ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 3, 2012)

Freedom from Fear

Romans 13

"Rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you." 

(ROMANS 13:3)

We bring stress on ourselves when we live our lives in disobedience to the authorities. In prison, there were rules about the types and amounts of property one could have. In the California system, I was allowed only ten books and/or periodicals. But I always had more. I was allowed only one pair of headphones. Yet I always had two. There were other similar things I did which broke the rules. 

Consequently, every time there was a major cell search, I got scared. I would live in fear of the time they'd come to my cell to search it and would find my "contraband". Even now - with prison many years behind me - I notice that I am much more stressed when I am speeding down the highway than when I am obeying the driving laws. Do you know that feeling? When we cut corners at work, bend the tax laws, or break the rules society sets up, we live in fear of the authorities. Paul instructs us to obey the rules. When we live for Christ in this dark world, His light shines through us and brings freedom from fear.

INSIGHT

GOD ORDAINED THE AUTHORITIES IN OUR LIVES FOR OUR GOOD. OBEYING REDUCES STRESS, TENSION AND FEAR, AND IT BRINGS HIM THE GLORY.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR

Leviticus 7-8 

Psalm 49 

Luke 13 

Romans 13 

New International Version (NIV)

Submission to Governing Authorities

13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Love Fulfills the Law

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a] and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

The Day Is Near

11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[c]

Footnotes:

a. Romans 13:9 Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deut. 5:17-19,21 

b. Romans 13:9 Lev. 19:18 

c. Romans 13:14 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.

CHRISTIANS YOU SHOULD KNOW [PART 1]

with Tommy Walker

There has been great division in the church when it comes to worship. The difficulty of getting all ages to worship in the same room has troubled many churches. Can there be a solution? 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 2, 2012)

Building Up

Ephesians 5:1-13


"Do everything in love."
(1 CORINTHIANS 16:14)

"C'MON! You Stink! Why are you on the field?" These were the words one of the Christian brothers used during a softball game. And these words were not directed to someone on the other team. They were yelled at a teammate who had just made his second error, allowing the opponent to score a run. Some camaraderie, right?

For many years in prison, we'd formed Christian teams for softball. The goal was to witness to the other teams and to our fellow prisoners who watched the games. We were supposed to be good sports and act according to our profession of faith. Too often we acted exactly like the other teams. Instead of being witnesses of Jesus, our team couldn't be distinguished from any other. Imagine the impact we could've had if we had encouraged each other rather than discouraged! What if we would say, "You'll get the next one" rather than "You stink"? What if we cared more about winning souls than winning games? Imagine if we played with love. Let's all do that in each of our day's activities.

INSIGHT
WHATEVER WE DO, ESPECIALLY WITH FELLOW CHRISTIANS, DO IN LOVE. CHRIST GAVE ALL HIS LOVE FOR YOU!

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Leviticus 5-6
Psalm 48
Luke 12

Ephesians 5:1-13
New International Version (NIV)
5 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
Footnotes:
a. Ephesians 5:5 Or kingdom of the Messiah anD gOD



MOVING WITH COMPASSION
with Mary Frances Bowley

What is it about the Cinderella story that moves us? It is the redemptive tale of a girl saved from slavery. In the world of human trafficking, many girls are still waiting for a savior.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (DECEMBER 1, 2012)

Loving our Husbands

1 Peter 3:1-6

"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord." 

(COLOSSIANS 3:18)

In several New Testament passages both Paul and Peter write about wives submitting to their husbands. Even for the first readers of their letters, this was a big issue. Back in Genesis 3 one of the descriptions of the curse or by-product of sin is a woman's desire to dominate. 

Much argument has arisen over the idea of a woman's submission to her husband. Some of the greatest opponents of biblical submission forget the last phrase of today's Scripture passage. A wife is to submit to her husband in a way that "is fitting to the Lord." What is the fitting way that we submit to the Lord? We respond to His grace with gratitude, with a desire to please Him, and with joy for His care for us. These are ways that a woman might respond to her husband. 

The problems come, of course, when one or both spouses do not treat the other as the Lord treats us. It is hard to see through the bitterness and strife in those times. The only hope for the disintegrating marriage is submitting to Jesus Christ whose grace restores.

INSIGHT

A WIFE'S SUBMISSION TO HER HUSBAND IS A WONDERFUL WAY FOR HER TO SHOW THE WORLD HOW THE CHURCH RESPONDS TO THE WORK OF CHRIST.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR

Leviticus 3-4 

Psalm 47

Luke 11

Ephesians 5:25-29

New International Version (NIV)

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—

Footnotes:

a. Ephesians 5:26 Or having cleansed

MOVING WITH COMPASSION

with Mary Frances Bowley

What is it about the Cinderella story that moves us? It is the redemptive tale of a girl saved from slavery. In the world of human trafficking, many girls are still waiting for a savior. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 30, 2012)

Loving our Wives

Ephesians 5:25-29


"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word..."
(EPHESIANS 5:25-26)

When we become people who are willing to lay down our own rights and serve another loyally, we are becoming a picture of Christ's love for us. Men can display this love from the Lord in marriages that honor Him, marriages designed to be exclusive and utterly faithful.

