THE TROUBLE WITH ME

READ: Jonah 4

Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being. – 1 Corinthians 10:24

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Obadiah, Jonah

Selfishness comes in many forms, and we are all prone to it. I was reminded of this while driving on a toll road. My wife Ginny and I were hoping to get home early that evening, but a traffic jam held us up for almost 2 hours.

Although Ginny mentioned that there may have been a serious accident up ahead, I gave this little thought and kept grumbling. But when the traffic began to flow again, we saw six mangled cars next to the highway. A wave of conviction swept over me. “Forgive me, Lord,” I prayed, “and please help the victims and their families.”

The Bible gives many examples of selfish attitudes. Jonah was upset because a worm had destroyed a vine that shaded him from the scorching sun (Jonah 4:9). Yet he didn’t care that many men, women, and children in Nineveh might be destroyed.

In Mark 10:37, we read that two disciples selfishly asked for positions of power in Christ’s coming kingdom. And in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church, we see many examples of selfish behaviour (1:10; 3:3; 5:1; 6:6-8; 11:21).

God calls us to put the good of others ahead of our selfish desires (1 Cor. 10:24). Forgive us, Lord, and help us to do just that! – Herb Vander Lugt

O Lord, how often selfishness

Will raise its ugly head,

So help us, Lord, to conquer it

And show Your love instead. – D. De Haan

The heart of our problem is selfishness in our heart.

October 2012

CARDBOARD KIDS

what makes something biblical?

UNDER SURVEILLANCE

READ: Amos 9:1-6

“Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?” says the LORD. – Jeremiah 23:24

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 7-9

Imagine that you’re visiting a foreign country when you realize that you’re being followed. Your every move is watched. Your every conversation is monitored. Your hotel room is bugged and the restaurant tables are electronically rigged to pick up every word you speak. It’s as if at all times someone wants to know what you are doing, saying, thinking, and planning. You are constantly under the scrutiny of another, and it seems there is no place to hide.

Fortunately, most of us don’t know what it’s like to live under that kind of surveillance. Yet in reality, we do live every moment of every day under the watchful eye of the Lord. He sees everything we do; He hears everything we say; He knows every thought we think.

For those who love and trust the Lord, this is an awesome yet comforting truth. But for those who are determined to resist Him, it’s a different story. Amos told Israel that God was pleading with them to turn from their sins (5:4-15), and he warned them that there would be no hiding place for those who refused to repent (9:1-6).

Father, have mercy on us when we are rebellious. We lift our heart to You in behalf of all who think they can somehow elude Your constant surveillance and final judgment. – Mart De Haan

They shall not stand the judgment test

Who live for self today,

For God sees all and He will judge

The evildoer’s way! – Bosch

Live today as you will wish you had when you stand before God.

THAT YOU MAY KNOW

ONE OPTION WE DON’T HAVE

READ: Joshua 2:1-14

The LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. – Joshua 2:11

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 4-6

James A. Meads Jr. began his sermon with this statement: “The reason you and I cannot ignore God can be stated in one word: Israel. No other nation has been known as a ‘chosen people.’ No other nation has as much to say about the love, the patience, and the anger of God. Through Israel, God has given the world an object lesson about His nature.”

Centuries ago, Jericho’s king might have said, “Israel is coming – so what!” But we read that when he and his people heard what God had done at the Red Sea, and that two Amorite kings had been destroyed, the hearts of the people “melted” (Josh. 2:10-11).

Jericho’s king had at least two options. He could flee for his life, or he could repent, believe in God, and plead for His mercy. That’s what Rahab did, and she and her family were spared (vv. 12-13). But the one option the king didn’t have was to ignore Israel, and therefore he couldn’t ignore God.

Many people seem to get along well without God. But just as the world today can’t ignore Israel, so also it can’t ignore Jesus Christ, who came from Israel. As the One who created the universe, He is God (Col. 1:15-17). As the One who died on Calvary’s cross, He is the world’s Saviour and Redeemer (vv. 13-14). Trust Him to save you today. – Dennis De Haan

We can’t ignore God’s only Son,

He is the Lord, the Holy One;

He is the source of life and grace,

The One who died and took our place. – Fitzhugh

Everyone must face God as Saviour or as Judge.

ASK ME NOW

ON ROCK OR SAND?

