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Today’s Devotional | January 12 | JEREMIAH 30:1-11 | The Time of Jacob’s Trouble

Today's Devotional

Memory Verse
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it, it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it (Jeremiah 30:7).

For nearly two thousand years, Christians have been living in a parenthesis, a prophetic interval, a time “in between.”

During this prophetic interval, sometimes known as the Church Age, both Jews and Gentiles who are born again through faith in Christ become part of the body of Christ or the bride of Christ. The signal that the “in between” time has ended will be the removal of the Church (the bride of Christ) from the earth. This great event is described in a number of Bible portions. One of the clearest is 1 Thessalonians 4:13- 18.

The event that ends the Church Age and ushers in the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy is the return of Christ for His Church. This coming of Christ in the air is known as the Rapture of the Church; it involves the resurrection of the Christian dead as well as the exit from earth of all believers living at that time.

With the removal of the Church, earth plunges into its most awful hour. Of this time Jesus said, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21). He was speaking of the seven year period known as the Tribulation, or the Time of Jacob’s trouble.

There are difficult days ahead for Israel and for the world. This unprecedented period of Tribulation is not to be confused with daily tribulations which all of God’s people pass through. And those who receive Christ before He comes will escape the coming tribulation…the Time of Jacob’s Trouble.

Are you ready for the Lord’s return?

Daily Devotionals

 

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God…”

Psalm 42:1, 2

 “Soul Food” is a daily devotional written by Dr. Jack Van Impe that brings God’s Word to life.

“The Tender Touch” is a weekly devotional from the heart of Dr. Rexella Van Impe.


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    January 11 | PSALM 90:11-17 | Wise Use of Time
    Memory Verse
    So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (Psalm 90:12).

    Phillips Brooks wrote: “A friend says to me, ‘I have not time or room in my life for Christianity. If it were not so full! You don’t know how hard I work from morning till night. When have I time, where have I room for Christianity in such a life as mine?’ It is as if the engine had said it had no room for the steam. It is as if the tree said it had no room for the sap. It is as if the ocean said it had no room for the tide. It is as if the man had said he had no room for his soul. It is as if the life had said it had no time to live. It is not something added to life; it is life. A man is not living without it. And for a man to say, ‘I am so full in life that I have no room for life,’ you see immediately to what absurdity it reduces itself.”

    The first wise use of time is that moment of coming in faith to Christ that brings new birth. Jesus said: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). From that point on, wisdom dictates using time to lay treasures in heaven through service for Christ.

    It is wise to take time to pray.

    It is wise to take time to read the Bible.

    It is wise to take time to tell others of Jesus.

    It is wise to take time to help those who are in need.

    It is wise to take time to bear the burdens of those who are troubled. It is wise to value spiritual things above material things.

    It is wise to act in faith.

    In view of the brevity of life, we must learn to number our days and apply our hearts to wisdom. Any other course results in a wasted life.

    January 10 | MATTHEW 8:14-20 | Sacrifice
    Memory Verse
    And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head (Matthew 8:20).

    Florence Nightingale, at thirty, wrote in her diary, “I am thirty years of age, the age at which Christ began His mission. Now, Lord, let me think only of thy will.”

    Years later, near the end of her heroic life, she was asked the secret of her life. She replied. “Well, I can only give one explanation. That is, I have kept nothing back from God.”

    The famous nurse had presented her life as a living sacrifice to her Saviour. She did not think it was too much to surrender all. Knowing that Christ had laid aside His heavenly riches to come to earth to save sinners, she willingly gave her all to Him.

    Unless you surrender your life to Christ, you will be swept along with others in the mad race of getting. Your whole life will then revolve around what you can accumulate. Regardless of your occupation, your main purpose in life will be to gather as much money and property as possible. You will become a junk collector.

    A man who had just discovered he had a terminal sickness confided his feelings to me. “It’s been deceiving,” he said. He had spent his whole life getting and now he had little time left to enjoy or use his wealth. There had been no time to worship God for he had felt he must work long hours every day to be successful. Now he had but a few hours left and there was no way to call back the years. The real purpose of life had eluded him. What a contrast to Florence Nightingale’s surrender of her life to the will of God! In giving, she gained. The world was enriched by her sacrifice.

