“I will not forget about you!” — Isaiah 49:15
One person had more than four hundred million dollars in bitcoins, but he forgot the password to the device where these funds were stored, so he could not withdraw a single cent. And the device self-destructed after ten unsuccessful attempts to enter the password. For ten years the poor man was tormented, trying to remember the cherished formula. He tried eight options and all were wrong. In 2021, he was in despair that there were only two attempts left before all was lost.
People are creatures that tend to forget. Sometimes we forget some little things (for example, where we put the keys), and sometimes something really serious (up to four hundred million passwords). Fortunately, God is not like us. He never forgets what he values. In difficult times, the Israelites were afraid that God had forgotten about them: “The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me” (Is. 49:14). But the prophet assured his compatriots that God always remembers them. “Will a woman forget her baby?” he asks (v. 15). Of course, a mother will never forget her baby. But if such an incredible event happens, we know that God will never forget us.
“Therefore, I carved you on My palms,” He says (v. 16). The Lord has made our names part of His essence. Let us remember that He cannot forget those whom He loves.
Have you ever forgotten something important? How much does thinking about God’s memory give you confidence?
God, thank You that Your memory is reliable and unchanging.
Author: Wynn Collier
“He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 1:6
Having gone into quarantine due to the pandemic, our family took on an ambitious project: to assemble a puzzle of nineteen thousand elements. We worked almost every day, and it often seemed like nothing was changing. Finally, after five months, we put the last piece of the puzzle into place. The three-by-two-meter painting took up most of the living room floor.
Sometimes it seems to me that life is a big and complex puzzle. Many elements seem to be in their places, but an even greater number of them are haphazardly scattered on the floor. Although I know that the Lord is working on me, making me more like Christ, sometimes it is difficult for me to see the progress.
Therefore, I am very comforted by the words of the Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Philippians, where he joyfully prays for his readers, thanking God for their work (Phil. 1:3-4). But his joy was not based on the Philippians’ abilities, but on his confidence in God. Paul was convinced “that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus” (v. 6).
God promised to complete His work in us. Like a puzzle, we may have areas that need special attention. And there are times when it seems like we’re barely moving forward. But we can be sure that the unchanging Lord is inserting the important elements one by one into the right places.
How do you know that God is constantly doing His work in you? In what areas of your life are you already seeing the wonderful results of His work?
Heavenly Father, give me eyes of faith to see how You work in my life.
Author: Lisa Samra
“We are not of those who stagger to death, but we believe in the salvation of the soul.” — Hebrews 10:39
Public unrest, possible danger and inconvenience did not deter Jimmy from traveling to one of the poorest countries in the world, where he went to support local ministers. The stream of text messages constantly pouring into our group reflected the struggles he was facing. “Guys, activate the prayer chain! We’ve only driven fifteen kilometers in two hours here. The car keeps overheating.” Delays meant that Jimmy did not arrive at the site until midnight. People who gathered to hear his sermon waited for five hours. After a while, a message came in a completely different tone: “Amazing! Amazing ministry! About ten people decided to convert to Christ!”
Serving God faithfully can be difficult. The heroes of faith listed in the Epistle to the Hebrews are a confirmation of this. Moved by faith, ordinary people found themselves in difficult and dangerous circumstances. Many of them “experienced insults and wounds, as well as chains and prisons” (Heb. 11:36). Faith prompted them to take risks, trusting the outcome to God. The same applies to us. Faith may not lead us to far away dangerous places, but it can lead us to cross the street, go to the other side of town and talk to a stranger. Risky? Perhaps. But the result, now or in the future, is worth it. In addition, the Lord Himself helps us.
What risks might you have to take in following Christ? What keeps you from taking such risks?
Heavenly Father, give me the strength and courage to fully entrust my life to You.
