Guidelines For Living Devotional

You Can Trust God In Times Of Need

“Faith,” alleged the agnostic Samuel Clemens, know as Mark Twain, “is believing what you know isn’t true but wish it were.”   George Mueller wouldn’t have agreed.  And who was George Mueller?   In the event that this name doesn’t register, let me explain briefly.  As his name suggests, Mueller was born in Kroppenstaedt, Prussia, and began his education in the classics in a German university.  Invited to the home of a friend, he heard a man drop to his knees and pray in such a way that he was deeply convicted and eventually was converted.

3 Steps To Becoming A Helpful Friend

Being a helpful friend is different than simply being a nice person. If you are on the side of the road in a broken-down car, would you rather someone drive by and shout, "I'm sorry that happened to you!" or pull over and help you fix it? Which one is helpful? Help is often the physical form of encouragement. To be helpful to one another, we must get into the habit of putting actions behind even our kindest words. James, in the Bible, put it this way:  Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15,16)

How To Encourage A Friend

There is an amazing exchange between two friends tucked into the Bible book of II Kings. Elisha, the prophet, and his ministering servant find themselves in a very bad situation. Israel’s enemy, the Arameans, have snuck up and surrounded their hometown of Dothan. The Arameans are led by Ben-hadad and he and his force intended to kill Elisha and the entire community.

Why Faith Is More Than Just Belief

“What is faith?” asked the writer of the book of Hebrews in the New Testament.  Then he answered his own question, saying, “It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen.  It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead” (Hebrews 11:1, LB).  Two words express this reality.  The first word, translated “confident assurance,” is a very positive expression; but it is the second word which gives us a picture which enlightens us.

Are There Different Kinds Of Christians?

Is it possible for you to believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, but without getting too radical about it?   Putting it another way:  Are there different kinds of Christians?  Can you be a Christian by degrees, believing some things but not really becoming a fanatic? 

Move Ahead Without Fear

Bernadette Grey was the editor-in-chief of a women's magazine.  Her work-related responsibilities kept her in contact with some of the world's most successful businesswomen.  In one editorial she analyzed four factors which lead to success among her colleagues.  She mentioned 1) optimism, 2) uniqueness, 3) a strong work ethic, and 4) fearlessness.

The Only Thing That Stops Fear

Jesus was meeting with the disciples in an upper room, behind doors which hid him from public scrutiny--at least for the moment.  His words flowed from His heart.  He said--probably quietly and with great confidence--"Stop letting your hearts be troubled!"  Verbs in Greek convey a definite kind of action that they do not convey in English, and the one that Jesus used indicated that worry and concern had begun a long while before and was continuing.  But He says, "Stop doing it."

What You Need To Know About Hardship And Grace

As a boy growing up in China, William sang about the grace of God, but it was not until the cold reality of solitary confinement in prison sank in that William began to understand what grace really means.  William’s mother was an American missionary who married a Chinese medical doctor, and they worked together in China, raising their family to know and follow God. 

Does God Need To Be Exciting?

"Exciting" says Webster's dictionary, is "to call to activity; to rouse to an emotional response" or "to increase the activity" of something.  There are certain words which are made to get down on all fours and walk, or should I say, crawl.  They are so overworked by the media that they become trite, superficial, and really without much meaning at all.

The Good News In A World Of Bad News

Wherever you live in the world, each morning you wake up to bad news.  Disease, disaster, death.  The narratives are bleak, yet the followers of Jesus Christ, his disciples in the here and now, are people of the Gospel and the Gospel is good news.  The Gospel is a story because God is a storyteller.  We’ve got His story of good news in His book, the Bible.