Every Day with Jesus (28 page)

Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

We fight giants every day, but we often make the mistake of quitting before the battle is complete. Instead of destroying our enemies, we just chase them out of sight and leave them to return and fight another day. David declared, “I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed” (Ps. 18:37). Never was that illustrated in David’s life more than when he fought Goliath.

David had a holy hatred for his enemy. He wasn’t just trying to scare him off; he was out to kill him. David wasn’t tentative; he ran toward Goliath! He boldly slung the stone, and God made sure it hit its mark. Goliath, the giant of Gath, fell on his face before both armies. But David wasn’t through yet.

The Scriptures don’t say, so Goliath may or may not have been dead. The Philistines, who were on the mountains watching, couldn’t tell for sure; so David left no doubt. He climbed up on top of the giant, drew Goliath’s sword, and cut off his head. Once David held the giant’s head in his hand, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind who was dead and who had won.

The Bible says that Jesus did the same thing to the devil. “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Col. 2:15). Today you walk in the victory He already obtained for you. If you have been battling something and have obtained some relief, don’t quit until you are experiencing everything Jesus died to give you.

September 25: All One in Christ

John 12:20-23

And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

John 12:23

Philip and Andrew had just brought word to Jesus that certain Greeks or Gentiles were seeking Him at the feast. He had ministered to other Gentiles, but this is the first time that the Gentiles came specifically to seek Him instead of what He could do. Apparently, this was an added signal to Jesus that His time had come and He could no longer confine His ministry to the Jews. Therefore, He made statements about His death and glorification that would break down the middle wall of partition between the Jew and the Gentile.

There was a physical wall of partition that symbolized this division in the Jerusalem Temple. The Gentiles could come into a designated area of the Temple known as the Court of the Gentiles, but a stone wall, about five-feet high, stopped them from going farther. A sign standing before the wall stated, “No man of another nation is to enter, and whosoever is caught will have himself to blame for his death!”

Many regulations and rules separated Jews and Gentiles for centuries, but Christ’s work on the Cross abolished that barrier by removing the Law. “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace” (Eph. 2:14,15 niv).

In the New Testament church, “Ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). The world tries to bring people together in all kinds of ways, but only Jesus destroyed that barrier and made people one through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Today you can celebrate the fact that you are a part of the body of Christ, the “one new man,” made up of all kinds of people through centuries of time.

September 26: Choose to Believe

John 12:37-40

Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

John 12:39-40

No one has ever been denied the opportunity to accept salvation. (Titus 2:11.) The Word of God declares, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13); “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20); and “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17).

Mark 6:5 says, “He could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.” In that instance, it is evident that the reason Jesus couldn’t do any miracles was not because He didn’t possess the power but because He chose not to use that power against a person’s will. He couldn’t perform the mighty works because of His decision to uphold our freedom of choice.

Furthermore, these Jews could not believe because they rejected Jesus. They could not believe because they chose not to believe. “They stumbled at the stumblingstone” (Rom. 9:32), which was Jesus.

Isaiah did not predestine people to not be saved; he just saw that very few would receive the report (Isa. 53:1) about the Messiah. They would be kept from the knowledge of salvation because they rejected Him in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found. (Col. 2:3.)

Today, be careful what you choose to receive and reject. Reject any thought or word that opposes God’s Word, but gladly receive everything spoken in the name and power of Jesus. Then you will see, understand with your heart, be changed, and be whole.

September 27: The Fig Tree

Mark 11:13-24

And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

Mark 11:14

Jesus was hungry and saw a fig tree that already had leaves, which led Him to believe it had figs. But that wasn’t the case. There were no figs. In response, Jesus cursed the fig tree with His words, saying, “No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever.”

Jesus talked to the fig tree. This verse says, “Jesus answered and said unto it.” That means the fig tree had been talking to Him. Some people think this is weird, but things talk to us all the time. Your checkbook tells you that you don’t have enough money to make it. Your body tells you that you’re sick. Situations speak negative things to us without saying a word. Most of us pick up on these negative comments and speak them right out of our mouths, thereby giving them power over our lives.

Jesus did the right thing. He used His words to silence the hypocrisy of this fig tree. It professed fruit by having leaves, but it didn’t possess it. It had spoken something to Him that it couldn’t deliver. Jesus said that it would never yield fruit to anyone ever again—and it didn’t! It immediately died at its roots, and its death was visible the next day. (Mark 11:20.)

Jesus’ disciples were overwhelmed with this miracle and questioned Him about it. He said that this was the power of words. Anyone who speaks in faith, without doubting in their heart, will have whatsoever they say. This works in the positive or negative.

Whenever a negative circumstance starts speaking to you today, talk back to it in faith, and watch the situation change.

