Addictions and Other Destructive Behaviors: Sin or Disease?

Destructive behavior includes elements of both sin and “disease.” Some people are especially susceptible to particular kinds of destructive behavior. For example, men who abuse women are often reared in families where women were abused. Imbued with contempt for women, they are predisposed to use women as scapegoats for frustration. There is clearly a sense in which this predisposition (or heightened temptation) to debase and abuse women can be called a “sickness,” since it was largely instilled by external influences.
Does this mean that an abuser’s “sickness”—the fact that he has been damaged by sin and is consequently more prone to abuse women than men who haven’t been so damaged—justifies his abusive behavior? Absolutely not! His “sickness” helps us understand his behavior, but doesn’t excuse it. He isn’t merely a victim of outside circumstances, like someone with meningitis or malaria. In spite of the tendencies he inherited, an element of conscious, willful sin is present in every abusive act. Regardless of his background, he is capable of resisting his impulses. No one is so isolated from the laws of society and the influence of conscience that they are completely unaware of the wrongfulness of spouse abuse. Our legal system acknowledges this with the principle that ignorance of the law is no excuse. Abusers are accountable to society for any violation of laws against spouse abuse. Further, to the extent that an abuser knows his behavior is wrong, he is responsible before God to change.
Some people object to making a distinction between sick internal impulses and sinful actions (willful sin). They say that the impulses and emotions of the abuser are just as sinful as his decision to abuse.
It is true that the evil emotions and impulses of an abuser are not merely sick. They are the results both of original and personal sin and are repulsive and evil in themselves. However, they aren’t sinful in the same sense and to the same degree as a conscious personal decision to act sinfully. (See the ATQ article, Are Christians Held Responsible for Unpremeditated and Unconscious Sins?)
If we condemn sick predispositions as much as sinful decisions and actions, we leave no room for compassion.
Jesus had compassion on sinners (Matthew 9:12-13). He stressed the importance of having compassion on the failures of others:

You wicked servant, he said, I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you? (Matthew 18:32-33)

The reason Jesus had compassion was due to His awareness that while people are sinners, they are not entirely given over to premeditated evil. There is a sense in which they are also sin’s victims.

And Jesus was going about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. And seeing the multitudes, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. (Mt. 10:35-36)

If we are to be like our Master, we must be able to have compassion upon lost, sinful people, at the same time as we hold them responsible for their premeditated sin.

THE LORD’S DONKEY

READ: Matthew 21:1-11

Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey. – Matthew 21:5

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 8-10

People often speak of donkeys in belittling terms. You may have heard the expression, “I’m just someone who has to do all the donkey work.” Or “So-and-so is as stubborn as a mule” (a mule is part donkey).

These sayings overlook the contributions of a truly valuable animal. Donkeys have served the human race for thousands of years. They were once prized as symbols of humility, gentleness, and peace.

In Bible days, donkeys that had never been ridden were regarded as especially suitable for religious purposes. So it was most fitting that Jesus sent for a colt to perform the royal task of carrying Him into Jerusalem. How enviable was that donkey’s mission! How like our mission as Jesus’ followers!

A missionary in China calls herself “the Lord’s donkey.” She’s a humble believer, “carrying” her Lord faithfully into town after town and training others to do likewise. The Lord has need of many such “donkeys” in today’s world – humble people who will carry Him into their Jerusalem and make Him known.

The donkey had to be untied before Jesus could use it. We too must be released from worldly attachments. Are we willing to be the Lord’s donkey? – Joanie Yoder

Teach me to do the humble task

The very best I can,

And not to look for greater calls

Which may oppose Thy plan. – Bernheisel

Humble work becomes holy work when it’s done for God.

April 2012

IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT

GREATEST IS HE WHO SERVES

READ: Matthew 20:20-28

Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. – Matthew 20:26

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 5-7

A non-commissioned officer was directing the repairs of a military building during the American Revolution. He was barking orders to the soldiers under his command, trying to get them to raise a heavy wooden beam.

As the men struggled in vain to lift the beam into place, a man who was passing by stopped to ask the one in charge why he wasn’t helping the men. With all the pomp of an emperor, the soldier responded, “Sir, I am a corporal!”

“You are, are you?” replied the passer-by, “I was not aware of that.” Taking off his hat and bowing, he said, “I ask your pardon, Corporal.” Then the stranger walked over and helped the soldiers lift the heavy beam. After the job was finished, he said, “Mr Corporal, when you have another such job, and have not enough men, send for your Commander in Chief, and I will come and help you a second time.” The corporal was thunderstruck. The person speaking to him was General Washington!

God measures greatness by service. The Lord Jesus has set an example, for though He was God and worthy of all honour, He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).

To be great in God’s sight, we must serve! – Henry Bosch

Go, labour on; spend, and be spent,

Thy joy to do the Father’s will;

It is the way the Master went,

Should not the servant tread it still? – Bonar

True greatness is not attained by giving orders, but by serving.

FINDING JESUS

LIFE WITHOUT REGRET

READ: Hebrews 12:1-17

Do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him. – Hebrews 12:5

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 1-4

A woman unknowingly allowed some valuable family jewels to be sold for 10 cents. It happened after she took the jewels out of a bank safety deposit box to wear to a wedding. The bank was closed when she got home, so she put the jewels in an old shaving case and forgot about them. One day, she gave the shaving case to a friend who was collecting items for a garage sale. By the time the woman realized what she had done, the precious gems had been sold to an unknown buyer for a dime.

