A persons worth is contingent upon who he is, not upon what he does, or how much he has. The worth of a person, or a thing, or an idea, is in being, not in doing, not in having.
In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley
December 20, 2007 -- A Barrier To Enjoying God -- Romans 6:12-18
Several years ago, I counseled a woman who was consumed by bitterness toward her father. He had abandoned his family and refused to acknowledge her as his daughter. Then he became ill and sought to make amends, but the woman refused to hear him. She clung to that unforgiving spirit for many years after her father died. When she finally repented, she told me that the burden of her bitterness had kept her from enjoying God.
One of the Holy Spirit's roles is to make believers aware of attitudes and actions that are contrary to God's will. If we decide to resist conviction, we will naturally try to quiet the Spirit's voice--which often means giving the Lord less of our time or none at all. Then, unconfessed sin will cause us to walk away from the Father instead of delighting in our relationship with Him.
Sin usually feels good in some way, at least for a while. For example, we can feel justified in our bitterness when the other person has wronged us. Sometimes we want to hold on to resentment and prolong our sense of validation. But as believers, we cannot run our lives by emotion. We must consider God's truth: the Bible says that if we refuse to confess and repent, sin will enslave our hearts and destroy our testimony.
Satan tempts us with sins that are likely to look and feel good to our natural selves--a habit that gives pleasure or solace is easier to justify than one that seems repulsive. But no sinner is truly happy chasing after wickedness.. Authentic joy is found only in a friendship with the Lord.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Touch Daily Devotional
The Bible never grows old or stale. I find that verses I
have studied 99 times yield fresh insights on the hundredth reading,
which inspires me to keep meditating on the Word. In the account of
Jesus' birth, I discovered a principle that recurs frequently in
Scripture: God often gives great revelations to those in lowly
positions. A person's worth before the Lord cannot be judged by his
position, abilities, or popularity. Since Mary and Joseph were both from common families,
they probably seemed an unlikely choice for parents of the Messiah.
Similarly, the men selected to receive the angelic announcement of
Christ's birth also lacked social standing--shepherds were considered
part of the lowest class. Yet God revealed His plans to these
individuals, not on the basis of worldly status, but because their
heart attitude was right. The people He used were all humble followers
who submitted to His will--whether the mission was bearing and
protecting a young Jesus, or hurrying to worship Him where He lay in a
manager. When God guides us to take an important action, we might wonder why we have been chosen. We're tempted to think, Surely He wants someone with better talent or more wisdom. In
fact, many Bible characters, like Gideon and Moses, express that exact
sentiment to the Lord (Judges 6:15; Exodus 3:11). But we can't allow a
sense of inadequacy to stand in the way of obedience. If God chooses us
for a task, He will also give us the strength and wisdom to complete
it. All we need is a willing and obedient spirit.
by Dr. Charles Stanley
December 22-23, 2007 -- The Value of a Humble Heart -- Luke 2:8-20
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Touch Daily Devotional
Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world," (John 8:12).
He also said of His followers--which includes modern believers--"You
are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). Both statements are true
because Christians act as lanterns for Christ. While we ourselves are
not the Light, we are holders of Light. People who are stumbling in the darkness of sin and
despair can look at believers and see hope. From within us glows the
truth of Jesus Christ--the gospel message of salvation through
forgiveness of sins. We allow Him to shine forth when we model His ways
in our conversation, conduct, and character. A righteous lifestyle gets
attention because it is so different from the selfish, unsatisfying
ways typical of the world. Many who see our light will want Jesus for
themselves. Reflecting Him to the world is the believer's God-given
job, so we must keep our flame bright. That means protecting our
relationship with the Lord by spending time praying and reading His
Word. Otherwise, we'll make unwise decisions, our fervor for God will
begin to lessen, and unbelievers won't be able to see contentment or
joy in us. We must also keep our lantern spotless by resisting
temptation. Sin soils the believer's testimony. However, when we do
sin, our "slate" is wiped clean through confession and repentance. You have been given a great honor to reflect Jesus
Christ to the world. Don't allow negligence or wrongdoing to dim your
flame. Someone in your sphere of influence needs your "lantern" to
guide him or her toward the true Light of the world.
