DEREGISTERING IN CENTRAL ASIA
And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. Colossians 1:18
“Our church is considering whether to relinquish our government registration,” said Pastor Sergei to our SSTS seminar group in a restricted Central Asia country. No one knew how to respond. The seminar was being conducted in this pastor’s church because it was the only one the region registered with the central government!
“Why?” someone asked.
“Here is our reasoning,” Pastor Sergei graciously replied. “We have a ‘grandfather clause’ that permits us to be registered even though we do not meet the current requirements to be registered. But I have to file a report with the government each month outlining the number of meetings, who attended and how much money we received from these meetings and people. I find it very difficult to give an accurate report, thereby possibly jeopardizing some individuals who attend our meetings, or to falsify the reports and thereby violate my conscience.
Pastor Sergei added, “I feel like I am working every day for the NSS (National Security System—former KGB). As a denomination, we are unprepared for persecution. I feel my people would be better prepared for persecution if we met in smaller cell groups and were not registered.”
To register a church in this country, three conditions must be met: a list of at least one hundred members whose last names are Russian or Koreans but no one from one of the traditional Muslim tribal groups; a vote of 100% among the church neighbors favoring a meeting in their area; and a building, but few want to rent or sell a building to a Christian group—even if the neighbors approve!
“This is why we are thinking of deregistering with the government and going underground as smaller cell churches,” concludes Pastor Sergei. Then he looks straight into your eyes and asks, “Do you agree?”
RESPONSE: Today I reaffirm that Christ is the head of His church, not temporal authorities.
PRAYER: Lord, give wisdom today to church leaders in countries where registration is so difficult and fraught with so many complexities.
 | Outside the Circle SUSIE LARSON Lee en español |
“God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.” 1 Corinthians 1:28 (NLT)
When I was in high school, I was actively involved in lots of activities. But due to some childhood trauma, I was also painfully insecure.
I couldn’t find my footing to save my life. You’d find me on the sidelines at the varsity football games with the cheerleaders, but I wasn’t a legitimate member of their group. They didn’t care for me much. But I don’t fault them for that because I didn’t care for me much either.
Maybe this is your story too. Something happened in life to push you outside the circle. Now, on one hand, you don’t want to give too much power to the opinions of others, but on the other, you don’t want to live with a lie embedded in your soul.
God loves you. He designed you masterfully. And He does His best work through humble, broken people who know they need Him.
One day I cried out in prayer to God, knowing I had a flawed view of myself but at a loss for what to do about it. The Lord whispered to my heart, Susie, you’ve felt outside the circle your whole life, but that circle is actually an illusion. It has no value in heaven. Then I pictured Him drawing a circle around me when He whispered, You’re inside My circle, and that’s the only one that matters. The truth settled into my soul that day.
God consistently uses people who seem to be outside the circle, and He seems to love to do so. He takes regular, flawed, weak people and positions them to interrupt the enemy’s plans and establish His ultimate purposes on the earth:
- Joseph was an outsider, as far as his brothers were concerned. Then he became an insider in Egypt. God promoted him and positioned him to save a nation. (See Genesis 50.)
- Moses was an insider raised by Egyptians. But God called him to be an outsider and align with His people, Israel, at a significant cost to Moses, so that He could lead them out of captivity and into freedom. (Read the book of Exodus.)
- Jesus was an insider — seated in heaven, one with God and the Holy Spirit — and stepped down from His throne to enter the womb of a teenage girl. He who knew no sin became sin so that we could become the righteousness of God through Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21) He became an outsider so we who bear His name would become insiders — heirs to the Kingdom, filled with His Spirit, assigned to carry out His purposes on the earth. Hallelujah! (Read the Gospels.)
- Paul was an insider: a Roman citizen and a persecutor of Christians. God knocked him off his horse and called him to be an outsider. Paul then followed Jesus and walked with those he’d once terrorized, and God used him to change the world. (Read Acts 9.)
Over and over again, God upsets the status quo. He purposely chooses the weak, the outcast and the marginal for His great purposes, as 1 Corinthians 1:28 says:
“God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.”
How many people go through life thinking they are outside a circle that holds no value in heaven? What would change for you if you understood and embraced your place at the table of grace? What if you genuinely saw yourself as the apple of God’s eye?
Maybe you feel left out like I did — outside the circle of others and even outside God’s circle. Friend, while others may not choose you, God will always choose you. He created you just as you are, and He has a purpose and a plan for how He wants to use you — just as you are. What others think of you and what you think of yourself will never compare to how God thinks of you, His daughter!