In a sense, her pain is similar to Esau’s. He too discovered what it’s like to realize suddenly that something of great value has been lost (Gen. 25:29-34). His wrong decision and subsequent sorrow can be a lesson for Christians. Hebrews 12 teaches that if we become bitter over the correction that comes our way because of our sin, we will lose the benefits of God’s disciplining hand (v. 5). And that kind of loss is far greater than trading expensive jewels for almost nothing.

How can we avoid this unnecessary loss? When we sin, we must be willing to learn from God’s correction (v. 11), show courage (vv. 12-13), and renew our spiritual vitality (v. 14). If we respond to our Father’s chastening hand, we can enjoy a life without regret. – Mart De Haan

If you’ve rebelled and turned away

From what you know is true,

Submit to God, He will forgive –

He still has work for you. – Sper

You can’t put your sins behind you until you face them.

THE RICHNESS OF HUMILITY

GET UP AND START OVER

READ: Psalm 37:23-40

Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him. – Psalm 37:24

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 22-24

Are you feeling “down” today? Are you discouraged because of your experience yesterday? In an unguarded moment, did you stumble and fall by yielding to sin?

There is something worse than falling down – it is staying down. The wicked fall and shall not rise, but with the Christian it is not so. Though we do sometimes fall, we will not be content until we are restored. We should not sin, but too often we do.

The apostle John wrote, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (1 John 1:8). But here’s the good news: “These things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (2:1).

Admit your failings. Don’t worry over them, but confess them. Before Jesus died for us, He knew that we would continue to struggle with sin, so He made provision for our daily cleansing.

Make a fresh start each day by taking time to confess your sins, to admit your weakness, and to ask God for His strength to do what He wants you to do. As you depend on the Lord’s grace and strength, you will soon know what victory really is! – M. R. De Haan, MD

We’re thankful, Lord, that when we fall

We can begin anew

If humbly we confess our sin,

Then turn and follow You. – Sper

Success means that you get up one more time than you fall down.

SEE ALL EVIL

GOD’S AMAZING PATIENCE

READ: Philippians 1:12-26

Whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice. – Philippians 1:18

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 19-21

An elderly preacher whose ministry had reached thousands for Christ confessed that selfishness was too often mingled with his genuine love for the Lord. This same concern was expressed by another effective minister who asked others to pray that he might overcome a desire to be “number one” when speaking at Bible conferences. I too see elements of pride and self-centredness in myself.

Because we remain in what Paul called “this body of death” (Rom. 7:24), in which sin still dwells, all of our worship and service to the Lord is tainted by imperfection. Perhaps that’s why I am inclined to be understanding toward the preachers the apostle described in Philippians 1:15-17. Even though elements of envy, greed, and pride marred their ministry, Paul expressed gratitude that Christ was being proclaimed. He would not have done this if they were hypocrites or false teachers.

All our service for Christ is in some way affected by the sinful tendencies that remain in us. William Beverage wrote, “I cannot pray except I sin; I cannot preach except I sin…. My very repentance needs to be repented of; and the tears I shed need washing in the blood of Christ.”

Praise God for His amazing patience! – Herb Vander Lugt

Although we stumble every day,

The Lord is always there

To lift us up, forgive our sin,

And show His love and care. – Sper

Our sin is great – God’s grace is greater.

NIC AT NITE

COURAGE TO CONTINUE

READ: Haggai 2:1-9

“Be strong, all you people of the land,” says the LORD, “and work; for I am with you.” – Haggai 2:4

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 16-18

I enjoy my job, so usually I am eager to get out of bed and go to work. But one day I became discouraged when I thought about my family’s financial security. Was I providing enough? Other people seemed to be doing so much better. I grew fearful as I thought about the future, and those fears sapped my zest for life.

It would have been helpful for me to recall what God had said through Haggai to the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem from exile. Even though they had started enthusiastically to rebuild the temple, they became discouraged. Memories of Solomon’s glorious temple made their work seem insignificant by comparison.

They needed courage. So God told them, “Be strong, all you people of the land, … and work; for I am with you” (Hag. 2:4).

How can we find courage? Some find it in a group. Some depend on their achievements. Some try to boost their self-confidence by raising their voice. But these do nothing more than camouflage their insecurity.

As God’s people, our confidence comes from our relationship with Him. He is with us. We are His people. As we keep these truths in mind, we will find courage to continue working in a way that pleases Him and brings us joy. – Albert Lee

God has said He will not leave us,

That He never will forsake;

We can trust His Word unchanging,

And new hope and courage take. – Anon.

We find courage to stand when we kneel before the Lord.

CREATE YOUR OWN GOD

TURNING TRIALS INTO TRIUMPHS

READ: James 1:1-11

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. – James 1:2

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 13-15

James’ words “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (1:2) offer a vital key for turning trials into triumphs. Although we don’t choose to have trials, we can choose how we respond. J. B. Phillips paraphrased it like this: “Don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends!”

British counsellor Selwyn Hughes reminds people that trials are our friends only if our goal is to become more like Jesus. If our goal is to avoid difficulties or mishaps, our trials will seem more like intruders.

