TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 27:1-44.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Doomed voyages are a part of travel lore. But few trips went sour as quickly as the ill-fated balloon flight of Swedish explorer Salomon Andree and his two-man crew in July, 1897. Just minutes after launch, the balloon lost its drag ropes and drifted into oblivion. The men’s fate was unknown until their bodies were found on an island three hundred miles from the launch site—in 1930!

Andree’s diary reveals that the crew had survived for at least three months on the ice after their craft went down, eating raw bear with salt (among other things) in a vain attempt to preserve life.

Paul’s long-awaited voyage to Rome was also marked for trouble, and the apostle knew it (v. 10). But the Roman centurion, who was legally in charge of the ship, had prisoners to deliver. So he listened to the ship’s pilot, owner, and the majority of those on board (v. 12). So much for the democratic process!

The ship set sail with Paul and 275 others but quickly ran into a storm. While the terrified crew did everything they could to save the ship, Paul turned to a resource they evidently knew nothing about. Fortunately for everyone, he found a receptive audience this time as the soldiers cut the lifeboat loose to make sure everyone stayed put.

When things looked their bleakest, Paul assured the men in specific terms that they would survive the ordeal (v. 34). What a sight that must have been—Paul giving thanks for the bread in front of this ragged collection of soldiers, sailors and criminals.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Here’s a great example of why it’s important to stand for your God-given convictions, even if you have to stand alone. The vote against Paul was impressive, but the majority was impressively wrong!

If God is leading you to take a stand on an issue of conscience at work or in the community, or if a clear biblical principle is at stake, don’t be surprised if you find yourself standing alone. The advice of others may or may not be helpful, but majority opinion is seldom a reliable guide.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 28:1-31.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Five decades after their valor on the battlefields of World War II, seven black soldiers have finally been declared eligible to receive the Medal of Honor.

According to U.S. News & World Report, the seven nominees were identified in a fifteen-month study conducted by a team of military historians. “It’s been late, but it’s never too late to say it was a job well done,” said the only living member among the seven. Four of the men died in action during the war.

Fifty years is a long time to wait for a well-deserved honor. For some people, no honor comes in this lifetime. That was true for Paul. He deserved a medal, but instead was rewarded with chains.

But that was fine with the apostle, because he was looking to heaven for his reward (2 Tim. 4:6-8). After a harrowing trip worthy of any good adventure novel, Paul arrived in Rome to the greeting of a small band of Christians. Once in Rome, Paul got the same basic treatment he received in Caesarea: confinement without the benefit of a trial. Apparent-ly his accusers never bothered to present their case, so Paul remained under house arrest for two more years.

We would expect the great apostle to make the most of his time for the gospel’s sake, and the final chapter of Acts doesn’t disappoint us. He sought out the Jews in Rome and presented the gospel to them. True to form, some of the Jews believed and some rejected the truth, and Paul declared once more God’s intention for him to take the gospel to the Gentiles. The only thing missing from this encounter was the riot.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Back on August 1 we encouraged you to spend time praying about a situation you are facing in which God’s answer has been to wait.

Does today bring you any new insight into your situation? Perhaps your waiting is over because God has moved His hand in further answer to prayer. Or you may still be in spiritual limbo as God works His purposes.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Chronicles 28:11-21
Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. - 1 Chronicles 28:20
TODAY IN THE WORD
The words to a German hymn for a baby dedication pray: “This child we dedicate to Thee, / O God of grace and purity! / In thy great love its life prolong, / Shield it, we pray, from sin and wrong. / O may Thy Spirit gently draw / Its willing soul to keep Thy law; / May virtue, piety, and truth, / Dawn even with its dawning youth.”

In today's reading, it wouldn't be entirely inaccurate to imagine—on a national, royal scale—a church ceremony in which a child is dedicated to the Lord. In this case, the child, Solomon, was old enough to hear something like a sermon and stood on the verge of inheriting a kingship from his father and a covenant from the Lord. As we saw yesterday, David passed on to his son a solemn charge and building materials he had collected, but that wasn't all. He also gave him specific plans, including architectural blueprints, temple furnishing designs, and a personnel structure and list of ministry duties for the priests and Levites. Since we see that the Holy Spirit guided David in these plans and actions (vv. 12, 19), we understand that God had extended grace. Though David couldn't build it, he was allowed to participate significantly in the preparations for the temple. In addition, this passage is reminiscent of Moses receiving the tabernacle plans on Mount Sinai, further evoking themes of authority, identity, and heritage and emphasizing God's control over Israel's history.

