The Future

September 25, 2010

FACING THE FUTURE

DEMANDS GREAT COMMITMENT

Scripture Reading--Colossians 3:23-24

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance:  for ye serve the Lord Christ"  ( emphasis added ).

One of the most important qualities of a Christian is commitment.  Commitment is the measure of our determination.  It's our refusal to be distracted, discouraged, or defeated.  It's knowing that everything I do must be done "heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men" ( Col. 3:23 ).  But many of God's people seem to know little or nothing about real commitment.

In the spring of 1821, when the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, was in its infancy, Jeremiah Johnson fell in love with a local maiden named Rachel Reagin.  Since there was no legal organization in the city, Jeremiah realized that a trip of 60 miles to Connersville, Indiana, was necessary to secure a marriage license.  His father couldn't spare him a horse from the plow team, but so great was Jeremiah's love for Rachel that he traveled 120 miles round-trip through the unbroken wilderness barefoot.

Poor Jeremiah's delays weren't over.  He waited six more weeks for a minister to arrive in Indianapolis to perform the city's first wedding.  In his countrified English, he related, "I determined from the moment seed her, to have her, or to die a-trying!"  Isn't it amazing the sacrifice someone will make for the sake of love?  Jeremiah's English might not have been the best, but he sure knew something about commitment.

Commitment is the test of true love, whether commitment to God, to His Word, to godly living, or to just plain faithfulness.  Sure, the future is uncertain, but commitment can carry you forward with confidence, knowing you are following the course God has planned for you.  A lack of commitment results in insecurity.  As you face the future, be committed!

APPLICATION:  Discuss your family's commitment to God, to His Word, and to each other.

--Jack Palmer--



The Future

FACING THE FUTURE

REQUIRES GREAT COURAGE

Scripture Reading--James 4:13-15

One thing we cannot do is stop the hands of time.  Time continually moves forward.  Do you ever wish you could freeze time right where it is?  Have you ever wished to capture a special event so you could hold on to it?  That's why people take pictures and make home videos.  We don't want certain events or experiences to get away from us.  We'd rather not move on to the uncertainties of tomorrow.

The fact is, there's a future we all must face.  For some, the future may be longer than others.  When facing the future, we must be mindful of the will of God.

Facing the future requires great courage.  The future can be overwhelming and frightening because we don't know what's out there.  But where do we find the courage?  In Isaiah 41:10, we read, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee:  be not dismayed; for I am thy God:  I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."  Within this wonderful verse, God lists three blessings we can claim when we need courage.

   1.  The Presence of God.

2.  The Person of God.

   3.  The Promises of God.

"Fear thou not" is a command based on the fact that God is with us--"for I am with thee."  "Be not dismayed" means don't become discouraged at the prospect of trouble.  The reason?  "For I am thy God."

When God is personally involved in our future, we know our future is in the best of hands.  God promises to give us strength and to help us as He holds us up with His strong right hand.  Nothing is so big that God cannot carry it.  When we claim His presence, His person, His promises, we find all the courage we need to face anything the future brings our way. 

DISCUSSION: From today's Scripture reading, what is the most valuable lesson you've learned about the future?  Share your thoughts with each other.

--Jack Palmer--  

    

The Future

FACING 

THE FUTURE

Scripture Reading--Proverbs 27:

"Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth"   ( emphasis added ).

                                                                    Also read Matthew 6:25-34.

There's a lot about the future we cannot know, but we do know that the future is unpredictable.  We may not know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.  If God knows the future and if we're trusting Him, we can face tomorrow courageously.  Missionary William Carey correctly said, "The future is as bright as the promises of God."  If we can count on anything, we can count on God's promises.  They will not fail us!  My sister-in-law used to say, "The future is looking gloriously dark."  Remember, life has to get worse before it gets better; and for Christians, the best is yet to come.

In Matthew 6:25-34, in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed worry.  Many things people worry about spring from uncertainties about the future.  When Jesus says, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow:  for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself" ( v. 34a ), He doesn't imply that we shouldn't think seriously about important matters.  He simply tells us not to be overcome by worry or anxiety about the future.  We cannot change anything about tomorrow by worrying about it, but worrying will change us.

