DEVOTIOIN - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2011

DEVOTION – SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2011

“It starts in the heart”

BY

PASTOR BOB COY

He said… “There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.” Mark 7:14-15 (NKJV)

Jesus was the Master Teacher. He was able to take the events that took place in the normal course of life and leverage them for the sake of sharing an important truth. We get a classic example of this skill after His exchange with the Pharisees.

Keep in mind what had just happened. The Pharisees were bothered by the fact that Christ’s disciples weren’t observing the rituals and traditions of hand washing before they ate. There was a preoccupation with what was and wasn’t happening externally. Now, after the Pharisees left, Jesus taught the crowd of followers an important lesson.

He made a definitive statement that a person’s real problem isn’t what’s going on outside of them, such as the way they wash or the kind of food they eat. Rather, the real issue is what’s going on inside a person, and He got very specific:

From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness… these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Mark 7:21-23 (NKJV)

Mankind’s real problem isn’t external but internal. It’s our corrupted heart that’s the launching pad for everything that goes against God’s will for our lives. Evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder, theft, coveting, pride—you name it—whatever we can do that’s really wrong…it all starts in the heart. And therefore, it is the heart that deserves our attention.

When we have this perspective, when we see the heart as the real issue, it has a way of clarifying our perspective. We don’t major on minors, as the Pharisees had become famous for doing. Instead we identify what matters most, which enables us to accurately assist others and address our own faults.

DEVOTION - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

DEVOTION – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

“Women of Faith”

FROM

THE BAPTIST BIBLE HOUR

Ruth said,”……. Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God”     Ruth 1:16

Although this passage is perhaps most well-known for its use in weddings—and appropriately so, since Ruth is following through on her commitment to her deceased husband’s family—it actually has even greater implications than family fealty or devotion.

Ruth is making an exclusive commitment, not only to her mother-in-law, but to the God of Israel. Ruth is stating that, although she grew up in an idolatrous and multi-theistic society, she will not have only the one true God as her God. She is leaving behind all sentimental or superstitious attachments and clinging to God as the single object of her devotion and worship.

What about you? Is God your God, or are your affections and attention still splintered in a thousand different directions, by every unchecked appetite, by the attraction of multifarious luxuries, by the fear of what others will think? Have you made a hard and fast commitment to God?

May you be emboldened by Ruth’s courageous example to tell your friends, co-workers, and family members not even to try to dissuade you from the decision you have made, the course that you have set for following hard after God.

DEVOTION - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2011

DEVOTION – THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2011

“A WINNING WALK”

BY

DR ED YOUNG

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. - 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

Change and personal improvement are bywords of our day. Laws and rules are methods some try to produce transformation. But in Jesus Christ, change is guaranteed to occur. It’s the difference between a rowboat and a sailboat. A person can row until the last trumpet sounds, and not get to Heaven. But all the sailboat has to do is ride the wind. The wind, spiritually, is the Spirit of God, given by Jesus Christ. Let His wind fill your sails, and when the last trumpet sounds it will herald not only His coming, but your homecoming.

DEVOTION -WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

DEVOTION – WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011

“A Certain Future

BY

GREG LAURIE

So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. —Colossians 2: 10

After crossing the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and His disciples arrived in the region of the Gadarenes, where He was met by two pathetic, demented men who had come completely under the power of the devil.

In Luke’s account of this story, he zeroes in on one of these men in particular, probably because he was the more extreme of the two. In fact, in Luke 8:27, he writes that this man didn’t wear clothes and lived among the tombs. In addition, we know he would beat and bruise himself, as well as cut himself with sharp rocks. An attempt had been made to chain him up, but with superhuman strength, he was able to break the chains.

When these two men came face to face with Jesus, the demons in them asked, “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?” (Matthew 8:29). This tells us that the devil and his demons know that a day of judgment is coming. Of course, the devil is in rebellion against God, so his agenda is different than ours. He wants to wreak as much havoc as he can until Jesus comes back again.

