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So that day Moses solemnly promised me, ‘The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God.’ ” —Joshua 14:9 The pages of the Bible are filled with stories of those who did not cross the finish line in the race of life. They had great potential. They started well. But they ended miserably. Yet how important it is that we make it over the finish line. The writer of Hebrews warned, “Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. . . . For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ” (3:12, 14 NLT) Caleb was someone who was faithful to the end. Of the two to three million people who left Egypt in the Exodus, he made it across the finish line. An unsung hero of the Bible, Caleb stands as a shining example of someone who never lost his edge spiritually. At the age of eighty-five Caleb said, “I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then” (Joshua 14:11 NLT). So where did Caleb find the resources, the true spiritual grit, to do so well when others failed so miserably? Joshua 14 gives us some insight. Speaking to Joshua, Caleb said, “I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God” (verses 7–8 NLT). Forty-five years earlier, Moses, along with Joshua, Caleb, and the children of Israel, arrived at Kadesh-barnea on the edge of the Promised Land. Their trek across the wilderness had been quick. But instead of entering the land that God had promised them, they first sent in spies. Moses sent in twelve men, and among them were Joshua and Caleb. And when the spies brought back their report, ten of them were terrified by what they saw. They looked at the land through eyes of unbelief, and fear had paralyzed them. Meanwhile, Joshua and Caleb saw the land through eyes of faith. Caleb said, “Let’s go at once to take the land. . . . We can certainly conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30 NLT). But it was the majority and not the minority that influenced the people. The fear and paranoia of the ten convinced them more than the faith and belief of the two. In fact, the people were so angry with Joshua and Caleb for even suggesting they enter the land that they wanted to kill them both. Yet Joshua and Caleb refused to give in. Caleb followed God fully and completely. And if we can learn to follow the Lord wholeheartedly like Caleb did, then the results can be the same for us. Because Caleb’s God is our God. http://graceministriesusa.org

But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. ” —Nehemiah 9:17 Even in the mess Samson had made of his life, even though the Philistines had captured him and blinded him, there was a little ray of light. The Bible says, “But before long, his hair began to grow back” (Judges 16:22 NLT). What is this verse saying? It’s telling us there is hope, even if we have failed. As Samson’s hair began to grow, his strength returned. However, Samson’s strength was not in his long hair. Rather, it was in his commitment to God. His hair symbolized a vow he had taken as a Nazirite. And his hair was returning. One night when the Philistines were having a drunken feast to their false god, someone came up with the idea of dragging out the sightless Samson to make fun of him. So, they brought Samson from the prison into a big party where Philistines were engaging in debauchery and the worship of a false god. Meanwhile, Samson said to the young servant who was leading him, “Place my hands against the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to rest against them” (verse 26 nlt). So, the servant did as Samson had asked. Then the Bible tells us, “Samson prayed to the Lord, ‘Sovereign Lord, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.’ Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands, he prayed, ‘Let me die with the Philistines’ ” (verse 28–30 NLT). Samson pushed with all his might, and the temple where they were came crashing down. As it turned out, Samson killed more Philistines that day than he had during his entire life of fighting them on the battlefield. In contrast to the life of Samson, the Bible tells the story of another young man who experienced sexual temptation. His name was Joseph. The Bible says he was good-looking and well-built, and his employer’s wife constantly tried to seduce him. She also was about as subtle as Delilah. In fact, she said, “Come and sleep with me” (Genesis 39:7 NLT). But Joseph resisted her, saying, “My master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God” (verses 8–9 NLT). But one day she decided to do whatever she could to make this happen. She sent her servants outside, grabbed Jospeh, and pulled him down on the bed. So, Joseph did what any smart person should do in a similar circumstance. He ran. And he ran fast. That is what we need to do when we’re faced with temptation. But even when we mess up, even when we have failed, God gives second chances. Do you need a second chance? Do you want to get up and try again? God can give you a second chance today.

“And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!” —1 Samuel 17:47 Sometimes as Christians we forget that we’re fighting a spiritual battle. A lot of the things that we’re facing in life have a spiritual element to them. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (NLT). And when David went out to face the giant Goliath in battle, he said, “Everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” (1 Samuel 17:47 NLT). In a spiritual battle, we must use spiritual weapons. The Bible tells us, “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments” (2 Corinthians 10:3–4 NLT). What are spiritual weapons? Prayer is one of them. Have you ever noticed how big your problems can seem when you haven’t prayed? Worry overtakes you. It’s like a force all on its own. You can worry yourself into a frenzy. Here’s what the Bible says about worry: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7 NLT). When was the last time that you prayed about the problem you’re facing? Prayer puts things into perspective. The next time you’re tempted to worry, pray instead. Pray about that problem. Pray about that issue. And ask other people to pray with you. If you tolerate a Goliath in your life, he will take over your territory. For instance, maybe you think you’re going to go ahead and play around with a so-called little sin. You tell yourself that you know when to stop, that you won’t go too far. Then one day you have a bona fide giant in your life, and you want it to go away. You don’t reason with a giant or yell at a giant. You kill him. That is what David did. The Bible tells us that “as Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him” (1 Samuel 17:48 NLT). That’s the only way to take on a giant. And remember, the battle is the Lord’s. Sometimes God will allow us to hit rock bottom, where we don’t have any human solutions. If you’re in this situation, you may think, “This is too difficult. I have tried everything. The only thing I can do now is trust God.” That’s good. Then God will show you what He’s capable of. When you see God for who He is, you will see your giants for what they are. He is bigger than anyone or anything else.

