“’Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” —JOHN 20:25

Thomas had not been present when Jesus first appeared to His disciples. When the disciples told him they had seen the Lord, he would not believe. There are three basic aspects of the human psyche that lends itself to either a “doubting Thomas persona”, a rejection stance, or to a solid conviction of belief in Christ through experience of Him.

Intellectually, people perceive living in a physical world, which is subject to physical laws, and the laws say that ‘dead men don’t rise’. The evidence is clear that Christ’s tomb was empty, and that He appeared to many after His resurrection. This naturally defies physical laws, and seems an assault on rational thinking. But what if there are other realities beyond the natural? Can there not also be a supernatural order where the God who created the natural order chooses to intervene at His will?

Secondly, people doubt because of emotional reasoning. Our moods, passions and our pain may sometimes express themselves masquerading as factual doubt, but are really an expression of the way we feel. Our thinking is subjective; we think what we want to think, and avoid what we want to avoid. Christ is then interpreted through our moods, our histories and experiences. Something has happened within one’s heart which has created an attitude that won’t accept. Emotional causes are not good reasons to doubt, because they can render us both blind and deaf to the real issue, which is Christ Himself.

The third reason people doubt is volitional; that is their will is set against the evidence. There are those who believe Christianity is true, but will not accept it because they choose to pursue their own will and not the will of God. Truth does not conform to what we want, and denying it in our lives could close us off to the greatest message on earth. Thomas did not say, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands… I cannot believe.” That would have been a rational reason for doubt, but he said, “I will not believe.” It was his choice, his will. For whatever reason, our minds can be set against believing.

Knowing Thomas doubted, Jesus let a week go by before appearing to him. Sometimes it’s necessary we take time to adjust our minds and dispositions and open our hearts to the possibility we may be wrong. When Jesus appeared to Thomas, he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” That was not an, “Okay, I believe,” but a total surrender to Christ. Jesus having risen from the dead is not a mere tenet of belief in the Christian Gospel. It is the indispensable fact of the Christian Gospel.

I pray, Lord Jesus, for all those who have yet to seek You. I ask that You lift their barriers so they will be drawn by your Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord.

How did I first come to believe in the risen Lord?

“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay’.“ —MATTHEW 28:5-6

The combined death and resurrection of Jesus Christ brought about the greatest event in human history. Matthew’s account of that Sunday morning says, “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it” (Matthew 28:1-2). 

The angel, clothed in snow white, his appearance like lightning, had so frightened the guards they shook and became like dead men. The angel announced to the women Jesus had risen and showed them the place where He had lain. He then sent them quickly on their way with a message for the disciples, saying, “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.” Afraid yet filled with joy, the women left, and suddenly Jesus met with them. They fell at His feet and worshipped.

Despite the fact Jesus had told His disciples He would be crucified, and raised to life on the third day, they did not believe the women. Luke 24:11 says, “Their words seemed to them like nonsense.” Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. He saw it was empty, looked at the strips of linen, and went away wondering. On that same evening, Jesus appeared to His disciples still hidden behind locked doors. “Peace be with you,” He said, and thinking He was a ghost, they were terrified. Jesus said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your mind?” (Luke 24:38).

The reason the disciples did not initially believe is the same reason many of us do not get it today. We operate within a rational world; things we can touch, smell, see, hear and explain. But we cannot reduce the Christian life to a predictable pattern where the supernatural, which can only be explained in terms of God, becomes redundant in our lives. We will never truly experience the power of the living Christ until we step beyond the physical and material world. 

Christianity either stands or falls based on the fact of Christ having died and been raised to life; so much so, Paul writes, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:14). All four Gospels record the resurrection of Jesus Christ not as symbolic in any way, but as a literal, physical fact. Though we may believe in a historical Jesus being raised from the dead, we need to equally believe in a living, active Jesus who brings us into relationship with Him.

Precious Lord, this day is so special. Thank You for all You endured so that You could be raised to life again by our Heavenly Father, and indwell us by your Spirit.

How would I counteract any doubt as to the supernatural power of Christ in my life?

“The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’ “ —MATTHEW 21:9

During the annual Passover celebration, Jerusalem was filled with people. Every Jewish adult within a twenty mile radius was obligated to attend, and their number greatly increased with many thousands flocking in from more distant areas. 

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem is something of a climax for which anticipation has been building ever since the disciples had identified Jesus as ‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’. Matthew 16:21 states, “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law…” Not only is the place significant, but the timing of Passover is extremely significant as for 1500 years it was a clear foreshadowing of Jesus as the Passover Lamb who would be sacrificed.

Before entering Jerusalem, Jesus sends two disciples to retrieve the colt of a donkey for His use. On all other occasions, Scripture records Jesus travelling on foot, but this was to fulfill prophecy in Zechariah 9:9, which says, “See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The crowd spread their cloaks on the road and lay branches before Him, praising and shouting, “Hosanna in the highest!”

Just a few days later, Jesus may have appeared as a helpless victim of the Sanhedrin Council and the Roman Governor, but by no means did He come as a victim. He came as King and first demonstrates control of His situation by requisitioning the donkey, a right which belonged to royalty and claimed by the Rabbis. As He enters the city, it is to the mass acclamation of great crowds declaring Him as Messiah and King. He does not dispute this, but in fact, demonstrates it by overturning the tables of money changers and driving out all who were buying and selling in the temple, which He tells them is ‘the house of prayer for all nations’ (Mark 11:17).

While in Jerusalem, Jesus taught every day in the temple courts and healed the sick, adding more fuel to the conspiracy of Jewish leaders to kill Him. They question His authority and endeavour to trap Him with trick questions, but all attempts to discredit Jesus not only fail, but incriminate His accusers, excluding them from entering the kingdom of God. Members of the Sanhedrin Council become increasingly threatened, and expedite with a sense of urgency their plot to rid the world of Jesus. What they unwittingly did instead was set in motion God’s divine plan for saving the world to which Jesus was fully committed.

Dear precious Jesus, thank you for entering Jerusalem, knowing all that lay ahead of You. You are my King and I will forever praise and worship You.