Hughes admits that he often needs to take his own advice. He recalls a time when he and his wife had pulled off to the side of the road to look at a map. Then a truck swerved and slammed into their car. They escaped injury, but their car was totalled. Then it started to rain! Hughes immediately battled with frustration, apprehension, and anger toward the other driver, and found it extremely difficult to “count it all joy.” But as they waited for the police, he began to focus on how God could use the trial to make him more like Jesus. Gradually, the crisis became his friend.

The next time you face a trial of some kind, make friends with it and allow God to use the situation to make you more like Jesus. – Joanie Yoder

Our loving God transforms us

And makes us like His Son

By using trials and testings

Until His work is done. – Sper

God chooses what we go through; we choose how we go through it.

HONEST DOUBTS

IMPERFECT LEADERS

READ: 2 Corinthians 3:1-5

Our sufficiency is from God. – 2 Corinthians 3:5

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 9-12

God’s ways are not our ways. We tend to equate leadership with lordship; He equates leadership with servant-hood. We want strength so we can help God with His work; He makes us weak so He can demonstrate His power. We advertise our credentials so others can be surer of us; He lets us fail so they can see that apart from God we’re not much at all.

We are inclined to focus on personalities, to be impressed by the intellect, education, and strength of a leader’s will. Followers begin to believe that a particular leader can do no wrong. Such adulation, however, is nothing more than humanism – making a human being the measure of all things. What’s worse, it’s idolatry – centring our devotion on someone other than God.

So God lets leaders fall off their pedestal. Failure, indecision, and underachievement bring them to a humbling realization of their own inadequacy – and can cause followers to lose their illusions and overdependence on those leaders. This is a good reminder that all of us – leaders and followers alike – walk through life on “feet of clay.” Ultimately, the only good thing about any one of us is the goodness of God. That’s why we need to recognize that “our sufficiency is from God” (2 Cor. 3:5). – David Roper

If you rely upon God’s strength

And live a life that’s true,

Then what you do in Jesus’ name

Will be His work through you. – D. De Haan

Only as we see our weakness can we draw upon God’s strength.

THE TOMB OF JESUS

SLEEPING IN SAFETY

READ: Psalms 3-4

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. – Psalm 4:8

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 5-8

Someone has said, “The rest of your life depends on the rest of your nights.” Many people, though, feel like the little boy who was having trouble falling asleep. He told his mother, “My body is lying down, but my mind keeps sitting up!”

If anxious thoughts keep you awake, ask the Lord to quiet your heart and give you the faith to be able to relax and let Him solve the problems that disturb you. That’s what David did when he was in trouble, for he wrote, “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety” (Ps. 4:8). When you realize that your heavenly Father is watching over you, you can find sweet rest.

During World War II, an elderly woman in England had endured the nerve-shattering bombings with amazing serenity. When asked to give the secret of her calmness amid the terror and danger, she replied, “Well, every night I say my prayers. And then I remember that God is always watching, so I go peacefully to sleep. After all, there is no need for both of us to stay awake!”

Yes, you may not only sleep, but you can do so peacefully if you recognize that your heavenly Father is tenderly watching over you. – Henry Bosch

Before you sleep, just gently lay

Every troubled thought away;

Drop your burden and your care

In the quiet arms of prayer. – Anon.

Because God never sleeps, we can sleep in peace.

JUST JEWELRY?

A DIFFICULT HILL

READ: Isaiah 40:25-31

He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. – Isaiah 40:29

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Samuel 1-4

Researchers at the University of Virginia have found that most people perceive a hill to be steeper than it really is, especially if they’re tired or carrying a heavy load. When asked to estimate the slope of a hill, test participants consistently misjudged it, thinking a 10-degree slant was about 30 degrees, and rating a 5-degree slope as nearly 20 degrees. Hardly any of them believed they could be that far off.

When we’re burdened and exhausted, even a minor problem can seem too big to handle. As we encounter a trial in life, we’re tempted to sit down at the base of that difficult hill and stay there, convinced that the grade is too steep.

That is why we need the encouragement of God’s Word. It draws our attention to our untiring God, who knows our need. Isaiah wrote, “The Creator of the ends of the earth neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak and to those who have no may He increases strength” (Isa. 40:28-29).

Because we so easily misjudge life’s difficulties, we need courage to keep going when we are tempted to quit. Take a step of faith today and join those who depend on the Lord, who run and are not weary, who walk and do not faint (v. 31). In His strength, you can conquer any difficult hill. – David McCasland

As we live for Christ and follow Him,

The way may seem quite steep;

But if we trust His grace and strength,

Our steps He’ll guide and keep. – Fitzhugh

God always gives enough strength for the next step.

WE BELIEVE

HIS GOODNESS

READ: Psalm 33:1-11

The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. – Psalm 33:5

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 29-31

One Saturday my life came perilously close to being permanently altered. My brother and my nephew stopped by to pick up a desk. After loading it on the truck, they chatted for a few minutes and then drove off. I went into the house while my husband Jay pulled our car into the garage. Moments later I heard a loud crash, so I raced out to the garage. Jay was staring at the overhead garage door, which had suddenly slammed down. If the spring had broken a few minutes earlier, someone would have been hit by the 200-pound door – and would have been seriously injured, or even killed.