    January 9 | MATTHEW 7:24-29 | A Wise Man
    Memory Verse
    Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock (Matthew 7:24).

    General William Booth was the founder of the Salvation Army. One day his son came to tell the old general, who had struggled long with poor vision, that the doctors could do no more for his eyes.

    “Do you mean that I am blind and must remain blind?” the general asked.

    “I am afraid that is true,” said his son.

    The general moved out his hand until he felt and clasped the hand of his son. “God must know best,” he said. “I have done what I could for God and the people with my eyes. Now I shall do what I can for God and the people without my eyes.”

    Booth’s tranquility in trouble came from a life in which selfishness had surrendered. He trusted God and cared for men.

    Asked one day for the secret of his success, he answered: “I will tell you the secret. God has had all there was of me to have. There have been men with greater opportunities; but from the day I got the poor of London on my heart and a vision of what Jesus Christ could do, I made up my mind that God would have all there was of William Booth. And if there is anything of power in the Salvation Army today, it is because God has all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life.”

    The old general’s secret was not original. Nor did he claim it to be. His Saviour had voiced it many years before. Booth had built his life on the Rock (Christ). This Foundation stands in the storm!

    January 8 | MATTHEW 6:25-34 | Anxiety
    Memory Verse
    Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (Matthew 6:34).

    Think of the cares that would be cancelled if we could escape anxiety about tomorrow. Most feel safe about today, but the tomorrows are tough. Tomorrow the house payment is due. Tomorrow is the final day of grace on the insurance premium. Tomorrow is the day of your appointment with the doctor. Tomorrow somebody may push the button that plunges the world into another war.

    But what if tomorrow does hold unknown trials? Is worry likely to change anything? Ian McClaren wrote: “What does your anxiety do? It does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but it empties today of its strength. It does not make you escape evil — it makes you unfit to cope with it if it comes.

    The Lord’s call to avoid anxiety about tomorrow followed His instruction about priorities in life today: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

    Giving God first place is an act of faith. And faith conquers anxiety. George Mueller declared: “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith.” The beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.

    There is, however, a difference between faith that is mere profession and real faith. False faith may go through all the motions and impress all the right people, but it will not hold up in the pressures of daily experience. True faith is anchored in the promises of God. And they will endure through all your tomorrows.

    January 7 | MATTHEW 5:14-20 | Light
    Memory Verse
    Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

    Babe Ruth once said: “Most of the people who have really counted in my life were not famous. Nobody ever heard of them, except those who knew and loved them. I knew an old minister once. His hair was white, his face shone. I have written my name on thousands of baseballs in my life. The old minister wrote his name on just a few simple hearts. How I envy him! I am listed as a famous homerunner, yet beside that obscure minister, who was so good and so wise, I never got to first base.”
    Ruth rightly valued the impact of his friend’s influence as more important than money or applause. He saw the old minister’s example being followed by others and knew that was a more lasting tribute than being in man’s Hall of Fame.

    Influence at its greatest flows from the unexpected. Jesus said: “...Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Those weren’t just words. Peter would later write of Him: “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again” (I Peter 2:23).

    Most of us are influenced by people whose lives reflect this admonition. People who stand out from the crowd. Even the religious crowd. Dedication and Christian discipline make them different. And they don’t have to announce it. Like Ruth’s friend, they write their names on the hearts of others. They are lights in a dark world.

    Let your light shine. Many are walking in darkness!

    January 6 | MATTHEW 6:1-8 | How to Pray
    Memory Verse
    And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward (Matthew 6:5).

    A good rule is to make public prayers shorter than those we offer in private. Some seize opportunities to pray in public as a means to impress others. A minister who was asked to pray at the opening of a widely heard radio program became so eloquent that he prayed through the entire broadcast and did not finish his prayer until they had been off the air for five minutes.

    The famous evangelist, D.L, Moody, did not like long public prayers. Once when a minister prayed long in one of his meetings, he rose and said: “While our brother is finishing his prayer, we will sing number 75.” A medical student happened to be bored with the long prayer and just about to leave when Moody’s action captured his attention. He was converted that day and became known around the world for his outstanding missionary work.