“The one thing I ask of the LORD—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. ” —Psalm 27:4 The most spiritual people I’ve met have been the most down-to-earth. They didn’t speak in pious tones or act like they were above it all. The truly godly people I’ve known have been fun to be around. They’ve been great salt-of-the-earth kind of people. David was a truly spiritual man. We know this from the psalms he wrote. They’re a window into his soul. For instance, he wrote, “My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!” (Psalm 57:7 NLT). David was focused. He knew where he was going and wasn’t fickle. He knew what mattered in life. In Psalm 27:4, he said, “The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple” (NLT). The apostle Paul had a similar goal in life. He said, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:13–14 NLT). Do you have this “one thing” in life like Paul did? Do you know where you are going? Do you know what really matters? The problem is that a lot of us don’t know what matters in life. We’re trying to live in two worlds. We want to be Christians on the weekend. We’ll go to a church service, but the rest of the week we leave God out of our lives. God wants to be a part of everything we do. He wants to be at the forefront of our lives. What is your one thing in life that is more important than anything else? What are you really focused on? Some people might say their one thing in life is their business. They want be successful. They want to get established. They want to make money and a lot of it. Another person might say their one thing is family. They want a strong family and don’t want it to fall apart. Someone else might say their one thing in life is ministry. They want God to use them. There is nothing wrong with wanting to succeed in business, wanting a strong family, or wanting an effective ministry. But if you make that your main thing, then it is the wrong thing. The main thing should be Jesus. A truly spiritual person is someone who can enjoy life and love God. A truly spiritual person can have fun but at the same time know where their priorities are. If you put God first in your life, He might not give you everything you want. Or, He might give you more than you want. But He always will give you what you need.

David replied to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.’” —1 Samuel 17:45 After the prophet Samuel anointed David as the king of Israel, what did David do? He went back to watching his sheep. If a lion or a bear attacked, he defended the sheep with his very life, if necessary. And no doubt while he was hanging out with the sheep and watching over them, he came up with some of the psalms we know today. Maybe as he was watching them one day, he thought, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name” (Psalm 23:1–3 NLT). David was faithful, and he simply waited on God. But one day he ran an errand that changed his life. His three oldest brothers had been called to battle against the Philistines at the valley of Elah. David’s father told him to go visit his brothers and take them some food. As David made his way to the valley of Elah, he could hear shouting. He peeked through the crowd and saw an oversized Philistine named Goliath. He was standing in the valley, challenging someone from Israel to come and fight him. The Bible tells us this had gone on for forty days and forty nights. David couldn’t believe it. He thought someone had to take this guy on. Why had no one answered his challenge? About that time his brother Eliab saw him and said, “What are you doing around here anyway? What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of?” (1 Samuel 17:28 NLT). When David was brought before King Saul, David told him, “Don’t worry about this Philistine. . . . I’ll go fight him!” (verse 32 NLT). Saul thought it was a joke. He said, “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth” (verse 33 NLT). But David didn’t waver. He said, “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” (verses 34–37 NLT). Then, armed with only his staff, a sling, and some stones, David went out to meet Goliath in battle. And with one well-placed shot from his sling, David toppled the giant. It was David’s faithfulness in the little things that led to the big things. He was faithful with whatever God set before him. Are you being faithful with what God has set before you today? http://graceministriesusa.org If you need prayer, reach out, we have a whole team waiting at the ready prayer warriors to respond to your request.

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“For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. ” —2 Corinthians 7:10 Have you ever known someone who appeared as though they would really make their mark in life? They looked like they were going to do well, but then they self-destructed. That is what happened to Saul, the first king of Israel. He started out well, but things went from bad to worse because he disobeyed God. And when his successor, David, emerged on the scene, Saul began to relentlessly hunt him down. On more than one occasion, Saul tried to murder David because he was paranoid and jealous of him. And when Saul went to battle against the Philistines and realized that he was clearly defeated, he killed himself. Saul had so much promise and potential, but he threw his life away. He was more concerned with what others thought of him than with what God thought of him. He was shallow. He was vain. And he was a fool. In fact, he once admitted, “I have been a fool and very, very wrong” (1 Samuel 26:21 NLT). Or, as the New King James Version puts it, “I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.” Like Saul, we can play the fool in our lives as well. We play the fool when we disobey God, even in the smallest matters. Spiritual decline is gradual. Saul’s failure wasn’t immediate. At first, he was humble, but then pride set in. He took matters into his own hands and did what God told him not do. We play the fool when we attempt to justify the wrongs we have done. More than once, Saul blamed others for something he had done wrong. And when he finally owned up to his sin, it was only to save face. We must be honest about our sin and admit it when we’ve done something wrong. We play the fool when we allow hatred and jealousy to control our lives instead of love. There always will be people who do better in life than we do. There always will be someone who is better looking, in better shape, and more intelligent than we are. And if allow jealousy to control us, then we’ll be miserable people. Instead, we can thank God for everything He has given us because we don’t deserve any of it. Saul threw his life away, and his jealousy ultimately destroyed him. In the end, if he had genuinely repented, God would have forgiven him. The Bible says, “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT). In other words, if we’re really sorry for something we’ve done, then we will stop doing it. But to say we’re sorry and continue in a path of disobedience shows that we’re not sorry at all. http://graceministriesusa.org