If David parallels Moses, then Solomon parallels Joshua: “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished” (v. 20; cf. Josh. 1:6-9). The strength and courage here are not those of the battlefield, but relate to persistence, determination, obstinate faith (cf. Ps. 27:14), and purposefulness.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Here's a third specific spiritual legacy suggestion: Make a video or write a letter for your children or other loved ones, one they could see or read on an important occasion or after your death. The topic is your prayers and dreams for their futures. Don't focus on temporal issues, but rather on eternal matters, such as the kind of godly man or woman you hope they grow up to be. You might want to include the video or letter with your will.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 8:10-18.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
According to the Small Business Administration, at least one part of the American dream is still coming true for a lot of people. An SBA report says that a new American millionaire is being created every twenty-two minutes. That’s about sixty-five new millionaires a day, representing a tremendous amount of wealth.

But while this report says being a millionaire is the “grand dream” of many Americans, it isn’t God’s primary goal for His people. As today’s text shows, money and finance are God’s idea, part of His creation. And He has definite rules as to how we should handle our financial resources.

We will spend this month pursuing a biblical view of money—what God wants and expects from us in this area. We will look at the topic from three perspectives, giving ten days to each. First, we will look at money from God’s point of view, emphasizing His primacy as the Creator and Owner of everything, including our wealth.

Then we’ll consider how finances affect our relationships with others, tackling themes such as honesty, generosity, paying our bills and taxes, using money wisely, and keeping our hearts free from the love of money. During the final ten days of September, we will talk about finances from the perspective of man to God, dealing with issues related to our giving.

Today’s verses are a great “stage setter” for our study because they lay down several foundational truths we will build on all month. In Deuteronomy, we see the Israelites poised to enter Canaan after decades in the wilderness. Their memories of the exodus had grown dim, and they needed to take “Theology 101” again. So God set out to remind them of His precepts.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Merely mentioning the “green stuff” usually provokes immediate and diverse reactions among Christians.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 24:1-2.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Earlier this year an Austrian count returned to a secret location deep in the woods near his former home. There he unearthed two boxes containing his family’s heirloom china and silver, treasures the nobleman had buried fifty years earlier as a teenager when his family was preparing to flee from the Nazis.

Before recovering the possessions, however, the count contacted the German government to validate his ownership claims. Once his claim was approved, the silver and china were sold at auction, since the count had no use for them anymore.

The count was wise to validate his claims. Things can change drastically in half a century, and the issue of who owns what can get complicated. Not so with God, however. His ownership of the earth and of “everything in it” (v. 1) is not subject to change. As someone once observed, He not only owns “the cattle on a thousand hills” (Ps. 50:10), but also the gold in the hills!

Today’s text and verse suggest two important implications of this truth for us as God’s children. First, everything we are and have belongs to Him. He has a two-fold claim on us. We are His by creation, and we are His by redemption (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Therefore, He also has first claim on our possessions.

A second implication is this: since “everything under heaven” is God’s, no one can make a valid claim against Him (Job 41:11). That is, we have no grounds for questioning or complaining about the way God runs His universe.

That’s important to remember because as we read yesterday’s text (Deut. 8:17), we’re tempted to think, “Hey, wait a minute. You’re talking about my money. I worked hard for it, and nobody is going to tell me how to handle it.”
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Since God owns it all, then it’s His prerogative to give what He wants to whom He wants.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Leviticus 25:8-24.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
According to The Wall Street Journal, tax amnesty programs in New Jersey and Rhode Island earlier this year allowed thousands of delinquent taxpayers to settle their accounts with Uncle Sam. New Jersey’s program was especially successful. The state not only allowed businesses and individuals to pay late taxes without prosecution, but also waived all penalties and interest on the delinquent taxes.

It’s evident that many people couldn’t pass up the chance to set things straight with “the powers that be.” Amnesty programs are successful because it makes us feel good to get things back to their rightful owners, whether it’s overdue taxes or that tool we borrowed from our neighbor and never returned.

God established an amnesty program of His own for ancient Israel. It was called the “Year of Jubilee,” and it went into effect every fifty years. The purpose of Jubilee is spelled out very clearly in our text. Its purpose was to “proclaim liberty” (v. 10) throughout Israel by the return of all land and slaves to the family from which they had been purchased.

By voiding all such transactions after a reasonable period, the Lord was making several powerful points to His people. First, He was teaching them that no Hebrew should be in permanent servitude to another, and no family in Israel should be left destitute by being forced to sell land to pay debts.

