Light of The World

His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." —John 2:5 When David was called by God to be king, he was out watching sheep, just being faithful. The day David killed Goliath, he didn't wake up that morning and hear God say, "David, today you are going to the valley of Elah. There will be a giant Philistine named Goliath, and you will kill him with a stone." No, at his dad's request, David was taking some cheese sandwiches to his brothers out on the front line . . . just being faithful on an errand for his dad. What was Gideon doing when God called him? He was hiding from his enemies. He was terrified. But God saw his potential, and the next thing Gideon knew, he was leading troops into battle. And what was Elisha doing when Elijah called him to carry on the work? He was out plowing in the field. Moses was watching a bunch of sheep i...

Show me, Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. —Psalm 39:4 Let's say that your phone rings tomorrow morning, and it's a call from the manager of your bank. He tells you, "I received a very unusual call the other day. Someone who loves you very much and is quite wealthy has given you a large sum of money. This anonymous donor will be depositing 86,400 cents into your account every single day." "How's that again?" you ask. "Every single day, this person will deposit 86,400 cents into your account." Is that much money? you wonder at first. Then you get out your calculator and figure out that it amounts to $864 every day. That's pretty good, you're thinking. "But there is one condition," the banker continues. "You have to spend it every single day. You can't save it up. You can't add it to the next day's balance. Every day, you must spend that money. What is ...

In the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. —Matthew 14:25 In Matthew 14, we read about the disciples being tossed by the wind and waves in their boat on the Sea of Galilee. Then Jesus came, walking on the water, in the fourth watch of the night. The fourth watch was the last part of the night, just before dawn. This means the disciples had been at sea—their hands probably blistered and bloodied from toil at the oars—for at least nine hours in this fierce storm. So we see that Jesus came to them at the last conceivable moment. This reminds us that God's delays aren't necessarily His denials. Jesus had heard their first cries for help. He knew what He was doing all along. Why did He wait so long before He intervened? Probably because it took a long time for these men to exhaust their resources and completely trust in Him. Lifeguards will tell you that often the hardest person to save is the one who is panicking. But when an individual is...

We also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. —Hebrews 12:1–2 In the ancient Greek games, a judge would stand at the finish line holding, in plain sight, the laurel leaves that would be rewarded to the victor. As runners came down the final stretch, they were exhausted, perhaps in agony, and feeling as though they couldn't go another step. But suddenly there was the prize in sight, and a new burst of energy would kick in. This is the picture behind the phrase looking unto Jesus in Hebrews 12:2. We have to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. And our prize is the privilege of standing before Him and receiving the crown of righteousness that He will give us. That is why we try to live godly lives and why we try to reach people for Him. It isn't for brownie points. It is...

Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. —Romans 8:34 If you found yourself in a difficult passage in life, would it bring you some measure of comfort if Billy Graham called you? "This is Billy Graham. I wanted to talk to you. I heard you were going through a hard time. I would like to pray for you." And of course you answer, "Please do!" So Billy Graham prays for you, with that unforgettable voice of his, bringing your name and needs before God. Wouldn't you feel good about that? When it was over, wouldn't you hang up the phone and say, "Wow. That was unreal. I feel so much better now." Then let's say the phone rings again. "This is Pastor Chuck Smith. I heard you were experiencing some difficulties. May I pray for you?" So Chuck Smith prays for you. And then Chuck Swindoll calls, and he prays for you too! How would you ...

My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live. —Job 27:6 I heard the story of a pastor who boarded a bus one morning, paid his fare, and took his seat. A few minutes later, he realized that the driver had given him too much change. Some people might have put it in their pocket and said, "Lord, thank You for Your provision." But this pastor knew that would be wrong. At the next stop, he walked to the front of the bus with the extra change and said to the driver, "Excuse me, sir, you gave me too much change, and I wanted to return it to you because obviously you made a mistake." The driver said, "Pastor, I didn't make a mistake. I was at your church last night and heard you preach on honesty. I wanted to see if you practiced what you preached." Fortunately, he did. People are watching you as a Christian, virtually scrutinizing your every move. You should know they aren't hoping you will be...

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. —John 15:7 How often have you felt that your prayers were hitting a glass ceiling — as though the Lord were saying no? Maybe it is because you were praying outside of His will. Maybe it's because you were praying for something that God didn't want you to have. We need to remember the promise Jesus spoke of in John 15:7, which says, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." Another version puts it this way: "But if you live your life in me, and my words live in your hearts, you can ask for whatever you like and it will come true for you" (PH). I really like that version — especially the part that tells us to ask for whatever we like. But let's also remember the condition: "If you live your life in me, and my words live in your hearts. . . ." If you are maintaining a livi...