If God takes care of birds ( v. 26 ) and flowers ( v. 28 ), surely He will take care of us.  Food and clothing, the material things of life, are what the unsaved are concerned about.  As Christians, we must look beyond the temporal and focus on the eternal through our relationship with God.  If we concentrate on kingdom issues and on living godly lives, God will take care of our needs ( v.33 ).  Our future is secure because we're secure in Him.

MEDITATION:  As you consider your future as a Christian family, what concerns could worry you?  What can you do to prevent anxiety about those concerns?

--Jack Palmer--     

Wisdom

September 22, 2010

TIME TO WISE UP!

Scripture Reading--Proverbs 2:4

"If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her

as for hid treasures."

Treasure hunters have my full admiration.  They trek through jungles unlocking the secrets of ancient maps, searching for sunken treasure, and unearthing past civilizations one grain of sand at a time.  I think it's clearly evident that all of us have some treasure hunting naturally built into us.  We all like to find money on the sidewalk, and we all enjoy finding a good deal at our favorite store.  Many of us hunt for houses, cars, jobs, and freebies regularly.  Of course, everyone takes his treasure-hunting hobby to varying levels; but let's face it:  all of us enjoy treasure hunting to some degree.

Every day people look for that long-forgotten heirloom or search for a one-of-a-kind trinket from an out-of-the-way antique shop.  Some treasures are found in obvious places like attics or safety deposit boxes.  But some people find surprises hidden between walls, tucked in secret compartments, or buried under 100-year old trees.  You never know where you'll find treasure!  

To be successful treasure hunters, we must possess certain qualities.  We must have unusual stamina, plenty of perspiration, and unbridled enthusiasm.  The art of treasure hunting has little to do with luck but everything to do with preparation and patience.

The same is true for spiritual treasure.  If we want spiritual maturity, we must search "for her as for hid treasures" ( Prov. 2:4 ).  We must take the time to hunt for those truths that make our lives "approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed" ( 2 Tim. 2:15 ).  The heavenly treasure of wisdom is just a shovel throw away from the one who earnestly searches for it.  Are you looking for heavenly treasure?  Are you studying the Bible?  Some men are fortunate enough to find gold, but God said that all who search diligently can find wisdom.  Hurry up!  There's enough treasure for you, too!

GO TO THE WORD:  Read Proverbs 2 and discover the spiritual treasure it contains for you.

--Jeff Kahl--  

Praise

September 21, 2010

WITNESSING THROUGH PRAISE

Scripture Reading--Psalm 107:2a

"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so."

When we speak in church and tell how God is working in our lives, we call this "sharing a testimony."  If we said the same thing to lost people, we would call it "witnessing."  Our testimony is a powerful, evangelistic tool.  Not everyone can preach a sermon, but everyone can share a testimony.  One of the most powerful weapons in our evangelistic arsenal is our personal testimony.

We can use our testimony to gain a hearing for the Gospel.  Jesus told the woman at the well to return home and to tell the people what had happened to her.  She told the townspeople to come and see the man who told her everything she had done.  Everybody came to hear Jesus because of her testimony.

In Mark 5, we read about a man dwelling in the tombs.  He was so fierce and full of evil spirits that people were afraid of him.  Jesus cast the demons out of this man, and he wanted to follow the Lord.  But Jesus said to him, "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee" ( v. 19b ).  People marveled when they heard this man's testimony.

Praise is simply bragging about what we appreciate.  Robert Murray M'Cheyne said, "Give unlimited credit to God."  I was preaching in a church where the pastor told me about a 92-year old man who went downtown every week to pass out Gospel tracts.  If God has done something for us, we should broadcast it.

   

C.T. Studd was a wealthy man who sold everything he had so he could be a missionary to China, India, and Africa.  He once said, "Some wish to live within the sound of a church or chapel bell.  I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell."  God can use our praise to shine the light on the path of unsaved people.

SPEAK UP FOR GOD:  Seize every opportunity to brag on Jesus and on what He has done for you!

--Harold Vaughan--

Praise

September 20, 2010

WHOLEHEARTED PRAISE

Scripture Reading--Psalm 9:1a

Praise calls for full concentration of all our faculties.  David determined to praise the Lord with his whole heart.