Author: Arthur Jackson
? 06/11/2023 10:02 a.m. #broadcast “Jesus is late” has started on the Church of God’s Glory channel | Pastor Oleksandr Koltukov 11.06.2023: https://youtu.be/bLtUAVDuFW0
“How lonely this once populous city sits.” — Lamentations 1:1
My brothers and I spent the whole day helping our parents remove things and furniture from the old house where we spent our childhood. In the evening, we arrived there for the last time and took pictures on the porch. And then my mother turned to me and said: “That’s it. There’s nothing left.” It completely derailed me; I could hardly hold back my tears. The house that held fifty-four years of memories was emptied. I try not to think about it.
My feelings resonate with the first words of Jeremiah’s book of Lamentations: “How lonely this once-crowded city sits” (Lamentations 1:1). However, there is an important difference: Jerusalem was devastated “because of the multitude of sins” (v. 5). God exiled His people to Babylon because the Israelites rebelled against Him and did not want to repent (v. 18). And my parents did not move because of sins… But since the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden, the health of each person gradually fades. As we age, we move into houses or apartments that are easier to maintain.
I am grateful for the memories that made our humble home special. Pain is the price of love. I know that the next farewell will not be to my parents’ house, but to them. And this makes me want to cry. I ask the Lord to come as soon as possible, put an end to separations and create everything new. My hope is in Him.
What place do you hold dear memories of? Thank God for the people who loved you there. How can you make new memories?
Heavenly Father, thank you for the eternal home you have prepared for me.
Author: Mike Whittmer
“Recognize Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight.” — Proverbs 3:6
I was getting ready to go ziplining from the highest point of the rainforest on the island of St. Lucia. Fear grew inside. The thought that something could go wrong filled the mind. However, gathering all my courage into a fist, I jumped. Starting from the top of the mountain, I ran through the lush greenery of the trees. The wind ruffled his hair, and the worry gradually disappeared. The force of gravity carried me in the air, the view of the next platform became more and more clear, and now, gently slowing down, I stopped and realized that everything went well.
The zip line trip reminded me that sometimes God calls us to new and difficult endeavors. The Bible teaches us to trust in the Lord and not lean on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5), especially in times of uncertainty and doubt. If our thoughts are full of fear and hesitation, our steps will be unsteady and our course will be wandering. But if we decide to walk by faith and entrust our path to the Creator, “He will make [our] paths straight” (v. 6). And in order to make “leaps of faith” more confidently, you need to get to know Him by spending time in prayer and studying the Holy Scriptures.
Freedom and peace are available to us in any life trials. We just have to hold on to God and let Him lead us through our troubles.
What changes or difficulties in life require you to fully trust God? What is holding you back from taking a leap of faith?
Heavenly Father, grant me the wisdom and strength to entrust my life to You.
Author: Kimya Loder (guest)
“The Lord is your Guardian, the Lord is your shadow at your right hand.” — Psalm 120:5
Debbie Stevens Browder, a former teacher and now retired, is in the business of persuading everyone to plant trees. Why? Because of the heat. Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States. The shade created by tree crowns is one of the effective ways to protect against the heat. “It’s not about beautifying cities, it’s about life and death,” says Debbie.
The fact that the shade is not only a pleasant coolness, but perhaps a lifesaver, was known to the author of Psalm 120. In the Middle East, sunstroke is a constant threat. This adds depth to an already vivid description of God as our protector. Thanks to His care, “the sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night” (v. 6).
This verse does not say that believers are somehow freed from all pain or loss (or that the heat ceases to be dangerous for them). Christ said: “You will suffer in the world – but be of good courage: I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33). However, the comparison of God with a covering convincingly shows: no matter how strong the trials are, our life is under His constant supervision (Ps. 120:7-8). In trusting the Creator, we find peace, knowing that nothing can separate us from His love (John 10:28; Rom. 8:39).
Have you found a saving shadow in God’s care? How does knowing that He protects you give you courage?
Loving God, thank you for being my shelter and protection. Help me to find peace and courage in my growing trust in You.
