Sanctuary

[Rowan]

CHRIST THE ROCK

1 CORINTHIANS 10:4
For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

You’ve probably heard this guideline for health and safety: A human being can go forty days without food, four days without water, and four minutes without oxygen. Generally speaking those are good outside limits to keep in mind—under ideal circumstances. If you’ve just run a marathon, you’ll need oxygen in less than four minutes. And if you’re wandering across the desert in 110-degree heat, four days without water will seem like an eternity. That’s exactly what it felt like to the children of Israel on their way to the Promised Land.

When they ran out of water, they accused Moses of bringing them out of Egypt to kill them. God told Moses to take the same rod with which he parted the waters of the Red Sea and strike a large rock where they were camped. From that rock flowed water for all Israel, and they were saved. Centuries later, the apostle Paul said “that Rock was Christ.” Indeed, it was He who offered living, spiritual water to all who would believe and be saved (John 4:14). How long can you go without continuing to drink from the Rock that is Christ?

It takes more than an initial drink to survive life’s deserts. Drink deeply from Christ the Rock today.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

CHRIST THE ROCK

1 CORINTHIANS 10:4
For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

You’ve probably heard this guideline for health and safety: A human being can go forty days without food, four days without water, and four minutes without oxygen. Generally speaking those are good outside limits to keep in mind—under ideal circumstances. If you’ve just run a marathon, you’ll need oxygen in less than four minutes. And if you’re wandering across the desert in 110-degree heat, four days without water will seem like an eternity. That’s exactly what it felt like to the children of Israel on their way to the Promised Land.

When they ran out of water, they accused Moses of bringing them out of Egypt to kill them. God told Moses to take the same rod with which he parted the waters of the Red Sea and strike a large rock where they were camped. From that rock flowed water for all Israel, and they were saved. Centuries later, the apostle Paul said “that Rock was Christ.” Indeed, it was He who offered living, spiritual water to all who would believe and be saved (John 4:14). How long can you go without continuing to drink from the Rock that is Christ?

It takes more than an initial drink to survive life’s deserts. Drink deeply from Christ the Rock today.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

COURAGEOUS IN ANY CRISIS

ESTHER 4:16
I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!

When your course is righteous, your courage will be reinforced. Esther had the righteous cause. She was to stand before the king and plead for the life of her people. Was she afraid? Undoubtedly.

Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is persevering in spite of the fear. Courage doesn’t mean being oblivious to danger. People who wait for all the courage they need before they act will never act. But those who take the first little step in the process of courageous activity will be given greater strength by God.

The challenges of life will not get much bigger. But building your faith in God can grow you into a giant able to be courageous in any crisis. We build our faith by doing the things that seem hard to us at the time so that we can gain strength to do the really hard things that come to us in the future.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

CHOOSE ONE CHAIR

JAMES 4:4
Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.


When Luciano Pavarotti was a boy, his father introduced him to the wonders of song. He urged Luciano to work very hard to develop his voice. Taking his father’s advice, Luciano because a pupil under Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor. He also enrolled in a teachers college. On graduating, he asked his father, “Shall I be a teacher or a singer?” His father replied, “If you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose one chair.”

Luciano chose one. After seven years of study, he made his first professional appearance. After another seven years, he reached the Metropolitan Opera. He went on to say, “Now I think whether it’s laying bricks, writing a book—whatever we choose—we should give ourselves to it. Commitment, that’s the key. Choose one chair.”

In regard to your spiritual life, you must also make a choice. Will you serve God or the world? You cannot be faithful to both. For if you choose to be a friend of the world, you automatically become an enemy of God. There is no room for split alliances, no room for a divided heart. You must choose one chair


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

THE RETURN OF GEORGE LUCAS

ROMANS 12:19 TLB
Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for he has said that he will repay those who deserve it.


The third movie in the Star Wars series was originally titled Revenge of the Jedi. Several months prior to the release of the film, many promotional materials were sent to movie theaters and chains across the country.

Then someone suggested to director George Lucas that if the Jedi knights were indeed agents of goodness and peace, they would not be motivated by revenge. Lucas thought about it, then agreed. Even though a title change would mean a substantial cost in redesigning film titles and replacing promotional materials, Lucas retitled the film Return of the Jedi.

