Devotions - Prayer
FOR US TO BE VICTORIOUS WE NEED.
1. Our faith is our greatest weapon against the devil. 2cor 5:7
2. Know the word. We fight battles in the kingdom is to know the word. Know more than the devil. The devil works by deception in the word (read Hosea 4:6). This is what led to the fall of Adam and Eve.
3. Realize the power in you. Luke 10:19, John 1:12, 1John 4:4
4. CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON ALL THAT IS GOOD
Mark 14:38 “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”
Temptation is linked directly to what we think upon (Heb. 11:15).
*Temptation has to be entered into.
We can avoid temptation by avoiding thoughts that generate temptation (Prov. 23:7).
Since it is impossible to not think, we cannot just try to reject the negative thoughts in this world, BUT we must CHOOSE to think on the positive truths of God.
This is where prayer comes in.
In prayer, we have our minds stayed upon God and therefore, are not receptive to thoughts that conceive temptation.
Temptation or sin must be conceived (Jas. 1:14-15).
In the physical realm, the easiest way to avoid an unwanted birth is to avoid conception, so it is in the spiritual world.
It is easier to avoid being tempted by being in constant communion with God, than it is to overcome temptation once it has been conceived.
Paul admonishes the Philippians believers to reflect and meditate upon eight positive principles of thinking that will lead to a victorious Christian life.
Phil. 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
*Recognizing God’s hand in even the smallest things will bring peace and keep our hearts and minds following hard after the Lord.
Lord, I confess to You that my thoughts are not always pure. I have allowed the world and outside influences to pollute the mind that should be set on You. Right now, I choose against my old ways of thinking and invite the Holy Spirit to stand guard over my mind. I commit to fill my heart and mind with Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen. READ ROMANS 12: 1-3 ON RENEWING THE MIND!
Read MoreLet us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” Hebrews 4:16.
You don’t have to be hesitant or shy about coming to God for forgiveness. The Bible says, “Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most”.
At the throne of grace, you will not find scolding, punishment, or rejection. When we come to God with our sin, we receive his mercy, and we find his grace.
What’s the difference between mercy and grace?
- Mercy is forgiveness for all the things you’ve done in the past.
- Grace is the power to change in the future.
You need both.
- You need mercy for all the things you’ve done wrong in the past (forgiveness).
- And you need grace, the power to change, in the future. God says that when you come to him with honesty and humility, you will receive his forgiveness.
Let me tell you how not to get God’s forgiveness.
You don’t beg God. He wants to forgive you more than you want to be forgiven. You don’t have to beg.
You don’t bargain or bribe. “God, I’ll never do it again! I’ll live this kind of life. I’ll tithe 20 percent.” You don’t bargain. You don’t bribe. You don’t beg.
You just believe.
What do you believe? You believe God’s promise in Hebrews 4:16.
How do you do it? You just confess. Confession is not saying, “God, I’ll never do it again.” It’s saying, “You’re right, God. It was wrong. I was wrong.”
The Bible says in Romans 5:1,“Since we have been justified (that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God) by faith, let us grasp the fact that we have peace with God … through our Lord Jesus Christ” .
What does it mean to be justified? It means “just as if you’d never sinned.”
Wouldn’t you like to have a heart that’s washed clean? No matter how deep the stain of your sin, God can take it out.
Lord, I confess and repent for not coming to You with all things. You are the way, the truth and the way. Help me daily to be in continuous prayer with you . Amen (see 1 Thes. 5:16-19)
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Psalm 119:140 Your promises [O God] have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.
What a beautiful truth, God’s promises have been thoroughly tested. They are not just theories, they are not just abstract theology, they are something that stand the test of life and circumstances. I want to give my personal testimony in line with that.
There’s a promise of God that meets each need that arises in our lives and those promises stand the test, they really work.
