Devotions - Prayer
Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
But the fact is, many of us Christians do have troubled hearts and we live in fear.
Jesus also said in the same verse, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.”
Yet few believers can honestly say they enjoy constant peace of mind.
*For many, peace comes and goes, leaving them worried, restless and battered by stress.
Here is what Zacharias prophesied of the coming Messiah:
“That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life” (Luke 1:74-75).
Beloved, Jesus came to this earth and died for sinful man so that we could walk with God without fear, enjoying His peace all the days of our lives.
No fear, just peace of mind and heart for all of our days!
*This includes good and bad days, days of suffering, turmoil, testing and uncertainty.
No matter what comes our way, we are to enjoy peace at all times.
Zacharias added these words about Jesus: “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (verse 79). He was saying that Jesus would guide all His children into the path of peace, not into restlessness, emptiness or fear.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace. At His birth the angels sang, “Peace on earth!” His gospel is called the gospel of peace and He promised of Himself, “In Me ye [shall] have peace” (John 16:33).
Peace is what the gospel is all about. “The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ” (Acts 10:36).
In this world we will face tribulation, persecution and fiery trials—”without were fightings, within were fears,” according to Paul (2 Corinthians 7:5).
We will be tempted, we will suffer for the sake of Christ, and the winds of adversity will try to topple the house of faith we build on the Rock of our salvation—Jesus—but we will walk in peace because of Him.
God has a plan, for good times and bad. We need to have faith in Him and relinquish control. God’s plan for us is perfect. Enjoy the good, and examine the bad in prayer. But praise the Lord in all times, for He is in control of it all.
********Eccl. 7:14 Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.
John 16:33 I have told you these things so that “in me” you may have peace. In this world you will have much trouble, but be of GOOD CHEER for I have overcome the world!!
Praise God! Amen
The Will of God for me is: 1 Thessalonians 4: 3 God wants you to be holy and completely free from sexual immorality.
“Anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human rules but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you (1 Thessalonians 4:8).
*This is a command that we should abstain from fornication (any sexual relationship outside of marriage).
That could be homosexuality, an emotional affair, cheating on a spouse, sex before marriage, or any sexual act performed by or with a person to whom you are not married.
In other words, if you are not married (marriage between a man and a woman only) to that person, then you do not have any form of sexual relationship with them!
Watching or looking at pornography is included in fornication because the Bible says if you have done this in your heart (or mind) then it is just as sinful as doing it in the flesh.
Let the light of God’s truth shine in you to expose the darkest recesses of your being.
There are still things hidden that must be revealed for the purpose of setting us completely free.
Righteousness(moral orderliness) must be restored before your own light can shine unhindered by the darkness of carnal living. Set your heart on purity.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
****Set your personal boundaries.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
Through the atonement of Jesus, we have been delivered from sickness, poverty and demonic control, as well as sin, in this present life. To the degree we believe that, we will begin to experience the physical benefits of our salvation in the “rough now and now,” not just in the “sweet by and by.”
Our salvation is not just “pie in the sky,” but it is victory in this present life.
John 17:3 And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
* The sin of fallen man is this: Man seeks the benefits of God while fleeing from God Himself. We are, by nature, fugitives.
*We need to get to –KNOW HIM.!
Lord, help me draw more of You and set some personal boundaries. Help me to keep the Eternal Perspective in my heart mind and soul to overcome these temptations of the world. Help me make the Right Choices for Your Glory and my Joy! Amen
We fight From Victory—Not For Victory. (see 1JN 4:4)
Read MoreThe Book of Proverbs Are For Work, Life and Living
The writers of proverbs want the readers to:
internalize God’s truth. OR: get God’s Word in your heart.
Below are thoughts on books 5, 6 & 7 of Proverbs.
Proverbs 5 – Watch Out for . . . . . . . Look forward to . . . . !
- Watch out for sex without love. Proverbs 5:1-14
- Look forward to true love in God’s ways. Proverbs 5:15-23
This is a very abbreviated statement of the Song of Solomon
Don’t wait to see what happens. Prepare for temptation by deciding NOW how you will act when you face it. (11-13)
Strategy For Effective Living
Begins with … God’s Wisdom ….. Respecting and appreciating who God is; reverence and awe toward God.
