“And Ittai answered the king and said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.’”

— 2 Samuel 15:21

Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? Have you experienced the heartache of disloyalty? In our mobile society where divorce, the breakdown of families, corporate mergers, and hostile takeovers are commonplace, loyalty is sometimes a rare quality. Often it seems that everybody’s out for “number one.” Yet loyalty is one of the most fragrant and lovely of all the flowers that grow in the garden of the soul. Does it grow in your soul?

We can learn about loyalty from an obscure Bible character, Ittai the Gittite. When David’s rebellious son, Absalom, tried to steal the throne from his father, forcing David into temporary exile, many within the kingdom went over to Absalom’s side. Others remained loyal to David and fled with him. When David saw Ittai the Gittite among those who had followed him, David warned Ittai to turn back lest he be killed. But Ittai said that he would follow David to help him, even if it meant death.

Ittai was a tremendously loyal person. He was willing to sacrifice his life to be in the presence of the one who held his affections. Something about David captured Ittai’s heart. Despite David’s one great fall, he had a great, generous, and noble spirit that attracted so many. Ittai was drawn to him and attached his heart to him, pledging his loyalty even to the point of death.

We, too, have Someone to whom we must remain loyal, Someone of great, generous, and noble spirit—our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is worthy of our attaching our hearts to Him. As we pledge our loyalty to Christ, we could change the world.

“It will cost me to be loyal to Christ—but it will also pay.”
Eleanor Doan

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away … Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

— Revelation 21:1–2

Do you ever wonder what Heaven will be like? I know none of us can possibly imagine its splendor. In the last two chapters of Revelation, we do get a glimpse of the glory to come as John pulls the curtain aside for a few moments. What marvelous pictures he paints as he dips his hand into all earthly beauty and heavenly light. He has taken the most magnificent things known to humankind and used them to paint the picture of the holy city, the new Jerusalem. What a marvelous place it must be—a city with foundations and walls made of precious stones, with streets and buildings and towers made of pure gold. The Tree of Life will stand by the crystal river, and all the treasures of the nations will be brought in. Should we take John’s picture literally, or is it merely a symbol? If John’s representation is just a pale picture of some greater reality, then Heaven’s glory is beyond the ability of the human tongue to declare.

When earth seems intolerable to you, think of Heaven, our true home. It seems our longing for Heaven diminishes with the increase of our material goods. But when we have great need, when our troubles increase, then we long for Heaven. Perhaps God even allows a certain amount of our needs to go unmet or certain troubles to come our way so that our longing for our true home will not grow too dim. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

We are pilgrims and strangers here, so let’s not get too attached to our earthly existence. Our true citizenship is in Heaven. Today, whether you endure great trial or experience tremendous joy, set your sights on Heaven. Remember and long for your true home.

“When all my labors and trials are over, and I
am safe on the beautiful shore, just to be near
the Lord I adore, that will be glory for me.”
Charles H. Gabriel

“‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath …”

— Ephesians 4:26

How is your temper? Do you keep your anger in check, or have you let anger sink its roots into your life? Unfortunately, an untold number of people go through their entire lives angry. Virtually any psychiatrist or psychologist would say that as many as ninety percent of their patients have problems somehow related to anger. Sadly, our anger seeps its way into our happiness, homes, and friendships, eroding the foundations of these blessings. Clearly, God desires better for us.

So how do we temper our temper? The Bible has a few pointers for us. First of all, we need to realize that any unjustified anger is a serious sin. Jesus said, “But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” Knowing that unjustified anger is a sin, we need to repent of it, and by God’s grace, do all we can to rid ourselves of it. Second, we need to forgive those who have slighted us. Remember that when the Jews and Romans wounded Jesus, He did not wound in return. Rather He said, “Father, forgive them.” We need to forgive from our hearts those who have injured us. Third, we need to redirect our anger. If possible, we need to turn our anger away from those who hurt us and use it constructively to resolve the problem at hand. We need also to live by the important Biblical advice given to us: “A soft answer turneth away wrath.”