Don’t be discouraged if people have let you down, don’t become embittered or resentful, because that won’t help you, but turn your eyes to God. Focus on His faithfulness, concentrate on His promises and you’ll find that thy have been tested and tried. Below are a couple of the thousands in the Bible.
Psalms 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalms 27:1
AMEN AMEN Thank you Jesus for the promises we can know as absolute Truth because they come from YOU.
Read MoreOne thing will give you the victory: Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.
**And faith is being satisfied in all that God is for us in Jesus Christ. (see Hebrews 11 the Faith Chapter)
John 8:32 “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that God’s Word was given to us “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
*That is God’s method of pruning us, and He doesn’t need the devil’s help.
*His word will make us “perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Joy changes everything, including our battle against evil.
One thing will give you the victory: Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.
**And faith is a being satisfied in all that God is for us in Jesus Christ.
* You’ve got to stoke that engine every morning so that the evils that are clawing at you loose its fangs.
You can’t have me, I’ve seen Jesus this morning.
*Lust, you can’t have me.
*Greed, you can’t have me.
*Fear of man, you can’t have me.
*Bitterness and anger, you can’t have me.
Yes—I’ve seen Jesus this morning.
The battle against evil is transformed by the way you think.
Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Lord, I know I cannot progress spiritually as long as I hang on to bitterness and offenses of the past. I realize through Your word and experiences that when I refuse to let go of the past, I am sowing seeds of separation. Lord, I Choose today to forgive and release those who have hurt me. Thank You for Faith—Faith in You Jesus! Thank You for Freedom!Amen
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When our lives get so busy that we are not listening or responding to His gentle touch, He must take more aggressive measures to get our attention.
The soul is a “neutral” territory that can either be governed by our own thoughts, emotions, and desires, or else given over to the Lordship of Christ.
“For the one who sows to his own flesh shall form the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.”Galatians 6:8
How and Where God Speaks
“The hand of the Lord was upon me there, and He said to me, ‘Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.'” Ezekiel 3:22
When God wants to speak a very important word directly to us without interruption from the noise of our busy lives, he will take us “into the plain.”
The plain is a place of no distractions and no other persons. It is a place of silence. It can be a place of great need as it often fails to have the normal provisions we are accustomed to.
In modern times, it often means a separation from our normal activities such as jobs or families.
The plain can also be a place where we discover afresh that God’s hand has been on us all the time.
When we are so busy with life, we sometimes forget that God’s hand is still there, gently leading our path.
When our lives get so busy that we are not listening or responding to His gentle touch, He must take more aggressive measures to get our attention.
Thus, the plain is one of those appointed times of one-on-one communication with our heavenly Father.
Each day God calls us to our own mini-plain in order to speak to us through His Word and for us to hear.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:12).
David is also asking for help.
“Lord, give me this willing spirit,” he says, and God immediately gives it. Then it must be acted on.
That is the point. Do not wait for a feeling to come that you are forgiven. God has said you are forgiven. Do not wait for a feeling of power to possess you.
God has declared He has already given you the power. As you believe Him (and that is what faith is), you can do what you need to do and what God wants you to do.
A VISION WITHOUT ACTION IS ONLY A DELUSION!
Lord, thank You for giving me all that I need for both forgiveness and power through the Lord Jesus. Thank you for Your Voice and speaking to me. Amen.
Read MoreYou cannot have lasting joy if your heart is not healed.
Have you put away the Old Person and are you living fully as a NEW person in Christ?
Colossians 3:3 Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life-even though invisible to spectators-is with Christ in God. He is your life.
Our PAST is JUST our testimony and nothing more. In God we are NEW, we are walking as the inner man (Holy Spirit) and no longer by flesh.
Eph. 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
“And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.” – Joshua 5:8
God requires each of us to be circumcised in heart( Paul’s words in Romans 2:29 and 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 – ‘real circumcision is a matter of the heart’) before we are allowed to enter and receive the blessings that await each believer in the Promised Land.
This circumcision can often be very painful.
*Circumcision requires losing our OLD way of life.
