NOVEMBER 9.

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

[Jesus] said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with G.o.d."

LUKE 18:27.

JESUS HAD JUST HAD AN ENCOUNTER with a rich man whose possessions and wealth were more important to him than experiencing G.o.d's love. As the man walked away, Jesus commented to His followers, "It's hard for rich people to enter the kingdom" (see Luke 18:24). His followers were shocked. Rich people had more time to pray, more resources to spend on religious rituals, and more of everything that seemed good in the world. They were highly respected. The confused disciples asked Jesus, "Who then can be saved?" (Luke 18:26).

Jesus changed the direction of the conversation. A changed heart, Jesus explained, is G.o.d's business. Wealth or poverty, health or sickness, academic brilliance or down-home simplicity-none of that matters. All these things can be roadblocks to a person's trusting in G.o.d, but G.o.d can easily overcome any obstacle.

Some of us need to hear Jesus' message again today. We've been praying for someone for years, and to be honest, we don't see any progress. We long for this person to come to Christ, to experience forgiveness and find peace and hope and joy. Every overture we've offered has been ignored or rebuffed, and we're close to giving up. Jesus is encouraging us, "Don't stop believing. It may look impossible, but all things are possible with G.o.d. Keep praying, keep believing, and keep watching for Me to work in this person's life."

Is there someone in your life who seems to be impossible?

What is Jesus saying to you about what's possible with G.o.d?

"I'm so optimistic I'd go after Moby d.i.c.k in a rowboat and take the tartar sauce with me."-ZIG ZIGLAR

NOVEMBER 10.

A CONSUMING FIRE.

Since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve G.o.d acceptably with reverence and G.o.dly fear. For our G.o.d is a consuming fire.

HEBREWS 12:28-29.

THE WRITER TO THE HEBREWS began his letter by explaining that Jesus Christ is more exalted than angels and greater than their renowned leader Moses (see Hebrews 1:4; 3:3). Throughout his writing, he warned people to avoid complacency in their faith and to remain true to G.o.d. Now, at the end of the letter, he reminds them that they someday will enter heaven, and at that time of judgment, the whole earth will be shaken.

The proper response to the truth of Christ's supremacy, the hope of heaven for believers, and the certainty of judgment for unbelievers is to ask G.o.d for grace so that we may serve Him "acceptably with reverence and G.o.dly fear."

Fear? We think faith, hope, and love are appropriate, so what is this fear about? We make a mistake when we reduce G.o.d to a peer, someone we can take or leave depending on our mood and whether He makes us feel good at the moment. Throughout the Scriptures, however, we find that people who have any inkling of the greatness of G.o.d fall to the ground in abject awe. He isn't the sweet guy in many of our drawings of Him, and He isn't the fuzzy fellow we used to find in flannelgraph puppets in Sunday school. He is the Author of life, the Creator of the universe, the Alpha and the Omega, One whose presence was so terrifying that His best friend, John, fainted at the vision of Him in His glory (see Revelation 1:17). Our G.o.d is merciful and kind, it's true, but He is also a consuming fire. We will be wise not to forget that.

What happens to our faith when we lose sight of the awesome nature of G.o.d?

In your conception of G.o.d, is He both gracious and amazingly powerful? Explain your answer.

"The truth is, fear and immorality are two of the greatest inhibitors of performance."-ZIG ZIGLAR

NOVEMBER 11.

WHEN IT'S OKAY TO TEST G.o.d

"Bring all the t.i.thes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it."

MALACHI 3:10.

OUR FAITH IN G.o.d shouldn't be left in a devotional notebook or in the pew on Sunday. It should make a difference in the most basic areas of our lives- relationships, purpose, and money. Many of us gladly read the Bible and sing hymns, but we want to keep G.o.d out of our finances. That's my business, we think but seldom say to Him.

Our perspectives about money, though, cut to the heart of our values. Our use of money, in fact, reveals what we really believe about G.o.d, about His purposes and provisions, and about our relationship with Him. We are told to avoid testing G.o.d as a general rule because it demonstrates a lack of faith, but G.o.d invites us to test Him in our use of money.

Generosity is the hallmark of true faith, and G.o.d promises that He will reward generosity by opening the windows of heaven to pour out blessings on us! Will we take Him at His word?

Some Bible teachers say that the blessings are always "in kind"; that is, G.o.d rewards us financially for our generous giving of money to His work. Others say that G.o.d has many different ways to bless His generous children. Either way, the promise is that we'll feel enormously blessed if we open our hearts and our wallets to give gladly and liberally to G.o.d's mission.

The only reason we would fail to capitalize on this "sure thing" is that we simply don't believe G.o.d is trustworthy to fulfill His promise.

What does your level of generosity say about your trust in G.o.d's faithfulness?

