Teachable Moments

Every situation is a learning experience, but many people miss the opportunity of the moment. You can have the best teacher in the world but if you aren’t teachable you won’t learn anything. Having a teachable spirit means you admit that you don’t know everything. Here are 3 things God wants to teach you.

How to make right choices.  “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go” (Psalm 32:8). The Lord will point you in the right direction if you are willing to listen.

How to understand spiritual truths. Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things.” (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit can teach you valuable lessons about how to live.

How to love unlovable people. “For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another (1 Thess. 4:9). A bumper sticker read: “God loves you—and I’m trying!”  In our own strength it’s hard for us to love others, but the Lord can show us exactly how to do it.

If you are faced with a stressful situation or dealing with an obnoxious person, ask God:

1. “Lord, what do you want to teach me?” God wants to use that difficulty to teach you something that you don’t know. As you continue to learn, you’ll grow in wisdom and will become spiritually mature.

2. “Lord, how do you want me to respond?” It will probably be different than your natural reaction. But if you’ll respond in the correct way, you’ll gain wisdom about how to respond the next time it happens.

As you learn from God, you’ll know how to counsel others as they are going through the same thing. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com   www.makinglifecount.net

*************************************************************************************

NEW BIBLE STUDY: What happened to Goliath’s Sword?

NEW BIBLE STUDY: Is it Possible to Resist God’s Grace?

NEW PRINTED SERMON:  Jonah 4—“Jonah’s Pity Party”

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

Two Plans Going at the Same Time

Two plans are going on in your life at the same time. Earthly (E) vs. Heavenly (H). Plan E is what we see happening on earth, but Plan H isn’t as obvious. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery (Plan E) and he was taken to Egypt. God used them to get Joseph to the place where He could promote him (Plan H). It was there he was falsely accused and thrown into prison (Plan E). The Bible says, “The Lord was with him” (Gen 39:2, 21, 23), although it certainly didn’t look like it.

Later Joseph was promoted to #2 in command of Egypt (Plan H) and was reunited with his brothers. He told them, “You meant it for evil against me (Plan E), but God meant it for good (Plan H)” (Gen. 50:20). God turned their plan to get rid of him into a promotion. That’s two plans going on at the same time.

Jesus said, “Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely (Plan E), on account of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great (Plan H) (Matt. 5:11-12). When believers are persecuted for their faith, they are going to receive an incredible reward in heaven. That’s two plans going on at the same time.

On the Day of Pentecost, Peter preached to the crowd, “This Man (Jesus), delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God (Plan H), you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death (Plan E), and God raised Him up again (Plan H) (Acts 2:23-24). God turned the crucifixion of Jesus by evil men into payment for the sins of the world. That’s two plans going on at the same time.

It’s difficult to understand how this works, so when you are under attack by evil people, you must trust God and respond correctly. Look at what the hand of God is doing for you rather than what the hand of man is doing to you. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com   www.makinglifecount.net

*************************************************************************************

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

Jobs in Heaven?

Many people talk about going to heaven, but few people think about what we’ll be doing in heaven forever. Heaven would be boring if we had nothing to do throughout eternity. We are saved by God’s grace through faith and that’s what gets us into heaven (Eph. 2:8-9). But our faithfulness in living for Him after we have been saved will determine what we will be doing in heaven (see Luke 19:12-24, Matt. 25:14-30).

1. We will serve Him forever (Rev. 7:15, 22:3). Just as we joyfully serve Him now (Ps. 100:2), we will continue to serve Him in heaven. Heaven is filled with joy without any sorrow, so these will be exciting assignments, similar to eternal hobbies.

2. We will manage “true riches.” Life on earth is a test. How we manage things in this life will determine what God we will let us manage in the next life. Jesus said, “If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth (on earth), who will trust you with true riches (in heaven)? (Luke 16:11). True riches are more valuable than anything on earth.

3. We will be “in charge of many things.” Jesus said if we are faithful with a few things (on earth), He will put us in charge of many things (in heaven) (Matt. 25:21,23). We are not told what these “many things” are, but they will be rewards that He will give to those who have faithfully lived for Him.

God didn’t give us the details about these heavenly assignments and true riches because we cannot comprehend them at our current level of understanding. After we get to heaven, our knowledge will be expanded and we will literally see what He was talking about. 

You can read much more about how your life on earth will affect your eternity in my book Making Today Count for Eternity.

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

*************************************************************************************

ON SALE--Small Group DISCUSSION books  Slaying Your Giants ($5.99) plus Study Guide ($4.99) has 20 interesting lessons for Small Group discussion.

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

When God Says No

Answered prayer requires two things—the ability of God and the will of God. God is able to do anything, including moving a mountain to the sea. So why would He say no to our requests?

1. God may have something better planned for you. I cannot tell you how many times God didn’t give me what I wanted at the time, only to give me something much better later. Whenever a door closes, I’ve learned to trust the Lord, knowing that He has the best planned for me.

2. God may have reasons for denying your request—but He’s not going to tell you why. Sometimes the reason God denied your request will become obvious later. But you may never know in this life why the Lord did not come through with the answer you wanted so badly.

Deut. 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever.” The “secret things” are those mysteries that aren’t going to be explained during our lifetime. When you get to heaven and stand before Jesus, your every question will be answered (1 Cor. 13:12).

3. You may have assumed that God said no, but He might still say yes.  Perhaps you’ve prayed for so long that you’ve assumed the answer was no, but Jesus (who is the one who answers our prayers) taught us to persistently pray and to not lose heart (Luke 18:1). Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years before God’s promise came to pass. Persistence means you keep going when everyone else has quit.