Also, a husband's love is to be sacrificial, even as Christ's love for the church is. Men, this may mean that you pour out your life for your bride, giving yourself for her well-being. If a man loves his own body by feeding it and caring for it, he should care for his wife at least the same way.

The end result of the love a man has for his wife is holiness and sanctification. Christ died to make His bride holy and for her sanctification; husbands must love their own wives with her holiness and sanctification in mind. Pray daily with and for your wife. Speak to her in kindness and gentleness. Read Scripture with her. Adore your wife as Christ adores the church, and know that the Lord's perfect love for you is behind it all.

INSIGHT
WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT A CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE, THEY OUGHT TO SEE CHRIST AND HIS LOVE FOR THE CHURCH REPRESENTED THERE.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Leviticus 1-2
Psalm 46
Luke 10

MOVING WITH COMPASSION [PART 5]

with Dr. Suresh Kumar

The disciples wanted nothing to do with her, but Jesus sat down with the woman at the well. He offered her the gift of living water and her life was changed forever. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 29, 2012)

Goodwill Ambassadors

2 Corinthians 5:18-21


"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us."
(2 CORINTHIANS 5:20A)

An ambassador sent out by a government might wear some sort of sash across the chest bearing the name of the place or people represented. As Christians, we are Christ's ambassadors. Our sash, however, isn't something we wear across our chest to identify us. Rather it is our manner of living, our humility and our words which identify us with Jesus. Even dressed in prison clothes with no fancy sash at all, I was a representative for Christ throughout my incarceration.

People should be able to look at us and identify us as Christians. In today's passage, Paul even says that God is making His appeal to His enemies through us. Elsewhere, Paul tells Christians that our citizenship is in heaven. And he explains why we have been sent: to bring the message of reconciliation. If ever there was a place in need of peace and reconciliation, it is behind the gates of prison. But the calling for every Christian anywhere is to represent the King of kings to this fallen world we live in, behind the bars of sin.

INSIGHT
AS AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, WE REPRESENT THE HEAVENLY CITY, THE NEW JERUSALEM, AND THE KING OF KINGS WHO IS ENTHRONED ON HIGH!

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 37-38
Psalm 44
Luke 8

2 Corinthians 5:18-21
New International Version (NIV)
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

MOVING WITH COMPASSION [PART 3]

with Brian McConaghy

He goes to the worst areas of Cambodia on a mission to alleviate the suffering caused by human trafficking. Brian McConaghy is a former Canadian Mountie who brings the love of Christ to the oppressed. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 28, 2012)

Walking the Walk

Psalm 1


"A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful."
(PROVERBS 14:25)

"You're a Christian?" Those words nearly knocked me to my knees. You see, I had been a believer in Jesus for seven years when a co-worker in the prison cabinet shop asked me this. How could he not know that I was a Christian? I had taught Bible studies, evangelized out on the yard, volunteered in the chapel, etc. Didn't he see who I was? But then I gave it some thought.

In the cabinet shop, I was trying to live a double life. I wanted to fit in and be liked, so I acted like everyone else. I gave the warning signals when an officer was walking through the shop. I stood lookout while men smuggled their contraband jewelry boxes out to the yard. Were these things I should do if I were claiming the name of Christ in my life?

This conversation made me realize that I wasn't being a truthful witness for Jesus. I had to repent and begin walking the walk instead of just talking the talk. It was amazing to see just how much I was able to talk to people about Christ when they saw me actually living for Him.


INSIGHT
AS CHRISTIANS, OUR LIVES SHOULD BE REMARKABLY DIFFERENT THAN THE WORLD.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 35-36
Psalm 43
Luke 7


Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

MOVING WITH COMPASSION [PART 2]
with Susan Munsey

She found herself trapped in the world of human trafficking. After being rescued and rehabilitated, she started an organization to help girls like her find their way out of the darkness.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 27, 2012)

Strength in Softness

James 3:1-12



"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."
(PROVERBS 15:1)

Have you heard the phrase "adding fuel to the fire"? When people disagree, conversations can degenerate quickly. I saw this repeatedly firsthand with my prisonmates through the years. One careless voice inflection or one wrong word, and a discussion turns into an argument, or an argument into a fight.

Proverbs teaches us principles for walking in the light in a world darkened by sin. The wise man will use a soft answer to turn away wrath while the fool will use harsh words and stir up strife. James tells us that "the tongue is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire..." (3:6). I think about how my tongue and my word choices set the whole course of my life on fire, even to the point of imprisonment.

It's not always just what we say, but also how we say it that leads to problems. Our soft answers will lessen conflict and turn away anger. Don't "add fuel to the fire"; let the fire of Christ's love fuel your heart for Him.