What would it look like for you to test G.o.d by being generous?

"If we pack our measures down and run them over, that's the way they will come back. This applies to all areas of life: material, spiritual, and emotional. The evidence is overwhelming-those who give more, get more." -ZIG ZIGLAR

NOVEMBER 12.

IT'S TIME

Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of G.o.d, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of G.o.d is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

MARK 1:14-15.

IN THE ENTIRE SWEEP OF HISTORY, G.o.d could have chosen any moment or place for Christ to step out of eternity into time, but He chose a backwater Roman province two thousand years ago, before the era of ma.s.s communication. If it had been our decision, we might have chosen a time when we could see Christ's every move on CNN, but G.o.d had a different agenda. The pinnacle of human history took place at the time and place of His choosing, not ours, and people had the opportunity to believe in Him.

In the same way, every person has a time and place where the gospel comes to him or her, and a choice is offered. Paul later wrote that G.o.d gives enough light to every person to respond to G.o.d, so no one has an excuse (see Romans 1:19-20). Jesus didn't come with a slick, convincing advertising campaign. He came as a humble, itinerant preacher with a ragtag band of followers. And today, He comes to people in the form of a friend reaching out to say, "Hey, I care about you. Let me tell you the best news I've ever heard." And when they hear the news of G.o.d's love, it's time for a decision.

Do you believe G.o.d orchestrates a moment (or several of them) for people to hear the gospel and respond, or is it just by chance?

How will you know if it's time for your family members and friends to hear?

"I believe the greatest single mistake Christians make is not using sales knowledge and common sense in spreading the word about the benefits of walking through this life with Jesus Christ."-ZIG ZIGLAR

NOVEMBER 13.

THANK G.o.d FOR A SECOND CHANCE.

Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, G.o.d called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."

EXODUS 3:3-4.

WE OFTEN THINK OF MOSES as the great leader of Israel who led G.o.d's people out of slavery in Egypt. We imagine him at the burning bush, and we think of him standing at the Red Sea when G.o.d parted it for the people to pa.s.s to the other side. Moses was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known, but that's only half of the story.

We need to remember that the events we know so well happened after a tragic sin and many years of desolation. Moses had murdered an Egyptian (see Exodus 2:11-15). His motive may have been to help his people, but murder is murder. G.o.d sent him to the backside of nowhere for forty long, dusty, lonely years. During all that time, how many times did Moses think of giving up? How often did he think his life was over? Did he despair that his life would never have meaning again?

But G.o.d gave him a second chance. It didn't come when Moses wanted or expected it, but when it came, he responded. Even then, his response wasn't perfect. He hesitated, doubting his ability to do what G.o.d told him to do, but still, he chose to obey and move forward.

Many of us have blown it in a big way, either at work or at home, publicly or privately. We've experienced the consequences of our sins, and we feel like we've been exiled to a foreign land. Will we ever have a second chance? G.o.d is amazingly gracious. We don't deserve a second chance, but He gives it-and maybe a third and a fourth, too. We may wait for a long time, but when it comes, we need to be ready to respond.

Whom do you know who feels exiled and needs a second chance?

What are some ways we can be ready to respond when the second chance comes?

"Other people and things can stop you temporarily. You are the only one who can do it permanently."-ZIG ZIGLAR

NOVEMBER 14.

DON'T BLUSH

[Jesus said,] "Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

MARK 8:38.

JESUS' HARSH WARNING is hard for us to hear. It's difficult to imagine our being ashamed of Christ. It's like a freed prisoner being ashamed of his rescuer, who risked his life to free him. But many of us are reluctant to speak up for Christ when we have the opportunity. How can that be?

At one point, Jesus told the religious leaders that their faith was weak because they "loved the approval of men rather than the approval of G.o.d" (John 12:43, NASB). That's the heart of the matter. When a flesh-and-blood person is standing in front of us, it's easy to rationalize and make excuses for being silent. Suddenly, we can think of lots of reasons we need to be quiet! But if Jesus was standing there and we had to choose between the two, we'd probably speak out for Him much more often.

The truth is that He is standing there. He is present in every conversation and in every place and moment. If we take a minute and reflect on what He has done for us, our boldness will return. We were lost, but He found us. We wandered in darkness, but He is our light. We were doomed to eternal condemnation, but He has given us eternal life. We were prisoners without hope, but He set us free.

Think about these things often, and when the moment of decision arrives, be certain that He is right beside you cheering you on. Don't let Him down.

When have you been bold for Christ, and when have you been ashamed?

How will reflecting on His grace and His presence help you be bold?

"You do not have to be a theologian or a Bible scholar to share your faith and teach a cla.s.s of small children. If we wait until we know everything before we start sharing, we will never share because no one knows all the mysteries of G.o.d."-ZIG ZIGLAR

NOVEMBER 15.