The Three Enemies of Every Christian

The Three Enemies of Every Christian
Jack Klumpenhower
7/13/2013

Read enough news and you’ll quickly be convinced that Christians have enemies around every corner. Changing social norms threaten our values. Government mandates challenge our freedom. In parts of the world, extremists even want to kill us. It’s no wonder we sometimes get the urge to fight back.

It’s good to know our enemies. We must be on guard. But I wonder if all the alarm accompanying those kinds of threats diverts our attention from even bigger foes. When the Bible speaks of our most dangerous enemies, it focuses on those that threaten our souls. Such enemies tempt us to sin and turn away from God. Bible scholars have often grouped them into three categories—the three chief enemies of every believer. They are the world, the devil, and our sinful natures.

Enemy #1: The world

When the Bible speaks of the world as our enemy, it means the world’s priorities and sensibilities. “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ” (Colossians 2:8, NLT). The chief danger from those who have power in the world is not what they might do to our bodies or how they might restrict our freedoms. It’s how they tempt and pressure us to conform to their ways.

We must work to keep our goals different from those of the world. Although we’re kind to others, we should never join in their thirst for power and worldly success. We ought to advance God’s Kingdom, not worldly empires. We must follow God’s laws, even when the world thinks those rules sound awfully strange. Jesus warned that the world may hate us for our different drumbeat, but that should be no surprise. After all, the world is our enemy.

Enemy #2: The devil

Pictures we draw of the devil usually make him look menacing, often harassing his victims with a pitchfork. The Bible says he’s an evil, spiritual being who’s even more dangerous than that, mostly because of his accusations and cunning lies. Jesus called him “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44, NLT).

The devil tries to get us to believe that living for God isn’t really in our best interests. He tempts us to doubt God’s goodness and trust what we think best instead. He also loves to accuse us when we sin, making us think that God could never love us given what we’ve done. The devil uses these lies to undermine our faith in God, which is what makes him such a dangerous enemy. We must battle to keep believing the truth.

Enemy #3: Our sinful nature

As long as we live in this world, we’re subject to sinful desires. Believers still struggle with their old, sinful nature. “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21, NLT).

That list contains a wide variety of activities and feelings that we’re tempted to indulge because, at the moment, they make us feel good. But they’re unkind, degrading, and hurtful toward others and ourselves. We must fight against the sinful nature that gives rise to them. It too is our enemy.

Fighting our enemies

I don’t mean to make light of the sort of enemies we read about in the news, but battling the three I’ve described here is enough to keep most of us busy for a lifetime. If we take an honest look at ourselves, we must conclude that too often we follow the world’s priorities. Too often we believe the devil’s lies instead of God’s promises. Too often we indulge in selfish sin. We need to fight our enemies, and fight hard.

Happily, we are not on our own. Do you struggle with pressures from the world? Jesus tells us, “Take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NLT). Do you give in to the devil’s lies? Remember that “the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8, NLT). Are you tempted by the sinful lusts that remain in you? Believe that God has taken action: “He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins” (Romans 8:3, NLT).

The Christian fight is not easy, but neither is it waged alone. We have a Champion on our side, so we fight confidently by faith. We battle prayerfully, feeding on his Word, drawing strength from his fellow children who also fight with us. The urge to defeat our enemies is the right mindset, and the victory will be ours. Fight on, Christian warrior!

Jack Klumpenhower is a writer and children’s ministry worker living in Colorado.

Staying Grateful

Staying Grateful

Deuteronomy 8:1-20

Read "Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors. Remember how the LORD your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. For all these forty years your clothes didn't wear out, and your feet didn't blister or swell. Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the LORD your God disciplines you for your own good." (Deuteronomy 8:1-5)

Reflect We can easily take God's provision for granted. We seldom take notice or thank God, for example, when our car doesn't break down, our clothes don't rip, or our tools don't break. The people of Israel also failed to take notice, evidently, for they didn't even notice that in 40 years of wandering in the desert, their clothes didn't wear out and their feet didn't swell. Thus, they did not remember to give thanks to God for those blessings. At other times, we can make these objects the focus of our lives. Many people think that life's purpose is to satisfy their appetites. If they can earn enough money to dress, eat, and play in high style, they think they are living "the good life." But such things do not satisfy our deepest longings. In the end they leave us empty and dissatisfied. Real life, according to Moses, comes from total commitment to God, the one who created life itself. It requires discipline, sacrifice, and hard work, and that's why most people never find it. We can veer off course both to the right and to the left. We can ignore the goods that sustain our lives, and we can focus on them too much. Both extremes are mistaken. Instead, we need to remember what God has given us and receive it with thanksgiving.