In our culture, vengeance is not an uncommon concept. When someone does us wrong, our immediate reaction is to want to get back at them. If we are to be Christlike, though, we must give up our vengefulness.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

GET BUSY FOR GOD

2 THESSALONIANS 2:15
Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.


Paul says, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).
The daily news can discourage us. But in the midst of it all, there is Jesus and His encouragement. We need to cultivate our relationship with Him until He is not just one of the things in our life, He is the one thing in our life—the focus of who we are.

“Comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work,” Paul goes on to say. This is not the time to wear a white robe, sit on a fence, and passively wait for the Lord’s return. This is a time to use the powers and energy you have and get busy for God.

The most simple objective of Christians is not only to go to heaven, but to take as many people with us as we can. Share the gospel, teach children, build up one another, strengthen one another, encourage those who are fallen, and reach out to those who are hurting.
In every good work, “occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13 KJV), said the Lord. This is no time for idleness. This is a time for us to seek the truth and live it out every day.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

LOVE’S ATTITUDE

ROMANS 1:1
Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.


When we meet people for the first time, frequently in addition to stating our name we will identify our occupation or profession. Our identity is closely linked to what we do.

Paul introduced himself in the Book of Romans by stating, “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.”

Paul saw everything in his life through the lens of his slavery to Christ. Outwardly, he wrote as a slave of Caesar, but inwardly he considered himself a bondslave to Jesus Christ. To Paul the term servant was a title of dignity and humility. There was no greater position than to be a servant of Jehovah God.

We all would do well to remember that God did not save us to become sensations, but rather to become servants.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

OUR GOD OF ORDER

COLOSSIANS 2:10
You are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.


It appears from the information in the Bible that Michael is the protecting and fighting angel, and Gabriel is the preaching or announcing angel. Each of them has his own job description and carries out God’s will in perfection.

Our God is a God of order and organization. That characteristic of God is reflected in the angelic realm. God has set up an authority structure within the universe, within the church, within the family, within human government; and all these lesser authorities are in submission to the greater authority of Christ Himself. The Bible tells us we are complete in Him, “who is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:10).

God is able to respond to our needs and the challenges of our lives because He is a God of power and order. He is able to do what is necessary, and His angels are set up to respond to His every directive.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

THE DEDICATION OF ONE

ESTHER 4:14
If you remain completely silent at this time, … you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

It is hard to believe that one person can make a difference in the course of human events. But if you subtract Esther from the Old Testament, there is no Jewish nation, there is no Jesus Christ, there is no Bible, and there is no hope for humankind, because Esther was the link that preserved the Jewish nation.

She was one who consecrated her life to God and did what God wanted her to do. God used Esther to turn the events of the world around.
He may choose to use you in a significant way as well. The dedication of one can make the difference for many.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

SEEKING SOLID ROLE MODELS

PHILIPPIANS 2:29
Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem.

When Raphael was painting his famous Vatican frescoes, a couple of cardinals stopped by to watch and criticize. “The face of the apostle Paul is too red,” said one. Raphael replied, “He blushes to see into whose hands the church has fallen.”

No one needs to remind us that we live in an age of fallen heroes. But maybe instead of spending so much time analyzing our failures, we ought to seek out some solid role models to emulate and then determine to become the same for the generation that is looking to us.

Paul introduces three such people in the last half of Philippians 2. We learn that Paul himself is an example of selflessness. Paul then presents his spiritual son, Timothy, as an example of service. Finally, we are introduced to Epaphroditus as an example of suffering. Paul was an apostle, Timothy was a pastor, and Epaphroditus was a layman. While it is true that Jesus Christ is the Christian’s model, these men are presented as model Christians. Jesus poured Himself out in service to God. These men poured themselves out as servants of Jesus Christ!


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH PROPITIATION

1 JOHN 2:2
He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

This word propitiation is one of the great words of the Bible even though it appears only four times in the entire New Testament. The Greek word for propitiation translated the Hebrew word which described the Mercy Seat, the cover of the Ark of the Covenant which sat in the Holy of Holies. God was believed to dwell above the Ark, between the outstretched wings of the two cherubim at either end of the Mercy Seat.