*The process of spiritual circumcision may mean a loss in areas that have been a part of our lives in order to DRAW us to the Savior and away from self.
****God understands this. Consequently, like the people of Israel, we must WAIT until WE ARE Healed from the past before we begin to be effective in our calling.
Loving God the way He wants us to love Him is not an emotion or feeling. It simply means Choosing to set “self” aside in ALL areas-not some!
Hebrews 5: 8 Though he was God’s Son, he learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered, just as we do.
John 12: 24 “Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over.
Dear Lord, I’ve sinned and I let it distance me from You. My faith is not about my strength, but living in Your love and strength. Restore the joy of my salvation. Fill me up with Your love. Cleanse my heart and draw me close as I reach for You. Heal me Daily Lord to better serve You. Oh how Great to Live a life with You Lord within me, then living in the World without You. Thank You for your unconditional Love!!! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read MoreWe cannot show forth God’s Life and self-life at the same time.
“Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” James 3:11
The fear of man finds its fuel source in our sin nature.
It all began when Satan was no longer content to be a worshiper in heaven—rather, he longed to be worshiped.
That lust in his heart led him to think outside the boundaries that God had established for him.
When Satan came to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, he subsequently sowed that fallen nature into the human race—a desire to live and think independently of God, ultimately wanting to be as God.
With that sin nature now entrenched in humanity, the next step was the innate desire to be worshiped—and so fallen man began to turn to one another for approval.
That is why we tend to be so greatly affected by other people’s
opinions of us; why our whole identity suddenly hinges on whether we are a success or failure in other people’s eyes.
Consider how tragic it would be to stand before the Lord one day and have somebody we once knew look us in the eye and say, “You knew the truth. You knew there was a heaven and a hell! I know I was nasty, but why didn’t you open your mouth and tell me anyway? You knew I was going to go here and you knew my children would end up here. ****Why didn’t you speak to me?”
Sadly, the only reason any child of God would have is: “I longed for your
favor more than the favor of God. I wanted you to like me. I didn’t want you to laugh at me; I wanted your praise.” What a trap it is when we love the praise of men more than the praise of God!
According to Paul, the only way to escape this snare of the fear of man is by calling out to God, knowing that He has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind (see 2 Timothy 1:7).
Furthermore, the Scriptures tell us that “there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18).
The love of God will not only drive out fear, but it will compel us to go back to those who are living without God in order to do them good, irrespective of their response toward us.
Lord, Thank You for Your word which is absolute Truth. Help me daily to share Your Truths with the people you put in front of me. Help me share Your love and compassion for Your Glory. Amen
Read MoreOnce we receive the revelation of God’s glory, we cannot continue in our old ways of treating others. That must all change.
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).
God is telling us through Paul, “You have seen My glory, and you know My nature and character—that I am gracious, ready to forgive. Now, I want you to express to others who I am!”
“Be merciful to others, even as HE has been merciful to you.”
Sometimes we think it’s all about us. It has to be all about Jesus in order for us to fulfill what is in His heart and mind for His overall plan for His Kingdom. He doesn’t need us, but Jesus has chosen to use us.
God has an agenda for planet earth. He has chosen you and me as the primary instrument for accomplishing His plan.
*Are you willing to be his faithful priest and king to do what is in His heart and mind? Why not say “yes” to His agenda.
Eph. 5:1 Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children 2 and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.
God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the ministry of reconciliation, (2 Corinthians 5:19 RSV).
You may feel burdened about the mistakes, the wrong things you have done, or the hurt you have caused.
*To you this wondrous word of forgiveness and reconciliation is directed.
**All that is needed is to confess your sinfulness and believe that God himself has borne your sins:
***Your iniquity is pardoned, you have received from the Lord the doubling for all your sins.
Thank you, Father for the comfort of your forgiveness that is offered to me through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen
Read MoreProverbs 11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the unfaithful destroys them.