Requires … Moral Application …. Trusting in God and his Word; allowing his Word to speak to us personally; being willing to obey
Requires … Practical Application …. Acting on God’s direction daily
Results in … Effective living …. Experiencing what God does with our obedience
Proverbs 6 – Get up and get going – BUT – Watch out!
- These verses are not a plea against generosity, but against overextending one’s financial resources and acting in irresponsible ways that could lead to poverty. Need a balance between generosity and good stewardship.(1-5)
- That which God hates! Proverbs 6:16-35
Things God Hates
- Violent People……………………Proverbs 3:31-32
- Haughtiness, lying, murdering, scheming, eagerness to do wrong, a false witness, stirring up discord 6:16-19
- Those who are untruthful……………………12:22
- The sacrifice of the wicked…………………15:8
- The way of the wicked………………………15:9
- Evil plans……………………………………15:26
- Those who are proud………………………..16:15
- Those who judge unjustly…………………..17:15
Proverbs 7 – The seductive nature of seduction. (Lust a warning sign of danger ahead)
- There is no new temptation! (Romans 12:2-renew the mind)
- Know: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 – 2 Timothy 2:22
God has given us His Truth to experience His Blessing in life.
“ I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.” (Colossians 2:2) AMEN
Read MoreScripture touches all areas of our life, including this battle with how we use technology. Our Time!
In his letter to the Romans, Paul speaks about his own battle with sin.
*He expressed a frustration to which we can all relate, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15).
*We are all sinners. “There is no one righteous, not one” (Romans 3:10).
As long as we live in this world, we ALL will battle against our sinful nature. But Paul points us to the source of our help, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24–25).
Many of us may realize the pull that technology has on us and feel the weight of our guilt because of the wasted time each day.
But like Paul says, Jesus is our rescuer.
*Jesus came to redeem us from each and every sin, including the squandering away our time(busy-ness) on the iPhone, facebook etc etc. (See John 17:3)
*His perfect life has become ours.
*His sacrificial death paid our debt in full.
Every time we fail and stumble in this battle against sin, we need to return to the gospel over and over again to let the Holy Spirit speak to us. It is a Choice we have to make. Each time we put the Bible down it is our first step to backsliding in our sin.
**How else are we going to renew our mind if not by the Word of Scripture? Where else do we find Truth?
The cross stands there for us, not as a one-time source for forgiveness and assurance of eternal salvation, but also as a source of grace for each moment of our days.
And as we turn from our sin in repentance, we can respond in thanksgiving to our gracious God because though we are more sinful than we ever thought, we are also more loved and more forgiven than we will ever know.
You know it and I know it, there are more important things in our life than what our computers and phones and online platforms have to offer.
As we seek to redeem our time for eternity, we must rest in the grace of Christ and cling to this promise: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
Lord Jesus, help me to Balance the time You have given me on earth to Glorify You and not myself. Thank You for Your perfect Grace to save a sinner as myself. Amen
Read MoreJesus was first and foremost a “servant”, and God has called each one of us to follow His example.
“Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:9-10
The world is shouting to us, “You can show us a miracle!
* It isn’t the Red Sea opening up that impresses us.
* It’s not seeing the blind given sight or the lame healed.
** It’s that you can look at the darkest hour of your life, a situation that’s hopeless to all human reasoning, and yet smile with joy, singing praises to God.
**That’s the miracle we want to see.”
Mark 6:52, “For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.”
Most of the time, we think of a person with a hard heart as being someone who is in terrible rebellion to God.
*While it is true that a rebellious person does have a hardened heart, in this instance, the Word is referring to the disciples’ hearts being hardened.
The word “hardened” as used here, means “to make calloused, unyielding or cold in spirit, or insensitive to.”
The disciples were not God haters, but rather they had become so sensitive to the natural world and its limitations that they were overwhelmed to see Jesus supersede these laws.
*Therefore, they had a hardened heart.
If they had kept in mind the miracle they had just seen Jesus perform (the feeding of the five thousand), then they wouldn’t have been amazed to see Jesus walking on the water toward them.
Many of us are more sensitive to fear and doubt than we are to the truths of God’s Word.
This is because we have thought more on things that minister fear and doubt.