Acceptable praise is more than just mouthing words.  True praise comes from the depths of our souls.  It's something that involves our entire being, our whole heart.  Halfheartedness has no place in the Christian life.  Ecclesiastes says, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might" ( 9:10a ).  In other words, when we do something, we should put all of our energies in it.  We should be enthusiastic!  If our faces look like a reprint of the Book of Lamentations, we need a facelift.  Going through the emotions isn't enough.  We need to put our strength, mind, and soul into it.  We should praise the Lord with our whole heart.

The Bible says much about the heart of man.  It describes a hard heart, a fainting heart, a stirred heart, a merry heart, a trembling heart, a tender heart, and a perfect heart.  Our heart is the seat of our affections.  "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" ( Matt. 6:21 ).  We become preoccupied with things that are valuable to us and invest in them.  We meditate about concerns that are important to us.  Whatever we treasure is precious to us.

Worship is good because it interrupts our preoccupation with self!  god desires full-blown praise from the depths of our souls.

Songs and hymns of praise are joyful celebrations of God's righteousness.

Fanny Crosby wrote the following hymn of praise:

Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!

Sing, O earth, His wonderful love proclaim!

Hail Him! hail Him! highest archangels in glory;

Strength and honor give to His holy name!

Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children,

In His arms He carries them all day long.

SONG TIME:  Sing this great hymn of praise to the Lord with all your heart.

--Harold Vaughan--    

Praise

September 19, 2010

PRAISING:

THE SECRET OF VICTORY

Scripture Reading--Acts 16:20-34

Paul and Silas were severely beaten and cast in prison for preaching the Gospel.  How did they respond?  "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them" 

( Acts 16:25 ).  Amazing, isn't it?  Rather than complaining, they were praising the Lord in jail!

The secret of victory is not praying but praising.  Those who praise are people who believe God.  They look beyond what they can see on a human level and look to the divine level.  Circumstances may be difficult in the short run, but praising can lift us out of our pit.  God sent an earthquake and opened the prison doors for Paul and Silas.  The bands holding them were loosed.  The prison keeper and his entire household came to the Lord that night.

Paul and Silas knew God had their situation under control.  Second Peter 1:3 says God "according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."  That means God has already provided everything we need in this life.  There are no accidents in the Christian journey.  Praise is never out of season!  In fact, praising is the way God has designed for us to confront difficulties.  When we praise the Lord in adversity, we demonstrate that we actively believe God.  Perhaps we know that powerful little chorus:

          It's amazing what praising can do, Hallelujah, Hallelujah.

It's amazing what praising can do.  Hallelujah!

I don't worry when things go wrong; Jesus fills my heart with a song.

It's amazing what praising can do, Hallelujah!

The key to triumphant living is learning to live a life of praise.  Don't underestimate this valuable resource.  Psalm 7:17 says, "I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high."

SONG TIME:  Sing a couple of your favorite choruses or songs of praise.

--Harold Vaughan--       

Praise

September 18, 2010

PRAISE THERAPY

Scripture Reading--Psalm 150:1-6

Those with physical injuries need physical therapy.  Those who have other problems are sometimes treated with "color therapy" or "aromatherapy."  But God's Word offers another kind of therapy--"praise therapy."  

Because God made us, we owe our existence to Him.  We should praise the Lord because He is worthy of our praise; He is God!  One of the Puritans said, "In prayer we sound like men, but in praise we sound like angels."  The entire angelic host is continually praising the Lamb in the midst of the throne.  Praise is the language of heaven.

Praise is not so much therapy as it is our obligation and privilege.  Appropriate praise, however, brings great benefits.  Praise is for God, but it brings great blessing to our hearts.  Sometimes we need to put on "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" ( Isa. 61:3 ).  When we feel down in  the dumps, we should rehearse and praise the Lord for His goodness, mercy, holiness, love, longsuffering, and kindness.  We should express our appreciation to the Lord in verbal praise.  We will find that praise not only exalts God but also elevates the praiser.

We should praise God every time we feel like it.  Other times, we should praise God until we do feel like it.  We shouldn't let our emotions control us.  Character means we do right whether we feel like it or not.  We should do right because it is right until doing right becomes a natural part of our lives.  As we do our duty, our feelings will eventually catch up.  "Every thing that hath breath [ should ] praise the Lord" ( Ps. 150:6 ),

and that includes you and me!

APPLICATION:  According to Psalm 150, for how many things should we praise the Lord?  Do you remember which instruments this psalm said should be used in praise?