Respond What has been working well for you? What has been serving you without breaking? Remember that God gave you these quiet blessings.

Isaiah 65:24-25

Isaiah 65

24 I will answer them before they even call to me.
  While they are still talking about their needs,
  I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together.
  The lion will eat hay like a cow.
  But the snakes will eat dust.
In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain.
  I, the LORD, have spoken!"

Our Daily Bread For 07-13-13

READ: Luke 6:27-36

Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. —Luke 6:31

The annual Texas Book Festival in Austin draws thousands of people who enjoy browsing for books, attending discussions led by acclaimed authors, and gleaning advice from professional writers. At one such festival, an author of young adult fiction told aspiring writers, “Write the book that you want to find on the shelf.” That’s a powerful recommendation for writing and for living. What if we decided to live the way we want everyone else to live?

In Luke 6:27-36, Jesus urged His followers to pursue a lifestyle that demonstrates God’s mercy to all: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you” (vv.27-28). He also said that generosity and a lack of retaliation should characterize our reaction to unreasonable treatment (vv.29-30). Jesus concluded, “Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise” (v.31).

Impossible? Yes, if we rely on our own strength and resolve. The strength comes from the Spirit. And the resolve comes from remembering how God has treated us: “He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” (vv.35-36). That’s a life we all long to see. —David McCasland

All the way my Savior leads me—
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide? —Crosby

Christianity is not just Christ in you, but Christ living His life through you.

The Need To Know

Job 38:1-21

Why? Our 10-year-old son is especially adept at asking this question with great frequency. Because his questions have moved from innocent curiosity to occasional open challenge, my husband and I have chosen not to overlook the habit. Paying close attention, I realized Micah was asking questions not to gain understanding but in order to gain information so he could negotiate his way out of whatever we had asked him to do.

Since the Garden of Eden, human beings have succumbed to the temptation for greater knowledge (Genesis 3:5-6). Surprises are nice when it comes to birthday parties, but beyond those occasions for gifts and well wishes we don’t normally like to travel the unknown with limited information.

The drive to know what the future holds becomes even greater when hardship strikes. But if we’re honest with ourselves, we don’t desire answers as much as we desire control. Information, in and of itself, cannot bring peace, as even Solomon—the wisest of men—acknowledged (Ecclesiastes 1:16-18). Much like a child who desires to renegotiate the rules, we often bring our questions to the Lord, not because we want to understand His ways but because we want to see His position so we can better argue ours.

But as Job realized, the ultimate prize is not the answer we receive, but the relationship we cherish. Recognizing that God’s wisdom far surpassed his own, Job had a decision to make: continue to demand answers or surrender his own will to the One who is greater (read Jeremiah 17:7).

The key to Job’s freedom came in his recognition of God’s sovereignty (Job 42:2) and his willingness to repent for thinking he had a better way (Job 42:6)

— Regina Franklin

Read Psalm 19:9-14 and Psalm 139:23-24. What does David recognize about his own heart in these passages?

What are some questions you’ve been bringing before God recently? How do you respond when God gives you an answer you don’t want to hear?

Weekly Sermon: Dear God... It Hurts When I Don't Experience Your Care

On July 6/7, Pastor Stine continues the Summer Series Dear God answering several tough questions asked.

Weekly Sermon: Dear God... It Hurts When I Don't Experience Your Care

Positive Thought For 07-12-13

Kicking off the weekend with a Positive Thought! Jesus' love is bigger and wider and deeper and higher than you can imagine! Find more in Ephesians chapter 3...