INSIGHT
IF YOU WISH TO DOUSE THE FLAMES OF CONFRONTATION, USE A SOFT AND GENTLE ANSWER.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 33-34
Psalm 42
Luke 6

James 3:1-12
New International Version (NIV)
Taming the Tongue
3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

MOVING WITH COMPASSION [PART 1]

with Mary Frances Bowley

What is it about the Cinderella story that moves us? It is the redemptive tale of a girl saved from slavery. In the world of human trafficking, many girls are still waiting for a savior. 

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 27, 2012)

Conflict Resolution

Genesis 4:1-15


"'In your anger do not sin': Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."
(EPHESIANS 4:26-27)

One way we can live as light in a world of darkness is in our conflict resolution. Take a look at Cain in the Bible and how he handled things. He was jealous of his brother Abel for no other reason than Abel's devotion to God. Cain's jealousy turned to rage against his brother, and he killed him. I can identify with Cain. Before Christ saved me, I handled most of my conflicts with violence, either from my lips or my hands. My Cain-like responses to conflict resolution landed me a life-sentence in prison.

But Paul writes to us of a better way. Though we will have anger in our life, our response to it ought not to be sinful. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:31 to "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." In place of those things, we must "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (v. 32). The life-sentence we all bear has been lifted by the One who is slow to anger with us, compassionate and gracious, abounding in steadfast love.

INSIGHT
SEEK TO IMITATE CHRIST, WHO CERTAINLY WAS ANGRY AT TIMES. YET HE NEVER SINNED.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 31-32
Psalm 41
Luke 5


Genesis 4:1-15
New International Version (NIV)
Cain and Abel
4 Adam[a] made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.[b] She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth[c] a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[d] While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Not so[e]; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.
Footnotes:
a. Genesis 4:1 Or The man
b. Genesis 4:1 Cain sounds like the Hebrew for brought forth or acquired.
c. Genesis 4:1 Or have acquired
d. Genesis 4:8 Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Masoretic Text does not have “Let’s go out to the field.”
e. Genesis 4:15 Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; Hebrew Very well

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 26, 2012)

True Freedom

John 8: 31-36

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
(JOHN 8:36)

While in prison, I thought about freedom in terms of which side of the fence I was on. All of us knew that those on the outside were free and those on the inside were not. This isn't completely accurate, however.

Actually, freedom in Christ shows us there is more to it than just what walls you in. A believer in Jesus has been freed from all sorts of bondage. As a young Christian, I was bound by what other prisoners thought of me. I wanted to be a Christian but also be in with the other groups. This burden kept me from raising my hands in worship or clapping when singing because I didn't want people to think I was some sort of "Jesus Freak."

One night, when a man was teaching on John 8, the Holy Spirit opened my eyes. At that moment, I realized that I was freer than I had ever been in my life, yet I was standing in the middle of Corcoran Prison! Serving Jesus is true freedom regardless of where you are. Only through Him will you find the freedom that gives life to the full even in the midst of despair.

INSIGHT
TRUE FREEDOM INVOLVES OUR POSITION IN CHRIST, NOT WHERE OUR PHYSICAL BODIES ARE. GIVE UP BONDAGE, KNOW CHRIST, AND SEE HOW FREE YOU CAN BE.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 17-18
Psalm 34
Mark 14

hn 8:31-36
New International Version (NIV)
Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.


"CHRISTIAN" MYTHS ABOUT MONEY
with Dr. Ben Witherington

How are your finances? Does your heart swell with pride or sink with fear at the topic? No matter who you are, Jesus has something vitally important to say to you about money.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 25, 2012)

Rubber-Meets-the-Road

Ephesians 4:1-24


"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body."
(EPHESIANS 4:25)

"I want to change my plea from 'not guilty' to 'guilty,'" I told my attorney five days after I became a Christian while in the Monterey County Jail in 1989. She advised against it. I was facing a life sentence plus 14 years for my crimes; I'd serve a minimum of 30 years at best.

This was a rubber-meets-the-road time for me: do I admit my guilt, tell the truth and go to prison for much of my life? Or do I keep lying and hope to beat the case? I chose the guilty plea, trusting the Lord would honor my obedience.

Each of us confronts a similar reality: do we admit our guilt from sin or do we put it out of our minds and try to overcome it on our own? The "one body" Paul speaks of is that of Jesus Christ, and it is He who took every punishment for our guilt. The "rubber met the road" when He gave His life for us at Calvary.

In an amazing act of grace, the prosecutor dropped three of my charges, sparing me the 14 additional years. What an unexpected blessing! Isn't that just what God's grace is for us?

