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Shut the Door!

Seth stopped at a gas station to fill his Honda. After he paid the bill, he noticed a pay phone and decided to call his buddy Tim and ask him to go to the batting cages with him. The connection was made, but Tim kept saying, “Seth? I can't hear you! Talk louder. Seth? Talk louder, man, I can't hear you!” All Tim could hear was the noise of traffic in the background. He finally screamed, “Seth! Shut the door, man! Shut the door so I can hear you!”

Many Christians mistakenly assume that God doesn't speak to them. The truth is, God speaks to you every single day. But if you're not hearing Him, it could be because there are too many other noises in your life competing for your attention. How can we hear God's specific voice if we always have the TV on?

Christian music is great, but if we never turn it off, we'll have difficulty tuning into the voice of God. There are times, when we need to “shut the door” to the world and all it offers so we can intently focus on God and God alone. The Bible tells us to “be still” and know that He is God. It's in the quiet moments, those times when we learn to completely silence ourselves before our Creator, that we hear Him speak.

Have you learned the sound of God's voice? Have you learned how to be completely still before the Lord? Being quiet isn't the only time God speaks to us, but it's usually those times when we're able to more clearly hear His voice. It's fine to use Christian music, Christian reading and other Christian materials to help you focus more completely on your relationship with God. But there comes a time when you'll need to put everything down, turn everything off and shut the door so you can hear God speaking through your thoughts, your heart, your mind and His Word.

Know It!
If you're unsure of God's voice, make it a point to seek His voice this week! Come to Him in total honesty and tell Him you desperately want to hear from Him. Understand it may not be an audible voice. Ask Him to help you learn what His voice sounds like through your heart and through Scripture. If you set aside the time to learn His voice, God will be faithful and teach you His inflection. When you make a consistent habit of shutting everything else out to focus more clearly on your heavenly Father, it will make all the difference in the world!

Read It!
Proverbs 14:16; Proverbs 18:10; Isaiah 48:17-18; Isaiah 56:1-2.

Pray It!
Tell God you want to be extremely sure of His voice, and ask Him to help you recognize it when He speaks.

A Little Bit of Heaven

It was Sunday morning, and Pastor Smith had worked all week on his sermon about heaven. He delivered it with great articulation and power. The next morning he saw one of his wealthy church members in town. The man stopped him and said, “Pastor, that was a great sermon on heaven. I really enjoyed it! But you forgot one thing.”

“What's that?” Pastor Smith asked.

“You forgot to tell me where heaven is,” the man responded. “I've never been clear on that.”

“Ah,” Pastor Smith responded. “I'm glad you brought that to my attention. I've just returned from the home of Mrs. Elmore. You may know who she is. Her husband died several years ago, and she's trying to care for her two small children alone. She's very sick today, and both of her children are sick. She doesn't have anything in the house. No bread, no meat, no milk. I have an assignment for you: Buy a few groceries and take them to her in the name of Jesus. Then ask to borrow her Bible and read the Twenty-Third Psalm to her and her children. After you do that, get on your knees and pray for her and her children. If you don't see heaven before you're finished, I'll pay the bill for the groceries.”

The man stopped by the church office the next morning. “Pastor Smith, I saw heaven! There's no bill for you to pay. Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction. I understand now.”

Every time we do something in Jesus name-going the second mile, giving in faith, sharing our resources with someone in need-we experience a little bit of heaven. Jesus told His disciples that anytime they offered a cup of cold water to a stranger, it was as if they were giving the water to their heavenly Father.

Have you experienced heaven on earth? Consider doing any of the following in striving to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those around you:

• Ask your pastor for the names of three older people in your congregation who have not been able to come to church in a while because of poor health. Call each one and ask to come sit and pray and read the Bible for them.

• Do something to earn a little extra money specifically for the purpose of giving it away. Baby-sit, wash cars, have a garage sale. And use all the of proceeds to buy groceries for a needy family.

• Make a list of five areas of need you'd love to see Jesus meet. Spend one week fasting one meal a day and praying for these needs.

Know It!
You don't need to wait until you die to experience heaven. God wants to help you experience a little bit of heaven right here on earth through your actions, your attitude and your commitment to Him.

Read It!
2 Corinthians 5:1; Philippians 3:20; Revelation 5:13; Revelation 19:1.

Pray It!
Ask God for the desire and strength to do one or all of the above examples for another person.

Just Like Sin

Can you imagine having to scream, “Unclean! Unclean” as you cross the street at a busy intersection so those around you would immediately distance themselves from you? In Bible times, people who had leprosy were forced to announce that about themselves whenever they went outside. Having to admit you're unclean was probably very embarrassing. But once someone contracted leprosy, they also contracted a stigma that never left them. They weren't allowed to be in public places such as markets, temples or schools. Friends stopped associating with them and family members often shunned them.