by Dr. Charles Stanley
December 27, 2007 -- Light Your World -- Matthew 5:14-16
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Touch Daily Devotional
When Jesus was born, only a few people realized He was
more than a typical infant. The same is true today. Many people attend
Christmas Eve services and observe holiday traditions but fail to
consider three important questions: Was Jesus really God? Why did He come to earth? What does this have to do with me? Genesis, the first book of the Bible, begins with these
words: "In the beginning God . . ." What evidence is there that Jesus
existed from the very start? First of all, the fourth gospel opens with
a claim of His preexistence: "In the beginning was the Word [that is,
Jesus] . . . and the Word was God" (John 1:1, 14). Jesus also testified
to His own preexistence when He asked God to glorify Him "with the
glory which I had with You before the world was" (John 17:5). A second
proof would be His demonstrations of divine power. Jesus caused the
blind to see, the lame to walk, and the dead to live again. His own
words provide additional evidence. He said, "I and the Father are one"
(John 10:30) and "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John
14:9). The second and third questions can be answered at the
same time. Jesus came to earth not to judge us, as some think, but to
rescue us (John 12:47). He walked among us that we might know who God
is. He died in our place so we could receive eternal life and become
part of God's family. At this special season, look for opportunities to tell
people what Christmas means to you. Be sure to include the answers to
these three questions.
by Dr. Charles Stanley
December 24, 2007 -- The Meaning of Christmas -- Matthew 1:18-25
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In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley
December 25, 2007 -- A Night to be Remembered -- Isaiah 7:14
Christmas is a night to be remembered because God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. His humble birth was the beginning of a mighty work the Father accomplished on mankind's behalf. It included:
The Incarnation. From the moment of His human birth, Jesus was at the same time fully God and fully man (Colossians 2:9). In Him, the human nature and divine nature were perfectly united--Jesus didn't lay aside His deity at any time, nor did He exchange it for humanity. Instead, He chose to submit to His Father's will and live as one of us. Throughout His earthly life, He remained the eternal Son of God, but simultaneously possessed a human nature unblemished by sin.
Revelation of God. The Son came into this world so we could understand what the Father is like. Jesus said, "He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me" (John 12:45).
Identification with Man. By calling Himself the Son of Man (Matthew 8:20; Mark 10:33, 45), Jesus was fully identifying Himself with us. He walked among us and learned first-hand the suffering and death that take place in human experience. During the crucifixion, He knew the consequences of sin, as He took all our iniquities upon Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus' perfect life qualified Him to die in our place and pay our sin-debt in full.
As wonderful as the birth of a baby is, what occurred at Christmas was far greater. God became man and dwelt among us so we might become reconciled to Him. Hallelujah!
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In Touch Daily Devotional
The prophet Amos foretold a time of spiritual "famine,"
when there would be no prophet in Israel and the people would be cut
off from God's voice (Amos 8:11). Centuries later Zacharias--the father
of John the Baptist--broke the 400-year silence when he prophesied that
" . . . the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who
sit in darkness and the shadow of death" (Luke 1:78-79). Zacharias was announcing the birth of Jesus into a
spiritually dark world. Here is how Paul described the condition of
mankind without Christ: "For even though they knew God, they did not
honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their
speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (Romans 1:21). The
state of unbelievers today is the same as it has always been. Darkness
plagues the earth because people live with a sense of frustration and
futility as they attempt to please fleshly appetites that are never
satisfied. The light of Jesus Christ lets people see themselves as
they really are: sinners in need of a Savior. When His hope is allowed
to penetrate the heart, darkness is chased away. Receiving Him as
Savior means that sins are forgiven and the death sentence lifted. The
Son's light has a second purpose for the believer. Jesus illuminates
the right path for our life so that we need not give into temptation.
Whoever chooses to walk in the light--obeying God's commands and
seeking to live by His principles--cannot walk in darkness (John 8:12). ------------------------------ In Touch Daily Devotional
Every portion of Scripture is significant (2 Timothy
3:16). It can be surprising to discover what favorite Bible stories
reveal about God. For instance, many families have a Christmas
tradition of reading the account of Jesus' birth. The words are a
comforting reminder that Christ came to earth to die for our sins. But
the details of His birth also teach us that what may appear unimportant can have far-reaching consequences. Some people of Jesus' time expected the Messiah to be a
man of power and standing, who would free the Jewish nation from Roman
rule. But the Savior of the world, whose life, death, and resurrection
would have eternal impact, was born into lowly circumstances. Neither
Joseph nor Mary had position or power, and even Jesus' birth city of
Bethlehem was politically unimportant. Those who were keeping vigil for
a Messiah with worldly status no doubt missed the Savior when He came. Modern believers shouldn't scoff at the shortsightedness
of Jesus' contemporaries. Like them, we often ignore the seemingly
insignificant while waiting for God to do something dramatic. Our
attention can be so focused on our situation and how we want it to
resolve that we miss the Lord at work in unexpected ways. The saints of God are called to live with eyes and
hearts open to His guidance. When we seek His will and commit to
following Him in everything, we will not miss opportunities to obey
Him. And our obedience, even in matters that seem trivial, does have
eternal consequences. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by Dr. Charles Stanley
December 26, 2007 -- The Light of the World -- John 1:1-5
by Dr. Charles Stanley
December 21, 2007 -- A Lesson Learned From Jesus' Birth -- Luke 2:1-7
Ed Young Ministries Weekly Devotional
The Passion - Something to be Passionate About
by Ed Young
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-5
The church has been called a "body" of believers with Christ at the
head.. And just like our human bodies, the body of Christ has many
parts. But what are these parts? What does this body consist of? Is it
the church building, the classrooms, the landscape, and the parking
lot? No. The body of Christ consists of much more profound and
important parts than physical locations or buildings.