INSIGHT
REMEMBER YOU'RE A PART OF THE BODY OF CHRIST AS YOU DECIDE DAY IN AND DAY OUT HOW TO RESPOND TO LIFE'S CHALLENGES.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 15-16
Psalm 33
Mark 13

Ephesians 4:1-24
New International Version (NIV)
Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ
4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord,one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it[a] says:
“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives
    and gave gifts to his people.”[b]
9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Instructions for Christian Living
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self,created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Footnotes:
a. Ephesians 4:8 Or God
b. Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
c. Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth


"CHRISTIAN" MYTHS ABOUT MONEY
with Dr. Ben Witherington

How are your finances? Does your heart swell with pride or sink with fear at the topic? No matter who you are, Jesus has something vitally important to say to you about money.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 24, 2012)

Joy, Rejoicing and Peace

Philippians 4



"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
(PHILIPPIANS 4:4)

If you're like me, you are thinking, "Paul, how can you expect me to rejoice in my current circumstances? You can't possibly know what I'm going through." If you read 2 Corinthians 11 or Acts 16, you will see that the Apostle Paul did indeed understand trials and suffering. Yet through all of his suffering, he had joy. In fact, the words for "joy" and "rejoice" appear 16 times in this short letter which Paul wrote from prison!

Where does this joy and rejoicing come from? Would I have been marked by that kind of joy through all of my years in prison? Paul urges us that "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure...think about such things" (v.8-9). Jesus is truth incarnate. Jesus is noble; He is the King of kings. Jesus is right; He is the Righteous One. Jesus is pure as the Lamb of God without spot or blemish. If you want to have joy and rejoicing, follow Paul's example and meditate on Christ and what He has done for you. "The God of peace will be with you" (v. 9).


INSIGHT
JOY AND PEACE COME FROM A LIFE THAT IS GROUNDED IN CHRIST, FOCUSED ON CHRIST AND LIVED FOR CHRIST.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 29-30
Psalm 40
Luke 4

Philippians 4
New International Version (NIV)
Closing Appeal for Steadfastness and Unity
4 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!
2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Final Exhortations
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Thanks for Their Gifts
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
21 Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. 22 All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.[a]
Footnotes:
a. Philippians 4:23 Some manuscripts do not have Amen.

LEARNING TO LOVE
with Gary Chapman

Love can easily be defined - it is patient, kind and gracious. But true Christian love cannot be proud, self-seeking and rude. How can we love others in the way that God first loved us?

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 23, 2012)

Refined Like Silver

Psalm 66



"For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs."
(PSALM 66:10-11)

While the imagery of imprisonment resonates with me in particular, Psalm 66 is a beautiful call to all the earth to turn to God. It is a vignette in which the psalmist speaks of God's work in creation, our redemption, and our response to this work. In verse 10, the psalmist writes that God tested the people and refined them like silver. The refinement came in the form of imprisonment.

Friends, do you think of your afflictions in these terms? Do you recognize them as coming from God as part of your refinement? What a comfort it was to know that my incarceration was from God and that what I had meant for evil God meant for my good.

Know that your burdens are from the Lord, and there is not one anguish you will ever experience that He has not already experienced for you. The good news is that He "brought us out to a place of abundance" (v. 12). This is the truth for every believer, whether it is here on earth or in glory for eternity. For God has promised it!

INSIGHT
THE ONE WHO LAYS BURDENS ON OUR BACKS ALSO BORE ON HIS BACK ALL THE PUNISHMENT FOR OUR SINS, BRINGING US TO A PLACE OF ABUNDANCE.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 27-28
Psalm 39
Luke 3


Psalm 66
For the director of music. A song. A psalm.
1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2 Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing the praises of your name.”[a]

5 Come and see what God has done,
his awesome deeds for mankind!
6 He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot—
come, let us rejoice in him.
7 He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations—
let not the rebellious rise up against him.

8 Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
10 For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.

13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 66:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 7 and 15.

LEARNING TO LOVE [PART 5]
with Gary Chapman

Love can easily be defined - it is patient, kind and gracious. But true Christian love cannot be proud, self-seeking and rude. How can we love others in the way that God first loved us?

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 22, 2012)

A Biblical Hope

Hebrews 6:9-20



"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure..."
(HEBREWS 6:19)

Generally, when people use the word "hope," they mean "desire or wish," as in "I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow for the game." I thought a lot about hope while imprisoned, and I can assure you my thoughts ran much deeper than "I hope we get some good food today." Just as the biblical writers had something else in mind regarding "hope," so did I. What I knew to be my hope, the anchor for my soul, is the only One I could count on: Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews 6 uses the word "hope" not expressing mere desire, but an assured expectation.

We who hope in Christ mustn't look at our salvation as something we only wish will end in eternity with Him. Rather, we should be secure in our belief, confidently living in that hope now and looking toward the day when the promise will be fully realized. Fanny Crosby expressed it in the words of her 1873 hymn: "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood."

INSIGHT
THE CHRISTIAN'S HOPE IS A CONFIDENT EXPECTATION BASED ON THE UNFAILING PROMISES OF GOD.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 21-22
Psalm 36
Mark 16

Hebrews 6:9-20
New International Version (NIV)
9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
The Certainty of God’s Promise
13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”[a] 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Footnotes:
a. Hebrews 6:14 Gen. 22:17


LEARNING TO LOVE [PART 2]
with Gary Chapman

The Apostle John said, "We love God because He first loved us." God loves us unconditionally and we reciprocate His love through faith. But how do we mirror God's love in our own relationships?