So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” ” —Ecclesiastes 2:2 Shortly before his death at age thirty-three, comedian Chris Farley said in an interview, “I used to think that you could get to a level of success where the laws of the universe didn’t apply. But they do. It’s still life on life’s terms, not on movie-star terms. . . . Once I thought that if I just had enough in the bank, if I had enough fame, that it would be all right.” But it wasn’t all right, was it? Farley overindulged himself and needlessly threw his life away. He may have been laughing on the outside, but apparently, he was crying on the inside. Solomon, too, gave pleasure a try. He said, “ ‘Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the “good things” in life.’ But I found that this, too, was meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 2:1 NLT). “No fear” is a popular slogan for T-shirts. The problem is that we’re not afraid of what we ought to be afraid of. We ought to fear God. When the Bible tells us to fear God, it means that we should have reverence for God. We should honor God and respect Him. To fear God means to recognize that He is God Almighty and never take His offer of forgiveness for granted. Maybe you’ve tried to play by the rules, but you’ve failed. You’ve tried to clean up your life and live by God’s commandments, but you’ve fallen short. When I became a Christian, I was full of doubt. Even as I was praying to ask Jesus Christ to come into my life, I thought, “I’m the one person this is not going to work for. I’m not a Christian type of person.” I thought certain kinds of people were predisposed to become Christians, the kind of people who were naturally upbeat and optimistic. I wasn’t one of them. But I qualified because I was a sinner. That is the kind of person God is looking for. We have all sinned. We have all fallen short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23). If that is the case, then who will get into Heaven? Without Jesus Christ, no one will. We can’t do it on our own. We can’t be flawless. God knew that we would fall short. But He loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth. Jesus was more than a good man; He was the God-Man who went to the cross willingly, laid down His life, and shed His blood for us. He paid the price of sin for us. He came to pay a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay. That is why Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. It sounds radical, but it came from Jesus Himself. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT). Jesus—and Jesus alone—is uniquely qualified to connect us with the Father in Heaven. https://graceministriesusa.org

For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. Hebrews 6:13-15 In society today, there are a lot of unfulfilled promises. We’re let down by people we respect, look up to, and admire. That’s the issue. Man will often disappoint you because we’re not meant for that. That is God’s role. When God makes a promise in your life, you can trust it will come to pass. It may not always happen the way we expect or in the timeline we expect. We place expectations on ourselves and others. We should have some level of expectations for people to fulfill their promises. But when things don’t go the way we expect, we tend to blame God. However, we can’t blame God for the decisions we get to freely make. Decisions, both good and bad, have consequences. That’s God’s law by design so our society does not spiral into the chaos we are witnessing today. We have to accept both outcomes. Being willing to accept this is not always easy. We want to fix everything on our own in our own way and timing. Trusting God is not always high on the priority list. Not everything is meant to work out the way we expect. Some things are meant to change you. However, that’s not something we generally want. We place false expectations on our lives instead of asking God what we can do for him. At times we’re expecting things we were never meant for. Turning your care, your will and your life over to God isn’t easy. It takes time and discipline. These are things that we have to be intentional about just like other parts of our lives such as work or fitness. It has to be worked into our daily lives to reap the benefits that God has to offer. Trust is built over time and developed. We can build our trust in God by leaning on him in every aspect of our lives. This week, let’s pray that God will teach us how to handle the expectations we set for ourselves and others and that He will teach us to lean on Him more each day. https://graceministriesusa.org

“Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. ” —Philippians 2:7 It’s ironic that sometimes in all the busyness of Christmas, we can be ready for the season to be over. The theme of Christmas is joy. That’s certainly what we find in the pages of the Bible. Part of the problem is that we try to find joy and happiness in Christmas when we really need to find joy and happiness in Christ. There is a big difference. Many of us have read the Christmas story so many times that we might even have memorized it. It’s very familiar. And because of that, we can easily skip over it and not think about what it means. Luke, who penned the Gospel that bears his name, was very meticulous in his reporting. He was a stickler for detail. He wanted to give us facts so we could pinpoint this event in human time. Thus, he mentioned the fact that Caesar Augustus gave the decree for a census and that Quirinius was in power as well (see Luke 2:1–2). We know a little bit about these men from history. Caesar Augustus was the great nephew of Julius Caesar. He was a born fighter who had clawed his way into power by defeating Antony and Cleopatra. Then through considerable genius and force, he gave the Roman Empire a solidity that lasted for centuries. It was also this Caesar who was the first to take on the title of Augustus, which means “of the gods” or “the holy and revered one.” Interestingly, an inscription was found dating to the time of Caesar Augustus that described him as the savior of the world. That is how Caesar saw himself. Therefore, it’s especially interesting when we come to Luke 2:10–12, which says, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger” (NLT). Essentially the angel, with this announcement to the shepherds, was saying, “Don’t look to the palace of Rome for the Savior of the world. Look to the manger in Bethlehem. Don’t look at that self-proclaimed god in Rome. Look at that baby wrapped in swaddling cloths. There is the Savior of the world!” When we look at the life of Jesus and the Incarnation, we see that it isn’t a rags-to-riches story; it’s a riches-to-rags story. Jesus gave up everything for us. The first sensation on the tender skin of the baby Jesus would have been the rough, torn cloth in which He was wrapped. The Son of God, with tiny human ears, would have heard the munching of hay by an ox or a donkey. What a rude awakening. Yet this was the sacrifice that He made for us. It was the ultimate gift to humanity. And what we must not lose sight of is that Christmas is all about joy—because a Savior has been born.