No emotion in and of itself is evil, including anger. It becomes evil when we allow it outside the limits and structure that God has established. When our anger gets to that point, we need to confess it and repent of it. If you feel angry today, don’t let the sun go down on your wrath. Bring it to God, and allow Him to begin a healing work in your heart. Do what you can to reconcile with the person you feel angry with. Determine, by the power of the Spirit, to forgive and to work constructively toward a solution.

“It is he who is in the wrong who first gets angry.”
William Penn

“… each one’s work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

— 1 Corinthians 3:13–14

Let us get it clear once and for all: Heaven is a “free gift,” not an “earned reward.” I once saw a pamphlet with this question on the cover: “What must you do to go to heaven?” I opened it up, and the inside was blank. This pamphlet clearly communicated the message that we can do nothing to earn our salvation. Jesus has already paid the price in full for you and for me. Isn’t that an incredible truth?

We can’t save ourselves through good deeds, but we can do good works as a way of thanking God for our salvation. The Bible says that God will reward us in Heaven for these works of thanksgiving. Scripture doesn’t tell us what rewards we’ll receive, but it does tell us how to earn them. God sets aside rewards for those who experience persecution for Christ’s sake (Matthew 5:12). He also rewards those who are good stewards of the things God has given to them (Matthew 25:21). God has also planned special rewards for those who love their enemies (Luke 6:35) and especially for those who faithfully witness to others (John 4:35–36).

Keep in mind that at the Final Judgment the fire will try our works to see which will last as heavenly rewards. According to the Bible, some of us build with gold, silver, and precious stones, while others of us build with wood, hay, and stubble. Through the fire, the gold, silver, and precious stones will remain, but the wood, hay, and stubble will go up in smoke. The worst disaster that could befall a human being is to lose his or her soul, but those of us who believe in Jesus’ gift needn’t fear that fate. However, we may face the second-worst disaster—watching all the work of our lifetimes burned up in the fire at the Final Judgment (1 Corinthians 3:15).

Are you investing your time this day to make an eternal impact? Are you building with gold, silver, and precious stone or with wood, hay, and stubble? I encourage you to do good deeds with eternity in mind, so that at the Final Judgment you may receive the best reward of all—hearing God say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

“The only test that really matters in life is that ultimate one,
which will test the quality of our life’s work.”

“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

— 2 Corinthians 3:17

Are you ever confused about what’s right and wrong in our world today? You’re not alone. Part of the problem is a confusion between liberty (which we could define as the freedom to do right) and license (which we could define as the freedom to do wrong).

Our salvation is not a license to sin. It is a deliverance from sin. When Jesus first began His public ministry, what did He say? Repent. Though we have saving faith in Christ, we must still turn from sin and to God. The apostle John writes, “Do not love the world or the things in the world” (1 John 2:15), for loving the world is antithetical to loving the Father.

Neither God nor the founders of this country intended for anyone to abuse liberty as license. However, today many openly confuse liberty with license to do whatever their desires lead them to do. Sin has become flagrant in our society. Many people today look upon Christianity as an impediment to their “freedom,” that is, their freedom to sin. But these people have transformed liberty into license, and in the worst form of licentiousness, they don’t want anybody speaking against their actions or in any way restraining them. Ironically, claiming freedom to do whatever they want, these people are actually in bondage to their sinful natures, for whoever sins is a slave to sin. But Christ came to free us from sin and from the penalty of sin. Let’s walk, then, in that liberty today by yielding ourselves to Him afresh.

“He is the best friend of American liberty who is most sincere
and active in promoting pure and undefiled religion.”
John Witherspoon

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

— Ephesians 2:8–9

Have you ever tried to explain to someone what the word “faith” means? If you have, then you know that it’s a difficult concept to explain. Here’s a story that might help others understand the meaning of faith.

