ROMANCING ROYALTY
365 Devotions to Draw You Closer to King Jesus
by
Dudley C. Rutherford
Smashwords Edition
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Published by:
CallOnJesus.com and Maranatha Mobile on Smashwords
Romancing Royalty
365 Devotions to Draw You Closer to King Jesus
Copyright © 2005 and in 2010 by CallOnJesus.com
All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are from:
The Holy Bible, New International Version © 1973, 1984 by International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
January
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31
———
February
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28
———
March
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31
———
April
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30
———
May
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31
———
June
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30
———
July
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31
———
August
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31
———
September
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30
———
October
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31
———
November
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30
———
December
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31
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This book is dedicated to Dr. Scott Bauer who lived every day drawing nearer to Jesus than he had the day before. Today he lives at Jesus’ side.
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First and foremost, I want to thank my father, H. Dean Rutherford, of Fresno, California, for the inspiration and development of many of these devotions and the writing of most of the prayers. He has the unique gift of powerfully communicating God’s truths whether in writing or by preaching. He kept me on track and did not let this project lose any steam.
I want to thank the numerous contributors for their gift of insight. This book truly is a collaboration of writers, leaders, mentors, speakers, preachers, pastors, teachers, coaches, men, women, and even children.
I do want to send a word of appreciation to Murry Whiteman who helped design the cover of this book. We both knew intuitively that the single rose laid across the crown of thorns was a vivid reminder of how much Jesus loves us.
Lastly, I am compelled to express my gratitude to Kari Macer, my assistant, who must be part angel for never complaining and only complying when, at the last second, I throw unrealistic timetables her way. Thank you Kari, for your diligence and your loyalty.
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Jesus is in love with you!
In fact, this very moment Christ is scouring the earth searching for a bride. The Savior intensely desires to be married to you. He has a gold covenant ring He wants to place on your finger. His intentions are pure and honorable. He will be eternity’s best provider and protector. Jesus is the paragon of staunch, unswerving faithfulness. He earnestly seeks your heart and your hand in marriage. Oh, dear friend, we can assure you, He will not turn you down because of your past. He has proven His passion at Calvary. There He poured out His regal, royal, red blood for His betrothed. It’s engagement time, now! His ambition is Holy Matrimony with you alone. What will you do with His magnificent offer? Will you spurn again His gentle offer of divine grace?
Every false religion on earth is a story of man seeking God. Christianity is the story of God seeking and wooing mankind. Let Him be your lover today and always. The rich reward for Romancing this Royalty is an eternal honeymoon, an unending rendezvous with the Prince of Glory. Just imagine, Jesus and you, together, spending endless years of foreverness!
Our prayer is that some of the carefully chosen phrases of this book will tempt you to respond more deeply to His life-changing entreaties.
H. Dean Rutherford
Dudley C. Rutherford
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First Day of the Year by Dudley C. Rutherford
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years.” (Genesis 1:14)
R.G. Lee eloquently said, “Jesus was born in the saddest hour of history. Born when the scepter of power was frozen by the tyranny of impeached civilizations. When religion was clasping hands with idolatry. Born when the world crisis had come upon the Jewish race as they slept in robes of beautiful Jewish prophecy.” But Christ’s humble, lowly birth in that ancient land has made Bethlehem more famous than a thousand New Yorks. I wanted to say at the very beginning of this New Year that the birthday of Jesus splits time in two around His cradle. This Jesus, of whom neither calendars, clocks or historians took note, has bent the dateline of all the nations around His lowly manger.
Others have tried to do what Jesus did. The Greeks thought they could date time from the founding of their Olympic games. The Romans tried to date time from the founding of their imperial city. Justinian tried to mark the beginning of time from certain tax levies. La Place, from the conjunction of certain planets. The French were sure they could date it from their revolutions. But they all failed. What the Jews, Greeks, Romans, and French could not do, Jesus did. He did it without a vote or command, without some legislative edict. This timeless Christ had Christianized the calendars of the world. No one in this world writes a letter, or signs a deed, or reads a newspaper, or turns on a computer without that birthday of Christ at the top of the page. Happy New Year to you in the name of Jesus!
Prayer
Thank You, Lord, for inventing time and for dating time from Your lowly birth. It helps me to remember that You are the reason for everything in life that is important. You mark not only the beginning of the calendar, but also the beginning of true happiness, true joy, and salvation itself. Help me to make every day of this New Year count and invest it in Your Kingdom and in my future. I’m excited to reach that land where we will need no clocks or calendars. I put my trust into Your hands. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.