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 21, 2012)

Of Rain and Animals

Psalm 136

"Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain..."
(PSALM 147:7-8)

It has been said that we don't know what we have until we lose it. Some of the most valuable things I lost when I ended up in Corcoran Prison were the sounds of nature. The cells at Corcoran do not have windows that open, so we never heard the morning chirp of the birds or the rain as it hit the sidewalk. For nearly four years I went without the sounds of nature.

I will never forget a February night and early morning hours in 1993. I had transferred to Soledad prison, a much older joint with cells that had windows which opened. When I went to bed that first night, it was raining outside, and I could hear (and smell) the rain. When I woke the next morning, I heard the birds, squirrels and cats all crying out to their Maker. I rolled over on my bed and joined with them in a chorus of praise, thankful for the blessed mercies of rain and animals.

The goodness and kindness of our Savior to us is like the refreshing sound of rain and the delightful sounds of nature. May you never lose sight of His mercies.

INSIGHT
BE THANKFUL FOR THE WONDERFUL MERCIES GOD GIVES US IN CREATION, PRAISING HIM THAT EVEN NATURE TESTIFIES TO HIS GOODNESS.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 19-20
Psalm 35
Mark 15

Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.
11 and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.

13 to him who divided the Red Sea[a] asunder
His love endures forever.
14 and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.

16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever.

17 to him who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
18 and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.
19 Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
20 and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.
21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
22 an inheritance to his servant Israel.
His love endures forever.

23 He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
24 and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
25 He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 136:13 Or the Sea of Reeds; also in verse 15


LEARNING TO LOVE [PART 1]
with Gary Chapman

Everyone has a deep emotional need to feel loved. But we don't often give or receive love in the same way our spouses, children, or close friends might. How can we better communicate our love?

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 20, 2012)

Light and Darkness


1 John 1:1-10



"God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth."
1 JOHN 1:5B-6

If ever there was a place characterized by darkness in many senses of the word, it would be in the confines of prison. I know that for a fact because I spent more than 15 years there for crimes I committed. I will never stop praising the Lord whose light and grace descended on my life while I was behind bars. Over the years I began to see that even while I was in the midst of despair and regret, God was calling me to live as a light to Him in the darkness.

In 1 Timothy 6:16, Paul says that God dwells in "inapproachable light." We who live in a fallen world - in or outside of prison walls - cannot quite grasp what pure, unapproachable light is. Yet that is our God.

Fellowship with God, who is light, involves walking in the light of His Word and not in the darkness of this world. That can be overwhelming for many of us. But we need not lose hope. Our Savior who is the Light of the World conquered the very depths of darkness for us. Set free, not one of us who knows Him remains imprisoned by sin any longer.


About the writer:

Mark Casson is a husband, father, and businessman, who also has spent over 15 years in California's prison system. He has a combined 22 years of experience in prison ministry from both sides of the razor wire. A sought-after speaker, he has taken the message of grace to conferences, high schools and colleges, prisons, and churches. His passion for ministry to prisoners is infectious.

INSIGHT
WALKING IN THE LIGHT IS AN INDICATION THAT WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ONE WHO IS LIGHT.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 13-14
Psalm 32
Mark 12

1 John 1:1-10
New International Version (NIV)
The Incarnation of the Word of Life
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[a] joy complete.
Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Footnotes:
a. 1 John 1:4 Some manuscripts your
b. 1 John 1:7 Or every

"CHRISTIAN" MYTHS ABOUT MONEY [PART 5]
with Dr. Ben Witherington

Have you ever heard someone suggest that if you tithe faithfully God will reward you financially? Does that teaching align with the Bible? The words of Jesus have the final say.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 19, 2012)

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Hebrews 6


"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the Lord helped us.'"
(1 SAMUEL 7:12)

Now that we are a month into the New Year, it's good to look back and recall God's mercy and faithfulness to us in the past. With hindsight we see where God removed an obstacle or built a way over it.

Joshua instructed one man from each tribe of Israel to bring a stone from the Jordan River to set up as a memorial in the place where they camped on their first night in the land God had promised His people. We, too, ought to remember the victories won thus far along our way. Those experiences are the memorial stones that remind us to press forward knowing everything we need has already been prepared for the next segment of the journey. We are given fresh strength, peace and joy to tackle each new day and week and month.

Paul's writings encourage us to hold on to hope because our hope is in the Rock of our salvation: Jesus. Never will He fail you; always will His strong arm be sufficient to carry you through. Truly, you can move forward with assurance of an amazing future with Christ.

INSIGHT
HERE I RAISE MY EBENEZER;
HERE BY THY GREAT HELP
I'VE COME;
AND I HOPE, BY THY GOOD PLEASURE,
SAFELY TO ARRIVE AT HOME.
(ROBERT ROBINSON, 1758)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 11-12
Psalm 31
Mark 11

ew International Version (NIV)
6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a] and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites,[b] the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so.
4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[c] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
The Certainty of God’s Promise
13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”[d] 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priestforever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Footnotes:
a. Hebrews 6:1 Or from useless rituals
b. Hebrews 6:2 Or about baptisms
c. Hebrews 6:6 Or age, 6 if they fall
d. Hebrews 6:14 Gen. 22:17


"CHRISTIAN" MYTHS ABOUT MONEY [PART 4]
with Dr. Ben Witherington

Have you ever heard about the prayer of Jabez? Jabez asked God to enlarge his territory and God answered his prayer. Does that mean we should do the same and expect God to increase our wealth?