    The recorded public prayers of Jesus were brief. On the other hand, when alone or in the company of His disciples, He prayed long and fervently. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed so intensely that drops of blood fell from His brow and so long that the disciples who were with Him fell asleep.

    Many feel that conditions in the world and the church are so serious that they constitute a call to prayer. Tense times move people to pray. But we must remember that effective prayer is not the people-pleasing variety. Prayer that moves the hand of God comes from the heart of man.

    January 5 | PSALM 37:16-25 | Hard Times
    Memory Verse
    They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied (Psalm 37:19).

    Difficult days come to both the righteous and the wicked. Though Christians will escape the Tribulation period, they have tribulation during their sojourn on this planet. Jesus said: “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33).

    Trouble is never pleasant but it may build faith. Peter speaks of the “trial of your faith.” And C. H. Spurgeon wrote: “Time and trouble try the truth. Whether a man is really good or not is discovered by his perseverance in a good way. It is easy to run well just for a spurt, but to keep up the pace for years is the difficulty.”

    Christians experiencing hard times are assured of triumph. God directs the steps of His people. George Muller, the man of prayer and faith had made a note in his Bible beside Psalm 37:23: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD...” Muller had written: “Yes, and the stops too!” He guides when we are marching and guards when it is necessary to stop and rest because of some affliction.

    And then there is this thrilling promise: “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down...” (Psalm 37:24). The child of God may be down but he is never out. The Lord upholds him with His hand.

    Time flows continually. This year may hold some difficult days. If so, remember that our Lord is with us in the good times and the bad: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2).

    Hard times ahead? Perhaps. But the righteous will never be forsaken. Our times are in His hands. What a safe place!

    Week 53 | God’s Love Letter

    One of the nicest things about holiday
    seasons is being with our family and friends --
    having the privilege of sharing worship, food,
    and fellowship with those we love. Oh, how
    Jack and I cherish those blessed times with
    special people and, in particular, with one
    another.

    Even when circumstances make it
    impossible to be together, we can get in touch by
    telephone or through the mail. We talk by
    phone with friends and loved ones all across
    the country...sometimes overseas.

    We especially enjoy reading the many
    beautiful cards we receive from those special,
    thoughtful people who take time to express
    their love.

    The other day I was going through some
    personal items I've saved over the last few
    years -- news items and inspirational thoughts
    clipped from newspapers and magazines,
    cards and notes from family and friends...and
    a very special collection of love letters from
    my husband.

    Jack and I have worked together in the
    ministry over the years and haven't had to be
    apartvery often. But on those occasions when
    I couldn't travel with him to a crusade or
    speaking engagement, he wrote me the most
    beautiful letters.

    A wonderful reminder!

    I'd read those letters over and over,
    hanging on every word. How wonderful to be
    reminded that he loved me, missed me, and was
    looking forward to having me with him again
    soon!

    I cherished every one of those wonderful
    love letters. I still do. Over the years I've
    gone back and read them again many times,
    especially when I was feeling lonely, insecure,
    or discouraged. And each time my husband's
    loving words would lift my spirits and give
    me new strength.

    Needless to say, although I cleaned out
    some of the accumulated "clutter" the other
    day, I kept those letters!

    As much as I treasure my husband's letters
    to me, there's another love letter that is even
    more precious to me. It's the greatest love
    letter of all -- God's Holy Word.

    God sent this letter special delivery to
    me...to you...and to every single person in the
    world. It's all about love -- what love is, how
    God loves us, and the great love gift He has
    given us.

    For God so loved the world, that he gave
    his only begotten Son, that whosoever
    believeth in him should not perish, but have
    everlasting life. For God sent not his Son
    into the world to condemn the world; but that
    the world through him might be saved
    (John 3:16,17).

    Sadly, too often this greatest love letter of
    all has been laid aside, unopened. The people
    who most need to know that God loves them
    haven't even read His letter.

    Read God's letter

    Some of those who have read it or heard
    about it at one time or another have forgotten
    its wonderful message. They need to go back
    and read God's love letter again. I can testify
    from personal experience that it is just as
    meaningful the second, third -- twentieth --
    time you read it as it was the first time.

