What are some things G.o.d has prepared for us in eternity? Too often, we think of heaven as a place where people wear robes and play harps or sit through endless church services. Those images don't sound very inviting! Instead, an accurate picture of heaven is one of adventure, variety, and creativity. G.o.d promises us new bodies that are like Jesus' resurrected body (see 1 Corinthians 15:42-49; 2 Corinthians 5:1-3, NLT). Will we levitate and pa.s.s through solids? We'll see.

Jesus said He was leaving earth "to prepare a place" for us (John 14:2). We don't know exactly what heaven looks like, but we do know that we will rule with Him over the new heaven and new earth.

What can you imagine that G.o.d has prepared for you in heaven?

What do you look forward to most?

"If we really understood Heaven, we would be most unhappy and unsatisfied with life on earth. We would rebel against our earthly limitations. If we saw Heaven, we could not bear this earth. That's why Heaven is forever: we cannot bear to leave it after we get there."-C. L. ALLEN

AUGUST 24.

A VERY BIG QUESTION.

Do you not know that you are the temple of G.o.d and that the Spirit of G.o.d dwells in you?

1 CORINTHIANS 3:16.

ONE OF THE MOST ASTOUNDING TRUTHS of the Christian life is that the moment we trust in Christ as our Savior, His Spirit takes up residence in our bodies. Yes, that's right, inside us. Paul relates this insight immediately after explaining that a day is coming when all our actions and att.i.tudes will pa.s.s through the fire to be graded by Christ (see 1 Corinthians 3:12-15). What's the connection between being a temple of the Holy Spirit and this report card?

G.o.d doesn't ask us to love the unlovely, live with courageous faith, and forgive our enemies on our own. He knows we can't do it by ourselves, so He gives us His Spirit to guide and empower us to do His will. The Spirit uses the truth of Scripture, His gentle nudge, circ.u.mstances, and the wisdom of mature friends to guide us, and He transforms our hearts to care more about Him and others than about our selfish interests.

The Spirit provides supernatural resources to equip us, but Paul's question also implies that we live under the watchful eye of the One who lives inside us. Nothing-literally nothing-escapes His notice. We obey Christ, then, for many different reasons: the promise of rewards, the Spirit's resources to enable and empower us, and the reminder that we live under His all-seeing eyes. Together, they form a powerful motivational punch to keep us pursuing G.o.d and His purposes.

On a scale of zero (not at all) to ten (all day every day), how much are you aware of the Spirit's presence in you?

Does the fact that He lives inside you motivate you? Explain your answer.

"It is gloriously exciting to know that we can stay connected to the source of all power and authority just by opening our hearts and our minds to Him."-ZIG ZIGLAR

AUGUST 25.

DON'T KID YOURSELF

Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

JAMES 1:22.

JUST AS SITTING IN A GARAGE doesn't make us a car, sitting in a church doesn't make us real Christians. But when we experience a genuine regeneration through Christ, it changes everything we are, everything we do, and everywhere we go.

How many times do we sit through a church service, only to forget all but one or two points when someone at lunch asks, "What was the message about today?" Many of us don't absorb what we hear because we haven't made a previous commitment to act on what we will hear. The commitment to obey sharpens our minds and galvanizes our wills to put the truth into action.

In Christ's day, the religious leaders taught about G.o.d, His laws, and His ways, but they failed to live by the basic tenet of loving G.o.d with all their hearts and their neighbors as themselves. They were satisfied-in fact, they were proud-of words without actions and plat.i.tudes without commitments. They deceived themselves, believing that words were enough.

The decision to absorb truth so that it transforms our behavior is made before we walk through the church door or put in the CD of the talk. We resolve to be disciples, men and women who represent the heart and message of Christ each and every day. To fulfill that commitment, we know we need all the help we can get, so we listen intently, take notes, talk to friends about specific applications, and make plans to make a difference. That's how we become "doers of the word, and not hearers only."

Are you a doer or only a hearer? Explain your answer.

Have you made the decision to represent Christ? How does (or will) that decision change how you listen to truth?

"The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the wrong reason."-T. S. ELIOT

AUGUST 26.

USELESS RELIGION.

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.

JAMES 1:26.

WE'VE KNOWN SINCE CHILDHOOD that the thighbone is connected to the knee bone, and James tells us that the heart is connected to the tongue. In fact, James has quite a lot to say about our speech. He reminds us that we can use it to bless or to curse, to heal or to destroy. Though the tongue is small, it has the capacity to do big things.

Our language and tone of voice reflect the content of our hearts. If our hearts are in alignment with Christ's love and purposes, our tongues communicate warmth, forgiveness, acceptance, and wisdom. If our hearts aren't aligned with G.o.d's mission, however, we may claim to be following Christ, but we are deceiving ourselves. Our speech, then, is an accurate measuring device that shows the true content of our hearts.

