by Max Lucado

In the shop of a blacksmith, there are three types of tools. There are tools on the junk pile:
outdated, broken, dull, rusty.

They sit in the cobwebbed corner, useless to their master, oblivious to their calling.

There are tools on the anvil:
melted down, molten hot, moldable, changeable.

They lie on the anvil, being shaped by their master, accepting their calling.

There are tools of usefulness:
sharpened, primed, defined, mobile.

They lie ready in the blacksmith’s tool chest, available to their master, fulfilling their calling.

Some people lie useless:
lives broken, talents wasting, fires quenched, dreams dashed.

They are tossed in with the scrap iron, in desperate need of repair, with no notion of purpose.

Others lie on the anvil:
hearts open, hungry to change, wounds healing, visions clearing.

They welcome the painful pounding of the blacksmith’s hammer, longing to be rebuilt, begging to be called.

Others lie in their Master’s hands:
well tuned, uncompromising, polished, productive.

They respond to their Master’s forearm, demanding nothing, surrendering all.

We are all somewhere in the blacksmith’s shop. We are either on the scrap pile, in the Master’s hands on the anvil, or in the tool chest. (Some of us have been in all three.)

From the shelves to the workbench, from the water to the fire…I’m sure that somewhere you will see yourself.

Paul spoke of becoming “an instrument for noble purposes.” And what a becoming it is! The rubbish pile of broken tools, the anvil of recasting, the hands of the Master- it’s a simultaneously joyful and painful voyage.

And for you who make the journey—who leave the heap and enter the fire, dare to be pounded on God’s anvil, and doggedly seek to discover your own purpose—take courage, for you await the privilege of being called “God’s chosen instruments.”

“The Lord is merciful and gracious; he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love.” Psalm 103:8 (NLT)

*** *** *** ***

My kids are obsessed with fairness. They argue over who gets the biggest piece, who gets to play the computer game longest, who gets to sit next to the window. I suspect your children or the children you know are the same way.

One night during dinner, my kids were arguing over who would get the last slice of pizza and out popped the oft repeated phrase, “That’s not fair!”

Okay, it had been a long day and I was tired, so I looked at my children and said, “Fair! You want fair? Since you didn’t pay for the dinner, you shouldn’t get to eat. Are you sure you still want fair?”

But, honestly, it’s not just the kids who argue over fairness. I’m sure this doesn’t happen at your house, but sometimes my spouse and I argue over what is fair – who will change the baby’s diaper, who should make dinner, who gets to drive the “good” car.

This obsession over fairness seems to be in the human DNA: “Let me have the bigger slice;” “let me have the better salary;” “let me get away with it this time.” After all, it’s only fair, right?

We make the same arguments with God. We plead for fairness when we’re really asking for special treatment. But the truth is, God can say to us in true fairness, “I’m a Holy God and you’ve done some very unholy things. Fair would mean I can stay angry at you forever. It would mean I can punish your for the horrible things you’ve done and I can give you every bit of what you deserve. Are you sure you still want fair?”

But God, in his compassion, is not like that at all. David, the ancient poet/king, sang this song of God: “The Lord is merciful and gracious; he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.” (Psalm 103:8–9, NLT)

When David sings about God’s “unfailing love,” he uses a Hebrew word that implies God is in loving pursuit of us. Yahweh chases after us with such persistent grace that he refuses to let us get away. His pursuit is energized by his compassion, not only feeling what we feel, but also with the intent to help us: “He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does he deal with us as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.” (Psalms 103:10–11, NLT)

While we’re in pursuit of fairness, God, knowing fair will mean our inevitable destruction, remains in compassionate pursuit of us.

Communicating Compassion:

· Yahweh’s unfailing love – God’s compassion flows from his unfailing, undying love for you. His love for you is so vast it extends from the earth to the heights of heaven, and his compassionate pursuit of you brings Jesus from heaven’s heights to an empty tomb on earth. If you truly trusted God’s unfailing love, how would you live your life differently? Ask God to guide you to a place of true trust.