Questions
•According to Psalm 31, whose hands hold all the times?
•Name some people who tried to set the calendar of years.
•What can you do to make this year your best ever?
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Thank You, Jesus by Dudley C. Rutherford
“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’? You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1b, 4, 5)
We discover in the book of beginnings the spoken words of our Creator, our biological parents, and even the enemy of our souls. Although there was a pristine quality to the creation story, everything changed when the serpent appeared on the scene. The words the devil spoke clearly revealed his deceptive nature. What God plainly stated to Adam and Eve, the devil blatantly twisted and challenged. And isn’t this the same tactic he has continued to use with every son and daughter born on the earth? He has always lied and led us to believe that we didn’t really need God in our lives… that we could manage quite well on our own. Even though the devil had a 100 percent success rate with humanity, the tide forever changed when he tried those same lies on the “last Adam,” the “Only Begotten Son of God.” Ironically, the first Adam was in a lush garden, yet he didn’t refuse the fleshly craving that allowed him independence from God. The last Adam was in a state of utter starvation, yet He did not indulge in any source of life outside of God Himself. Fortunately for us today, Jesus rejected the lies the devil spoke to Him. For herein we find our only hope: “The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam, a life-giving Spirit.”
Prayer
Lord and Creator of the universe, thank You for sending Jesus to destroy the work of the devil. When the difficulties we face threaten to bring us down, please help us recall that our struggle isn’t against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers in the heavenly realm. We ask for the life-giving Spirit of Jesus to fill our hearts, so we will have the strength to overcome the evil one. We confess today that we don’t want to live independently of You, for You alone are the true source of life! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Questions
•How were “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life” all facets of Adam and Eve’s temptation in the Garden of Eden?
•How does the last book of the Bible describe the devil? (Revelation 12:9)
•In John 10:10, do you recognize the stark contrast between what the devil comes to do and what Jesus comes to do?
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Stinkin’ Thinkin’ by Ben Merold
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15)
We must know the Bible if we are to handle it correctly. It is the “word of truth,” and knowledge of it will come only by prayerful study. The following illustration shows the importance of the Bible in the daily life of a Christian. I was visiting with a young attorney and his wife, and our conversation seemed to focus on the importance of daily devotions. The young man commented, “I can always tell when my wife has let down on her quiet time of Bible reading and prayer, because she will start to become anxious and irritable.” When his wife looked at him rather sharply, he quickly added, “And I presume it is the same with me when I let down on my Bible reading and prayer time.” I laughed inwardly, but I retained that simple story in my memory because it impacted my life. I remembered hearing the great motivational speaker Zig Ziglar refer to what he called “stinkin’ thinkin,’” and I concluded that his descriptive terminology for a bad attitude often develops because we are out of communion with God. I can be busy in the work of the church and still drift into negative thought patterns of anxiety and irritation. Every time I find myself victimized by “stinkin’ thinkin,’” it seems to coincide with a letdown of Bible reading and prayer. I believe it will be the same with you.
Prayer
Dear Father in Heaven, I come to You in Jesus’ name to thank You for every gift and blessing. I especially thank You for the gift of Your Word, the Bible, and for the privilege of prayer. I ask that the Holy Spirit, who inspired the Scriptures, will inspire me as I read them. I pray for growing understanding of Your “word of truth” to better control my thoughts and my attitude. Help me to be sensitive to Your command and promises so that my life can be a positive witness for Jesus Christ. In His name, I pray. Amen.
Questions
•How much time did you give to Bible study and prayer in the last seven days?
•Did your Bible reading bring conviction about any sin or area of weakness in your life?
•Did you receive any answers to prayer? Have you prayed persistently?
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Ben Merold is the Senior Pastor of Harvester Christian Church in St. Charles, Missouri.