Does Jesus reign as King in my life? 

“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.” —MATTHEW 27:51-52

At the moment Jesus died three events took place. The temple curtain being torn in two from top to bottom was of great theological significance. It separated the ‘Holy Place’ from the utmost ‘Most Holy Place’. Only the high priest could penetrate that curtain, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement, carrying shed blood as a token of sacrifice for sin. 

Behind this curtain was the presence of God, hidden to the ordinary person. The curtain torn apart was symbolic of God breaking out from behind it, and making Himself available to all people. From that moment, there was no longer a need for a mediator between God and people. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men...” This is dramatically portrayed by a divine act within the temple the moment Jesus died.

The second event describes an earthquake, a physical phenomenon accompanied by three hours of darkness. The work of Jesus on the cross was not only for the redemption of humankind, but of all creation. Paul says in Colossians 1:20, “…and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” The moment Christ died the physical world responded.

The third event tells us tombs were opened and holy people experienced a mass resurrection, but did not appear until after Jesus was resurrected on Sunday. They then came to Jerusalem and were seen by many. Several speculations surround the implication of this event, but nothing more is recorded. Scripture does tell us, however, that after Pentecost, the Sudducees were greatly disturbed, and seized Peter and John because they were proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead (Acts 4:2). It is entirely possible the Sadducees were greatly disturbed because they had been witness to this third event, having seen one or more of the resurrected in Jerusalem. 

Four people attended the funeral of Jesus; Joseph of Arimathea, in whose tomb Jesus was laid; Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of Jesus. Other than the burial of Jesus and placing Roman soldiers to guard the tomb, the Bible does not tell us much about the next day. As for the Sanhedrin Council, we do know they were witnesses to three hours of darkness at midday. They would have felt the earthquake and have known about, if not seen, the torn curtain to God’s most holy sanctuary.

We have to wonder what thoughts would have run rampant in their minds that night and the entire next day. Would Saturday still have been a day of triumph?

Dear Lord Jesus, I am so grateful for the Bible. Thank You for giving us an account of what happened at such a crucial time. 

Do I relate to how events in Scripture affect me personally?

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished’. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” —JOHN 19:30

In the days before His crucifixion, Jesus is in the temple courts in Jerusalem. His teaching and actions have demonstrated the corruption of God’s chosen people, their rejection of Him, and His consequent invitation for all people to participate in His kingdom. In this, Jesus has been on the attack. He has placed the Jewish hierarchy on the defensive, and exposed them as excluded from the kingdom of God by their rejection of the Messiah. The door to God’s kingdom has now been opened to those who were on the outside.

This provoked the religious leaders who took up the offensive, and laid plans to arrest and kill Jesus. The plot to kill Him was implemented two days before Passover, and with a sense of urgency as they did not want it to take place during the celebration. The arrest and crucifixion of Jesus happened very quickly. It will take the High Priest and Sanhedrin Council a little over 36 hours to accomplish their deed.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said to Peter, James and John, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me” (Matthew 26:38). He then prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (26:39). His disciples failed to keep watch and slept while Jesus made the same request of His Father two more times. The soldiers came and arrested Him. During the course of that night till the early morning hours, Jesus endured six mock trials. The first was with Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest, then to Caiaphas, to Pilate, to Herod, back to Pilate, and finally to the people. As an act of good will at Passover, the Roman government allowed one criminal to go free, and the people were given a choice between Barabbas, a notorious killer and insurgent of the people, or Jesus. They chose Barabbas.

Jesus went willingly to the cross, but He did not waltz to it. He went in great anguish and sorrow, not only because of the horrendous brutality He knew lay ahead, but the far more significant and painful transaction of “him who had no sin to be sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21). At the ninth hour, He cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” - which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). We cannot fathom what Christ endured on the cross as God turned His face away. In His last breath, He said, “It is finished.” 

The Sanhedrin council is triumphant over an apparent victory, and has one weekend to enjoy their success.

Dear Lord, may I always be mindful of what You endured on the cross for me. Thank You, Lord, with all my heart.

What does the cross of Christ mean to me?

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” —ROMANS 1:20

All of creation reveals something about the Creator. When an artist paints a picture he normally does two things. He copies something and he expresses himself. If we were to look at an artwork of Picasso, we may quickly recognize it was a woman he painted, but will probably conclude he saw things quite differently than we would. His painting may tell us something about the woman, but it tells us more about Picasso himself.

When God created the universe, he did only one of those two things. He did not copy anything because there was nothing to copy. What He did was express Himself. When our lives are filled with Jesus Christ, we have a new appreciation of beauty, for behind the creation is the mind and heart of the Creator. We see God in the tranquility of an early morning sunrise, in the magnificence of a setting sun, and in the splendour of a starlit sky. We see God in the mountains, oceans, forests, flowers, birds, animals; all of nature becomes a glorious tribute to the unparalleled artistry of God.

We also see God in our circumstances. We need no longer fear events in our lives that would normally threaten us, because we see God in His sovereignty, working out His purpose in them. Nothing frightens God, and therefore, nothing need frighten us. When Christ lives in us, we see people through His eyes, and barriers of race, religion, status, wealth, power; every one is broken down, because God sheds His love abroad in our hearts, and we become one with Him in loving others. 

When we come to know Jesus, He changes our lives in immeasurable ways. Paul writes, “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” (Philippians 3:8). It is this single-minded disposition of coming to know Christ that is reflected in how we see creation, how we fare in our circumstances, and in how we treat others. As Paul says, “this one thing I do,” not the twenty things I dabble with, and everything else in our lives derives its place and its significance from this central spinal cord to which everything else is attached. The goal of the Christian life is attaching every aspect of our lives to Jesus Christ, so that as His creation, our lives reveal the Creator.

I am in awe of creation, Lord. Thank You for being the central cord of my life from which all else is attached, and allowing me the peace and joy of seeing everything through your eyes.

Am I relating everything in my life to Jesus Christ?

“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it will obey you.” —LUKE 17:5-6

It is wonderful to have the desire to be used by God, but many people are reluctant, because they think they don’t have enough faith. In Luke 17:5, the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith. Like the disciples, we have not understood the nature of faith if we’re allowing the little bit of faith we do have to prevent our willingness to be of service to God. 