And the best news is that if we wish to see ourselves as God sees us, all we have to do is ask Him for His vision, His perspective of us. He delights in every detail of our lives.
Heavenly Father, I love You! Awaken fresh faith in me. Forgive me for giving more weight to what I think of myself than what You think of me. I want to know You more! Open my eyes to see what You see. Grant me a tangible sense of Your presence and Your love. Change me from the inside out. I want to walk and live and pray with such bold, humble confidence that mountains move and many come to know You. Stir up a passion in my soul, Lord! In Your Name, I reject rejection and accept acceptance. I refuse apathy, and I embrace engagement. Give me a fresh vision for where You are taking me, and put fierce faith in me to follow You there. I will guard my heart with all diligence, and I trust You to establish me in Your purposes for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
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FOR DEEPER STUDY
Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (NLT)
Be honest: When you think of how God sees you, what comes to mind? Does your idea of God’s perspective line up with Scripture?
© 2022 by Susie Larson. All rights reserved.
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Promise #270
Promise #270:
I will keep you from falling until you joyfully stand blameless in My presence.
Jude 1:24 (WEB)
Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling,
and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,
One day, each one of us who has called on the name of the Lord will stand before His presence. Today’s promise encourages us that we have nothing to fear on that glorious day. Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Lord, and our Elder Brother, will present us before His Father completely faultless (blameless) on that holy day. The NLT Bible says that Jesus ‘will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.’
I love the thought that when Jesus presents us to God, He will do so with exceeding joy! The Amplified Bible describes it as… triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight]. It will absolutely thrill the heart of Jesus to present us blameless before His Father on the day that we will see Him face to face!
We have nothing to fear about our future. Jesus has promised to be faithful to keep us from falling and will one day present us completely blameless before His Father (and our Father) in triumphant joy with unspeakable, ecstatic delight! Hallelujah!!!!!!
Be Still and Be Happy
Come To Pass
“It is not yet time for the message to come true, but that time is coming soon; the message will come true. It may seem like a long time, but be patient and wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not be delayed.” — Habakkuk 2:3
Waiting on the Lord can be difficult, but it is so worthwhile. There are lessons to be learned and a closeness to be obtained that can only be discovered in the grueling process of waiting. Patience is important because God’s timing is ideal, and his plan is perfect. He has the end already written, and he has our best in mind.
We sacrifice God’s best when we try to take things into our own hands and attempt to rush the process, though it is hard to resist trying. One day, all our waiting will be over, but until that time, we cling to hope and look to God.
God, I will continue to wait for the fulfillment of your message and for your will in my life. In this age of instant gratification and self-preservation, I trust you with my life and with the timing of things. Please help me to be patient and not lose heart.
Long Nights I Lay Awake
By DaySpring
Have you ever let your emotions overpower what you knew was true? When we struggle, we know that God is preparing us for what is to come. Yet we lie awake crying, worried and unsure about our future. We feel frustrated by internal pain we deal with. But the thing is, we get so distracted by the uncertainties of life that we become blinded to the fact that God is at work. That’s why prayer is so important. It redirects us back to the heart of God, and it changes our perspective from what we see to what God has in store for us. Prayer allows us to draw back to Him rather than fall away. When was the last time you went before God and said, “I trust You with my life, no matter the outcome?”
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people. EPHESIANS 1:18- NIV
God, please remove every block that is hindering me from having a closer relationship with You. I desire to know Your character and to be surrounded by Your presence. Any person, relationship, or position that is keeping me from having a deeper and more meaningful relationship with You, I ask that You remove it now, in Jesus’ name.
This is an excerpt from 100 Days of Living Deeply Rooted by Sopha Rush – a new devotional journal now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.
From Jerusalem to the Ends of the Earth
From Jerusalem to the Ends of the Earth
“And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, ‘A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.’ And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.” (Matthew 13:57-58 NLT)
The hardest people to reach with the Gospel are members of your family because they’ve known you for your entire life. When I became a Christian, it was not well received by my family. It took me years to reach my mother. In fact, 30 years passed before she prayed and committed her life to Christ.
Even Jesus didn’t reach His family before he died and rose from the dead. We read that His family would show up on occasion and say, in effect, “He’s lost his mind. We need to take Him home.”
Matthew’s Gospel, referring to Nazareth, tells us that Jesus “did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58 NLT). They had known Jesus, the carpenter’s son, since He was a little boy.