After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.” —Matthew 2:9 As the years go by, it’s interesting to see what Christmas gifts have fallen in and out of fashion. For instance, the hottest gift of 1975 was the Sony Betamax. It recorded television programs and came with a whopping price tag of $2,300. Another popular, less-expensive gift from the same year was the mood ring. It changed colors according to whatever mood you were in. And believe it or not, it was one of the hottest gifts of that time. Also hitting the market in 1975 was the pet rock, which simply was a rock in a box. But it was one of the biggest gifts of the year, and 1.3 million of them were sold. For Christmas in 1983, people stood in line for hours for the Cabbage Patch Kids doll. They were almost impossible to get. The Bible tells us about gifts that mysterious messengers from the East brought to Jesus. They were called Magi, and in keeping with their office, they were schooled in astrology, astronomy, and mathematics. Although the Magi brought three gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—the Bible doesn’t say there were three wise men. And calling them the kings of the East isn’t accurate, either, as they were more like kingmakers, those who would influence the king. They made the journey from the East and arrived in Jerusalem. There they had an audience with King Herod, and they inquired about this King of the Jews. And then they made their way to Bethlehem, following the star and looking for a newborn King. They understood what their objective was. They realized what was more important than anything else—that it was a time for worship. And God invaded their world. There is only one God who is worthy of our worship, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ whom we celebrate at Christmas. Whatever world you live in, whatever lifestyle you have chosen, and whatever belief system you have, Jesus Christ can invade it. The Magi, or so-called wise men, were into astrology. They looked to the stars to chart their course and guide them into the future. So, God came to them in a way that they could understand: through a star that guided them out of the darkness and into the light. They made their way to where the child Jesus was, and they brought their gifts to Him. This serves as a reminder that wherever we are and whomever we know, no one is beyond the reach of God. Maybe you have children that you’ve raised in the way of the Lord, but they’ve grown up and have gone astray. Maybe you won’t even see them this Christmas. Or maybe you will, but you know there will be tension. You wonder how and when God will ever get hold of them. But know this: God always has His people in every place to reach the lost, no matter their background or what they believe. God reached the Magi and brought them to faith. And He can reach your family, your children, and your friends as well.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5 Of all the miracles that happened during Christ’s birth, one stands out more than any other: God, the Giver of the Law and Judge over all the earth became human and submitted himself to the Law he gave. This seems like it would be somewhat obvious to those of us who have been in church for a while. Of course, Jesus followed the Law! But the impact of that statement tells us quite a bit about who God is and what this passage says about him. God is perfect. The Bible is clear about this fact. There is no evil or sin in God. Nothing he has done, is doing, or ever will do can be considered less than perfect. So why would Christ submit himself to the Law if there was nothing about himself that was evil? Submitting to the Law that he gave shows how Christ humbled himself. He did not consider equality with God something to be held onto but humbled himself even to death on the cross according to Philippians 2:8. Instead of being proud and haughty, Christ submitted to the Law. He did so to redeem those of us who were already under the Law. Now this doesn’t mean that we were responsible for following the law (even though we were). Rather, this means that we were under the condemnation of the Law and the righteous justice of God. Christ humbled himself so that we may receive adoption as sons and daughters of God. That is, we are given an inheritance when we deserve wrath. This is why Christ was born under the law. This is why we celebrate the Christmas season. It’s not about wisemen and shepherds surrounding a baby. It’s about God humbling himself, submitting to the Law of God, dying on the Cross, being raised on the third day, and ascending back to heaven so that we may become sons and daughters of God. This season, let’s thank God for the humility of Christ. It is because of his work on this earth that we have the chance of being saved. If you have not known this salvation, consider what God has done in this season as you too may become a child of God.

After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.” —Matthew 2:9 As the years go by, it’s interesting to see what Christmas gifts have fallen in and out of fashion. For instance, the hottest gift of 1975 was the Sony Betamax. It recorded television programs and came with a whopping price tag of $2,300. Another popular, less-expensive gift from the same year was the mood ring. It changed colors according to whatever mood you were in. And believe it or not, it was one of the hottest gifts of that time. Also hitting the market in 1975 was the pet rock, which simply was a rock in a box. But it was one of the biggest gifts of the year, and 1.3 million of them were sold. For Christmas in 1983, people stood in line for hours for the Cabbage Patch Kids doll. They were almost impossible to get. The Bible tells us about gifts that mysterious messengers from the East brought to Jesus. They were called Magi, and in keeping with their office, they were schooled in astrology, astronomy, and mathematics. Although the Magi brought three gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—the Bible doesn’t say there were three wise men. And calling them the kings of the East isn’t accurate, either, as they were more like kingmakers, those who would influence the king. They made the journey from the East and arrived in Jerusalem. There they had an audience with King Herod, and they inquired about this King of the Jews. And then they made their way to Bethlehem, following the star and looking for a newborn King. They understood what their objective was. They realized what was more important than anything else—that it was a time for worship. And God invaded their world. There is only one God who is worthy of our worship, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ whom we celebrate at Christmas. Whatever world you live in, whatever lifestyle you have chosen, and whatever belief system you have, Jesus Christ can invade it. The Magi, or so-called wise men, were into astrology. They looked to the stars to chart their course and guide them into the future. So, God came to them in a way that they could understand: through a star that guided them out of the darkness and into the light. They made their way to where the child Jesus was, and they brought their gifts to Him. This serves as a reminder that wherever we are and whomever we know, no one is beyond the reach of God. Maybe you have children that you’ve raised in the way of the Lord, but they’ve grown up and have gone astray. Maybe you won’t even see them this Christmas. Or maybe you will, but you know there will be tension. You wonder how and when God will ever get hold of them. But know this: God always has His people in every place to reach the lost, no matter their background or what they believe. God reached the Magi and brought them to faith. And He can reach your family, your children, and your friends as well.

Good day, welcome, thank you for stopping by Grace Ministries USA here in beautiful North Carolina. My name is Ryan and I am so excited that you are with us experiencing God’s word to help you think more clearly, feel better about life in general, and have a set of principles and values that you can stand on for eternity. Timeless principles today’s devotional. “When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” ” —Luke 2:15 When we think of shepherds today, we have a positive image of them. After all, Moses was a shepherd. David was a shepherd. And the Bible compares Jesus to a shepherd. But in first-century Israel, a shepherd was about the lowest someone could be on the social ladder. The only thing lower were people with leprosy. Yet God chose to announce the good news of Christ’s birth to the shepherds. Jesus always seemed to find His way to the outcasts of society. There was the Samaritan woman who had been married and divorced five times and was living with a man. She was such an outcast that she didn’t have a friend in town. And that is why she went to the well to draw water during the hottest part of the day. Yet who was waiting there for her one afternoon? Jesus. And He wanted to have a conversation with her. Then there was Zacchaeus, the tax collector. He was a Jew who worked for Rome. Thus, he was thought of as a turncoat, a traitor. He didn’t have a friend in the world. Yet Jesus took time for him. When Jesus walked by, He looked up at Zacchaeus in a tree and called him by name. Then He said, “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today” (Luke 19:5 NLT). There was the woman who had been caught in the act of adultery and was thrown down at Christ’s feet. The religious leaders were ready to kill her. But Jesus stooped down and wrote something in the sand. Then He stood up and said, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (John 8:7 NLT). The Bible says they all slipped away one by one, starting with the oldest, until only the woman was left. Jesus said, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” (verse 10 NLT). She replied, “No, Lord.” So Jesus said to her, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more” (John 8:11 NLT). Jesus always had time for people like this. Therefore, it’s only fitting that the angels announced His birth to the lowest of the low: the shepherds. In the dark world of the first century, the Good News came to them. Luke’s Gospel tells us, “That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. . . . They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!’ ” (2:8–11 NLT). God sent His Son to die on the cross and rise again from the dead so that we could live life to its fullest on earth and then live forever in eternity in Heaven. It is the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. That is the real gift of Christmas that we all need.