If we believe that Jesus Christ is coming back again, it should cause us to want to live godly lives, to stay as close to Him as we can, and to try and reach others for Him.

But the devil wants to stop us from reaching our world. He might whisper, “Well, God would never use you! You are just a sinner! You are a failure!” So the next time the devil reminds you of your past, just remind him of his future. He will get his due and will face judgment from God—and he knows it.

DEVOTION -TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011

DEVOTION – TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011

“Follow-through!”

By

Pastor BOB COY

He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. John 19:30 (NKJV)

Have you ever hired someone to do some work for you, only to realize later on that they never really completed the task you paid them to do? Or have you ever learned that a friend who promised to help you failed to follow through? It can be very frustrating!

Follow-through is a precious commodity in this day and age. If someone sticks to doing what he said he would do, it stands out in stark contrast to the way our world operates. Broken promises, half-completed projects, guarantees with an asterisk next to them…these are the things that we’ve come to anticipate and expect in life.

Then there’s Jesus, who kept every promise He ever made and always finished what He set out to do. He was a man of follow-through, and there’s no greater or more graphic example of this than the words He uttered on the Cross: “It is finished!”

“What’s finished?” The act of serving as our sin sacrifice. Jesus declared that He had come to save the lost, and this was never fully accomplished until He poured out His life for our sake on the Cross. Anything short of that would have left His mission undone. But He was faithful to see His mission through to the very end, and we’re saved as a result of that follow-through.

How humbling! That kind of follow-through isn’t just in short supply in our society, it’s in short supply in our own lives, as well. But if we’re truly committed to being like Jesus, then we’re going to grow in this area. We’re going to see the value in backing our words with our works, and we’ll have a reputation of finishing well.

If follow-through is lacking in your life, ask the Lord to help you grow in this area…then trust that He will, because He’s always faithful to follow through!

DEVOTION - MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2011

DEVOTION – MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2011

“What Christmas Is About”

BY

GREG LAURIE

Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. —Isaiah 9:7

As we look at our world today, we realize that part of the promise of Isaiah 9:6–7 has not yet been fulfilled. The Son has been given. The Child has been born. But He has not yet taken the government upon His shoulders. We do not yet have peace with judgment and justice. But the good news is that there will come a day when Christ will return. He will establish His kingdom on this earth. And it will be the righteous rule of God himself.

Before Jesus could take the government upon His shoulder, He had to take the cross upon His shoulder. Before He could wear the crown of glory as King of Kings, He had to wear the shameful crown of thorns and give His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. The first time, a star marked His arrival. But the next time He comes, the heavens will roll back like a scroll, all of the stars will fall from the sky, and He himself will light it.

Christ came to this earth. God came near to you so you can come near to Him—to give your life purpose and meaning, to forgive you of your sins, and to give you the hope of heaven beyond the grave. Christmas is not about tinsel or shopping or presents. Christmas is not about the gifts under the tree. Rather, Christmas is about the gift that was given on the tree when Christ died there for our sins and gave us the gift of eternal life.

DEVOTION - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

DEVOTION – SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011

“Where Satan Will Attack Second”

BY

BAYLESS CONLEY

Yesterday we saw the first area the devil will attack when you are on the verge of a breakthrough or in a time of important transition. Today, I want to show you the second area, the area of pride.

We pick up the drama of Satan's attack of Christ in Matthew 4:6,

"If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"

I believe the devil was appealing to Jesus' pride at this point. He realized Jesus was solid in His own heart about who He was and what He was to do.

So the devil took Him to the most public of all places, and told Him, "Now, hey, You need to prove this to everybody else. If You cast Yourself down, You will have a soft landing because the angels will catch You, and everyone will know that You're the Son of God."

Pride will cause us to do things recklessly, and Satan was doing all he could to get Jesus to act recklessly. But Jesus answered perfectly, "You shall not tempt the LORD your God."