We can’t have faith alone anymore than we can have love alone. Love has to have an object; a person, a dog, a car, and so it is with faith. Faith cannot exist other than in relationship to an object, and it is the object in which we place our faith that is the all-important factor. If we put our faith in thin ice and step onto it, in all probability, we’re going to sink by faith. If we put just a little faith in thick ice, and very nervously step onto it without sinking, it isn’t the quantity of our faith that held us up, but the thickness of the ice. In other words, the object in which we placed our faith was stronger than our faith.

The more we know the object of our faith, the more relaxed we become. Paul tells us in Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. That’s why it’s essential we get to know our Bibles, not as an instructional manual on how to live our lives, though it’s good for that, but far more importantly, that we come to know God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. 

The more we come to know the revelation God gives us of Himself, the more we trust Him and the less conscious we become of our faith. It begins when we first utilize that little bit of faith we do have, and earnestly seek Him. He will, in a way unique to each of us, reveal Himself, and keep doing so until we come to realize we have personally experienced God. As we grow and mature in our faith, we’re able to look back over past experiences, see how God has led us before, and know with certainty He is equally capable today and tomorrow. That’s why the most important thing in our lives is getting to know God more fully. The more we know Him, the more we trust Him, and our faith in God is no longer an issue, but an everyday disposition that comes naturally to us.

Dear Lord, thank you for working with the minimum faith I had, and flourishing it into many experiences of You. I pray that everyone take that first leap of faith.

How has my faith in Jesus Christ grown over the years?

“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing…. and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” —GENESIS 12:2-3

The Old Testament is primarily a documented history of the nation of Israel, which began with Abraham. It is the story of God getting the right people in the right place for the right purpose. Bringing these three components together has been the essence and fibre of God’s working amongst His people, in order to accomplish the end purpose, whereby all people of the world will be blessed. 

“Go to the land I will show you,” God said to Abram. He speaks of a place first, the land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey. Secondly, He talks about a people. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.” Thirdly, God talks about purpose. “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Like a three-legged stool, if one of the legs collapses, the stool will not stand. Much of the Old Testament is about keeping these three components together. The right people in the wrong place lose the right purpose. The right people intent on the right purpose, but in the wrong place, will also forfeit the blessing that would be theirs. 

Many of the Old Testament stories and truths foreshadow and illustrate New Testament doctrine. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. As all roads lead to Rome, so all Scripture leads to Christ, and finds its fulfillment - its ‘Yes’ in Him.

The great danger is that we can enjoy being the people of God, living out of His resources, but forget the purpose for which He has us here. Or we can be taken up with the purpose, but not live out of His resources, and be operating in the wrong place. Either way we won’t be producing fruit that will last. The right people today are those who are “in Christ”. Paul tells us, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29). He doesn’t speak of ‘seeds’, plural, but of one Seed who is Christ.

As Christians, we are the beneficiaries of the Abrahamic covenant, and where we are to live is not a geographical place, but in our spiritual union with Christ. The writer of Hebrews describes it as a land of rest in the sufficiency and strength of God. The purpose remains the same; that we might be a blessing to the world. As we rest in the sufficiency of Christ, our lives will overflow in blessing and benefit to the world around us.

Dear Lord, I ask that You put me in the right place with the right people, and make me a means of becoming a blessing to others. Thank You, Lord.

Have I found myself in a place I didn’t expect where God used me to be of benefit to others?

“The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” —PSALM 19:7

There are three avenues God has provided in which we can drive out folly and be guided in the way of wisdom. The home is the first environment. Proverbs 22:15 says, “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child…” We all come into this world with a foolish nature, but folly is natural to every child.

It is in the home that children learn to discuss and exchange ideas without having to become defensive. The fool has learned a defensive mentality, very likely at a young age, because he’s hardly been listened to in the home. What children have to say should be given our full attention and their ideas treated with dignity. It’s in the home a child also learns they can’t have everything they want, much less when they want it. “An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed in the end” (Proverbs 20:21). The more children get, the more they want, and if we’re giving into them, very little will be of meaningful value that lasts. 

The second way God provides a means of wisdom is through honest and trustworthy friends. “He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favour than he who has a flattering tongue” (Proverbs 28:23). Rebuke is never pleasant, but sometimes necessary, and the wise person listens to rebuke. Those who rebuke us with wisdom and love are better friends to us than those who flatter us. Proverbs 27:6 says, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Our friendships need to be strong enough to be on both the giving and receiving end of rebuke. 

Maybe we didn’t have a wholesome upbringing, nor have we made the wisest choice in our friends, but we have the most invaluable and essential gift of God as our heavenly Father. “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent His rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in” (Proverbs 3:11-12). Discipline is an expression of love, and God, our Father, does what good fathers do. He disciplines us, often through trials and hardships, and brings us back onto solid ground. 

We never become too old to respond to discipline, whether it’s from our families, friends or our Father in heaven. Everything good that exists has its source in Christ, and He is Himself wisdom. It’s as we allow Him freedom to work in our lives, He drives out the folly and imparts more and more of His wisdom.

Thank You, Lord, that You are the source of wisdom, and I pray for your wisdom to be implemented into my activities and interactions with others.

Do I ask close friends for advice, while trusting God to bring His wisdom into my circumstances? 

“Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” —PROVERBS 26:12

The book of Proverbs has a great deal to say about the way of a fool and the way of the wise. We meet the fool under different guises; ‘the fool’ and ‘the simple’; the simple being like the younger brother of the fool. Proverbs 14:18 says, “The simple inherit folly.” The third member, “the mocker”, is their cousin, and wisdom calls out to all three. “How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?” (Proverbs 1:22). 

The fool, as well as the wise, is not measured by intellectual capacity, but by attitude and disposition. A fool can be a very clever person, but without a change in attitude, will remain a fool. He has opinions about everything, but no pleasure in learning, only in displaying what he knows. Proverbs 18:2 says, “Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your ways.” A fool’s convictions are solidified by an unwillingness to adjust his opinion and retain an open mind toward the view of others. 