    You see, we need to be reminded daily that
    we are loved. We need to see anew how
    valuable we are to God -- that His love and mercy
    to us are new every morning.

    What an unspeakable thrill to know that
    God loves us. We must hear it, relish it, think
    about it, enjoy it. We need to claim the blessing
    of salvation and His divine provision for
    our every need. We need to claim the blessing
    of knowing that He is preparing a place for us
    so that we can be with Him one day, face to face.

    We should read and reread God's love
    letter to us because we need to be reminded of
    the wonderful gift of His love which we have received.

    Give thanks...and share

    In these last days we must make a special
    effort to express our appreciation for this great
    gift of love. Then we must enter anew into the
    spirit of love by doubling our efforts to share
    the old, old story of God's great love with others.

    Don't wait -- start immediately! Right now
    -- today -- get out your "Love Letter" from
    God, your Bible, and discover -- and share --
    how much you are loved.

    Week 3 | The Quest for Peace

    I heard a story recently about a nagging wife
    who kept writing complaining letters to her
    serviceman husband who was on combat duty in
    another country. Finally, after receiving yet
    another hateful letter, the husband wrote back,
    "Will you please stop writing me vicious letters so
    I can fight this war in peace?"

    We all want peace, don't we? Personally and
    nationally we crave it. Yet, so few of us find it.
    I've read that over half the beds in our hospitals
    today are filled with people who have mental
    problems. These individuals have desperately sought
    for peace but haven't found it. At last, they have
    reached the place where they can no longer cope
    with life, and they have become ill.

    A noted doctor once said that if all the
    tranquilizers were taken away from the American people,
    we would have a national nervous breakdown so
    big there wouldn't be enough well people to take
    care of the sick ones. People who take
    tranquilizers are trying to push the turbulence in
    their lives out of their minds. They have to resort
    to a little pill to put them in "peaceful" oblivion.

    My heart goes out to those who do not know the
    meaning of peace. Each day is a repetition of the
    previous one, filled with hostility, despair, and
    loneliness. They are miserable, frustrated, and
    unhappy with themselves and everyone around
    them.

    A picture of peace

    Remember the story of the rich man who
    commissioned an artist to paint him a picture
    illustrating true peace. The artist painted a
    beautiful picture of a lake surrounded by trees. In the
    distance were majestic, snow-covered mountains.

    When the rich man saw it, he shook his head.
    "It's very beautiful," he told the artist, "but it's not
    a picture of true peace. Please try again."

    This time the artist thought a long time before
    he began to paint. On the canvas, he painted a
    huge, thundering waterfall. He showed the water
    churning over the falls and crashing onto rocks far
    below. Then, at one side of the waterfall, he
    painted a birch tree whose slender branches
    reached out over the roaring water. On one of the
    branches, he painted a little bird sitting quietly
    and contentedly on her nest, oblivious to the
    danger around her.

    That is true peace -- not an escape from the
    pressures and trials of life but the quiet repose of a
    heart at rest with God. Jesus said, These things I
    have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
    peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but
    be of good cheer; I have overcome the world

    (John 16:33).

    Jesus' life was anything but peaceful. Yet, His
    last legacy to His disciples and to all those who
    would follow Him was the promise of peace. Peace
    I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as
    the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your
    heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John
    14:27).

    I love the old hymn that goes:


    Trust and rest when all around thee
    Puts thy faith to sorest test;

    Let no fear or foe confound thee,

    Wait for God and trust and rest.

    Trust and rest with heart abiding,

    Like a birdling in its nest,

    Underneath His feathers hiding,

    Fold thy wings and trust and rest.

    I don't know the things in your life that cause
    you unrest and destroy your peace. But I want to
    remind you that there is a way to handle them.
    God has given us guidelines that can take us
    through these troublesome times.

    Guidelines for troubled times

    In His sermon on the mount, Jesus said,
    Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be
    called the children of God
    (Matthew 5:9). What
    does that mean to you in your everyday life? It
    means that if you will turn your thoughts to God,
    He will take control. Then, regardless of the
    conditions around you, you have His abiding peace, joy,
    patience -- whatever you need at the moment -- to
    draw on.