By the way, the verse Satan quoted to Jesus about the angels catching Him had an ending, which he failed to include. It says, "To keep you in all your ways." The Amplified Bible says, "In all your ways of obedience and service."

In other words, you can't do some reckless thing to prove a point to other people and expect God to save you. Don't let your pride get you out on a limb. Instead, resist Satan's attack in the area of pride. Realize it for what it is; it's his temptation to get you to fall!

If you are secure in who you are, you don't have to prove anything to anyone.

DEVOTION - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

DEVOTION – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011

“But He Made Himself of No Reputation”

BY

ADRIAN ROGERS

“But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” Philippians 2:7

Jesus came in a manger for you and for me. He willingly left the glories and riches of heaven to be born in a stable.

Jesus became poor so that we might become rich. He lived a life of such abject poverty that when He had to pay taxes, He had to look for a coin in a fish’s mouth. When He sent out His disciples, He told them to take nothing but a staff and the power of the Holy Spirit (Mark 6:7-9). He was put to death like a common criminal so that we could wear a royal robe!

Child of God, you are rich! I am rich! Praise God!

Read Philippians 2:6-11 with your family or friends today as a Christmas devotional. Spend time praising God for His Son, Jesus.

DEVOTION - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2011

DEVOTION – THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2011

“In His Hands”

BY

PASTOR BOB COY

You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Genesis 50:20 (NKJV)

God is a great redeemer. In His hands, bad is transformed into good.

Just look at the life of Joseph. As the obvious favorite of his father, his older brothers plotted to get rid of him by selling him into slavery to caravan of traders heading to Egypt.

Things only seemed to get worse. Joseph was sold to a man named Potiphar, whose wife tried to seduce Joseph. When he resisted her advances, she accused him of attacking her. Joseph was sent to prison, where he remained in chains.

At this point, doesn’t the crime that Joseph’s brothers committed against him appear purely wicked, evil, and bad?

But the story doesn’t end there. As it turns out, Joseph interprets a dream for a fellow prisoner, who eventually brings Joseph’s ability to the attention of Pharaoh, who had a disturbing dream of his own. Joseph interprets the Pharaoh’s dream, and is promoted to second in command over Egypt. And because of his powerful position, Joseph is eventually able to save his family (including his brothers) from a life-threatening famine.

DEVOTION - TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2011

DEVOTION – TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2011

“WINNING WALK”

BY

ED YOUNG

"I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" - John 11:25-26

In Greek, bios refers often in the Bible to structural life, existence in space and time. It is temporary. Zoe frequently expresses the God-quality of life, eternal and pure. Bios is finite—limited. Zoe is infinite—unbounded by space and time. Our bios structures are intended as the temple of God, for His indwelling Zoe, through His Spirit. Prior to receiving Christ, the temple is empty. When we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells us, making us alive with His Zoe. Yet our bodies are still bios structures, and will decline and die. Someday we will have a new body, perfectly aligned with the Zoe that is our very life.

DEVOTION - MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2011

DEVOTION – MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2011

“Heart – rending”

BY

ALISTAIR BEGG

Joel 2:13

The tearing of garments and other outward signs of religious emotion are easily displayed and are frequently hypocritical; but to feel true repentance is far more difficult, and consequently far less common. Men will pay attention to the most minute ceremonial regulations-for those things are pleasing to the flesh. But true faith is too humbling, too heart-searching, too thorough for the tastes of people of the flesh; they prefer something more ostentatious, flimsy, and worldly.

Outward observances are temporarily comfortable; eye and ear are pleased; self-conceit is fed, and self-righteousness is puffed up: But they are ultimately delusive, for in the face of death, and at the day of judgment, the soul needs something more substantial than ceremonies and rituals to lean upon. Apart from vital godliness all religion is utterly vain; offered without a sincere heart, every form of worship is a solemn sham and an impudent mockery of the majesty of heaven.