· Do a Fairness Flip – Start practicing compassion by flipping the angle of any fairness argument. In other words, say, “You, my friend, can have the bigger piece of cake.” “Let me change the diaper again.” “Because of your addictions, you may deserve to live on the streets, but God has shown me compassion, and I want to extend the same compassion to you.”

· From fairness to unfailing love – As God develops compassion within you, he will bring you to a place where you’ll need to give up the “argument of fairness” and replace it with unfailing love. God is patient, so don’t panic or beat yourself up. Ask God to guide you toward unfailing love.

by Max Lucado

“If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies.”
I Peter 4:11 NKJV

God shaped you according to your purpose. How else can you explain yourself? Your ability to diagnose an engine problem by the noise it makes; to bake a cake without a recipe. You knew the Civil War better than your American history teacher. You know the name of every kid in the orphanage. How do you explain such quirks of skill?

God. He knew young Israel would need a code, so he gave Moses a love for the law. He knew the doctrine of grace would need a fiery advocate, so he set Paul ablaze. And in your case, he knew what your generation would need and gave it. He designed you. And his design defines your destiny. Remember Peter’s admonition? “If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies.”

The Jewish leaders wouldn’t believe he had been blind … John 9:18 (NLT)

*** *** *** ***

When Jesus healed a man born blind, the Pharisees opened an investigation to determine exactly what had happened. Yet, it appears they decided ahead of time what the answer should be, so when the facts didn’t support their predetermined conclusion, they just kept searching until they found facts they liked.

The Apostle John shows us a sequence of snapshots related to the Pharisee’s investigation:

· They ask the man, formally known as blind, what happened (John 9:13-16), but in this story of a blind man, seeing is not believing to the Pharisees.

· They ask the previously blind man who had healed him (John 9:17), and then they attempted to undermine the credibility of Jesus.

· They ask the man’s parents what they thought had happened (John 9:19-23), and in the process, they began to question the formerly blind man’s credibility.

· They returned to the question: “What did he do?” (John 9:26), demanding an explanation. Their focus was on the “how” and not the “wow.” Instead of saying, “This man who was blind can now see! Wow, God!” they have to know exactly what happened and how it happened. They walk by sight and not by faith, the exact opposite of what we’re taught in 2 Corinthians 5:7.

· When they’re not getting the answers they want, the Pharisees begin to ridicule this man, who now had 20/20 vision: “Then they cursed him and said, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.’” (John 9:28)

· When the Pharisees cannot intimidate the man, frightening him into abandoning his testimony, they pass judgment on him and throw him out of the synagogue. (John 9:30-34)

A sign of our spiritual maturity is when we follow truth, wherever it leads, and we face the truth no matter how much it hurts or how much it costs.

We are called to come out of the darkness and to be obedient to the Truth, who is Jesus Christ, our Lord, who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6, HCSB)

What does this mean?

· Seek truth, don’t defend – When faced with something or someone you don’t understand, ask God to show you the truth and to help you let go of your preconceived notions or the prejudices you defend.

· Check the ridicule in you – If you find yourself ridiculing someone or his position, putting her down, vilifying another, then check with God. Ask him to show you the root of your attitudes and to guide you into a position of love.

Remain teachable – No matter who you are or what position you hold, there are always things you can learn. The Pharisees were unteachable, rejecting anything that challenged their preconceived ideas. God sends us teachers all the time; Let Jesus open your eyes so you are no longer blind to them.

Tags: Blind, Truth

by Max Lucado

“The LORD loves you.”
Deuteronomy 7:8 NLT

God loves you simply because he has chosen to do so.

He loves you when you don’t feel lovely.

He loves you when no one else loves you. Others may abandon you, divorce you, and ignore you, but God will love you. Always. No matter what.