The natural result is that a fool is not open to learning and, consequently, not open to rebuke or discipline, because he’s convinced he’s always right. “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice” (Proverbs 12:15). What is sad about the fool is that the very thing that is evidence of his foolishness is what he thinks is evidence of his smartness; the fact that he knows everything. 

Two aspects usually characterize his behaviour. Proverbs 10:23 says, “A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.” We are all creative in our own way, but if it’s not constructively channeled, it becomes destructive and abusive. A fool’s creativity is distorted in that it finds pleasure in criticism and mockery. There are always people who will tell us what is wrong, but do nothing in the way of remedial action. Secondly, a fool cannot resist temptation. He lives in the present and wants everything now. There isn’t self-discipline or restraint, and he dives into pleasures without thinking of consequences.

In short, a fool merely indulges himself. On the other hand, a wise person is someone who knows he doesn’t know, and the more he learns, the more he discovers how much there is for him to learn. Proverbs 2:10 tells us, “For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” And Proverbs 2:6, “For the LORD gives wisdom…” Wisdom is a gift from God and it’s in humility we receive it.

Dear Lord, grant me an open mind to the views of others and a heart that listens. Thank You, Lord.

What changes do I need to make to reflect God’s gift of wisdom?

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” —ACTS 26:14

What did Jesus mean when He said to Saul, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads?” Goads are sharply pointed sticks or rods that were a common tool used in primitive societies for prodding and directing oxen. When Jesus said this, Saul was on his way to Damascus to round up and imprison believers in Christ. This new faith had drastically demeaned his expectations of the Messiah, and was not only highly offensive to centuries of Jewish faith, but to God, Himself. Saul fully believed he was on a mission that would please God.

Goads, of course, are painful to the oxen, but they’re used to prod them in the right direction. Jesus had brought Saul to the painful point of kicking against the goads. He had closed him in, causing something like scales to form on his eyes and for three days, Saul walked in darkness, but he walked in the right direction. When he arrived in Damascus, it was with Christ’s agenda, not his own. This marked the beginning of a life that would experience God. A fiercely driven arch enemy of the church, Saul became the great Apostle Paul; a crusader for Christ who would blaze a trail throughout the Mediterranean world, bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.

God has not promised us a life floating six inches off the ground. Sometimes we need a little goading and prodding, usually when we’ve strayed from God’s will. He’ll allow us to head into the deserts, storms and battle grounds, because it’s in them we acknowledge our failures and weaknesses, which God will then use to drive us back to dependence on Him. Any notion that we can get rid of them if we just believe God for that puts us in danger of forgetting who Jesus Christ really is, and what His work really is. We can turn Him into a super psychologist, physician or pain reliever, but then our lives tend to be all about us, and not about Him. Jesus is our Saviour first, but essential ingredients of the Christian life; love, trust, obedience and dependence are so often stimulated and maintained through trouble, not ease.

Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 12:11, “The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings are like firmly embedded nails - given by one Shepherd.” It’s the tough and trying times that will ultimately enrich us, as we experience more and more of God, Himself. The hard times, as well as the good, are the agents of the Good Shepherd, who is goading and nailing us into something we would never be if we just lived on the easy plain.

Dear Lord, I pray that I remain in your will, but if I slide off track, use whatever goading is required to bring me back to You. Thank You, Lord.

What difficult times have I experienced that has realigned me with God in a deeper way?

“Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked.” —NEHEMIAH 4:17-18

Since the Babylon invasion of Israel, the city of Jerusalem had been left in ruins for 140 years. Nehemiah travelled from Persia to Jerusalem so that the name of God may once again be seen and known in the city. In order to do this, he carries a God-given vision to rebuild the city walls of Jerusalem, but half way through, is faced with intense opposition that threatens their lives. Opposition to the work of God should not take us by surprise. Jesus promised it. The New Testament talks about it. History proves it. 

When Nehemiah faced opposition, he did three things. He first prayed to God. Prayer is very simple. It involves relating the situation to God, thanking Him for His presence, and essentially passing the buck to Him. The second thing Nehemiah did was to prevent the enemy from gaining a foothold. “From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor” (Nehemiah 4:16). There is always a two-fold explanation for the work of God. One is divine and the other human. We pray and we work; that’s the human side. Work and warfare, praying and preventing go hand in hand. We can’t quit one for another; they must go together.

The divine side is God initiating, and what He initiates, He empowers. That is seen right through Scripture. We are not here to initiate anything for God, but to discern the initiating mind of God, obey Him, and trust His empowering. God is always looking for those who spend time with Him and are willing to operate under His authority. Thirdly, Nehemiah and his workers pressed on. They took the enemy seriously and had defenses in place. “So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out at night” (Nehemiah 4:21). 

What do we do when faced with opposition? We listen to it, try to understand it, bring it to God in prayer and, if necessary, prepare to defend, but then move on with the bigger and better agenda of God’s work. And so it was with the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. The people worked with all their hearts. They had a mind to pray, an eye to watch and an ear to listen. All the surrounding nations were afraid, because they realized they were up against the great God of Israel. Their plot to destroy the wall and the workers was never acted upon and the task was completed in a mere 52 days. As Oswald J. Smith wrote, “The dogs may bark but the caravan moves on.”

Dear Lord, in the face of opposition to your work, may I always look to You, and trust your empowering. Thank You, Lord.

How would I respond to intense opposition to the work of God?

“‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked.” —JOHN 1:46

Over two thousand years ago, Nazareth was a small, isolated town where many outcasts, vagrants and thieves made their home. There weren’t any trade routes running through it, so it held no commercial value, and was virtually a community left on its own. Hidden away from the mainstream of society, it was the ideal place for the ‘unwanted’ to seek refuge. The reputation of Nazareth became one of such ill repute that when Philip told Nathanael he had found the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, Nathanael’s immediate response was, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” 

No one expected a prophet or priest, much less the Messiah, would come out of such a displaced arena. People were prejudiced against anything to do with Nazareth and sadly, prejudices are just as commonplace today. They are what hamper our progress and divert us from truth, sometimes with devastating results. Many people, the young in particular, have low self-esteem, because they’ve been habitually told they’ll never amount to anything, simply because of their dress or the music they like. There are stigmas attached to countless things, and people with great potential are quickly written off because they’re a little different. 