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” —1 Corinthians 1:27 There are a lot of misperceptions about Mary. On one hand, people place her on a pedestal. And on the other hand, she is ignored and misunderstood. But Mary was a godly person living in a godless place. And she showed us that it’s possible for someone to live a godly life even while living in the midst of an ungodly environment. Mary lived in Nazareth, which, for the most part, was not a popular destination. God could have chosen someone from Rome to bear the Messiah. After all, Rome was ruling most of the world at that time. God could have chosen someone from Jerusalem, the spiritual capital of the world. Or, God could have chosen someone from Athens, the intellectual and cultural capital of the world. But God didn’t choose someone from any of these places. Instead, He chose a young woman who was living in Nazareth. Roman soldiers overran Nazareth, an obscure place known for its wickedness. That is why Nathanael, when he heard that Jesus was from Nazareth, said, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46 NLT). Yet God chose Mary and this obscure place to accomplish His purpose. He chose an unknown teenager living in an unknown place to bring about the most known event in human history: the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. It seems that God goes out of His way to choose the most unexpected people to accomplish His plans. The Bible is filled with examples of the most ordinary individuals being chosen by God to do the most extraordinary things. Mary was genuinely humble. She was surprised when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, . . . for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David” (Luke 1:30–32 NLT). When we think of certain men and women of the Bible, we see them in their greatness because of what God did. But remember, when God called David, he was a shepherd boy whose father didn’t even acknowledge him. Yet God instructed the prophet Samuel to anoint David as the next king of Israel. When God chose Gideon, he was hiding from his enemies. And when God called Simon Peter, he was out catching fish. But the Lord raised him up to be one of the great apostles. And God chose Mary to bring about the arrival of the Messiah. The apostle Paul wrote, “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27 NLT).

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. ” —Galatians 4:4–5 The birth of Jesus Christ divided human time. Rome had established control over much of the world at this point. The Pax Romana, a period of peace during the Roman Empire, was a time of brutal peace. The Romans cared most about two things: submission to Rome and a steady flow of wealth into Roman coffers. But with the absence of war, many people were rediscovering art, literature, and philosophy, and they were asking questions. They were talking about human destiny and the meaning of life. “When the right time came,” the Bible says, “God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children” (Galatians 4:4–5 NLT). Caesar Augustus thought he was a powerful man, and he was, but he also was a pawn in the hand of God Almighty. That’s because history is His story. Thus, God moved Augustus to accomplish His purposes, reminding us that God is in control. He is sovereign over all nations and over all people. The Bible says, “The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases” (Proverbs 21:1 NLT). God can move the heart of a king, queen, prime minister, president, senator, congressman, or CEO. God will accomplish His purposes. Augustus thought that by ordering a census, he would have greater control over the world. But in the end, all he did was run an errand for God. The Lord needed Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem because Scripture prophesied, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf” (Micah 5:2 NLT). Joseph and Mary made the ninety-mile journey to Bethlehem for the census that Augustus decreed. We like to imagine scenes of Joseph and Mary silhouetted against a full moon on such a beautiful night. But the reality is that it was a very difficult and dangerous journey, especially for a woman in the ninth month of her pregnancy. You would have hoped the hardships would have ended when they finally arrived in Bethlehem. But the Bible says, “There was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7 NKJV). This doesn’t vilify the innkeeper (if there was indeed an innkeeper); it simply presents him for who he was: a man who was preoccupied and busy. You would have thought he could have found it in his heart to make room for a woman who was ready to give birth at any moment. But he sent Joseph and Mary to a barn, or more likely a cave, where the Savior of the world was born. There are people today who are just like this innkeeper. They don’t have any time in their lives for God. But we had better make room for Him. As the Christmas hymn “Joy to the World” reminds us, “Let every heart prepare Him room.” Make time for Him today.

Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.” —Proverbs 29:25 Imagine the scene. Moses is descending from Mount Sinai, holding the commandments that God gave him. As he nears the Israelite camp, he sees the people dancing before a golden calf. Outraged, he says to Aaron, “What did these people do to you to make you bring such terrible sin upon them?” (Exodus 32:21 NLT). Aaron’s excuse for the behavior of the people is so absurd that it should be permanently enshrined in the Excuse Hall of Fame. He replied, “You yourself know how evil these people are. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.’ So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold jewelry, take it off.’ When they brought it to me, I simply threw it into the fire—and out came this calf!” (verses 22–24 NLT). Aaron should have drawn the line when the people came to him and demanded something to worship. He should have told them, “You just worship God, and wait until Moses gets back.” Instead, he caved in. Not only did Aaron go along with their plan, but he also facilitated it. He helped produce the problem. Let’s remember that when God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, He wanted Moses alone to go to Pharaoh. God promised to do miracles through Moses to confirm that He had sent him. However, Moses offered a series of excuses as to why he wasn’t the one for the job. He also complained that he’d never been a gifted speaker. So God said, “Aaron will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouthpiece, and you will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say” (Exodus 4:16 NLT). But while Moses was away, Aaron made a mess of things. There are a lot of people like Aaron today. When they’re around committed Christians, they’re strong. But when they’re away from Christians, they blend into the woodwork. The story of Aaron’s spiritual demise serves as a warning to the vacillating, compromising person who always wants to go along with public opinion and is more concerned with what people think than with what God thinks. As we see in this story, the compromiser reaches no one. Maybe you think the way to reach your nonbelieving friends is to do what they do and simply blend in. You conclude that in doing so, you will win them over and they will come to Christ. The reality is that no one has ever been won to Christ that way. The way people come to Christ is through Christians living godly lives. They come to Christ when Christians practice what they preach. They come to Christ when Christians love them with compassion and share God’s Word with them. Don’t be an Aaron. Be a Moses. Be the person who stands up for what is right, because one person can make a big difference.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-5, 14 As we enter this Christmas season, we will be inundated with advertisements, songs, decorations, and festive attitudes. It’s often easy to forget why we celebrate Christmas and the meaning behind it. We are often told in churches to “remember the reason for the season” and we remember a child in a manger, born of humble origins to a virgin named Mary. However, it is so much more than that image. So much more than wisemen and shepherds in the night. More than the nativity scene that we put up each Christmas. It is about how the Word became flesh. John is unique in the four Gospels as his Gospel is the only one that does not recount the birth of Jesus. Rather, we are given a prologue that starts with the phrase “In the beginning was the Word.” Here, we could say that we are given a sort of narrative beyond that of the story many of us are familiar with. John gives us the story of God becoming a man and the grandeur of that act. The Word. The one responsible for the creation of the world. The one who is the very life and light of all that is in the world. The one who shines into the darkness of this world and the darkness flees. The one who is full of Grace and Mercy and who holds the stars in place. This God came and dwelt among men. This God came into this earth so that we may see his Glory and so that he may eventually die for the sins of the world. This is not a weak God. He is powerful and mighty. Yet, he saw fit to become a child, the most humble and helpless among humanity, who then grew up to be put to death on the cross for a world that rejected him. This is the Word who was in the beginning, was with God, and who was God. This Christmas season, as we all reflect on things like family, joy, and giving, let us also consider the ultimate gift given to mankind. The gift of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17 Encouragement can be hard to come by when you’re going through a tough time. Maybe the weight of your stress and anxiety is pulling you down this week. Perhaps you’re going through a period of your life with sadness or loneliness. Whatever you are going through, there is always hope in the Lord. There wasn’t much hope for God’s people during the time of Zephaniah. Zephaniah’s primary target for God’s message of judgment, the nation of Judah, had fallen into grievous sin under the reign of their king, Manasseh. Zephaniah’s prophecy shouted out for godliness and purity in a nation sinful to its core. The people of Judah had long since turned their backs on God, not only in their personal lives but also in their worship. Nevertheless, Zephaniah still provided a glimmer of hope in the final chapter of this Old Testament book. Although judgment for sin is coming, the people of Israel will eventually be blessed by God’s presence among his people. Gold is refined by fire and pressure turns coal into beautiful diamonds. The world we live in brings hardship, but God provides healing and restoration. Despite the hardships, God is still there for his people. We can always call on him when we are feeling distressed. We can rest easy knowing that he gave his son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and give us salvation through his resurrection. No matter where we are in life, we can always turn to God when we need him. His love is never too far gone, His grace is always enough, and His forgiveness can heal us. We can always use that unconditional love in our lives. Let us share that hopeful message with others. This week, let us seek after God in the hard times. If you’ve never experienced God’s Grace, then you can turn to him and find healing in the midst of your troubles and share that love with those around you.

“People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed. ” —Proverbs 10:9 Will Rogers said, “So live that you would not mind selling your pet parrot to the town gossip.” That is the idea of integrity. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Personal character and integrity are things that we develop on a daily basis. With every thought we think, with every deed we do, we are either building it up or tearing it down. Moses was a man of integrity, so much so that his influence and personal godliness prevented more than two million Israelites from turning full tilt to idolatry. As long as Moses was around, his influence was so profound, significant, and strong that it kept these people from doing the wrong thing. God had instructed Moses to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites in Egypt. But Pharaoh refused, and his heart grew harder. Then God sent a series of ten successive plagues on Egypt, each growing in intensity. Finally and reluctantly, Pharaoh relented. God supernaturally looked out for the Israelites, and as they were making their way out of Egypt, they came to an apparent impasse. Before them was the Red Sea. To the right and left was treacherous territory they could not enter. And behind them was Egypt. To make matters worse, Pharaoh and his army were in hot pursuit. But Moses told the Israelites, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm” (Exodus 14:13–14 NLT). Then God opened up the Red Sea, and the Israelites crossed through on dry ground. However, the sea came crashing back down on the pursuing Egyptian army and drowned them in the process. Once the Israelites reached the other side, they sang a song of praise to God. Then He began to lead them through the wilderness in a very clear and obvious way. During the day, there was an ever-present cloud. When the cloud moved, they were to move. When the cloud stopped, they were to stop. At night, a pillar of fire led them. God provided for their physical needs as well. Every morning when they walked out of their tents, breakfast was waiting for them in the form of fresh manna. God faithfully provided it every day. All they had to do was gather it and enjoy it. Amazingly, in spite of the miracles they witnessed, it took a relatively short period of time for them to turn to idol worship while Moses was away. This reminds us that miracles don’t necessarily guarantee godly living. The Israelites’ problem came down to one thing: the shallowness and superficiality of their faith. Their first idol was Moses himself. They never seemed to develop their own relationship with God. That is a wonderful tribute to the influence of a godly leader, but it is also a criticism pointing to their lack of personal faith. God can use people in our lives, but we must never let people take the place of God in our lives. https://graceministriesusa.org For anyone who is struggling, has questions, or just needs help. Grace has been a stable for me, for a few years now. They are the real deal, not many left like them.

