Not "HOW" but "WHO"

One of the greatest hindrances to faith is trying to figure out HOW God will answer your prayers. Quit asking yourself “HOW is this possible? HOW will God provide for me?” HOW does God perform miracles?” We think if God will simply explain everything to us ahead of time that it will increase our faith. It won’t.

When a blind man begged Jesus to give him sight, he didn’t ask Him to explain HOW He would do it: “Before you heal me, could you please tell me HOW you’re going to fix my eyes? It’s a problem with my optic nerve, isn’t it? Since you don’t have a scalpel, HOW will you get inside my head to perform surgery?”

Jesus didn’t reply, “Those are great questions that deserve an explanation. Here’s exactly how I plan to do the miracle and restore your sight…” Of course, Jesus never explained how He did miracles. He doesn’t want us concentrating on HOW our prayer will be answered but on WHO is able to bring it to pass.

When the angel Gabriel told the virgin Mary she would be pregnant with the Son of God, Mary asked, “HOW can this be, since I am a virgin?” Instead of explaining HOW, Gabriel answered WHO. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:34-35). (If God Knows What I Need, Why Should I Pray? p.37,41).

So if you’ll stop asking HOW God will answer your prayer, and instead focus on WHO has the ability to do the impossible, you’ll experience peace as you learn to trust Him.  www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net ****************************************************************************************************

NEW STUDY: “Can Evolution Produce an Eye?”

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

No More Than You Can Handle

A friend of mine was helping unload a moving truck. He was inside the truck handing out heavy boxes for men to carry to the house. My friend’s four-year-old grandson saw what they were doing and wanted to help. He couldn’t give the boy heavy objects, so he handed him little boxes to carry. He knew how much the boy could handle and wouldn't give him more than he could carry. God knows our limits and won’t give us more than we can handle. 

Here are three ways that He keeps burdens from being too great to bear.
1. God won’t reveal more than you need to know. Although you might think you’d like to see your entire future, you would live in dread of the upcoming trials if you knew they were coming. Jesus said, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). He gives information on a “need to know” basis. Life is a cinch by the inch but hard by the yard.

2. God sets limits on your trials. Just as bridges have a load limit, God places a “load limit” on our trials. “No temptation (Greek-"test") has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted ("tested”) beyond what you are able” (1 Cor. 10:13). God’s not going test us with more than we can bear.

3. God will give you the strength and wisdom to get through your problem. When Paul went through his “thorn in the flesh” difficulty, God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). When we depend on God’s grace rather than our own human power, we will experience strength from God to get through the problem.

God may allow you to go the edge so you can experience His power, but He will never allow you to go over the edge. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net ****************************************************************************************************

BIBLE STUDY: “How did Peter’s shadow and Paul’s handkerchief heal people?”

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

Check Your Motives

When detectives try to solve a murder they ask themselves, "Who had a motive for doing this?" Was it someone who would inherit a fortune? (Greed) Was it a person who had something to hide and wanted to keep the victim quiet? (Felt threatened) Was it someone who was wronged by the victim? (Revenge) Was it a rejected lover? (Jealousy) Figure out the motive and you'll narrow down the list of suspects.

Motives lead to actions, although actions don’t always reveal motives. Proverbs 16:2 says, "All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight but the Lord weighs the motives." Jesus specifically instructed us how to correctly give offerings, fast, and pray to keep our motives in check (Matt. 6:1-6, 16-18). The Lord looks past our outward deeds to see why we’re doing it.

On the Day of Judgment, He “will bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts, and then each man’s praise will come to him from God” (1 Cor. 4:5). If your heart is right, then what you do will also probably be right and God will reward it.

So as you go about your business today, check your motives. “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31) www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net ****************************************************************************************************

BIBLE STUDY: “What does ‘the earth is full of God’s glory’ mean?”

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

A Thief as a Role Model

A thief dying on the cross next to Jesus said, "Jesus, remember me in your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). Here’s what’s amazing—He trusted a dying man to save him! Jesus was covered with blood with nails in His hands and feet, and looked totally helpless. The religious leaders and soldiers asked Him to come down from the cross, but it looked like Jesus didn't have the power to do that. But the repentant thief saw something in Him that most people couldn’t see.

IT TAKES THE WHOLE CROSS

The thief could have said, "Jesus, you're dying on a cross and I'm dying on a cross." Why don't you pay for 80% of my sins on your cross and I'll pay for the other 20% on my cross." That's what some people say. "Lord, you do your part and I'll do my part. I'll pay for my part by going to church and by trying my best."  But it doesn't work that way. There can't be two Saviors--both you and Jesus. You must trust Jesus to pay for 100% of your sins. God can't save us until we stop trying to save ourselves.