READ: Matthew 7:21-29

Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. – Matthew 7:26

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Amos 1-3

Japan’s second-largest airport is sinking into the ocean. When Kansai International near Osaka was constructed on an artificial island, designers and builders knew that it would settle. They built hydraulic jacks into the structures to correct any tilt that occurred. But during its first 6 years, several key portions of the airport have reached or exceeded their 50-year sinking projection. They say there is no reason to be alarmed, but local residents are not so sure.

Most of us will never design or build an airport, but we are all in the process of constructing a life. There is no more crucial decision than choosing the foundation upon which we build.

Jesus used the metaphor of building on sand to describe the person who hears His words but does not put them into practice. “The floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house,” Jesus said, “and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matt. 7:27). Merely hearing what Jesus says is not enough.

In contrast, Jesus likened the person who hears and keeps His teachings to a wise man who builds his house on the rock (v. 24). Not even the fiercest storm can bring it down.

Solid rock or sinking sand? On what foundation are we choosing to build today? – David McCasland

If you want life’s truest treasures

Do not build on sinking sand;

Build upon the Rock of Ages,

Trust in God’s almighty hand. – Jarvis

With God’s word as your foundation, you can build a godly life.

SHOWING UP

WHO’S YOUR CREATOR?

READ: Psalm 96

All the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. – Psalm 96:5

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Joel 1-3

Does the design of the universe point to an intelligent Designer? Even though many scientists resist that idea and propose naturalistic explanations for the origin of the cosmos, they sometimes use words that point to a Creator.

Fred Heeren talks about this in his book Show Me God. He quotes English theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking as using the words “finely adjusted” in explaining the development of life. Hawking also uses the phrase “very carefully chosen” in relation to the initial configuration of the universe.

In addition, Heeren shows that the late Carl Sagan often referred to “some kind of force or power” by which the universe created itself. Sagan declared that the cosmos is all that exists, but he also said, “Our ancestors worshiped the sun, and they were far from foolish. It makes good sense to revere the sun and the stars because we are their children.” He was repeating the mistake of those who worship “the creature rather than the Creator” (Rom. 1:25).

In contrast, the Bible points us to the infinite, intelligent, and personal Creator who has made us and revealed Himself to us in Jesus Christ (Ps. 96:5; Col. 1:15-19).

Let’s make worshiping the Lord God and serving Him our greatest delight. – Herb Vander Lugt

The greatness of our God is seen

In sky and sea and forest green;

And living creatures great and small

Reveal the God who made them all. – D. De Haan

The design in creation points to the Master Designer.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

CEMETERY WALK

READ: James 2:1-13

My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. – James 2:1

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hosea 11-14

On my way home from high school I often walked by one cemetery and cut through another. I was intrigued by the grave markers, for they revealed the social status of each person who had died. Near the cemetery entrances were crypts, grey stone buildings with ornate iron scrollwork and the family name prominently displayed? Pillars and large ornamental markers were nearby, then rows and rows of headstones. Small, flat, stone markers marked the graves of the poor.

As I recall those days, I’m reminded of a cemetery in Germany called God’s acre. A young nobleman named Zinzendorf (1700-1760) opened his estate to religious refugees from Moravia. He gave them the freedom to worship God as they wished. In time, that little enclave became a worldwide missionary movement.

Each person buried in that cemetery, prince or pauper, count or coal miner, had an identical plain white headstone. This underscored their conviction that all believers in Christ are spiritually equal in their standing before God. They took seriously the teaching of James 2:1 that we are not to treat one another with “partiality.”

Lord, help us to treat our brothers and sisters in Christ as equals, giving honour to all. – Dave Egner

In Jesus Christ we all are equal,

For God’s Spirit makes us one;

As we give each other honour,

We give glory to His Son. – Fitzhugh

The ground is level at the foot of the cross.

THINGS ABOVE

DAVID’S RESTRAINT

READ: 1 Samuel 24

I will not stretch out my hand against my lord. – 1 Samuel 24:10

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hosea 8-10

The relationship between David and King Saul is one of the strangest and most volatile recorded in the Bible. David came to Saul’s rescue on several occasions (as a harp player and as a warrior), he was best friends with the king’s son, and he married the king’s daughter. Now, don’t you think such a person would be in pretty good standing with the monarch?

Not David. Saul was out to get the former shepherd boy. Twice Saul tried to spear David while he was playing the harp for him. And later, Saul sent his troops after the young man to try to kill him.

