He that reproves a scorner gathers to himself shame; and he that rebukes a wicked man gets himself a blot. (Proverbs 9:7)

When Charles Spurgeon was still a boy preacher, he was warned about a certain woman in the congregation who had a reputation for being extremely quarrelsome. He was informed that she was intending to give him a good tongue-lashing when she found him.

Spurgeon said, “All right! But that’s a game that two can play.”

Shortly after that, the woman met Spurgeon and began to assault him with a flood of verbal abuse. He simply smiled back at her and said, “Oh, yes. Thank you. I’m quite well, thanks. Thank you for asking. I hope all is well with you too.”

His remarks were followed by another tirade of know-it-all comments, this time with her voice at a higher volume. He again smiled and responded, “Yes, it does look rather like it might rain. I think I better be going now.”

The woman stood for a moment watching as he walked away. She threw her arms in the air and said, “Bless the man. What’s the use of storming at him. He’s deaf as a post!”

Never again did the woman confront Spurgeon, or even attempt to speak to him. And never did he tell her what he had done. Spurgeon’s lesson to us was that some people will argue for no reason, and it is better to walk away than attempt to converse with them.

Creator God, grant us the wisdom to hold our tongue, even when others around us are not holding theirs!

Rejoice evermore. In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5: 16, 18)

An old legend tells how a man once stumbled on a great red barn after wandering for days in a dark, overgrown forest. Seeking refuge from the howling winds of a storm that seemed to rage perpetually in the forest, he let his eyes grow accustomed to the dark and then, to his astonishment, he discovered that this was the barn where Satan kept his storehouse of seeds to be sown into the human hearts. More curious than fearful, he lit a match and began to explore the piles and bins of seeds around him. He couldn’t help but notice that the containers labeled “seeds of discouragement” far outnumbered any other type of seeds.

Just as the man had drawn this conclusion, one of Satan’s foremost demons arrived to pick up a fresh supply of seed. The man asked him why the great abundance of discouragement seeds. The demon laughed, “Because they are so effective and they take root so easily!” The man asked, “Do they grow everywhere?” At this the demon became sullen. He glared at the man and admitted in disgust, “No. They never seem to thrive in the heart of a grateful person.”

Be thankful for what you have today, and trust the Lord to take care of what you do not have!

Most Holy God, we are thankful to You for all that we have, even when we don’t realize we have it; may our gratitude keep us safe from the discouragements of the world around us!

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (1 John 4: 18)

A man had just buried his wife. His little daughter had lost her mother. Their hearts seemed to be breaking, and loneliness engulfed them as they came home to an empty house. At bedtime the father placed the little girl’s bed near his own. Then he turned out the light and lay down. After a while, through the darkness, came the little girl’s voice, “Daddy, are you there?”

And he answered, “Yes, Dear, I’m here. Now you go to sleep.”

After a period of silence, the little voice came again, “Daddy, are you still there?”

Once again he answered patiently, “Yes, Dear, I’m still here. Now go to sleep.”

After a long period of silence her voice came again, this time more confident, “Daddy, I can’t see you, but I know you’re there.”

Social pressures, abandonment of friends or family, misunderstanding and irrational fears - we live in a world where many strange gods compete for our loyalty. But even when we are trapped by our own fears or the fears of others, let us never forget the abiding love and security we can find in our Creator, even when we can’t see God.

Holy Parent, you are always there, even though we cannot see you. Hold our hand in the midst of our dark moments.

As Jesus was coming out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son whom I love—in You I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:10)

It must have been a captivating scene. Here was a man who was definitely not part of the inner religious circle. He was a “PK” (priest’s kid) who appeared to have rebelled against the conformed practices of the day, and he was preaching a new and strange message.

Scary…some may have thought—and probably he was. A wardrobe of camel’s hair and a diet of locust and wild honey? That seems a little much for any of us today to comprehend.

But crowds were flocking to him and responding to his strange, new message. How could he handle all this attention? Would it go to his head just like so many others? Would the fallacy of it all show up and just die away?

It didn’t. Why? The message remained pure. John, probably against strong temptation, kept his focus on the message he had been called to proclaim. He proclaimed Jesus Christ to the world he lived in.

When John’s disciples complained that everyone was abandoning him and turning to Jesus, he simply responded, “He must increase and I must decrease.” He knew who Jesus was and his message remained pure.