It was a dark night on the main road from Jackson to Vicksburg, Mississippi. It had rained heavily, but the storm had finally broken, and the pavement was not so slippery. A truck driver traveled down that stretch of highway, and since conditions had improved, he began to relax a bit. Suddenly he saw the twin taillights of the car in front of him melt into the road and disappear. The truck driver bolted upright with his startled eyes wide open. Such a thing could not happen. In the next fraction of a second, he saw the gaping black hole where once a bridge had spanned the river. The truck driver slammed on his brakes, and the wheels stopped instantly, but there was no longer a road beneath them. His truck sailed silently and eerily into the black void before him. As the truck sank into the water, the driver broke out the window, got out of the truck, and managed to swim to shore. Like a dripping scarecrow, he scrambled up the embankment to the road. As he climbed, he heard one car after another zoom smoothly into the gap and disappear. The only trace was a booming splash preceded by startled shrieks or cries. Finally, the truck driver made his way to the road and frantically waved his hands at the oncoming cars in the dark. But they did not stop. Sixteen people died that night because they had faith in a bridge that was no longer there.

In life, we maintain faith in many bridges—the bridge of successful achievements, the bridge of good deeds, the bridge of “I tried as hard as I could”—but all of these bridges are out. Faith in Christ is the only bridge we can rely on. It’s the only bridge that will get us across the river of temptation, the river of trial and affliction, the river of sin and guilt, the river of death. Without the bridge of faith in Jesus Christ, the dark waters would swallow up every one of us. As a survivor, will you warn others about the bridges that are out? You may be the only signal of the danger ahead.

“To believe in Christ is initial faith …
to assimilate Him is active faith.”
Cornelius Woelfkin

“… these words which I command you today shall be in your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

— Deuteronomy 6:6–7

Are you ever discouraged with your children? Let me encourage those of you who have children or hope to have children someday—whatever challenges you face in parenting, don’t ever give up. “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.” This familiar saying contains a Biblical truth: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Knowing how much parents love their children in all their moods and phases, God has given parents the responsibility for “bending the twig,” for training children in all aspects of life.

Surprising as it may seem, the American habit of sending children to public schools with the expectation that the schools will teach them everything is a relatively recent development. From the time the Pilgrims landed in the early 1600s to the middle of the nineteenth century, parents maintained responsibility for their children’s education. When public education first began, parents didn’t need to worry about what the schools would teach their children because, for the first hundred years, the curriculum included Bible reading and prayers. Today, I am sad to say, our society has allowed the eradication of both of these.

Because we can no longer rely upon the school system to support our Christian views, we must work even harder to ensure that our children grow in Christ. How do we bend the twig? Our children need a God-centered education, one that teaches sound moral principles, emphasizes their creation in God’s image, and presents the salvation message. They need to have high academic standards set for them and to have direction toward attaining these standards through discipline that includes guidelines, boundaries, and rewards. And we need to teach our children patriotism. Though our country has many flaws, it is still the most blessed nation on earth.

So don’t give up. Keep bending the twig. If you do, you will one day have a tree that stands tall and bears much fruit for God’s glory.

“Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter; I am the clay. Mold me and make
me after thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still.”
Adelaide Pollard

“O Death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

— 1 Corinthians 15:55, kjv

Someone once asked, “Who has not at some time in his life trembled at the thought of death? Who has been able to resist him?” All of our might and wisdom, all of our cunning and power have been to no avail before death’s invincible might.

But do you know that the great specter of death that has always clouded the horizon has been vanquished? Do you know that you no longer need fear the grave?

Against the heartless monster of death, God commissioned His Son, who sat at His right hand. Jesus willingly responded, “Lo, I have come to do Thy will.” Christ took upon Himself the task of confronting and overcoming our temptations, and He bore our sorrows. Finally, Jesus Christ gave Himself to mortal combat with death, laying down His life for us. He passed through that greatest of all ordeals so we wouldn’t have to; He allowed Himself to be bound in the grave that He might once and for all “break the bands of death.”