Heart-rending is divinely worked and solemnly felt. It is a secret grief that is personally experienced, not in mere form, but as a deep, soul-moving work of the Holy Spirit upon the inmost heart of each believer. It is not a matter to be merely talked about and believed in, but keenly and sensitively felt in every living child of the living God. It is powerfully humiliating and completely sin-purging, but it is also sweet preparation for the gracious consolations that proud, unhumbled spirits are unable to receive; and it is distinctly discriminating, for it belongs to the elect of God, and to them alone.

The text commands us to rend our hearts, but they are naturally as hard as marble: How, then, can this be done? We must take them to Calvary: A dying Savior's voice rent the rocks once, and it is as powerful now. O blessed Spirit, let us hear the death-cries of Jesus, and our hearts shall be rent even as men tear their garments in the day of lamentation.

DEVOTION - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2011

DEVOTION – SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2011

“True Seekers”

BY

GREG LAURIE

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”—Matthew 2:1–2

The story of Christ’s birth is one of the Bible’s most famous and loved stories, probably one that most people who are not even familiar with Scripture have heard at one time or another. And certainly a story we hear repeated every Christmas is the account of the wise men being led by the star to the place where the King was to be born.

Matthew’s Gospel tells us these wise men came from the East (see Matthew 2:1). Skilled in astronomy and astrology, these men were highly revered and respected in their culture and were especially noted for their ability to interpret dreams.

Because of their knowledge of science, mathematics, history, and the occult, their religious and political influence grew until they became the most prominent and powerful group of advisors in the Medo-Persian and Babylonian empires. More than just soothsayers and magicians, they were dignitaries. And though they weren’t kings, they were men of tremendous importance.

But even with all their knowledge, these wise men still had not found the answers they had been looking for in life. You might say they were seekers. We know they were true seekers, because God revealed himself to them in a special way when the star led them to the place where they could find Jesus: “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” (Matthew 2:10). Then they offered Him their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

God tells us in Jeremiah 29:13, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” If you are also a true seeker, if you want to know the true God, then He will reveal himself to you too.

Summary sentence: Are you a true and sincere seeker of truth?

DEVOTION - FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2011

DEVOTION – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2011

“Living as an Offering”

BY

PETE BRISCOE

“A vision of the possibilities… should never overshadow the clear biblical principle that when we are weak then we really are strong because God's power is allowed full expression in our weakness.” —David Bryant

We've been investigating the question, "How do I live in holiness?" That's a heavy-sounding question, and it seems like the answer is going to be loaded with a bunch of religious do-it-yourself pressure. But the answer that Paul gives has none of that:

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him… In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. …offeryourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. —Romans 6:8,11,13 (emphasis mine)

That's pretty straightforward! If we want to live holy lives, we actually step into what Christ has already done and then lay ourselves before Him to be used in any way that He sees fit.

· Believe that you live with Him.

· Count yourself dead to sin.

· Offer yourself to God as His instrument of righteousness.

What is your struggle today? What tasks are you facing? What temptations are clawing at you? Where do you feel inadequate for the challenges in front of you? Surrender and offer your body to Him!

Dear God, I don’t want to function in my own strength. I lay myself in Your hands to be used as an instrument of righteousness. I give You my mind, that I might think Your thoughts. I give You my heart, that I might love as You love. I give You my hands, that I might serve as You serve. I give You my lips and my tongue, that my words might give grace to all who hear. I offer it all to You, Lord! Do with me what You wish! Amen.

DEVOTION - THURSDAY, DECEMER 15, 2011

DEVOTION –THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2011

“Light of Hope in a Dark World”

BY

ADRIAN ROGERS

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” Isaiah 9:2

Imagine being in a cave without a flashlight. Can you see any shadows? You cannot even see your hand! Shadows are only visible in the presence of light.

Regardless of how dark, how large, how absolutely ominous a shadow appears, it is only there because there is light. David says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” Why? Because “Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

Jesus has taken the sting out of sin and the fear out of the grave. He has empowered us with the Holy Spirit to give us confidence that He will always be with us and watch over us.