It wasn’t simply a matter of luck or coincidence that no one was hurt. God’s protective hand was there – one more reminder of His goodness.

I sometimes long for a dramatic display of God’s glory and power to show that He is with me. But He wants me to see Him in His little displays of goodness, which He demonstrates every day in hundreds of acts of mercy and compassion – just as He did in my garage that Saturday.

The psalmist reminds us that “the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD” (Ps. 33:5). May God open our eyes to His many acts of goodness so we’ll never doubt His presence and His love? – Julie Ackerman Link

As endless as God’s blessings are,

So should my praises be

For all His daily goodnesses

That flow unceasingly! – Adams

If you know that God’s hand is in everything, you can leave everything in God’s hand.

A VIRTUOSO IGNORED

THE THRILL OF DISCOVERY

READ: Psalm 119:97-104

How sweet are Your words to my taste! – Psalm 119:103

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 25-28

When I was a small boy, I simply wasn’t interested in major league baseball. Then one day I went to the ballpark and saw a game for myself. That changed everything! I began reading about the various clubs and invested a boy’s fortune on books and magazines about the players and the game. I kept a file on each team’s roster and started a scrapbook on the New York Giants. I knew the line-up of every baseball team in the National League, and every week I could quote the batting average of each player. I had been captured by the thrill of great discovery.

A similar thing happens when we commit ourselves to God and hear Him speak to us through the Bible. His voice is so compelling that we want to hear it more than any other voice that speaks to our soul. As we start to discover the treasures of the Bible, we want to find out all we can about the blessings God has given us in His Son Jesus Christ. Even though some passages remain difficult to understand, because of our new motivation they become delightful challenges instead of obstacles.

There’s nothing like opening your heart to Jesus, the living Word, to make the Bible, the written Word, and come alive. It will change your life. – Haddon Robinson

How rich the truths within God’s Word –

What gems beyond compare!

By faith we can discover them

When study joins with prayer. – D. De Haan

When you open your heart to the Saviour, He opens your mind to the Word.

REMEMBER ME

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

READ: John 3:1-15

Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen. – John 3:11

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 21-24

When a witness takes the stand, he is asked, “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?” At one time, the words “so help me God” were part of that oath, as an appeal to the highest authority. Telling the truth in a court of law is absolutely essential because it can determine a verdict of life or death.

When Jesus talked to Nicodemus about the new birth and eternal life, He spoke “under oath.” Note how He prefaced His words in John 3:11, “Most assuredly, I say to you.” He used the Greek phrase “amen, amen,” which can also be translated “verily, verily,” “truly, truly,” or “I tell you the truth.” In the gospel of John, Jesus used the phrase 25 times.

In his book The Unity Of The Bible, Daniel Fuller writes, “Jesus … did not speak for God but as being God Himself. Of all the biblical spokespersons, only Jesus attached amen to His own statements, thereby declaring that He Himself as God had the authority to affirm His teaching as reliable and true.”

The words of our Lord are the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So believe them and obey them. Knowing the truth is a matter of life or death! – Dennis De Haan

Lord, grant to me a holy zeal

That burns within my heart,

Zeal like Yours for truth and right

From which I’ll not depart. – D. De Haan

Christ Himself is the truth – we need nothing more.

WHO HOLDS THE CUP?

ARE YOU READY?

READ: Matthew 24:36-44

Be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. – 2 Peter 3:14

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 17-20

Two unusual things happened as I was sitting in a restaurant having my usual breakfast of a bagel and coffee. First I read an article on the front page of the newspaper. It quoted a certain Christian author who theorized that Christ would call millions of Christians to heaven before sundown that particular day.

A few minutes later, a friend walked up, sat down, and began to tell me that his life had been dramatically changed. He said that for the first time in his life he was ready to meet the Lord. This was good news, since we had often discussed his unwillingness to live in a manner consistent with his claim to be a Christian.

He said he had decided that it was all or nothing. He had an amazing peace, and now he was also concerned about others. When I asked him what had happened, he told me he had read the book I had been reading about in the newspaper. He said he finally realized that whether Christ came on that day or another day, he would have to stand before the Lord eventually.

To claim that Christ will come today may result in a false alarm. But to believe that Christ may come today and that we will have to answer to Him will motivate us to live for Him.

Are you ready? – Mart De Haan

When we live with expectancy,

Awaiting Christ’s return,

Our diligent obedience

Becomes our main concern. – Sper

Plan as if Christ’s return is many years away; live as if He will come today!

A FRAGILE LAMB

THE RESCUERS

READ: Acts 16:16-24

These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation. – Acts 16:17

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 14-16

You’ve taken up spelunking, and you’re busily exploring an interesting cave. You check out the tunnels and pathways for hours, wandering deeper and deeper into the unfamiliar darkness. Others outside, realizing you must be lost, send someone to rescue you. Suddenly you hear a voice calling your name.

The rescuer greets you, saying, “Follow me, I know the only way out.” You protest, “How can you say there’s just one way? There must be others.” The rescuer replies, “I’ve explored this cave, and you must go my way or you’ll never get out.” “You’re too narrow,” you reply. “I’ll figure it out myself.”

It sounds foolish, but that’s the way some people respond when you mention that the only way to get to heaven is through faith in Christ. You would expect them to say, “Wow! Thanks for the good news!” Instead, you might get a reaction similar to that of the cave explorer: “Leave me alone. I don’t believe that one-way business.”