YOU CANNOT SAVE YOURSELF

A boy was drowning in a lake. His mother couldn't swim, so she called out for help. A man stood nearby but made no effort to save him. As the boy was going down for the last time, the man dove into the water and rescued him. The mother asked, "Why did you wait to save him?" The man replied, "As long as he was trying to save himself, he would have dragged me down with him. But when he stopped trying to save himself—then I could save him."

THE THIEF IS A ROLE MODEL ON HOW TO BE SAVED

He knew he didn't deserve salvation

He knew he couldn't save himself

He placed his faith in a dying Savior

He called out to Jesus to be saved.

If you'll follow the example of the thief on the cross, Jesus will remember you in His kingdom as well. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net

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BIBLE STUDY: “What does ‘die in your sins’ mean?”

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

"Do This in REMEMBRANCE of Me"

This is my father. Well, not literally. It’s a picture of my father. When someone shows you a photo you understand that it’s a picture of someone or something. And whenever I look at that picture I remember my father.

Jesus made a similar statement at the last supper. He took bread and said, “This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19). He didn’t mean it was His actual body (because His hand was holding up the bread) but it was a picture of His body that would soon be sacrificed. They ate the bread to remember Him and what He did.

He took a cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Luke 22:20). He didn’t mean the wine was His literal His blood (because His blood was inside His body), but it was a picture of His blood that would be shed at the crucifixion.

Jesus was the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). So as He ate the Passover meal with His disciples, it was necessary for Him to change it. Do you know why? To find the answer click here: “Understanding the Lord’s Supper” 

www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net 

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

Old Testament Credit Cards

I'm sure you've gone to a store and paid for an item using your credit card.  You walked out of the store with it even though it wasn’t actually paid for. Your credit card was a guarantee the bill would be paid sometime in the future.

People who lived in the Old Testament used their animals as credit cards. They sinned against God and needed to pay the debt, so they "charged" their sins on spiritual credit cards through animal sacrifices.  

They took their VISA cards (Very Important Sacrifice of Animals) to the Temple in Jerusalem where the transaction took place. The priests (the store clerks) sacrificed the animals on the altar (like scanning your credit card) and the client's sins were charged by faith to the future Messiah's account.

Millions of animals were sacrificed over the centuries but not one drop of that animal blood could ever wash away sins. “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb. 10:4).  So why did God have them sacrifice so many animals? It was an object lesson for them. Without the sacrificial system, they would have never understood why Jesus had to die for their sins.

Jesus died on the cross as the sacrificial Lamb who paid for the sins of the world when they were placed in His body (John 1:29, 1 Pet. 2:24). When He said, "It is finished," He declared that the spiritual debt of sins had been paid.  He paid for your salvation but you must receive Him as Lord and Savior for the transaction to be completed. 

Have you asked Jesus to take away YOUR sins?

www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com  www.makinglifecount.net 

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BIBLE STUDY: "Does Everything Happen for a Reason?" 

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Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett

A Testimony for Caiaphas

When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter tried to fight off the attackers. “Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus” (John 18:10). Jesus picked up the ear and placed it back on Malchus’ head! (Luke 22:51). This miracle would serve as a testimony to Caiaphas as proof that Jesus is the Messiah.

It was no accident that this happened to “the high priest’s slave.” After Jesus was arrested, He stood on trial before Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year (Matt. 26:57). The heavenly high priest stood on trial before the earthly high priest, but Caiaphas didn’t recognize Him.

There can be no doubt Malchus reported this incredible miracle to his boss, the high priest. Caiaphas had previously prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation (John 11:49-51) but now God gave him undeniable evidence to consider so he would believe in Jesus. Caiaphas chose to send Jesus to the cross.

On Judgment Day, the roles will be reversed. Caiaphas the earthly high priest will stand on trial before Jesus the heavenly high priest. I’m sure Malchus’ ear will come up in the conversation, along with the fact Jesus rose from the dead. Although we don’t know if Caiaphas ever repented, tradition tells us he later converted to Christianity. If that’s true, the miracle of the severed ear might have had something to do with it.

God has also given us undeniable evidence to consider so that we will believe in Jesus, including proof the Bible is true, proof that God designed the human body, and testimonies of near-death experiences. Don’t ignore what clearly is the Truth leading to eternal life. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com www.makinglifecount.net

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Receive these devotionals (free) by email: You can subscribe in the box on the right at www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com (Your email will not be given out. You’ll receive an email when the new devotional is posted)

Making Life Count Ministries

P.O. Box 680174

Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174

www.makinglifecount.net  Twitter: @KentCrockett