Tim Hetzner – Daily Devotions

Always Be Open-Minded – Part Two

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)

Here is a tale of two cities:

1) Thessalonica rejected the truth. ‘Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures…saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ”…But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar’ (vv. 2-3, 5 NKJV).

2) Berea received the truth. ‘Paul…went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men’ (vv. 10-12 NKJV).

This is not just a tale of two cities but two mindsets. An open mindset and a closed mindset. A closed mindset says, ‘I believe I know all there is to know about this subject,’ and an open mindset says, ‘I’m grateful for what I know, but I believe there is more to know.’ But a word of caution! Just because a speaker says something doesn’t mean you should accept it without question. A leader who seeks to honor God won’t be offended when you question what they say. The Bereans ‘received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.’ Whose teachings were they checking out? Paul’s, the author of half the New Testament! So, the word for today is: always be open-minded.

Prayer

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Always Be Open-Minded – Part One

“When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction.” (Proverbs 24:32)

King Solomon is considered one of the wisest men who ever lived. He wrote three books in the Bible and is quoted regularly. And he was a lifetime learner and seeker of truth. ‘When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction.’

Note the words ‘I considered it well’ . That should be your fixed attitude in life. God’s plan for you is to keep learning, changing, growing, and maturing until you draw your last breath. And that means always being open-minded. Consider the Pharisees. They were 100 per cent committed to their belief system. They were also the best-educated people in society. Yet they resisted Jesus and the truth He shared at every turn. Why? For three very common reasons:

1) Pride: ‘If what Jesus says is right, that makes us wrong.’

2) Security: ‘If we accept what He is teaching, what will happen to our reputation and our income?’

3) Tradition: ‘We have believed and done things this way for generations.’

Can you see where we’re going with this line of thought? And can you see how it may apply to your life?

One pastor said, ‘It’s good to be saved and sanctified, as long as you are not saved, sanctified, and stuck!’ Spiritual growth requires two things: a hunger for truth, and the humility to acknowledge that you still have more to learn. Those are two qualities that God always honors: ‘The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way’ (Psalm 25:9). So always be open-minded.

Prayer

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Why Does God Choose Weak People to Do His Will?

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27)

Answer: because the only kind of people God has to work with are weak people!

Moses’ relationship with God is described in these remarkable words: ‘The LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend’ (Exodus 33:11). So, was Moses perfect? Far from it. He spent the first forty years of his life as a prince in Pharaoh’s palace, and the next forty years as a shepherd living in the wilderness. The Bible speaks about the strains in his marriage and his times of stress and despair. In The Ten Commandments movie, Moses is played by actor Charlton Heston, who was tall, handsome, and articulate. But Moses was actually a weak, bashful stammerer who couldn’t put two words together without verbally tripping over himself, much less speak in the courts of the most feared dictator on earth.

The Bible refers to the Israelites as a ‘congregation’, which made Moses a pastor. And no pastor had more trouble with a congregation than he did. You say, ‘Why bring up Moses’ shortcomings?’ To encourage you! To let you know that your flaws don’t disqualify you, and your limitations don’t limit what God can do through you.

Paul writes: ‘For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty…that no flesh should glory in His presence’ (1 Corinthians 1:26-27, 29).

Prayer

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You Are Protected by God

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1)

A pastor tells of standing in one when bombs were falling all around. Turning to a man beside him, he asked, ‘How come this shelter is always crowded, and the others are empty?’ He replied, ‘Pastor, we all know that you’re a man of God. And if He is going to save anybody, He will probably save you. That’s why we are in this shelter.’

Reflecting on it later, the pastor said, ‘Many of those people didn’t attend church, and the name of Jesus was a swear word in their vocabulary. They wanted His protection, but not His lordship.’ Refuse to live that way! Commit your life to God and enjoy His protective care twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year, for your entire life.

‘He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you…He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge…You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you’ (Psalm 91:1-7).

Prayer

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Jesus Wants to Spend Time with You!

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40)

Mary and Martha were similar in that they both loved Jesus. But the difference showed up when He visited their home. ‘Martha opened her home to him…Mary…sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed…Mary has chosen what is better”’ (vv. 38-42).

Jesus didn’t say that what Martha was doing was not good. He said that what Mary was doing was better. What was Mary doing? Sitting at His feet, listening to His words, loving and adoring Him. There is a lesson here, particularly for those involved in church work and ministry. Don’t get so involved in the work of the Lord that you fail to get involved with the Lord of the work. E.M. Bounds said, ‘To be much alone with God is the secret of knowing Him and of influence with Him.’

Question: If you are not being influenced by God, who or what is influencing you? People? Pressures? Circumstances? If Jesus had come for dinner, He may well have commended Martha and told Mary to get busy in the kitchen. But His priority, before going to the cross, was to spend time with those He loved. Here is a thought that will change your attitude towards prayer: Jesus wants to spend time with you!

Prayer

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What Have You Promised God?

