Gospel.com Blog

I ran across this question on the GotQuestions Blog and thought it was worth asking here. We know that we should take a Sabbath day each week, but what about extended vacations?

What do you think, should Christians take vacations?

Share your thoughts!

Today’s devotional comes from Our Daily Bread and is based on the story of the Good Samaritan. In the devotional, the author recounts a story of how he reacted with total and urgent love for himself after a nasty cut:

It would have been simpler just to buy a new hair dryer. But determined to save a buck, I decided to fix it myself. In order to loosen the screw that was buried deep in the handle, I took out the ultimate handyman’s helper—my pocket knife. As I put pressure on the knife to turn the screw, the blade folded back—on my finger.

I learned a lesson that day: I love myself. And I am urgent about meeting my needs. There was no thought of, “Well, I don’t really have time to stop the bleeding now. I’ll get to it later.” Also, there was a tenderness about how the need was met. I instructed my first-aid team (my wife and kids) to wash my finger gently and then to put the bandage on in a way that would avoid having the hairs on my finger pulled up when it was removed. My thoughts, words, and actions were driven by my love for myself.

Read the whole devotional at Our Daily Bread.

How do you share the love you have for yourself with others? How do you practically love your neighbor as yourself?

“Church discipline” is a challenging topic. Most of the (Protestant) churches I’ve attended throughout my life have adhered to the idea that it’s the duty of believers—and the church communities they form—to confront serious sin within the community. Church discipline is derived from passages like Matthew 18 and Titus 1, which encourage Christians to lovingly but earnestly challenge sin, always with the goal of encouraging repentance and restoration.

In my experience, most churches don’t talk too much about this duty, presumably because they don’t want to sound too authoritarian; and perhaps because it’s easy for such discussions to take on a gossip-y tone.

My introduction to the practice of church discipline came when a member of my church congregation publicly confessed to a sexual sin that had affected part of the church community. The church elders, made aware of the sin and its impact on the church, talked to the responsible person and helped him through a process of repentance and restoration. It was the sort of situation that might have resulted in a lot of nasty and lurid gossip; but it ended up being a positive experience of grace for the church (and for the individual who publicly repented).

Witnessing loving church discipline in action was a fascinating experience. It did, however make me wonder about a few things: What would have happened if the church had not confronted the person in such a compassionate manner? What if the individual had refused to repent or acknowledge his sin? Given that everyone in the church is a sinner, how do we decide which sins require confrontation?

Have you ever experienced church discipline, and if so, what was the result? What does godly church discipline look like in action?

Today’s devotional comes from the classic collection Morning and Evening by Spurgeon. In it, Spurgeon reminds us that God held back the waters of the Red Sea until all of the Israelites had crossed into safety. He’s not going to give up on any of us, even if we’re the last one in line.

Then Moses sang at the Red Sea, it was his joy to know that all Israel were safe. Not a drop of spray fell from that solid wall until the last of God’s Israel had safely planted his foot on the other side the flood. That done, immediately the floods dissolved into their proper place again, but not till then. Part of that song was, “Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed.” In the last time, when the elect shall sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and of the Lamb, it shall be the boast of Jesus, “Of all whom thou hast given me, I have lost none.” In heaven there shall not be a vacant throne.

Read the rest of the devotional at Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

What is the one thing that you need in life? A loving family? Stable finances? A satisfying career? In a devotional at Lifetime Guarantee Ministries, Anabel Gillham argues that all of these perceived “needs” are manifestations of our deep-seated need for security:

…you know–as I do–that our security is severely threatened today. Marriages are “insecure.” Having a Mom and Dad at home is “insecure.” Being financially “secure” can be a dream–or a nightmare–for many people.

There is only one completely secure thing in our lives. That one thing being Jesus Christ and His constant presence with us. No need to fear that He won’t be there when we are hurting. No need to fear He will leave us alone in this scary world. No need to lose confidence as we face a day of demands and schedules and unkind people. No need to wonder about what tomorrow holds. No need to be anxious.

How do we know these things? Because Someone we love and Who loves us has told us this. The deciding factor in our intense need for security is this: Do I believe what Jesus tells me. The place where we live now–this world–is a very insecure place. There are no promises held out to us in this world that cannot be broken, no covenants without loopholes, no perfect people who will never disappoint us. But, this world is merely a training ground’a launch pad. As the old song goes, This world is not my home, I’m just passing through.

Read the full devotional at Lifetime Guarantee Ministries.

Do you recognize the need for security in your life? Do you rest your hope on Jesus, rather than on the unreliable and passing things of this world?

