Where are you dear Lord?

The Nearness of Our God

By Francis Frangipane 

www.frangipane.org

In the 73rd Psalm, the psalmist Asaph expressed a struggle we all might feel at times. He questioned why the wicked seem to prosper while the righteous are chastened. The whole idea was troublesome until he entered the sanctuary of God. Once in the presence of God, Asaph realized his error. As he compared himself to the unbeliever, he saw that, apart from the influence of God, he had nothing in which to boast. He said, "When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within, then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You" (vv. 21-22).

Finally, his soul brightened as he considered that God alone was his salvation, and his relationship with God was his strength. He wrote, "Nevertheless I am continually with You … You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth … God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (vv. 23-26).

The summary thought of Asaph's revelation, and the point of this chapter, is in verse 28. He wrote, "But as for me, the nearness of God is my good."

Let's settle this truth once and for all: It is the nearness of God that produces our good. Christianity was never designed by God to be sustained by nice people trying to appear good. We're not that good. We're not that clever. And we're not that nice. The only thing that can sustain true Christianity is true union with Jesus Christ. It is nearness to Him in all things that produces our spiritual fruit.

If we are honest, we will admit that, apart from the influence and work of God, there is nothing morally superior or remarkably virtuous about our lives. Our flesh has the same carnal passions as do people in the world; our soul carries within it the same insecurities and fears. Thus, apart from the influence of Christ in us, there's no difference between Christians and non-Christians (except that Christians, when living separate from God's presence, can be more obnoxious). It's only our relationship with the Lord that keeps us from fulfilling the lusts and desires of the flesh, for apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Therefore, the strength of our walk does not originate from within ourselves; rather it comes from our relationship with Christ. Our virtue, if it can be defined as such, is that we have learned to prioritize seeking God; our character is the offspring of our oneness with Jesus. By this I mean, Jesus is not only first on our list of priorities; His influence rules over all our priorities. He inspires love in our relationships; His voice becomes the conviction in our integrity. God has made "Christ Jesus" to be to us "wisdom … and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor. 1:30).

Thus, the God-seeker desires to find the Lord's pleasure drawn to every aspect of his soul. He also knows that, should an area of his heart exist in isolation from God, he will remain vulnerable to manipulation by the enemy in that area. So let me underscore the psalmist's truth, and let us say with our own voice of conviction: it is the nearness of our God that is our good.

Oh God, You are the lover of my soul. Faithfully, have You extended Your hands toward me. Yet, I have been, at times, a drifter and distant. Master, this day I acknowledge my most wonderful times are those spent close to You. When my heart is near to You, I am partaking of the nectar of life.

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Should we thank God for even bad things?

Thank You For The Fleas

www.khouse.org

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." -1Thess 5:18

It's simple to thank God when He does miracles and answers prayers just the way we want them answered. It's also pretty easy to thank Him when we can look around and see many blessings in our lives. When our situation seems awful, though, and we're struggling through tragedy or just plain hard times, it can seem hard to believe that God is really there taking care of things; it can be hard to say, "I know You love me. Thank you for what You are doing even now."

Jobless rates in 29 US states rose last month, with Michigan suffering the worst rate at 15.1 percent and Nevada and Rhode Island close behind at 13 and 12.9 percent respectively. In California alone, payrolls have dropped by 687,700 workers in just the past year. It's a very difficult time for a lot of people across America and around the world, and giving thanks to God may be the last thing in the minds of those who don't know how they're going to pay their electric bill or put gas in the car.

Yet, it's good to know that the economy does not have God worried. His arms are not tied. The One who looks after the sparrows is fully capable of looking after each one of us as well, and even the rotten things that happen in our lives are in His hands. Jesus says, in Luke 12:7, "But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows."

Jesus never promised us gardens of roses or even daisies in this life. He did promise he would never leave or forsake us (Heb 13:5).

Thank You For The Fleas:

In her book The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom tells of a time she discovered that God was working even in the most horrific circumstances.

Corrie and her sister Betsie had been imprisoned by the Nazis for hiding Jews behind the wall of their Holland home, and Nazi prison conditions pretty well unbearable.

