View the PDF version here

Scripture reassures the believer that nothing is by chance. Our verse today indicates that God controls everything, even the game of gambling and throwing the dice. From our human perspective the idea of predicting how dice will turn up when they stop tumbling over is impossible. God clearly states that He controls even the things we believe are “chance” happenings.

In Proverbs 19:21 we read, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (NIV) So this verse goes a lot farther than our verse for today and enters the realm of premeditated, planned activity being under God’s control.

When our Lord was crucified there is no doubt that the followers of Jesus thought the world had come to a screeching halt. Everything they had planned for the future was shattered and in ruins. They hid in fear of the authorities and believed that nothing made sense anymore.

However, we know that later on the early church believed that everything cruel and dreadful that happened to Jesus was under the direction of God in heaven. They came to the firm conviction that God was in control of even the wickedness of the people who sought the destruction of their Master.

In the infant church at a time of catastrophe God’s people prayed. In Acts 4:27-28 where part of the prayer is recorded, we see that the people in prayer referred to the crucifixion of Jesus as “…what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.” (NIV). When Jesus was crucified the followers of Jesus did not see the hand of God in the dreadful situation.

Most of the time when God’s people suffer they cannot see what good can possibly come from the pain and suffering they are experiencing. Only later, possibly years later, do the people of God see how the Lord’s hand was in all of the situation that put fear in their minds and pain in their hearts.

For those who follow Jesus there is a need to review past times of sorrow and seek to see how the Lord brought good from our sorrow. Such a spiritual exercise can help us face the present apparently senseless situation with confidence.

The early church was quick to learn from the crucifixion of Jesus that great, eternal good comes from our present sorrows because the Lord is always in these situations. They were able to pray that time (Acts 4:24-31) and ask God to give them power to endure. It is interesting that they did not pray for the persecution to cease. They already knew it was God’s will they suffer for their faith (John 16:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 3:3)

Will you entrust your problem today to the God Who controls all things and will you believe that this also shall work for your eternal good? Never forget that nothing happens “by chance”. Our sovereign God overrules everything for His glory and for our good (Ephesians 1:22).

View the PDF version here

In the last couple of days I have heard from two readers of my devotionals and what they said moved me greatly. Apparently both of these compassionate people have linked others up to my devotionals. It is such a simple thing these people have done. One has helped a person who suffers much physical pain to go on my website and subscribe for themselves to these short daily comments. The other person apparently mails out to several people the devotionals every day.

While I have copyrighted the material so that I will be protected when I come to publish the devotionals in book form, I am glad to hear that they are reaching more people with needs today.

The people who go to the trouble of connecting others to a source of help are seen by our Father in heaven and He shall reward them accordingly. This is the thought of the verse for today. Jesus is speaking about people who give clothing to the needy, visiting the sick, giving a cup of cold water to the thirsty, visiting people in prison and other acts of mercy that no one else would likely learn about.

It is such a blessing to me that people are out there doing deeds of kindness without looking for anything in return. Simply doing what they can to relieve the worst of someone else’s pain and sorrow.

Many of the people who do these deeds of mercy have no thought that they are doing anything significant. Spending an hour visiting someone is not a great sacrifice. Yet, the person who received the visit is usually greatly blessed by the gesture.

I recall a situation that happened 45 years ago when a quiet, gentle man passed away. The family was so surprised that the crosswalk guard for his children came to the visitation. Then the man from the corner store showed up to pay his respects. Then several more individuals whom the family did not know appeared to encourage the family. The family had no idea that their loved one had spoken kindly to so many people and impressed them so much.

When the minister spoke at the funeral and those people who were impacted by this shy quiet man really listened carefully. The life of kindness this man had lived spoke volumes about his faith and love for Jesus.

Our world needs people who live like our Saviour and are willing to do the small things to help others, things that need doing but the person may not be able to do for themselves while in pain.

Our Saviour was full of mercy and knew how to bring comfort to those who were weary with life. If you visit a widow and make her a cup of tea, bring her some flowers to brighten her apartment, or some other act of love you are actually visiting Jesus. Our verse tells us that whatever we do for one of His people we are doing for Him. Go visit Jesus this week and give Him a cup of cold water.

View the PDF version here

This week I have been preparing a sermon on 1 Corinthians chapters 7 & 8. As I started reading the content of chapter 7, I decided to look back into chapter 6 to see the context. As I did that I realised the apostle Paul was basing the material in chapter 7 on the statement of today’s verse.

Paul was telling the Christians that they did not own themselves if they were truly followers of Jesus. Jesus purchased His people at Golgotha, the hill outside the walled city of Jerusalem. We belong to Jesus because He purchased us through His death and resurrection.

Such a thought of being someone else’s possession can be distressing to those who do not walk with Jesus. They wish to be their own people and answer to no one. However, the Christian message is that God’s children belong to Him and therefore are under His leadership and they must desire His will to be done in their lives.

This idea that we belong to God can be a problem if God sees fit to allow suffering to come into our lives. Some people’s idea of what God is like has no place for God to have anything to do with the sorrow in their lives. They see God as some doting deity who is like a celestial Santa Claus who spreads cheer and blessing but never crosses the will of his children.

People with the idea of God as a celestial lackey or servant are making God in their image as much as those people who make a god from wood or some other material.

If trouble plagues you as a Christian it can help to recognize that your life is at God’s disposal. You are His property and He has the right to use you in any way He sees fit. We may feel great distress at the way God is allowing pain to enter our lives, but we need to remind ourselves we are here to serve God not to have God serve us.