What is our main message today? Is it different from what the world around us is proclaiming? Is it pure? Is it, “Jesus Christ is the One?

God of Justice, may we proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ and not get caught up in our own importance!

I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord, the beginning and the end, Who is, and Was, and Who is yet to come-the Almighty. (Revelations 1:8)

Some things are known intuitively, and those things we know through our own intuition are based in our spirituality. Spirituality is involved in every aspect of our lives, whether we know it or not. In the human creature, it involves the emotional, physical and mental states of our being and connects the people of the world into oneness. Spirituality is the force of goodness and wholeness throughout the universe.

This is not just an opinion or thought. It is a truth that pervades the whole of humanity and runs deep within every human soul, even if it is not vocalized or acknowledged. God is alive and in control of God’s world and intended from the beginning of physical time that it be in oneness.

The end of one year and the beginning of another is a time for change and always has been. I can change for good or for bad. Each of us determines our own changes and the results that come about from them. I can get sober, I can quit smoking, I can lose weight–the list goes on indefinitely. I can be cheerful and creative or I can be negative and destructive. My attitude determines the results of my changing life.

Spirituality has been given freely, but it needs to be nurtured in every life. We need to surround ourselves with loving, caring, honest people in order to allow the gift of spirituality to grow within us. My continued willingness to be part of the “one” that God intended is essential if I am to make changes and be a part of a creative and uplifted humanity.

Blessed Creator, strengthen each of us to look at ourselves and see if what we are is what You intended. Help us to change so that we become truly Your creations in every detail!

The Gospel According To Luke

Skip Ewing

He was an old hand at living and making his way.

He smelled like old whiskey and he needed a shave.

His home was an alley of eighth avenue,

But if you had a minute, or an hour or two,

He'd tell you the Gospel according to Luke.

Luke carried his bible in a Crown Royal bag.

He wiped off his brow with an old dirty rag.

He'd tell you straight out just the way he believed,

“Faith in the Good Lord is all that you need.

I try hard to practice the words that I preach.

Give to your brother if he is in need.

Offer up thanks for the gifts you receive.

There's treasure in heaven for the generous few.”

That was the Gospel according to Luke.

So I bought him breakfast at the Daylight Cafe;

Biscuits and gravy, hot coffee and eggs.

He was hungry and ragged, hadn't eaten in days,

But I was the one there who felt out of place

When he folded his hands, bowed his head and said grace.

A week ago Wednesday I saw him again

Downtown at the Mission surrounded by friends

Passing out all the change he'd collected that week

Saying, “You boys might need this a lot more than me.

I try hard to practice the words that I preach.

Give to your brother his he is in need.

Offer up thanks for the gifts you receive.

There's treasure in heave for the generous few.”

That was the Gospel according to Luke.

He was an old hand at living and making his way.

He smelled like old whiskey and he needed a shave.

His home was an alley of eighth avenue,

But if you had a minute, or an hour or two,

He'd tell you the Gospel according to Luke.

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Mark 5:36

During the anxious moments that followed my mother-in-law’s heart attack, she was fortunate to receive immediate medical care. Later, her doctor told me that treatment within fifteen minutes of a heart attack results in a survival rate of 33 percent for critical patients. But just 5 percent survive if treated beyond that time frame.

On the way to heal Jairus’s desperately ill daughter (someone definitely needing immediate medical care), Jesus did the unthinkable: He paused (Mark 5:30). He stopped to identify who touched Him, and then spoke gently with the woman. You can imagine what Jairus was thinking: There’s no time for this, my daughter is dying! And then, his worst fears came true—Jesus appeared to have delayed too long and his daughter passed away (v. 35).

But Jesus turned to Jairus and offered a word of encouragement: “Don’t be afraid; just believe” (v. 36). Then, calmly ignoring the mockery of onlookers, Christ spoke to Jairus’s daughter and she came back to life! He revealed that He can never be too late. Time can’t limit what He’s able to do and when He chooses to do it.

How often do we feel like Jairus, thinking that God was simply too late to accomplish what we had hoped for. But with God, there’s no such thing. He’s never too late in fulfilling His good and merciful work in our lives.

By Peter Chin

Jesus, help me to remember that You’re sovereign even over time itself, and that You’re never too late to accomplish Your perfect plans.