A rescuer loves, cares, and risks his well-being for others. The apostle Paul was a rescuer who was thrown in jail for trying to spread the good news (Acts 16:23). People won’t always receive our rescue attempts with open arms, but that must not stop us from showing the way. Be a rescuer! – Dave Branon

Some people do not like to hear

That Jesus is the only way,

But we must still proclaim that truth

So they will follow and obey. – Sper

Those who are lost need someone to show them the way.

SO OTHERS MAY LIVE

OUR GREATEST NEED

READ: Psalm 42:1-4

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. – Matthew 4:4

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 11-13

We are creatures with all kinds of needs. Without air, water, or food, for instance, we can’t go on living. In addition to these absolutely basic necessities, we have a host of others that must be met if we are to be healthy and happy. But these needs are not just physical, emotional, and social; they are also spiritual.

Anyone who thinks human beings are mere organisms is overlooking our most essential need. Douglas Coupland talks about this in his book Life After God: “Now here is my secret: I tell it to you with an openness of heart that I doubt I shall ever achieve again …. My secret is that I need God – which I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem to be capable of giving; to help me be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond being able to love.”

Do you recognize your need for God? The author of Psalm 42 certainly did (vv. 1-2). That need can be met by entering into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As you confess your sin and believe that He’ll forgive you, He will. Then, by His Holy Spirit, He will come to live in you and enable you to be kind, generous, and loving.

Christ meets our greatest need. – Vernon Grounds

Eternal life knows God

Through Jesus Christ His only Son;

Such knowledge is life’s greatest need –

Without it life has not begun. – D. De Haan

If you’re looking for God, look to Jesus.

INSIDE OUT

SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

READ: Psalm 16

My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. – Psalm 16:7

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 8-10

The psalmist David had his dark, lonely nights when everything seemed out of control. Doubts and fears assailed him, and there was no escape from his problems. He tossed and turned just as we do, but then he turned to his Shepherd (Ps. 23:1) and reminded himself of the Lord’s presence. That brought peace to his anxious, troubled soul. David said, “Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” (16:8).

We too have occasions of wakefulness when anxious thoughts jostle one another for attention, when we curse the darkness, and when we long for sleep. But we mustn’t fret, for darkness can be our friend. God is present in it, visiting us, counselling us, instructing us in the night. Perhaps on our beds, as nowhere else, we may hear God’s voice. We can listen to His thoughts and meditate on His Word.

We can talk to the Lord about every concern, casting our care on Him (1 Peter 5:7). We can talk about our failures, our conflicts, our challenges, our anxieties, and our frustrations over His lengthy delays – all the things that stress us out and render us sleepless – and listen to what He has to say. That’s what can set us apart from ordinary insomniacs. That’s the secret of quiet rest. – David Roper

I couldn’t sleep last night, but did not toss

And count my wakefulness a dreadful loss;

Ah, no! I was quite glad to lose my sleep –

I had such wondrous company to keep! – Seller

When you can’t sleep, don’t count sheep. Talk to the Shepherd.

WHAT CHANGED?

MY HEART, GOD’S HOME

READ: John 14:19-31

We will come to him and make Our home with him. – John 14:23

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 4-7

I knew a woman who straightened up her house every night before going to bed. She did this because she didn’t want the Lord to catch her being a messy housekeeper if He should return before morning. I often tried to emulate her high standard of neatness, but as a young homemaker, wife, and mother, I usually ended the day knowing that my house wouldn’t pass the test.

Maintaining a well-kept house for the Lord’s glory is a worthy aspiration. But eventually I understood that the house on the street where I live isn’t His primary concern. He cares much more about the state of the house where He lives – my heart.

In John 14:21, we find two ways to maintain that home: Love God, and obey His commands. Disobedience to God makes our heart-home dirty. But obedience that is expressed out of love for Him will make our hearts a suitable home for God now, and we will be ready when Christ returns.

The following prayer can help us differentiate between external standards and eternal ones: “Help me, Father, to clean my heart as I would my home. Take away all the dust and cobwebs of pride, ill feelings, and prejudice. I want to keep a clean heart-home for You.” – Joanie Yoder

My heart should be a royal throne,

For Christ has come to live in me;

I’ll keep it clean and free from sin –

That’s what His dwelling place must be. – Hess

Your heart is meant to be God’s home.

WANTED!

SEEING THE UNSEEN

READ: Ephesians 1:15-23

… the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. – Ephesians 1:18

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 1-3

So much of what we pray for has to do with what we see with our eyes. We petition God about car problems, a leaky roof, faulty plumbing, or the need for a new church facility – and that’s all right. We should pray about those things.

But when Paul talked to God about the believers in Ephesus, he didn’t mention their physical needs. Instead, he asked that they would be able to see and understand God’s truth more clearly (1:18). He was asking the Lord to give the Ephesians spiritual discernment in three areas: the hope to which they had been called, the riches of their spiritual inheritance, and the resurrection power that was theirs (vv. 18-20).

These unseen elements are significant because the better we can see with the eye of faith into the invisible, spiritual realm of God, the better we will see the visible world for what it really is. Understanding our hope of eternal life and realizing the wealth of our riches in Jesus Christ will enable us to maintain a proper perspective of this visible world. It will also keep us from being too focused on all the stuff it has to offer.

