24-HOUR FAITH

“You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.” John 20:29

“There is no question that there is an unseen world. The problem is, how far is it from midtown and how late is it open?”– Woody Allen

Christians believe there is an unseen world that in some ways is more real than the one we see. Not that the one we see isn’t real, but the unseen world sometimes is thought of as being more important because of its permanence. The unseen one will last forever; this one is temporary, and yet for now, this temporary one is our reality.

That’s why I like Woody Allen’s question about how far the unseen world is from us and how late it stays open. In other words: How accessible is this unseen world? I think he may be on to something. As the saying goes: Some Christians are so heavenly minded, they’re of no earthly good.

The Gospel is all about caring for the real human needs of people, not just about getting them into heaven.

Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, “Well, goodbye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well,” but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all — it is dead and useless. (James 2:17)

Jesus Christ brought the Good News of the Kingdom of heaven to earth, but he didn’t just touch down for a momentary appearance. Sometimes we forget he carried on a ministry here for three years. He connected with and did something about the suffering needs of the sick, dying, and mentally ill. Faith in action brings two worlds together.

The reality of heaven doesn’t make earth less real or less important. If our longing for heaven and focus on eternity is disengaging us from earth, we should probably check and see if we have the right heaven. If we have the right heaven, the opposite should happen. The more committed we are to heaven (the more we get an eternal perspective on life), the more deeply we will be committed to this life and those around us. Heaven brings meaning to earth, not an escape. It brings dignity to every human being, a reason for our existence and a desire to want to connect everyone to God.

When Jesus came, one of the first things he did was announce that the Good News of the Kingdom of heaven had come. Heaven is at hand. Let’s live in such a way as to show people like Mr. Allen that the unseen world is right around the corner, and what’s more, it stays open all night.

Have you observed anyone whose faith didn’t seem to make a difference in their lives? How did that make you feel?

IDENTITY IN CHRIST

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

God spoke you into your mother’s womb at just the right time for you to be here now. It wasn’t by accident, nor was it a pleasant surprise to God; he designed you on purpose to be on mission with him for such a time as this.

Your faith will grow stronger as you focus on your identity in Christ. What this means is that you abandon any image of yourself that is not from God. You stop believing what others have said about you; you stop believing how others have labeled you; you stop accepting how others have defined you.

Where I’m going is here — if you don’t know who you are, then you’re vulnerable to other people telling you who you are. But the concrete, solid, gospel truth is that you are who God says you are and no one else has a vote in the matter.

You are now identified with Christ and have the power of the Holy Spirit within you. You are God’s precious child and he created you in a way that pleases him.

This “identity issue” is an important part of living the abundant life. Jesus was able to face the incredible demands of his mission because he’d settled this identity issue. He knew exactly who he was; he knew that he mattered immensely to his Heavenly Father, and that gave him confidence to move purposefully in faith.

What does this mean?

God wants you to be you — You can relax knowing that being yourself is exactly what God wants of you. A pencil brings glory to God by being a pencil. But, if you take a pencil and try to use it like a screwdriver, it won’t work and you’ll likely break the pencil. You will find the stress drained from your life when you stop trying to be somebody you’re not and instead start being who God purposefully designed you to be.

Believe God calls you by name — God didn’t call you as part of a blanket invitation; he called you specifically by name. You are his masterpiece, a work of his own hands. Like many earthly fathers, God feels pleasure when he sees you just being you.

Believe you are who God says you are — No one else has a vote on who you are. You are free to be you instead of imitating someone else. You are free to use your unique, God-given gifts and there is no need to compare your gifts to the gifts of others. No one else is in competition to be you!

Where are the places in your life where you’re still trying to be someone other than who God shaped you to be?

HIS WORD REMAINS FOREVER

Matthew 24:36-42

“Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words remain forever” (Matthew 24:35).

In a day of change and turmoil, the promise is made that the word of God will stand forever. The significance of that guarantee is monumental, incredible. It is not just that a book shall remain in print; rather, it is that the multitudinous truths contained in that book likewise will remain in effect steadfast and true.

Long after heaven and earth have passed away God’s holy Word will continue to endure.

That should mean much to you and me in our daily walk. God’s promise, “All things work together for good,” to the believer is just as true today as it was when it was written centuries ago.