When our hearts are hardened we don’t realize the goodness of God and how powerful He is.
Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Jesus, You are the only Way, Truth and Life. So I ask, “what “truth” is being suppressed”? Yes- Reality, as defined by God. Thank You Jesus. Amen
By John Piper
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
The more real Satan appears in our day, the more precious the victory of Christ will become to those who believe him.
The New Testament teaches that when Christ died and rose again Satan was defeated. A time of limited freedom is granted to him, but his power against God’s people is broken and his destruction is sure.
“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)
“[Christ] himself likewise partook of the same things [flesh and blood], that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Hebrews 2:14)
“[God] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:15)
In other words the decisive blow was struck at Calvary. And one day, when Satan’s time of limited freedom is over, Revelation 20:10 says, “The devil . . . [will be] thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur . . . and will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
What does this mean for those of us who follow Jesus Christ?
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies!” (Romans 8:33)
“[Neither] angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)
“He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
“They [the saints] have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Revelation 12:11)
Therefore, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!” He has been defeated, and we have been given victory.
Our task now is to live in that victory and make Satan know his defeat.
Thank You Jesus! Help me live in that Victory each and every day. Amen
Read More
Have you heard God’s word?
James 1:13-14 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
The Cost of Disobedience
“I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” John 17:4, 5
This prayer was prayed prior to his going the cross, but, in its scope, it reaches beyond and includes the cross.
Our Lord knew where he was going, he knew what he would be doing in the next few hours and what would be accomplished.
That work included more than the cross. It encompassed his ministry of healing and mercy, and even those thirty silent years back in Nazareth. They were all part of his life, his work, which the Father had given him to do.
He includes this in his prayer to indicate to us the character of his work while he was here.
Jesus is suggesting that his work was characterized by a continual self-emptying, that is, a laying aside of glory.
*We think that God is interested in our activity, that there are certain religious pursuits which we can perform which God will be pleased with no matter in what frame of mind we do them.
That is why we sometimes drag ourselves out to church week after week when we have little interest in attending church — because we think that attending church is what God wants. (A works mentality)
How little we understand God! It is not activity that he desires.
*It was not merely that which Jesus did which glorified the Father.
**It was not his ministry of mercy and good works.
Others have done similar things. But it was the fact that throughout Jesus life he had a HEART that was ready to obey, an EAR that was ready to hear, a WILL that was ready to be subject to the Father.
It was Jesus willingness to be always available, to forever be giving of himself, that glorified God.
** We say we want to do God’s will — as long as it is what we want to do.
At the center of our lives– Self is still king, and that is the problem.
*Our own glory is in view.
*We still want what we want and we are not willing as Jesus was, to walk in glad obedience.
But it is only this obedience that glorifies the Father.
Father, may I be among those who are ready to fling our lives away FOR Jesus Christ, to be utterly careless of what happens to us in order that Jesus may be glorified. Thank you Jesus for showing me–It’s no longer all about me but Your Glory. Thank You for the joy, freedom and peace this surrender brings to the soul. Amen
Read MoreFrom a Christian perspective, spiritual warfare is the cosmic war of good versus evil:
- its battles are fought daily between God and Satan;
- between the Christian Church and the world system ruled by our spiritual enemy;
- within every child of God, between the Holy Spirit and the lusts of the carnal flesh.
The clear meanings of good and evil, as defined by God rather than man, are revealed within the verses of the Holy Bible and the life of Jesus Christ.
Spiritual, is dealing with three key things the enemy sends at us: temptations, deception and accusations.
Accusations:
*The devil is known as the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10).
He is known to take a believer who has done an embarrassing or gross sin in their past, and continue to rub it in their faces and beat them down with guilt and condemnation over their past.
The fiery darts of the enemy in Ephesians 6:16 are accusations sent our way.
For example, when the devil tries to accuse us of our past sins, we are to have faith in the work of the cross and know that they are forgiven and not to look back. Faith is what we use to put out the fiery darts of the enemy (Ephesians 6:16).
Therefore when the enemy tries to remind you of your past, tell him it’s been washed away (2 Corinthians 5:17), your sins have been forgotten (Hebrews 10:17) and you have the righteousness of God (Romans 3:22)!
The tearing down of strongholds:
♦ A stronghold is deception that’s taken hold in a person’s mind.