O Lord, show us those invisible things we need to see and know, which are so much more important than the things we can see. – Dave Egner

Lord, help us see what cannot be seen

With only the naked eye;

So let us look with eyes of the heart

To riches beyond the sky. – Fitzhugh

You won’t be blind to your spiritual riches if you keep your eyes on Jesus.

SANCTUARY

SIMPLY CONTENT

READ: 1 Timothy 6:3-16

Having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. – 1 Timothy 6:8

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ruth 1-4

A few years ago, an automaker used the tune of the old Shaker song “Simple Gifts” to promote a luxury car. To those who knew the lyrics, it seemed contradictory to use a song about finding contentment in a simple way of life to sell an expensive car. It says, “’Tis the gift to be simple, ‘tis the gift to be free, ‘tis the gift to come down where we ought to be.”

We often struggle to accept the Bible’s teaching that contentment has nothing to do with our wardrobe, our bank account, or whether we have steak or fish sticks for supper. It is not material prosperity but “godliness with contentment” that the apostle Paul called “great gain” (1 Tim. 6:6). Timothy may have been as stunned as we are to read the words, “having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (v. 8).

How many of us will pause today to thank the Lord because we have something to wear and something to eat? But how might our lives is revolutionized if we did?

That old Shaker song also reminds us that contentment is a gift that is to be enjoyed. It says, “And when we find ourselves in the place just right, ‘twill is in the valley of love and delight.” In the abundance of God’s simple gifts, we can be content. – David McCasland

As we keep on collecting more and more stuff,

We sometimes complain that we don’t have enough;

But let us be thankful for what God has sent –

With food and with clothing may we be content. – Fitzhugh

Contentment comes not from great wealth but from few wants.

COMPLETE HONESTY

ONE VERSE

READ: Psalm 119:89-96

The Word of God is living and powerful. – Hebrews 4:12

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 19-21

Which of the 31,173 verses in the Bible is your favourite? And do you think that verse can make a difference in someone’s life?

God has used certain verses to make a remarkable impact on the world. For example, the author of Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan, touched the lives of thousands by preaching from John 6:37, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”

Noted reformer Martin Luther greatly influenced the course of church history because of his understanding of Romans 1:17, “The just shall live by faith.” And missionary pioneer William Carey introduced the gospel to India after being touched by the words of Isaiah 54:2, “Enlarge the place of your tent.”

As a young person about to embark on my first overseas missionary venture, I was moved, challenged, and comforted by Jeremiah 33:3. God used this verse to remind me to call on Him because He had “great and mighty” things in store for me.

Maybe a specific verse from Scripture has touched your heart in a special way. Share that truth with others – because God’s Word will always have an impact. – Dave Branon

May the Word of God dwell richly

In my heart from hour to hour,

So that all may see I triumph

Only through His power. – Wilkinson

One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man.

JOHNSTOWN FLOOD

改變我-改變世界

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

READ: 1 Cor. 12:12-27

We dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. – 2 Corinthians 10:12

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 16-18

Foot-and-mouth disease is highly contagious among cloven-hoofed animals. Blisters form around the mouth, and the feet become extremely painful. The animals will not eat or drink, and they lose weight rapidly. Fortunately, preventive measures have made this infection virtually non-existent in the US today.

A spiritual kind of foot-and-mouth disease continues in epidemic proportions in the church. In 1 Corinthians 12, believers are likened to the members of a body. This kind of foot-and-mouth disease breaks out when those who belong to the body of Christ, the church, begin comparing themselves among themselves (v. 12). A “foot” may become dissatisfied with its inability to express itself like the “mouth.” And the “mouth” may feel inadequate because it can’t move about and bear the weight of the body. Such Christians lose their spiritual appetite and become ineffective in serving the Lord.

God’s children have been sovereignly designed and placed in the body of Christ for specific purposes. Each of us is vital to the well-being of the whole. And when we fulfil our role, there will be harmony, and our Saviour will receive the glory. Let’s put an end to foot-and-mouth disease in the church. – Mart De Haan

Christ gives each member of His church

His special gifts to use;

He sovereignly distributes them –

We do not pick and choose. – Sper

For a healthier church, exercise your spiritual gifts.

AGENTS OF GRACE

TAKING THE MEDICINE

READ: Isaiah 55:1-6

Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. – Romans 10:13

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 13-15

Suppose you are rushed to the hospital, where a physician examines you and informs you that you are critically ill. He says you’ll die unless you have proper treatment. He then prescribes medicine and says, “If you will take this, I can assure you with absolute certainty that you will get well.”

Now, what should you do? Should you just lie there on your sickbed and believe that the doctor has diagnosed your illness correctly, and that the prescription will surely make you well? No, that’s not enough. To live, you must take the medicine.

It’s the same with salvation. You may believe everything the Bible says about Christ – that He died for your sins and rose from the dead. But if you refuse to “take Him” – that is, to trust Him and His work on the cross in your behalf – you will be just as lost as if you had openly and blatantly denied Jesus.