In fact, every one of the promises in the Word of God is bona fide, guaranteed by the God of the universe, the Creator of all things. That alone should strengthen our faith to know that we can trust him supremely with our lives and everything concerned with them.

When all else fails, when hope is almost gone, we can come back to the Word of God, which is “quick and powerful and sharper than a two – edged sword.” It will have the answer for every problem, every burden, every need we face.

I will place my complete confidence in God’s unchanging Word and will rest upon His faithful promises to all believers for supernatural living.

GOD’S GIFT OF HIMSELF

2 Corinthians 6:11-16

“Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” 2 Corinthians 6:17,18, KJV

Near the Church of St. Mark’s in Venice are three 17th century churches often admired for their highly ornate sculpture. On closer inspection, Ruskin points out, they are found to be “entirely destitute of every religious symbol, sculpture or inscription.”

They are really monuments to the glory of three Venetian families who provided the funds for their construction. “Impious buildings, manifestations of insolent atheism,” they were called by John Ruskin, English writer, art critic and sociologist.

Many Christians are like these buildings. Their association with God is more of a facade, formal and ritualistic. They do not know God as a caring Father with whom they experience a delightful, loving relationship.

As we meet God’s conditions, He becomes our Father, and we become His sons and daughters. His gift of Himself is illustrated in the life of a successful young attorney.

“The greatest gift I ever received,” he said, “was a Christmas gift from my dad. Inside a small box was a note saying, ‘Son, I will give you an hour every day after dinner – 365 days. It’s all yours. We’ll talk about what you want to talk about, we’ll go where you want to go, we’ll play what you want to play. It will be your hour.’

“He not only kept his promise, but every year he renewed it – and it was the greatest gift I ever had in my life. I had so much of his time.”

I will count myself richly blessed for having so much of my Father’s time and will seek diligently to be worthy of His love and availability to me.

A DIVINE PRESENT

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.” John 16:13-14

The Spirit-filled life is a life lived under the control of the Holy Spirit. It begins when we submit ourselves to the Lord. This involves a deliberate yielding to Him of all we are and all we have – that means our work, families, finances, and ministry. (Matthew 16:24) Such submission does not occur automatically at salvation; it is a choice we make. God expects us to surrender our old, self-centered ways and to live as His child under the Spirit’s control. (2 Corinthians 5:17) We can confidently let go of our old ways because of who the Holy Spirit is. The Lord called Him “the Spirit of truth” who speaks only what He hears from God the Father and who seeks to bring glory to our Savior. (John 16:13-14) He can be fully trusted.

Today many people talk about “getting more of the Spirit.” By that, they mean acquiring spiritual gifts, divine power, or visible manifestations. But God prefers that we ask ourselves, “How much of me is under the command of God’s Spirit?” The more we submit to His control, the deeper will be our intimacy with God and the greater our transformation into Christlikeness. As He shapes us, we will also become more productive and fruitful. That is quite a present – a divine person to live within us and to transform us into who God wants us to be.

The Holy Spirit is a gift that never wears out or becomes obsolete. His counsel is perfect for every situation. His presence fulfills Jesus’ promise never to leave us. (Hebrews 13:5) Thank God today for the precious gift of the Holy Spirit!

Who is the Holy Spirit, and how have you seem Him working in your life lately?

JESUS CAME TO BRING SALVATION

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

The hope that Jesus brings, and the joy, and the peace, all culminate in His salvation. The real and wonderful meaning of Christmas is that Jesus came to redeem us.

When Joseph and Mary took the infant Jesus to the temple, Simeon spoke these words: “Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)

By the power of the Holy Spirit, Simeon knew that Jesus was the Messiah, the one who would save them, the one for whom they had been waiting.

For thousands of years the Jewish people had been waiting for the Savior, the Messiah, the Christ, whom God had promised. Jesus was and is the fulfillment of prophesy.

No longer do we wait. The proclamation of angels, the rejoicing of shepherds, the worshiping of wise men all declare, “A Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)

Jesus’ sinless life, willing death and powerful resurrection paid the ransom for our lives.

This is the truth the apostles preached: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

This is the truth of Christmas.