♦ It’s an incorrect thinking pattern based on a believed lie.
*People can get incorrect perceptions of God by listening to Satan as he tells them how God doesn’t love them, etc.
*People can feel like dirty old sinners when they believe Satan’s accusations as he continually reminds them of their past (which has been washed away!).
*Strongholds are based on lies from the devil.
*They can come in the form of deception or accusations.
*Accusations always lead to guilt and the feeling of unworthiness, which weighs you down and tears you apart spiritually.
Since strongholds are built upon lies that we have been fed, the way we tear down strongholds is by feeding on the TRUTH (in God’s Word), which is the opposite of what the enemy has been feeding us.
If the enemy has been feeding us a lie, we need to stop eating the lie and start feeding ourselves the truth.
The weapon we use to tear down strongholds is found in Ephesians 6:17, “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
A sword is an offensive weapon and is meant to tear down and kill the enemy’s troops.
*Strongholds are the devil’s assets in war, and he uses them against us.
*Take up the sword of the Spirit (God’s Word) today, and start slaughtering the enemy’s assets that he’s been using against you!
Thank You Jesus for the Cross: saving a sinner like me. Thank You for the Armor (Ephesians 6)to protect me here on Earth. Amen
Read MoreEven when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).
What are the things you’re worried about? The election? Your health? Your bills? Your kids? Are you worried about the future? The fact is there are lots of reasons to be afraid in today’s world. But God’s promise is that, even in your darkest valleys, he is walking beside you. (see Psalms 23)
It’s interesting to note that there are 365 verses in the Bible that say, “Fear not.”
God provided us with one “Fear not” message for every day of the year! Don’t you think God is saying, “Get the message. Don’t be afraid.” It’s interesting that almost every time God talks to someone in the Bible, the first thing he says is, “Don’t be afraid!”
Why? Because our hurts and hang-ups can often cause us to think that God is out to get us, that all he wants to do is condemn us and punish us. But that simply isn’t true. Jesus is the proof of that.
When we understand God’s grace and mercy, then we have no need to fear the future. God isn’t trying to get even with you.
- Jesus has taken the penalty for everything you’ve ever done wrong or will do wrong.
- Jesus paid for the penalty for everything you’ve ever done wrong on the
So when a bad thing happens, you don’t have to think, “God’s getting even with me.” Instead, remember, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me”(Psalms 23:4 ).
Fear not! Thank You Jesus! Amen
Read More“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and prayfor one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” James 5:16
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:24-25).
What Jesus is saying is, “The great hindrance to having faith in God is pride, the pride that refuses to forgive (an inflated sense of one’s personal status or accomplishments).
*You have the power to have that removed if, when you stand and pray, you will forgive those who have offended you.” Because the only thing that stops us from forgiving one another is pride.
We feel justified in wanting others to forgive us but also in feeling that we have to exact a price for the hurt they have caused us. So, in many ways—subtle, or direct and open—we insist that we will not forgive, that our offenders have to pay for what they have done to us. Somehow, we are going to make them crawl, make them beg or plead for forgiveness.
“And that,” Jesus says, “is a great mountain that needs to be removed, for it is blocking the flow of the life of God to your faith.” So when you stand and pray, life will flow from God when you are able to recognize that you, too, need forgiveness. God has forgiven you. God has offered it freely to you; give it just as freely to the one who has offended you.
The one thing above all else that seems to block the flow of the life of God to an individual, to a church, or to a nation, is:
- this unwillingness to forgive, this holding of grudges,
- this desire to put somebody down in order to feel good yourself,
- this unwillingness to set these things aside and let God heal all the hurts of life.
The Lord brings us through a time of testing and adjustments. There are corrections to be made to our path of life, and those corrections will begin to bear fruit as soon as we let go of the things that have been a distraction and a hindrance to our progression.You will now be able to see with greater clarity and understanding, as you walk in the Spirit.
Proverbs 10:17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray.
Father, how many times I have refused the forgiving word, the restoring act, only to be tormented by fears and anxieties and worries. Thank You for the forgiveness that is mine in Jesus Christ. Teach me to extend it to those around me. Take my pride from me! Amen
Read More
By John Piper
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.(Colossians 1:3–5)
The problem with the church today is not that there are too many people who are passionately in love with heaven. The problem is not that professing Christians are retreating from the world, spending half their days reading Scripture and the other half singing about their pleasures in God all the while indifferent to the needs of the world.