Can anything good come out of our prisons, out of a broken home, out of a debilitating illness? Can anything good come out of run down high schools, a disintegrating marriage or a terrible tragedy? Can anything good come out of suffering? C.S. Lewis wrote, “A miracle involves God reaching into life here on earth. When a miracle occurs, the barrier that separates heaven and earth is opened up and our natural world is touched by the supernatural power of God. The whole Christian Gospel is based on a miracle. Jesus was born, He lived, He died, He rose from the dead; He lives by His Holy Spirit within us. He is still alive within us and therefore miracles can still take place.”

God specializes in entering the lowliest of places. Whether these places are remote, forgotten little blots on the map or within our own hearts, we need to bring God into them. We are all equal in His sight and of incredible value. Being on the receiving end of prejudice is hurtful, and on the giving end, it’s harmful. Both need to be brought to Jesus. He is not a guest in our lives, but is ever-present and the source of what defines, determines and sustains us. When we bring Him in, He brings about good from the most hardened places.

Dear Lord Jesus, I want to see everyone through your eyes. Keep me from ever being prejudiced in any way, and enable me to be of support to those who are victims of it. Thank You, Lord.

Has any form of prejudice hampered my life, and if so, have I brought it to Jesus? 

“He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed – the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they are.” —ROMANS 4:17

Many people think they’re fighting a losing battle. They’ve tried every angle, every approach, but believe nothing short of a miracle will get them out. They may be right, but we have a God who gives life to the dead, and calls things that are not as though they are. Miracles are His department. 

The stories in Scripture are not given to us simply for our information, or even to increase our knowledge of how God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit work together. They are given to us so that we may apply the principle of how they work into our lives. As far as Scripture tells us, Abraham did not have dealings with God until he was in his seventies. God made a promise to him. “He took him outside and said, ‘Look up at the heavens and count the stars - if indeed you can count them. So shall your offspring be’.” (Genesis 15:5) 

At the time, Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was 65 years old and barren. She is described as being worn out, and Abraham, at 75, being as good as dead. Ten years passed, and they would have been even more dead and worn out, but Abraham believed God would work a miracle. After 25 years of ups and downs with God, their promised son, Isaac, was born. Romans 4:19-21 tells us of Abraham, “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead – since he was about a hundred years old – and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.” 

Situations that seem impossible to us are because we are looking at them from a human perspective. From God’s perspective, circumstances are not a problem, because there isn’t anything bigger than He is or equal to Him. Though a resolution may seem unattainable to us, God calls things that are not as though they are. He sees the big picture, and resolution is already in place for Him. 

Paul writes, “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it was said to him” (Romans 4:18). Abraham’s unwavering faith was in a God who calls things that are not yet as though they are. It’s that kind of faith and dependency upon God that allows us to live in any circumstance as though it’s already solved, because we know we have a God who is working out His divine purpose in it.

Dear Lord, keep me in a strong, enduring faith, and in difficult times, always mindful that You are working out your purpose in them. Thank You, Lord.

How has God worked out His purpose for me in a difficult situation?

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?” —1 SAMUEL 15:22

The above verse is the Prophet Samuel’s response to King Saul after Saul had disobeyed the Lord’s instructions. He was to totally destroy the Amalekites and everything that belonged to them, including all herds and animals. Saul did this, but saved the Amalekite King and the best of their animals. He reasoned to Samuel, “But I did obey the LORD. I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king” (1 Samuel 15:20). Though Saul could have reigned as king, this was the beginning of the end for him. 

Generally speaking, Saul did what God had told him to do, but with exceptions. This is where many of us make the same mistake. We know what God’s commandments are, and how He wants us to live, but there are certain things that we say are too good or too valuable for us to destroy, so we keep them alive. It’s amazing how we can rationalize this ‘selective disobedience’, and come up with what we think is a compromise agreeable to God. If we engage in the smaller areas of disobedience, such as a little pilfering at work or discourtesy on the road, we are very subtly creating barriers that detach us from God. This is clearly evidenced in verse 21 where Saul said to Samuel, “…in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God…” God had chosen Saul, anointed and empowered him, but now it was “your God”, and not “our God”. He had already become detached from God.

We cannot reprieve what God has condemned, nor can we compromise, bargain or negotiate our obedience to God. If we do, we can be absolutely sure what we keep alive will have a future that comes back to haunt us. In Saul’s case, at the battle of Gilboa, he tried to kill himself with his sword, but ironically, it was an Amalekite who had brought a swift end to his life.

We cannot exercise any veto over the will of God without endangering our walk with Him. If we engage in selective disobedience in the smaller areas, we can be sure it will spill over into the larger areas. We have to be merciless toward sin and self-indulgence if we really mean business with God. That’s why we have to deal with our sin, but we’re not on our own in this. We bring it to the foot of the cross, confess it, and ask for the Lord’s help in removing anything in our lives that is contrary to His will. 

Dear Heavenly Father, I ask for your strength in overcoming the little areas of disobedience I find difficult to let go of. Thank You, Lord.

Am I being true to God or am I being selectively disobedient? 

“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” —LUKE 24:49

The second reason we have grounds for confidence in the Bible and for taking the Gospel into the world is the testimony of the Holy Spirit. We need the Word of God in our hands and the Spirit of God in our hearts. We should never attempt any work of God without knowing we have the Holy Spirit enabling and directing us.

There are two aspects of Jesus’ instructions in telling His disciples to stay in the city and wait. There is the historic necessity of waiting for the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all people, and there is also the principle of waiting for the timing of the Holy Spirit as He leads us into the work He is going to do. On the Day of Pentecost, Jewish people came to Jerusalem from all over the Mediterranean world to celebrate. Acts, Chapter 2 lists 60 nationalities present and everyone heard the remarkable works of God in their own language. No doubt, among the 3,000 converted that day, many went back to their homelands with the Gospel on their lips, because the Holy Spirit dwelled in their hearts.