If we are wise, we will recognize the suitable modesty we should have when seeking to understand God and His ways. The sooner we admit (Isaiah 55:8) God’s ways are not our ways the better, in coming to terms with suffering in life. No one is able to fully grasp all the ways that God leads His people. This is where faith comes into the picture. We must trust God when we do not understand Him. We must honour Him when we do not understand Him.

Can you do that with the pain you face each day? Do you really believe you have come to your Creator and bowed to His authority, to accept His rightful place in your life? Have you accepted His offer of forgiveness and eternal life? If you have, then you are now His child to be directed in this fallen world as He chooses. You are not your own, Jesus has purchased you at the cost of His sinless life. He has redeemed you and He will lead you through the suffering of time into eternity, into the world filled with peace, happiness, into His eternal presence.

Take your suffering a day at a time and call on the One Who has purchased you to make His presence known to you. Call on Him to lead you as your Good Shepherd. One day at a time with Jesus is better than a thousand without Him. He will lead you all the way home where there is fullness of joy and pleasures forever more.

View the PDF version here

Many suffering Christians struggle with the mistaken notion that their pain is the result of God punishing them. So many wonderful followers of Jesus seek to know what they have done wrong to merit such difficulties in life. They hope to relieve the suffering by correcting some sin in their lives.

As Christians we cannot be punished by God at any time during our journey through life. If we have turned to Jesus and embraced Him as our Saviour, then we need to understand that all of the punishment due to our sins was laid on Jesus. Jesus took all of the just wrath of God for our sins and we are now free. So when the believer in Jesus suffers in this life it cannot be payment for our sins.

Punishment for sin is only directed to those who refuse to bow before a holy God. Punishment for Christians is all directed to Jesus.

The question naturally arises then, “If Jesus has taken all of the punishment for His people’s sins then why do fine, godly Christians still suffer in this life?” One answer lies in the verse for today. As a loving parent the Lord will at times rebuke a child of His who has wandered away from Him.

Our Creator requires first place in our hearts and when we choose to love someone or something more than Him, that is the time He gently corrects us. The correction is escalated until we return to Him (1 Corinthians 11:23-32). If a believer in Jesus is afflicted then they should consult with their spiritual advisor, a godly and experienced Christian, or their pastor to help them discover if the reason for their sorrow is because God is drawing them back to Himself.

It also seems evident, from some biblical stories, that the Lord allows sorrow to come our way for reasons that He does not explain. This certainly was the case with Job. There is a clear witness by God of Job’s fine, godly walk (Job 1:6-8; 2:3). Then, as you search through the entire book of Job, you cannot find an explanation by God for allowing Job’s misery.

Here is where many believers struggle. God gives them the ability to think and to analyse situations in life and we struggle when we cannot draw any conclusions from our search for answers. When we ask, “Why?” we expect answers. Yet, for reasons only known to God, He does not always give us the answers we seek in times of sorrow. It is at that point faith must rise and confess that God is just, sovereign, and loving in a situation where the opposite seems to be the case.

Do not “ignore” your sorrow, or “lose heart” in your painful situation. As with Job, you shall certainly receive your answers in the day God comes to establish His eternal kingdom. Be patient Christian friend, God is not done with you yet. Some day you shall say with Job, “…when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (NIV)

View the PDF version here

Last evening I did what all grandparents love to do. I took one of my son’s four children out to the restaurant. What a great time I had as I saw them happily interacting with each other.

The oldest is a second mother to the younger ones. She helped them choose their dinner from the many offerings on the menu. When the youngest spilled some French fries on the floor she quickly got up and assisted him in cleaning things up. The second youngest said something so funny that her little brother went into hysterical laughter.

We were not the loudest table in the restaurant but we were likely the happiest. I was so glad to have this time with them and throughout the dinner I was asking this one and that about their plans for university, their favourite subjects at school and so on.

As I looked around at the other tables and the customers I felt the love for these four grandchildren swell in my heart. Of course, I wished everyone in the place a good evening, but I only paid for the bill at my table. These four young people are my special treasure above all the people I saw last night.

Our verse today speaks of God seeing His covenant people as His special treasure above all the nations on earth. What a privilege to be seen by God as His treasure!

When you look at the universe and all of its beauty and wealth of resources, what would move the heart of God to choose people on our insignificant planet to be beloved and treasured by Him? There is a dignity given to children of God that the world cannot give.

As far as the world is concerned we are nothing more than “trousered apes” as C.S. Lewis put it. We are little better than economic animals who are born, pass through existence, make a little money and then die like dogs. The world says that we do not have any lasting value whatever.

God looks upon His people as having infinite worth and loves with an everlasting love. He prepares a place for each one of His children to inhabit forever. He longs to be gracious to His people and provide them an eternal home in His presence.

Do you have this sense of your identity? Do you truly believe that the Creator of the heavens and earth has such a great interest in His creation? By reading the Gospels especially, we see the greatest act of love in all of history. God, in the form of Jesus, came into His own creation to live, die and be raised again, just so that He could draw to Himself a people as His eternal treasure.

All of us are invited to come and receive the forgiveness that is offered in Jesus. God calls on everyone to believe in His Son and have eternal life. Certainly God has a people He treasures. May God’s Spirit guide each of my readers into a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Once in that relationship you will learn just how much God has treasured you from all eternity.