Accepting What God Gives

Text: Job 2:9-13

Key Verse: "He replied, You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? In all this, Job did not sin in what he said" (Job 2:10)

Job's rebuke is a very gentle one. He did not say, You foolish woman! He said, You are talking like a foolish woman. He is not attacking her; rather, he is suggesting that this is a temporary lapse of faith on her part and that, for the moment, she has begun to repeat the words of stupid, foolish women who have no knowledge of the grace and glory of God. In that gentle rebuke you can see something of the sturdiness and tenderness of Job's faith.

In this great sentence, he again reasserts the sovereignty of God: Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? Job's wife had the philosophy that life ought to be pleasant, and if it were not, there was no use living it.

That philosophy is widespread in our own day, and a mounting suicide rate testifies to the universal acceptance of it. But this book is given to show us that life is not to be lived on those terms. The reason we are here is not necessarily to have a good time. There are meaningful objectives to be attained in life, even when it all turns sour.

When the pressure comes, when living is no longer fun, life is still worth living. A philosophy that wants to abandon everything as soon as things become unpleasant is a shallow, mistaken, distorted view of life. Job reaffirms that. Shall we not take both good and evil from the hand of God?

We take His joy and His pleasure, the pleasant things of life, with gladness and gratitude. If God chooses to send something that is difficult, shall we then abandon that gratitude and begin to curse Him in protest because life is suddenly different than we thought it would be?

The reason we are here is not merely that we might have a good time, and this is taught everywhere in the Scriptures. God, in His grace and glory, does give us many hours of joy and gladness and pleasure and delight, and it is right for us to give thanks. But do not abandon that when the time of pressure comes, because that is what Satan wants us to do.

He wants us to begin to complain and protest to God; to get upset and angry and resentful; to stop going to church or to reading the Bible. That is what Satan's whole attack on our lives is aimed at doing.

*** Culled from Ray Stedman Ministry Devotional | www.raystedman.org ***

THE TRUTH MEDIA

...building the body of Christ

God's Nonsense

Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Key Verse: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19)

The theme of this text is the power of the cross, and Apostle Paul shows clearly what the cross does in human thinking and in human affairs. The cross has become the symbol of Christianity today. Women wear it on chains around their necks; we use it as decorations. We have become so familiar with the cross that we have forgotten much of the impact it had in the first century. It was, for these early Christians, and for those among whom they lived, a horrible symbol. If you had used it then as a symbol it would have made people shudder. We would get much closer to it today if we substituted a symbol of an electric chair for the cross. Wouldn't it be strange driving across your country to see church steeples with electric chairs on top?

The cross is significant in Christianity because it exposes the fundamental conflict of life. The cross gets down below all our surface attempts at compromise and cuts through all human disagreement. Once you confront the cross and its meaning, you find yourself unable to escape that final judgment of life as to whether you are committed to error or committed to truth.

We must understand what Paul means by the word of the cross. First of all, it means the basic announcement of the crucifixion of Jesus. There are many religious groups based upon various philosophical concepts. But when you come to Christianity you do not start with philosophy, you start with facts of history that cannot be thrown out. One of them is the incarnation of Jesus, the fact that he was born as a man and came among us. Another of the great facts of our faith is the crucifixion. Jesus died. It was done at a certain point of time in history and cannot be evaded. This is part of the word of the cross. He did not deserve it, but by the judgment of the Romans and Jews alike he was put to death for a crime that he did not commit.

Paul is pointing to the judgment that the cross makes upon human life. When you say that Jesus was crucified you are saying that when the finest man who ever lived takes our place, he deserves nothing but the instant judgment of God. And that is a judgment on all of us. That is what people do not like about the cross. It condemns our righteousness. It casts aspersion on all our good efforts.

The word of the cross always produces two reactions. First, the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. It is silliness, absurdity, nonsense, to those who are perishing. If you have ever tried to witness to somebody who has a sense of sufficiency about himself, you have discovered the folly of the cross. To come and tell such a person that all his efforts and all his impressive record of achievement is worth nothing in God's sight, you will immediately run into the offense of the cross.