There are many today who are grieving because of a loss—the loss of a loved one, a job, a wayward child. Pray for them. Send them a note of hope and include 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

DEVOTION - WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2011

DEVOTION –WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2011

“Hindered Prayers”

BY

BAYLESS CONLEY

1 Peter 3:7 says,

Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

Notice it says, "Husbands, likewise," which means, gals, you are not off the hook. The following truth applies to you as much as it does to the boys.

That truth is simply this: If there is bitterness or unforgiveness in your heart toward your spouse, your prayers will be hindered. That word hindered literally means to be cut down in the same way one would cut down a tree.

I once had this incredible tree called a cherimoya tree. One of the things about a cherimoya tree is that it is not indigenous to our country, and the insects that pollinate it do not exist here.

In order for the tree to bear fruit, I needed to pollinate it by hand with my little artist paintbrush. I would get pollen on the brush from one flower and pollinate other flowers.

Eventually the little buds I had pollinated began to turn into fruit. I was so excited! They were getting close to the time to be harvested. Then I came home one afternoon to find my whole tree hacked to pieces. Every branch and piece of fruit was in the trash. The gardener had cut my tree down!

I believe that can happen with our prayers. You can be intensely committed spiritually, searching the Scriptures, filling your heart with the Word, praying from the bottom of your heart, but if you are not honoring your spouse or you are treating them in a bad way, the devil has the authority to waltz right in and chop your prayer tree down.

Let's keep the ax out of the devil's hand by honoring and forgiving and valuing our marriage partner.

DEVOTION - TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2011

DEVOTION –TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2011

“Eternally Covered”

BY

PASTOR BOB COY

“I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2 (NKJV)

Looking at things through the lens of eternity has a way of getting our hearts and minds on track. It sets issues straight, and this is especially true when it comes to the issue of worrying about God’s ability to provide for our needs.

Look at what Jesus promises in the passage above. He assures His people that He’s going to prepare a place for them. Specifically, we know He’s referring to Heaven, where every single need we’ll ever have will be eternally taken care of and provided for by Him.

Most of us don’t have a problem with this whatsoever. In fact, when was the last time you paced back and forth worrying about whether or not you’d receive what you’d need in God’s Kingdom? For the most part, we just assume that the Lord has enough of everything to go around and that every need will be met.

However, our outlook is often different when it comes to our existence here on earth. We worry. We second-guess God’s ability to provide for us when it comes to the needs of this life. But think it through: Our lifespan and all that we will ever need on earth is a blip in comparison to eternity. Why are we okay with God handling things infinitely but not temporarily? It makes no sense.

Here’s what’s going to take place: Something is going to happen that will cause your heart to question God’s ability to provide for your needs. When it does, remember that He’s got you covered for all eternity, and that He who covers you eternally is all the more able to cover you temporarily.

Our earthly worry wilts and withers in the light of God’s eternal provision for us. Don’t forget that!

“But seek first the kingdom of God…do not worry about tomorrow…” (Matthew 6:33-34 NKJV)

DEVOTION - MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2011

DEVOTION – MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2011

“STRAYING SHEEP”

BY

DR ED YOUNG

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. - Isaiah 53:6

I don’t particularly like sheep. I never heard of one being strong or doing anything heroic. Some prefer the ancient Greek humanist idea that sinning shows courage to rebel against the gods. Sin is a fall uphill, they think. But sin actually is a deadly plunge, and ignoring it leads to death. Sin is rebellion against our true nature. God is grieved, but we are damaged severely when we stray. That’s why Jesus took on our sin. He invites us to let all the pain be His. If that takes being a helpless sheep, than one would be a fool not to delight in the role.

DEVOTION - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2011

DEVOTION – SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2011

“Why Do My Prayers Go Unanswered?”