--Harold Vaughan--

   

  

Praise

September 17, 2010

PRAISE IS THE PROPER

RESPONSE TO GOD

Scripture Reading--Psalm 9:1, 2

The word praise literally means "to hold out the hand."  Praise is bestowing approval and worship upon a superior being.  David said, "I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High" ( Ps. 9:2b ).

Isaiah saw the Lord "high and lifted up" ( Isa. 6:1 ).  Daniel said the "most High ruleth in the kingdom of men" ( Dan. 4:17, 25, 32; emphasis added ).

Hebrews tells us that Melchisedec was "priest of the most high God" ( 7:1, emphasis added ).  Isaiah refers to God as the "high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity" ( Isa. 57:15, emphasis added ).  Before we have a proper response to God, we must first have a proper view of God.  Praise is the result of seeing God in His exalted position as the most High. 

The Old Testament priests had a regulated procedure for approaching the Lord in the tabernacle.  Under the old covenant, God was meticulous about how His priests came before Him.  He spent seven chapters ( 243 verses ) detailing His prescribed worship in the tabernacle but described the creation of the universe in only 31 verses.  Approaching Almighty God isn't a light matter.  It's a time for recognition, respect, and reverence. 

"And he appointed certain of the Levites to...praise the Lord God of Israel" ( 1 Chron. 16:4, emphasis added ).  These men were dedicated to one thing--singing praise to the Lord.  They were to boast about God in joyful song.

Praise is boasting about Jesus.  It's giving God the glory due unto His name.  The natural outflow of viewing God properly is unbridled praise.  We have many reasons to praise the Lord--because He commands us to, because He answers prayer, because He does so many good things for us.  But the main reason is because of who He is!  The Most High God deserves our highest praise; and when we see Him in His elevated position, our proper response is praise.

PRAISE THE LORD:  Sing a song that expresses praise to God.

--Harold Vaughan--    

Praise

September 16, 2010

IT GETS BETTER

UP HIGHER!

Two ladies went to church visitation, one of whom was wealthy.  Robed in furs, she drove a luxury car and had the best of everything.  Assigned to visit a poor part of town, she and her partner pulled in the parking lot of a run-down apartment building on the wrong side of the tracks.  The grass hadn't been cut, and the shrubs hadn't been trimmed.  Broken toys littered the ground, and graffiti covered the building.

The wealthy woman was horrified by the terrible living conditions.  She said to her visitation partner, "How can anyone live in a place like this?"

The partner had previously visited the lady who lived in a third-floor apartment.  She said to the wealthy women, "It gets better up higher."

Getting out of the car, they approached the steps.  The sidewalks were dirty, and trash lay everywhere.  Appalled, the wealthy woman said, "How can anyone live in a place like this?"

Again, her partner replied, "It gets better up higher."

They climbed steps to the third floor.  The handrail was falling off, and filth covered the stairwell.  Disgusted, the wealthy woman repeated, "How can anyone stand to live in a place like this?"

Her partner said, "It gets better up higher."

When they knocked on the door, a little, old lady let them in.  The apartment was dark, dingy, and dirty.  When they sat down, the old lady thanked them for coming ad talked about how good God is and about how beautiful heaven is going to be.

The wealthy woman didn't  hear a word she said; all she thought about were the terrible living conditions of this dear, old saint.  Shocked and dismayed, she couldn't  hold her revulsion in any longer.  She blurted out, "How can you stand to live in a place like this?"

The old woman replied, "It gets better up higher!"

REJOICE:  Heaven is a glorious place filled with praise to the Lamb of God.

--Harold Vaughan--            

Obedience

September 15, 2010

GOD'S HOME ADDRESS

Scripture Reading--Psalm 22:3

"But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."

 Businesses need our home address to deliver items we order online.  Visitors need to know our home location when we invite them over for dinner.  Our home is where we live; it's our abiding place.

Praise is God's home address.  David said God "inhabitest the praises of Israel."  That means God dwells in praise.  In heaven, there is an unceasing stream of praise to the Lamb in the midst of the throne.  Praise is God's home element.  It's the atmosphere in which God resides.

Why do Christians sing?  One reason we sing is because God is attracted to praise.  To put it another way, God shows up and dwells in the midst of praise.  He inhabits praise.  God's presence is precious, and we can entertain Him as our guest anytime we choose to praise Him!