Yet look at what happened when the two finally crossed paths and David had the chance to kill Saul. Instead of attacking him, David sneaked up and cut off a piece of his robe. Afterward, he felt guilty even for doing that (1 Sam. 24:5). When they later met face to face, David told the king, “My hand shall not be against you” (v. 13). Saul saw that David had rewarded his evil with good, and he wept (vv. 16-17).

Sometimes we must deal with people who are eager to bring us down – or so we think; maybe an employer or a co-worker. Like David, let’s do what God would have us do – use restraint, and keep on doing well. – Dave Branon

I want the love that always sweetly bears

Whate’er my Father’s hand may choose to send;

I want the love that patiently endures

The wrongs that come from enemy or friend. – Anon.

Revenge restrained is a victory gained.

READ A BANNED BOOK

BUILDING A CITY

A BLESSED ALTERNATIVE

READ: 2 Corinthians 5:1-8

There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. – Revelation 21:4

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Hosea 1-4

Imagine that a person was seriously ill and near death but then recovered. Recalling his experience, he says that recovering from the surgery that saved his life was extremely painful. But then he jokingly remarks, “Think of the alternative!”

Even Christians sometimes say that. Yet what does that common jest imply? Is it better to endure the pain of this temporal world than to die and enter the eternal joys of heaven?

We know that life in the coming world will be so much better than the life we now experience in this world. According to the apostle Paul, “To live be Christ and to die is gain…. To depart and be with Christ … is far better” (Phil. 1:21, 23).

Certainly we are thankful for material blessings and provisions from the Lord and all the meaningful relationships we experience here and now by His grace. But as Christians, let’s not even jokingly agree that the option of entering heaven is less desirable than surviving on this sin-cursed earth. We eagerly anticipate the joy of being with our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven (2 Cor. 5:8).

Someday “there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain” (Rev. 21:4). What a blessed alternative! – Vernon Grounds

What rejoicing in His presence,

When are banished grief and pain,

When the crooked ways are straightened

And the dark things shall be plain. – Breck

Life’s greatest joy is the prospect of heaven.

HE WATCHES OVER US

A GOOD TESTIMONY

READ: Hebrews 11:17-40

All these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise. – Hebrews 11:39

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 10-12

Lists can be boring, but not the one in Hebrews 11. It’s an impressive list of Old Testament believers and their amazing accomplishments. However, the writer kept interspersing the words “by faith,” for his emphasis was strictly faith, not fame. Through faith these people obtained a good testimony (v. 39), but was there always a good outcome?

In verses 33-35, the writer highlighted those who by faith subdued kingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions, and escaped the edge of the sword. Then he mentioned “others” who were tortured and killed, those for whom sudden reprieves never came (vv. 35-38). Did they obtain a bad testimony? No! Verse 39 says that “all these” – the delivered and the undelivered – obtained a good testimony, for all had acted in faith.

I’m certain that all had asked the Lord for help. But some received deliverance, and others received an answer similar to the one given to Paul when he pleaded for his “thorn” to be removed: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).

Be greatly encouraged! Whenever you act in faith and in God’s strength, you are obtaining a good testimony before Him – no matter what the outcome. – Joanie Yoder

Let us then be true and faithful,

Trusting, serving, every day;

Just one glimpse of Him in glory

Will the toils of life repay. – Hewitt

Faithfulness is God’s standard for a good testimony.

ARMS OF LOVE

GOSPEL POWER

READ: Romans 1:1-17

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. – Romans 1:16

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 7-9

One reason many Christians are so hesitant to witness for Christ is that they fear failure. They forget the life-changing power of the gospel.

Peter V. Deison, in his book The Priority Of Knowing God, tells about Ramad, a man in India who was a member of a gang of robbers. On one occasion, while burglarizing a house, Ramad noticed a small black book containing very thin pages just right for making cigarettes. So he took it. Each evening he tore out a page, rolled it around some tobacco, and had a smoke. Noticing that the small words on the pages were in his language, he began to read them before rolling his cigarettes.

One evening after reading a page, he knelt on the ground and asked Jesus to forgive his sins and to save him. He then turned himself over to the police, much to their amazement. Ramad the bandit became a prisoner of Jesus Christ. And in the prison where he served his sentence, he led many others to the Saviour.

What was the book he had been reading? It was a Bible. The Holy Spirit used “the gospel of Christ,” and for Ramad it became “the power of God to salvation” (Rom. 1:16).

