VIDEO Sunken Treasure

Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. Acts 27:25

The dark floors of the world’s oceans are littered with gold, jewels, and treasures of immense value—cargos of thousands of ships that have perished through the centuries. Earlier this year, priceless objects were salvaged from the Mentor, which was loaded with treasures from the Parthenon when it sank off the coast of Greece in 1802.

The apostle Paul’s ship nearly sank in a terrific storm in the fall of A.D. 59, while Paul was being transported as a prisoner to Rome. The crew lost hope of being saved, but Paul had a word from God—and he believed God, that it would be just as He said.

In the storms of life, we not only have a word from God; we have the Word of God. No matter what storms are sent by Satan, there are verses to keep us afloat. 

Acts 27:25 gives us one of the simplest definitions of faith in the Bible—believing that it will be just as God has told us in His Word. His promises are unsinkable, and they will always keep our heads above water.

The Word of God is sure to give up its treasures to prayerful, humble search. M. Rhodes

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With You In the Storm, Acts 27:25 – Pastor Chuck Smith – Topical Bible Study

He Will Fight for You

The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord. Proverbs 21:31

The wounded horse was named Drummer Boy, one of 112 mounts carrying British soldiers into battle during the famed Charge of the Light Brigade. The animal showed such bravery and stamina that his assigned commander, Lieutenant Colonel de Salis, decided his horse deserved a medal as much as his valiant men. This was done even though their military action against enemy forces failed. Yet the cavalry’s valor, matched by the courage of their horses, established the clash as one of Britain’s greatest military moments, still celebrated today.

The confrontation, however, shows the wisdom of an ancient Bible proverb: “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord” (Proverbs 21:31). Scripture affirms this principle clearly. “For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory” (Deuteronomy 20:4). Indeed, even against the sting of death, wrote the apostle Paul, “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:56–57).

Knowing this, our task still is to be prepared for life’s tough tests. To build a ministry, we study, work, and pray. To create beautiful art, we master a skill. To conquer a mountain, we secure our tools and build our strength. Then prepared, we’re more than conquerors through Christ’s strong love.

By:  Patricia Raybon

Reflect & Pray

What battles or challenges are you preparing for now? If your victory rests in God, why should you prepare for this life test?

Heavenly Father, as I approach life’s great tests, inspire me to prepare my heart so that You get the victory.

A Faithful Church in an Ungodly World

Colossians 2:1-8

A church is able to stand firm in Christ when its members walk by faith, not sight. Just as our salvation came through belief rather than feelings, our daily decisions should be made the same way—but this is contrary to the world’s approach.

Society rewards self-assurance and independence, and it relies on what we can see. But Scripture reveals the foolishness of depending solely on our circumstances or other people (Jer. 17:5-6). Instead, our confidence is to be placed in Jesus, and we are to rely on Him. In fact, Proverbs 3:5-6 says we’re not to lean on our own understanding at all. 

If the church is to remain faithful, we must get daily spiritual nourishment directly from God’s Word. Through study and application—both individually and corporately—we will learn to be guided by the Lord’s wisdom and to let false doctrine and error “go in one ear and out the other.”

A church body that is knitted together in love, unity, and belief in Jesus will be immovable in the world. Does this describe you and your church? Take a moment to pray for faithful fellowship among believers and for a foundation of strong belief.

Jesus Christ Is Lord

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)

Often this passage is thought of as an admission by all sentient beings of the deity of the Lord Jesus—and it certainly is that. There surely will come a point in time in which “every thing that hath breath” will praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6). Those of us who are the twice-born will do so with great joy. Those who have chosen to reject the gospel will also do so—but with overwhelming terror (Proverbs 1:27).

However, the foundational passage from which the New Testament quotes, and by which it twice applies the event, is found in Isaiah 45:22-23: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Our verse today applies the Isaiah passage to the great final judgment referred to in Revelation 20. Other insights in Revelation cite some of the songs we may sing and something of the ceremonies and pageantry associated with the celebration of Christ’s formal assumption of His role as King.

The first New Testament quotation of Isaiah 45:23 is in Romans 14:11-12. Here, Paul applies the judgment to an open report of our deeds: “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Surely this broader sight should strengthen our resolve to “please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4). HMM III

Out to See Jesus

Mark 10:32-34

THERE came the day when Jesus told His disciples of His approaching death (Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-34). He knew from the beginning that He must die. It was no mere happening, but part of the Divine plan from all eternity. But beyond the cross He saw also the resurrection.

How distressing is the contrast when, immediately after this statement and the parable of laborers, should come the request of James and John for favored places in His kingdom! How much they had to learn! They were to drink of the cup of persecution, but only God could award places. Jesus rebuked the spirit that seeks the upper places. We are great only as we serve. He Himself declares that He came to give His life a ransom for many—a clear statement of the atonement.

Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52) is a type of the sinner, blind and begging. No matter what else you see or what else you own, if Christ has not opened your eyes, you are a blind beggar. Bartimaeus cried out. Emotion has been outlawed in our churches, but if sinners truly realized their plight they would cry for mercy while Jesus is passing by. Notice that some tried to discourage Bartimaeus, and even Christians may discourage earnest seekers, but Jesus can hear the sinner’s cry over all the din and tumult. Notice that Bartimaeus knew what he needed first and most: his sight. And when he received it he followed Christ, glorifying God. That is the Christian experience: first the new sight, then following the Lord with joy.

Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) was a tax-collector for Rome and a Jew, which made a despised combination. But he sought to see Jesus. We crowd the streets when the President passes, but how many go to pains to see Jesus. Zacchaeus was little of stature and could not get through the crowd. The things that get in one’s way when he starts out to see Jesus! These people also were out to see Jesus, so sometime even good people with good intentions get in the way of the seeking sinner. But Zacchaeus would not be discouraged; he climbed a sycamore. There is always a sycamore for the man who really wants a blessing. Of course, it was not dignified to climb the tree, but when a man really wants to get through to Jesus he will forget dignity and custom and press through the crowd, or tear up the roof, or climb a tree to get through to Christ. How we need a holy desperation today that will not be stopped short of Jesus!

Mind you, Zacchaeus was on the right road, “for He was to pass that way.” There are some roads Christ does not travel: pride, haughtiness, mere morality, skepticism. And Jesus saw Zacchaeus. Christ is always looking for the seeking soul. He told Zacchaeus He was going home with him. Christ wants to live with us, not merely meet us at church. And Zacchaeus came down in haste and received Him joyfully and offered to make restitution for all his past money-grabbing. It is a fine evidence of regeneration when a man gives back the things that don’t belong to him. This man’s faith hit his pocketbook! He was not saved because he did this, he did this because he was saved. He was a double child of Abraham, by flesh and by faith.

Jesus is passing by. Set out to see Him though you must climb a sycamore.

The Doubter’s Prayer

Don’t be an unbeliever, but a believer.—John 20:27

If your doubts still persist after facing them, praying about them, and developing the habit of talking to yourself with a Scripture passage that refutes them, then seek the help of a minister or a Christian counselor. God has given us three resources to help us whenever we get into spiritual difficulties: the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and the people of God. The final answer to doubt may come as you share with an experienced Christian the things that are going on in your heart.

If you are not able to get the kind of help I am suggesting, then get in touch with your nearest Christian bookshop and ask them to recommend some helpful reading on the subject. Whatever you do, don’t allow yourself to settle down into a complacent attitude about your doubts. Adopt a positive approach and determine to do something about resolving them. This will ensure that even though your doubts may take a certain amount of time to be cleared away, they will not be able to degenerate into unbelief.

Let me remind you of “The Doubter’s Prayer” compiled by Martin Luther:

Dear Lord, although I am sure of my position,

I am unable to sustain it without Thee.

Help me or I am lost.

If the only thing you are able to do is pray, then that by itself will prevent doubt from becoming unbelief. If you also adopt the principle of “talking to yourself” from the Word of God, then you have in your hands the strategy for overcoming doubt.

Prayer

Father, help me, whenever I don’t know what to do, to turn naturally to prayer. Then no moment will be empty or fruitless. But help me also to utilize the power of Your Word, the Bible. Let these two things become my central strategy. Amen.

Further Study

Mk 9:14-29; Mt 9:29-30; 21:21

What was the father’s request?

Do you need to pray that prayer today?

The Conqueror (cont.)

Luke 1:74

Jesus Christ has come to you and to me, to deliver us from sin. No one would want to localize this purpose, or contract it, by saying He was intended to save a man from drink, falsehood, thieving—that is, to take the outworks, while the very citadel, the heart, is left infected with pride, selfishness, hatred, bad temper and everything that is bad and unlike God. Surely, to deliver him He must destroy those inward enemies and save us out of the hands of all that is devilish in our own secret passions, tempers, and dispositions.

Now, I think I hear you say, “How far can I be saved in this direction? Is there such a thing as an uttermost salvation? I am wonderfully saved already. I do now enjoy a wonderful salvation. A wonderful change has been wrought within me. I am not what I used to be by any comparison, but still I am conscious that there is sin within me.”

For every man has two characters. He has a character with which the outer world is conversant, and an inward character which is only known to him and his Maker. Of this inner character many may say there are in it blots, much that is selfish, much that is devilish, much of which they would be ashamed to have the record transcribed on paper and read out before their fellow men. But there they are; evils spring up, continually grieving them and bring them into bondage. The cry often goes up to heaven from such hearts, “Can I be saved from these inward sins?” I answer in the words of this man, Zacharias, who spoke full of the Holy Spirit, “He came to save you out of the hand of your enemies” (Luke 1:74). That is, to make you free from their power, so deliver you that they shall have no hold upon you, in order that you may “serve God in holiness all your days” (Luke 1:75).

Now, mark the duration of this deliverance. Not merely for a few minutes just before you die, nor for an hour or two in a holiness convention. There is a deliverance—a deliverance from all sin—that can last all the days of your life, if you live to be as old as Methuselah. May the Lord save you properly and then people will be sorry when they hear about your funeral!

Do you hear? You never need sin any more. He’s the conqueror. He can toss His enemies out of your heart. He will not only conquer, but He will annex your heart and make it His own territory over which He will reign absolutely. Thank God! He is Almighty to save and Almighty to keep.

William Booth, Salvation Soldiery