 5-string banjo.  But it has one drawback.  The fifth string will harmonize with only a limited number of simple chords.  When other musicians want to play more complicated music, the banjoist has to adapt.  He can lend marvelous melodic tones to a jam session only by making the right adjustments.

Just as musicians adjust with their instruments, we as believers also need to make adjustments with our spiritual gifts if we want to harmonize with others to serve God.  For instance, those who have the gift of teaching must coordinate with those who have the gift of organizing meetings and with those who make sure meeting rooms are set up and cleaned.  All of us have spiritual gifts, and we must work together if God’s work is to get done.

The apostle Peter said, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).  Stewardship requires cooperation.  Think about your spiritual gifts (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4; 1 Peter 4).  Now reflect on how you can dovetail their use with the gifts of other believers.  When our talents are used in a complementary way, the result is harmony and glory to God. – Dennis Fisher

Without a note we sing in tune,

an anthem loud we bring,

When willingly we give our gifts

of labor to our King. –Branon

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Keeping in tune with Christ

keeps harmony in the church.

INSIGHT

The Bible Reader’s Companion provides these helpful insights into today’s reading:  “Peter has described the pagan’s choice:  to satisfy their human desires.  He now describes the lifestyle that pagans can make no sense of, but which reflects the will of God for His people.  This includes:  self-control, prayers, mutual love, unstinting hospitality, using gifts for the benefit of others, serving wholeheartedly, and with the strength God provides.’”

Have a blessed day and week ahead.

God Our Creator’s Love Always

Unity & Peace

HOW MUCH DO YOU TRUST YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER?

Today's promise: Obeying God brings great joy

How much do you trust your heavenly Father?

If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you.… Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love them. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them.

Matthew 21:28-32 NLT

An expression of trust

Parents set up rules for their children: Clean up your room, don't go anywhere with a stranger; be home by 11 p.m. The purpose, of course, is for the children's benefit and protection; loving parents are not trying to make their children miserable by given them rules to follow. And parents hope that their children will understand rules as expressions of love and concern; they hope their children's obedience will be motivated more by love than by fear of punishment. Our obedience to Christ should likewise be an expression of our trust in his care for us.

Adapted from TouchPoint Bible with devotional commentary by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers, Tyndale House Publishers (1996), p 934

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It is better to go to Troas with God, than anywhere else without Him.
G CAMPBELL MORGAN

You have not really learned a commandment until you have obeyed it.… Nothing clarifies doctrine like doing. Each new thing learned becomes a millstone if we don't make it a milestone.
VANCE HAVNER

The Lord of all creation has ordained that he would do his work through us. Our seeing the Spirit's guidance and obeying what he wants us to do and say is the way he works to bless the world.
LLOYD OGILVIE

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

COULD I BE AS CONSISTENT AS NOAH?

Today's promise: Obeying God brings great joy

Could I be as consistent as Noah?

So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.

Genesis 6:22 NLT

A man of consistent obedience

Imagine someone who doesn't pay employees cheap wages even though he enjoys a fancy house and swanky cars. Someone who doesn't indulge in movies full of sultry sex scenes. If you know such a person, you may have found someone seeking consistent obedience to God and his Word.

Noah went against the grain of his generation. As Genesis 6:9 says, "Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless man on earth at the time. He consistently followed God's will and enjoyed a close relationship to him." He stood out from others of his time whose thoughts and actions were "consistently and totally evil." (Genesis 6:5)

Apparently folks had never seen rain fall out of the sky (Gen. 2:5), but Noah obeyed God's instructions: hammering, sawing, and building for 120 years (Gen. 6:3). Noah warned people of God's judgment (2 Pet. 2:5), but even if he had never said a word, his pounding hammer rang a warning of wrath to come. Later, the truth of those words echoed as the ark floated above a world of corpses.

After Noah's family of eight emerged into a washed-out world, he held a thanksgiving service. If God was pained by a world of ungrateful human beings (Gen. 6:6), he must have been consoled by a grateful Noah (Gen. 8:20).

Sadly, the father who was buoyed atop a world of water got drunk on land (Gen. 9:20-27). It only takes one indiscretion to mar a life of righteousness.

A bow with arrows was a principal weapon in ancient warfare. After the world was washed away in Noah's time, God set a rainbow in the sky to remind us that He would never again destroy the world by water. Our God is consistently faithful.

From Men of Integrity Devotional Bible with devotionals by the editors of Men of Integrity magazine (Christianity Today, Intl), Tyndale House Publishers (2002), p 13

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House