September 28: Faith That Moves Mountains

Matthew 21:18-22

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Matthew 21:21-22

What is different about mountain-moving faith? For one thing, God’s kind of faith understands and uses authority. Notice that Jesus said we should speak to the mountain. Most people are praying to God about their mountain, but the Lord said we should speak directly to it. This reflects our God-given authority.

Once I had a toothache that bothered me for two weeks. I prayed and asked God to heal it many times. As I was traveling, I listened to a tape where the minister was talking about speaking to the mountain instead of speaking to God. It dawned on me that I hadn’t done that. I hadn’t used my authority in Jesus’ name. I was asking God to do something that He told me to do!

When I got to my hotel, I looked in the mirror, stuck my finger into my mouth, pointed to my tooth, and said, “You are healed in the name of Jesus. Pain, leave right now!” In less than ten minutes all the pain was gone, and I never had another problem with that tooth.

Mountain-moving faith believes that God has already provided healing for us. In Jesus’ name you can speak directly to the problem instead of speaking to God about the problem. Use your God-given authority, and speak to your mountain today. If you believe, it will move.

September 29: Forgiveness and Prayer

Matthew 21:20-22; Mark 11:20-26

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Mark 11:25

There are qualifications for believing and receiving, and one of them is that we forgive those who hurt and offend us or someone else. Harboring unforgiveness in our hearts will keep our prayers from being answered.

We should forgive others as quickly as we make the decision to pray. When we stand praying, we must forgive anyone we are holding something against. Why is this so important? God dealt with all men’s offenses by placing sin upon Jesus, who was judged in place of every sinner of all time. To demand that others must earn our forgiveness when we did not earn ours is not being like Jesus. He forgave us, and we should forgive others.

It is doubtful that a person who refuses to forgive has ever experienced forgiveness. This is comparable to the servant Jesus talked about in Matthew 18:23-35. He was forgiven a debt of over 3 million dollars and yet he refused to forgive his fellow servant who owed him 3,000 dollars. Jesus called him “wicked” (v. 32). Can you see why God cannot answer our prayers if we are acting like this wicked servant and refusing to forgive others the way we have been forgiven?

The forgiveness you have received from the Lord is infinitely greater than any forgiveness you will ever be asked to extend to others. Freely forgive as you have been forgiven, and then you can pray confidently in faith, and God will hear and answer your prayers.

September 30: Made Right With God

Matthew 21:23-30; Mark 11:27-33; 12:1-2; Luke 20:1-9

But what think you? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Matthew 21:28-30

There were many ways Jesus showed the religious leaders that they were not really right with God. In this parable He revealed who truly did the will of God. It was not the son who talked about it; it was the son who may have begun in rebellion but then repented and did his Father’s will.

These leaders had a form of godliness like this second son, but they were not doing the will of God. The publicans and harlots had no form of godliness, but when confronted with the preaching of John, many of them repented and began to do the will of God like the first son in the story.

These religious Jews, who sat in the seat of Moses, disqualified themselves from being God’s representatives here on earth because of their hypocrisy and hard hearts. Even the publicans and harlots who repented were ahead of them. There is no sin more frequent among religious people than that of self-righteousness: they honor the Lord with the mouth when their hearts are far from Him. (Matt. 15:8.)

Terrible sinners were repenting and entering the kingdom of God ahead of the very religious Jews because they knew they were sinners and put their faith in Jesus. One of the deadliest things about religious self-righteousness is the deception that we will be saved because of our good deeds. We cannot save ourselves regardless of how good we act.

Remember how you were saved and who saved you. If you stay humble, knowing you are right with God because of Jesus, instead of being continually under pressure to prove yourself right with God, your heart will be filled with joy and praise for the One who has already made you right with God.

October

October 1: Your Life Belongs to God

Matthew 22:20-22

And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

Matthew 22:20-21

The image on the denarius, the only small silver coin acceptable for imperial tax payments, was probably that of Tiberius Caesar (reigned ad 14-37). The inscription on one side of the coin read, “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, Son of the Divine Augustus,” and the reverse side read, “Chief Priest.” This inscription was a claim to divinity and, as emperor, the right to be worshiped.

The religious Jews had tried many times to trap Jesus on issues of the Law and had always failed. Now they approached Him about paying taxes, hoping His answer would give them the opportunity to deliver Him to Pilate for prosecution. They reasoned any answer He gave would be wrong. If He approved of the Roman taxes, then He would lose popularity with the masses. If He spoke against the Roman taxes, then the Jews would hand Him over to the Roman government and Pilate would dispose of Him. It looked like they finally had Jesus in their power.