But when Jesus laid out for the early Church His battle plan for reaching people, it started in Jerusalem, their home, and expanded from there. He said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NLT).
Jesus’s battle plan is the same one that we should follow today. That means starting with your spouse if you’re married, and with your parents, grandparents, children, and extended family. That is your Jerusalem.
Next is your Judea, which is your sphere of influence, your larger circle. That might be your workplace or the people who follow you on social media.
Finally, go to people everywhere.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus went out of His way to reach people who were “outside His comfort zone.” Are you willing to do that? God wants us to reach people everywhere with the Gospel.
Copyright © 2022 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
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6 Important Things We Can Learn from the 10 Plagues
- Clarence L. Haynes Jr.
- Contributing Writer
Moses, Israelites, Pharoah, Egyptians, and ten plagues that ultimately ended up with the Israelites being set free and delivered from Egypt–this is an epic story that showcases God’s power and love.
For today I want to put the attention on what can we learn from the 10 plagues. These plagues are critical to this story because without them Pharoah would not have let the Israelites go. Let me share with you 6 things we can learn from the 10 plagues, in no particular order.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Jag_cz
1. There Were Two Purposes for the Judgment
Slide 1 of 3
And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.” – Exodus 7:5
…Moses replied, “It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God. – Exodus 8:10
When you read the story of the Exodus from Egypt there really were two objectives. The big objective which we focus on the most is the deliverance of the Israelites. God used these plagues to soften Pharoah’s heart eventually leading to him letting them go. However, there was another objective that was just as important. God needed to show the Egyptians who he really was.
It was in these plagues that God was making known to the Egyptians that he is the one, true and living God. The plagues were God’s way of getting the attention of the Egyptians. We know the fate of Pharoah and the Egyptian army but what we don’t know is how many of the remaining Egyptians may have turned their hearts towards God after seeing this display of his power.
2. Remorse and Relief from Suffering Does Not Automatically Lead to Repentance
But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. – Exodus 8:15
Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. Now forgive my sin once more and pray to the Lord your God to take this deadly plague away from me.” – Exodus 10:16
There is a pattern that we see in Pharoah’s life. This is not much different then the same type of pattern that happens in many people’s lives. When we experience the consequence of our sinful actions, we may experience remorse and seek relief from suffering.
What we learn from the 10 plagues is that each of them brought suffering with it that was progressively more intense. As the consequences increased so did the need for Pharoah and the Egyptians to seek relief. However, what you notice is once the circumstance was alleviated, everything went back to normal and there was no real repentance.
This is an important lesson to understand for our own lives; relief and remorse don’t always produce repentance. One of the ways you can measure true repentance is what happens when the consequence is finally removed. If you go back to what you were doing before, then there has been no true repentance.
We often see this in our society when great tragedies strike, whether it is on a national scale like 9/11 or in an individual’s personal life. The pain of the moment causes a person to seek relief however once the pain is alleviated and the sting is not as great, they return to business as usual with no real repentance. This was Pharoah’s lot, and this is the lot of many people as well.
Photo Credit: ©Sparrowstock
3. Satan Is Not God’s Equal; God Can Keep Raising the Bar
Slide 2 of 3
But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not. Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere, the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord had said. – Exodus 8:18-19
One truth we learn from the 10 plagues is that Satan often tries to mimic what God does. In the New Testament (2 Cor. 11:14), it says Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. This was true in Egypt as well. The magicians tried to replicate the miracles of God and it seemed to work for a little while, until God raised the bar.
One thing we must always recognize is that no matter what happens around you, God will have the final word. There was this old play called your arms are too short to box with God. That is not only true of Satan that is true of every one of us.
Eventually, God will prove that he truly is above all and besides him, there is no other.
4. God Distinguishes between Those Who Belong to Him and Those Who Don’t
“‘But on that day, I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.’” – Exodus 8:22-23
What we know from the 10 plagues is when God was bringing judgment on Egypt, he made a distinction between those who were his people and those who weren’t. God was proving that he will take care of his own and he does not treat those who are his the same as those who are not.
This is not because we are so great but because God is so good. Even when he is judging others he protects and provides for those who belong to him because he is faithful.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/kevron2001
5. There Is Mercy in Judgment
Slide 3 of 3
For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. – Exodus 9:15-16
There is something hidden in judgment that sometimes we can easily forget. God often uses judgment as a precursor or the key that unlocks the door for him to show mercy. God brings judgment in the hopes that it will lead a person to repentance, giving him the opportunity to show mercy.