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Where Reality Begins by Dudley C. Rutherford
He answered: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)
You have just tuned in to another exciting episode of the first-century game show, “Who Wants to Stump the Son of God?” An expert in the law has asked the question that has been on the mind of nearly everyone who has ever been born: “What do I have to do to live forever?” Sensing the lawyer’s enthusiasm to reveal his own intelligence, Jesus employs His famous technique of reversing the question. Having studied far more than the Top Ten list of commandments, the lawyer impressively quotes passages found in two different Old Testament books. Jesus immediately agrees with the prizewinning answer and follows up with His own quotation: “Do this and you will live.” And that, my friend, is where the game ends and reality begins. For Jesus explicitly taught that loving the Lord your God is not only an internal, vertical experience but devotion to God is also revealed both externally and horizontally in the way we treat the people we meet along the pathway of our lives. We certainly cannot plan to live forever, if we do not choose to minister to the wounded and dying of this world. If we have the eyes to see and ears to hear, they are everywhere! “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
Prayer
Almighty Father, I confess that many times I have the attitude of this first-century lawyer, rather than that of Your Son, Jesus Christ. I open my mouth to eagerly quote the correct words, but I do not open my heart to meet the very real needs of those around me. Through the power of Your Spirit, I ask that You give me a sensitive heart, so that I will never miss the opportunity to show Your compassion to those I meet. Remind me of the words of Jesus, “Do this and you will live.” In His name, I pray. Amen.
Questions
•Why do you think people are so interested in living forever? (See Ecclesiastes 3:11a)
•Why does God care how you treat others? (I John 4:20)
•What practical ways to “love your neighbors” did Jesus suggest in Matthew 25:34-40?
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Radiance by Dudley C. Rutherford
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (II Corinthians 4:6,7)
Although it has been said that beauty is only skin deep, radiance is a completely different matter. Have you ever known someone who seems to emanate radiance, despite his or her outward appearance? Just as beauty is observed with our eyes, radiance is recognized with our spirits. Paul did not claim to be a scientist, but he accurately described us as “jars of clay.” Like clay, our bodies are composed of carbon-based atoms. Even though we are depicted in such simplistic terms, the Creator of the heavens and the earth has a treasure He wants to place within each one of us. In fact, we learn from this passage that when God said, “Let there be light,” He actually had a far greater objective than just illuminating this vast universe. Ultimately, His supreme purpose in creation was to make His light shine in each one of our hearts.
God didn’t create you just to look at you from the outside—though many people focus their attention there. God created you to be a jar for His radiance! The very radiance that was seen in the face of Jesus Christ is what God desires for each of us today. May it be our ambition to say with Paul: “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory.”
Prayer
Dear Father, the truth of these verses is beyond awesome. It is even more amazing to realize that You had thoughts of me all the way back to when You said, “Let there be light.” I do not begin to comprehend why You care so much, but thank You, thank You, thank You! Just as Jesus was the “radiance of Your glory,” I ask You to fill my clay vessel with the same Light that filled Him as He lived in flesh on this earth. It will be my joy to have You glow through me forever! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Questions
•What is the Light that will continue to shine when the lights of the heavens and earth have passed away? (Revelation 22:5)
•Whose face do you need to see, so that you can begin to experience the light of God?
•What attributes of God do you see in people who reflect His radiance?
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Red Roses by Dudley C. Rutherford
Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure. (Job 14:1-2)
I hold in my hand a dozen red roses. Aren’t they beautiful? I almost forgot to tell you, they are dead. Oh, they look alive but in reality they are as dead as dead can be. In just a few days, their colors will fade and their petals will sag and droop and fall. They will find their way to the trashcan.
God says mankind is like a flower. First we are a seed, then a plant, then a stem and then a blossom. Then we die. Flowers are here for only a short time. I don’t care how young you are, or how strong you might be, or how healthy and vibrant you might feel today… someday on God’s calendar, you will begin to fade. You will die, as surely as every flower dies. Your death is appointed (Hebrews 9:27).
We must live our lives for Him while there is yet time. Time is running out for all of us, even the youngest one of us. Every word of every paragraph of every page of this Bible says we are here for only a short time, and we must bloom and live our lives for Him. There is less time than we think to blossom, to spread fragrance and beauty for our wonderful Lord.
Prayer
Dear Father on high, I can tell by everything in life that I don’t have forever to get my spiritual house in order. Headlines, sirens, cemeteries and a thousand other things remind me daily that I need to serve You while there is time. Help me to make the very best of every day I have left on this earth. Help me to stop acting like I am going to live on earth forever. In my dear Savior’s name, I pray. Amen.
Questions
•What is certain about every flower?
•How certain are your trouble and death?
•How much time do you have left to serve the Lord?
