What would Jesus write in the dirt if you stood in front of Him? How would you respond?

"Some people find fault like there is a reward for it."-ZIG ZIGLAR

JULY 25.

A FRIEND OF SINNERS.

The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, "Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!"

LUKE 7:34.

JESUS NEVER FORGOT the reason He came. After a few years of ministry, He could have closed ranks, gathered His followers, and lived a comfortable life as a respected rabbi, but He kept taking risks to reach out to sinners-and He caught a lot of flak for it.

The religious establishment ridiculed Jesus because He spent so much time with "unclean" people, sick people, and people with questionable reputations. a.s.sociating with them, they were certain, couldn't possibly be G.o.d's will. If those people straightened out their lives and did all the right things, maybe then they would be acceptable. Before that, though, the riffraff were off-limits.

How do addicts, adulterers, agnostics, and homeless people feel when they walk through the doors of our churches? How do they feel when they sit next to us at church or stand next to us at the coffee shop? Do we look down our noses at them, judging them as inferior? Even those furthest from G.o.d didn't feel rejected by Jesus. They delighted in His presence, not because He lowered His standards of righteousness, but because He raised His standard of authentic love for them.

Who are the "tax collectors and sinners" in your neighborhood with whom few people want to spend time? Who are the outcasts at work, or maybe in your family? Jesus proved to be the friend of such people. You can too.

Who are the "tax collectors and sinners" in your world?

How do they feel around you? How do you want them to feel?

"While dining with sinners, Jesus was dreaming of their becoming saints."-IKE REIGHARD

JULY 26.

A FRESH LOOK AT DYING.

The righteous perishes, and no man takes it to heart; merciful men are taken away, while no one considers that the righteous is taken away from evil. He shall enter into peace; they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

ISAIAH 57:1-2.

WE GRIEVE AT FUNERALS because we miss the person we love, and rightly so. The person's death may bring a sense of relief if he or she suffered from a debilitating illness for many years. But escape from physical pain is only part of the relief believers experience when they walk through life's portals into the presence of Christ. They also escape the presence of evil.

Fish probably aren't aware they're wet, and we probably aren't aware of the impact of evil on our lives because we've never been completely separated from it. As believers, we've said no to sin a million times, and we've tasted the delights of knowing G.o.d, but in this life, the smell of sin has always remained.

At the moment our spirits depart our bodies, though, an amazing thing happens. All evidences of evil-bitterness, greed, jealousy, hatred, sickness, aging, and so forth-vanish as we enter G.o.d's presence. There, we "enter into peace," perfect peace that we've never known before, with rest and with activity that fulfills us like nothing we've ever enjoyed before.

Knowing that this delight awaits us gives us patience and perspective today.

What do you think it will be like to escape the presence of evil?

How does this perspective give you strength and hope for today?

"I am ready to meet G.o.d face to face tonight and look into those eyes of infinite holiness, for all my sins are covered by the atoning blood."-R. A. TORREY

JULY 27.

HOLDING ON TO THE HAND OF G.o.d.

I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

PSALM 73:22-24.

THE PSALMIST ASAPH was so angry he couldn't see straight! He felt that he had been given a b.u.m deal: Evil people were flourishing, but he had followed G.o.d and was struggling. It wasn't fair! He lashed out at G.o.d, and he sulked in self-pity. He doesn't tell us exactly what he said to G.o.d, but we can be sure that it wasn't pretty because he described himself as "a beast."

In one of the most poignant and beautiful pa.s.sages in the Bible, we find that when Asaph was at his worst, G.o.d was at His best. Asaph ranted and raved at G.o.d, but G.o.d continued to be loving, patient, and kind toward him. In fact, G.o.d kept holding his hand like a loving mother firmly and patiently holds the hand of a toddler in a tantrum.

G.o.d gave Asaph the a.s.surance that He would lead him down the right path, and at the end of that season or the end of life itself, G.o.d would gladly receive him in love.

When we are at our worst, we often imagine that G.o.d is fiercely resentful or that He turns His back on us in disgust. We may have experienced those responses from our parents, siblings, spouses, or other people, but G.o.d's response is quite different. Even when we are beasts, He stays near, patiently loving us, rea.s.suring us, and holding our hands. What a statement of His grace!

When you are at your worst, how have you imagined G.o.d responding to you?

What difference does it (will it) make to realize that He is patient, loving, kind, and near when you are angry with Him?

"I pray G.o.d I may be given the wisdom and the providence to do my duty in the true spirit of this great people."-WOODROW WILSON

JULY 28.

