Wisdom Of Life

Receive Today's passage: Psalm 145   “The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.”   Psalm 145:13-14 Reflect *. How can I remain fearful or overwhelmed by life's pressures when the Lord is very near? *. Do I truly believe that God "satisfies the desires of every living thing"? *. Do I praise God even during times of trouble? Notice that this psalm doesn't promise that we will live a burden-free life, unscathed by grief or suffering. The fact is, God doesn't promise us a life free from suffering ... but He does promise to be with us during those hard times, and to lift us up out of darkness. Psalm 145 makes it clear: We will fall ... but we will also be lifted up again. The key is that we need to reach out to God, to "call on Him," trusting that He will love us, care for us, and rescue us. God can't help us unless we f

Scriptures: John 19:31-42   Just as Christ once rested in the stern of a boat through a raging storm, He rested in the tomb as storms raged within His disciples. A day after Jesus’ death, fear, doubt, and grief must have cycled endlessly through their minds. Memories of their lives with Him must have played there too: how it felt to stand upon a rolling sea, to feed thousands with a few loaves of bread, or to see Lazarus’ burial clothes heaped in the dirt. No doubt their hearts grew sick with confusion as they contemplated these things. The disciples’ feeble faith shouldn’t surprise us, because if we’re honest, we see it in ourselves. The “little of faith,” as Jesus often called them, failed to believe or remember things the Lord said of Himself—that He’d lay down His life and take it up again. Had His followers faithfully held these things in their hearts, that Sabbath day might have been a time of joyful anticipation. At times in our lives, God may seem absent, but u

Receive Today's passage: Psalm 139   “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”  Psalm 139:13-14 Reflect *. I'm a unique creation God placed here for the purpose of His design. Do I truly believe this--even when I feel stuck? *. How can the truth of this help to get me unstuck? *. How can I figure out what God's unique purpose is for me? We all suffer through periods when we feel lost, unmoored, and without direction. We flounder, wondering if we are on the right path, or whether there is even a path meant specifically for us at all. We might even begin to doubt God's presence in our lives. In dark times like these it's more important than ever to return to Scripture, so we can read with our own eyes exactly how involved and in tune God is with each one of us. He searches us and knows us. He kn

Scriptures: Matthew 6:9-13   Jesus Christ gave His followers a pattern for prayer that includes seeking forgiveness daily. The invitation to regular repentance is not a means of renewing our salvation, but rather a maintenance plan for our fellowship with the Lord. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, our sins are forgiven forever. The stains from our past, present, and future wrongs are wiped from our record; however, we're a fallen people so we do continue to commit sin. With the exception of Jesus Christ, no person is perfect. Sin is simply a fact of human life. The Lord's payment for our transgressions means that we can look forward to an eternity spent in God's presence instead of getting the punishment we deserve. On this side of heaven, though, we still have to contend with our tendency to do wrong--and we must also deal with the consequences. The Lord's admonition to seek daily forgiveness is a reminder to confess our sins and turn away from them because

Scriptures: Ephesians 2:8-9   Recently I was talking with a fellow about his spiritual life. When I asked, "Are you saved?" he answered, "No, but I'm working at it." When I pressed him, he explained that he was making some changes in his life. He had given up smoking and drinking, among other things. I knew that I should help him understand a few important principles, as his only guarantee so far was better health. What this gentleman needed to realize was that what we do or what we give up for Jesus doesn't amount to much. The Lord isn't looking for people who change a few habits by sheer force of will; He's calling people to surrender themselves to Him. The only action God expects of a "seeker" is to believe in Jesus--that He is who He says, He will do what He says, He has the authority to forgive, and He will equip His people to live a godly life. Because of those convictions, a new Christian is empowered to turn away from

Scriptures: 1 Samuel 16:6-13  What do you live for each day? A pay raise? Retirement? Then perhaps you've discovered the reality that basing aspirations on getting ahead in this world typically ends in disappointment. People with a misguided sense of direction often wonder why they feel unfulfilled. Maybe you've already realized a goal of saving for the future or moving up the corporate ladder. You give to charity and volunteer at church, but somehow still feel a sense of insignificance or aimlessness. If so, there is a truth you need to hear: God gives each of us life for a very specific reason: to serve Him. Nobody finds inner peace without reconciling this fact. Our society teaches us that pleasure, prosperity, position, and popularity will make us happy--but living in the service of self always leaves an emptiness no earthly reward can fill. Besides, worldly philosophy won't stand the test of time. Few of us are going to live even 100 years. So whatever