Uriah the Footnote

Uriah the Footnote
Ron DeBoer
7/10/2013

The story of Uriah is shorter than this devotional. A little over 500 words, the record we have of Uriah is a footnote to the epic story that is King David’s. But Uriah is one of my favorite characters in the entire Bible. While he was off risking his life for the king in a bloody war, that same king sleeps with his wife and she becomes pregnant. The king calls Uriah home from the war for a military update, all as a ruse to get Uriah to spend a night with his wife and obscure the fact that David is the father of her child. Uriah refuses the comforts of his bed and wife while his men are sleeping on the battlefield, and for his loyalty he gets sent to the front lines so he will be killed. David disposes of his most loyal soldier not because Uriah has sinned but because David himself had. Uriah died because of David’s sins.

That’s it. We never hear about Uriah again. You couldn’t ask for a more honorable man, could you? Uriah was the kind of guy who would have your back, no matter what. He was the loyal, trustworthy best friend who would lay down his life for you. What King David did to satisfy his lustful desire was despicable.

God thought so, too.

I love how God makes his point to David. He could’ve shown his displeasure in any number of ways. But he sets David up to realize his own folly. In 2 Samuel 12, God sends a prophet, Nathan, to tell David a story about two men in a town:

“One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”

David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”

Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!”

Busted! Can you imagine David’s face at that moment? To his great credit, David confessed his sins (2 Samuel 12:13, NLT). You can read more of David’s confession in Psalm 51, where David poured out his heart of guilt in response to Nathan’s revelation. None of this brought Uriah back, however.

I always feel empty after reading the story of Uriah, Bathsheba, and David. Yes, David was duly punished. But Uriah, loyal Uriah, died in battle fighting for a king who stole his wife. He never even found out the truth. Just as David felt about the little lamb, we feel for Uriah in hearing this story.

Which brings my thoughts to Jesus, the Lamb of God, who was sinless, blameless, and perfect, and who died at the hands of his enemies. We can’t worship Uriah; he didn’t know us and didn’t die with you and me in mind. He was a small part of a larger story, and his experience shares some similarities with Jesus’ own sacrifice. But we can worship and bow down to Jesus Christ, who truly laid down his life for you and me. He knew us then, even though we didn’t yet exist. Isn’t that amazing?

I think the reason Uriah’s story resonates so strongly with me is that he dutifully followed orders from the king and went to the front lines. He didn’t know the whole thing was a setup. In literature class, we call this “dramatic irony”—the audience knows the truth about everything, but the character does not. He was wronged by those he trusted the most and never suspected a thing because of his goodness. We love characters like Uriah, and we feel deeply for them.

But Jesus knew what was in store for him. He knew he would suffer and die, yet he went through with it anyway!

Jesus knew something that most others did not: that he would rise from the dead. That’s the special knowledge we believers all have. We all will conquer death and go to Jesus after our pain and suffering on this earth, after our demonstration of lifelong loyalty to our King.

The song to end our devotion time today is You Are My King (Amazing Love) by Hillsong.

Holiday or Vacation?

Holiday or Vacation?
Ron DeBoer
7/10/2013

If you’re fortunate enough to be able to go away for holidays this summer, you’ve probably already begun the planning. You’ve checked maps, scouted out places to visit, and booked your accommodations. As you get closer to the time of your departure, you will pack the things you will need. Camping gear, maybe. Suitcases. An iPad with novels downloaded. Beachwear. You will check and double-check that you have your passport, wallet, and cell phone. If you’ve gone on vacation, you know that sweet feeling of finally getting on the highway and seeing the outskirts of your town grow smaller in your rear-view mirror.

Going away allows you to recharge your batteries, relax, and get out of the routine that you and your family have followed for the last year. Psychologists will tell you that going away causes your brain to make new connections under different conditions and allows you to become more creative in your thinking. You release yourself from the shackles of the ordinary.

Some people leave on vacation and desire to truly escape from everything, including their devotion routines. Theirs is a vacation in the literal sense. They vacate. Finding a church isn’t even a consideration when they are visiting another place. If doing supper-hour devotions is considered routine, they vacate that habit as well. Some lower their standards for themselves when they’re away from home, as if they can take a vacation from their values, morals, or beliefs. What happens in Vegas is still seen by God!

I like the term “holiday” to describe going away. The word holiday comes from “holy day,” a day set aside by custom or law during which normal activities are suspended or reduced. If you think of days off as “holy days”—times when you reflect on God’s goodness and when you have the opportunity and time to worship and praise God—your perspective on holidays changes.