The other reaction is that the cross is the power of God to those of us who are being saved. To us who are being saved, the cross is the key to the release of all God's blessing in human life. It is the way to experience the healing of God in the heart, the deliverance from the reign of sin, and the entry into wholeness, peace, and joy. The cross is an inescapable part of that process.

*** Culled from Ray Stedman’s Ministry | www.raystedman.org ***

THE TRUTH MEDIA

…building the body of Christ

Ye Who Are Troubled And Burdened By Sin

Text: John 3:16, 6:37; Matthew 11:28

Ye who are troubled and burdened by sin,

Come just as you are;

Come to the Savior, a new life begin,

Oh, come just as you are.

           

Come just as you are,

Oh, come just as you are;

Give up your sin, let the Savior come in,

And come just as you are.

Deep in your heart sin has written its scar,

Come just as you are;

Though from the Father you’ve wandered afar,

Oh, come just as you are.

Sinful and guilty, heartbroken and lost,

Come just as you are;

Think what your ransom on Calvary cost!

Oh, come just as you are.

Naught of your goodness God’s favor can win,

Come just as you are;

Trust in the blood which was shed for your sin,

And come just as you are.

Come with your heartache, your sorrow and pain,

Come just as you are;

No one has come to the Savior in vain,

Oh, come just as you are.

THE TRUTH MEDIA

...building the body of Christ

Spread Some Cheers!

Text: Proverbs 12:17-28

Key verse: “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop; but a good word maketh it glad” (Proverbs 12:25)

There is increasing number of problems in the world today. With the collapse of many economies, jobs are falling fast, businesses are collapsing and homes are crumbling. Our newsstands are daily filled with stories of gloom- terrorists’ attacks, kidnappings, outbreaks of strange diseases with no known medical cure, uprisings, natural disasters and daily forecast and predictions of future woes. Coupled with these are the innumerable personal and family problems that many face. All these seem to leave one with no desire to want to continue to live, hence the increasing rate of suicide and attempted suicides everywhere.

The sad reactions to these are the antagonisms, bitterness, brutality and violence being experienced everywhere. To survive, many have devised false methods. Nobody seems to be telling the truth. Many live on false identities and lying has become the new form of diplomacy. But these do not seem to be solving the problems as lies, falsehoods and deceit result in disappointments and heartbreaks bringing about more bitterness and hatred. This is a very vicious cycle!

The above text provides us the way out – speaking the truth! Honest words are very potent. Truth heals and cures are all forms of ailment. As Christians, it is our responsibility and calling to always speak the truth. However, as we speak the truth it must be with love. If the truth is spoken with the wrong intention, it could be more damaging. This is why the Bible admonishes us to speak the truth with love.

There is already so much trouble in the world. We must not add to it. Rather, we should seek ways of relieving the world of the pains it is groaning under. Let’s spread some cheers. Seek out people who are hurting and burdened, and speak some words of hope and cheer to them. In Christ, the hopeless finds hope. Speak of Christ to them today!

THE TRUTH MEDIA

… building the body of Christ

Russian Roulette

Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:22

A rich man wanted a driver to convey his only daughter to school every day. Three men were outstanding during the verbal interview but the gentleman would test their competence at wheels. So he took them on separate days to the winding road just outside town, the route to his daughter's school.

At the most dangerous bend overlooking a deep plunge into the valley below the road, he asked each driver to take the wheels. Two would-be drivers, wanting to impress, maneuvered the car as close to the ravine as possible and then drove skillfully to the other side. The other man simply stayed as far off from the edge as possible. He got the job.

Some people want to toy with objects of temptation. They are so confident of their "ability" to pull away just before sin is committed. They often end up in a great transgression. The Russian roulette is a deadly game in which the chances of blowing off their own heads are one in six. There is no virtue in playing the Russian roulette with heaven and hell. Stay away from every appearance of sin and stay safe. Only a fool treads carelessly where angels fear to tread.

THE TRUTH MEDIA

…building the body of Christ.

Welcome To October: O Brethren, Life's Journey Beginning

Text: Romans 6:12; 1 Corinthians 10:13

From The Truth Media family,

Happy New Month!!!

O brethren, life's journey beginning,

With courage and firmness arise!

Look well to the course thou art choosing;

Be earnest, be watchful, and wise!