We don’t need to ask God to pour out the Holy Spirit anymore, because He has been poured out once and for all. What we need is to relate to Him in such a way that He will not only indwell us on the basis of our repentance and faith, but also fill us as He lives in us day by day. It is important that we work with the Holy Spirit in His timing, which is very often different from ours. We may think it would have been a good time for a fresh start with the coming of the Messiah after the great flood or when the Israelites arrived in Canaan, but God has His agenda in place. 

We don’t always know what God is doing, but we need to be sensitive to the timing of the Holy Spirit. He is the architect of our witness and the power behind it. Some of us have been praying for years for people in our families. Give God His time. Be patient and know that He is far more concerned about that person than we are. We can’t be halfway out the door and say, “Are You coming, God?” Live everyday grounded in His Word, and trust the timing of His Holy Spirit.

Thank You, God, for faithfully giving the gift of your Holy Spirit to anyone who calls on your name. I pray that He will indwell me richly and deepen our relationship. 

Am I waiting upon the Holy Spirit or rushing into my own agendas?

“He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms’.” —LUKE 24:44

If our faith is based only on our experiences of God, we will have plenty of good reason to doubt, because our experiences will not always be what we expect. When a Christian walks out of a car accident unscathed, he thanks God for protecting him, but an unbeliever says, “Phew! I was lucky!” Which is the right perspective and how do we know?

There are two things Jesus talks about after His resurrection that are vital to the conviction of our faith and the truth of Christianity. There is the testimony of Scripture, as discussed here, and the testimony of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples that everything must be fulfilled that is written about Him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. He then opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Jesus presents a crucial reason why they should believe in Him. To paraphrase, “What you have seen and visually bear witness to is not the grounds on which you are going to believe, but rather you believe on the grounds that this goes back to Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 

Many people might say, “But I’ve had great experiences of Jesus”, and others will say the same of Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism, but this is Jesus saying the grounds of our confidence are not simply in what we’ve experienced, but in the prophecies of Old Testament Scripture in which His birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension and exaltation are recorded. Some of them were written up to 800 years before He was born. As every one of about 333 prophecies came to fruition exactly as foretold, our confidence must be in the fact that the Word of God has shown itself to be true.

There are wonderful times when we sense and experience God at work in our lives, but there are also times we walk in the dark. What do we do then? We place our trust in the truthfulness of Jesus, the Gospel and the authority of Scripture. In Luke 24:48, Jesus said to His disciples, “You are witnesses of these things.” But in this context, He is also saying, “You are witnesses to the truth of Scripture.” The disciples waited to be clothed with power from on high, but their confidence and security was based on the witness of Scripture. We must know what Scripture says, believe it, trust it and live day-to-day with that conviction and joy, which comes from the Holy Spirit. Though personal experiences will influence us, our faith in Jesus Christ should not be founded on subjective criterion, but on objective fact.

Dear Father, I am incredibly grateful for the Scriptures. They nourish and strengthen my faith, and bring me increasingly closer to You. Thank You, God.

Do I credit my faith more to the truths of Scripture or personal experience? 

“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.” —HEBREWS 4:1

It is possible to be reconciled to God, but left with a Christian life that doesn’t work. The resources we have appear no different than our unbelieving neighbors, and the promises of God just don’t seem to come to fruition. This is the way it was with the Hebrew people. 

After 400 years of captivity in Egypt, the Israelites had witnessed the many miracles of God, which secured their release from Pharaoh, in order that God would bring them back to Canaan where He intended they should prosper. But safely on the other side of the Red Sea, they are now a free people, and instead of looking to God being equally capable of bringing them into Canaan, they look to themselves. 

They sent out twelve spies, one from each tribe, to survey the land of Canaan. Ten of the twelve reported back that though the land was rich and fertile, there were powerful, fortified cities which would be impossible to overtake. It was only Joshua and Caleb who thought none of that mattered, because they believed God’s promise of giving them the land. They took a vote, 10 to 2 in favour of turning back, and for 38 more years the Israelites wandered the desert. Every one of their fighting men over the age of 20 had died except for Joshua and Caleb, the only two to eventually enter Canaan.

During those 40 years of circling the desert, the Israelites were bogged down with a Gospel that didn’t work. Why? Hebrews 4:2 tells us, “For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them because those who heard did not combine it with faith.” Hearing the word of God isn’t enough. Truth, in itself, won’t do very much for us. It may provide us with information, but does not provide us with transformation. What turns information into transformation and truth into life is combining the truths we know of God with faith in God. 

More than two thousand years later, the writer of Hebrews looks back upon the Israelites, and warns us to be very careful we don’t have a Gospel that merely reconciles us to God, but that we live with faith in God’s involvement in our everyday lives. This is entering the “rest of God”, whereby we rest in His sufficiency, His strength and His presence. But entering God’s rest isn’t lying on a deck chair somewhere. It’s being like Joshua and Caleb, who in obedience to God, stepped out in faith, and entered the Promised Land.

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that I always combine my faith in You with my everyday responsibilities, and thereby enter into your rest. Thank You, Lord. 

Am I experiencing God’s rest through my faith in Him? 

“As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ “—MARK 10:17

In Mark, Chapter 10, we are given the story of a rich, young ruler who wanted to keep his wealth and power forever. When he heard there was a preacher in the area who could give eternal life, he sought him out, and asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus began citing the commandments, but impatient to receive the one thing he didn’t have, the man interrupted, “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy” (Mark 10:20).

That may or may not have been true, but Jesus cut right to the quick. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Mark 10:21). This was, in fact, a good question the man was asking, so that leads us to wonder why did Jesus make an issue of his wealth? Is it wrong to be rich? No, it isn’t, but Jesus looked upon the heart, and knew this man’s motives. In Luke 16:13, He said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” 

Fundamental to our understanding of the Christian life must be the recognition that when we come into relationship with Jesus Christ, we are coming into relationship with a master and king. Kings only have subjects; they don’t have peers. In effect, what Jesus was saying to this rich, young ruler was, “You have a problem. You already have a master. Get rid of that one, then come and follow me.” But the man’s interest was only for himself. Because he had great wealth, he went away sad.