Wouldn’t it be neat to go into our holidays this summer with a deliberate plan to commemorate and honor God? Whether it be enjoying his wonderfully created world at a campground; visiting man-made structures, which came ultimately from the mind of God; or wandering around museums that capture pieces of history, everything we do and every place we visit came from the hand of God. They are part of an ongoing creation story that fits into God’s ultimate plan.

If you have children, buy little journals for them to write about their observations. Call them “praise journals.” Like the psalmists, your kids can write praises about specific activities you participate in and about places you visit. Have them record their experiences with a digital device. Or you can hold the camera and have your children play reporters, reporting on a place you’ve visited. Start a YouTube channel about your “holy days” and send the link to your extended family.

Keep God in the conversation as you travel. Cars are great places to engage your children or other fellow travelers about God’s faithfulness, grace, and majesty. Bring a Bible and read passages that are relevant for your trip. A passage my family reads regularly is Psalm 139, which reassures us that God is everywhere we go. When our daughter traveled to Africa this summer to work for a Christian organization, we read Psalm 139 as a family on the day of her departure. She says she’s read it several times upon her arrival and is in awe that the God of Toronto is the God of Accra, Ghana, too! If your holidays are in the great outdoors, there are lots of praise psalms about nature that will be relevant.

Consider finding a church if you’re holidaying on a Sunday. I’m always amazed at the message I hear when I’m visiting churches while traveling. I often think that the message was made knowing I was going to come there because it applies to me! That’s God at work.

I hope you have a wonderful summer. For those of you who are unable to travel, I hope you enjoy some downtime to get away from your everyday routines and turn your focus to God’s wonderful story of grace and salvation.

Let’s end our time together with an old favorite: Awesome God. God bless!

Ron DeBoer is a retired teacher living near Toronto.

Who’s in Charge

Who’s in Charge Many Christians throw around terms like free will and sovereignty. Free will, of course is freedom of choice. But sovereignty means that God ultimately is in control of everything. So, is free will really possible? The idea that God is in control goes against our notions of fairness and individual choice. And yet, we draw strength and comfort from the belief that God is running the universe. Which is right? Is God truly sovereign--is he calling the shots--or are people free and ultimately responsible for making their own decisions, even those that have eternal consequences? This question has perplexed people for thousands of years. It raises itself here, in the account of Pharaoh in Ezekiel 32. It came up in the story of another Pharaoh, too (Exod 3-15). Before he allowed Pharaoh to rise to power, did God know that Pharaoh would sin? Did God simply allow Pharaoh to follow his own course of action? These questions might lead some to think If God is truly and completely sovereign, then I have no real freedom, and I'm just a puppet. But if I'm truly free to do whatever I want, then God isn't really in control of the universe. What's really true? The greatest minds of history have wrestled with this issue, and quite frankly, it remains as impenetrable today as ever. So if you were hoping this article would resolve it, you're going to be disappointed. But we can leave you with one answer: It is a mystery. Sovereignty, responsibility, free will . . . and mystery. The Bible teaches them all. The modern American mind balks at accepting two truths that seem to be contradictory. But when you think about it, it makes sense that God is bigger than our minds--big enough to encompass what seems to us to be paradoxical. If someone asks you whether you believe in God's sovereignty or human freedom, the best answer is yes.

Little by Little

Little by Little

Deuteronomy 7:1-26

Read "No, do not be afraid of those nations, for the Lord your God is among you, and he is a great and awesome God. The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you little by little. You will not clear them away all at once, otherwise the wild animals would multiply too quickly for you. But the Lord your God will hand them over to you. He will throw them into complete confusion until they are destroyed. He will put their kings in your power, and you will erase their names from the face of the earth. No one will be able to stand against you, and you will destroy them all. (Deuteronomy 7:21-24)

Reflect Moses told the Israelites that God would go ahead of them and drive their enemies out of the Promised Land. But this would not happen all at once. Instead it would happen "little by little." And they would need to participate in the process. God certainly had the power to drive out Israel's enemies instantly. He had proven how powerful he was back in Egypt with the pharaoh. So why would this transition be gradual instead of sudden? There was value in God's gradual work and Israel's participation. If God had simply wiped out the nations all at once, the Israelites would have had other problems to deal with: wild animals. God's gradual approach was preventing this. Today, a lot of things happen instantly for us. It's easy to get used to instant gratification and grow impatient when something takes time. But we often can't see the problems that would be created from immediate fixes. God certainly could change your circumstances instantly without your cooperation. But there may be greater benefits from gradual change instead. God may be preventing worse problems from happening too.