Corrie writes:

"Barracks 8 was in the quarantine compound. Next to us--perhaps as a deliberate warning to newcomers--were located the punishment barracks. From there, all day long and often into the night, came the sounds of hell itself. They were not the sounds of anger, or of any human emotion, but of a cruelty altogether detached: blows landing in regular rhythm, screams keeping pace. We would stand in our ten-deep ranks with our hands trembling at our sides, longing to jam them against our ears, to make the sounds stop.

"It grew harder and harder. Even within these four walls there was too much misery, too much seemingly pointless suffering. Every day something else failed to make sense, something else grew too heavy."

Yet, in the midst of the suffering, the women prisoners around Corrie and Betsie found comfort in the little Bible studies they held in the barracks. Corrie writes they gathered around the Bible "like waifs clustered around a blazing fire…The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the Word of God."

When they were moved to Barracks 28, Corrie was horrified by the fact that their reeking, straw-bed platforms swarmed with fleas. How could they live in such a place?

It was Betsie who discovered God's answer:

"'"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus." That's it, Corrie! That's His answer. "Give thanks in all circumstances!" That's what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!'

"I stared at her; then around me at the dark, foul-aired room…"

They thanked God for the fact they were together. They thanked God they had a Bible. They even thanked God for the horrible crowds of prisoners, that more people would be able to hear God's Word. And then, Betsie thanked God for the fleas.

"The fleas! This was too much. 'Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.'

"'"Give thanks in all circumstances,"' she quoted. 'It doesn't say, "in pleasant circumstances." Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.'

"And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong."

It turned out that Betsie was not wrong; the fleas were a nuisance, but a blessing after all. The women were able to have Bible studies in the barracks with a great deal of freedom, never bothered by supervisors coming in and harassing them. They finally discovered that it was the fleas that kept those supervisors out.

Through those fleas, God protected the women from abuse and harassment. Dozens of desperate women were free to hear the comforting, hope-giving Word of God. Through those fleas, God protected the women from much worse things and made sure they had their deepest, truest needs met. 

We all have "fleas" in our lives. We all have those things that we can see no use for, things that are obviously horrible, unpleasant, painful things that we want gone. No life is free of "fleas", but if Corrie and Betsie can be our examples, God can use even these nasty insects for our protection and blessing. As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, lets thank God for His constant care and provision, and for His hidden blessings that come in ways we can easily overlook.

You are already free!

Captive No More 

Greg Laurie 

www.harvest.org

Is there a certain sin that seems to have a foothold in your life? And does it almost seem as though the sin is getting more and more powerful each month, each year, and tragically, each decade?

Do you wonder if you ever will gain victory over it? Or worse, are you beginning to wonder if you are really a Christian?

Sin is a horrible master, and it finds a willing servant in the human body. Sin wants to dominate you, but the good news is that as a Christian, you don't have to be dominated by sin any longer.

The Bible says, "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin" (Romans 6:6 NIV).

There is a part of us that is drawn to the holy things of God, and there is a part of us that can still be drawn to the unholy things of this world. We all have that struggle. It is almost shocking, especially if you have been a believer for many years, that there still can be an attraction to sinful things.

Here is what we need to remember: We will never get to a point where we are temptation-proof. But I do think we can get to a point where sin will not be so alluring. It comes with growing deeply in our faith, learning more about Jesus, and being so enraptured with His love that we see this world for what it is.

I think the classic hymn says it well: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."

To overcome sin, we need to know, we need to reckon, and we need to yield. Romans 6:11 says, "Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (NKJV).

To know has to do with the mind, and it is implied in the phrase, "likewise you also." These three words refer back to the truths in Romans 6:1–10.

The apostle Paul laid the groundwork, showing us that we are no longer under the jurisdiction of sin, and it no longer has a rightful claim over our lives as children of God. For Christians to live out the fullness of their new lives in Christ, they must realize what God has done for them. We are not merely remodeled sinners; we are remade saints.

To reckon focuses on the heart. The word "reckon" used in Romans 6:11 means "to take into account," or "to count as true."

