Future Reward

November 13

He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on

the righteous and the unrighteous.

Matthew 5:45

“I understand the free will thing and how bad things happen to good people,”

Gabe said. “But how is it that so many nasty people have so much? How come

God allows bad people to have good things?” Gabe wasn’t just complaining. He

wanted an answer.

“Well,” Grant said, “Scripture says that God’s rain falls on the just and the

unjust alike, Gabe. He shows love to everyone without distinction or favor. He

allows us all to sense that love so we have the chance to know and follow Him.

He doesn’t want anyone to perish. So He blesses some with wealth, hoping

they will understand where the blessings come from and give Him glory.”

“It just doesn’t seem fair. They get all the stuff, and I get hard work and

frustration.” Now Gabe was complaining.

Grant continued, “Gabe, Jesus also said, ‘For what good is it for a man to

gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?’ (Matthew 16:36). You see, although

they may have wealth and material possessions, they have lost the most impor-

tant thing we can hope to have: eternal life with God. Would you want their

riches if you had to pay their consequences?” he asked.

“No,” Gabe said, noticeably subdued. He was contemplating the enormity

of the truth as it became clear.

h

Great wealth can cause great envy. Our finite minds conjure the image of God

randomly blessing people who have no intention of giving Him credit for their

wealth while we struggle to make ends meet. Without the entire picture, we

can come to the wrong conclusion and resent God for His liberal lavishness.

But if God, in His infinite wisdom, brings rain on the unjust, could it pos-

sibly be because He knows something we don’t? And if that is true, shouldn’t

we give Him leeway to do as He pleases without lodging complaints?

As believers, our future reward is based on our inheritance: salvation in

Christ Jesus. Having such a promise and reward, how can we envy those who

have gained wealth and possessions yet are perishing?

Prayer

“Forgive me when I envy wealth and prosperity, Lord. Help

me remain focused on my future reward in heaven. Amen.”

 What Are We to Do?

November 12

You will always have the poor among you.

John 12:8

Walt and Erin were headed out for their annual Christmas shopping day. Each

year, they set aside one day in November to go shopping with their Christmas

club fund they’d so faithfully contributed to all year long.

As they drove toward their destination, Erin shared some misgivings. “I

don’t feel right about spending all this money on ourselves and the family when

there are so many people who don’t have anything. So many kids will wake up

Christmas morning and not get a single gift.” The quiver in her voice betrayed

her sincerity.

“Look, Erin, I understand what you’re saying,” Walt gently began. “But it’s

not like we’re stingy or uncaring.” Stopped at a streetlight, he looked over and

reached for Erin’s hand. “The truth is I feel a little that way myself.”

As the light changed, Walt continued, “But we do tithe each week; we

sponsor Emily in Haiti; we’ve set aside the emergency fund for those times we

see someone with a need.” After a minute’s pause, he glanced at her and said,

“Even Jesus said, ‘You will always have the poor.’ And as much as we’d like to,

we can’t help them all. I believe that no matter what we do, there will always be

a need that we could use this money for.”

h

Anyone who loves the Lord struggles at one time or another over what to do

regarding this issue.

When brought into the light of “it’s all God’s money to begin with,” we

must then answer the question: “What am I to do with what He gives me?”

This is a personal decision meant to be brought before the Lord in prayer

and discussed with those who share in the decision.

Our decision is just that, ours. We should not judge harshly the choices

others make and be careful of our own.

Are you struggling with this question? Pray, seek His will in all your finan-

cial matters. We all have a part; ask Him what yours is.

Prayer

“Lord, I know there will always be the poor. And I struggle

with having more than my share sometimes. Please lead

me to a place of understanding in what You want me

to do with Your money. In Jesus’ Name, amen. “

 Betrayal

November 11

Jesus would not entrust himself to them … for he knew what was in man.

John 2.23

Ben and Kurt were childhood friends. Their friendship spanned sixteen years

of disagreements and reconciliations; until the day Kurt betrayed Ben’s trust

when he learned Ben liked Melodie Wilson.

Ben confided to Kurt that he would like to date Melodie and asked Kurt

if he would test the waters for him, so to speak. He prefaced this favor with the

condition that Kurt not talk to her directly. Instead, he asked Kurt to talk to her

friends to see if Melodie had ever mentioned him in conversation; and more

importantly, if she liked him.