What does Christ’s salvation mean to you? How can we demonstrate our thankfulness to God for the wonderful gift He gave us at Christmas?

THE BIRTH OF JESUS

Luke 2:1-20

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.

4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

What stands out most to you about Jesus’ birth narrative? Praise God today for the birth of Jesus, the Son of God!

THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS

The message of Christmas isn’t just that of a tiny baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. We must remember the reason the tiny baby was born.

The true message of Christmas is that eternal God came to earth in the form of man in order to save His own creation. It was a necessity, because fallen man is mired in sin. There is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood, so God’s perfect plan meant He had to provide a substitutionary sacrifice to atone for man’s sin. That tiny baby in swaddling clothes came for a purpose. He came to die.

Those infant hands that twitched and worked themselves out of their wrappings within a rough, perhaps wooden, feeding trough were the very same hands that were later nailed to a rugged, wooden cross. They were the same hands that, though scarred, carefully folded his burial wrappings (John 20:7) when He rose from the dead to defeat sin and death and to give us eternal life. And they are the same hands that lovingly reach down and pick us up through this often difficult life.

This Christmas season, when everything seems so hurried and harried, don’t get caught up in the materialism and busyness. When you come across a manger scene, notice the baby, but think beyond Christ’s infancy to His reason for coming. Make an effort to remember the real message of Christmas. Remember His hands. Remember His heart. Remember His undying love for you.

What is one of the potential distractions that can keep us from meditating on the true message of Christmas during this holiday season?

JESUS IS WITH YOU ALWAYS

“Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

The Lord Jesus is always intimately involved in His church. He walks among you, and His promise is “I am with you always.” He is as close to us now as He was to the disciples at the lake when they sat and ate fish with Him around a fire. Not physically, but still in real truth and presence, Jesus is with us.

And this is a blessed truth, since where Jesus is, love becomes inflamed. Of all the things in the world that can set the heart burning, there is nothing like the presence of Jesus! A glimpse of Him so overcomes us, that we are ready to say, “Turn your eyes from me; they overwhelm me.” (Song of Solomon 6:5) Even the touch of his garments causes the sick and the faint to grow strong. If we for even a moment lean our heads against Him, and receive His divine love into our poor cold hearts, we are cold no longer, but glow hot in love. We will gain strength equal to every labor and capable of withstanding every suffering.

If we know that Jesus is with us, all our abilities will be developed, every grace strengthened. We must cast ourselves into the Lord’s service with heart, and soul, and strength. Therefore the presence of Christ is to be desired above anything else. His presence will most clearly be appreciated by those who are most like Him. If you desire to see Christ, you must seek to conform ever more closely to Him. Bring yourself, by the power of the Spirit, into union with Christ’s desires, and motives, and plans of action, and you are likely to be favored with His company.

Remember, Jesus is with you. His promise is as true as ever. He delights to be with us. If He does not come, if He does not seem close, it is because we hinder Him by our indifference. He will reveal Himself to our earnest prayers, and graciously lend an ear to our praises, requests, and tears, for these are the golden chains which bind Jesus to His people.

When God seems far from you, where can you turn for reassurance?

JESUS CAME TO BRING JOY

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10

Jesus’ coming to earth was good news. It would bring joy to all people because He would reconcile them to God.

This Christmas, let us remember that Jesus came to bring joy.

Not just the joy of giving and the joy of spending time with loved ones, but the joy of having our sins forgiven, the joy of a life committed to God, the joy of having a purpose on earth and an eternal home in heaven.

There are many things that steal our joy — things like selfishness, busyness, and unrealistic expectations. Even though it’s Christmas time, we can find ourselves lacking joy.

If your joy seems to have been drained away, recall Jesus’ words regarding the way to joy.

“If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:10, 11)

Our obedience to God and His ways is what gladdens our hearts. When we are in right relationship with Jesus, He gives us joy.

King David knew that sin kept him from experiencing God’s pleasure. When he repented of his wrongdoing, he asked God to “Restore to me the joy of your salvation” (Psalm 51:12).

Let Jesus bring you joy this Christmas by surrendering yourself completely to Him.

Is this a different way for you to look at joy? If so, how has it changed your perspective? When have you experienced a restoration of joy after you confessed your sin?