March 31
“MARRIAGE”
DAILY
KEY SCRIPTURE: “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Hebrews 13:4
One Christian writer tells that, “While browsing in a Christian bookstore
one day, I discovered a shelf of reduced-price items. Among the gifts was a
little figurine of a man and woman, their heads lovingly tilted toward one another. “Happy 10th Anniversary” read the
inscription. It appeared to be in perfect condition, yet its tag indicated damaged.
Examining it more closely, I found another tag underneath that read, Wife is
coming UNGLUED.”
There are a lot of things that pull at marriages today. Life is complex, and marriage can be full of challenges and major adjustments. The cultural changes and challenges against the institution of marriage are aggressive and purposeful in their attempts to redefine or destroy marriage as we know it. As Dr. James Dobson said, “Marriage is under fire.”
Scripture clarifies the significance and standard of marriage when it says it is to be honored by all. Marriage is a gift of God, established by God when He created Adam and Eve. His divine plan is found in Genesis 2:24, where it says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”
Marriage is to be honored by our conversations, thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Everything that dishonors marriage is to be turned away from. Marriage is honored through sexual purity. In a day and culture where sexual impurity envelopes like a cloud, Scripture calls for purity. Sexual immorality may not be a big deal in the world in which we live, but it is a big deal to God, because it dishonors marriage. Scripture says, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry?” Colossians 3:5
God’s guidelines are clear. We are accountable to God.
Purity must be a priority. Paul wrote, “But
among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind of
impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor
should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of
place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure
or greedy person – such a man is an idolater –has any inheritance in the
Will you spend some time in prayer and ask God to help you
honor marriage in every word you speak and everything you do, today? Ask God to
keep you pure in your thoughts and actions. Purity matters to God. Martin
Luther wisely observed, “Peace if possible, but purity at all costs.”
April 1
“THE LOVE OF MONEY”
DAILY
KEY SCRIPTURE: “Keep your lives free from the love of money
and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave
you; never will I forsake you.’”
Hebrews 13:5
The love of money can
destroy lives and families. There is a story of two miners who spent their life
mining for gold. They never found anything, but they kept on doing it. One day
they were down there and they struck a nugget of gold. The shoring began to
give way and the one miner said, “We have to get out of here.” The other man
said, “No, I am going to stay with my gold.” The man said, “But you will die,
we have to GO.” As he ran for safety, the other man stayed with his gold. As
the earth crashed upon him, he said, “Tell them I died rich.”
The truth is, “SO WHAT” – when you die without God, you die poor. The person with the most toys, money, or stuff does not win. Money can starve the soul and leave the heart empty. This is why Scripture calls us to pursue those treasures that will not fade away. Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
This passage warns of the danger of the love of money. It can rob you of contentment. Getting stuff will not make you happy. Gathering stuff does not bring inner peace or contentment. Neither is money or lots of stuff a sign that we have arrived, or somehow are successful. Madonna, known by some as the Material Girl told USA Today. “Take it from me, I went down the road of ‘be all you can be, realize your dreams,’ and I’m telling you that fame and fortune are not what they’re cracked up to be.”
True content is found in God. It is to find rest in the presence of the God who possesses all, and not in our possessions. Paul said, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11. Contentment is something to be desired and embraced. Learning the secret of contentment in Christ defuses the pressure to constantly acquire or achieve more.
A spirit of thankfulness and gratefulness to God can birth contentment in our hearts. Ask God to give you a grateful and thankful heart. Material things will never fill the void in the soul, but God’s presence can. Contentment is found in the promise of God’s presence. Material things, money, and wealth come and go. The good news is God said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
April 2
“WHO IS YOUR CONFIDENCE IN?”
DAILY
KEY SCRIPTURE: “So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:6
Have you ever put your confidence in someone only to have them let you down? Years ago, someone promised to pick me up and take me to an event that was important to me at the time. When the time came, they did not show. I missed the event because I put my confidence in someone who let me down.