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Christopher by Brad Small
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
When our son Christopher was three years old, we had him tested for allergies. My job, as Chris’s father, was to hold his body as tightly as I could. I held him tightly in my lap, face to face and chest to chest. I tucked his little arms under my arms so that he wouldn’t be able to move. While I tried to keep him calm, the doctor began to place drops of serum all over his back, shoulders and arms. Next came the needle pricks. With each prick, Chris would scream and I would cry. After what seemed like hours of this torture, the procedure was finally finished. Instead of being able to gather my son in my arms and comfort him, I had to continue to hold him securely for 15 additional minutes to prevent the serum drops from running. If the serum drops were to run, we would have to start the process all over again, so for the next 15 minutes, we both sat in the chair and cried.
Imagine the thoughts of a three-year-old: “Why is my Daddy holding me down so a stranger can hurt me?” Yet the reality is that I had to allow my son to suffer the pain, so he could get help for his allergies.
How many times do we feel like God is holding us down for someone or something to hurt us? Reality is that God walks us through pain, using the hurt to work it for our own good. We often receive the best things in life on the heels of pain and suffering.
Prayer
Father, grant me the ability to see Your purposes in my life. Allow me the grace to seek You in hard times and to trust You in my pain. Lord, I claim this promise that in all things You will work for my good, even when I don’t see the big picture. Through Christ I choose to trust You. Amen.
Questions
•When have you been through a painful time?
•How did you see God’s work in the middle of the trial?
•How did God work it out for your good?
•
Brad Small is the Senior Pastor of Lakeshore Church in Rockwall, Texas.
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Koine by H. Dean Rutherford
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
(I John 4:7-8)
Perhaps the number one word in the entire universe is “love.” Millions use the word but few grasp its true meaning. The New Testament was written in koine Greek. The word koine denotes “common,” because this style of Greek was the language of the common man-on-the-street during the time of Christ. Koine Greek became in vogue 300 years before the birth of Jesus, and soon became an obsolete language after the death of Jesus. God supernaturally invented this language so that the New Testament could be written and understood by common mankind. Let’s look at the meaning of the words for “love” found in the Scripture.
Eros is the word used to describe fleshly and physical love. Our word erotic comes from that word. Storge is family love. Storge love will offer itself in death, if need be, to protect its own. A very common word for love during the apostolic age was philia. It was the word of genuine affection—heart love. It is seen in the name Philadelphia (brotherly love). The noblest and highest form of love, however, was agape. William Barclay, in his description of this word, noted that, “Agape has to do with the mind: it is not simply an emotion which rises unbidden in our hearts; it is a principle by which we deliberately live.” It is the kind of love we must have for all men—even our enemies (Matthew 5:44). The Christian must always act and react out of pure love. Agape love! Unquestionably, the most exhaustive treatment of what agape love involves is found in I Corinthians 13.
Prayer
My wonderful Savior, thank You for loving me. Without You, I would never have any true understanding of real love. Forgive me for those times I’ve mistaken pride, patriotism, friendship, family or lust for love. I know if I place You first and foremost in my heart, I shall never have any problems with loving You or my fellow man. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
Questions
•Can a person love and not know God?
•Why was the New Testament written in koine Greek?
•Name three different Greek words for love.
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H. Dean Rutherford is an Associate Pastor at Northside Christian Church in Clovis, California, and the father of Dudley C. Rutherford.
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Knowing Christ by Dudley C. Rutherford
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. (Philippians 3:8)
Walk into any bookstore, and it doesn’t take long to discover the myriad of self-help books that are readily available. As an over-achiever in the area of self-help, the Apostle Paul could very well have been considered an expert. In fact, he spent so many years in self-development that he was even described as “faultless.” Ironically, it was at the very pinnacle of human perfectionism that Paul became keenly aware he was actually missing out on life itself. He became convinced he could no longer base his life on any four- or five-step plan for godly living. Instead, Paul focused on the passionate heart cry of God: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.” (Matthew 17:5)
How often we leave those awesome words in the historical setting of the first century; but God spoke them right out of the heavens for all generations and all time! Just as Paul counted everything a big, fat zero compared to “the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus,” God aches for each of us to learn that we won’t begin to experience abundant life until we “fix our eyes on Jesus!” May our hearts beat with this fervor: “…for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, sometimes I long to hear an audible word from You. Yet I must honestly confess that I haven’t listened very well to what You’ve already said. Open my ears to hear what matters the most to You. May I grow to understand that it is not simply following the rules, but fellowshipping in the relationship that brings the biggest smile to Your face! Enable me to clearly hear and know Your beloved Son, in whom You are well pleased. May I truly gain Christ and be found in Him. I ask this in His holy name. Amen.