What we learn from the 10 plagues is that God could have used any one of them to annihilate Egypt, yet he chose not to. It is the same with you and me. Think of all the times he could have judged us according to our sin and wiped us out, especially before we were saved and even after. Yet he didn’t and instead decided to extend mercy.
By doing this we were able to see and experience the true grace of God. It is this type of kindness, even amid judgment, that leads to repentance.
6. The Heart of the Leader Is Not Always Reflected in the Heart of the People
Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field. – Exodus 9:20-21
I will share with you one more lesson we can learn from the 10 plagues, but as I said there are plenty more. Here is this last lesson. The heart of the leader is not always reflected in the heart of the people. This was true in Egypt, and this is always true. If the leader is going down the wrong path those who follow may choose to not follow the leader down that destructive path.
The reverse of this is also true. The leader may choose to do what is right but that doesn’t mean that the people will automatically do right as well. Each person has a responsibility to what they will do with the word of the Lord. This was true with those in Egypt, and this remains true today. In this instance, those who feared the word of the Lord and listened were spared, those who didn’t were killed but each person had to make their own choice.
There is so much more we can learn from the 10 plagues, but this article might never end or at least it would be a whole lot longer. Sometimes you try to encourage people to take one thing from a story but there are too many one things to try to do that. All I can tell you is read through it again yourself and see all the things you learn from these 10 plagues.
I promise you it will be a whole lot more than the 6 I shared with you.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Ig0rZh
Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. He has also just released his new book The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Do you want to go deeper in your walk with the Lord but can’t seem to overcome the stuff that keeps getting in the way? This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.
A Prayer for College Students
By Emma Danzey
John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Whether you have children in college, grandchildren, friends, or just care about the next generation, it is so important that we pray for them at this time of year. The start of a school year can really create a trajectory of an entire year. What clubs, ministries, and organizations that a student chooses put them around certain people and environments? This can either help them in their faith or pull them down.
We are reminded in John 1 that Jesus is the Light, and He has overcome the darkness. When believers live out daily life with Christ, they have opportunities to shine His light in dark places. College is definitely a place filled with darkness. From anti-Christian professors to party scenes, to identity crises, anxiety, depression, and independence gone wild, college is a make-or-break time in the life of many young people. This is a time when alcoholism develops, drug addictions take root, sexually transmitted diseases occur, and more. We need to seriously pray for college students today. The enemy is after them and uses this time for a lot of damage, however, our great God can use this time for a lot of good and strengthening individuals’ faith. It is such an amazing mission field for those who love Jesus. The light shines bright in the dark places.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father,
Thank you that You care about college students. Even when they are in a place of great trials and temptations, You are the Light who will guide those who are seeking You. We pray over those who know you to not be drawn away from walking with You for temporary pleasures and popularity. We pray for strong identities in You. We ask that You would be the anchor for believing students to be respectful and loving to others but remain firm on the truth of Your gospel and Your Word. Help them to seek out and find college ministries and groups that encourage their faith and motivate them to walk the narrow path with You. Help them to be witnesses to their classmates, professors, and those younger than them. Please protect them and guide them as they make decisions each day.
Lord, we pray for those who do not know you in college. Would the light shine so brightly in the students and professors who do know You that they would desire that change within themselves? Help them to be approached and given the gift of the good news of Christ. We pray for boldness for evangelism, friendships, and sharing the truth in love. We ask for You to lead the students away from tempting situations and towards the things that are of You. Protect them from damaging choices. We pray over concerned parents and family members that they would have peace in You and not stop praying for their loved ones.
We pray for the student who knows You as Savior but has not truly grown in a relationship with You. God, they are teetering in these kinds of environments. Help them to make the decisions that You would want for them out of learning of Your great love. If they should stumble and go their rebellious ways, convict their hearts gently and help them to turn back to You. Your grace is given, grace upon grace.
Remind students who fall that You are there always to pick them back up, and Your love for them has not changed even in their sins. We pray that other believers who are stronger in their faith would come alongside these students and love them well. Help them to have positive friend groups that sharpen them and motivate them to seek You. We pray for parents and family members who are concerned about these students. Help them to have peace and trust in Your working in their lives. Remind them that You see and love their child more. Give them hope that You hear their prayers.