Perhaps you have put your confidence in something, only to have it break or fail you at your time of need. For example, a car that would not start, a computer that was down when you needed it, or an appliance that broke at what seemed to be the worse possible time. Material things can easily break and let us down. In contrast, Hebrews 13:6 speaks of one we can put our confidence in. He is the one who said, “…never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
The word confidence indicates an attitude of courage and trust. Simply put, we can put our trust in God because of who He is. Think for a moment of what it means to put your confidence in the Almighty, All-Knowing, All Powerful, ever faithful God. You can put your confidence in the one who never fails to keep His promises. You can put your trust in the one who never slumbers or sleeps. The psalmist said, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7
When our confidence is in the Lord we have the help we need,
for He is the divine helper. With God as our helper we are not limited in our
resource. There is assistance that we can count on. We can come to God in
prayer any time and anywhere to ask for the help we need. Hebrews 4:16 reminds us
of this when it says, “Let us then
approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and
find grace to help us in our time of need.”
When our confidence is in the Lord we need not be afraid. With the Lord by our side we have no need to fear. The other night our daughter, Amanda, was afraid to go out to the dark kitchen to get a drink. When I went with her, the fear she had was gone. The Lord will walk with you today. You have nothing to fear when your confidence is in the Lord.
April 3
“EXAMPLES”
DAILY
KEY SCRIPTURE: “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” Hebrews 13:7
There is so much we can learn from others. God uses others to proclaim, teach, and model His word to us. The Word of God is the totality of the Christian message and the foundation of our faith. God often uses people who live by the Word to teach us and serve as examples.
As we reflect on this verse, there are two observations I would like to make. The first is the need for each one of us to learn from others. The apostle Paul wrote, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” I Corinthians 11:1. The Word of God is full of examples of people of faith who show us the Word of God in action. Listening and learning from spiritual leaders today can strengthen us in our spiritual walk, and help us live in the Word so the Word lives in us.
The second observation I would like to make is the
importance of being examples to others. Paul told Timothy, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an
example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” I Timothy 4:12. Your example can be a source
of encouragement and help to others in their journey, as you live by the Word.
Titus 2:7a instructs, “In everything set
them an example by doing what is good.”
In his letter to Thessalonians, Paul wrote, “You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe
suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And
so you became a model to all the believers in
I Thessalonians 1:6-7
For many years,
Example can make the difference. Follow the right examples and learn from others the truths of God’s Word. Pray and ask God to help you be an example to others for the glory of God.
April 4
“YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER”
DAILY
KEY SCRIPTURE: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and
today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8
“Oh, how sweet the
glorious message simple faith may claim:
Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same!” Albert Simpson
Religious
leaders come and go, but Christ is always there. Hebrews 7:23-24 says, “Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them
from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever he has a permanent
priesthood.” We can depend upon
Jesus, for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will be there for
you today, and for every tomorrow, for He lives forever. Rick Mylander said, “Jesus is not to us as Christmas is to the
world, here today and gone tomorrow.”
Christ
is consistent and dependable. We do not serve a flexible Jesus that we can mold
into what we want Him to be today. Jesus Christ is the same. No matter what
lies ahead, Jesus will be unchanged by the days and events to come. Christ will
never be superseded. He will always be all that we need, for everyday, and
every circumstance. Jesus Christ has always been and will always be, for He is
eternal. Revelations 22:13 states, “I am
the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Jesus will always be there to meet your every need. Hebrews 7:26 reminds us, “Such a high priest meets our need – one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.” Jesus can meet your every need today, for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus can meet your needs tomorrow, for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus is all we need.
“When I am burdened,
or weary and sad, Jesus is all I need.
Never He fails to uplift and make glad. Jesus is all I need.
All that I need He
will always be, all that I need till His face I see,
All that I need thru eternity. Jesus is all I need.” James Rowe