Teenage boys are likely to discard every other relationship in lieu of their

first love! And that’s exactly what happened because Kurt himself was smit-

ten by Melodie. In the blink of an eye Ben got kicked to the curb. Kurt began

spreading rumors about Ben among Melodie’s friends. He even lied to Melo-

die, telling her that Ben only wanted to get her into bed. He, on the other hand,

declared his honorable intentions. In the end, neither won her heart.

Sadly, Ben and Kurt went their separate ways, a life-long relationship

abandoned because Kurt’s impetuous heart wanted what it wanted, and Ben

couldn’t find it in his heart to forgive the pain of betrayal.

h

In all trust there is the possibility of betrayal. Once betrayed, the heart rejects

immediate forgiveness. Instead, it becomes wary … of everyone and everything.

If left unforgiven, the rift will widen, and a spirit of cynicism will plant seeds

of doubt until they grow into a lifestyle of suspicion, influencing our every

thought. Nothing and no one is exempt from its vile destruction. The heart

will protect itself at all costs; you will never get close enough to hurt me again! In

a doubt-ridden mind trust and forgiveness are not open for discussion. Our

hearts need Jesus.

And Jesus, knowing what is within man, is never cynical. He perfectly

understands our nature and what He can do for us. He openly invites us to

trust in Him without the possibility of betrayal or abandonment.

Prayer

“I’ve been wounded many times, Lord Jesus. And sometimes

it’s even been by friends. But I come today, trusting You to

bring healing instead of betrayal or abandonment. Amen.”

 Change Bait

November 10

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

Matthew 4:19

Marvin was ready to bait his hook. “Toss me the dough ball, would ya, Duane?

I think I’ll try to catch a few catfish.”

Duane retrieved the jar of thick paste from the tackle box, tossed it to

Marvin, and remarked, “I’m gonna see if I can catch a few bass before I join

you in bottom fishing.” He reached back into the tackle box and grabbed a top-

water plug, attached it to his line, and began casting.

Poppers, as they’re known, are a perfect late-evening bait for large-mouth

bass. The fish see the plug jump across the water and identify it as a frog or

some other water-skipping prey. They strike with extreme force, making an

exciting experience for the angler (unless they’re not biting).

An hour and zero bites later, Marvin decided to try his luck at cat fishing.

“Must not be a bass for twenty miles,” he proclaimed. “Otherwise, my stringer

would be full!”

“Riiight.” Marvin dragged the word out, letting Duane know he wasn’t

buying his rhetoric. Then he decided to tease him a little. “And you know that

how? Oh, yes,” he snickered, “I forgot. You are such a legend in fishing circles

that the fish just can’t wait to jump on your hook!” He ducked as a piece of

dough ball came flying his direction.

h

Fishing for men can be frustrating at times too. We might cast and cast and

cast only to come up empty. Perhaps we’re using the wrong bait.

Men, like fish, aren’t always attracted by the same bait. For that reason, we

must be willing to change bait.

Accomplished anglers constantly test different baits, always looking to

find which bait works best at any given moment. They will change lures all

night long in an effort to find just the right bait. And when they do, they have

great success.

And so it is with fishers of men. They must be willing to change bait when

one isn’t working.

There are different ways to present the gospel, and being willing to change

our approach will result in catching more men for the kingdom.

Prayer

“Lord Jesus, teach me to expand my casting techniques. Show

me what bait will work the best in each situation. Amen.”

 Are We a Threat?

November 9

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Ephesians 4:1

“You’re not much of a threat to Satan these days, Mike.” Shaw brought the

indictment against his friend.

“What are you talking about?” Mike didn’t like the allegation.

“I mean that lately your lifestyle doesn’t bless heaven or threaten hell.

You’re kind of ambiguous,” Shaw said matter-of-factly. “You’re a professing

Christian, yet if a stranger were to watch you for twenty-four hours, I’m not

sure he’d know it.”

“Where the hell do you get off judging me?” Mike was incensed.

“See, that’s exactly what I’m talking about,” Shaw said, staring at his friend.

“What, exactly, are you talking about?” Mike said, exasperated.

“I’m talking about your angry attitude. You know, the one you used to

swear at me in the process of denying my claim?” Shaw softened his approach,

trying to make a point, not an enemy. “Look, I’m not your judge. And I don’t

want you to think that’s what this is about. But Satan’s not threatened at all by

you lately. You don’t represent any imminent danger to his kingdom. And you

don’t shed much light in God’s either.”