Lord, please bless the college students of today. In a culture of confusion, help them to find all their answers and identity in You. Amen.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Seventy Four
Photo credit: ©SalemDesign/BethanyPyle
Emma Danzey’s mission in life stems from Ephesians 3:20-21, inspiring young women to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. She is wife to Drew and they have been married for over a year. Drew and Emma serve with Upstate CRU college ministry in South Carolina. Emma is an avid writer for Salem Web Network and provides articles on the Bible, life questions, and on the Christian lifestyle. Her article on Interracial Marriage was the number 1 viewed article on Crosswalk for the year 2021. All the glory to the Lord! She has the joy of being the host of Her Many Hats podcast where she explores the many roles that women play while serving One God.
Emma enjoys singing/songwriting, fitness classes, trying new recipes, home makeover shows, and drinking tea! During her ministry career, Emma recorded two worship EP albums, founded and led Polished Conference Ministries, ran the Refined Magazine, and served in music education for early childhood. Currently, she is in the editing stages of her first published book on singleness. Emma also had the privilege of being a national spokesperson for Mukti Mission based out of India. Mukti has been working to restore shattered lives in India for over 120 years. You can view her articles through her blog at emmadanzey.wordpress.com and check out Her Many Hats podcast on Instagram @her_many_hats.
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The Belt of Truth and Breastplate of Righteousness
Carolyn Dale Newell
Contributing Writer
The Belt of Truth seems a bit superficial, easily understandable, a piece of the armor we can assume we understand and move on—except now, more than ever, the definition of truth is being manipulated by the masses. Hollywood, politicians, false teachers, and anyone you bump into have a different definition of truth. But if the truth is truth, making everything else a lie, we must not only know but cling tightly to God’s. He is the truth and the only truth.
His Word and His Spirit alone provide us with discernment and guide us in what is right and wrong, even when we feel we can’t find a verbatim example of our question or situation in the Bible. Therefore, the Belt of Truth isn’t only a belief but a belief in action. The truth requires a faith that is so desperate for God’s goodness that it actively engages His Spirit and the Bible.
If we are vetted in the truth and aren’t easily swayed, we are able to walk in God’s righteousness. The Breastplate of Righteousness allows us to protect our hearts from damage. In battle, a blow to the heart is fatal, but it’s the same for the spirit. If we don’t pursue righteousness and God’s call to love and serve, our hearts are penetrated by the enemy and his fatal lies. We are vulnerable to deception, trickery, and human nature’s worst: selfishness, jealousy, vengeance, malice, and the list goes on.
Let’s take some time to dig deep into what it means to wear the Belt of Truth and Breastplate of Righteousness each day. Let’s renew our fervor to stand up for what is right, especially in today’s society that places the devil’s lies on a pedestal, and let’s discover how we can protect our hearts from those lies by preparing ourselves with the Breastplate of Righteousness.
Photo Credit: ©SWN
Originally published Thursday, 15 September 2022.
What Would You Do with a Huge Inheritance?
I’ll be honest, I’m not a sports fan. I know which way a ball is supposed to go, but that’s about it. My husband, on the other hand, loves the games. If I’m sitting with him while he’s watching one, I want to know about the players’ families, where they’re from, and other nonsensical information that has nothing to do with the game. I’m what some might call a distraction!
Occasionally, Steve shares something with me from Sports Illustrated that he thinks might be of interest…what he calls a human-interest story. The story of Matthew Joseph White was one of them.
He signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1998, the Boston Red Sox in 2002, and the Colorado Rockies in 2003. (All you non-sports fans, don’t you dare stop reading!)
In 2003, Matt had an aunt who needed to go into a nursing home. She didn’t have the funds to make the move, but she did have a piece of land in his home state of Massachusetts. So, Matt agreed to pay her $50,000 for the 45 acres of mountain real estate, which gave her enough to enter the nursing home and get the care she needed. (I love him already!)
Matt’s original intent was to build a home on the property, but found the ground too hard. When he called a surveyor to inspect the acreage, he discovered treasure lying beneath the rocky soil. The land was solid Goshen stone, a type of valuable mica. Approximately 24 million tons of mica schist rock, worth about $100 per ton, had been resting on the mountain for thousands of years. The estimated worth of Matt’s land? Two point five billion dollars—that’s billion with a B.
When my husband read me Matt’s story, my mind immediately went to the truth of what we have in Christ. Most of us are sitting on a mountain of precious promises and don’t even know it. Goshen stone may be valuable, and I am tickled pink that Matt made the discovery, but followers of Christ are sitting on a treasure worth even more. Jesus is the Rock, and God has already paid the excavation costs. The title deed has your name on it, and you simply need to take hold to access your glorious inheritance.