Leprosy is a disease that still exists today. It's commonly referred to as Hansen's disease and there are treatment facilities in various parts of the United States. We don't hear much about any more, because with the proper medication, it's very treatable. People tend to think having leprosy means that a foot or hand suddenly falls off. That's really not what happens.

Leprosy is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae that's from the same family as the organism that causes tuberculosis. Leprosy destroys the nerves, which makes the patient insensitive to pain. For example, if you have leprosy in your foot, you may walk barefooted over a rusty nail and not know it-even though the nail has broken through your skin, caused an open wound and is now getting infected. If you continue to walk on that foot without realizing you're hurt (because you're now insensitive to pain), the foot will become severely infected and may eventually need to be amputated.

Can you imagine an extremely severe case of leprosy throughout the entire body? Eventually, if it's untreated, it can be fatal.

Sin works in a similar way. It's possible to become so accustomed to the sin in our lives that eventually it no longer bothers us. As we continue to sin, and as we allow our hearts to harden, we become desensitized to evil. It becomes difficult to even feel the pain we're causing our heavenly Father. Eventually, sin will destroy us . . . unless we turn to God with a repentant heart.

Like leprosy, sin is treatable. God is willing not only to forgive our sins but to completely remove them from His mind. But if we continue to ignore the tender prompting from the Holy Spirit, we allow our heart to harden and the sin simply spreads through our spiritual lives.

Know It!
Have you asked the Great Physician to treat the sin in your life?

Read It!
Isaiah 64:5; Jeremiah 31:30; John 1:29; 1 John 1:7.

Pray It!
Ask God to reveal any unconfessed sin in your life and seek forgiveness from Him. Tell Him you want a tender heart that's sensitive to the prompting of His Spirit.

Do You Get It?

Check out the following actual statements found in patients' hospital charts.

• Patient's medical history has been remarkable insignificant with only a 40-pound weight gain in the past three days.

• She is numb from her toes down.

• While in E.R., she was examined, X-rated and sent home.

• Patient was alert and unresponsive.

• The patient refused autopsy.

• The patient has no previous history of suicides.

• I saw your patient today, who is still under our car for physical therapy.

• Discharge status: Alive but without my permission.

• Skin: Somewhat pale but present.

• Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.

Even though we laugh at the above statements, they can make us wonder if the medical staff dedicated the time necessary to properly asses each patient. They were probably overworked and rushed and simply made some humorous mistakes.

Spiritually, it's imperative that we make the time to “get it” and get it right. Are you “getting” what God is trying to teach you? Are you understanding His ways, His Words, His Truth?

We're told in Acts chapter 19, that the apostle Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months about the Kingdom of God. Many of his listeners became obstinate. They didn't “get” it. So Paul took the disciples with him and left. They headed to Tyrannus and had a revival there that lasted two years! Obviously, the listeners in Tyrannus “got” it.

And God began doing extraordinary things through Paul. The Bible goes on to say that even when Paul's handkerchief touched someone, they were healed because of God's power surging through Paul and through everything he touched. Paul “got” it, didn't he? He understood what God was teaching Him, and he was intensely tuned in to God Himself.

But it took awhile. Remember, Paul was originally Saul-the one who hated Christians and was instrumental in many of their deaths. It took temporary blindness and a name change, but Paul finally “got” it.

Know It!
God desperately wants you to “get” it. He wants you to understand, receive and obey all that He's trying to teach you. And fortunately, He'll go to great lengths to make sure you do get it. Are you paying attention?

Read It!
Acts 19:1-4; Acts 19:8-12; Acts 19:22-29; Acts 19:35- 41.

Pray It!
Pray that God will help you “get” it spiritually. Ask Him to keep you from taking spiritual shortcuts.

Try This!

Having a tough time removing a stain? Try these helpful hints!

• If you're trying to remove a permanent marker stain from appliances or counter tops, try using rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to do the trick.

• Need to get rid of crayon marks on walls? A damp rag dipped in baking soda works great with lots of scrubbing.

• Have a blood stain on your clothes? Pour a little peroxide on a cloth and use that to wipe off the blood. Works every time.

• If you're trying to remove a stain from the bottom of a vase, fill it with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets for amazing results.

It's interesting how we use trial and error over and over again to come up with just the right solution for removing stains found in everything from toilet bowls to clothing to counter tops. Sometimes it takes years for a researcher to discover how to remove a specific stain from a certain material.

Many people search for years trying to find a way to remove their stain of guilt caused by sin. You may have a friend who's an alcoholic. Perhaps he turned to alcohol to try to forget the guilt he's carrying from his past. Others turn to drugs as an escape. Some people are in and out of relationships-seeking that certain someone who can fill the void in their lives that the stain of sin has caused.