Reckoning is not acting as if it were so; it is acting because it is so. Reckoning is not claiming a promise as much as it is acting on a fact. God does not command us to be dead to sin. Rather, He tells us that we are dead to sin and alive to God. Then He commands us to act on it. And even if we don't act on it, it is still true.

To yield deals primarily with the will. Romans 6:13 tells us, "And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God" (NKJV).

The word "present" means "to give into." God is saying, "Yield to Me. Present yourself to Me." Each and every day, we are to present ourselves to God.

Think of those in the Bible who presented their lives and their bodies to God and how powerfully they were used. For example, a sling in David's hand defeated the Philistines. Paul's dedicated feet took him from city to city to proclaim the gospel. John's eyes saw visions of the future, his ears heard God's message, and his fingers wrote it all down in the Book of Revelation.

It is your choice to what and to whom you are going to yield yourself. And it is an intelligent decision to base your actions on what God has said in His Word.

You have more than enough power to live this Christian life. You have the righteousness purchased by Christ with His own blood. So start taking hold of what God has already given you. Live in the newness of life for which Jesus gave His own.

Faith-building Adventure

Perseverance

Philippians 1:6

No one is exempt from facing obstacles. Even as babies, we all had to overcome a lack of balance and strength in order to stand and take that first step. And learning to place one foot in front of the other involved some falling. But in order to walk well, we had to get up and try again.

Consider the difficulties that the Lord faced as He pursued His goal of salvation for mankind: Jesus was ridiculed, rejected, and misunderstood. However, Luke 9:51 illustrates His focus: "When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem." The Lord, knowing that He would be sentenced to death in that city, let nothing deter Him from going there.

There are several things we can do to gain this attitude of persistence. The most important is to set goals under God's leadership—challenging goals that demand our best and require His help. Then, developing a passion to make the goal a reality will likely drive us toward our desired outcome.

In addition, we should refuse to listen to criticism and instead surround ourselves with people who will encourage us. Certain steps may fail, but we should look for a personal lesson in every defeat. Finally, we are to believe that we can reach the goal, and then must rely on God to enable us.

Biblical success means two things: achieving what the Lord calls you to do and becoming the person He desires you to be. Seek His specific goals for your life. Persevering through obstacles will be a faith-building adventure that teaches you to depend on the heavenly Father.

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For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.

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The heart of Evangelism!

It Starts with the Heart 

Greg Laurie 

www.harvest.org

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there.

— Acts 17:16–17

Far too often we are isolating ourselves from our culture rather than infiltrating it. We would prefer to remain in our Christian subculture when, in reality, we should want to invade our world with the message of Jesus Christ.

In Mark's Gospel, we find the story of a man who brought Jesus to his friends. Matthew became a believer, and then he invited all of his buddies over to his house. But he also invited Jesus to the party. We read that "as He was dining in Levi's [Matthew's] house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him" (Mark 2:15). Matthew brought Jesus to his friends.

Mark also tells us about four men who brought their friend to Jesus—they were working together on behalf of their companion, who was a paralytic. They wanted Jesus to heal him, but Jesus was teaching in a home that was so crowded, they couldn't get inside. So these men climbed up on the roof, broke through it, and lowered their friend down to where Jesus was. Seeing their persistence and faith, Jesus rewarded them by healing their friend.

I think one of the reasons we don't share the message of Jesus Christ more often is because—if we were really honest—we don't care. So we need to start by praying, "Lord, give me a heart for people who don't know You." When the apostle Paul was in Athens, "his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols" (Acts 17:16). He cared. And then he acted.

May we care enough to bring our friends to Jesus—and bring Jesus to our friends.

Contrary-to-feelings

Psalm 137

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill . May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.

Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. “Tear it down,” they cried, “tear it down to its foundations!”

O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us-he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.

Some call it the “act as if” principle. Others advise us to “fake it til you make it”. But what they’re all referring to is the fact that while you can’t control how you feel about your current circumstances, you can control how you respond to them. And if you choose to act like your circumstances are irrelevant to your happiness, your feelings will eventually catch up. That means if you feel sad, you can choose to act like you’re happy, and soon you will have cheered yourself up. If you’re a smoker and feel like you want a cigarette, you can choose to act like you don’t and before long you’ll be a non-smoker.

