Time Out! Devotions

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

⁶Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

How would you respond if someone accused you of something you didn’t do? What if you were fired from your job or shunned by your church for actions you never committed? Or perhaps simply misjudged by your peers? What attitude should Christians take when confronted with situations like these?

The apostle Paul knew a lot about being misunderstood. He writes, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8).

Jesus chose to become a suffering servant so that we could have eternal life. This was God’s plan for Him. However, Peter could not understand the Messiah’s selfless behavior, so he fought against it. He protested, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happened to You!” (Matthew 16:22). The fisherman’s pride stood in the way of his understanding and led him to a very different response than Christ desired.

“Get behind Me, Satan!” was Jesus’ immediate response—one that struck at the core of Peter’s problem. God’s truth always hits the mark. Peter’s pride and desire to see Jesus become a reigning earthly king had surfaced, and the Lord knew He had to address the issue head-on. “You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s” (v. 23).

Do you have the right attitude when it comes to following Christ? Peter had to lay down his personal desires and selfishness. Paul had to surrender his way and forego his claim to a respectable position in society. Humility in the life of the believer is the mark of greatness—not because you shine when you are humbled, but because when you submit to God’s will, He shines through you.

Perhaps you are faced with a difficult situation but don’t understand why God has chosen that avenue for you. Allow Him to use this time in your life to teach you how to be humble. Peter did just this. And he discovered that once humility accomplishes its perfect work, God will exalt us at the proper time (1 Peter 5:6). Blessing follows the obedience of a humbled heart.

(by Dr. Charles Stanley from the March 2010 issue of In Touch magazine)

by Dr. Charles Stanley

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READ | Romans 10:8-11

Believing that the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead is essential for Christians. Merely recognizing that He died for our sins is not enough; we must accept His resurrection in order to receive eternal life. Christ paid our debt, but His sacrifice on the cross means nothing if He possesses no power over the grave. In vanquishing evil and death, the Lord made our salvation possible.

Jesus’ resurrection proved He was able to remove sin and its penalty. Assuming Christ remained dead would mean accepting the opposite—that believers are still in sin. And the inevitable end of a sinful life is death. Consequently, a person who denies Christ’s eternal nature looks toward a void future. Bertrand Russell, a famous atheistic philosopher, offered this sad description of such hopelessness: “Brief and powerless is man’s life. On his and all his race, the slow sure doom falls, pitiless and dark.”

Instead of enjoying Christian liberty and anticipating a home in heaven, those who reject resurrection are slaves to the present, with no real hope or meaning in life. Career, family, and good works can offer brief pleasure but not the kind of joy that comes from knowing we are right with the Lord and working in His will.

Resurrection is not a denominational issue or a point for theological debate. Either we believe Christ rose from the dead and ascended to heaven or we do not. If we reject His victory over the grave, we deny ourselves a place in eternity. But if we accept the truth, Paul assures that we will be saved.

With a multitude of activities cluttering our daily schedules, it is difficult to hear the still, small voice of God as He whispers His answers to our greatest needs. We gain clarity and direction when we voluntarily separate ourselves from the clamor of life, sit in God’s presence, and quietly pray.

Scripture reveals a few powerful glimpses of Jesus’ example of prayerful solitude:

• Before he called the 12 apostles to service, Jesus spent an entire night praying alone (Luke 6:12).
• In the transfiguration account, Jesus and three apostles ventured off for a time of prayer on the mountain (Luke 9:28).
• Jesus took refuge in private prayer after feeding the masses (Matt. 14:23; Mark 6:46; John 6:15).
• The most memorable account of the Messiah separating from the crowds to pray involves the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-46). The biblical account of this moonlit prayer session reveals clues to how we can develop our own effective prayer life:

Seek God’s will – Jesus understood that the Father’s will was the most important goal (Matt. 26:39, 42; Mark 14:36). Likewise, our aim needs to be obedience to Him.
Understand the importance of time alone with God – Jesus kept praying, regardless of whether others would intercede on His behalf (Matt. 26: 43-44). Though friends and family may want to support us, we have the ultimate responsibility to personally talk to the Lord about our needs.
Wait for God’s answer – Jesus’ soul was heavy with the grief  of knowing that His crucifixion was imminent, yet He prayed three different times (Matt. 26:39-44). We must have a commitment to seek God repeatedly  in prayer.
Embrace the comfort of God – Jesus was comforted by an angel (Luke 22:43). The Father will also see to it that we are comforted in our troubles, especially when we take time to earnestly seek His answer to our problems.

Questions for Reflection
1. Do you spend time alone with God each day?

How can you improve the quality and focus of that time?

2. Jesus took His most private longings to God.

What prayers are on your heart today?

Take time to share them with the Lord in a quiet environment.

(from April 2009 issue of In Touch magazine)