The parts of the body of Christ are you and me.
Without each of its parts, a body will not function the way that it is designed. If your nose were missing, your body would not function to its full potential. Without your shoulder, your arm would not be as useful. For the church to function as the vehicle to spread God's message of truth, hope and love, all of the parts of the body must be present.
But there is one more thing necessary for the body to reach its potential. The parts of the body must be functioning - they have to work. If you have ever broken your arm or leg, then you know how useless that broken limb is until it is working again. That is true with the church too. Just showing up for one hour a week to worship corporately is not enough to keep the body healthy and working. God wants each of us to use our gifts for his glory and to use those gifts to serve in the church.
Too many of us, though, put church and service at church on the back burners of our lives. We cram our schedules full of events and activities until there is no longer room for everything. And too often church is what gets pushed aside. But that is not what Christ intended. He wants us to live our lives with the church - to do life with church as a priority. And nothing should take priority over living the life that Christ wants for each of us..
This week, remember that you are a vital part of the body of Christ. Remember that you are needed in order for that body to reach its potential. Use the gifts that you have to help spread God's message. Remember, the church is one thing that Christ was passionate about. It is something that you should be passionate about too.
For more information about this and other subjects, visit the Ed Young Ministries website: www.edyoung.org
In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley
December 15-16, 2007 -- The Foundation of Praise -- Psalm 40:8-10
Every time King David and others penned a song of worship, they spoke about the Lord's specific attributes or actions. When the songs were compiled into the book we now call Psalms, the collection became a biography of God--one that relies upon the language of praise to tell about Him.
The ability to worship grows out of love for the Lord. And since genuine love is always cultivated by learning about the other person's character, the true root of praise is knowledge. That's why God instilled in every believer a longing to know Him. We satisfy that desire by spending time with the Lord and by fellowshipping with other Christians. We also observe how the Father works in our life to meet needs and provide blessing. Discovering each new facet of His character deepens both our knowledge of Him and our understanding of why He deserves praise.
Experiencing God makes us fall in love with Him. And a person in love cannot help praising the one he cherishes. So we gratefully honor Jesus Christ with words, songs, dance, or whatever else appropriately expresses our delight in Him.
Our devotion does not have to stay private or even remain confined within the church community. Each believer has a "biography" of the Lord to share with neighbors. It is a story of accumulated praise not only for how He has intervened in chaos, comforted in tragedy, and blessed abundantly, but also for the lessons learned. We share our adoration with the world so that others might come to know, love, and praise Him.
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December 14, 2007 -- Praise: An Expression of Love -- Psalm 150
Most of us have some idea what being in love feels like.
When we're apart, we constantly think about the object of our affection
and look forward to spending time together. We often relate stories and
describe attributes so everyone knows how wonderful this special person
is. In a word, we praise our loved one. First Samuel 13:14 describes King David as a man after
God's own heart. One of the ways he sought to honor his beloved Lord
was through praise. The Book of Psalms records his worship in words,
with verses such as 63:3: "Because Your lovingkindness is better than
life, my lips will praise You." David also used dance to express that
he was passionate about his relationship for the Lord (2 Samuel 6:14). Do we love God with the same unashamed enthusiasm David
exhibited? Of course, some people are more prone to fervent displays
than others, but too many of us allow our praise to be stifled by
embarrassment. Timid believers wonder what those around them will think
if they sing loud. Others worry that co-workers or friends will
consider them fanatical if they talk about God too much. The Lord is worthy of praise. He is our Friend, our
Rock, and our Protector. What's more, He saved us from death! If we let
ourselves get caught up in the opinion of others, we could forget that
He is the only audience that matters. Ever since creation, the Lord has
deserved and received praise offerings for His glory. Don't be fearful
or embarrassed. Give God His due.
