The twelve apostles included "James the son of Zebedee" (Matt. 10:2).

Zeal without sensitivity can destroy your life and ministry.

There's the story of a Norwegian pastor whose motto was "All or nothing!" His life and preaching were stern, strong, powerful, uncompromising, and utterly insensitive. Reportedly the people in his church didn't care much for him because he didn't care much for them. In his zeal and ambition to advance the kingdom and uphold God's standard, he neglected everything else—including his own family.

One day his little daughter became so ill the doctor warned him that if he didn't move her out of the cold Norwegian air to a warmer climate, she would die. He refused, telling the doctor, "All or nothing!" Soon his little girl died. His wife was so grief-stricken she would sit for hours holding her daughter's garments close to her heart, trying somehow to ease her pain.

When the pastor saw what his wife was doing, he gave away the clothes to a poor woman in the street. All that remained was a little bonnet, which his wife had hidden so she would have some reminder of her precious daughter. When the pastor found it, he gave that away too, lecturing his wife on giving "all or nothing." Within a few months, she too died—of grief.

Now that's an extreme example of insensitive zeal, yet there are many pastors, evangelists, and other Christian workers who are so zealous for the Lord and so task- oriented, they don't see the pain their own families and congregations are suffering.

James could have been like that if he hadn't yielded his life to Christ. He began as a zealous and insensitive disciple but God refined his character and used him in a marvelous way.

Examine your own ministries and motives. Are you sensitive to your family and the people you serve with? Zeal can be a wonderful quality but it must be tempered with love and sensitivity.

Suggestions for Prayer

If you have been insensitive to those around you, confess that to them and ask the Lord to give you a greater sensitivity from now on.

For Further Study

Eli the priest was negligent and insensitive to his family. Read 1 Samuel 3:1—4:18.

• What did the Lord tell Samuel concerning Eli?
• What was the outcome of Israel's battles with the Philistines?
• How did Eli and his sons die?

“‘And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock’” (Matthew 7:25).

Faithfulness in discipleship will mean we are prepared for the worst possible adversity and trial.

People are often unprepared for life’s unexpected upheavals. This was vividly illustrated by the once-in-500-year floods that struck the Northern Plains of the United States in the spring of 1997. One community on the Red River in North Dakota was especially devastated by the surprising events.

After working diligently for days to fortify levees against the swelling river, people in Grand Forks were hopeful. But one early morning in mid-April 1997, the relentless Red River broke through the earthen and sandbag flood barriers and inundated the entire town of 50,000. Few deaths or serious injuries occurred, but practically the entire population had to abandon homes and property to the muddy waters. It was one of the largest mass evacuations in the history of American disasters, and it will take many months, even years,before Grand Forks and surrounding towns can repair all the flood damage.

For believers, facing such an utterly unexpected trial can help them learn to grow closer to the Lord. And they can prepare themselves by resting in the truth of the prophet’s words: “The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock” (Isa. 26:3-4).

Jesus emphasized the need for total self-denial by His followers and complete preparedness to face any challenge, even death (Matt. 10:38-39). If we are living daily as His disciples, no trial will catch us totally unprepared. We might be temporarily surprised and feel inadequate initially, but we won’t remain that way. We already know from our studies this month that a sovereign God has the right to bring certain trials and tribulations into our lives, and He is also more than able to give us every resource we need to endure (Phil. 4:11-13; 1 Peter 5:6-7).

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God for the strength and wisdom He gives through His Word so that you may be prepared for whatever trial He sends.

For Further Study

• Read 1 Peter 5:6-11, and spend some extra time meditating on or memorizing one or two of the verses.
• Write down one key thought that relates to being spiritually prepared for trials.

Reading for Today:

• 1 Samuel 29:1–31:13
• Psalm 61:5
• Proverbs 16:7-9
• John 3:19-36

Notes:

1 Samuel 30:6 distressed…grieved. Arriving home to the reality of their great tragedy caused David immense distress and provoked the wickedness of his men to entertain the treasonous idea of stoning him. Having not inquired of the Lord before his departure to support Achish in battle, David was in need of God’s getting his attention. strengthened himself in the LORD his God. This was the key to David’s being a man after God’s heart (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22).

1 Samuel 30:19 nothing…was lacking. In spite of David’s previous failures, God showed Himself to be more than gracious and abundant in His stewardship of the wives, children, livestock, and possessions of David and his men.

Proverbs 16:9 Sovereign God overrules the plans of men to fulfill His purposes. (See Gen. 50:20; 1 Kin. 12:15; Ps. 119:133; Jer. 10:23; Dan. 5:23–30; 1 Cor. 3:19,20.)

DAY 14: How did John the Baptist respond to the growing ministry of Christ?

The potential conflict between John and Jesus as depicted in John 3:26 was heightened by the fact that both were engaged in ministry in close proximity to each other. Because baptism is mentioned in v. 22, Jesus may have been close to Jericho near the fords of the Jordan, while John was a short distance north baptizing at Aenon. John’s followers were especially disturbed by the fact that so many were flocking to Jesus whereas formerly they had come to John.

John’s response was to emphasize God’s sovereign authority in granting any ministry opportunity (v. 27). It must be “given to him from heaven.” And he conveyed his understanding of his own role through the use of a parable (v. 29).The “friend of the bridegroom” was the ancient equivalent of the best man who organized the details and presided over the Judean wedding. This friend found his greatest joy in watching the ceremony proceed without problems. Most likely, John was also alluding to Old Testament passages where faithful Israel is depicted as the bride of the Lord (Is. 62:4,5; Jer. 2:2; Hos. 2:16–20).

In vv. 31–36, John the Baptist gave 5 reasons for Christ’s superiority to him: 1) Christ had a heavenly origin (v. 31); 2) Christ knew what was true by firsthand experience (v. 32); 3) Christ’s testimony always agreed with God (v. 33); 4) Christ experienced the Holy Spirit in an unlimited manner (v. 34); and 5) Christ was supreme because the Father sovereignly had granted that status to Him (v. 35).

In a fitting climax to the chapter (v. 36), John the Baptist laid out two alternatives, genuine faith and defiant disobedience, thereby bringing to the forefront the threat of looming judgment. As John faded from the forefront, he offered an invitation to faith in the Son and clearly expressed the ultimate consequence of failure to believe, i.e., “the wrath of God.”

“‘So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him’” (Matthew 6:8).

We do not have to badger or cajole God to ensure that He will hear and answer our prayers or to convince Him that our requests are sincere. Prayer is more for our benefit than God’s, as Luther said, “By our praying … we are instructing ourselves more than we are him.” Our prayers, no matter how eloquent or earnest, can never really inform or persuade God. Our responsibility and privilege is simply to approach Him with sincerity, purpose, and true devotion.

We can share with God all manner of needs, burdens, and heartfelt concerns, even though He already knows everything that’s on our hearts and minds. God delights to hear us and commune with us more than we ever delight to commune with Him. He loved us first and with a greater intensity than we could ever love Him. Our sincere prayer requests allow God the opportunity to more fully reveal all His wonderful attributes to us (cf. John 14:13).

The great evangelist D. L. Moody once felt so filled up and overwhelmed with God’s blessings that he reportedly prayed, “God, stop.” Potentially, every faithful believer today could have Moody’s response to God’s goodness. The Lord answers us in better ways than we want or expect—but He always answers.

Ask Yourself

The fact that God “knows what you need before you ask Him” can easily be construed into a rationalization for praying less. What is it about this astounding reality, however, that should actually inspire us to pray more? How does it reorient us to the true meaning of relationship with God?