The Ark contained the stone tablets on which were written the Ten Commandments, the Law which man continually broke. But once a year, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle the blood of a sacrifice over the Mercy Seat to cover the broken Law. In this act, he made propitiation for the sins of Israel.

As a result of the covering of the Mercy Seat with blood, God, looking down, no longer saw the broken Law, but saw instead the blood of the sacrifice. Propitiation was made. In the same way, John wrote, “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:1–2).


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

ERRORS IN JUDGMENT

2 CORINTHIANS 5:10
We all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

The judgment seat of Christ is not about the judgment for your sin. The Bible tells us that judgment already took place at the cross of Jesus Christ. There is nothing anyone can ever do to you about your sin, because God did it to His Son in your behalf. Christ was condemned for us. That is what we read in Galatians 1:4: “Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age.”

One of the most commonly asked questions about this is, “How can someone have his sins forgiven and still have his works reviewed at the judgment seat of Christ?” Forgiveness is about justification, while rewards are about the things we do as justified people. These are not works which are done for justification. Because each believer must stand before the judgment seat of Christ, we have no right to judge the work of other believers. We do not even know the rewards we’re going to receive, so how in the world would we know what rewards anybody else would receive? We do not know enough about anyone else’s motive of heart or faithfulness to know what they would even deserve. And I promise you, when it all comes out, there will be a lot of surprises!


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

THE DECREE

COLOSSIANS 2:14
[God] canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.


There are two decrees in the Book of Esther: the decree of death and the decree of life.
One of the things we learn in studying the Bible is that God has a way to save sinners. You can’t go to heaven by your own good works. You can’t ever be good enough to go to heaven.

The Bible says, “You must be born again.” The reason you must be born again is because a decree has been written that the wages of sin is death. The decree has been written that no one can go to heaven with his sin.

God will not overturn that decree. We violate God the day we are born because of our own sin that we inherited. But the good news is that, just as the decree in Persia was overruled by another decree, God has given us another decree. That decree is that if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we will be saved.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

FELLOW WORKERS FOR CHRIST

PHILIPPIANS 2:25
I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need.

Epaphroditus was a fellow worker in the body of Christ, which is another reason why Paul was so fond of him. Paul was without question a worker, and he was attracted to others who gave their all to the advancement of the gospel.

In the spirit of love, I must ask you the same thing I ask myself and those whom I pastor in my church: Are you a worker? If you are a Christian, I know you are a brother or sister. But I want to know if you’ve moved beyond that point and become a worker for Christ. Unfortunately, many in the body of Christ today are looking for the church that offers them the most services.

Who do they think provides all those services if not workers just like themselves? If they do find a church offering what they are seeking, then they conclude, “This church is large and has everything all together. They don’t need me to do anything.” That perspective reflects a definite lack of knowledge about the church of Jesus Christ and its needs.

Every church needs its members to be workers.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

WHAT ABOUT DOUBT?

MARK 9:24
Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!


Why do you doubt? Have you been influenced by a book? A professor? Another believer? A non-believer? Identifying your doubts and their source will help you understand what you need answers for and why.

Think of the people in the Old Testament who God greatly used who had doubts when they heard His plans for them—Sarah, Moses, Gideon, and Jeremiah just to name a few. These people were approached by God Himself and they still doubted!

God knew their doubts just as He knows yours and mine. We don’t turn our doubts into prayers to God in order to inform God of our doubts. We tell God what we are thinking and feeling about our faith. That makes it more understandable to us as we try to figure out what is going on in our lives.

Go to God with your doubts. He is waiting to hear from you.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

THE FOCUS OF EVANGELISM

ACTS 2:47
The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Pastor Charles Swindoll tells about what was, at one time, the greatest evangelistic outreach center in the metropolitan Boston area—a gas station in Arlington. Bob, the owner, had a vision for his work being part of his faith. He provided such honest and dependable service that cars would often be lined up just to buy gas and be serviced at his station. There were no “Jesus Saves” banners, religious sayings, or “fish” symbols in sight. Just Bob—a committed Christian who led dozens of people to faith in Christ because of his Christlike life.