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 18, 2012)

The Spark of Hope

Romans 5


"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
(HEBREWS 11:1)

Hope may begin as a tiny yearning, but when fanned by encouragement, it can light a mighty blaze. It's life-giving. People may feel ill. Once assured their symptoms will pass and that they will recover, they are often strengthened until they are well. A business may be failing. But when the owner sees signs of increased demand for his product, he perseveres through the down-time.

The power of hope may be most obvious when it's gone. It's tragic to look into the eyes of one who has lost hope. To anticipate the realization of the thing we're looking forward to gives joy and motivates us. But the person without hope can hardly take another step.

Even in the direst of situations we need not despair because of one - and only one - hope that lies at the heart of every believer: the hope given to us in Jesus Christ. As our world caves in around us, even a spark of hope in Jesus is enough to cling to. That spark grows into the fire of faith of knowing our answer will come, if not in this world, then in the next.


INSIGHT
"SUFFERING PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE; PERSEVERANCE, CHARACTER; AND CHARACTER, HOPE. AND HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT US..."
(ROMANS 5:4-5)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 9-10
Psalm 30
Mark 10

Romans 5
New International Version (NIV)
Peace and Hope
5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Footnotes:
a. Romans 5:1 Many manuscripts let us
b. Romans 5:2 Or let us
c. Romans 5:3 Or let us
Cross references:
A. Romans 5:1 : S Ro 4:25
B. Romans 5:1 : S Ro 3:28
C. Romans 5:1 : S Lk 2:14
D. Romans 5:1 : ver 10
E. Romans 5:2 : Eph 2:18; 3:12
F. Romans 5:2 : 1Co 15:1
G. Romans 5:2 : S Heb 3:6
H. Romans 5:3 : S Mt 5:12
I. Romans 5:3 : S Heb 10:36
J. Romans 5:5 : Php 1:20; S Heb 3:6; 1Jn 3:2, 3
K. Romans 5:5 : ver 8; Jn 3:16; Ro 8:39
L. Romans 5:5 : Ac 2:33; 10:45; Tit 3:5, 6
M. Romans 5:6 : Mk 1:15; Gal 4:4; Eph 1:10
N. Romans 5:6 : ver 8, 10
O. Romans 5:6 : Ro 4:25
P. Romans 5:8 : Jn 3:16; 15:13; 1Pe 3:18; 1Jn 3:16; 4:10
Q. Romans 5:9 : S Ro 4:25
R. Romans 5:9 : S Ro 3:25
S. Romans 5:9 : S Ro 1:18
T. Romans 5:10 : Ro 11:28; Col 1:21
U. Romans 5:10 : ver 11; Ro 11:15; 2Co 5:18, 19; Col 1:20, 22
V. Romans 5:10 : Ro 8:34; Heb 7:25
W. Romans 5:11 : S ver 10
X. Romans 5:12 : ver 15, 16, 17; Ge 3:1-7; 1Co 15:21, 22
Y. Romans 5:12 : ver 14, 18; Ge 2:17; 3:19; S Ro 6:23
Z. Romans 5:12 : S Ro 3:9
AA. Romans 5:13 : S Ro 4:15
AB. Romans 5:14 : Ge 3:11, 12
AC. Romans 5:14 : 1Co 15:22, 45
AD. Romans 5:15 : ver 12, 18, 19
AE. Romans 5:15 : Ac 15:11
AF. Romans 5:17 : S ver 12
AG. Romans 5:17 : Jn 10:10
AH. Romans 5:18 : S ver 12
AI. Romans 5:18 : S Ro 4:25
AJ. Romans 5:18 : Isa 53:11
AK. Romans 5:19 : ver 12
AL. Romans 5:19 : S Ro 3:9
AM. Romans 5:19 : S Php 2:8
AN. Romans 5:20 : Ro 3:20; 7:7, 8; Gal 3:19
AO. Romans 5:20 : Ro 6:1; 1Ti 1:13, 14
AP. Romans 5:21 : ver 12, 14; S Ro 6:16
AQ. Romans 5:21 : S Ro 3:24
AR. Romans 5:21 : S Mt 25:46


"CHRISTIAN" MYTHS ABOUT MONEY [PART 3]
with Dr. Ben Witherington

Sometimes we believe things that sound biblical without ever really examining them for truth. Many Christians believe myths about money that are not present in the Bible. Do you know what they are?

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 17, 2012)

Redeem the Time

Colossians 3:23-4:6



"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."
(COLOSSIANS 4:5B)

To be good stewards of the moments we're given is a constant challenge. Could any of us honestly say at the end of a day that we had made "the most of every opportunity"? Perhaps you've longed as I have at times to get back the hours that have passed and re-do them differently. Or perhaps you've begun to learn that making the best use of our time does not mean rushing pell-mell into each new project. So how do we redeem the time?

