Day: February 27, 2014

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Our Misgivings About Jesus

The woman said to Him, ’Sir, You have nothing to draw [water] with, and the well is deep’ —John 4:11

Have you ever said to yourself, “I am impressed with the wonderful truths of God’s Word, but He can’t really expect me to live up to that and work all those details into my life!” When it comes to confronting Jesus Christ on the basis of His qualities and abilities, our attitudes reflect religious superiority. We think His ideals are lofty and they impress us, but we believe He is not in touch with reality— that what He says cannot actually be done. Each of us thinks this about Jesus in one area of our life or another.

These doubts or misgivings about Jesus begin as we consider questions that divert our focus away from God. While we talk of our dealings with Him, others ask us, “Where are you going to get enough money to live? How will you live and who will take care of you?” Or our misgivings begin within ourselves when we tell Jesus that our circumstances are just a little too difficult for Him. We say, “It’s easy to say, ’Trust in the Lord,’ but a person has to live; and besides, Jesus has nothing with which to draw water— no means to be able to give us these things.”

Beware of exhibiting religious deceit by saying, “Oh, I have no misgivings about Jesus, only misgivings about myself.” If we are honest, we will admit that we never have misgivings or doubts about ourselves, because we know exactly what we are capable or incapable of doing. But we do have misgivings about Jesus. And our pride is hurt even at the thought that He can do what we can’t.

My misgivings arise from the fact that I search within to find how He will do what He says. My doubts spring from the depths of my own inferiority. If I detect these misgivings in myself, I should bring them into the light and confess them openly— “Lord, I have had misgivings about You. I have not believed in Your abilities, but only my own. And I have not believed in Your almighty power apart from my finite understanding of it.”

By Oswald Chambers

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The Foundation of Wisdom

Proverbs 9:7-12

Proverbs 9:10 tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The connection between these two concepts may initially be difficult to grasp: How can fearing God make us wise?

First, we need to understand what it means to fear the Lord. This term is used to describe an awesome reverence for God that moves us to acknowledge Him as the sovereign Ruler of heaven and earth, submit to His will, and walk in obedience. The result of such a response will be the acquisition of wisdom.

For those of us who commit to living for the Father’s purposes rather than our own, a greater understanding of the Lord starts to develop. The Holy Spirit will enable us to see circumstances and people from His divine perspective. This kind of wisdom reaches beyond human perception and gives us discernment to make decisions that fit into the Lord’s plans for our lives. Knowing that He always works for our best interest, we are empowered to walk confidently through both good times and bad.

But there are those who reject God’s instructions—they dishonor Him by refusing to acknowledge His right to rule their lives. It’s foolish to rebel against His authority and think you can win. Fearing God is the only way to know real wisdom.

What is your attitude toward the Lord? If you truly reverence Him, you will listen for His directions and heed His warnings. A desire to honor and please Him will motivate you to turn from evil and seek to live in obedience. And the result will be wisdom beyond human understanding.

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The Prayer of Faith

“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” (James 5:15)

Without examining the various interpretations of this somewhat controversial passage, we merely note that one of the main ingredients of effective praying is faith. There are others, of course (praying in God’s will, no unconfessed sin, unselfish motives, etc.), but all these must be “mixed with faith” to be effective (Hebrews 4:2).

There are many such exhortations to pray in faith. Jesus said, “All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:22). Another example is James 1:5-6: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” And another: “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:24).

Every Scripture passage must be viewed in context, of course, including the context of the entire Bible. The “faith” we must exercise is not only a spiritual confidence that God will answer (and this, clearly, is necessary), but also faith in God as Creator (and, therefore, able to answer!), Christ as Savior (therefore, justly willing to hear), and in the Holy Scriptures as the written Word of God. James warns any man without genuine faith: “Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:7-8).

True biblical faith is faith in God the omnipotent Creator (Hebrews 11:3), faith in Christ as redeeming Savior (John 3:16-18), and obedient faith in the revealed Word of God (1 John 3:22). Then we can believe in confidence that God will indeed answer our prayer of faith. HMM

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Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord

Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord.—Jeremiah 23:24.

LET me not dwell so much within My bounded heart, with anxious heed—Where all my searches meet with sin, And nothing satisfies my need—It shuts me from the sound and sight Of that pure world of life and light. ANNA L. WARING.

DO you think that the infinite God cannot fill and satisfy your heart? FRANCOIS DE LA MOTHE FÉNELON.

Let not cares, riches, pleasures of this world, choke the heart, which was formed to contain the love of God, Pray, and all is thine. Thine is God Himself, who teacheth thee to pray for Himself. To pray is to go forth from earth, and to live in Heaven. EDWARD B. PUSEY.

The vision of God is indeed the transfiguration of the world; communion with God is the inspiration of life. That vision, that communion, Christ by His coming has made our abiding inheritance. As often as the Christian touches heaven, the heaven which lies about us though our eyes are holden that we should not see it, he is again filled with the powers of the world to come. Then reverence finds its perfect satisfaction; then devotion finds its invincible strength. BROOKE FOSS WESTCOTT.

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There was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald

There was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. Revelation 4:3

This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud,… and I will look upon it, that I may remember the ever-lasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. — An everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure. — That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

We declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.

Genesis 9:12,13,16. 2 Samuel 23:5. Hebrews 6:18. Acts. 13:32. Hebrews 13:8.

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Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Lamentations 3:40

Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. — Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. — I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandments. — Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. — We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins. — Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is say, his flesh: and having a high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Psalm 26:2. Psalm 51:6. Psalm 119:59,60. 1 Corinthians 11:28. 1 John 1:9. 1 John 2:1. Hebrews 10:19- 22.