Questions
•Was Jesus alive in human form when Paul wrote about wanting to know Him?
•How is it possible to hear and know Jesus today?
•Is there any aspect of your life that you consider more valuable than knowing Jesus Christ in a personal way?
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The End of the Spear by Dudley C. Rutherford
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26)
Jim Elliot, the martyred missionary, penned these famous words: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Not long after he wrote this, he made the exchange; He was killed in the jungles of Ecuador while preaching Jesus. He exchanged what he couldn’t keep for what he could never lose! Was the exchange a good bargain?
What are some things we can’t keep? Can’t keep health. Can’t keep your life. Sooner or later you have to leave. The strongest human on earth will soon wither away and perish. Can’t keep money. It’s got to be turned over to younger and more eager hands. Can’t keep houses and lands. Someone else will soon live in what you call “your house.” The newest car just off the production line will end up in the junkyard. Position and power can’t be kept. Jim Elliot exchanged all those fading and temporal things for what? For what he could keep!
What can you keep? You can keep your soul. You can keep love, forgiveness, and eternal life. You can keep salvation forever in Christ Jesus. You can keep real joy. So who is the irrational fool? It’s the man or woman who trades the everlasting and eternal things of God for the fleeting fashions and pleasures of this dying world. Have you made the right exchange? Will you, would you be willing to give up those things you can’t keep for what you can never lose?
Prayer
Dear God and Savior, I want to invest my life and time in those things that can never fade or pass away. Forgive me when I get to thinking that money, fashion, pride and position are things that just might last for a while. Help me to take a look around and notice the things that quickly fade from view. Help me to bet my life on Jesus Christ and His Church for which He died. Help me to exchange what I cannot keep for what I cannot lose. In the unchanging name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Questions
•What temporal things have many given in exchange for their souls?
•Have you checked the Internet to read about Jim Elliot? (See the movie The End of the Spear.)
•What exchanges have you made, and what are you willing to exchange?
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Cowards by Dudley C. Rutherford
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)
The word fearless ought to describe every Christian. There are 365 “fear nots” in the Bible. One for every day of the year. Paul told Timothy that God has not given us the spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7). There’s a long list of folks in our text who aren’t going to escape the lake of fire. Some of those sinners we can well understand—murderers, witches, idolaters—but the dubious honor of heading this list belongs to the cowardly and unbelieving.
Are you a coward? Do you possess some measure of boldness that will allow you to talk about Jesus with your neighbors and your associates at work? Do you have the faith and resolve to bow your head before dinner in a restaurant to thank Him for the food? Are you afraid to tithe, to give God that first tenth and then trust Him to supply your needs? Are you ashamed to carry your Bible?
I hate to bring this up again but God said, “The cowardly and unbelieving shall have their part in the lake of fire.” I didn’t write that! I didn’t make that up! I sometimes wish it wasn’t there, but what can I do? Hear David say, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).
Prayer
Dear God, I am beginning to understand that You want me to have complete and total faith in You and Your sure Word; that there is no room or reason for fear. When I read Your Scriptures, I know I have no one to fear, no person, no force, no threat to make me afraid. My trouble comes when I stray from You and mingle in this world’s culture. I want to come so close to You that never again will I fear. In Christ’s blessed name, I ask it. Amen.
Questions
•What’s the destiny of this list in Revelation 21?
•Spiritually speaking, what are you afraid of?
•How does Jesus erase our fear?
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Survival by Dudley C. Rutherford
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)
One of our basic human instincts is the instinct for survival. We generally think in terms of physical existence when we speak of survival, but consider the overwhelming desire we have to preserve our personal image and reputation. It is extremely challenging and quite unnatural to follow Jesus’ example in this matter. Although He was never guilty of committing a single sin, He was forced to be on public trial for His life. When false charges were hurled against Him, “Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge…” Instead, He “kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly.”
While His accusers intended to destroy His reputation as the Son of God, it was through His silence that Jesus quite profoundly revealed His divine character. For who resists the urge to answer deceitful attacks, except the person who truly believes there is far more to living than just this life? This truth can also operate in our lives, when we face false accusations and respond with silence. Perhaps it is in our silence that His divine character can also be dynamically revealed in our lives. “Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Surely He “will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.”