But the primary lesson of Jubilee is theological. This festival was a pointed reminder that God retained first rights of ownership on His people and the land (v. 23). Each family’s plot of ground in Canaan was “on loan” from the Lord, and they were not free to do absolutely anything they wanted with it.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
To the world’s way of thinking, a provision such as Jubilee seems radical and unreal. But it’s the world that needs a reality check, not God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 2:8-22.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Public awareness of the dangers of overexposure to the sun is probably at an all-time high. Many adults are now careful to wear sunscreen and a hat when they go out. But experts say the most critical exposure to the sun occurs by the time we are eighteen. Harmful effects such as skin cancer or premature wrinkling may not show up for decades, so we are told to keep children under three out of the sun as much as possible and to begin a protection program early.

What’s true about sun exposure is also true about our attitudes toward money. The best defense against “wrinkled” attitudes is to begin learning at an early age about God’s perspective on our finances. Work is a good example of this truth.

From the beginning God made sure that His people would get a right perspective on work. The very first thing He did with His new creation called man was put him to work. Genesis 2:15 leaves no doubt that work was God’s idea from the very beginning. It was the Lord God who took Adam to the Garden of Eden and handed him his job description as caretaker. Adam got right to work naming the animals. But as the “business” grew, it soon became obvious that Adam needed a helper. So God created Eve and brought her to Adam to help and support him.

It’s true that there is a lot more to the concept of “helper” than work, but both Adam and Eve were given gainful employment. The entrance of sin did not change God’s plan for mankind’s work. All it did was introduce thorns, thistles and sweat into the process (Gen. 3:17-19).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Work may be a four-letter word to some. But God has dignified work by working Himself and giving us work to do.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Philippians 4:6-7.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Although the cellular phone industry is thriving, it has its share of problems. Industry estimates are that up to one million cellular calls are cut off each day. Although this number is said to represent only about two percent of the calls placed each day, there are signs that cellular phone users are discontent with their service. One indication is that about thirty percent of the nation’s cellular phone users cancel their service or switch carriers every year.

So why do so many people put up with so many irritations? Because cellular phones are “the only game in town,” says one writer. Today’s businesses have come to depend on this type of constant communication.

As believers, we are in need of constant communication with the Lord, because we are by nature needy creatures. But our “connection” to our heavenly Father will never be cut off for lack of a clear signal. Neither can we get beyond His coverage range!

Today’s verse and text contain wonderful promises of God’s concern for our needs. These verses remind us that while God owns all of our money and possessions, He’s no miserly benefactor reluctantly doling out pittances to His subjects.

No, God is willing and able to abundantly meet our needs. He wants us to come to Him with our requests. Jesus could not have made that any more plain. Paul even told us to come with an attitude of thanksgiving, praising God in advance for what He will provide. We’re even promised His “beyond-understanding” peace while we wait.

Given all this, why don’t more believers see more prayers answered? Maybe we fail to ask because we are afraid to believe God can answer. Some go to the other extreme and start “naming and claiming” all sorts of goodies they think God is obligated to give them.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What kind of “asker” are you? The apostle James gives us two valuable insights into this question. He tells us that it is possible to ask and not receive from God because our motives are misguided (James 4:2-3). In chapter 1, verses 6-8, James says we need to come to God in faith, not wavering back and forth with a “double mind” between doubt and belief.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 6:25-34.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
When George Carmack and his wife, Kate, found gold in the Klondike in 1896, the great Canadian Gold Rush was on. Since the site was just across the border from Alaska, thousands sailed to Alaska to make the overland trip, often suffering great hardships. Mining towns sprang up overnight. Eggs were a dollar apiece, and a plate of ham and eggs cost ten dollars. A few people struck it rich in the great Gold Rush. But the majority went home disappointed, for a very good reason. The gold ran out.

This teaches us a simple and timeless lesson. When your source runs out, you’re finished! When God is your Source, though, you don’t have to worry. In case you’re wondering why we didn’t say more yesterday about God’s ability and His promise to supply our needs, that’s our subject for today.

It’s impossible to achieve a well-rounded biblical view of finances without considering this great passage. The promise Jesus made here would be startling were it not so well-known. But don’t let its familiarity lull you.

The all-knowing, all-powerful Second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God in human flesh, signed His Father’s name to this promise to meet the needs of His children. In other words, when Jesus makes a promise, He has the wherewithal to make it good!

But notice Jesus’ own application of this truth. The issue is not whether God’s supply will give out, but whether we will respond properly to God’s goodness. Jesus doesn’t say, “Recline and do nothing, and God will pay your bills.” Neither is this an invitation to bring God our wish-list.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The fact that God is our Provider means we are pilgrims making a journey, not prospectors sifting for a few nuggets.