Rebecca Pippert has said, “Christians and non-Christians have something in common: We’re both uptight about evangelism.” People found Christ at Bob’s gas station because Christ, not evangelism, was what they encountered. When evangelism, the church, or even Christianity takes the place of Christ, everybody gets uptight. What is your “gas station”? Wherever you encounter non-Christians, ask God to show you how to make Christ, not evangelism, the focus.

Every Christian is a lens through which the world is trying to catch a glimpse of Jesus.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

COMPASSION FOR THE HURTING

ROMANS 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Babe Ruth, one of the most famous baseball players of all time, finished his career in a slump. According to a legendary story, he was ridiculed mercilessly one game as he made his way back to the dugout. The fans continued to boo and yell obscenities until a little boy jumped the fence and ran to Babe’s side.

The child threw his arms around Babe’s legs, crying as he fiercely hugged him. Moved by the young boy’s display of affection, Ruth gently lifted the boy up into his arms. As they walked off the field, the man and boy cried together.

This young boy demonstrated the true nature of compassion—he sympathized with the sorrows of another. His example reminds us that a compassionate man does not stand detached from the sufferings of others. Rather, he steps into the world of the hurting and feels the pain and anguish of the one suffering. And he expresses his compassion through a sincere concern, through a listening ear, a shed tear.
The world is full of hurting people, many who are longing for a compassionate friend. Will you be that friend?


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

RARE OBJECTIVITY

NEHEMIAH 2:4
Then the King said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.


Charles Swindoll once called wisdom “the God-given ability to see life with rare objectivity and to handle life with rare stability.”
“When we operate in the sphere of the wisdom of God.… ,” Swindoll wrote, “we look at life through lenses of perception, and we respond to it in calm confidence. There’s a remarkable absence of fear.… We can either lose our jobs or we can be promoted in our work, and neither will derail us … because we see it with God-given objectivity, and we handle it in His wisdom.”

That’s the missing factor in many lives today. We’re so busy with our problems that we don’t pause to seek God’s wisdom in handling them, as commanded in James 1:5. But praying for wisdom doesn’t always take that long. In Nehemiah 2, King Artaxerxes noticed that Nehemiah seemed troubled, and he asked the reason. “So I prayed to the God of heaven,” Nehemiah later recorded, “and I said to the king.… ” It was an urgent arrow of prayer, shot silently to heaven in the middle of a momentous conversation—and it got the job done.

If you’re facing a challenge today, take time to seek God’s wisdom.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

SELFLESS LOVE

1 CORINTHIANS 13:13
Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.


Paul tells us that the secret to all of life is love. A love that cares, that goes out of its own way to find what it can do to minister, makes a difference. Love in a kitchen. Love on the football field. Most of all, love in your heart. Love that is selfless. I have seen people ministering in churches who get no credit for what they do, and yet, behind the scenes, they serve, minister, and work. They have love—love for children, love for the church, and love for the Lord. There are many Christians who give sacrificially. They do it because love in their hearts makes them want to turn away from their own needs and wants and give of themselves and their substance back to God. That is where joy is to be found.

There is one thing I can tell you about selfless love: if you ever get close to it, you will know it because it feels so good. You won’t have to tell anybody about it, and if you do, you might lose it in the process. But if you experience it, you will know the joy of it.


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God

 

[Rowan]

BEAUTIFUL HEAVEN

REVELATION 21:2
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.


I read a story once about a little blind girl whose idea of the beauty of the world was based solely on what her parents had told her. A surgical procedure was developed which would allow her to regain her vision and she regained her eyesight. After her convalescence, the day came for the bandages to be removed from her eyes. The first person she saw was her mother, and after embracing her she went immediately to the door to look outside. For the first time she saw the beauty of creation. She turned to her mother and exclaimed, “Mama, why didn’t you tell me it was so beautiful?”

Of course, her mother had done her best to describe the world in the most colorful ways possible, but the fact is, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” And I think someday when we get to heaven we are going to have the same reaction that little girl did—“John, why didn’t you tell us it was going to be so beautiful?” I do not know that anyone, in the limited space in which John the apostle wrote, could have described heaven any better. But one glimpse of heaven will outstrip all of his words


David Jeremiah, Sanctuary: Finding Moments of Refuge in the Presence of God