*Doing the right thing takes place over anything else.
*When doing the right thing and following the rules don’t comply, we still need to do what is morally right.
To lower your Stress–Do the right thing.
*Righteous Men and Women Hate sin.
*Righteous Men and Women follow the word of God.
Proverbs 10:9 The one who conducts himself in integrity will live securely, but the one who behaves perversely will be found out.
*Integrity is when people can trust you to do something when they are not around.
This skill helps you with friendships . Also it is very good for every day life. God tells us to be do what is right no matter if any one is watching.(God IS)
*Integrity is the state or quality over being complete, and it is freedom from corrupting influences and or motives.
*Integrity is equated with words such as honesty, completeness, and incorruptibility.
So integrity is rooted in your private world (where private thoughts are held).
*Integrity is cultivated in the private life that we develop alone with God.
*Integrity is reflected in our relationship with others.
*Integrity is also revealed in public life.
What is done in the dark will come to the light.
*Live a life that is filled with integrity and honor!
Habakkuk 2:4 Look, the one whose desires are not upright will faint from exhaustion,but the person of integrity will live because of his faithfulness.
**Those who walk side ways with the devil will get their reward. Every action or behavior has a certain out come whether good or bad we will get the out come of our actions.
Luke 16:10 “The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.
Lord, help me have integrity each and every day. I pray Psalms 139:23-24 Amen
Read More“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Hebrews 12:15
The enemy of our souls has a very specific strategy to destroy relationships.
Whether these relationships are in business, marriage, or friendships, the strategy is the same.
A conflict arises, judgments are made, and feelings are hurt.
What happens next is the defining point of whether the enemy gains a foothold, or the grace of God covers the wrong.
When a root of bitterness is allowed to be planted and grown(Time does not heal all wounds!), it not only affects that person, but it also affects all others who are involved.
Root of bitterness is like a cancer (A root is a part of a tree that cannot be seen, and it will have small roots springing from it).
** Breaking Satan’s foothold requires at least one person to press into God’s grace.
*It cannot happen when either party “feels” like it, for none of us will ever feel like forgiving.
*None of us feel like talking when we have been hurt.
*Our natural response is to withdraw or lash out at the offending party.
*You have to have a forgiving heart before you can be at peace with yourself.
1 John 4:20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?
It is only obedience that allows God’s grace to cover the wrongs incurred.
*This grace prevents the parties from becoming victims who will seek compensation for their pain.
Even Jesus learned obedience through what He suffered. Hebrews 5:8.
The next time you are hurt by someone, realize the gravity of the crossroads where you find yourself.
**Choose grace(Humility releases grace) instead of bitterness. Then you will be free to move past the hurt, and a root of bitterness will not be given opportunity to grow.
Ephesians 4:32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Dear LORD, I choose to let the struggles of life make me better and not bitter. I forgive those who have hurt me, and refuse to hold a grudge. I will look for the good in every difficult situation and think the best of others. I know that a bitter heart produces bitter fruit, and I refuse to allow my heart to get caught in that trap. Now, Lord, help me accomplish what I have just confessed. In Jesus name, amen.
“It is not what you eat–it is what eats you”
Read MoreHow do we stop stressing and stop living an excessively busy lifestyle?
God just wants us to be about “One Thing” – HIM.
God only wants the best for us, He had His Son Jesus lay down His LIFE for you and me.
John 10:10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
Life is made up of hurdles that are invisible, that impact us and are undeniable.
Reading Psalms 46, 47, & 37. The Lord reminded me that no matter what battle I’m in, and how it looks, to always trust Him. Song praises, no matter what…REJOICE! because the Lord will provide the victory.
Psalm 47:1, 5–6 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God; sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.
That’s the Bible’s picture of the response that’s appropriate to God in His power and in His glory.
The one specific word that sums up that which God’s greatness, grandeur should provoke from you and me is the word praise, but a very all-inclusive kind of praise, a praise that occupies every part of our physical body, a praise that occupies all our faculties.