    The Apostle Paul tells us that He [Jesus] is our
    [way of] peace (Ephesians 2:14). It's only when we
    follow after Him that the walls of hostility which
    surround us come tumbling down. He is our way
    of living at peace with others. Paul also speaks of
    those who do not seek after God, and he observes
    that they do not know the way of peace (see
    Romans 3:17).

    A verse that has helped so many who were going
    through turbulent times is Isaiah 26:3, Thou wilt
    keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed
    on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
    When you
    keep your mind on the Lord and trust
    unwaveringly in Him, you can truly live in peace though
    the world around you be filled with turmoil and
    strife.

    My prayer for you today is that... the peace of
    God, which passeth all understanding, shall
    keep your hearts and minds through Christ
    Jesus
    (Philippians 4:7).

    Week 1 | Encounters

    "You have such an exciting life! It must be
    wonderful to travel about and meet so many
    interesting and important people..."

    In years past, Dr. Van Impe and I have visited
    dozens of cities hosting fellowship banquets and
    conducting areawide evangelistic crusades. It
    always was a delight to renew old acquaintances
    and make new friends. And always we were
    overjoyed at the tremendous results we saw in the
    crusades. Truly, the Holy Spirit is at work bringing
    revival to America!

    Many people I talked with said they had seen me
    on television and some mentioned that they
    enjoyed the on-location interviews I've had over
    the years with various well-known people. They
    often expressed the feeling that I was fortunate to
    be able to enjoy such interesting encounters.

    And they're right. Jack and I have had many
    beautiful encounters with people in this life. We're
    grateful for the wonderful opportunities God has
    given us to serve Him and minister across the
    United States and Canada and around the world.

    We've met important international figures, like
    Israel's Abba Eban, and numerous national
    leaders, such as Senator Charles Grassley, Senator
    William Armstrong, Senator Roger Jepsen,
    Congressman Mark Siljander, Mrs. Barbara Bush
    (when her husband was Vice President), and so
    many others.

    We've had encounters with rich and successful
    businessmen, great men of science, national
    heroes like several of our astronauts, and some of
    the most beautiful and charming women in the
    world.

    It has been intensely interesting to have
    encounters with great writers and performers --
    learned men and women, experts and authorities
    in many fields.

    We've also had the pleasure of working personally
    with a great many outstanding Christian
    leaders, including some 10,000 pastors all across
    this great nation. These are encounters we can
    never forget!

    A life-changing encounter

    Of course, the greatest encounter of my life was
    when I met Jesus and accepted His salvation.
    Never have I experienced such love, such
    renewing, cleansing, life-giving power! He
    touched me... changed me... transformed me.
    Since that great and wondrous encounter, I've
    never been the same.

    And every day since then, I've had the privilege
    of going into the presence of God himself and
    having personal, precious fellowship with the
    Lord Jesus Christ, my Saviour, my Strength, and
    my Friend.

    In the words of that grand old song -- "And He
    walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells
    me I am His own; and the joy we share as we tarry
    there, none other has ever known."

    Because of that encounter, I have dedicated my
    life to serving Christ. I want to do everything I can
    to help others have this same wonderful
    encounter with God. Right now my heart is
    rejoicing because of the thousands and thousands
    who have accepted Christ through the witness of
    our national television specials and weekly
    telecasts. God used the messages of these programs
    to bring a great harvest of souls. More than 60,000
    people responded to the telecast on "The Occult
    World," either requesting literature and prayer or
    sharing their testimony about making a decision
    for Christ. Thank God for allowing us to be a part
    of these great soulwinning outreaches.

    Your most important encounter

    Would you be excited and filled with anticipation
    if you knew you were going to meet the
    President of the United States? Of course! No
    doubt you would try to look and act your best for
    such an important encounter.

    But I tell you, there is Someone greater than
    him waiting for you, eager to be with you and
    have intimate, personal fellowship with you -- not
    just once, but every moment of every day, for now
    and forever!

    His name is Jesus.

    Don't neglect your encounter with God --
    renew it daily. Nothing... and nobody... is more
    important!

    If you were to make only one resolution in your
    whole life, it should be to have a daily encounter
    with Christ Jesus. And remember, as you allow
    the Holy Spirit to fill you, this will become a
    reality. What could be more exciting, more
    thrilling, more fulfilling than this?