Saving faith, you see, is not simply acknowledging that certain facts about Christ are true. It is reaching out to personally accept God’s remedy for sin. It is entrusting the destiny of your soul to Him for eternity. It is saying, “Save me, Lord Jesus. I believe that You can and will.” That’s “taking the medicine” – that’s receiving Jesus Christ! Have you done that? If not, do it right now. – Richard De Haan

The perfect righteousness of Christ

Is free to everyone;

But we by faith must take that gift,

And trust God’s precious Son. – D. De Haan

Faith is not just believing that Jesus can save; it’s asking Him to do it.

FAST FEET

EYES OF FAITH

READ: John 4:46-54

We walk by faith, not by sight. – 2 Corinthians 5:7

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 9-12

God sometimes answers our prayers in marvellous ways, but He does not want us to become preoccupied with the miraculous. That’s why Jesus gently rebuked the nobleman who begged Him to come and heal his son (John 4:48). But in response to the father’s repeated appeal He said, “Go your way, your son lives” (v. 50). The father came to “believe” on the basis of Jesus’ word alone. The reality of his faith is seen in the fact that he obeyed Christ’s simple command and “he went his way.”

Upon returning home, the nobleman discovered that his son had been healed “at the seventh hour” on the previous day. From his servants he learned exactly what had taken place and when. His son was made well at the same instant that Jesus said, “Your son lives” (vv. 50-53).

At times we are amazed by God’s perfect timing and miraculous intervention when He answers our prayers. We must be careful, though, not to become so preoccupied with the miracle that we forget the One who performed it. We need to remain focused on Christ, whether a miracle takes place or not.

Sooner or later we will be called upon to trust God as we endure sickness, grief, or disappointment. That’s when “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). – Herb Vander Lugt

Sometimes we see a miracle,

And faith in God revives;

Yet eyes of faith can see God’s hand

At work throughout our lives. – Hess

Believing is seeing what our eyes cannot see.

WAIT ON THE LORD

WE ARE WINNERS!

READ: Romans 8:1-4, 28-39

In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. – Romans 8:37

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 5-8

Everybody likes to be a winner. So when we read in Romans 8:37 that we as followers of Christ are “more than conquerors,” we get excited. But what does that phrase mean?

The apostle Paul began Romans 8 by recounting God’s grace in sending His Son Jesus to die to pay the penalty for our sins (vv. 1-3). He went on to say that believers also have the help of the Holy Spirit to give us victory over the power of sin in daily life (vv. 4-17).

Paul later talked about Christ’s unfailing love (v. 35). Some circumstances may make us feel alone and defeated, but in all situations we are conquerors because nothing can “separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 39).

When I was a boy in Singapore, I experienced a particularly harsh punishment. I was forced to kneel on the thorny skin of a durian (a large Asian fruit). I became angry, and bitterness consumed me. But when I learned of God’s love for me and I put my faith in Christ, He not only forgave my sin but taught me to forgive others. No longer was I imprisoned by my sin or anger. I began to discover that “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (v. 37).

Because of Christ and His unfailing love for us, we are winners! – Albert Lee

Although this life will bring us pain,

Our faith in Christ can help us see

That if we will obey His Word

He’ll give us joy and victory. – Sper

Think less of the power of things over you and more of the power of Christ in you.

A TO-DO LIST

A LIFE WORTH LIVING

READ: John 4:4-15

To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. – Romans 8:6

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Judges 1-4

At a banquet for an academic society, I sat next to a world-renowned scholar. I knew he was admired globally for the books he had written and for his lectures. I also knew that for years he had been struggling with depression. He told me that he was dependent on medication and counselling to keep him going. Then he said, “But Jesus Christ gives me a reason for living.” Those words are etched in my memory.

Whether we are afflicted physically or distressed emotionally, or if we are robustly healthy in body and mind, we all need a reason for living. If we are merely existing from day to day, we understand what Shakespeare meant when he wrote that our lives can be like “an idiot’s tale, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

In the midst of our frantic activity we occasionally become aware that apart from a life of faith in Christ there is no eternal purpose for what we are doing. Our busyness keeps us from facing the fact that everything we do adds up to zero – unless we believe what the apostle Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).

Is that your testimony? Are you experiencing in Jesus Christ a life that is really worth living? – Vernon Grounds

Jesus is the entire world to me,

My life, my joy, my all;

He is my strength from day to day,

Without Him I would fall. – Thompson

Living for Jesus is the best reason for living.

A NEW CAREER

A PLACE TO GROW

READ: Matthew 6:1-18

Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. – Matthew 6:18

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 22-24

“I’m limited,” you say. You are frustrated by the cramping restrictions of age, illness, a difficult child, or an uncooperative spouse. Perhaps you are housebound or bedridden and feel you have no place to serve.

Your limited place need not limit you. Embrace it as a place to grow. Don’t worry about what people around you may think. God sees what is done “in secret” and He will reward you in due time (Matt. 6:18).

In fact, our restrictions are part of God’s plan to mature us – to draw us away from our preoccupation with being seen and heard by others. If we pray, give, or fast to increase others’ estimation of us, we will Miss God’s blessing. If we are concerned about enhancing our reputation, we lose the good that God has promised to give us.

God always rewards hidden spirituality. He hears every private prayer; He recognizes every secret gift; He notes and richly rewards each unseen act of devotion. You will be strengthened, and the Lord will make you all that He wants you to be.