Because there is great power in the gospel, we can always share the good news with confidence. – Richard De Haan

The words we speak, the lives we live

Say much about the Lord we love;

But power in our witnessing

Comes from God’s Word, sent from above. – Sper

Religion can reform but only the gospel can transform.

RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD

FINISHING WELL

READ: 2 Timothy 4:1-8

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. – 2 Timothy 4:7

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 4-6

I read a humorous story about a bloodhound. He started chasing a deer but a fox crossed his path, so he started chasing the fox instead. After a while, a rabbit crossed his path, so the hound chased the rabbit. Yet later, a mouse crossed his path and the hound chased the mouse into a hole. The hound, which had begun his hunt on the trail of a magnificent deer, ended up watching a mouse hole!

Most of us will laugh at the bloodhound. But if we stop and think, we’ll realize that often we too are easily distracted. At times we may even be side-tracked from following Christ. It is so easy to start well but then run after things that cross our paths.

We need to take to heart the words of the apostle Paul. He told Timothy to focus on the purpose of his life and ministry (2 Tim. 1:6-13; 2:1-2, 22-26; 3:14-17). He urged him to tell others about Christ and to warn them not to turn aside (4:1-5).

The values of this world can easily influence us, tempting us to despise “sound doctrine” and accept what is false (4:3-4). So we need to know and proclaim God’s Word, persevere through hardships, and keep the faith (vv. 2, 5, 7).

Yes, with God’s help, we can keep our eyes on Christ, stay close to Him, and finish well. – Albert Lee

Let me walk with You, dear Saviour,

Side by side and hand in hand;

Keep me clean and pure and faithful

Till I reach the heavenly land. – Hess

You can’t turn your back on Christ if you keep your eyes on Him.

NOT GOOD ENOUGH

UPWARD ESCAPE

READ: Psalm 18:25-36

He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. – Psalm 18:33

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Daniel 1-3

The bighorn sheep in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park will often allow visitors to approach them from below and take close-up photos. But don’t try to get above them or the entire herd will run away. The bighorns’ escape route from predators is always upward. On level ground a bobcat or cougar can easily overtake the wild sheep, but scrambling up a boulder-strewn slope, the bighorns will get away every time.

Years ago I heard a speaker say, “No matter what danger you face from trouble or temptation, don’t let it get between you and God.” As Christians, our escape route is always upward toward the Lord, never downward into sin or self-pity.

The psalmist’s words remind us how to keep difficulty on the downhill side: “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up” (Ps. 5:3). Then, in a beautiful word picture, David described how God answered his prayer for help: “He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places” (18:33).

The example of the bighorns and the words of David teach us to keep spiritual danger on the downhill side, with a wide-open upward path between ourselves and God. – David McCasland

I’m pressing on the upward way,

New heights I’m gaining every day –

Still praying as I’m onward bound,

“Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.” – Oatman

You can be sure of your footing when you walk close to Jesus.

A LEARNER

THE ONLY WAY TO BE HAPPY

READ: John 7:25-39

Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” – John 7:37

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 46-48

There is no lasting earthly satisfaction. Marriage, family, money, fame, enlightenment, travel, athletics, and academic achievement – nothing completes our joy. Any satisfaction we gain in our quest fades quickly and becomes a vague memory, if it can be remembered at all.

Oh, to be sure, there are happy events along the way, unexpected moments when we experience pure delight. But those moments are fleeting, and we can never go back in time to relive them and recapture the sensation.

Why then do we keep seeking for something to satisfy us? Simply put, it’s because we have to. Whether we realize it or not, our souls are thirsting for God. Every desire, every aspiration, every longing of our nature is nothing less than a yearning for God. We were born for His love and we cannot live without it. He is the happiness for which we have been searching all our lives. Everything that we desire is found in Him – and infinitely more.

And so, when you find yourself restless and thirsting for something more in life, respond to Jesus’ invitation, “Come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). Go to Him, drink freely of His grace and forgiveness, and experience true joy. – David Roper

All that I want is in Jesus;

He satisfies with the joy He supplies;

Life would be worthless without Him,

All things in Jesus I find. – Loes

Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on Jesus!

SPARE BEDS

ABOVE THE CROWD

READ: Matthew 7:15-23

Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not … done many wonders in Your name?” – Matthew 7:22

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 43-45

When the steeple of a local church caught fire after being struck by lightning, fire-fighters had a difficult time putting out the blaze. The crew had to haul heavy hoses up three flights of stairs to save the structure, which was described as tall, windowless, and empty.