This is his sentiment: “I’ll call the nobodies and make them somebodies; I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved” (Rom. 9:25 MSG).

This is his promise: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself” (Jer. 31:3 NLT).

Do you know what else that means? You have a deep aquifer of love from which to draw. When you find it hard to love, then you need a drink! Drink deeply! Drink daily!

Tags: Loved, by, God

Read Genesis 41:41-46

Pharaoh swept his hand out wide, so as to include all that vast land of Egypt, and said, “It’s all yours, Joseph.” Then he took off his signet ring and put it on Joseph’s hand.

You know what that ring signified, don’t you? It was the platinum charge card of that day. It was the way the king stamped the invoices, the laws, or anything else he wanted to verify or validate with his seal. Now Joseph had that ring on his finger, placed there by the Pharaoh himself. Joseph wore the authority of the king’s imprint.

Joseph’s Cinderella-like promotion was incredible. But when God determines the time is right, that’s the way He operates.

When the reward comes, thank God without pride. Only God can bring you through and out of the dungeon. Only God can reward you for your faithfulness. If He has, be grateful, not proud. Remember, with humility, that it is God who has put you there.

Some of you are on the verge of promotion and you don’t even know it, because God doesn’t announce His appointments in advance. What you have to do, while you wait, is to believe His promises. While in the darkness of your dungeon, by faith, trust him to bring the light of a new dawn. In the winter of your discontent, believe there’ll be a spring.

The God of Joseph will stay beside us during the dungeon days; He will not forsake or forget us. He will be there during the blast of the winter storm, holding out the promise of springtime. He will be there through the darkest night, quietly reminding us of the promise of morning light.

Joseph learned that a broken and contrite heart is not the end, but the beginning. Bruised and crushed by the blows of disappointment and unrealized dreams, he discovered that God had never left his side. When the affliction ended, he had been refined, and he came forth as gold. He had become a person of greater stability, of deeper quality, of stronger character. God’s promises are just as much for us as they were for Joseph. His grace is still at work. His tender mercies accompany us from the pit to the pinnacle.

Tags: mercy

The Bible is all about numbers. From the five smooth stones that David found in the creek to Jesus feeding the 5,000; numbers are apparent throughout Scripture. There is even an entire book of the Bible titled “Numbers.”

Math is also all about numbers. Without numbers, we couldn’t add, subtract or do any of those extensive trigonometry problems that we all love so much. But what’s the relationship between numbers, math and God? Basically, math and numbers matter to God. And it all starts with the number one.

God works supernaturally through the church to add to his equation. He uses people like you and me to reach others and bring them into his family-one person at a time. God could easily snap his finger and have a church filled with thousands of people appear, but that is not how he works. It all goes back to the power of one.

This week, remember that math is important to God and that you are a major factor in his addition. God has added you and he wants to use you to help add more. But it’s all about adding one at a time. You have to go out and find that one. Help add to his equation and invite someone to church with you. Show them that numbers do matter and that God is still counting-one life at a time.

by Ed Young

Tags: addition

Suppose you could give a gift to Christ, what would it be? How could you possibly select a gift for the One who not only has everything, but who made everything?

The Wise Men did. They can be an example to us. In addition to the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they gave the Savior some gifts we can give him today: their hope, their time, and their worship.

The wandering wise men gave Jesus their hope. When everyone else saw a night sky, this small band of men saw the light. The sight of the star sparked a desire in their hearts that send them packing. They went, seeking Jesus.

When night comes to your world, what do you see? The darkness or the stars? Hopelessness or hopefulness? Sometimes, just as he did so long ago, God uses the darkness to reveal his stars—“The light shines in the darkness” (John 1:5). Give God your hope for Christmas.

While you’re giving, give God your time. The wise men did. Before they gave God their presents, they gave their presence. It’s likely that these men traveled as long as two years before locating the prince of heaven. Before that one incredible moment when they knelt before Jesus, the wise men spent many moments, months, perhaps years searching, in anticipation of that meeting. Just as the wise men devoted themselves to seeking the Savior, so can you: “You will seek him and find him when you seek him with all your heart” (Duet. 4:29).