The bottom line is this: The things that are done for God’s eyes are the things that matter. So, settle into that secret place where God alone sees and knows. – David Roper

Jesus has called me to be at my best,

Living for Him when at work or at play;

He knows my heart, and in that I can rest –

Why should I worry what others may say? – Hess

To know that God sees us brings both conviction and comfort.

FROM NOTHING

RESERVATION GUARANTEED

READ: John 14:1-6

I go to prepare a place for you. – John 14:2

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 19-21

Because my daughter is a flight attendant, I am blessed with a parent’s pass for my personal use. For a small service charge, I may fly wherever the airline flies. There’s one drawback, however. I must be on “standby.” That means I’m allowed on board only if there’s space available. Until then, my luggage is set aside and labelled “Status Pending.” While the paying passengers board, I must wait, wondering if my name will be called. I can never be certain of a seat because available space isn’t guaranteed.

It’s a far different situation on our journey to heaven, which begins when we trust Christ for our salvation. Because of His death and resurrection, our passage to heaven is absolutely guaranteed. Our status is not pending; there is space available; our names will be called. These priceless privileges have been paid for in full by the sacrificial death of Jesus.

If, like Thomas in John 14:5, you sometimes wonder if and how Jesus will get you to heaven, trust in His promise, “I go to prepare a place for you…. And I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (vv. 2-3). That’s His unfailing word. You can count on it! – Joanie Yoder

There is a place reserved in heaven

For all of us who have received

Forgiveness and eternal life

From Christ, in whom we have believed. – Sper

Faith in Christ is the only ticket to heaven.

URGE TO JUMP

Don't Go To HELL!!! (Pictures from the Pit of Hell)

WHAT CANCER CAN’T DO

READ: 1 Cor. 15:35-49

Thanks are to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:57

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 16-18

One of the most dreaded sentences a patient can hear is, “You have cancer.” These words bring a chill to the heart. Although great progress is being made in treating this disease, recovery can be long and painful, and many people do not survive.

An enthusiastic believer in Christ, Dan Richardson, lost his battle with cancer. But his life demonstrated that even though the physical body may be destroyed by disease, the spirit can remain triumphant. This poem was distributed at his memorial service:

Cancer is so limited …

It cannot cripple love,

It cannot shatter hope,

It cannot corrode faith,

It cannot eat away peace,

It cannot destroy confidence,

It cannot kill friendship,

It cannot shut out memories,

It cannot silence courage,

It cannot invade the soul,

It cannot reduce eternal life,

It cannot quench the Spirit,

It cannot lessen the power of the resurrection.

If an incurable disease has invaded your life, refuse to let it touch your spirit. Your body can be severely afflicted, and you may have a great struggle. But if you trust God’s love, your spirit will remain strong. – Dave Egner

Our greatest enemy is not disease, but despair.

THE MIRACLE OF RESTRAINT

PARDON ME!

READ: 1 John 1:5-2:10

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 13-15

Hijackers terrorized the passengers aboard an Indian Airlines jet for 8 days. Then, on December 31, 1999, the gunmen issued a final demand before releasing their hostages. “Sorry, but everyone has to say that I am forgiven,” said the hijacker codenamed “Burger.” When the disbelieving passengers stared back at him, he ordered them to say, “I forgive you.” After hearing the words, the hijackers disappeared into the desert.

Not many of us would be so arrogant as to insist that someone forgive us. And we certainly wouldn’t demand that of God. Why? Because most people sense that His mercy and pardon can be received only by a humble, sincere, and repentant heart.

The apostle John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The word translated “confess” means “to speak the same thing or agree with.” When we confess our sins to God, we agree with Him about our sin, our need to be cleansed, and our need to forgive others who have wronged us (Matt. 6:15). We cry out, “Pardon me!”

None of us is truly free without forgiveness. We need God’s, and others need ours. – David McCasland

Forgive me, O Lord, for all of my sin,

Please make my heart pure and cleanse me within;

Confessing to You what I have done wrong,

Restore now my joy – to You I belong. – Fitzhugh

Confession is the key that opens the door to forgiveness.

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGE?

Prepare to Meet Your God by Angelica Zambrano (English-23 Horas Muerta)

TIME OFF

READ: 1 John 1:1-7

Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. – 1 John 1:3

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joshua 10-12

Is there such a thing as a superstar Christian who is so close to God or so godly that he can take time off in his relationship with God?

The idea sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? It’s absurd to think that our walk with God is anything but continual, every day, all-the-time. But in reality, don’t we sometimes go our own way and neglect our fellowship with Him?

This principle has a parallel in the world of sports. Grant Hill, a superstar professional basketball player, made this comment about his off-season practice schedule: “I just didn’t feel that I could take a week off. When I take one day off, I feel like I’m lacking a bit.”

If we as Christians “take time off” from our relationship with God, we too will be “lacking a bit.” We will miss the guidance of His Word and the fellowship we experience in prayer. We will be more likely to forget our priorities and drift into forbidden areas that could lead to our downfall.

No matter how long you’ve been a child of God through faith in Christ, you need to guard your relationship with Him. It’s not just about going to church or having daily devotions. It’s a continual relationship. Taking time off will seriously weaken your walk. – Dave Branon

The time we spend in fellowship

With God each day in prayer

Will strengthen us to stand against

Temptation’s evil snare. – Sper

To keep spiritually fit, walk daily with Christ.

WII AND MII