Some years ago I walked into the office of a prospective client during a time of economic down turn. On the wall behind the receptionist’s desk was a prominent sign that read, “We heard there was a recession, but we decided not to participate.” I don’t think it was a coincidence that this company was doing better than its competitors even though they all had similar products and serviced the same market.

Lately these have come to be known as “contrary-to-feelings” choices. But there’s nothing new about them. Paul knew all about doing this. So when the Church at Philippi was suffering intense persecution and asked him for help he wrote back,

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:4-7)

In the midst of persecution they were to rejoice, and not just about the good things. He said the way to find true peace, the peace that transcends all understanding is to be anxious about nothing, and thanking God for anything, ask Him to take charge of everything. And Paul wasn’t some theologian tucked away in a corner of the Temple, sequestered from the real world. He knew something about enduring persecution.

He also knew that our attitude is a major factor in determining how things affect us. That’s why he told the Ephesians to be made new in the attitudes of their minds (Ephes. 4:23) in order to live lives more pleasing to God. He knew that attitudes are just habits of thought. If we start thinking differently our attitude will change.

We can tell he knew this because He also told the Philippians to focus on good thoughts during their bad times.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Phil. 4:8-9)

He promised that doing these things would bring them peace in spite of their circumstances. It was good advice then and it’s good advice now.

Abraham Believed God

The Man Who Became God's Friend

By James Ryle 

www.truthworks.org

“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God's friend.” (James 2:23, NIV).

His story began with a whisper, some say. One night while he was standing near a grove a mulberry trees with a group of friends, a strange breeze rushed in from nowhere and rustled the leaves a bit. Some say that’s all it was – just a strange wind. But he heard the Voice. The look on his face didn’t go unnoticed by the others, for it seemed as though he had seen a ghost. No, he didn’t see one – he only heard one. And it was a Holy Ghost.

The Voice, tender and befriending, called him by name – “Abram.” We know him today as Abraham. And the Voice that spoke to him that night we now know as the God of Abraham. 

They were friends, you see.

Their friendship began when Abraham believed. And what was it exactly that Abraham believed? Simply put, he believed God. Whatever God said to him, no matter how impossible or unlikely it seemed or sounded – Abraham believed that the One who spoke was true, and able to do what He had said.

Listen to how Paul puts it in his letter to the Romans:

“When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, ‘You're going to have a big family, Abraham!’ Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, ‘It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child.’ Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said.” (Romans 4:18-21, The Message).

What crazy, insane, impossible, and most unlikely thing has God promised you? And now does it all seem hopeless; certain never to happen?

Well, you are on the brink of becoming friends with God! Just believe!!

I Love the Lord Who is My Shepherd

The Lord, Our Shepherd

John 10:7-15

In the ancient world, the man who held the lowest position in the household was given charge of the flocks. The shepherd had responsibility to lead the sheep to new pastures and fresh water, defend them from predators, and find the lost ones when they strayed. But it was a humble job because it was dirty. The shepherd lived amongst the flock and slept across the doorway of the fold to keep the sheep in and the wolves out. This was filthy, smelly, and thankless work.

Yet Jesus sat among His followers in the thick of ancient culture and said, "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11, 14). The modern church misses the impact of those words. We have a rustic but rosy view of Jesus as a shepherd. The Sovereign of the universe humbled Himself and got His hands dirty working directly with errant, willful, and sometimes dumb humans.

Remember you read a moment ago that the shepherd lay across the doorway of the sheep pen? Well, Jesus did exactly that—He became the door for us. He sacrificed His life for the great flock of humanity so that anyone who chooses to believe in Him may enter God's fold (John 3:16). And once inside, we are provided for, sought when we wander, and protected from enemies.

Jesus sees Himself as mankind's Shepherd. Thankfully, we are more than just a herd to Him. He knows everything about each one of us—our name, character, and flaws—and loves us with all of our imperfections. What better way to show love in return than to know His voice and follow where He leads?

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org