“Clap your hands all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.”
*That’s something more than just religious respectability.
*That’s a total response of our redeemed being to the Lord in His greatness.
*Clap our hands; shout to God.
Then it says, “God has ascended amid shouts of joy, … amid the sounding of trumpets.”
Shouts and clapping of hands and musical instruments are all required to sound forth the praise of God.
And then it goes on, “Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.”
You know, it’s a theme, “Sing praises, sing praises, sing praises.” That’s how we have to respond to God.
John 10:12 “I (Jesus) am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep (us sinners).”
Thank You Lord for deliverance, for shining your light on the areas that I need to work on while praising You, “the good shepherd”. Amen
Read MoreMany believers become so overwhelmed by their failures that over time they feel trapped beyond any help.
Isaiah wrote of such believers, “O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted” (Isaiah 54:11).
Some eventually get mad at God.
They grow tired of waiting for Him to move and they cry accusingly, “Lord, where were You when I needed You? I cried out for deliverance, but You never answered. I’ve done everything I know how to do, yet I’m still not free. I’m tired of repenting and crying, without ever seeing any change.”
**Many such believers simply give up trying and give themselves over to their lust.
**Others fall into a fog of spiritual apathy.
They are convinced that God does not care about them anymore. They tell themselves, *“My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God” (Isaiah 40:27).
* “The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me” (Isaiah 49:14).
Still others end up focusing all their attention on their sin, trying to keep themselves in a constant state of conviction.
This only causes them to be bewildered, crying, “If . . . our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?” (Ezekiel 33:10).
*The fact is, feeling conviction is not an end in itself.
*When we are humbled by guilt and sorrow over our sin, we are not supposed to rest in those feelings.
*They are meant to drive us to the end of ourselves—and to the victory of the cross.
After all his weeping and crying out to the Lord, David ended up testifying,
*“But there is forgiveness with thee” (Psalm 130:4). The Holy Spirit began to flood his soul with memories of God’s mercies and he recalled all he had learned of the Father’s forgiving, pardoning nature. (the renewing of his mind: Ro. 12:2-3)
*God is patiently waiting for us to run to Him and embrace forgiveness. It is our choice to run to Him.
*If I am not grateful and I forget His wonders in my life pride and an ungrateful heart and attitude will shape my life.
Soon David was rejoicing, reminding himself, “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee” (Psalm 86:5).
*The key point here is we still must call on God. It does no good for God to be loving and forgiving if we just wait for it to be handed to us. We must cry out to God.
Lord, Great is Your steadfast Love and today I pray Psalm 86………………Amen
Read MoreAnd this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God”(Philippians 1:9-11 NIV).
Think of somebody who irritates you — maybe somebody you’ve got a strained relationship with or who just rubs you the wrong way. Two questions for you:
- One, do you pray for that person?
- Or do you just complain and grumble and nag and nitpick?
If you prayed more, you’d have a lot less to grumble, complain, nag, an$d nitpick about. It’s your decision.
Does nagging work? No. Does prayer work? Yes.
So why do you do more of the thing that doesn’t work than the one that does?
Pastor Friend of mine always says: “It is better to Bless others then Blast them”.
Paul says in Philippians 1:4,“Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy”.
Paul didn’t just pray for people in his life. He prayed with joy!
- Positive praying is more effective than positive thinking. All the positive thinking in the world isn’t going to change your husband or your wife or your child or your friend or your situation.
- Positive thinking can change you, but it won’t change somebody else. But positive prayer can make a difference in someone else.
Do you want to know the quickest way to change a bad relationship to a good one? Start praying blessings for the other person! It will change you, and it can change the other person.
Paul even told us how to pray for others: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).
From these verses, we can learn to pray for the people in our lives in four ways:
- Pray that they will grow in love:“This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.”
