Devotions

Are You Guilty?
If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict
you?

Whoa!  Now there’s something to think about.

Ask most of us, “Are you a Christian?” and we answer without hesitation “Yes”.  We talk
the talk, but do we walk the walk?

Jesus said “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15).  And again, “But
why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’, and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)  
Christianity is a great challenge.  It’s purpose is not to make us feel good about
ourselves, but to encourage us to live in such a way that God feels good about us.

Yes God is gracious.  God is merciful.  God is forgiving.  But God also expects us to
serve Him faithfully, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom
of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21).  It is very
common to hear people say, “Confess Christ as Lord and invite Him into your heart and
you will be saved.”  Obviously, Jesus said that is not enough.

Let’s work on our obedience and service to God—then next month, when someone
says “if you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to
convict you?”, the judge will crack down His gavel and declare “Guilty!”  

Now there’s a life sentence we can live with!


Are You Tired?
Do you feel overscheduled? Overworked? Overloaded? Overwhelmed?

Are you so busy that you have to get your religious fix over the Internet?

Many of us are exhausted. The bounds of our limitations are being stretched, and in
trying to do it all, we don’t feel that we are doing anything well. We feel cheated. Even
worse, we feel that we are cheating our family, our friends, and there is that nagging
feeling which won’t go away—the feeling that we are cheating God too.

Many of us are.

God gets put at the bottom of the list. If we have any time left we will give it to Him. Or we
may even try to schedule Him into our lives without success. My friend, the root of our
problem is that we are not giving God first place on the list!

Give Him first place and He promises He will take care of the rest, “But seek first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
(Matthew 6:33).  It’s about priorities!

That appointment book is a great tool if we use it to gain control of our hectic, haphazard
lives. But too often, it controls us. We are chained to it like slaves, and it is a demanding
taskmaster.

We can never make enough time for important things, we must buy back what time we
have for the greater things, “redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians
5:16).


Are You Distressed?
Stress. Depression. Pain. Tragedy. They overwhelm us. They wear us down. They crush
us.

Sorely afflicted by pain and loss, Job summed it up, “Man is born to trouble as the
sparks fly upward.” (Job 5:7). Pessimistic no doubt—but a reality of life.

We have a Savior who is touched by our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). His heart reaches
out for you. This suffering Savior knew grief too, “despised and rejected by men, a man
of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). You are not alone!

Everyone gets discouraged. All of us have been introduced to depression. But for some
of us, he has brought his suitcase, moved in, and we can’t seem to get rid of him. We
don’t even want to try anymore.

I have been there.

But we can’t give up, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great
reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you
may receive the promise.” (Hebrews 10:35-36).

Remember that nothing escapes God’s notice. When His children are in pain, He sees.
He knows. He invites us to seek Him, and promises us an eternal place where all pain
is gone, “God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; for there shall be no more
death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things
have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4).

My friend, just hang on. Don’t give up. Trust in God. Be faithful and obedient to Him. And
may “the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3) be with you.


Counting The Cost
You try to make a dollar stretch. You go to several stores looking for the same item,
comparing prices. Some things are priced too high, so you don’t consider buying them
anymore—but some items are too important to pass up regardless of the cost.

Jesus emphasized the cost of being a Christian, “and whoever does not bear his cross
and come after me cannot be my disciple… so likewise, whoever of you does not
forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27,33).

That is quite a price to pay to be a Christian!

But then, consider what it costs NOT to be a Christian.

It will cost you true success in life. Some think the accumulation of wealth and
possessions is the measure of a successful man. Jesus tells of such a man who
amassed fortunes, but who paid more for that life than he gained, “But God said to him,
‘You fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will these things be
which you have provided?’” (Luke 12:20).

It will cost you peace and tranquillity in exchange for troubles and grief, “Be anxious for
nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests
be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will
guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Worst of all, it will cost you your soul—and no matter what we receive, it is never worth
that! “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?”
(Matthew 16:26).

My friend, count the cost. What price are you willing to pay?


Salvation
Man’s condition before God is summarized succinctly in Paul’s statement “For all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). No one is exempted. We are all
stuck in this quagmire of sin together.

Therefore, all of us need to be converted, “Unless you are converted and become as
little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). But
before we can be converted, there are certain things we must know.

First, we must know that we are sinners. Otherwise, we will not be motivated to change.
Many of us think the term “sinner” refers to the riffraff, the undesirables in the
community. Before we can turn back to God, we must first realize we have strayed from
God, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God…” (Isaiah 59:2).

Second, we must know the consequences of sin. Eternal death and destruction await
the sinner, “for the wages of sin are death” (Roman 6:23).

Third, we must know of God’s provisions for us. He sent His only begotten Son, “that
He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9).

Finally, we must know what to do to be saved. If we understand these first three truths,
we should not deny this last one. Jesus Himself said, “He that believes and is baptized
shall be saved.” (Mark 16:16).

Now that we know these things, there is only one thing left to do—respond to them!

--Rob Harbison