I know some people who fit the description of that steeple. They are “tall” in the sense that they set themselves above others. They are “windowless” in that they never let anyone see inside. And they are “empty” because they never allow anything to get inside.

Whenever we set ourselves above and apart from others, we become spiritual firetraps, and one small spark can ignite a devastating blaze. Pride is particularly dangerous because Satan disguises it as good and makes us think we don’t need God. Pride keeps many “good” people from entering heaven. And some who accomplish great miracles in Jesus’ name will one day hear Him say, “I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23). But others who humble themselves are “the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (18:4).

We have the opportunity to learn the truth that Satan does not want us to believe: True godliness is achieved not by elevating ourselves but by lowering ourselves. – Julie Ackerman Link

God often uses lowly things

His purpose to fulfil,

Because it takes a humble heart

To carry out His will. – D. De Haan

Those who know God will be humble; those who know themselves cannot be proud.

HE'S THERE ALL THE TIME

LIFE’S GREATEST MOMENT

READ: John 3:1-21

Whoever believes in [Jesus] should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:15

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 37-39

What a night for the Minnesota Twins baseball team in 1987! They had just defeated the Detroit Tigers and won the American League pennant for the first time in 22 years. More than 50,000 people, young and old, crowded into the Metrodome to welcome their victors home from Detroit. Banners were waving, horns were blaring, the crowd was cheering. There were even tears of joy.

The players were surrounded by members of the news media. One reporter in the crowd called out to Greg Gagne, the Twins’ star shortstop, and commented, “This has got to be the greatest moment of your life.” Quietly Gagne replied, “Actually, no. That was the moment I asked Jesus Christ into my life.”

We enjoy high moments when some hard-won goal has been reached or a victory has been achieved. But as Christians, we realize that our times of triumph are less than dust and ashes compared with the moment we accepted Jesus Christ as our Saviour. It’s a decision that changes our destiny forever (John 3:15-16).

Have you experienced that greatest of all moments? If so, you have reason to celebrate. If you haven’t, you can make that destiny-changing decision right now. – Vernon Grounds

IT’S YOUR DECISION

Your sin separates you from God, but His perfect Son died in your place, and rose from the grave. Turn in faith to Jesus Christ and accept God’s forgiveness.

What you decide about Christ determines your destiny.

WHAT'S YOUR STORY?

EVEN ANIMALS COME HOME

READ: Jeremiah 8:4-7

Why has this people slidden back? … They refuse to return. – Jeremiah 8:5

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 34-36

A homeowner in Wisconsin said he heard a cat meowing on the front porch. When he opened the door, a big long-haired, grey male cat walked in, checked things out, began purring, and then jumped up on a chair as if he belonged there. Family members couldn’t believe their eyes. But when they compared the cat to pictures taken years earlier, they could only conclude that it was their long-lost pet. Clem the cat had come home after 8 years of being who knows where.

What remarkable homing instincts God has given to some animals! On a spiritual level, why is it that the backslidden child of God seems to have less? We’ve been designed by a loving Creator, who has given us every reason to want to come home. In His presence there is hope, love, lasting protection, and fullness of joy. Away from Him there is temporary pleasure, but eternal loss and despair.

Jeremiah reminded us that even the birds live according to the times and places and ways that the Lord has built into them (Jer. 8:7). Only man seems determined to run to his own self-destruction.

Father, forgive us for running away from You. Lead us back to You today. – Mart De Haan

Saviour, lead me, lest I stray,

Gently lead me all the way;

I am safe when by Thy side,

I would in Thy love abide. – Davis

It’s never too soon to come back to God.

END OF CONSTRUCTION

KEEP PRESSING ON

READ: Philippians 3:1-16

I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. – Philippians 3:12

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 31-33

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the challenges of living for Christ? You’re not alone. Even Paul felt that way. In 2 Corinthians 1:8, he honestly admitted that the troubles he and Timothy endured in Asia had taxed them beyond measure, and they feared for their lives. But Paul said they learned this lesson: “We should not trust in ourselves but in God” (v. 9).

In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul again wrote honestly about his Christian walk, admitting that he hadn’t attained perfection: “I press toward the goal for the prize.” He identified this lifelong pilgrimage as “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Years ago, a group of Englishmen tried to conquer Mt. Everest. They pressed on against cold, wind, blizzards, and avalanches. When they came within 2,000 feet of the peak, they set up camp. Two men, Mallory and Irvine, eagerly pressed on, expecting to return in about 16 hours. They never came back. The official record said simply: “When last seen, they were heading toward the summit.”