Respond Rather than seeking instant solutions, consider how God might be going "ahead of you little by little." How will you participate?

Luke 6:46-50

Luke 6

Building on a Solid Foundation
46 "So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?47 I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it.48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built.49 But anyone who hears and doesn't obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins."

Our Daily Bread For 07-12-13

READ: Isaiah 53:4-12

He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities. —Isaiah 53:5

As a Jewish kid growing up in New York, Michael Brown had no interest in spiritual things. His life revolved around being a drummer for a band, and he got mixed up with drugs. But then some friends invited him to church, where he found the love and prayers of the people to be irresistible. After a short spiritual struggle, Michael trusted Jesus as Savior.

This was a monumental change for a wayward Jewish teen. One day he told his dad he had heard about Old Testament texts describing Jesus. His dad, incredulous, asked, “Where?” When Michael opened his Bible, it fell to Isaiah 53. They read it, and Michael exclaimed, “That’s Him! That’s Jesus!”

Indeed, it is Jesus. Through the help of Christians and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Brown (today a Bible scholar and an author) came to recognize the Messiah of Isaiah 53. He experienced the salvation that changes lives, forgives sin, and gives abundant life to all who trust the “Man of sorrows” (v.3). Jesus is the One who was “wounded for our transgressions” and who died for us on the cross (v.5).

The Bible reveals Jesus, who alone has the power to change lives. —Dave Branon

God, I struggle with this idea of Jesus as Savior.
I know He’s a good man, but I need to see that He is
more than that. Please show me—through others or
through the Bible—how I can know for sure who Jesus is.

The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to change hearts.

Subversive Hymn

Colossians 1:15-23

We like to sing hymns in our church—the older the better. We often put new music to them, but sometimes we sing the songs as written. The power of the words, the beautiful melodies, the fact that Christians sang these truths long before us, make hymns an important part of our worship.

Colossians 1:15-23 is a poem and was likely an early hymn that Paul used in his letter. These lyrics weren’t simply theological truths (though they were that), but they were also affirmations of loyalty to the kingdom of King Jesus over the Roman Empire.

When Paul referred to Jesus as the “image” of God, he used the Greek word eikon (Colossians 1:15). The eikon of Caesar may have been on every coin, and it was plastered on the empire’s banners and architecture. But Paul asserted that Jesus (not Caesar) was the true king, the one whose image offered us God and requires our worship.

Further, historical records made many references to Caesar that this hymn would have countered. Caesar was said to be “equal to the beginning of all things,” the “beginning of life and vitality,” the “savior,” and the one who “put an end to war and . . . set all things in order.” Caesar was even declared “god manifest.”

With that background, consider a few lines from the hymn the church sang: Jesus “existed before anything . . . and is supreme over creation” (Colossians 1:15). Through Jesus, “God created everything” (Colossians 1:16). Jesus holds “all creation together” (Colossians 1:17). And to be perfectly clear: Jesus is over all “thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities” (Colossians 1:16).

Singing a hymn of loyalty to Jesus is an act of subversion; it’s against every other power that would make claim to our allegiance.

— Winn Collier

Read Colossians 1:1-29. Where do you see other words of loyalty to Jesus and acts of disloyalty to the powers of this world?

What kingdoms and powers are asking for your allegiance? What hymn lyrics speak to your heart?

Positive Thought For 07-10-13

God loves you so much that he calls you His child, and that's who you are! See 1 John 3:1

Revisiting the Ten Commandments

Revisiting the Ten Commandments

Deuteronomy 5:1-33

Read "You must not have any other god but me. "You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. "You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. "Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your oxen and donkeys and other livestock, and any foreigners living among you. All your male and female servants must rest as you do. Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the LORD your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the LORD your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day. "Honor your father and mother, as the LORD your God commanded you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you." (Deuteronomy 5:7-16)