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I am thankful You have made me a partaker of Your divine nature. Although it is instinctive to verbally defend myself when people gossip and spread lies about me, I confess that You have called me to live as “aliens and strangers” during my time on this earth. Convict me today when I react to false accusations the same way everyone else in the world does. Thank You for the example Jesus showed me in His silence. May my greatest comfort come from knowing that “our lives are now hidden with Christ in You!” In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Questions
•To whom did Jesus entrust Himself?
•What three-step plan helps you react to adverse comments in a godly way? (See James 1:19, 20)
•Can you recall an occasion when the Spirit of Christ led you to take the pathway of silence in response to personally damaging accusations?
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The Lamb’s Book of Life by Dudley C. Rutherford
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27)
Before “once upon a time” ever introduced a story, God began thinking about a very special book. While many consider the Bible to be God’s special book, there is another writing that will ultimately have greater significance for our lives. It dates “from the foundation of the world.” Although you and I haven’t seen it with our own eyes, Job, David, Isaiah, Daniel, Malachi and even the Apostle John were all aware of its existence.
God had great plans for this narrative to include an enormous number of people, but there was one extraordinary character God absolutely insisted on including. As the Author, God wanted His story to be about a Lamb. Not just any lamb, of course, but “a Lamb without blemish or defect.” A Lamb who was willing to die.
Before the creation of the world, Jesus deliberately chose to be the Lamb of God, so that each of us could also be included in His story. To this very day, the Lamb sits next to God. Together they are listening and waiting to hear who will speak of Him and honor His name. The pen is in hand and He longs to write, for nothing impure will ever enter His Holy City, but only “those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Prayer
Father in Heaven, thank You for providing the Way to include each and every person in Your book and in Your Holy City. Thank You for sending people into my life who also love You and find great delight in talking about You and Your Son. Mercifully forgive me when I don’t speak of You or honor Your name or even care if I am part of Your story at all. Instead, may I boldly honor You, so that my life clearly reveals to everyone that Your Lamb did not die in vain. I pray in His name. Amen.
Questions
•When was Jesus actually chosen to be the Lamb of God? (I Peter 1:20)
•What are some other things being written about you? (Psalm 139:16 & Psalm 56:8)
•How significant will the book of life be in the future? (Revelation 20:11-15)
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Realities by Jan Caldwell
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. (I John 4:18-19)
We were leaving church one icy Sunday morning, and as he slipped his little hand in mine, he said, “Granny, we’re good friends, aren’t we? Do you know why I love you? Because Jesus loves me.” At age three, my grandson understands that Jesus loves him, and because of that love, he can love others. He was born into a family filled with love. Love for each other and for him and his little brother. All too soon, the realities of the world outside his family will be forced upon him, and rarely is that a secure or loving place. But for now, he is safe in the love of Jesus and his family.
As Christians, we live in a world of “realities.” Life is often difficult and sometimes cruel. We often find ourselves dodging the arrows of sin and discouragement. We need to put our hand in the Savior’s hand and rest and trust in His love. For us, the real safety and security are still ahead—when we arrive at our home in Heaven. We will find safety forever in the place He has prepared for us.
Prayer
Gentle Father, help me to be as open to Your love and leading as a little child. There is so much I can learn about You from children. Theirs is a simple faith and trust. Help me to shed Your light on the dark days that will come into their lives. Make me even more aware that only under the shelter of Your wings can I have complete safety. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Questions
•Do you pray as often as you should about your fears and insecurities?
•Do you consider daily that your security is in Christ?
•How can you allow the love of Christ to dispel the fears in your life?
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Jan Caldwell is wife of John Caldwell, Senior Pastor of Kingsway Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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One on One by Dudley C. Rutherford
Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:22-23)
Although the very first word in this passage is undoubtedly the saddest, this Scripture also contains seven of the most appalling words ever spoken by Jesus: “I never knew you, depart from me…” Jesus makes it crystal clear that a day will come when each person will have a decisive, “one-on-one” session with Him. And when that day arrives, it simply won’t matter how many times we said the name “Lord,” or even how many times we performed incredible feats in His name. There is something else that is far more important to Jesus. He is checking closely to see if the fruit of our lives originated in Him.