BY

ALISTAIR BEGG

Isaiah 30:18

God often delays in answering prayer. We have several instances of this in the Bible. Jacob did not get the blessing from the angel until near the dawn of day-he had to wrestle all night for it. The poor woman of Syrophoenicia received no answer for a long while. Paul asked the Lord three times for "a thorn . . . in the flesh" to be taken from him, and he received no assurance that it would be removed, but instead a promise that God's grace would be sufficient for him.

If you have been knocking at the gate of mercy and have received no answer, shall I tell you why the mighty Maker has not opened the door and let you in?

Our Father has personal reasons for keeping us waiting. Sometimes it is to show His power and His sovereignty, so that we may learn that God has a right to give or to withhold.

More often the delay is for our benefit. You are perhaps kept waiting in order that your desires may be more fervent. God knows that delay will quicken and increase desire, and that if He keeps you waiting, you will see your need more clearly and will seek more diligently, and that you will treasure the mercy all the more on account of the wait.

There may also be something wrong in you that needs to be removed before the joy of the Lord is given. Perhaps your views of the gospel plan are confused, or you may be relying upon yourself instead of trusting simply and entirely in the Lord Jesus. Or God makes you wait for a while so that He may display the riches of His grace more abundantly in the end.

Your prayers are all filed in heaven, and if not immediately answered they are certainly not forgotten, but in a little while they will be fulfilled to your delight and satisfaction. Do not allow despair to make you silent, but continue to present your requests to God.

DEVOTION - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2011

DEVOTION – THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2011

“The real purpose of the church”

By

JACK GRAHAM

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

James 2:1-4

Years ago during the days of segregation, there was a church that took a staff vote and decided they weren’t going to allow people of different races to be baptized in the same water. So one minister who vehemently opposed the vote stood up and said, “Follow me outside.”

So the ministers of the church all got up and walked outside. As they stood in the parking lot, this particular pastor pointed up at the church sign and said, “We need to change this sign. We’re no longer a church, but a country club!” And he resigned his position that day.

While years have passed and attitudes have changed, Christianity today is as cultured, comfortable, and air conditioned as ever. It’s easy come, easy go, take it or leave it. And so many people join churches like they’re joining country clubs rather than accepting the heavenly call of advancing God’s Kingdom.

The real church is not a country club, but a rescue mission. And those who go on rescue missions get dirty and even put themselves in danger for the sake of their mission. So remember that the church doesn’t exist to serve you. You exist to serve it!

DON’T FALL INTO THE LIE THAT THE CHURCH EXISTS TO MAKE YOU MORE COMFORTABLE. INSTEAD, SEE THE CHURCH AS BEING ON MISSION FOR GOD, WILLING TO SACRIFICE AND ENDURE HARDSHIP FOR THE KINGDOM!

DEVOTION - WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7. 2011

DEVOTION – WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2011

“The Uniqueness of Christ “

BY DR CHARLES F STANLEY

Matthew 16:1-28

When Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” they replied, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” But Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:13-16).

What set Jesus apart as the Messiah?

• His birth: He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born, as prophesied, in Bethlehem to a virgin. Though angels announced His arrival and He reigns over all creation, Jesus entered our world in a lowly manner so He could be identified with the meek and the poor.
• His wisdom: At age 12, He spent three days with rabbis, asking questions that showed his uncommon understanding.
• His baptism: Though He didn’t need cleansing, Jesus asked John to baptize Him so He could identify with sinners and demonstrate His love to them.
• His temptation: Satan tempted Him relentlessly for 40 days, yet He did not sin.
• His ministry: He challenged man-made religious traditions. And by healing people—regardless of nationality—raising the dead, and forgiving sins, He revealed that God wants to be involved personally in our lives. Leading Pharisees wanted Him dead, but the Father protected His life until the crucifixion.

Many people deny Christ’s deity, calling Him simply a “prophet” or “good teacher.” But Jesus was never merely human. As complex as it is for us to comprehend, He was fully God and fully man. This is the unique way in which our heavenly Father chose to demonstrate His eternal love for us.