Jesus, however, answered with such simple wisdom that these Pharisees and Herodians were caught in their own trap and made to look like fools. He declared, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). People are made in God’s image, so they must render to God the things belonging to God (our lives) and to Caesar the things belonging to Caesar (his money and other benefits of his rule).

People today tend to grumble a lot about paying taxes and bills, but even Jesus saw the need for these things. When you know that God is your source and your life belongs to Him, then you want to give to and bless others like He does. The next time you pay your taxes and bills, honor God and do it joyfully, knowing you are contributing to the lives of others.

October 2: The Resurrection Power

Matthew 22:23

The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him.

Matthew 22:23

The resurrection is a major theme of New Testament teaching. Of the thirteen sermons in the book of Acts, eleven stress or imply the resurrection. To understand the power of the resurrection, we first have to understand how God made us. We consist of three parts—spirit, soul, and body. (1 Thess. 5:23.) A fallen human being is spiritually dead (separated from God), and their soul is darkened by sin. A born-again believer is spiritually alive (reunited with God), and their soul is being transformed by the light of God’s Word. Spirit and soul are immortal, so the believer will die physically and their spirit/soul will go to heaven; while the unbeliever will die physically and go to hell.

The bodies of both the believer and the unbeliever are mortal. At death, every person’s body goes through the decomposition process and returns to its original elements. At the resurrection, all departed spirit/souls will be called forth from either heaven or hell. God will supernaturally raise, reassemble, and unite the material elements of their bodies with their spirit/souls. Thus they will be completely reconstituted by God—spirit, soul, and body. Everyone will be resurrected, some to eternal life with God in heaven, and some to eternal damnation in the lake of fire.

The hope of the believer is the resurrection unto eternal life with God. Their natural, earthly, corrupt body will be raised and fashioned into a heavenly, glorious, immortal body. This is the completion of everything that has been purchased for us by the blood of Jesus. The transformation from this physical condition to our glorified bodies will be a huge difference, but the power of God can accomplish it easily.

If the Lord can work the miracle of resurrection, then surely He can heal your body and free you from other bondages. As you pray for your miracle today, let the hope of the resurrection build your faith.

October 3: Marriage Is for This Life

Luke 20:27-40

Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife. And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage.

Luke 20:33-34

It is doubtful that the situation the Sadducees related ever took place. It is more probable they were stating a hypothetical case to discredit the resurrection, which they did not believe was scriptural. If you accept their basic supposition (marriage continues in heaven), then their reasoning was correct. It would not be possible to administer marriage in heaven after having multiple mates on earth. Their reasoning wasn’t flawed, but the facts their reasoning was based on were not scriptural.

The Bible speaks of two becoming “one flesh” in marriage, and angels are not flesh. Paul said, “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 15:50). Therefore, marriage is an earthly institution limited to flesh and blood mortals and will not exist in heaven. Marriage, as is death, is temporary for mortals while they are on earth. This is why a person whose mate has died is free to remarry. Marriage pertains only to this life.

That is not to say that a couple who have loved each other deeply here on earth will love each other less in heaven. They will love each other infinitely more, but it will be God’s agape love, not human romantic love, and it will not be limited to just one person. We can be sure heaven will surpass any expectations we may have so that no one will be disappointed!

Today, many people use logical reasoning to try to discredit certain doctrines of God’s Word, but Jesus said they are in error because they do not know the Scriptures. (Mark 12:24.) Only reasoning based on Scripture has any merit. When you decide what you believe concerning any doctrine of the church, make sure you know what the Bible really says about it. Then you will be standing on a firm foundation for your life.

October 4: The Two Greatest Commands

Matthew 22:34-46

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 22:36-39

Jesus revealed that all of the Old Testament laws were designed to instruct us how to love God and love others. Therefore, the two commands that dealt directly with loving God and others (Lev. 19:18; Deut. 6:5) were the most important.

The religious leaders had become so obsessed with keeping every minor detail of the law that they had lost sight of its ultimate purpose. They neither loved God nor their fellow man, yet they thought they were keeping the Law. The same thing is happening today. Some of the cruelest acts have been done in the name of the Lord by those who thought they were defending God’s commandments. However, if we violate one of the two greatest commandments in an effort to enforce some other commandment, we are misapplying God’s Word just as these religious Jews were.

The Old Testament Law and the New Testament concept of grace compel us to love God and all people. However, the Old Testament Law motivated men to love God and other people through fear of punishment if they failed to comply, whereas the grace given to us in the New Testament is to love others unconditionally as God loves us.

It is possible to act holy but not love God or people, but it is impossible for God’s love not to produce holiness in a person. Look at all your relationships through the eyes of God’s unconditional love today. As you love, you will be holy.

October 5: You Have God’s Wisdom

Matthew 23:1-39

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples.