The Book of Revelation refers to Jesus as the Lamb at least 27 times.  The elders fall down before the Lamb and sing, "Worthy is the Lamb."  The saints are made white by the blood of the Lamb.  Redeemed sinners and the heavenly hosts give blessing, honor, and glory to the Lamb.  Throughout the entire book, we find reference upon reference concerning praise directed to the Lamb of God.  Praise is the language of heaven.  In heaven, they worship the Lamb, and we should do the same on earth!  A countless multitude of God's people will be praising Him throughout all eternity.  Praise is where God lives both now and in eternity.  You can get ready for heaven by praising God here on earth!

A. W. Tozer said, "God dwells in the heart where praise is."  The Lord inhabits praise wherever He finds it.  What is heaven's dress code?  Scripture says to put on "the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness."  ( Isa. 61:3 ).  Whenever we feel like God is far away, we should start praising  the Lord from our hearts.  We will find that He inhabits praise.

DO THIS NOW:  See how many references to the "Lamb"  you can find in Revelation.

--Harold Vaughan--     

Obedience

September 14, 2010

BACK TO THE

WOODSHED

Scripture Reading

Proverbs 22:15--"Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child;

but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

Proverbs 23:13- 14--"Withhold not correction from the child:

for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.

Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell." 

Boys and girls dread hearing one quote.  It's the statement a loving dad makes just before he delivers a good spanking to a child who has done wrong.  The statement goes something like this:  "This is going to hurt me far more than it's going to hurt you."  Most children find that statement hard to believe and are inclined to think if Dad would just forget the whole idea of punishment, he wouldn't get hurt.

That statement is hard to comprehend, I know, until you become a father.  Suddenly, you realize that disciplining a child is painful.  A truly godly parent will discipline not out of pleasure but out of love.  Motivated by love, that parent is willing, if necessary, to bring pain for the purpose of change in the child's life.

Back in the good old days, people commonly talked about going to the woodshed.  When they did so, they referred to a time of discipline, punishment, and correction.  Maybe that's part of the problem in American.  Because of electricity and oil furnaces, most homes no longer have a woodshed.  More seriously, most homes no longer have the proper form of loving discipline to make wrongs right.

A wise parent recognizes the responsibility God has given him to correct his children.  On the other hand, children must acknowledge God's plan and purpose in discipline--to keep them from growing up loving to do wrong.  Discipline isn't easy for a parent or a child, but the result typically prove that when parents administer it properly, it will be for the better.

APPLICATION:  Take time to read Hebrews 12:5-11.  Note the benefits of chastisement when the recipient handles it properly.

--Tom Palmer--

Obedience

DON'T SAY "NO" TO RULES

Scripture Reading

Proverbs 1:8--"My son, hear the instruction of thy father,

and forsake not the law of thy mother."  

Proverbs 3:1-2--"My son, forget not my law;

but let thine heart keep my commandments:

For length of days, and long life, and peace, 

shall they add to thee."

Several years ago, I clipped a newspaper article with the headline "Teen study:  Rules lower use of drugs."  This Associated Press article said the following in several interesting quotes:  "Parents who impose strict rules on their teenagers have a better chance of raising drug-free children, but most set few guidelines or none at all."  "The study [ done by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse ] shows that teenagers who live in highly structured households are at a low risk of abusing drugs."

One of the great heartbreaks of modern society is when teens abuse drugs.  Teens are ruining their lives because they have adopted an out-of-control life-style that supposedly liberates them to do as they wish.  But the Bible is clear that rules ( or "laws" as Proverbs says ) help eliminate trouble for young people.  Rules produce a system of controls.  This system protects lives from destruction tendencies that seek to control.

Children and teenagers have a tendency to resist when parents establish and enforce rules.  The Bible clearly says, however, that by following rules, young people have the promise not only of a longer life but also of a peaceful  life.  Rules are not designed to hurt, harm, or hinder, but rather to help.  Young people who understand the importance of rules will enjoy much freedom in growing up to be all that God desires.

God knew what He was talking about when He allowed parents to establish rules.  Young person, as you grow older, you will have to make the choice to say "no" to drugs; but never allow yourself to be guilty of saying "no" to rules.

ACTION POINT:  Discuss what life would be like if you could drive a car for 24 hours without any stop signs.

-- Tom Palmer--