- Pray that they will make wise choices: “… so that you may be able to discern what is best …”
- Pray that they will live with integrity: “… and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ …”
- Pray that they will become like Jesus: “… filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God.”
Pray these for yourself and anyone else in your life, and watch how God turns around the relationship you thought was hopeless. Nothing is impossible with God! Amen
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…So that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. Romans 6:6
Christian, why would you play with sin?
- Has it not cost you enough already?
- Burnt child, will you play with the fire? What! When you have already been between the jaws of the lion, will you step a second time into his den?
- Have you not had enough of the old serpent? Did he not poison all your veins once, and will you play at the cobra’s den and put your hand in the dragon’s lair a second time?
- Did sin ever yield you real pleasure? Did you find solid satisfaction in it?
- If so, go back to your old drudgery, and wear the chain again, if it delights you. But inasmuch as sin never gave you what it promised to bestow but deluded you with lies, do not be snared by the old fowler: Be free, and let the memory of your enslavement prevent you from entering the net again!
It is contrary to the designs of eternal love, which are all focused on your purity and holiness; therefore do not run counter to the purposes of your Lord. 1 Thess. 4:4-5
Another thought should restrain you from sin. Christians can never sin cheaply; they pay a heavy price for iniquity. Transgression destroys peace of mind, obscures fellowship with Jesus, hinders prayer, brings darkness over the soul; therefore do not be the serf and slave of sin.
There is still a higher argument: Each time you serve sin you are “crucifying once again the Son of God . . . and holding him up to contempt.”(hebrews 6:6)
Can you bear that thought? If you have fallen into any special sin during this day, it may be that your Master has sent this admonition this day to bring you back before you have wandered very far.
Turn to Jesus afresh. He has not forgotten His love for you; His grace is still the same. With weeping and repentance, come to His footstool, and you shall be reunited in His love; you will be set upon a rock again, and your goings shall be established. Because Jesus Loves You-He made You to bring Him Glory and in return we will have PEACE! Amen
Read 1 Thess. 5:16-19 and see God’s will for you!
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I wonder what those ten men, those ten grown sons of Jacob, talked about during that journey from Canaan to Egypt. I have an idea that it might have been the same things we would have talked about had we been in their sandals. I also believe these men were beginning to be broken. Perhaps they spoke of how much they missed their brother, Joseph. With Benjamin now among them, maybe they felt this was a good time to express their sorrow over their past actions and, together, sincerely request God’s power and protection.
I so want to believe that God was starting to melt their hearts before Him! In fact, that’s the beauty of this story as it progresses. We’re led to wonder what exactly they were thinking.
We so desperately want to cut to the chase to see the happy ending, but we must wait. Because there’s always something to learn along the way.
When we’re on our journey from Canaan to Egypt:
- We tend to be negative rather than positive.
- We tend to view life horizontally rather than vertically. We tend to be resistant rather than open to that which is new and unexpected.
- We need some course-correction techniques to break those habits!
Three techniques that will help:
- Recognize and admit your negative mentality. So much of the cure is in the confession. Immediate correction begins with honest admission.
- Force a vertical focus until it begins to flow freely. I have never seen a habit just lie down, surrender, and die; we have to make a conscious effort if we hope to break longstanding habits. If you are negative today, chances are very good that when you wake up tomorrow morning you’re still going to be negative. Force a vertical focus. Look to Jesus!
- Stay open to a new idea for at least five minutes. Don’t try it for an entire day; you might panic. Just take on your day five minutes at a time. When something new, something unexpected, confronts you, don’t respond with an immediate “Nope! Never!” Wait five minutes. Hold off. Tolerate the possibility for five minutes. You will be surprised at the benefit of remaining open. Every sin starts with a lie.
I’ve not seen a habit just lie down and die. It takes conscious effort to break it. But we do fight From Victory, not For Victory. (1JN 4:4) Jesus had Victory over all at the Cross for you and I. We must Choose Him as our Lord and Savior! Amen