If the confession we made and the deeds we performed were not the direct result of His life flowing in and through us, then we will have no part in His eternal life. For Jesus also proclaimed, “Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” To really know Him is to be a member of the “great multitude that no one can count, from every nation, tribe, people and language who will stand before the throne and in front of the Lamb” to hear Jesus say seven of the most appealing words ever spoken: “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”
Prayer
Almighty God, I confess that I often live as though there will always be one more tomorrow. Please make me mindful that the “great day of the Lord” will truly come, when “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” Help me grow in my understanding of what matters most to You. May my heart beat with the fervor to know You and Your Son, Jesus Christ, so that the fruit of my life will bear Your very image. It is my desire to hear You say, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.” In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Questions
•What is the trademark of God that must be found on the fruit of your life? (I Corinthians 13:1-3)
•How did Jesus describe eternal life? (John 17:3)
•How do you become part of the “great multitude that no one can count”? (Revelation 7:14)
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Litmus Test by Dudley C. Rutherford
But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about. My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:32, 34)
Not only was Jesus tired and thirsty after walking along rugged terrain all morning, but the pain of hunger had motivated His disciples to walk to a nearby town for food. Although Jesus could have journeyed with the men to His next meal, He chose to stay behind and witness to a foreign woman. Jesus spent time telling her about Himself, letting her know that He completely understood her, and even spoke to her about worshipping His Father. As a result of this one conversation, many souls were harvested for the Kingdom. Indeed, the example of this single witness became quite impressive to the disciples.
But in the midst of this story, there was an additional lesson that initially confounded Jesus’ followers. They wondered how it was humanly possible for Jesus to refuse the food they brought Him to eat. How had He received nourishment? Perhaps, like His disciples, you might consider these words of Jesus a litmus test for your efforts. After doing the work of God, do you feel burned out and depleted, or, as Jesus declares, do you actually sense an energizing that is beyond mere human explanation? When the effort to do God’s work is directed and empowered by God Himself, then you can triumphantly say with Jesus, “I have a source of strength this world does not comprehend!”
Prayer
Father, thank You for permitting Your only Son to become flesh, so I can know Your exact nature through His life. I am thankful for His example of doing Your will when He witnessed to this woman at the well. Open my eyes to see that the work You want me to accomplish is along my path each day. As I attempt to “walk as Jesus walked,” may I only experience true satisfaction when I do Your work with the strength You supply. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Questions
•In John 4, what are some of the topics Jesus discussed when He witnessed to the woman?
•Will you begin a list of the people you meet in your everyday life who need to hear your witness?
•Have you ever experienced the energizing power of God that transcends mere human explanation?
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The Greater Miracle by Adrian Rogers
I, even I, am the LORD; and besides me there is no savior. (Isaiah 43:11)
It takes more of God’s power to save a soul through the cross of Jesus than to do any other thing. God had no difficulty creating the universe. The Bible tells us that He spoke and it was so. But when God wrote salvation’s story, He went to great difficulty. Let me illustrate.
What if I held a service and had the power to straighten a cripple’s legs or bring sight to the blind? The next service would be standing room only. Now, I certainly want God to heal, but let me tell you something else.
What if I held a service and a little girl walked down the aisle and gave her heart to Jesus? That is a greater miracle than opening the eyes of the blind, because the Son of God had to hang on a cross in agony and blood to purchase her salvation! Jesus did not come just as a great healer or teacher; He came as a Savior.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, may You awaken me each day and remind me of the greatest miracle of all miracles: that Jesus Christ came to be the Redeemer of mankind. As I busy myself with my mundane daily activities, may I never forget that I am part of a miraculous event called salvation. Thank you Lord for saving me. I once was lost but now I’m found. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Questions
•Can you recall the day you were saved?
•Reflect on the joy and emotion you experienced that day.
•When was the last time you led someone to find the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ?
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Adrian Rogers is the former Senior Pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee.
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Cassidy by H. Dean Rutherford
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (II Corinthians 5:16-17)
A friend of mine tells the story of a girl named Cassidy. Pain and anxiety were etched on her young face. Cassidy pulled me away from the group and begged that I say a special prayer. As she cried on my shoulder, she tearfully explained that her mother had been living on the streets, and that she had not heard from her for several days. Since arriving at the center for adjudicated youth, fear for her mother’s safety had dominated Cassidy’s thoughts and emotions, spilling over each time we met. The more we talked, the more I learned of her mother’s indifference. What sort of mother would introduce her 12-year-old daughter to the insidious life of drug addiction, and then place her young body on a street corner to “earn” the money needed to pay for both of their habits?