By His substitutionary death, Christ undermined the power and foundation of the grave. Christ’s light has overtaken the darkness of the grave, and His victory has disempowered the king of terrors—death. Because we share in this victory, we Christians should rejoice. The world over, people lack hope when anticipating death. But we who trust in the great Prince of Life need no longer fear death. We can look forward to Heaven, where the shadow of that specter shall never fall upon the threshold. Those dark, hollow eyes of the king of terrors, that have so inspired horror in millions, will then have become a joke. No longer will that bony finger of death beckon to anyone to come and follow him.

In light of Christ’s resurrection, Paul wrote, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” In the same way, you and I can rejoice today, knowing that death has been swallowed up in victory—all thanks to Jesus Christ.

“When the stars have burnt out, we who trust
in Christ will have just begun to live.”

“Therefore He says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.’”

— Ephesians 4:8

What does the phrase “He led captivity captive” mean? It may seem like a puzzle, but it’s not as confusing as it seems. Let me explain.

Before Christ came, all who died went to a place called, in the Hebrew, “Sheol.” Some people believe there were two compartments in Sheol, one for the wicked, and one for the righteous, but the Bible simply says that everybody went there. In this shadowy land controlled by Satan and his demons, believers waited for the Messiah to come set them free. After His crucifixion, before He ascended into Heaven, Jesus went to Sheol and rescued from the bonds of eternal death and torment all the saints of the Old Testament (those who had trusted in the promised Anointed One). Jesus led His beloved saints triumphantly to Heaven. This triumphant procession was the greatest victory march of all times, greater than any this world will ever see.

Because Jesus “led captivity captive,” we as Christians are all winners. We can partake in His victory and in the spoils of the spiritual war that rages all around us. However, in order to partake, we must first totally surrender our lives to Christ. We can’t hang onto control of our own lives. When British General Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington, he came dressed in his finest uniform and began to praise the American’s skill as a commander and military tactician. He continued in this way until Washington interrupted him and said, “Your sword, sir!” You see, Cornwallis hadn’t fully surrendered until he handed over his weapon. In the same way, we will not experience spiritual victory until first we have been conquered by Christ and have surrendered our lives to Him. Then by faith we can enter into that triumph as we identify ourselves with Him. By faith we can know that He has already won the victory. Since He turns our defeats into triumphs and works all things together for our good, we know we can face today with confidence in Him, come what may. Jesus is the ultimate “Commander in Chief.”

Is there anything that stands in the way of your complete devotion to Christ? If there is, I encourage you to surrender it to God right now. Don’t waste one minute before you start enjoying the spoils of your victory in Christ.

“If you are a Christian, God guarantees
that you are to be a winner.”

“… One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

— John 9:25

In nineteenth-century England, a nonbeliever once taunted a Christian who was a converted drunkard. The nonbeliever sneered, “Surely you don’t believe those Bible miracles, such as Christ turning water into wine.” The ex-drunkard replied, “If you think that’s a miracle, come to my home, and I’ll show you how Christ changed beer into carpets, chairs, and even a piano!” Christ had come to dwell in the heart of that converted drunkard and had transformed his inward life as well as his outward circumstances. As the Bible says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Have you allowed Jesus Christ to transform your life?

Jesus Christ is in the business of changing lives. He has done it throughout the centuries and continues to do it in our own day. And all of those changed by Him can echo what the blind man said when Christ gave him eyesight for the first time in his life: “One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

I often express this transforming power in economic terms: Jesus Christ changes many societal liabilities into societal assets. Many who, earlier in their lives, seemed to have nothing to offer have become great spiritual leaders. The Church couldn’t exist without people whose hearts Jesus Christ has transformed.

Have you been changed by receiving Christ’s lovingly offered gift of eternal life? If not, I urge you to give your life to Him today and watch Him change you for the good from the inside out.

“I wish that there were some wonderful place called the Land
of Beginning Again, Where all our mistakes and all our
heartaches and all of our poor selfish grief could be dropped
like a shabby old coat at the door, and never be put on again.”
Louise Fletcher Tarkington