Being in Christ comes with many benefits. You are a dearly loved, completely accepted, totally forgiven, uniquely chosen child of God. And because you have been adopted into God’s family, you are now heir to a plethora of precious promises.
For starters, when you exhale your last breath on earth, you will inhale heaven for all eternity. There is no other promise that comes close in comparison. But there’s more, so much more.
Paul wrote,
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
He goes on to say that in Him we have been given:
- redemption through his blood
- the forgiveness of sins
- riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us
- the promised Holy Spirit (13b-14 emphases added).
Did you see it? Paul is describing blessings and promises we already have. Every single one of those verbs are in the past tense. We don’t need to earn them. We don’t need to wait for them. We simply need to take hold of what is already ours.
God made a deposit of blessings in your safe-deposit box before the creation of the world, fashioned the key in the shape of a cross and gave you access the moment you believed.
So what would you do with a huge inheritance? I guess the better question is, what will we do with the huge inheritance that we already have?
If you are thankful for your spiritual inheritance, click on comment and say, “I’m grateful!”
Father, forgive me for living like a spiritual pauper rather than a child of the King. Help me to let go of my scarcity mentality and take hold of the riches of my inheritance. And Lord, I know this isn’t about money or the treasures of this world. Oh, Your precious promises go so much deeper than anything this temporary world has for us. Open my eyes to see what is important…the blessings You have already given me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Want to know more about how to take hold of the promises, provision, and power that God has already given you? Then check out Sharon’s book, Take Hold of the Faith You Long For: Let Go, Move Forward, Live Bold.
Let go of everything that’s holding you back. Move forward with everything you already have. Live bold in your newly discovered power, courage, and confidence.
Need prayer? Click here to leave a prayer request on the prayer wall and pray for others.
© 2022 by Sharon Jaynes. All rights reserved.
Remembering George Muller’s Birthday
RevelationMedia
“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.” –George Müller
Today, we celebrate George Müller, a true hero of the faith, as we remember the day of his birth, September 27, 1805, over 200 years ago. Share George’s powerful story with your kids and grandkids, and remind them that God can change any heart and work in any life. Even those who seem far from the Lord can be transformed and used mightily in God’s Kingdom.
George Müller did not start out as a faithful follower of the Lord. In fact, he was the privileged, arrogant son of a lawyer. He drank, gambled, stole money, and skipped out on bills which landed him in jail at the age of 16. After his father paid his debts and rescued him from prison, George tried very hard to “be good” to please his father. But, he still lived a secret life of sin that led him to become very ill. He was then confined to his room for 13 weeks. During these early years, he tried to change his conduct, and though he would succeed for a day or two, changing his behavior was just too difficult—impossible even—without a change of heart.
But then, in a small prayer meeting, George Müller found Jesus, and everything changed.
“I gave myself fully to the Lord. Honors, pleasures, money, my physical powers, my mental powers, all were laid down at the feet of Jesus, and I became a great lover of the Word of God.” —George Müller
Once a man who was corrupted by money, George had only two shillings (about 50 cents) in his pocket when God pressed on his heart to establish an orphanage in Bristol, England. After a life of stealing money and asking for it from other men, he was determined to rely on God alone. In every need, from building structures to food for the many orphans, he always presented his prayers to God, and never once to other people. In that time, over $7,000,000 was sent to him for building and maintaining these orphan houses. In all the years since the first orphans arrived, the children never had to go without a meal. Not once. On some occasions, the meal time was almost at hand, and they did not know where the food would come from, but the Lord always sent what was needed in due time.
George Müller had complete faith that God was good, and he sought to do all that God called him to do. In his time, he built 5 large orphan houses and cared for over 10,000 orphans. He began his life giving in to greed and self satisfaction, but God transformed him to be self-sacrificial. His chief passion and aim of his ministry was to “live a life and lead a ministry in a way that proves God is real, God is trustworthy, God answers prayer.”
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
–James 1:27 [ESV]
It may seem easy to trust in the Lord when things are going well in our lives, but when things are uncertain, it can be hard to commit to prayer and trust in the Lord. George Müller exemplified in his life what the Bible calls believers to do: to serve others who need help, and to trust the Lord for His provision to do so. His faith did not waver when met with adversity. Instead, he continued to believe that God his Father would provide—and He did! May we all find this steadfast confidence in God, and may we encourage it in our children and grandchildren.