“What can I offer the LORD for all he has done for me?” —Psalm 116:12 What do we give to God, who has everything? The Bible gives us some ideas as to what we can give to God as we begin this holiday season. In Psalm 116, we find a number of things that we can do to show our thanksgiving to God. The psalmist speaks of God’s blessing in his life and specifically thanks God for protecting him from danger, even potential death. As he reflects on that, he considers what he can offer to the Lord. In verse 12, the psalmist poses this question: “What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me?” (NLT). And in the next verse, he gives us the answer: “I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me” (verse 13 nlt). We think nothing of cheering on our favorite teams at a game. We wear their jerseys and yell and scream. And we see this as relatively normal. But when we go to church and see people lifting their hands in praise to God, we call them fanatics. Is there not a place for verbally praising God? Yes, there is. Is there not a place for lifting our hands to the Lord in worship? Yes, there is. The psalmist wrote, “Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer” (Psalm 63:3–4 NLT). It is biblical to lift our hands to the Lord. It’s a good thing to do. We shouldn’t be reluctant to lift our hands in praise to God. Nor should we be hesitant to verbally sing His praises. Sometimes during a time of worship in a church service, we just stand there and don’t even try to sing. Why is that? God wants to hear our praise. If you’re married, don’t you like to hear “I love you” from your husband or wife? There is a place for saying “I love you.” In the same way, when we come into God’s presence, we should praise Him. We should let Him know that we love Him. Maybe you’re thinking that you don’t have all that much to be thankful for today. You may be going through a hardship right now or a time of crisis. But perhaps you need to put things into perspective. Take the apostle Paul, for example. One of the main themes of Philippians is joy. Again and again in this epistle, Paul wrote that we need to have joy in the Lord. Meanwhile, Paul was facing some very difficult circumstances personally. He was a Roman prisoner at this time, and his trial was coming up shortly. He faced acquittal or death. He didn’t know what lay ahead. Yet Paul said, “I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. . . . I have learned the secret of living in every situation” (Philippians 4:11–12 NLT). Paul shows us that we can learn to find joy and contentment in a troubled world. On this day set aside for giving thanks, let’s offer the One who has everything our verbal praise.

“All our livestock must go with us, too; not a hoof can be left behind. We must choose our sacrifices for the LORD our God from among these animals. And we won’t know how we are to worship the LORD until we get there.” —Exodus 10:26 The hail was hard to face. Pharaoh was cracking. After God sent a plague that brought disease upon the Egyptians’ livestock, the boils followed, afflicting all the Egyptians and their animals. Still, Pharoah refused to let the Israelites go. So God sent hail, the seventh plague, which not only killed people and animals, but it also destroyed the plants. In fact, the Bible says, “it left all of Egypt in ruins” (Exodus 9:25 NLT). Even Pharaoh’s magicians weren’t able to intervene at this point. They could no longer imitate the miracles, and they were so overpowered by the boils, they were immobilized (see Exodus 9:11). Eventually, Pharaoh brought in Moses and Aaron and said, “Go and worship the Lord your God. But who exactly will be going with you?” (Exodus 10:8 NLT). Moses told him, “We will all go—young and old, our sons and daughters, and our flocks and herds” (verse 9 NLT). In other words, they were taking everyone. Then Pharaoh attempted a compromise. He said they could go, but the women and children needed to stay behind. But Moses refused. After two more plagues, the hard-hearted Pharaoh tried one more compromise: “ ‘Go and worship the Lord,’ he said. ‘But leave your flocks and herds here. You may even take your little ones with you’ ” (verse 24 NLT). He was fighting for every inch. Why would Pharaoh care about their animals? It was a victory, albeit a small one, and a foot in the door. Imagine how tempting this would have been for Moses. He could have said, “You want our animals? And then you will let the rest of us go? It’s a deal.” Instead, Moses told him, “All our livestock must go with us, too; not a hoof can be left behind” (verse 26 NLT). In other words, “Pharaoh, read my lips: You get nada, zip, zero, nothing. You don’t get an inch. We’re taking everyone and everything, and we’re leaving, whether you like it or not.” As Christians, that is what we need to say when the devil tempts us to compromise. He whispers, “All right, I can’t have all of your life, so let me have this one area. It won’t go any further.” Like Moses, we need to say, “No, you get nothing.” Little things lead to big things. That’s why we can’t make deals with the devil. We can’t negotiate with Satan. There can be no compromise. If you are not prepared to go far away from him, then you’re never going to make it, because he will manipulate you. It’s time to break free. Is there an area of your life that you need to deal with? It is a problem and a potential weakness. God brings these things to our attention for a reason. It isn’t to drive us away in despair and guilt. Rather, it’s because He wants us to deal with them. Identify that area of your life where you’re compromising, and then take action. Make a decision to dedicate it to God.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5–7 “If you sleep with dogs, you’ll catch fleas.” This is one of those sayings that convey a very meaningful and true reality. We often mirror those we spend time with. Whether it is out of a desire to fit in or just people’s words, sayings, or mannerisms “rubbing off” on us, we will begin to look like the people we spend time with. Sometimes, this is a good thing. If we spend time with those who seek to do good, love those around them, and are self-sacrificial, then we will begin to mirror that. However, if we spend time with people who are a bad influence, we can find ourselves slipping into those practices the more we spend time with them. This passage conveys a similar message. When we place our faith in God, the Holy Spirit changes us. He makes us into a new creation that desires to do good. The more we spend time with God in prayer, listen to his words in the Bible, and fellowship with other Christians, the more we will look like God. Paul paints us a picture of what this looks like in Galatians 5. The Fruit of the Spirit are those attributes that, like fruit from a tree, will naturally grow if we are planted in Christ. Along with that, John gives us a measure for which we can examine ourselves. If we are in the light, then we will walk in the light. That is, if we are in Christ, we will become more and more like him. However, if we say that we are in the light but walk in darkness, then the truth is not in us. Meaning, if we say that we are in Christ but our lives do not reflect Christ or his truths, then we are deceiving ourselves. In the same passage in Galatians, Paul outlines the Works of the Flesh. If we practice these things and say that we are in the light, we are deceiving ourselves. This doesn’t mean that if we sin, we aren’t Christians. Rather, if our lives, desires, emotions, practices, interactions, and thoughts are not changed from what we used to be and we continue to chase after worldly things, ignoring what God has done for us, then we should examine ourselves to see if we are walking in the light. This week, let’s spend some time with God and his word and reflect upon our own lives and the direction we are heading. If you have never placed your faith in Christ, reach out to him and you too may walk in the light as He is in the light and have fellowship with his people, and the blood of Jesus his Son will cleanse you from all sin.