Matthew 23:1

Matthew 23 contains the worst rebuke of the Jewish religious leaders Jesus gave to any group. He chastised them for their hypocrisy, hard hearts, and total lack of understanding of God, His Word, and His ways. Matthew tells us He did this publicly before the multitude, the very people the hypocrites wanted to impress and control.

Jesus had faced many prior battles with the scribes and Pharisees. On this particular day, the encounter started with the chief priests and elders challenging Jesus’ authority. He stunned them by replying with a question that challenged their authority. He then used three parables to illustrate that the leaders of the Jews had rejected the rule of God in their lives, despite their pious religious acts.

The Pharisees countered by tempting Jesus with a question about paying taxes to the Roman government. Then the Sadducees tried to stop Jesus with a question about the resurrection. Finally, a lawyer tried to snare Him with a question about the greatest commandment. Jesus did so well in each test that “no man after that durst ask him any question” (Matt. 22:46).

As a believer you may have encountered unbelievers who tried to trap you as these religious people tried to trap Jesus. The devil will use these people to try to get you to doubt what you believe. But the Bible says that Jesus is “made unto us wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:30), and the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you. (Rom. 8:11.) That means you can answer any question anybody throws at you! Be confident today that you can remain strong in your faith no matter what question comes up.

October 6: God Recognizes Our Sacrifices

Mark 12:41-44

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

Mark 12:41-42

The treasury that is spoken of here is a place located in the Women’s Court that was in the Temple complex but was not part of the Temple itself. Women were not allowed in the Temple.

Jesus used this incident to teach His disciples a very important lesson. God’s promises concerning giving are an assurance that the widow’s offering pleased God and that He blessed her for it, but the widow did not hear Jesus’ commendation. There is no indication that she ever knew anyone had known the extent of her sacrifice.

Likewise, there are times when you may feel that no one knows or appreciates your financial sacrifices. This might not just be your sacrificial giving to the church or to a ministry but to the people in your life. However, just as surely as Jesus saw this woman’s gift and knew the sacrifice involved, your heavenly Father takes note of your smallest gift and one day will reward you.

Do not compare what you give with what someone else gives whether it is money or time or service. Remember that God looks at your heart. Take joy when you have the opportunity to give because in that way you are being like your Father. Today, be a giver just like He is a giver.

October 7: Guard Against Deception

Matthew 24:3-5

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

Matthew 24:4

Deception can be avoided or Jesus would not have said, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Satan can only deceive those who allow him to do it. Ephesians 6:11 tells us, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” God said the “whole armor.” Many Christians have been running around with only the helmet of salvation on. There is more to overcoming the devil than just being saved. We have to understand our righteous position in the Lord. We also must possess faith, know the Word, and understand the gospel of peace.

The Christian life is a constant struggle against Satan who is trying to corrupt us. Most of us are aware of the warfare but don’t know where the warfare is occurring. The battle is in our minds. Just as the serpent didn’t come against Eve with brute force but used words to deceive her, Satan tries to corrupt us through thoughts contrary to the Word of God. His original tactic was deception, and that is still his method of operation today.

One of the characteristics of children is that they are easily deceived. They are gullible. In order for a believer to move from childhood to sonship, they must develop spiritual discernment. This comes from being grounded in the Word of God. The way to recognize deception is not to analyze all the false claims but to become so familiar with what is genuine that a counterfeit will be easily recognizable.

Today if you abide in God’s Word and continue to walk according to God’s Word, you will not be deceived. You will easily spot any thought or idea that is contrary to what you know of the truth.

October 8: Base Your Relationships on God

Matthew 24:12

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Matthew 24:12

The only reason an abundance of iniquity would make anyone’s love for the Lord wax cold would be if they were not separated from that iniquity. Lot was a righteous man whose soul was vexed from day to day by hearing and seeing the unlawful deeds of the ungodly. (2 Peter 2:8.)

We have to deal with the world’s system and those in it, but we need to be careful and maintain proper distance. We should shun relationships with those who influence us negatively more than we influence them positively. Marriage is one area where this principle is especially true. There is no closer union in life than the marriage relationship. A believer who marries an unbeliever is directly violating Scripture and is toying with disaster. (2 Cor. 6:14.) The Lord should be the most important person in our lives. How could we possibly become one with a person who doesn’t love our Lord?

It is folly to think that after marriage an unbelieving spouse will accept the Lord. Although it does happen, it cannot be guaranteed. In fact, statistics are overwhelmingly against this happening. However, if you are in this situation and are believing God for your spouse to be saved, you must have the support of other believers in your church so you can stand strong and continue growing in the Lord yourself. You cannot allow your unbelieving spouse to keep you from growing spiritually. No one will benefit from you backsliding just to please your mate!