The problem is that professing Christians are spending ten minutes reading Scripture and then half their day making money and the other half enjoying and repairing what they spend it on.
It is not heavenly-mindedness that hinders love. It is worldly-mindedness that hinders love, even when it is disguised by a religious routine on the weekend.
Where is the person whose heart is so passionately in love with the promised glory of heaven that he feels like an exile and a sojourner on the earth? Where is the person who has so tasted the beauty of the age to come that the diamonds of the world look like marbles, and the entertainment of the world is empty, and the moral causes of the world are too small because they have no view to eternity? Where is this person?
He is not in bondage to the Internet or eating or sleeping or drinking or partying or fishing or sailing or putzing around. He is a free man in a foreign land. And his one question is this: How can I maximize my enjoyment of God for all eternity while I am an exile on this earth? And his answer is always the same: by doing the labors of love.
Only one thing satisfies the heart whose treasure is in heaven: doing the works of heaven. And heaven is a world of love!
It is not the cords of heaven that bind the hands of love. It is the love of money and leisure and comfort and praise — these are the cords that bind the hands of love. And the power to sever these cords is Christian hope.
I say it again with all the conviction that lies within me: it is not heavenly-mindedness that hinders love on this earth. It is worldly-mindedness. And therefore the great fountain of love is the powerful, freeing confidence of Christian hope.
Amen
Read MorePaul wrote [1 Corinthians 1:10–17] in a letter to the divided body of Corinthian believers.
*The church was allowing a disagreement to hinder their fellowship. Paul knew the steep danger of dissension among believers.
Scripture is clear about the church’s mission.
Some of its highest goals include;
• Sharing the gospel with all nations
• Caring for those in need
• Worshiping together, along with loving, encouraging, and admonishing one another in God’s truth.
None of these is fully possible if a church is divided, whether physically or mentally.
God wants His people to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3, NIV).
So if all Christians base their beliefs on the Bible, they should be able to settle every argument according to its truth, right?
Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Our human nature, preferences, and different interpretations of Scripture can cause disagreements.
Consider, for example, how many churches have experienced strife over music styles.
Tragically, when differences are divisive, our mission becomes blurred and we are ineffective. Just as fishermen cannot catch fish with a broken net, we are unable to effectively share Jesus with the world when our fellowship is not intact….
Are your actions and words strengthening your fellow Christians?
*Or do you gossip, express negativity, and push your own preferences and opinions?
God never meant for his children to become separated, and when we allow issues like denominations or political leanings to cause strife between us, the message of the Cross becomes obscured.
- We were meant to be one body, one family, unified, as brothers and sisters.
- In his infinite grace, Christ called us to be Christians.
Be careful. God has mandated that our conduct positively impact the church’s unity. This is essential if we are to accomplish His purpose.
What you say is a direct reflection of your heart, and your speech reveals whether or not you walk in the Spirit or in the flesh.
Pay attention to the words of your mouth, and deal with the issues within yourself that cause a negative overflow.
*The Lord has called you to righteousness, faith, and peace.
*When you walk in unity with the Lord, the fruit will be evident.
Psalms 141:3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount never blessed a material thing! The richer we get in the church, the poorer we get in the spirit.
Lord I pray for all to KNOW You more and also to understand the Mystery which is Jesus, Himself. Here is where all the Wisdom and Knowledge lie. Amen (taken from Col. 2:2)
Read MoreOur self-life will never “mellow” with age. We can’t tame it…we have to crucify it.
* “But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”. Galatians 6:14
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'” (John 8:12)
Shadows are created all around us when something blocks light, and so it is with the shadow of doubt.
When we focus our thoughts on ourselves and how inadequate we feel, or what others think about us and how we’re performing, we cast a shadow of doubt in our minds by blocking the light of God’s Truth in our hearts.
But we were not designed to block the light.
We were created to live in the Light by focusing on what God thinks about us instead of what we think about ourselves.
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12b )
When we follow Jesus closely and completely in our thoughts, turning away from doubts and lies, we can find lasting security and confidence in Him.