Reflect Many of God's commands involve honoring others. And honoring them in the right order is important. First, honor God. Then, honor your parents. Part of honoring God is keeping a clear vision of him and placing him in the center of our lives. How would you feel if someone took a picture of you, framed it, stared at it a lot, showed it to others, but completely ignored the real you? God does not want to be treated this way either. He wants a genuine relationship with us. He wants us to know him. God knows that if we put anything other than him at the center of our lives, we will not reach our potential and become all that he wants us to be. We are familiar with the sin to be avoided in this commandment—"You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God" by saying it in an empty or worthless way. But a positive command is implied: praise God's name and give him glory. This is the opposite of misusing his name. While we might be able to keep from cursing, we should consider how well we have done at finding time to praise God and honor his name. Obeying our parents is our main task when we are young, but honoring them should continue even beyond their death. One way to honor parents is to provide for them in times of financial need or when they are ill and unable to care for themselves. Another way to honor them is to pass on their godly values to your own children.

Respond Are your words and actions bringing honor to God? Are they showing respect for your parents? Who are you putting first in your life?

Psalm 145:18-21

Psalm 145

18 The LORD is close to all who call on him,
  yes, to all who call on him in truth.
19 He grants the desires of those who fear him;
  he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
20 The LORD protects all those who love him,
  but he destroys the wicked.

21 I will praise the LORD,
  and may everyone on earth bless his holy name
  forever and ever.

Our Daliy Bread For 07-10-13

READ: Colossians 1:19-27

Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. —1 Corinthians 15:58

As our final project for a high school earth science class, a friend and I built a stream table. With extensive help from my father, we built a long plywood box with a hinge in the middle. Then we lined it with plastic and filled it with sand. At one end we attached a hose. At the other end was a drainage hole. After assembling all of it, we raised one end of the stream table, turned on the water, and watched as it created a path directly to the hole at the other end. The next part of the experiment was to place a rock in the stream and watch how it changed the path of the water.

This project taught me as much about life as it did about science. I learned that I can’t change the direction things are going if I’m on the bank of the river. I have to step into the stream of life and stand there to divert the flow. That’s what Jesus did. The Bible refers to salvation as a rock (2 Sam. 22:47; Ps. 62:2,6-7), and the apostle Paul clarifies that Christ is that Rock (1 Cor. 10:4). God placed Jesus in the stream of history to change its course.

When we remain steadfast in Christ, abounding in the work of the Lord, God uses us to change the course of history through acts of obedience that turn others to Him. —Julie Ackerman Link

The Master is seeking a harvest
In lives He’s redeemed by His blood;
He seeks for the fruit of the Spirit
And works that will glorify God.
—H.S. Lehman. © 1924 H. S. Lehman

Be sure to put your feet in the right place, then stand firm. —Abraham Lincoln

Bible in a year: Job 41-42; Acts 16:22-40

Truth In Love

Ephesians 4:11-16

Have you said something to someone that you later regretted? Perhaps you needed to speak hard words, and the person needed to hear them, but you feel bad because of the way you communicated your message. So you’re saddened that you failed to “speak the truth in love.” But what does that really mean? Is it about honesty? Is it about sweetening the cold, hard truth to make it more palatable?

This “truth in love” catchphrase appears in Ephesians 4:11-16. In the Greek text, it’s one long sentence. As we look at the context, we notice that it’s stated in contrast to immature children who are unstable and easily deceived by falsehood (Ephesians 4:14). The phrase is simply one word in Greek, which can be translated as “truthing in love.” It holds the idea of maintaining truth in love both in our talk and in our walk.

One Bible commentator puts it this way: “ ‘Speaking the truth’ pictures the right doctrine. ‘In love’ pictures the right spirit or attitude. We ought to have a great love of the truth and we also ought to do the truth, but we must do the truth in love. Truth without love is brutality, but love without truth is hypocrisy.”

In fact, speaking the truth in love is the outcome of a healthy church where all believers (not just the full-time staff) use their gifts to serve one another (Ephesians 4:11-13). When a community speaks and lives out the truth in loving ways, it promotes unity, growth, health, and love (Ephesians 4:15-16).

How can we become more truthful and loving? Paul says, “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. . . . And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:16-17).

— Poh Fang Chia

Read Ephesians 4:29 to see the kind of speech that pleases God.

What characterizes your conversation with other believers—opinions, idle talk, or truth? How can you grow in truth and love?