Point to the answer

"We're relying on the Holy Spirit when we're...in one on one conversations with people, relying on the Holy Spirit to guide us in those conversations as well. With whatever big problem that seems insurmountable that someone walks up with...we don't [want to] give them necessarily the answer to the problem, but that we point them to the One that does have the answers." ~Kevin Young (From the band "Disciple")

When our lives shine with the light of Christ and other people see that, we should be making sure that our words and actions aren't what they listen to and follow. The biggest reason behind lessening ourselves in this way is that we are just as foolish, emotionally driven & faulty with words as the next man, and Jesus is the only person who can give them the perfect answer to whatever they might ask.

"God is not nearly as scared of honesty as we are." ~John Mark

In fact, God is not at all scared of honesty. For us, it can be extremely difficult to do something as simple as admit we are sinners/hopeless/helpless/broken in front of others...or even in front of God. It is hard for us to completely open ourselves up to God, but it is very possible. God wants us to acknowledge our weaknesses so that we can fully trust in Him to make them better. God can not be dishonest with Himself or with us, so his word always prevails over ours, and it is something to be forever grateful for. After all...if our word prevailed, God would cease to exist, and the world would be a much lonelier place, to say the least!

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ~John 17:17 (ESV)

Prayer for Peter and James

This is a re-posting of a daily article by Institute for Creation Research (ICR).

(I thought it was great way of observing the power of prayer in the early church)

 

Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. ~Acts 12:1-2

Verse 2 of our text rather casually records what may have been one of the lowest points of apostolic time. James was killed with the sword—James, one of the only three disciples in Christ’s inner circle. He was one of only three to witness the resurrection of the synagogue ruler’s daughter (Luke 8:51-55); one of three to catch a glimpse of Christ’s glory at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-2); and one of only four to sit with Christ on the Mount of Olives and learn of the future (Mark 13:3-4). In Gethsemane, after their last supper together, Christ allowed him, along with Peter and John, to witness His agony in a special way (Mark 14:32-34).

He was highly trained by Christ Himself, and the fledgling church could ill afford to lose his leadership. But suddenly he was arrested and slain! A tragedy it would seem to lose such a leader. Think what James might have accomplished had he lived longer, much as Peter and John did. Could it be, however, that his martyrdom was a blessing in disguise? Certainly God allowed this to happen, but for what purpose?

The answer may be found in the verses following our text. Peter had been taken prisoner and was to be executed the next morning (Acts 12:6). However, the church had learned a lesson. No prayer for James is recorded, but for Peter, “prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (Acts 12:5), and Peter was miraculously freed by an angel and joined the prayer meeting.

What would have happened had the believers prayed for James as they did for Peter? Of course, that question has no definite answer, but prayer such as was offered for Peter followed the apostles and early church leaders in their work from that time on.

~John D. Morris

Dyin' to eat n' Eatin' to die

By the power of your hand, O Lord, destroy those who look to this world for their reward. But satisfy the hunger of your treasured ones. ~Psalm 17:14 (NLT)

One of the most powerful motivators for the human being is hunger and thirst. We will do most anything to appease our bodies, and not only with the bare necessities, but with the best garbage we can find! Paul basically foreshadows the culture we live in today in this passage:

For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. ~Philippians 3:18-19 (NIV)

Even the devil knows how influential hunger can be, as it was his first presented temptation to Jesus in the desert. Jesus was able to push aside the tendency of indulgence not because he wasn't hungry (and practically dying of it), but because he had another hunger that overpowered it. From his example, we should always remember where our true hunger is, and that the spiritual food we are provided (only by God) is the only kind of food that can truly satisfy us. It's a hard thing to see the value of spiritual food over that of our physical needs/desires, but it is always there, lying right behind the lies and temptations that come our way almost every day.

There is a song called "All Who Are Thirsty," and it speaks of coming to the fountain of the Lord to find our relief. It also calls out to the Lord to come (and fill us), which implies more of a dependency on God taking the action for our sake. The funny thing about that is, God has always kept his fountains flowing and all we have ever done is blinded ourselves to it. So really, our prayer should not be for God to come to a place he is already at, but to open our eyes to his gift of satisfaction and peace found in his mercy alone. Let's try to constantly remind ourselves that it is a spiritual hunger we should long for, and let us continually ask the Lord to renew that hunger in us each day.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

~Philippians 3:20-21 (NIV)

Failure Isn't an Option.

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench. ~Matthew 12:20/Isaiah 42:3 (ESV)

I was introduced not long ago to this verse and concept, and it is a very foundational truth we should all remember. We are all like bruised reeds and smouldering wicks--things that are faded and worn, ready to give out at a moment's notice. Because of our sin, we often seem quite useless to God, especially those who have fallen away from the faith. It would make sense for God to let the reed snap or to put out the dying flame of our lives, but he doesn't. He didn't. Jesus came instead to reignite that flame and reinforce that reed. It doesn't matter how bruised and broken we are, Jesus can still use us.

"A spluttering wick can be made to burn more brightly. Sometimes all that is necessary is for the oil in the lamp to be replenished....A smouldering wick may give a little light in a hostile environment. It can be used by Jesus to light other lamps." ~John Reed

We should recognize our constant and recurring need for God's grace in our lives each morning, and we should have realistic expectations of others, a hope in the potential they have, no matter how lost they may be. No one is ever too far gone.

Whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ~John 6:37b (NIV)