SIGNED, SEALED, AND DELIVERED.

He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is G.o.d, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

2 CORINTHIANS 1:21-22.

A SURVEY OF CHURCH ATTENDERS shows that half of them don't know if they'll go to heaven when they die. They live in the ethereal world of hope and fear, wondering if they've done enough, if G.o.d is good enough, and if all they've heard about G.o.d is really true. People, though, don't have to live with fear and doubt.

Look at the words Paul uses to describe the certainty of our relationship with Christ. He said that G.o.d "establishes" us in His grace and forgiveness like an unshakable building on a strong foundation. He explained that G.o.d "sealed" us. In the Roman world, this was a very significant a.n.a.logy. The authority of Rome was unquestioned. When a Roman governor put his seal on something, it signified ownership and security. Nothing could break the Roman seal, and nothing, Paul infers, can break G.o.d's seal of ownership and security in our lives.

But that's not all. Paul finishes with a flourish by telling us that the Holy Spirit's presence in our hearts is a guarantee that we'll live with G.o.d for eternity. True believers sense His presence, if not continually, at least enough to be convinced that we belong to Him.

Can people be sure of their eternal destiny? According to Paul, the answer is a resounding yes!

Before you read this pa.s.sage, how sure were you that you were heaven bound?

And now? Explain your answer.

"You don't have to worry about tomorrow because G.o.d is already there."-ZIG ZIGLAR

JULY 29.

ABIGAIL'S GIFT

David said to Abigail: "Blessed is the LORD G.o.d of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed is your advice and blessed are you, because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand."

1 SAMUEL 25:32-33.

ABIGAIL WAS MARRIED to a first-cla.s.s jerk. King David's men had been fighting a war for a long time, and when they arrived near Nabal and Abigail's home, they were hungry. The men asked for something to eat, but Nabal wasn't gracious. In fact, he didn't even meet the minimum standard of propriety to provide for strangers. He coldly dismissed the men, who soon reported the rebuke to David (see 1 Samuel 25:3-13).

David had shown remarkable restraint when King Saul treated him badly, but restraint went out the window this time! David and his men headed to Nabal's house with only one thing on their minds: revenge. Abigail, though, heard they were coming and realized the encounter would bring bloodshed that ultimately might harm David's reputation. She loaded up some donkeys with food and intercepted David before he reached the house. When she gave him the food, she also humbly gave David advice to avoid his killing her husband (see 1 Samuel 25:24-31).

David grasped Abigail's wisdom. After David and his men left with the food, G.o.d stepped in. Nabal dropped over dead after a banquet. David sent for Abigail, and the two of them were married.

When we're in a difficult situation or relationship, we may want to resolve the problem ourselves. We need, though, to trust G.o.d and act wisely. Abigail didn't kill her husband, and when David wanted to kill him, she stepped between them. G.o.d rewarded her integrity and wisdom, and He'll reward ours, too. When we want to take things into our own hands, we need to stop, trust G.o.d, and know that sooner or later our time is coming.

How would you have acted if you had been Abigail? if you had been David?

What are some situations you face in which you are tempted to take things into your own hands instead of trusting G.o.d?

"The solution to a problem I had wrestled with for three solid months came to me when I completely forgot about my needs and became engrossed in finding a way to meet the needs of others."-ZIG ZIGLAR

JULY 30.

TRUE CONFESSION.

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that G.o.d has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

ROMANS 10:9.

MANY PEOPLE ARE TERRIBLY CONFUSED about what it means to become a Christian. They can't fathom the startling concept of grace: G.o.d's unmerited favor toward sinners like us. They cling to the false notion that G.o.d is a stern teacher and the hope that He grades on a curve!

Others among us dive into the Bible and come up with a million requirements for being a child of G.o.d or evidences that our faith is real. Perhaps we say that we can't know we're Christians unless we t.i.the, go to church every Sunday, read the Bible thirty minutes each day (or is it an hour?), pray a certain way, and on and on. Of course, those things are important to help us grow in our faith, but they don't earn us a place in heaven. We do them because we want to, not because we have to.

Paul made it clear and simple: Two fundamental truths are essential to salvation. First, we must agree that the Jesus who walked the earth is also the G.o.d of the universe. The term Lord refers to Yahweh of the Old Testament, the G.o.d who met with Moses and led him and the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. Jesus wasn't just a good man who died a martyr's death. He was Almighty G.o.d who came as the Lamb of G.o.d to take away the sins of the world. To pay for the sins of others, He had to be sinless Himself-G.o.d in the flesh.