Guess what! You weren't meant to be able to remove the stain of sin from your life. You can spend years searching for just the right product, but there's only one way to get rid of the stain of sin forever, and that's through the blood of Jesus Christ. Ironic, isn't it? The blood of Christ doesn't cause stains, it totally removes stains! And His blood doesn't simply work for the moment. When Jesus Christ forgives, it's forever.

An old preacher once said, “Jesus forgives your sins and forgets them. He tosses them in the Sea of Forgetfulness and posts a sign that read 'No Fishing.' ” In other words, Christ wants you to forgive yourself as well. Once He's forgiven you, He doesn't want you to wallow in guilt. He died for your guilt as well as your sins, and He desires that you live in freedom, confidence and grace.

Know It!
If you've accepted Christ's forgiveness for your sins but are still living in guilt, try this strategy: (1) Memorize specific Scripture verses that prove you're forgiven. When Satan plants seed of doubt in your mind, quote Scripture as your defense. (2) Change the immediate environment in which you feel guilty. For example, if you used to drink and have quit and are forgiven, don't go to places that serve alcohol. That only reminds you of your past.

Read It!
Isaiah 6:7; Mark 2:7-10; Hebrews 10:22; 1 John 1:9.

Pray It!
Spend some time thanking God for His forgiveness and ask Him to free you from the stain of guilt your past sins have caused.

You Are Blessed!

It's easy to take the blessings God gives us for granted. Have you recently stopped to actually thank God for His specific blessings and provision in various areas of your life? Use this checklist to get you started in the direction of gratitude.

• If you own just one Bible, you're abundantly blessed. One-third of the world doesn't even have access to one copy.

• If you awoke this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million people in our world who won't even survive this week.

• If you've never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you're ahead of 500 million people around the world.

• If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest or death, you're more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

• If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you're richer than 75 percent of the people in this world.

• If you have money in the bank, in your wallet and spare change in a dish someplace, you're among the top eight percent of the world's wealthy.

• If your parents are still married and/or alive, you are very rare, even in the United States.

• If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you're blessed because the majority of people in the world can but don't.

• If you can hold someone's hand, hug her or even touch her on the shoulder, you're blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.

• If you prayed yesterday and today, you're in the minority, because you believe in God's willingness to hear and answer prayer.

• If you believe that Jesus is truly the Son of God and the only way to heaven, you're part of a very small minority in the world.

• If you can read this devotional, you're more blessed than over two billion people in the world who can't read anything at all.

Know It!
We all have bad days. But the next time you're frustrated or angry, stop and ask the Lord to help you focus on the blessings He's so generously given you.

Read It!
Isaiah 40:22-26; Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 41:1-2; Isaiah 41:13.

Pray It!
Pray for a genuine attitude of gratitude.

Real Love

Genuine love always gives a part of itself. Imagine you've ordered a thick crust pepperoni pizza with extra cheese. It's just been delivered to your door, and you're sitting at the table with the first gooey bite in your mouth. The doorbell rings, and you welcome your friend Rachel inside.

“Hi, Rachel! Great to see you. Listen, uh . . . I'm just now eating a pizza in the kitchen. Why don't you have a seat in the dining room, and I'll be right back.”

You run down to the Chinese food at the corner, and bring back egg rolls, sweet and sour chicken and egg drop soup. You then set Rachel a place at the dining room table and place the Chinese food in front of her. “Hope you enjoy it, Rachel! I'll be in the kitchen finishing my pizza.”

Even though you would have done a great job providing for your friend, you probably would hurt her feelings as well. After all, she came over to see you, but by putting her in the dining room and not offering to share your pizza with her, you've shut her out.

Real love doesn't simply give nice things or provide well; genuine love gives a part of itself. It was said of a now-deceased multimillionaire, that while he lived a wild life and enjoyed all the material things he wanted, he never showed any interest in God. But once in a while, he was known to give large sums of money to religious enterprises. Even though the organizations surely appreciated his lavish gifts, he made it known he was not giving because of his personal faith; he had none. He was giving simply to be giving.

God doesn't just want your gifts. He wants you! And those around you don't really need a slice of your pizza; they need a piece of your heart. What specifically are you doing to give yourself away?

Know It!
God didn't simply give you a plan for eternal life; He gave His one and only Son-the biggest part of Himself He could give. And Jesus didn't simply give you a prayer to memorize; He gave His blood. What are you giving to those around you?

Read It!
Leviticus 19:34; Numbers 14:18; Joshua 22:5; 1 Corinthians 13.

Pray It!
Ask God to show you specific ways you can give yourself to those around you with genuine love.