It helps to remind ourselves of this from time to time. Why not do so this weekend? Jot the words “Seek Me First” and today’s reference on a card. Then tape it to the mirror, set it on the nightstand, or attach it to the refrigerator—wherever you will see it the first thing tomorrow and Sunday morning.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 6:4-14.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Life wasn’t easy for George Young. The rural church he pastored was obscure, and George worked as a carpenter to keep food on the table. But the Youngs were happy in God’s service. And when, after a lot of hard work, George was able to move his family into a small home they had built themselves, their joy seemed complete.

But one night local hoodlums who disliked George’s gospel message burned the house down. The Youngs cried out to God. His peace flooded their hearts, and George wrote about it. The result is the hymn of comfort: “God Leads Us Along.”

George Young understood and lived by the principle stated in today’s verse. You can’t really express words of praise to God for His care and comfort unless you love Him more than you love your possessions. For most Americans, our homes are almost sacred. We attach to these buildings all of our memories and warm associations.

But a home is still a thing. (At least, the building in which we make our home is.) No matter how attached we might be to the things money can buy, God wants and demands first place in our affections.

We’re still talking about money and finances from the first of our three perspectives, that of God to man. So it’s not surprising that in Deuteronomy 6 the reasons given as to why God should have top spot in our hearts are theological and doctrinal. That is, they relate to His Person and truths about Him.

For instance, one reason we should love God with our total being is that He alone is worthy because He alone is God (v. 4). This verse is the great Shema of Israel, from the word for “Hear.” This was Israel’s confession of faith, the truth that set Israel’s God apart from all pretenders.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you keep a hymnal next to your Bible and Today in the Word?

If not, we urge you to purchase a hymnal at your next opportunity. You can usually find one at most new or used bookstores. Or your church may have extra hymnals available for purchase.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Leviticus 27:30-34.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Last year was a banner year for giving in America. A good stock market, big gains in personal income, and fears that tax deductions for charitable gifts might be trimmed back made Americans more charitable in 1995 than in any other year since 1896. Charitable donations were up by eleven percent.

But the big numbers have triggered concerns that giving might drop off this year—if the high 1995 totals were, as suspected, the result of these realities.

The Bible gives much higher reasons for the giving that God’s people are called to do. Giving was commanded for Israel in the Old Testament. It was written into the Mosaic legal code. The various tithes and freewill offerings were carefully spelled out.

God established the ministry of giving for His people for several reasons. One is to help us not to forget the source of our material blessings. Since God created it all and owns it all, He has a right to place a special claim on a portion of our money or possessions.

Giving is an act of obedience on our part, a tangible demonstration of our desire to please God. Giving should also be an act of grateful love. Since God has spared nothing of heaven’s best for us, how can we begrudge Him a return portion of His gifts?

The word tithe means “the tenth,” but that does not mean the Israelites gave only ten percent of their produce or animals to the Lord. Taking all the tithes and offerings together, some Bible teachers believe that twenty to thirty percent would be a more accurate total.

During the last ten days of the month, we will study giving in detail, so there’s a lot more to come. For today, we need to note that there is much debate on whether modern-day believers are obligated to give the tithe.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today’s study is especially timely given that this is the Lord’s day, the day on which Christians are urged to lay aside their gifts for God’s work (1 Cor. 16:2).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Malachi 3:7-12.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Publishing pioneer Cyrus Curtis bought The Saturday Evening Post in 1897, just before sailing for Europe. He hastily interviewed and hired George Lorimer as editor—a position Lorimer would hold for over forty years.

After more than a year in Europe, Curtis came home and called Lorimer into his office. Looking his editor over, Cyrus inquired and learned that Lorimer’s salary was forty dollars a week. “From this day on your salary will be two hundred and fifty dollars weekly,” Curtis told him. Lorimer answered, “Yes, sir,” and that was the end of the interview.

That’s the kind of “accountability session” most of us wouldn’t mind undergoing! Curtis knew that Lorimer had been doing a good job in his absence, and the publisher rewarded him. Sadly, the Israelites of Malachi’s day could not give their “Boss” a good account of their stewardship.

Robbery is a pretty serious charge, especially when the One bringing the charge is the Lord Almighty. Back in chapter 1, the Lord through Malachi charged the people with an attitude of indifference and disrespect that led them to bring unacceptable offerings.

Here in chapter 3, we learn that not only was the quality of Israel’s offerings poor, so was the quantity. The people were holding back on offerings for the temple storehouse, from which the Levites and priests were supported as they served in the temple. As a result, the entire nation was under a curse. Conversely, there was an equally strong blessing for obedience (vv. 10-12).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today’s text reminds us of the timeless spiritual principle of sowing and reaping (Gal. 6:7).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 16:10-12.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
You can tell a lot about a person by his...hair? Scientists at a laboratory in Tucson, Arizona, are analyzing a six-inch lock of hair belonging to the great composer, Ludwig van Beethoven. The hair, clipped by an admirer after Beethoven’s death, was purchased for $7괌 at a Sotheby’s auction. The 169-yearold curl contains 582 strands that are expected to yield answers to many questions about Beethoven’s medical history and personality, including whether his deafness was caused by lead poisoning.