Jesus talked about a man who kept knocking on his neighbor’s door at midnight to ask for bread. The only reason he received the bread was “because of his persistence” (Luke 11:8). Unless you know for sure that God has said no, keep praying and trusting God.  (If God Knows What I Need, Why Should I Pray? pages 82-84). www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com   www.makinglifecount.net

*************************************************************************************

LOOKING FOR GROUP DISCUSSION MATERIALS?  Slaying Your Giants ($5.99) plus Study Guide ($4.99) has 20 interesting lessons for Small Group discussion.

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

Truly Shocking!

This snippet comes from If God Knows What I Need, Why Should I Pray? (pages 22-23)

One reason Jesus came to earth was to correct our wrong ideas about God and to reveal His incredible power. Jesus used shock treatments—mind-boggling stories to jolt people out of thinking like humans so we would start thinking like God. He chose an example that we would never consider—something that’s totally out of the realm of human possibility. He shocked everyone when He said, “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him” (Mark 11:23).

And just to make sure no one would tamper with His statement by trying to make it merely symbolic, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you.” Although He always spoke the truth, some statements seemed so impossible that He had to reassure the audience by saying, “I’m not joking. This really is possible!” His intent was to increase their faith in His ability.

Imagine seeing a huge mountain rising out of the ground, hovering in mid-air and then zooming miles away into an ocean. His statement was so astonishing and absurd that if Christ Himself had not spoken these words, it certainly would not have been recorded in God’s Word. But it is.

Jesus could have given the disciples a visual demonstration by speaking to the Mount of Olives and commanding it to uproot. While everyone is gawking at the mountain floating above them, He points to the southeast and orders it to fly several miles and drop into the Dead Sea. But Jesus didn’t need to do that because He had already given them a visual demonstration on the previous day. He had spoken to a fig tree saying no one would ever eat from it again. Although the tree didn’t have ears to hear His words, it obeyed His voice and withered up (Mark 11:13,14,20).

Are you facing a difficulty that seems impossible to overcome? Instead of looking at the size of the mountain, place your faith in the ability of God. Remember Jesus’ words, “The things impossible with humans are possible with God” (Luke 18:27).That's something you can hang your faith on. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com   www.makinglifecount.net  

*************************************************************************************

NEW PRINTED SERMON: “JONAH 3—The God of Another Chance”

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

Do the Gospels Contradict Each Other?

Some gospels record events differently than the other gospels. Does this mean they contradict each other? Are they telling different stories, or are they telling the same story from different perspectives?

Matthew and Luke list the temptations of Jesus in different orders. That looks like a contradiction until you understand that an event can be recorded in two ways. An incident can be recorded as a descriptive account (where sequence isn’t a factor) or as a chronological account where sequence is a factor. Matthew records the temptations chronologically, while Luke writes descriptively, where temptations are stated as facts, but not in order.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke record that several women went to visit the tomb of Jesus, while John 20:1 seems to indicate that Mary Magdalene came alone. Is this a contradiction? No, because she mentions that others were with her when she told Peter, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him” (20:2).

The four gospels are like four cameras filming the scene from different angles. When you go to a movie, the film isn't shot from just one camera angle. Instead, you watch scenes from cameras set up in different places, which record unique perspectives. Some shots are up close, showing only one person and leaving out the other people. If you only saw the close-up view (Mary Magdalene), you’d think that she was alone. But other cameras (Matthew, Mark and Luke) film a wider angle, showing the other women. Then you understand she wasn't alone after all.

To get the clearest picture of what happened, read all four gospels as complementing each other, not contradicting each other. www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com

**********************************************

Your concept of God determines your faith. Jesus used “shock treatments” to shock people out of thinking too small. Read If God Knows What I Need, Should I Pray?

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

Take Out Your Garbage

A friend of mine went to a house on a business call. When they opened the front door, he was shocked to see the house was filled up to the ceiling with garbage! The owners had made a winding path through the house with walls of trash on each side. They hadn’t taken out their garbage as long as they lived there but had learned to live with the filth.

In Exodus 12:19, the Jews were commanded to clean their houses of leaven before the Passover. Leaven represents sin. The apostle Paul says if we don’t clean out the spiritual leaven in our lives, it will spread and infect everything it touches (1 Cor. 5:6-8). Just like we must remove garbage from our house, we also need to get rid of our spiritual garbage. Here’s how.

1. Identify the garbage. This isn’t as easy as it sounds. We might convince ourselves that our spiritual trash isn’t hurting us, so we can keep it. But it will eventually destroy us. The Scripture identifies our garbage—Bitterness,anger, slander (Eph. 4:3), guilt (Rom. 8:1), depression (Ps. 42:11), sexual sins (1 Thess. 4:3-5). You might be hiding secret sins (Ps. 90:8) but you must admit they’re perverting your life. 

2. Decide to get rid of it. A pastor friend was walking into a convenience store and noticed a garbage truck in the parking lot. The odor of the truck was so revolting that he almost gagged. Then two garbage workers came out of the store with hot dogs, sat on the back of the truck, and ate their lunch. They had gotten so used to the revolting odor that it didn’t bother them anymore! By an act of your will, you must decide you no longer want your spiritual garbage ruining your life.

3. Find someone to take it away. Garbage men will take away your trash because it’s their job. Jesus is willing to take away your spiritual trash because it’s why He came to earth. “And you know that He (Jesus) appeared in order to take away sins” (1 John 3:5). When He takes away your sins, He spiritually cleanses you and you no longer have them. Have you taken out your garbage? www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com

**********************************************

Discover 3 reasons Jesus told you to pray for your enemies. Read If God Knows What I Need, Why Should I Pray?

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