Useless religion is a powerful term. Religion promises to put us in touch with G.o.d, enable us to experience His presence, and change our lives. The inability to control our tongues shows that G.o.d hasn't actually touched our hearts, transformation hasn't taken place, and the grand promises haven't become true for us.

This sobering a.s.sessment may be painful, but it can be the beginning of a new day! The realization that our hearts are still hard can bring us to a point where we cry out for G.o.d to work deeply, powerfully, and specifically in our lives. A fearless and searching inventory of our tongues and our hearts may be heart wrenching, but not nearly as painful as finding out later that our religion has been useless.

What does your speech in the past twenty-four hours indicate about the content of your heart?

What changes need to be made so that your religion isn't useless?

"There is no blessing until we look deep down in our own soul and see our spiritual life as it really is."-ALAN REDPATH

AUGUST 27.

THE TRUMPET'S SOUND

If the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?

1 CORINTHIANS 14:8.

PAUL ENCOURAGED the Corinthians to use clear language in communicating truth to one another, and one of the a.n.a.logies he used was the sound of a trumpet. In that day and up into the twentieth century, military commanders communicated orders to their troops with distinct trumpet sounds. It was important for the trumpeter to blow strong, long, and clearly so every soldier would know whether to advance or retreat, to stand and fight, or to move to the left or right.

The trumpeter, though, was a man with hopes and fears like any other. He was positioned near the commander, and he heard the officers discuss the options and consequences on the battlefield. If he heard that they all might be slaughtered, his lips could pucker when he tried to blow the horn and he would make "an uncertain sound." The soldiers in the line weren't fools. They could distinguish a confident trumpet sound from a warbled one, and they surmised that the uncertain sound might indicate greater danger. Naturally, the uncertain sound caused them to look for a way out!

In the same way, unclear language as we talk about Christ causes people around us to look for a way out too! We don't have to be theologians to talk about Christ, but we need to focus on the basics of the faith-especially when we're talking to unbelievers or those who are new in their faith. We may want to impress people with our vast knowledge of eschatological metaphysics, but we'd best leave that to the seminarians.

Focus on Christ and the changes He has made in your life. Blow your trumpet loud, clear, and strong, and everybody will benefit.

How do you feel and respond when someone talks unclearly about spiritual things?

What spiritual topics can you talk about easily and clearly?

"Att.i.tude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circ.u.mstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company . . . a church . . . a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the att.i.tude we will embrace for that day. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. . . . We are in charge of our att.i.tudes."-CHARLES SWINDOLL

AUGUST 28.

KNOW WHAT YOU'VE GOT

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

HEBREWS 13:5.

WANTING WHAT OTHERS HAVE comes from either insecurity or greed. When we feel insecure, we check out what others have, what they wear, what they drive, where they go on vacation, and all other external measuring sticks. We have a pecking order in our minds, and we see where we are on that list. If we're far enough up the list, we feel okay, but if we're too far down, we crave the trappings that promise to make us look successful and beautiful. On the other hand, we may just be greedy and want more than what we have. Either way, craving things steals our hearts and ruins relationships.

The writer to the Hebrews tells us to recognize coveting, no matter what its cause, and get rid of it, replacing it with a deep sense of contentment. Where does the contentment come from? From acknowledging that everything we have and everything we are come from G.o.d. For our hearts to be filled with His grace and strength, we don't need anything else. The absence of things, however, is only part of the story of contentment. True contentment comes from a rich, real relationship with Christ. He promises to be as near as our breath, and He'll never leave us for a second.

A craving for things reveals an empty-or at least a partially empty-heart, one that can be filled and overflowing with the presence of our King, Savior, and Best Friend.

How much do you crave things? What do you hope they'll do for you?

In what way does Christ's presence give us true contentment?

"It is a dangerous thing to ask why someone else has been given more. It is humbling and indeed healthy to ask why you have been given so much."-CONDOLEEZZA RICE

AUGUST 29.

PROSPERITY THEOLOGY-REALLY!

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

3 JOHN 1:2.

WE LIVE IN THE "AGE OF STUFF." Everywhere we look, we see the incredible wealth of our culture-and none of us want to be left out! In some Christian circles, leaders have adopted the desire for more possessions and pleasure, and they promise their followers that G.o.d wants them to have even more stuff.

Does G.o.d want us to prosper? Yes, but we need to be very careful not to put the cart before the horse. G.o.d's primary benchmark for prosperity is that we would be "rich toward G.o.d" (Luke 12:21), to love Him so much that all other desires pale in comparison. Jesus taught that true fulfillment comes from "losing our lives" in our affection and obedience to G.o.d, not by acquiring more possessions and enjoying more pleasures (see John 12:24-26).