“But when Pharaoh saw that relief had come, he became stubborn. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted.” —Exodus 8:15 The ancient Egyptians worshipped the Nile River, which included the god Hapi, who was considered the god of the Nile. Obviously, this river was important to them because it was a source of life. So, when God sent ten successive plagues on Egypt, He started by turning the Nile River to blood. It’s worth noting that the ancient Egyptians were fanatics about cleanliness. Thus, to have their beloved Nile suddenly turn to blood was a severe judgment. God was saying, “Here’s your god. Where is he now to save you?” Then Pharaoh’s magicians came along and turned what little clear water that was left into blood as well. Of course, it might have been a little more impressive if they had turned the bloody water to clear water. However, Pharaoh’s heart simply grew harder, and he persisted in his rebellion. Next came an invasion of frogs. In addition to the Nile, the Egyptians worshipped a frog-headed goddess called Heqet. In effect, God was saying, “You want gods? I have gods for you. Let the festivities begin.” Everywhere they turned, there were frogs. The Bible tells us there were even frogs in their beds and in their ovens. Amazingly, Pharaoh had his magicians come in and imitate this plague with even more frogs. But this was getting on Pharaoh’s nerves. He called on Moses and Aaron to get rid of the frogs. In Exodus 8 we read, “So Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh’s palace, and Moses cried out to the Lord about the frogs he had inflicted on Pharaoh. And the Lord did just what Moses had predicted. The frogs in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields all died” (verses 12–13 NLT). The land stunk with the odor of dead frogs. But then we read, “When Pharaoh saw that relief had come, he became stubborn. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had predicted” (verse 15 NLT). In other words, “This one is getting to me. Call on God. Get me out of this.” So, that is what Moses and Aaron did. God answered their prayer, and the frogs died. And when Pharaoh saw the crisis was over, he backed out of his promise. This is typical of some people today who call out to God in desperation. They find themselves in a mess they created, so they cry out to God for help. But when He graciously condescends and helps them, they essentially say, “Thanks, God! See You next crisis!” A hospital chaplain kept a record of two thousand patients he had visited, all apparently in a dying condition, who showed various signs of repentance. Among those who had been restored to health, the chaplain felt that only two showed a marked change in their spiritual lives after their recovery. In other words, when people thought they were going to die, they called on God. But when they recovered, they basically forgot about Him. Let that not be said of us.

“These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith.” —2 Timothy 3:8 God directed ten plagues against Egypt, and each one of these plagues dealt with one of their deities. The Egyptians worshipped thousands of gods. They worshipped the Nile River as a god. They worshipped the sun. And they worshipped the animals. In fact, they worshipped just about anything we could imagine. Interestingly, the serpent, specifically the cobra, was an important symbol for the Egyptians. And what was the first miracle that God performed through Moses and Aaron? Aaron threw down his staff, and it turned into a serpent, which probably was a cobra. Pharaoh’s magicians said they could do duplicate that, which they did. But Aaron’s staff consumed the magicians’ staffs. From this first miracle, God was saying to Pharaoh, “I am more powerful than you. My power is greater than your gods.” Still, Pharaoh didn’t believe. His heart only became harder. Two of Satan’s most effective strategies are imitation and infiltration. He will try to stop a work altogether, but if that isn’t successful, then he will imitate. In this way, he seeks to minimize the power and glory of God and neutralize the impact of someone’s life and testimony. For example, Jesus told a story about a farmer who sowed a field of wheat, but in the darkness of night, his neighbor came and sowed weeds among the wheat. This type of weed, also known as darnel, is almost identical to wheat in its initial stages of growth. To the undiscerning eye, it’s difficult to detect until later, when the weeds grow up and choke out the wheat. The devil uses cheap imitations in the same way. How many times have people said the reason they aren’t Christians is because there are so many hypocrites in the church? That puts followers of Jesus Christ in the very uncomfortable position of trying to defend people who don’t live what they say they believe. However, maybe they aren’t believers at all. Maybe they’re weeds among the wheat. See how effective that ploy could be? Someone who claims to be a follower of Jesus contradicts it by the way they live. Then a nonbeliever says that person is a hypocrite. Yet who is to say that individual is a hypocrite—or even a Christian? Maybe the devil is using such a person for the very purpose of keeping nonbelievers from coming to faith. The Bible tells us that Pharaoh’s’ magicians, known as Jannes and Jambres (see 2 Timothy 3:8), were imitating what God was doing, thus making it look as though it wasn’t genuine. And it was a very effective strategy. We have to be careful. We’re living in critical times. While we read of many miracles in the Bible, no one ever claimed to have a miracle ministry. Believers in the early church answered God’s call to preach the gospel to nonbelievers and teach the truth of God’s Word. Miracles happened when and where God wanted them to happen. This reminds us that signs and wonders should follow believers. But believers shouldn’t follow signs and wonders.