Author: Monica La Rose
“Oppression brings patience, and patience brings experience, and experience brings hope.” — Romans 5:3-4
Digging through old letters, I saw among them an eye patch with the inscription: “I am undergoing treatment.” Immediately, a wave of memories flooded in. This bandage was worn by my four-year-old son, and then he was instilled with burning drops in his eye. He had weak muscles in one eye, so he had to wear a blindfold on the other for several hours a day so that the weak eye could work more actively and develop. In addition, he needed an operation. He courageously endured all the trials, relying on God with his childlike faith, although he sought parental support from us. Due to difficulties, his character gained stability.
People often change when they go through adversity and suffering. The Apostle Paul writes that he boasts about tribulations because “tribulation produces patience, and patience produces experience, and experience produces hope” (Rom. 5:3-4). Paul was familiar with trials. Not only did he suffer shipwrecks, but he also spent a lot of time in prison. On the basis of what he experienced, he wrote to the believers in Rome that “hope will not be ashamed, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (v. 5). The apostle knew: if we rely on Christ, the Spirit of God keeps our hope alive.
No matter what difficulties you face, know that God has poured out His grace and mercy upon you. He loves you.
How have trials and tribulations helped you to rely more on God? How can you entrust yourself to His care in what you are going through now?
Loving God, You promised that You would never leave me. Help me to hold on to Your promises despite all the trials.
By Amy Buescher Pye
“And when your brother sins against you, go and tell him between you and him; if he listens to you, you have bought your brother.” — Matthew 18:15
In 2010, a tsunami hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra, killing more than 400 people. The loss of life could have been prevented or minimized if the warning system had worked properly. However, the buoys that signaled the approach of giant waves broke away and floated into the ocean.
Christ has given us the responsibility to warn one another about things that can cause spiritual harm. According to His command, a believer against whom another has sinned must humbly and prayerfully point out his sin to the wrongdoer alone (Matt. 18:15). If he repents, then the conflict will be considered exhausted, and the relationship will be restored. But if he does not want to admit guilt, then you must take “one or two more” with you (v. 16). When the one who has sinned, even in this case, does not repent, the question should be put before the church (v. 17), and if he does not listen to the church, then such a person should be excommunicated from the community of Christians. However, at the same time, of course, one must continue to pray for him and show him the love of Christ.
We will ask God for wisdom to lovingly warn each other about the danger of unrepentant sin, as well as talk about the joy of restoring relations with the Heavenly Father and other believers. In this case, the words of the Lord will be fulfilled: “where two or three are gathered in My Name, there I am in their midst” (v. 20).
How can you humbly and lovingly expose someone in sin? How dangerous is unrepentant sin?
God, help me to love others enough to lovingly warn them if I see them falling into sin.
Author: Marvin Williams
“Don’t make carvings or anything like that for yourself.” — Exodus 20:4
Here are some vacation tips. If you’re passing through Middleton, Wisconsin, visit the National Mustard Museum. There you will see 6090 different types of mustard from all over the world. The amazing Barbed Wire Museum awaits you in McLean, Texas. Although perhaps more amazing is the fact that someone is into it…
The things we consider important can say a lot about us. One writer says there’s hardly a worse activity to do than a visit to the Banana Museum (although we’d beg to differ).
You can laugh at all of the above, but we admit that in our hearts there are our own museums – places where we honor the idols of our own production. The Lord said: “You shall have no other gods before Me… You shall not bow down to them or serve them” (Ex. 20:3, 5). But we do it anyway, we create “carved gods” for ourselves. It can be wealth, passion, success or some other “attractiveness” to which we secretly bow.
It is easy to read this text and not understand the point. Yes, God will ask us about the museum of sin that we have created for ourselves. But the Lord “shows mercy to thousands of generations of those who love [Him]” (v. 6). He knows how meager our “museums” are. And He knows that true happiness is obtained only in love for Him.
Do you have an area that is displeasing to God that you are keeping secret? What should you do with her?
God, I want You to be at the center of my life. Help me get rid of all the idols.
By: Kenneth Petersen (guest)