Yet in the midst of the contradictions, Cassidy began listening to stories about her Heavenly Father. Her countenance started to change, and she eagerly shared her newfound joy with many of the other young ladies at the center. Once again, God dramatically demonstrated His power to make all things new—while also reminding me of His mandate to “regard no one from a worldly point of view.” We must be willing to be a bridge, and never a barrier, for “We are Christ’s ambassadors, as though God was making His appeal through us.”
Prayer
Dear God in Heaven, I confess that You alone have the power to change lives. I thank You for changing my life and then allowing me to serve as Your ambassador. May I faithfully respond to the challenge of letting You make Your appeal through me. Help me improve the way I identify people, so I will no longer be limited by a worldly point of view. May the Spirit of Jesus Christ fill my heart today, enabling me to treat people with the same care and compassion He demonstrated so many years ago. I pray in His name. Amen.
Questions
•Are you guilty of only seeing people through your natural eyes?
•Will you ask God to “open the eyes of your heart,” so that you will begin to see people as He sees them?
•Have you ever been a barrier between God and another person? Ask God to give you the desire to build bridges that bring people back to Him!
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Designer Clothes by Dudley C. Rutherford
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6)
For those who remember the Seventies, a fashion trend began that is still in vogue today. In malls across America, people purchased jeans that had the small, white label “Calvin Klein” stitched into the waistband. Everything else about the jeans looked the same as any other pair, but people paid extra money just to have a designer label on display. Through the years, young and old alike have continued to spend excessive amounts of money on the latest, most popular designer names. Yet how many of us have given a moment’s thought to the spiritual clothing we wear each day? Have we even considered that God will closely examine the label on our spiritual attire before inviting us to the marriage supper of His only begotten Son?
In the passage above, Isaiah teaches that the “Self-Made Man” line of clothing is nothing more than filthy rags. Although filthy rags aren’t even acceptable merchandise for a secondhand store, our personal Designer provided the Way to wash these rags and make them white in the blood of His Lamb. Each person who hears and responds to the Gospel of Jesus Christ has the priceless privilege of changing from rags into riches! “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” We must not accept anything less than His very best. God certainly won’t!
Prayer
Almighty God and Father, thank You for reminding me that my own efforts to be good enough just aren’t good enough. I am eternally grateful for the One who was good enough to make the ultimate sacrifice for my filthy rags. Thank You for sending Your Son to be my Savior and to pay the price that none of us could begin to pay; just so I could be clothed in Him when I stand before Your throne. I rejoice in the free gift of eternal life I have in Christ Jesus our Lord! In His name, I pray. Amen.
Questions
•What is the only label by which you can be saved? (Acts 4:12)
•Whose label is the most important to you… honestly?
•How did Paul express himself about being spiritually clothed? (II Corinthians 5:2-4)
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Bread From Heaven by Dudley C. Rutherford
Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.” (John 6:53-56)
Meditation
The day before Jesus uttered these words, He delighted and astounded thousands of people, feeding them on a grassy hillside along the Sea of Galilee. Although the crowd devoured as much of His miracle food as they possibly could, they desperately craved more. The next day, they crossed the sea in small boats and searched for Jesus. Upon finding Him, they continued discussing the topic of food. Jesus made many sensational statements during this conversation, but none more startling than the words of this passage. Sadly, many of His listeners refused to transition from thinking about physical food to contemplating true spiritual food, so “…many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore.”
Suppose you were among the crowd of listeners that day. Would you have thought that the “wonder bread man” was deluded; or would you have been among the few disciples who were keenly aware that Jesus alone “had the words of eternal life”? It is not a rhetorical question, for Jesus still implores all who desire eternal life to eat His flesh and drink His blood. He invites us to feast on His life and teaching, so that our sustenance is found in Him. For truly the Scripture says, “‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for sending us the True Bread from Heaven. Help me grow in my understanding of what it means to feast on the very life of Jesus. When my focused energy is only about my physical needs, I ask You to redirect my thoughts and stimulate me to hunger and thirst for Your righteousness. I confess that “You alone have the words of eternal life.” May I continue to come to You as my life’s True Source and Eternal Sustainer. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Questions
•What did Jesus ask us to do that helps remind us of His body and blood?
•Have you ever read Jesus’ words and sensed the powerful reality that they are “spirit and life”?
•How healthy would you be if you ate physical “bread” with the same frequency as you indulge in the True Bread from Heaven?
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