Being the recipient of eternal life is not something we receive when we die, but begins the moment we submit to Christ. Our lives are then brought under new management, but Jesus doesn’t twist our arm. Under His lordship involves letting go of worrying about money, and building protections around it. That doesn’t mean we give all we have away to the poor, but that we allow Jesus to direct us in being good stewards of all He has given us. If we hoard what we have and live to accumulate more, we’re amassing wealth that isn’t secure, doesn’t last and only gives us more to worry about. All we have is on trust from God. Even the wealthiest leave this earth empty-handed. Our real treasure is found in sharing generously with those in need, and that stores up for us eternal treasures in heaven.

Thank you, Lord, for the many blessings I have received from You. Help me to be a good steward of all I have, and share generously with those in need.

Am I sharing what I have with those in need?

“He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority’.” —ACTS 1:7

For events in the history of the human race, God has His calendar in place. There are times and dates He has set that have not yet come into being, and one of the most analyzed and debated of all is the return of Christ and the end of this age. These are set by God’s authority, and Jesus tells us explicitly, “It is not for us to know.”
 
At the time of Jesus’ ascension, the disciples were looking up to heaven, and suddenly two men, dressed in white, appeared beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). This is a glorious certainty. Jesus Christ is coming back. He said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13:32).

Despite the fact that Jesus is telling us it isn’t our business to know when He will return, there is incredible curiosity among Christians about the time and date. For some, it has become an unhealthy obsession. They’re continually dissecting and analyzing sequences of events, applying mathematical formulas and some have even devoted their ministry to becoming experts on reading “the signs of the times”. 

We can walk into any Christian book store today and see how it’s become big business. If there’s a blip in the Middle East, the prophecy gurus find some way of fitting it into an end-times scenario. There are countless newspaper and magazine articles; tabloid covers, movies, novels and many documentaries with sensational predictions, some with unrestrained confidence concerning the end of this age. It’s utter nonsense and a waste of time.

Paul tells us, “You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2). And Jesus said, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Luke 12:40). Our expectation of Christ’s return is vital, but any prediction, speculation or proclamation, especially that which leads others to believe when He’s coming, is not only wrong, but forbidden. It’s like climbing the Tower of Babel and foolishly trying to take from God what belongs to Him. All expectations are going to meet with a crashing blow. “No one knows,” says Jesus, and God will keep it that way. What is in our best interest is to live everyday as though He were coming today.

Dear Heavenly Father, I long for the day that every knee will bow and tongue confess that You are Lord, and so I long for your return… but in your timing, Lord, as none other will do. 

How would I respond to someone predicting a time of Christ’s return?

“I am the way and the truth and the life.” —JOHN 14:6

The Bible is not simply a book of chapters and verses, but has a narrative that runs all the way through, and tells a story which involves us all. It’s the story of creation, of humanity’s separation from God, humanity’s reconciliation to God, and of life that goes beyond this age as we know it. From beginning to end, Scripture centers on Jesus Christ. 

John 1:1-4 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.” Jesus Christ is not only the Creator, but Sustainer of the universe and all life within it. He came to earth, clothed in humanity, so that by His work on the cross and His resurrection, we may know the one truth that will reconcile us to God and set us free. 

Jesus Christ is not simply the teacher of truth, but is the embodiment of truth. Everything that derives from the truth, He preaches, and the truth His word reveals is embodied in Him. The goal of the Christian life is to be Christ-like, but with new waves and new winds continually blowing in, we need to make sure that what is being demonstrated and taught is Christ-like. Every manifestation of the Holy Spirit will contribute to Christ-likeness, and be consistent with biblical doctrine. 

That which is true always moves us closer to Christ and Christ-likeness. Is what we’re being taught consistent with His nature, His goodness, kindness and love? Is it consistent with Scripture and does it ring true in our hearts? In order to know what is true, it is essential we spend time not only listening to expositions of the Bible, but reading the Bible, studying it, and meditating on it. 

David writes, “I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees” (Psalm 119:48). In verse 105, he says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Our knowledge of God comes through the Word of God, and is not simply a set of doctrines and propositional statements, but becomes experiential as we allow the Holy Spirit to interpret and bring alive the truths of Scripture into our hearts. Christ is the Truth, and the goal of the Christian life is that we know Him and go on knowing Him.

Dear Lord Jesus, I pray for a deeper work of your Spirit in conforming me to your likeness. You are the Truth that sets me free, and I thank You, Lord.

How has my knowledge of Christ increased since I first became a Christian?

“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” —EPHESIANS 4:14

Throughout its history, the church has had to contend with many false teachings, and Scripture warns us about this. Countless people are deceived, especially in the popular materialist doctrines that include prosperity and physical well-being, which may be partially true, but is not the message of the Gospel.

Why are many blown around so easily? Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:12-13 that we need to reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, so there are two reasons – we do not know the faith and we do not know Christ in the way we need to know Him. ‘Faith’ is active trust in the Lord Jesus, and the term, ‘the faith’, is used in the New Testament of the body of Christian doctrine that constitutes the essentials we need to believe and live by. It concerns the nature of God and humanity; why it is humanity and God are separated, and the means whereby humanity is reconciled to God. These are essentials which are often deviated from, which is largely because we live in a world that operates outside of the truths of Christian doctrine. Consequently, huge barriers are set up between Christians and the world we want to reach. 

The two biggest barriers we face today are doctrinal and ethical. The doctrinal one is the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). This is an exclusive statement Jesus makes of Himself, which closes the door to every other avenue of salvation. Ethically, the barriers are primarily in the area of sexuality, in which today’s culture is drastically alien to Scripture. An issue can be so fixed in society that we try to find a way around it by taking passages out of context, which construes the meaning in order to back up the issue. It is basically treating the word of God like play dough, and reshaping it to fit the norm in society today. 