Watch a Sample Scene from The George Müller Story from Torchlighters: Heroes of the Faith.
Learn more about George Müller’s journey to open a home for thousands of orphans. Get your copy of The George Müller Story from the award-winning Torchlighters: Heroes of the Faith series, along with the story of another hero of the faith: Harriet Tubman.
Support RevelationMedia and Receive TWO Free Torchlighters DVDs!
Support RevelationMedia today with a generous contribution, and we will send you The Harriet Tubman Story and The George Müller Story from the award-winning Torchlighters: Heroes of the Faith series. See how God used these two individuals to exemplify His mercy and care for the least of these. Add these powerful stories to your Torchlighters DVD collection today!
fix your gaze on Him
God Will Help You Through Your Fears
Today’s inspiration comes from:
by Max Lucado
As famous lakes go, Galilee — only thirteen miles at its longest, seven and a half at its widest — is a small, moody one. The diminutive size makes it more vulnerable to the winds that howl out of the Golan Heights. They turn the lake into a blender, shifting suddenly, blowing first from one direction, then another. Winter months bring such storms every two weeks or so, churning the waters for two to three days at a time.1
When Peter and a few other disciples found themselves in the middle of Galilee one stormy night, they knew they were in trouble:
But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. — Matthew 14:24
What should have been a sixty-minute cruise became a nightlong battle. The boat lurched and lunged like a kite in a March wind. Sunlight was a distant memory. Rain fell from the night sky in buckets. Lightning sliced the blackness with a silver sword. Winds whipped the sails, leaving the disciples “in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves.” Apt description, perhaps, for your stage in life? Perhaps all we need to do is substitute a couple of nouns…
In the middle of a divorce, tossed about by guilt.
In the middle of debt, tossed about by creditors.
In the middle of a recession, tossed about by stimulus packages and bailouts.
The disciples fought the storm for nine cold, skin-drenching hours. And about 4:00 a.m. the unspeakable happened. They spotted someone coming on the water.
‘A ghost!’ they said, crying out in terror. — Matthew 14:26 MSG
They didn’t expect Jesus to come to them this way.
Neither do we. We expect Him to come in the form of peaceful hymns or Easter Sundays or quiet retreats. We expect to find Jesus in morning devotionals, church suppers, and meditation. We never expect to see Him in a bear market, pink slip, lawsuit, foreclosure, or war.
We never expect to see Him in a storm.
But it is in storms that He does His finest work, for it is in storms that He has our keenest attention. Jesus replied to the disciples’ fear with an invitation worthy of inscription on every church cornerstone and residential archway.
‘Don’t be afraid,’ He said. ‘Take courage. I am here!’ — Matthew 14:7 NLT
Power inhabits those words. To awaken in an ICU and hear your husband say, “I am here.” To lose your retirement yet feel the support of your family in the words “We are here.” When a Little Leaguer spots Mom and Dad in the bleachers watching the game, “I am here” changes everything. Perhaps that’s why God repeats the “I am here” pledge so often.
The Lord is near (Philippians 4:5 NIV).
You are in Me, and I am in you (John 14:20 NIV).
I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20 NIV).
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand (John 10:28 NIV).
Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow — not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38 NLT).
We cannot go where God is not. Look over your shoulder; that’s God following you. Look into the storm; that’s Christ coming toward you.
Much to Peter’s credit, he took Jesus at His word.
‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus”. — Matthew 14:28–29
Peter never would have made this request on a calm sea. Had Christ strolled across a lake that was as smooth as mica, Peter would have applauded, but I doubt he would have stepped out of the boat.
Storms prompt us to take unprecedented journeys.
For a few historic steps and heart-stilling moments, Peter did the impossible. He defied every law of gravity and nature; “he walked on the water to go to Jesus.”
My editors wouldn’t have tolerated such brevity. They would have flooded the margin with red ink: “Elaborate! How quickly did Peter exit the boat?
What were the other disciples doing?
What was the expression on his face?
Did he step on any fish?”
Matthew had no time for such questions. He moves us quickly to the major message of the event: where to stare in a storm.
But when [Peter] saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ — Matthew 14:30
A wall of water eclipsed his view. A wind gust snapped the mast with a crack and a slap. A flash of lightning illuminated the lake and the watery Appalachians it had become. Peter shifted his attention away from Jesus and toward the squall, and when he did, he sank like a brick in a pond. Give the storm waters more attention than the Storm Walker and get ready to do the same.