Remember, two paths are before thee,

And both thy attention invite;

But one leadeth on to destruction,

The other to joy and delight.

God help you to follow His banner,

And serve Him wherever you go;

And when you are tempted, my brethren,

God give you the grace to say "No!"

O brethren, yield not to the tempter,

No matter what others may do;

Stand firm in the strength of the Master,

Be loyal, be faithful, and true!

Each trial will make you the stronger,

If you, in the name of the Lord,

Fight manfully under your leader,

Obeying the voice of His word.

O brethren, the Saviour is calling!

Beware of the danger of sin;

Resist not the voice of the Spirit,

That whispers so gently within.

God calls you to enter His service -

To live for Him here, day by day;

And share by and by in the glory

That never shall vanish away.

THE TRUTH MEDIA

...building the body of Christ.

A Hole In The Wall

Text: 2 Chronicles 16:9; Proverbs 5:21; Hebrew 4:13

Prophet Ezekiel was directed by God to enter a room in the temple through a hole in the wall. He obeyed and was met with a surprise. There were the elders of Israel engaged in idol worship right inside God's temple! Their conclusion was, "The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth." Really?

Many people hide under cover of darkness to engage in unspeakable evil. Darkness does not hide you from God because light and darkness are alike unto Him.

A young Christian almost yielded to temptation. He got his fiancée behind closed doors and proposed sex. The godly lady calmly replied, "No problem". Then pulling out a handkerchief from her bag she said, "Before we proceed please take this and cover the face of our Father in heaven because I don't want Him to see what we are about to do."

The message was powerfully driven home and the young man broke down in tears. "The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord's throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, his eyelids try the children of men" (Psalm 11:4). God sees us from His throne and nothing escapes His attention.

THE TRUTH MEDIA

...building the body of Christ.

The Midnight Dance

Text: Psalm 23; 139:7-12

For quite some time now the Lord has been dealing with me to “enter into His rest.” In the Old Testament, the high priest was not allowed to sweat when he entered the Holy of Holies. Sweat is a sign of work and God wants us to enter into His rest. What does this mean? In simple terms, it means to never worry about anything! This is the rest of God.

You can reach a point where you trust Him so much that you know that you know everything in your life is going to be okay. Yes, hardships will come but what does Psalm 23 say? “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me.” That verse describes the rest of God. Even though we are all in circumstances we’d rather not be in, we can still have peace and joy and enter into the rest of God.

This place of rest has become my dwelling place. I trust God and I have entered into His rest. We must all reach a point where we realize we can’t make it on our own. An old saying goes like this: “God helps those who help themselves.” Wrong! If you can help yourself then what do you need God for? The truth is, God helps those who can’t help themselves. This is why Jesus is called “Savior.” He is here to save us when we can’t save ourselves. Once we realize that, we are free to enter His rest.

Too often we want to help ourselves or get help from our spouse, our friends, the church, or the government. But what does the Bible say? “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though it’s waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with it’s swelling” (Ps. 46:1-3).

Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord. When we trust Him completely we have entered into the rest of God. We no longer worry about anything. And then, in the midst of our darkest hour, God will reach down and bless us with a blessing that I call the “Midnight Dance.” Just what is the “Midnight Dance”? Glad you asked. Read on…

My wife is one remarkable woman. Anne Marie is the type of individual that only comes around once in a lifetime. You can never tell by looking at her all that she’s been through. She is so full of life and the joy of the Lord radiates out of her. She makes all those who come in contact with her believe that life isn’t so bad. You just feel better about yourself by being with her but for a few moments. There are times when Anne gets so outgoing happy that it flows out of her like a rushing river. There’s a bounce in her step and the sound of her voice is a merry melody. She can be super exuberant even during the darkest of times and this blesses me so much.

Last Friday she was like this and when I called her on my break at work she talked my head off. She was so outgoing I couldn’t get a word in edgewise. Later that night as I was leaving work at a little after 11PM my cell phone rang and Anne informed me that she was going to walk and meet me at the highway which is about a mile and a half from our house. She stayed on the line and I talked to her - or should I say I listened to her? - all during the half hour ride home. I would interrupt her from time to time to let her know where I was and she’d do the same. It was turning out to be a fun filled ride. Better than I ever imagined.