    Week 1 | How Do You Handle Guilt

    "How do I handle the guilt of having lived in
    adultery for twenty years?" a woman asked me.

    First, I led her to the Lord. Then I assured her that
    the past was forgotten, just as if she had never sinned.
    The blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).
    The moment we receive Him, we start a new life. Our
    past is never remembered again.

    God has promised, "Their sins and their iniquities
    will I remember no more" (Heb. 8:12). It is often said
    that God casts our sins into the sea of His forgetfulness
    and puts up a sign: "No fishing allowed."

    However, Satan can use guilt feelings to rob us of
    our joy and effectiveness for Christ. Often he brings to
    our remembrance the past with all its ugliness. To
    overcome this assault, we must have full assurance
    that we have been forgiven of our sin (the promise of 1
    John 1:9). Then we must dwell with Christ in daily
    communion, constantly aware of His glory and the joy
    of knowing that He wants to use us in spite of our past.

    Having received forgiveness in Christ, we must next
    forgive ourselves for our failures. This is what I believe
    the apostle Paul was thinking when he wrote, "forgetting
    those things which are behind, and reaching forth
    unto those things which are before" (Phil. 3:13).

    I picture Paul sitting down one day and, in a state of
    despair, declaring, "I am the worst of sinners." Then
    the Holy Spirit whispers, "Forget those things which
    are behind. You did your best. You did all that you
    could do, and God knows all about it, so forget all the
    things which are behind you. Press toward the mark
    for the prize of the high calling of Christ" (see Phil.
    3:13,14).

    The Holy Spirit makes the same statement to us
    today. Do all that you can now and leave the rest with
    the Lord. Look toward the future.

    Our thought processes can work to our advantage
    or to our disadvantage. I believe that "Gird up the
    loins of your mind" (1 Pet. 1:13) means don't allow
    yourself to look back, especially on failure and on the
    sins for which you have been forgiven. Think on those
    things that edify the soul. Philippians 4:8 expresses
    beautifully the kinds of thoughts that should fill the
    minds of Christians: things that are true, honest, just,
    pure, lovely, and of good report.

    It is very hard for me to reflect on my life. I have
    found it much healthier to look ahead, reflecting only
    long enough to say "Thank you, Lord." I never
    wallow in guilt, even for two minutes. I will not allow my
    mind to do that.

    I learned to control my thoughts at a very young
    age. After singing in church one night, I was angry
    with myself because I thought I had done a bad job.
    My brother Bob asked, "Did you do your best?"

    "Yes, I did," I answered.

    He simply said, "Well?"

    "Thank you, Bob," I replied.

    That lesson stuck with me. During the first year of
    our ministry, I fought those angry feelings when I
    didn't do a good job. The Holy Spirit seemed to speak
    to me as Bob had done.

    "Did you do your best?"

    I did.

    "Well?"

    I realized that although I might not do a superb job
    every night, I could do my best... and that's all that is
    required.

    Each of us struggles with personal failure.
    Remember Paul's frustration in Romans 7? The things he
    wanted to do, he didn't do. The things he didn't want
    to do, he ended up doing. That is also true in my life. I
    echo his cry, "O wretched man that I am! who shall
    deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God
    through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 7:24,25).

    You may feel guilty over a son or daughter who has
    strayed away from God. Don't condemn yourself by
    asking, "Where did I go wrong?" Did you do your best
    in rearing him or her for Christ? Then claim the promise
    of Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he
    should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from
    it." Don't spend the rest of your days in regret. Rather,
    seek God's guidance in helping your child now.
    Forget the past and let your love and concern show
    through your prayers to the God who cares. Hands
    off -- God is at work!

    We will never be perfect in this life, but it's good to
    know we have been forgiven -- not only for our past
    sins, but also for our daily shortcomings and the
    weaknesses that will cause us to fall short of the glory
    of God throughout life on earth.

    Think of it! We are forgiven... past, present, and
    future! "There is therefore now no condemnation to
    them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the
    flesh, but after the Spirit" (Rom. 8:1).

    No condemnation! And no guilt!