And when they did find him, the wise men gave Jesus another gift: their worship. Men of wealth, influence, and intellect: what did they do when they saw Jesus? “…they fell down and worshiped him” (Matt. 2:11)

Worship. It’s a gift that extends to the giver as well. Through worship, we come to see God more clearly. God invites us, through worship, to see his face so he can change ours. In worship, we simply stand before God with a prepared and willing heart and let God do his work. And he does. He wipes away the tears. He mops away the perspiration. He softens our furrowed brows. He touches our cheeks. He changes our faces as we worship. The wise men sought the child of God, just as God seeks his children. “The Father is actively seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23).

The gifts of hope, time, and worship. Three gifts the wise still give.

 by Max Lucado 

Tags: Following, the, Star

“Be sure to do what you should, for then you will enjoy the personal satisfaction of having done your work well, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.” (Galatians 6:4-5 NLT)

At Christmas time, we often feel like we have to get it all done, and then we crash and burn when we can’t do it all. If you want to simplify this season, you need to understand that it’s all about making choices – and then sticking to those choices, no matter how tempting it is to add more to your holiday “to do” list.

It’s easy to forget this, but it’s true: You’re the only one who must assume responsibility for your time, and you’re the only one who can clarify what’s really important to you. The choices you make control your calendar and, as a result, your lifestyle. Your choices are far more powerful than your circumstances, and you have the power to simplify your life by making purpose-full choices.

The Bible teaches, “We are each responsible for our own conduct.” (Galatians 6:4-5 NLT) That’s why it’s so important to discover why God placed you on this planet: What is your purpose for being here?

In the long run, the donation of your life will count far more than the duration. In other words, it’s not how long you live – or even how much you cram into the length of your life – it’s about how you live, according to God’s purpose for you.

What now?

· Let your purpose guide what you do this Christmas season. As you serve, serve where you know God intends for you to serve. Don’t just volunteer for anything or everything. As you pray about it, you may sense God is prompting you to start a “not to do” list!

· You have just enough time to do God’s will this season. You’ve been given just enough time to fulfill his purpose over the next 30 days. When you try to do more than God planned for you to do, it’s only natural that you’ll stress over your schedule.

· Does your list include rest? God doesn’t want you to burn out; in fact, he may want you to specifically add “rest” to your to-do list because he knows you’re trying to overdo it. Does your list include having fun this season as you express gratitude to God the gift of his Son?

Tags: simple, life

Each of us has a fantasy that our family will be like the Waltons, an expectation that our dearest friends will be our next of kin. Jesus didn’t have that expectation. Look how he defined his family: “My true brother and sister and mother are those who do what God wants” (Mark 3:35).

When Jesus’ brothers didn’t share his convictions, he didn’t try to force them. He recognized that his spiritual family could provide what his physical family didn’t. If Jesus himself couldn’t force his family to share his convictions, what makes you think you can force yours?

We can’t control the way our family responds to us. When it comes to the behavior of others toward us, our hands are tied. We have to move beyond the naive expectation that if we do good, people will treat us right. The fact is they may and they may not—we cannot control how people respond to us.

I can’t assure you that your family will ever give you the blessing you seek, but I know God will. Let God give you what your family doesn’t. If your earthly father doesn’t affirm you, then let your heavenly Father take his place.

God has proven himself as a faithful father. Now it falls to us to be trusting children. Let God give you what your family doesn’t. Let him fill the void others have left. Rely upon him for your affirmation and encouragement. Look at Paul’s words: “You are God’s child, and God will give you the blessing he promised, because you are his child” (Gal. 4:7, emphasis added).

[And] don’t lose heart. God still changes families.

by Max Lucado 

Tags: Heavenly, Affirmation