From Today's Daily Bread

November 29, 2008

A Convenient Christianity

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READ: Matthew 16:24-28

Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. —Matthew 16:25

So many television programs, so little time to watch them. Apparently that’s what our culture thinks, because now technology allows us to see an hour-long program in just 6 minutes or less! The Minisode Network has pruned episodes of popular series into shorter, more convenient packages for interested viewers. “The shows you love—only shorter” is how it’s advertised. All to make our life more convenient.

Some have tried to make the Christian life more convenient. They choose to practice Christianity on Sunday only. They attend a religious service at whatever church makes them most comfortable. They give a small offering and are nice to fellow churchgoers—nothing that requires much effort on their part. That way they can have the rest of the week to themselves, to live as they please.

That would be a convenient Christianity. But we know that following Jesus is a lifestyle and not a Sunday-only convenience. Being a “disciple” calls for giving up our lives for Him (Matt. 16:25). It’s about living as Jesus calls us to live, daily giving up our plans and purposes for His. A relationship with Him causes us to be concerned with our thoughts, decisions, attitudes, and actions—all to make our life joy-filled for us and pleasing to God. —Anne Cetas

The Christian life is more than just
A prayer of faith made in the past;
It’s dedicating every day
To live for Christ and what will last. —Sper

Faith in Christ is not just a single step but a life of walking with Him.

The Way

John 14:6 (New Living Translation)
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Acts 4:12 (New Living Translation)
12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

John 3:36 (New Living Translation)
36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

1 Timothy 2:5 (New Living Translation)
5 For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.

1 John 5:11-12 (New Living Translation)
11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

Evangelism

August: Evangelism

Every notable advance in the saving work of God among men will, if examined, be found to have two factors present: several converging lines of providential circumstances and a person.

Let My People Go: The Life of Robert A. Jaffray, 50.

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Read about A. W. Tozer

August 15

Evangelism: Gospel Implications

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should
live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.
--Titus 2:11-12

The fact is that the New Testament message embraces a great deal
more than an offer of free pardon. It is a message of pardon, and
for that may God be praised; but it is also a message of
repentance. It is a message of atonement, but it is also a message
of temperance and righteousness and godliness in this present world.
It tells us that we must accept a Savior, but it tells us also that
we must deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. The gospel message
includes the idea of amendment, of separation from the world, of
cross-carrying and loyalty to the kingdom of God even unto death.

To be strictly technical, these latter truths are corollaries of the
gospel, and not the gospel itself; but they are part and parcel of
the total message which we are commissioned to declare....

To offer a sinner the gift of salvation based upon the work of
Christ, while at the same time allowing him to retain the idea that
the gift carries with it no moral implications, is to do him untold
injury where it hurts him worst. The Set of the Sail, 19-20.

"Lord, help me to proclaim the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth as I present the Gospel today. Amen."

Have the Attitude of Christ

Philippians 2:1-11 (New Living Translation)

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

Philippians 2

Have the Attitude of Christ

1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though he was God,^[a]
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges^[b];
he took the humble position of a slave^[c]
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,^[d]
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Footnotes:

1. Philippians 2:6 Or Being in the form of God.
2. Philippians 2:7 Greek he emptied himself.
3. Philippians 2:7 Or the form of a slave.
4. Philippians 2:7 Some English translations put this phrase in verse 8.

Special Music Guest- Ramona Nouneh

Blessings!!

Ambrose University College

God is good...all the time!!! All the time...God is good!!!

How to Stay Motivated When You’re Fatigued

Like an open city with no defenses is the man with no check on his feelings. Proverbs 25:28 (NAB)

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It’s not unusual for people to become disillusioned, discouraged, and fatigued about halfway into a difficult challenge. When I start to feel the fatigue, I look to Proverbs 25 and remember that my feelings are not a reliable measure of how things are going.

We’re to trust wholeheartedly in God and put no faith in our own perceptions (based on Proverbs 3:5 NJB).

Our feelings come from a variety of sources – past, present, and future. But feelings often lie; they’re not always a reflection of reality. Plus, life is complex and we must often live with mixed feelings: “Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief” (Proverbs 14:13 NIV).

People often compare life to a roller coaster of hills and valleys, but actually life is more like two rails on a railroad track. One rail represents the good and positive in your life; the other represents the bad and painful in your life.

You’ll always have both at the same time! There will always be something good and something bad happening in your life. We can’t expect everything to be good for one month and then everything to be bad the next month. There’s always a mixture of both, a blending of both bitter and sweet.

However, we can choose the focus: “When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow” (Romans 12:15 NLT).
© 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and best-known churches. In addition, Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for ministers.