As I approached the turn-off to our little village, a car in front of me turned down the same road and Anne said she could see me. I said, “No! That’s not me! I’m the next car!” I could only imagine what awaited the driver of that car had I not warned Anne that it was not me. I laughed at the thought. Anne was on a stretch of road with no lights or houses nearby and it was pitch black outside. I told her, “Get ready. Here I come. I’m about to make the turn.” When I did she confirmed that she saw me.

Out in front of me was total darkness and I asked, “Where are you?” She said, “I’m right in front of you! Can’t you see me?” Just then my headlights caught sight of her and there she was in the center of the road at midnight waving her arms in the air dancing just for me!! Here she was, in the darkest hour of the night, dancing in the middle of the road without a care in the world. All I could do was stop the car and laugh.

As she approached the car the sound of laughter broke through the stillness of the dark night. This is how it is with God. You may not always see Him in your circumstances but He is always there. During your darkest hour He can give you joy unspeakable. When you trust Jesus you can enter His rest and dance the “Midnight Dance.” Jesus is not the light at the end of the tunnel. No, He’s the light “in” the tunnel. No matter how dark your circumstances may be, you can still rejoice in the Lord and dance the “Midnight Dance.” For sure, this is the rest of God.

*** Written by Randall Brewer ***

THE TRUTH MEDIA

…building the body of Christ.

A Little Scratch

Text: Romans 8:37; Isaiah 41: 10

The Lord spoke a word to me about you today and He told me to stop what I was doing and share it with you. So, here I am.

We're in a war! You know that, don't you? The good news is that only strong warriors get to enlist in the army of the Lord. That's you, my friend.

I once saw a movie where a handful of Spartan warriors stood up to the entire Persian army. When one of the good guys got sliced up real bad with an enemy sword the captain said to him, "You're not going to let that little scratch stop you, are ya?"

Ha! Ha! I like that. My friend, when the devil attacks you that's all it is...a little scratch. I ask you, "You're not going to let a little scratch stop you, are ya?" Of course not because you are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus!

The Lord would have me tell you to stand strong and to assure you that you are not alone. I am by your side, and most important, Jesus is by your side. Yes, the victory is yours.

On a more personal note, there is nothing more important to me than the fulfillment of the call of God that is on my life. My dream is to encourage and exhort my fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord with anointed messages that come straight from the throne room of God.

I've worked long and hard on this assignment from God and I've got the scars to prove it. For sure, I have shed gallons and gallons of blood, sweat, and tears. The fact that you are reading this letter today is the result of years and years of hard work and toil. However, I didn't let a "little scratch" stop me.

As I was meditating on all the Lord and I have been through together He brought to my attention the verse that says, "Your gift will make room for you and bring you before great men." He then said to me, "Randall, the people who read your messages are the 'great men' this verse is talking about. Your gift has come before them, thus they are great."

I'm telling you, thousands of people, Christians mind you, have rejected these messages. They've written me cruel and nasty letters and one person even called me "Satan in email clothing" (that's a new one). Why do they do this?  Apparently they are not great.

But you are different and that is the message the Lord wanted me to share with you today. The great God of the universe thinks you're great. So do I. And it's the great men of God who are in the league of the "chosen few", those born again believers who are willing to pick up their sword and march headfirst into battle, those who won't be stopped by a "little scratch." That's you, my friend. That's what being a "great warrior" is all about.

The Lord loves you and so do I. We both think you're great. God bless.

*** Written by Randall Brewer ***

THE TRUTH MEDIA

...building the body of Christ.

Jesus Is Coming Again

Text: Matthew 24:44; Revelations 22:12

Marvelous message we bring,

Glorious carol we sing,

Wonderful word of the King:

Jesus is coming again!...

Coming again, coming again;

May be morning, may be noon,

May be evening and may be soon!

Coming again, coming again;

O what a wonderful day it will be!

Jesus is coming again!

Forest and flower exclaim,

Mountain and meadow the same,

All earth and heaven proclaim:

Jesus is coming again!...

Standing before Him at last,

Trail and trouble all past,

Crowns at His feet we will cast:

Jesus is coming again!...

THE TRUTH MEDIA

...building the body of Christ.