Whether or not storms come, we cannot choose. But where we stare during a storm, that we can.
I found a direct example of this truth while sitting in my cardiologist’s office. My heart rate was misbehaving, taking the pace of a NASCAR race and the rhythm of a Morse code message. So I went to a specialist. After reviewing my tests and asking me some questions, the doctor nodded knowingly and told me to wait for him in his office.
I didn’t like being sent to the principal’s office as a kid. I don’t like being sent to the doctor’s office as a patient. But I went in, took a seat, and quickly noticed the doctor’s abundant harvest of diplomas. They were everywhere, from everywhere. One degree from the university. Another degree from a residency.
The more I looked at his accomplishments, the better I felt. I’m in good hands. About the time I leaned back in the chair to relax, his nurse entered and handed me a sheet of paper. “The doctor will be in shortly,” she explained. “In the meantime he wants you to acquaint yourself with this information. It summarizes your heart condition.”
I lowered my gaze from the diplomas to the summary of the disorder. As I read, contrary winds began to blow. Unwelcome words like atrial fibrillation, arrhythmia, embolic stroke, and blood clot caused me to sink into my own Sea of Galilee.
What happened to my peace? I was feeling much better a moment ago. So I changed strategies. I counteracted diagnosis with diplomas. In between paragraphs of bad news, I looked at the wall for reminders of good news. That’s what God wants us to do.
His call to courage is not a call to naïveté or ignorance. We aren’t to be oblivious to the overwhelming challenges that life brings. We’re to counterbalance them with long looks at God’s accomplishments.
We must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. — Hebrews 2:1 NASB
Do whatever it takes to keep your gaze on Jesus.
This is what Peter learned to do. After a few moments of flailing in the water, he turned back to Christ and cried,
‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ He said, ‘why did you doubt?’ And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. — Matthew 14:30-32 NIV
Jesus could have stilled this storm hours earlier. But He didn’t. He wanted to teach the followers a lesson. Jesus could have calmed your storm long ago too. But He hasn’t. Does He also want to teach you a lesson? Could that lesson read something like this:
“Storms are not an option, but fear is”?
God has hung His diplomas in the universe. Rainbows, sunsets, horizons, and star-sequined skies. He has recorded His accomplishments in Scripture. We’re not talking six thousand hours of flight time. His résumé includes Red Sea openings. Lions’ mouths closings. Goliath topplings. Lazarus raisings. Storm stillings and strollings.
His lesson is clear. He’s the commander of every storm. Are you scared in yours? Then stare at Him.
God’s Word for You
Allow these passages from God’s Word to remind you that God will help you through your fears.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. — Joshua 1:9 NIV
The Lord doesn’t just take away our fear; He replaces it with strength and courage.
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God. — Isaiah 43:1-3
The Lord has called you by name and you are His. Allow this truth to comfort your fears.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. — John 14:27
These are the words of Christ. Receive his peace as a gift that has already been offered to you.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear. — 1 John 4:18
Your fear is not of God or from God. His love casts out fear.
Read the following prayer, silently or aloud. When you have finished praying, spend a moment in silence, listening for the voice of God.
God, thank You for reminding me of Your power today. Just as Jesus walked on water, so can You calm the storms around me. I often feel afraid when life gets stormy. I can’t see my way out. I feel vulnerable to what I cannot control. Help me fix my gaze on You today. Remind me of who You are and what You are capable of. Ease my fears and replace them with peace. Calm my anxious thoughts. Help me love those around me and be present with them, which is hard to do during a difficult time. Whenever I feel afraid, or my thoughts feel out of control, may I see the image of Christ walking on the water extending His hand to help me. May I trust Christ more than myself, more than others, more than what I tend to focus on during times like this. May my gaze always be fixed on Him. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
- Shelley Wachsmann, The Sea of Galilee Boat: An Extraordinary 2000 Year Old Discovery (New York: Plenum Press, 1995), 39, 121.
Excerpted with permission from God Will Help You by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado.
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Your Turn
Where do you typically fix your gaze during a stormy time in life? On God, on others, on a coping mechanism? Why do those things draw your gaze when Jesus is the One who can calm the storm? Come share your thoughts with us. We want to hear from you!
Words of Encouragement
Heavenly Father, thank You for creating in me something to offer You as a prayer. Guide my motivations so that I seek no glory for myself in my prayer but instead direct all honor to You. Please accept my humble but heartfelt expression of love and worship. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Dose of Devotion 