These days, most people dismiss dreams as meaningless subconscious activity. But the Bible is filled with stories of God speaking to people through dreams—Joseph, for example, famously interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and predicted seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine. It’s clear that God used dreams back then to communicate with humans, but what about now?

What do you think? Does God still speak through dreams?

Share your thoughts!

In a devotional today at Words of Hope, Jessica Heikoop asks if Christians are truly “surrendering all” to Jesus. Christians often talk, sing, and pray about turning over their lives to God, but have you ever considered just what it means to completely surrender your life to Him? Consider what true “surrender” means:

This encompasses every aspect of our lives. It is rendering to God all that we are and all that we have. True surrender doesn’t just pick and choose those parts of ourselves that we feel like giving him. He wants all of us, not just a portion of our lives, not a small fragment of our time, not merely a fraction of our possessions.

Selective surrender isn’t real surrender. If you want to be a living sacrifice, you can’t say, “Lord, you can have my heart but not my head, my voice but not my hands and feet.” You can only say, “Lord, I surrender all.”

Read the full devotional at Words of Hope.

Have you devoted all of your life (not just your Sundays) to God? How might your life be different if you did?

Are you ever tempted, when you read about a crisis in a faraway place or an injustice committed against somebody you don’t know, to say “Well, it’s none of my business”? Today’s devotional from Our Daily Bread calls to mind not only the ongoing struggle against racism and discrimination, but the disaster unfolding in Haiti. If we are followers of Christ, then all of these truly are “our business”:

Making another’s concerns our own is what Leviticus 19:18 calls us to do: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus quotes this verse and interprets it as not placing any limitations on loving those around us (Matt. 22:39; Luke 10:25-37). Our neighbor doesn’t just mean someone close by; it’s anyone who has a need. We are to care for others as we care for ourselves.

To love our neighbor means to make the persecution, suffering, and injustice of our fellow human beings our own. It is the business of all who follow Christ.

Read the full devotional at Our Daily Bread.

In today’s world, the number of injustices and needs that demand addressing far exceed the ability of any individual Christian to deal with. But these things nevertheless are our business. Sometimes that might mean helping out in a direct, physical way… and sometimes, it means simply praying and yearning for the justice that will arrive with the Kingdom of God.

Like millions of others around the world, I’m finding it hard to focus on mundane matters this week while news of the Haiti tragedy continues to unfold. I thought it might be helpful to post a few related links for anyone who is wondering how to help:

Mission Network News continues to post updates about relief efforts in Haiti. A remarkable number of different relief and other Christian organizations are hard at work trying to help.

If you’re wondering how to help, the White House has posted information about ways you can contribute to relief efforts. (You might also look into supporting some of the organizations mentioned in the MNN articles linked above.)

Christianity Today has a roundup of Christian organizations—many of them political in nature—that are putting aside their political agendas to focus on helping in Haiti.

TIME also has a list of organizations at work in Haiti that would benefit from your generosity.

If you know of other organizations working in Haiti that could use some help, please list them in the comments below. And please continue to pray for relief effort in Haiti, and consider how you might be able to help!

Today’s devotional, from Delve Into Jesus, calls to mind a vigorous discussion about street evangelism we had late last year. Delve Into Jesus’ Michael Lane asks us to be open to whatever form of evangelism God calls us to—even if it’s a manner of witnessing that we think annoying or ineffective. Here’s the devotional’s closing challenge:

Each of us has unique needs, a unique background and a unique personality. Thus, the method of witnessing which will be the most effective is unique to each individual. You may find televangelism pointless because it would never have been effective in leading you to the Lord, but many thousands have been touched by television ministry, even if you are not among them. As an unbeliever, you may never have responded to that young pastor inviting you to attend service. But I did.

….The moment when an act of witness captures the attention of an unbeliever is a mysterious and sacred act between God and his creation. It defies all of our projections and predictions about what ought to be effective….

How is the Spirit asking you and your congregation to witness? Is it perhaps a little unconventional? Would it seem to require extraordinary faith and courage? Understand that when God places a desire in our heart to serve Him, it never comes without the necessary strength and courage. Follow the calling of the Spirit boldly with the knowledge that someone very special and unique is waiting for you to proclaim the Gospel in your own special and unique way.

Read the full devotional at Delve into Jesus.

Let’s set aside the specific issue of street preaching (which you can discuss here if you want) and ponder the devotional’s central question: how is God calling you to be a Christian witness?

Has God ever called you to share the Gospel in an unconventional or uncomfortable way? What was the result, both for you and for the people you witnessed to?