We do so by realizing the One who has redeemed us has all of our days measured out even before they have come to be. We remind ourselves that "the LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him" (Psalm 34:21-22). Revelation 12:12 tells us Satan knows his time is short; he'll try to hinder the progress of God's people in any way he can. But our Lord is greater than any trial that may come our way. It may even be in the very heart of the trial that you find Him, covering you with His feathers and giving you refuge under His wings (see Psalm 91:4).


INSIGHT
WHEN WE KNOW WE HAVEN'T MADE THE MOST OF OUR DAY, WE REST IN KNOWING OUR GREAT REDEEMER HAS.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 7-8
Psalm 29
Mark 9

Colossians 3:23-4:6
New International Version (NIV)
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.
4 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Further Instructions
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

"CHRISTIAN" MYTHS ABOUT MONEY [PART 2]

with Dr. Ben Witherington

What does money make you think of? Taxes? Debt? Payday? Jesus said to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. But what does Jesus mean when he says this? And what else does he say about money?

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 16, 2012)

Blessed with Favor

Ruth 2


"For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield."
(PSALM 5:12)

Both Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, were widowed and destitute. With no means of support, Ruth gathered anything missed by those harvesting the barley near Bethlehem. She was a foreigner knowing neither the people nor the land of Judah. But God's leading placed her in a field owned by Naomi's relative, Boaz, and there she gleaned. In time she came to know Boaz and even married him. Generations down the line, she became an ancestor of Jesus Christ Himself. Ruth was living in the center of God's will, and she knew His favor. Ruth was not jumping through hoops to win favor with God and man. She did what she needed to do each day in the place and at the time God chose for her.

What a relief it is for each of us who have received Jesus as Lord to know God does not require us to perform any extreme measures to qualify for His blessing on our lives. He has extended His favor to meet our every need, going so far as to meet our greatest need for salvation through the free gift of life given to us in Jesus.

INSIGHT
"HIS FAVOR LASTS A LIFETIME; WEEPING MAY REMAIN FOR A NIGHT, BUT REJOICING COMES IN THE MORNING."
(PSALM 30:5)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 5-6
Psalm 28
Mark 8


Ruth 2
New International Version (NIV)
Ruth Meets Boaz in the Grain Field
2 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, a man of standing from the clan of Elimelek, whose name was Boaz.
2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.”
Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.
4 Just then Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, “The Lord be with you!”
“The Lord bless you!” they answered.
5 Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”
6 The overseer replied, “She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters.’ She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter.”
8 So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. 9 Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”
10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”
11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. 12 May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”
13 “May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”
14 At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.”
When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. 15 As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, “Let her gather among the sheaves and don’t reprimand her. 16 Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.”
17 So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah.[a] 18 She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough.
19 Her mother-in-law asked her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!”
Then Ruth told her mother-in-law about the one at whose place she had been working. “The name of the man I worked with today is Boaz,” she said.
20 “The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers.[b]”
21 Then Ruth the Moabite said, “He even said to me, ‘Stay with my workers until they finish harvesting all my grain.’”
22 Naomi said to Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with the women who work for him, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”
23 So Ruth stayed close to the women of Boaz to glean until the barley and wheat harvests were finished. And she lived with her mother-in-law.
Footnotes:
a. Ruth 2:17 That is, probably about 30 pounds or about 13 kilograms
b. Ruth 2:20 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55).
Cross references:
A. Ruth 2:1 : Ru 3:2; Pr 7:4
B. Ruth 2:1 : 1Sa 9:1; 1Ki 11:28
C. Ruth 2:1 : S Ru 1:2
D. Ruth 2:1 : Ru 4:21; 1Ch 2:12; Mt 1:5; Lk 3:32
E. Ruth 2:2 : S Ru 1:22
F. Ruth 2:2 : S Lev 19:9; S 23:22
G. Ruth 2:2 : S Ge 6:8; S 18:3
H. Ruth 2:3 : ver 14; 2Ki 4:18; Jer 9:22; Am 9:13
I. Ruth 2:3 : ver 1
J. Ruth 2:4 : S Jdg 6:12; Lk 1:28; 2Th 3:16
K. Ruth 2:4 : S Ge 28:3; S Nu 6:24
L. Ruth 2:6 : S Ru 1:22
M. Ruth 2:7 : S Ge 37:7; S Lev 19:9
N. Ruth 2:7 : 2Sa 4:5
O. Ruth 2:10 : S Ge 19:1; S 1Sa 20:41
P. Ruth 2:10 : ver 19; Ps 41:1
Q. Ruth 2:10 : S Ge 31:15; S Dt 15:3
R. Ruth 2:11 : S Ru 1:14
S. Ruth 2:11 : S Ru 1:5
T. Ruth 2:11 : Isa 55:5
U. Ruth 2:11 : Ru 1:16-17
V. Ruth 2:12 : 1Sa 24:19; 26:23, 25; Ps 18:20; Pr 25:22; Jer 31:16
W. Ruth 2:12 : S Jos 24:15
X. Ruth 2:12 : Ps 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7; 91:4
Y. Ruth 2:12 : Ps 71:1
Z. Ruth 2:13 : S Ge 18:3
AA. Ruth 2:14 : S Ge 3:19
AB. Ruth 2:14 : S ver 3
AC. Ruth 2:14 : S Lev 23:14
AD. Ruth 2:14 : ver 18
AE. Ruth 2:15 : S Ge 37:7; S Lev 19:9
AF. Ruth 2:16 : S Ge 37:10
AG. Ruth 2:17 : S Jdg 6:11
AH. Ruth 2:17 : S Lev 19:36
AI. Ruth 2:18 : ver 14
AJ. Ruth 2:19 : S ver 10
AK. Ruth 2:20 : S Jdg 17:2; S 1Sa 23:21
AL. Ruth 2:20 : S Ge 11:31
AM. Ruth 2:20 : S Ge 19:19
AN. Ruth 2:20 : S Lev 25:25
AO. Ruth 2:20 : Ru 3:9, 12; 4:1, 14
AP. Ruth 2:21 : S Ru 1:22
AQ. Ruth 2:23 : S Ex 9:31
AR. Ruth 2:23 : S Ge 30:14; S 1Sa 6:13