“You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.” (Job 22:27)

When God makes a promise to us, we have every right to expect Him to keep it. And when we make God a promise, He has every right to expect us to keep it. ‘You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, and you will pay your vows. You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways’ (vv. 27-28).

This Scripture could be your doorway to blessing and a key to the breakthrough you have been praying for. Go back and revisit the promises you have made to God. Why? Because He wants you to feel confident towards Him. ‘Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence towards God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight’ (1 John 3:21-22). No more excuses. Accept responsibility for what you are and what you can become.

Dare to pray: ‘Disturb me, Lord, when my dreams come true, only because I dreamed too small. Disturb me when I arrive safely, only because I sailed too close to the shore. Disturb me when the things I have gained cause me to lose my thirst for more of you. Disturb me when I have acquired success, only to lose my desire for excellence. Disturb me when I give up too soon and settle too far short of the goals you have set for my life’ (Author Unknown).

In order to go forward, you may have to go back and make things right between you and the Lord. If so, do it!

Prayer

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It Is a New Day for You

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19)

Don’t allow the pain of your past to blur your vision and steal the blessing God has in store for you in the future. God says, ‘Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing’ (vv. 18-19). If you have been wounded by old relationships, God has new ones waiting for you. ‘The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons”’ (1 Samuel 16:1).

Grieving your losses is healthy. But when you get stuck in the past, it’s always at the expense of the future. There comes a time when you must stop talking about what cannot be changed. Plus, if you keep treating your friends to a history lesson, you will lose them, because your words are creating a climate that’s uncomfortable for them to be in. God’s solution to pain is purpose. God’s solution to old wounds is a commitment to walk in love.

C.M. Parkes said, ‘Grief is…the price we pay for love.’ Those we love most can hurt us most. ‘Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him…“seventy times seven”’ (Matthew 18:21-22). To recover your peace and joy, you must forgive and keep on forgiving until the past loses its hold on you. When that happens, it’s a new day for you!

Prayer

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Is God Calling You?

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. (Acts 9:10)

Why did God use Ananias to lead Saul of Tarsus to Christ? Because he was the right man, in the right place, at the right time, with the right message, and the right attitude. ‘In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying…” Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul”’ (vv. 10-11, 17).

So here is the question: if God needed you to do something for Him, would you be ready? Would you be willing? This was not an easy assignment because Saul was notorious for imprisoning Christians and putting them to death. But when God told Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles’ (v. 15), he trusted God and went. Note the words ‘placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul.”’ Ananias had every right to fear Saul and even resent him. Yet he called him ‘brother’.

Ananias acknowledged an old foe as now being part of God’s redeemed family. And you must learn to do that too. When God calls someone His child, you must love them, accept them, and treat them as your brother or sister in Christ. So, let’s go back to the question: if God needed you to do something for Him today, would you be ready? You can be. And you need to be.

Prayer

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Be Aware of Satan’s Schemes

“In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)

Walking in spiritual victory calls for understanding Satan’s ‘schemes’. Here are some points at which you are particularly vulnerable: when you feel up, when you feel down, when you’re alone, when you’re exhausted, and when you have experienced loss. There is no such thing as fair play with the devil. If you give him an inch, he will take a mile. If you give him an entry point into your life, he will use it against you. Notice the two occasions on which Satan attacked Jesus.

First, at His birth. Herod put out an order to kill every Jewish boy under the age of two. That’s why, as a new believer, you must develop the daily habits of prayer, Bible reading, and fellowshipping with those who can strengthen you in your walk with God.

Second, on the threshold of His ministry. For forty days, Jesus did battle with Satan in the wilderness. Why did the struggle last so long? It was over His future. ‘Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him…Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region’ (Luke 4:13-14).

Attack is a sign of respect; it means Satan has discerned your potential. And the level of his attack is an indication of the level of blessing God has in store for you on the other side of it. So instead of being discouraged about the battle, see it as a sign from God that your best days are ahead of you.

Prayer

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Honor God in All You Do

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” (Psalm 1:1)

When Moses commanded Pharaoh to set God’s people free, Pharaoh offered him three compromises. First, he offered to let them go if they did not go too far away. Second, he offered to let them go provided they left their children in Egypt. Third, he offered to let them go provided they left their business interests in Egypt. In each case, Moses said no. Satan will make you those same offers.

Put distance between yourself and the world. Refuse to let it have your children. Refuse to live by the world’s self-centered and often unethical business practices. You are called to love and minister to those around you, but not to become like them. One of the great gifts that God has given us is the gift of free will. You can choose! If you want to enjoy God’s blessings, you need to make lifestyle choices that line up with His will and are consistent with the values of His Word, not choices reflecting the constantly eroding values of the world systems around you. The way to succeed in life is to stand on Bible principles.

Here are two Scriptures you need to meditate on and keep in mind: ‘The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow’ (Proverbs 10:22). ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you’ (Matthew 6:33).

Prayer

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