If hair can be so revealing, so can a look inside our checkbooks. If someone were to analyze, say, the last 582 entries in your checkbook, what would that data reveal about your finances? The results would be convicting for most of us!

Today’s verses are embedded in one of the most intriguing of Jesus’ money-related parables. We will study this parable again on September 21, but today we want to close this first section of our studies on money and finance by looking at this exhortation.

Notice where Jesus put the emphasis in these verses. Monetary wealth was “small potatoes” to Him. Spiritual riches were the real stuff. Not that it isn’t important how we behave with our checkbook. Exactly the opposite, in fact. Our conduct with our finances helps to determine how much spiritual responsibility and privilege God can give us. That is why fiscal faithfulness is a requirement for elders and deacons (1 Tim. 3:3-5, 8, 12).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As we begin to develop a biblical view of our finances, we must come to grips with the issue of contentment.

Jesus said if we can’t be trusted with a little, we can’t be trusted with a lot. We might also say if we aren’t content with a little, we won’t be happy with a lot. Counselor and Moody Press author Jim Logan puts it this way: “If you aren’t happy with what God has provided for you now, you won’t be happy with what He hasn’t provided for you yet.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 3:7-14.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Earlier this year, an overloaded ferry boat capsized on Africa’s Lake Victoria, claiming the lives of more than 600 passengers. Some of the 114 survivors reported that the captain and eight-man crew of the ferry, who were from Tanzania, had taken bribes to let extra passengers on board. The reports led to the crew being charged with causing hundreds of deaths.

Dishonesty is always harmful, and in this case it proved to be tragic. We know that honesty is the best policy in our financial dealings with one another. It’s not only best, as a matter of fact: it’s biblical.

As we begin the second section of our study, we will consider money and finances from the perspective of our relationship with other people.

We have been reminded that economics is God’s idea, part of His creation and therefore good in and of itself. It is God, the Scriptures tell us, who gives us the power to earn and accumulate money. And He is actively interested in what we do with what He has given us. This includes not only how we act toward Him, but also how we act toward one another.

In these verses from Luke 3, you can see how foundational honesty is to our financial dealings. John the Baptist has appeared on the scene in a dramatic way, calling Israel to repentance in preparation for the coming of Messiah, the Lord Jesus.

In his exhortation to the crowds who came to hear him, John gave specific steps that would prove the sincerity of their repentance. Generosity is highlighted in verse 11, and we’ll talk more about that at a later date.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Financial advisor Larry Burkett says honesty in our finances is more than a matter of not stealing or cheating on taxes.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 17:24-27; Romans 13:1-8.
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Booker T. Washington once told of meeting a former slave from Virginia who had made a contract with his master to buy his freedom. The agreement included permission for the slave to work where and for whom he pleased. He went to Ohio to secure better wages and was there when the Emanci-pation Proclamation was signed by Abraham Lincoln. The slave was free from any further obligation to his former master—yet he went back to Virginia and paid the man every dollar remaining on the agreement, with interest.

Why? Because, he told Washington, he had given his word.

This kind of personal fiscal integrity sounds strange to our ears in the 1990s. Many of us never thought it would become a novel idea for a person to pay the obligations he had undertaken, even if it meant real sacrifice. But that seems to be the trend in our society. As Christians, we are definitely called to buck that trend. Romans 13:7-8 is a wonderful principle to build into the foundation of your financial dealings.

We should note that there is disagreement over Paul’s meaning here. Did Paul mean we should never go into debt at any time for anything under any circumstances? Or is Paul simply exhorting us to pay our bills faithfully and not get overextended?

The New International Version captures the idea in the original language by rendering the phrase, “Let no debt remain outstanding.” Christians should not fail to pay their bills, for that would be failing to act in love. Actually, not to go into debt at all isn’t a bad idea either!

Now to taxes. Those who want to mimic the “Freemen” and declare the government illegal will get no comfort from Jesus or from Paul.

As the Son of God, Jesus could have been the ultimate tax protestor! But He told Peter to pay the temple tax so that they would not cause needless offense. And He later held a Roman coin in His hand and said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s” (Matt. 22:21).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Someone once said that when people say, “It’s not the money, it’s the principle of the thing”—it’s usually the money! But it really is the principle that’s important to God.