"CHRISTIAN" MYTHS ABOUT MONEY [PART 1]
with Dr. Ben Witherington

How are your finances? Does your heart swell with pride or sink with fear at the topic? No matter who you are, Jesus has something vitally important to say to you about money.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 15, 2012)

Victory Comes in Cans

1 Samuel 17:32-50


"I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
(PHILIPPIANS 4:13)

Goliath, champion of the Philistines, taunted Saul and his army morning and evening for 40 days. "Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects" (1 Samuel 17:8-9), he declared. The response of Saul and each of the Israelites - including David's three oldest brothers - was, "I can't!" How right they were! Young David's response was, "I can!" because in his simple faith he knew that the God who had enabled him to defend his father's sheep from a lion and a bear was well able to give victory over Goliath.

Taking on the giants in our lives requires more than just "can-do" positive thinking. Our trust is in the One who has chosen us to be His hands to do the deed. Our trust is in a Savior who conquered Satan and death. David fired the stone from his sling knowing God had prepared him for that moment. Each of us stands with the God of all Creation who can and will accomplish all His holy will, sometimes even using us as His instruments to do so.

INSIGHT
I KNOW MY LORD IS ABLE TO CARRY ME THROUGH.
(PAUL E. PAINO, 1958)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 3-4
Psalm 27
Mark 7

1 Samuel 17:32-50
New International Version (NIV)
32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”
33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.


DEALING WITH DEPRESSION
with Dr. Ed Welch

Recent studies show that 15 million Americans over the age of 18 are depressed. There is no instant cure for most people's depression, but we can find hope and joy in the truth of God's Word.

ANCHOR DEVOTIONS (NOVEMBER 14, 2012)

Great Expectations

Genesis 37:2-28


"Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, and the justice of your cause like the noonday sun."
(PSALM 37:5)

Do you remember dreams you had when you were younger? Visions of being an Olympian or a world traveler or the discoverer of something great may now be replaced by family obligations and a sales job that pays the bills. Young Joseph had a dream - one the Lord placed in him indicating how the future really would be - and in it he saw his brothers bowing to him. When they threw him into a cistern and sold him into slavery, he had to question the reversal of roles. Rather than being served, he became a servant and then a prisoner. In that dream God had shown Joseph the outcome but not the process. Years of hardship would come before Joseph saw it fulfilled.

Peter teaches that God is not slow in keeping His promise, that time for Him is not the same as it is for us. And today's passage from Psalm 37 reminds us that any of our good efforts - our righteousness - will not bring our great expectations about. It is God alone who makes our efforts shine like the sun (and shine because of the Son!) in His good timing.

INSIGHT
"FIND REST, O MY SOUL, IN GOD ALONE; MY HOPE COMES FROM HIM."
(PSALM 62:5)

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Exodus 1-2
Psalm 26
Mark 6


Genesis 37:2-28
New International Version (NIV)
2 This is the account of Jacob’s family line.
Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate[a] robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”
8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
Joseph Sold by His Brothers
12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 13 and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.”
“Very well,” he replied.
14 So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.
When Joseph arrived at Shechem, 15 a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”
16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?”
17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’”
So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.
19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. 22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.
23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.
28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels[b] of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
Footnotes:
a. Genesis 37:3 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain; also in verses 23 and 32.
b. Genesis 37:28 That is, about 8 ounces or about 230 grams


DEALING WITH DEPRESSION
with Dr. Ed Welch

Recent studies show that 15 million Americans over the age of 18 are depressed. There is no instant cure for most people's depression, but we can find hope and joy in the truth of God's Word.