We live at the end of twenty centuries of Bible study, debate and discussion, and we must connect our roots with those that go deep. Billy Graham was once told that his style of evangelism had put the church back 50 years. His response was they had failed then, because their goal was to put the church back 2,000 years, right to its roots. The best antidote to error and deception isn’t in getting to knowing them all, but in knowing the truth, and then, says Paul, we will not be blown away by every wind of teaching.

Dear Lord, help me to stand rock solid in your word, and to know and understand it, so that I am not blown away by other ‘winds of teaching’. Thank You, Lord.

Am I spending quiet time reading and meditating on the word of God? 

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” —EPHESIANS 4:15

Christ has gifted His church with evangelists, pastors and teachers to prepare God’s people for works of service. Paul then tells us, “So that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13). 

It’s when we engage in works of service we become built up, and with other believers, reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of Christ. If we’re not involved in works of service, we are missing a fundamental aspect of Christian living in that the outflow of our love for Christ is expressed in benefit to others. There are many ways to serve God, but if we deliberately lack an outlet in which to do so our Christian lives will stagnate. 

Paul says in Ephesians 4:16, “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its works.” This is every member of the church of Jesus Christ pictured as a ligament, working together with Christ as the Head. Paul speaks more about this in 1 Corinthians 12:21 where he says the eye cannot say to the ear, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the foot, “I don’t need you!” Every part is essential, regardless of how insignificant we think it to be. In fact, Paul makes a point of saying that the parts which seem to be weaker are indispensable, and should be treated with special honor. Those on the open platforms of Christianity are dependent on many ‘behind the scenes’ people, and God gives greater honor to the less recognized.

As Christians, we all have a role to play in the body of Christ, and no one stands alone. 1 Timothy 3:15 speaks of the church as ‘God’s household’. It’s described as “the church of the Living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” Coming together as believers, we come united in the Spirit of the Living God, and speaking the truth in love, “we grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ”. This is where we mature, and attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. We are His agents on earth, and it’s working together that will make for a fruitful church.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the incredible gift of your church. I pray for everyone to become a part of it, and for continued blessings on the work of your people.

How do I think contributing to the work of my church would affect my spiritual growth?

“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers...”—EPHESIANS 4:11

In Buenos Aires, a number of years ago, a pastor named, Juan Carlos Ortiz, made a challenging and intriguing observation about his church. He started with a congregation of about 300 people, and in the course of about 18 months, the church had grown to over a thousand. But one day, while contemplating the growth of the church, Juan realized they weren’t actually growing at all, but were simply getting fat. That leads us to wonder what is a healthy church and how does it come about? 

Scripture teaches a great deal about our personal relationship with God, but we must also understand what it has to say about the corporate nature of our relationship with God. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians fully addresses what the church is and how it functions. The first stage he writes about is Christ giving some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, pastors and teachers.

The reason why Christ has gifted His church in this way is “to prepare God’s people for works of service” (Ephesians 4:12). The New Testament model of the church is not like a pyramid with the minister or pastor positioned on top, but rather, he is positioned like a coach, training, equipping and motivating his team. When it comes to the game, he sits on the sidelines while the players do their work. 

A good example is a church in Connecticut that listed its service times on a billboard, and underneath, it read: “Ministers: All the Congregation”. That is a very biblical understanding of the church, in that pastoral ministry is there to direct, encourage and prepare people for works of service. In Ephesians 2:10, Paul says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Those in teaching or leadership roles are there to expound the word of God in dependence upon the Holy Spirit so that people are moved more fully onto God’s agenda and get excited by it. 

We cannot separate the individual from the corporate, because both are weakened without the other. It is together we reach unity in the faith, not just academically, but as well instructed people, knowing what we believe and why. God has gifted each of us in unique ways so that we may work interdependently, enriching and encouraging one another. If we’re going to be an effective and fruitful church, it isn’t the size of the congregation that matters, but that others are motivated to become disciples, going into their homes, workplaces, communities and even abroad to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others.

Thank You, Lord, for the way You have gifted your church, and I pray that your Holy Spirit richly enables and directs us all, especially those in leadership roles.

In what ways does attending church deepen my relationship with God?

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”—COLOSSIANS 3:20

The above verse would be a great one to stick on the walls of our kids’ rooms, wouldn’t it? “Children, obey your parents in everything.” The most that would probably do is prompt a chuckle or two, but as parents, the onus is on us to teach our children obedience.

There are three basic reasons why learning to obey is crucial. Firstly, the main goal of obedience is to instill self-control, which, in turn, develops self-esteem. Children need structure, routine, direction and discipline. Every family has its own dynamics in this area, but the principle is simple in that children need boundaries – boundaries that are clearly defined, reasonable and enforceable. Children need to know what is allowed and what isn’t, and it’s within these boundaries they find security. They will test them, of course, and when they step out of them, there needs to be appropriate consequences. Teaching obedience is indispensable to our children becoming young adults who are self-controlled and behave with integrity. 

Secondly, learning to obey develops our children’s lives personally as well as socially. It’s in a loving home they learn that life is not all about them, but about sharing and caring for others. Children can be rebellious, especially young teens, but we need to be a step ahead in teaching them obedience while they are young. One of the worst things we can do is to give them everything they want as that creates a sense of entitlement, which can be very damaging as they grow older. Obedience in our children prepares them for becoming conscientious people in the work force, in rearing their own children and in enjoying lasting relationships. 

Thirdly, and of utmost importance, teaching our children obedience will develop their spiritual lives. When the time is right it will be easier for them to bring their lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Proverbs 14:26 says, “He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress and for his children it will be a refuge.” We have a sovereign God who loves us, and our children need to learn to place their hope in Him. It’s in relationship with Christ they discover life-long security and a peace and strength that will sustain them through any circumstance.

Parents want their children to be happy. Happiness, however, is one of those things that if we chase after it, it always seems to elude us. In the Christian life, holiness is the goal and happiness the consequence. It is out of love, we teach our children obedience, and that is a profound step towards happiness.

Dear Lord, grant me the patience and discipline to teach my children obedience, but most of all, that your Holy Spirit draws them into relationship with You. Thank You, Lord.

How important do I think teaching obedience is in raising a child?