- I have to purposefully shift my focus daily-from my feelings of inadequacy to God’s promises of His all-sufficiency and grace in my life.
- I have to choose to focus on truth {the Light} so I can exchange my feelings of low self-confidence with lasting “God-fidence.”
Feeling paralyzed and stuck in a place of insecurity is not where God intends for us to live.
When Jesus spoke to the people in John 8:12, He called them out of darkness.
Now He’s calling you and me – to step out of the shadows of doubt so that we can become the God-fident people He created you to be.
A person whose assurance and soul-security is found in what He says and thinks about them.
When you feel inadequate, God says: You are CHOSEN.
“‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.'” (Isa. 43:10a NIV)
When you feel unworthy, God says: You are PRECIOUS and LOVED. “… you are precious and honored in my sight, and … I love you.” (Isa. 43:4a NIV)
Dear Lord, You say I am a chosen person, a royal priest, a holy person, a Masterpiece belonging to You. Help me believe that and live beyond the shadows of my doubts as I follow and focus on the Light of Your truth today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
You acted foolishly,” Samuel said…. 1 Samuel 13:13
The prophet Samuel had anointed Saul the first king of Israel. Saul was now 30 years old and was leading the nation in battle against the Philistines.
Saul, fearing the impending attack, took it upon himself to offer the burnt offering. After he had done this, Samuel showed up.
...“You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him leader of His people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command” (1 Samuel 13:13-14).
Saul believed he needed to take control of the situation.
Whenever we try to take control of a situation out of God’s will, we demonstrate that we are led by fear.
Many a boss is so driven by fear that he attempts to manage by over controlling his people.
*This results in codependent relationships in which the employees are fearful of making the wrong decisions, and are driven to please the manager at all costs.
*This results in loss of respect for the manager.
*Do you see any signs of over control in how you relate to others?
*Can you allow others the freedom to fail?
*Do you find yourself changing directions in midstream when you see something you don’t like?
*Are you fearful of failure?
These are all symptoms of a Saul-control spirit.
Beatitude #3 Matthew 5:5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
#3 of 8 Truths to master life:
I sincerely ask the Holy Spirit to show me what I need to do and empower me to follow through in obedience.
Result: I am released from my need to control everything.
I am “Free.”
*The reason for this is that I now trust God, Who knows all, and He has promised those who are meek, that they will inherit the earth. Faith in God has freed one from the burden of trying to push, manipulate or force, in order to get one’s way.
Are we sorry for grieving the heart of God… for denying God the right to own our personality… to own our mind… to own our thoughts… to own our emotions? (If not) we’re robbing God.
I Pray that God will allow us to walk in the freedom of trusting in Him and those around us. Amen
Read MoreHow serious are you about breaking free from the temptation in your life?
Because if you are, let me be very blunt with you:
- You will never do it without support.
- You will never do it on your own.
- You won’t succeed in changing by yourself.
But that doesn’t mean there’s no hope for change.
In fact, once you understand you change on your own, you’ll be free to see how God is working to transform your life and how he uses other people to help you change.
The truth is, God has wired us to need each other to grow. We need each other to break free of habits and hang-ups and hurts. You need accountability in your life.(called Relationships) The very thing that you want least is the very thing if someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin, too. By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ” Galatians 6:1-2 .
What’s the law of Christ? Love your neighbor as yourself. How do we love our neighbor as ourselves?
- By helping each other through temptation.
- By helping others be consistent in the things they want to be consistent in.
- By helping them break bad habits and start good habits.
That’s the best way you can love your neighbor and obey the law of Christ. You need a friend who checks up on you, and you need a group that supports you.
The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, “Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls [into temptation], it’s just too bad, because there is no one to help him”(GNT).
You need somebody in your life to help you with the habits you want to change. You’re not going to change them on your own.
Everybody is tempted. It is a myth that says you’re going to get to a point in your spiritual life where you’re not tempted. In fact, the more mature you become, the more Satan is going to put you on his “most wanted” list.
If we were more consistent in confessing our temptations, we wouldn’t have to confess our sins.
Lord, Help me no matter what my circumstances to: find a small group, do Bible studies, find a good mentor and have a job that pleases you. Amen
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