Whatever the obstacles, let’s keep pressing on in the upward call of God, trusting in Him and not ourselves. At life’s end, may it be said of us, “When last seen, they were heading toward the summit!” – Joanie Yoder

When the pathway seems long,

When temptation is strong,

When your strength’s almost gone –

That’s the time to press on. – Hess

When the pressure is on, press on!

A MEASURE OF HEALING

NEVER ALONE

READ: Psalm 139:1-12

If anyone loves Me, … We will come to him and make Our home with him. – John 14:23

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 28-30

Have you ever been alone – really alone? Many people can answer yes because they feel that way every day. I’m not referring to people who live in a remote cabin on a mountaintop far from civilization. I’m talking about those who feel alone in a crowded mall, or in a church full of people.

I’m referring to people who simply cannot find anyone to connect with. Perhaps they are new to a community. Maybe they have lost a spouse. It could be that they simply feel alone because they think of themselves as different, unusual, and left out of normal communication with others.

Have you ever been alone, really alone? If so, there’s good news. If you have invited Christ into your life as Saviour and Lord, you’re never alone. You have His constant presence. Here is His promise: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). And from God the Father: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). Recognize with the psalmist that there’s no place you can go where God is not with you (Ps. 139:7).

Sure, we all need flesh-and-blood companions, but let’s not overlook the reality of the Lord’s presence. We can depend on it. With Him by our side, we’re never alone. – Dave Branon

On life’s pathway I am never lonely,

My Lord is with me, my Lord divine;

Ever present guide I trust Him only,

No longer lonely, for He is mine. – Harkness

God’s presence with us is one of His presents to us.

LIFEWORK

BROTHER JOHN

READ: Matthew 28:16-20

How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? – Romans 10:14

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 25-27

It’s only a humorous story, yet it makes a serious point. Brother John was a timid man who dreaded speaking in public. So he was terrified on the day it was his turn to give a devotional message. With his knees trembling, he faced his listeners and said, “Do you know what I’m going to say this morning?” “No,” answered the audience. He then said, “Neither do I,” and he ran from the room.

The next day he was told to try again. He said, “Do you know what I’m going to say?” This time they replied, “Yes.” So he said, “Then you don’t need me to tell you.” Again he fled. He tried a third morning, saying, “Do you know what I’m going to say?” Half his hearers shouted, “Yes!” and half shouted, “No!” “Ah,” said Brother John, “then let those who know tell those who don’t know,” and again he fled.

At first, his hearers sat in silence. Then the words hit home: “Let those who know tell those who don’t know.”

For 3 years, Jesus’ disciples absorbed His teaching and observed His mighty works. They had come to know Him as the way, the truth, and the life. He was God in the flesh, the One who is “eternal life” (1 John 1:2). In the years to come, they devoted their lives to telling others about Christ.

Let those who know tell those who don’t. – Dennis De Haan

Tell the sweet story of Christ and His love,

Tell of His power to forgive;

Others will trust Him if only you prove

True every moment you live. – Wilson

The best news in the world is the good news of Christ.

CALLED

DIVINE MYSTERY

READ: Psalm 93

The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty …. You are from everlasting. – Psalm 93:1-2

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 22-24

At one point along the Saguenay River in south-eastern Canada, the water flows through a chasm between two rugged rock formations. Their pinnacles tower over 1,600 feet into the sky. Early pioneers were so awestruck by these majestic crags that they named them Trinity and Eternity.

The two great truths expressed by these words create a sense of awe in the heart of every Christian. The Bible tells us of God’s eternity – His timeless existence (Ps. 93:2), and His triune nature – the threefold expression of Himself as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).

Both of these affirmations baffle our minds. If we try to comprehend either of them, the question asked by Job’s friend comes to mind: “Can you search out the deep things of God?” (Job 11:7). The answer is obvious. When we try to behold the triune God, we feel like someone who gazes up into the midday sun to study it.

At the heart of the Christian faith is mystery, because at the heart of our faith is the eternal, triune God. We have the Father who loves us, the Saviour who died for us, and the Spirit who helps us to be holy. This divine mystery gives us reason to bow down and worship our eternal God. – Haddon Robinson

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;

Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!

God in three persons blessed Trinity! – Heber

To understand God is impossible; to worship Him is imperative.