Arrested by the truth of Shaw’s statement, Mike was suddenly overcome

with conviction. He was indeed a professing Christian. But he had to admit he

hadn’t been living a life that brought much glory to God recently.

h

Satan doesn’t need to pay much attention to many of today’s professing Chris-

tians. They just don’t represent a real threat to his kingdom. Many Christians go

about living their lives, doing pretty much what they did prior to asking Jesus

to save them. In other words, they’re not advancing the kingdom of Christ.

Therefore, they’re no threat to Satan’s.

It’s not always easy to live for Christ. And sometimes we need a kick in the

pants to get us back on track. Not many of us are capable of living a righteous

life without good friends to help remind us of our commitments.

Prayer

“Lord, I love You. But sometimes I do a lousy job of showing

it. Forgive my inattentiveness to the life You died to give me.

Help me become who You created me to be. And thanks for

good friends who help me live the life. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 Our Best Behavior

November 8

Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the

Lord.

Isaiah 29:15

David was a different person when his father wasn’t around. He openly

opposed his mother, defying her authority. But when his father was home,

he was on his best behavior. So when his mother broached the subject to her

husband about their son’s increasing disrespect, he had a hard time believing

her accusations of insolence.

“I’m sorry, Tammy,” Trace said doubtfully, “but I can’t imagine David

intends you such disrespect. Are you sure you’re not just misjudging his actions?”

“Do you seriously think I would lie about something like this?” she asked.

“I’m not doing this to get attention. Our son is treating me like dirt!”

Trace knew he’d said the wrong thing. He headed for work, unsure of what

to do. Deciding to show up unannounced to see if he could discover the truth,

he left work a couple hours early that evening. Arriving home, he slipped in

the back door. In complete shock, he arrived just in time to hear David call his

mother a vulgar name, telling her he didn’t have to do what she said!

“Mister.” Trace saw panic in David’s eyes as he stepped into the room. “If

you ever say anything like that to your mother again, it’ll be the last thing out

of your mouth for a long time!” He was livid. He couldn’t believe what he’d just

heard his son say; even worse, he couldn’t believe he’d doubted his wife. “You

apologize right now. Then you and I are going upstairs.”

h

When we remember God is watching, we, like David, are on our best behavior.

However, our forgetters work very well. During those times we become an alter

ego of our best-behavior self, slandering and cursing those around us. We do

unseemly things that affect our relationship with God and those we love.

It is unbelievable the depths to which we descend when we forget that

God is watching. And when reminded of that fact during our worse than

abhorrent behavior, we experience shame and repentance.

We all share this weakness. But through conscious effort, we can minimize

the resurgence of our evil selves.

Prayer

“Lord, forgive me when I act unreasonable. Remind me

when I fail to remember You never turn away. Amen.”

 Messengers

November 7

I will send my messenger.

Malachi 3:1

Thoroughly distracted, Michaela continued waiting tables. She’d just received

the news that she was being laid off, and she’d been given one week’s notice

before the layoff took effect.

Like everyone else, Michaela and her family lived day-to-day, dependant

on her and her husband’s weekly wages.

Lord, what are we supposed to do? she silently prayed. You know we don’t

have any savings. And Melvin’s wages won’t support us. How are we supposed to

manage? In her spirit, she felt God answer. I will provide. Trust Me. Somewhat

encouraged, she went about her business. Yet unsure of how His provision

would manifest itself, she remained a little unsettled.

As Michaela took an order from a middle-aged couple, they asked if she

had any prayer needs. She couldn’t believe it! Briefly, she shared what had hap-

pened. Even more unexpected, when she’d concluded her story, the couple

took her hands and prayed for her, right there, right then! Her hope restored,

Michaela thanked them and returned to work.

Later, as the couple left, they hugged Michaela and told her to have faith.

After they departed, Michaela returned to clean their table and found an

envelope with her name on it. Opening it, she was awestruck to find five hun-

dred dollars and a simple note. “God sent us here today with a message of hope

for you. Never doubt that He has His eye on you!”

h

God knew the worry that threatened Michaela’s heart, so He sent messengers

to confirm His unseen provision.

Although God sends us messages all the time, the message and messen-

gers aren’t always easily recognized. Many times we fail to notice the visit until

sometime later, after we’ve had a chance to assimilate the message.

God’s use of His children, as well as all Creation, is well documented in

Scripture. He uses His messengers to show us that He knows what we need and

is paying attention. Not all messages are as definable as today’s story. Some-

times the message is subtle; other times it’s as clear as audible conversation.

Each of them is timely and perfect if we watch for them.

Prayer

“Help me trust in You for all my needs, Papa. And

when I doubt, help me recognize Your messenger

so I can better hear the message. Amen.”