Is Salvation Enough?-In Touch Daily Devotional

 In Touch Daily Devotional

Read | Romans 14:7-12

There are many people who have trusted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and yet continue to live in rebellion against Him. Why is it that some individuals who claim to follow the Son of God refuse to serve Him?

The simple answer is that salvation is only part of the picture. The eternal destiny of anyone who receives the Lord is sealed forever—he will go to heaven. But salvation doesn’t guarantee a godly or fruitful life here on earth.

The will of the Father is that we live under the lordship of His Son. That means we must submit to Jesus as the one in charge of our life. Daily decisions and leadership of those under our care ultimately belong in God’s hands, not our own—Christ provides us with the guidance and direction. Though we’ll sometimes make mistakes, we need to remember that God’s grace is for imperfect people.

The problem is that we often desire to give Him dominion over just certain areas of our life. For example, too many of us want Him out of our finances, out of our schedule, or out of our career. But when we are lying in a hospital bed, which of us will tell Jesus to stay out of our health? So ask yourself, Is Jesus the Lord of my life or not?

Salvation is a one-time experience, but the Christian life doesn’t stop there—the lordship of Jesus Christ is ongoing. There comes a time when every believer must recognize that God’s Son came to do more than save us. He came to be the Master of our life—for our good and His glory.

Dressed for the Battle- In Touch Daily Devotional

  In Touch Daily Devotional

Dressed for the Battle

Read | Ephesians 6:13-18

Each morning it’s wise to dress for the day’s weather or activities. The same is true spiritually, yet many believers leave home unprepared.

God has graciously provided the needed equipment for any challenges. First, we strap on the belt of truth. Like the leather apron that covered a Roman soldier’s abdomen, the truth of who we are in Christ—namely, saints with supernatural power from God’s indwelling Spirit—protects us.

Next, when we’re tempted to live by anger, fear, or dissatisfaction, the breastplate of righteousness can deflect such “arrows,” enabling us to respond in a godly manner.

Third, sandals of peace help us to remain standing, firmly planted in God’s peaceful will. Roman battle sandals usually had thick, spiked soles so soldiers could anchor themselves as they fought.

Then faith, offering Christ’s protection against anything Satan throws, is compared to a door-sized Roman shield. Faith is also what brought us salvation—when we exchanged our old thought patterns for new ways of thinking. Consequently, with salvation’s helmet, we put on the mind of Christ, which gives us discernment and wisdom.

And finally, we take up the sword of the Spirit so that we can combat Satan’s lies with Scripture’s truth.

We cannot know precisely what we’ll face each day, but Scripture warns us that there is a battle raging in the spiritual realm. Don’t venture out until your are dressed for the fight. Before rising, let your first prayer include step-by-step application of God’s armor.

An Unseen Battle- In Touch Daily Devotional

  In Touch Daily Devotional

Read | Ephesians 6:10-12

Satan does exist—our broken society testifies to his reality. Those who ignore him do so at their own peril. This is also true of Christians, because we are all at war against him. Spiritual warfare is personal; Satan crafts specific attacks for each individual. Though he cannot steal a believer’s spirit from God, he can and does harass us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Every ambush and frontal attack is meant to defeat our witness so we can’t live a victorious Christ-centered life.

Our foe is not omniscient, but he is crafty. He observes our strong and weak points to determine the best areas for attack. As soon as his quarry becomes comfortable and least expects trouble, the Adversary springs a trap. Among his most deceptive tactics is hiding behind familiar faces in order to misguide our fury. For example, he may tempt a husband to make an unwise financial decision that angers the wife and leaves her feeling insecure. But the husband is not her enemy—he needs her love and forgiveness. The enemy is always Satan and his legion of demons.

The first rule of warfare is to know one’s 

enemy, and thanks to Scripture, we can. The 

Bible also contains an important assurance: 

“Greater is He who is in you than he who is in 

the world” (1 John 4:4).

The combined forces of hell cannot equal the supernatural power of a single believer. 

We have Christ living within us—the same 

Christ who was triumphant on the cross and 

whose final victory over Satan is prophesied in 

Revelation. Through Him, we can conquer 

Satan and win our unseen battles.

Love with Action, Not Just with Words

Giving Thanks in Everything- In Touch Daily Devotional

In Touch Daily Devotional

Read | Ephesians 5:15-21

Why would God command us to thank Him regardless of the circumstances? The idea defies human logic. But then, the Lord rarely binds Himself to man-made rules. Scriptural principles serve specific purposes in the Christian’s life. Gratitude keeps us aware of God’s presence, which builds our trust and ultimately strengthens our witness.

We must realize that thankfulness is not based on emotions or a situation’s outcome. We can be grateful even during trials, because God has promised to work all things for our good (Rom. 8:28). That means He has a purpose in mind for each experience, whether pleasant or difficult. A big problem stacked against our small resources sends us running to Him, thankful He has committed to work it to our benefit.

The believer’s part is to trust God will bring good from trials and to discover His plan, which gives further reason for thanking Him. Understanding His intentions renews our strength for facing difficult trials. Expressing gratefulness changes our attitude about God, ourselves, and our situations. Most people allow hurt and stress to form a pessimistic mindset, which negatively impacts every facet of their life. But believers have God’s Spirit working within to provide courage and a flow of thanksgiving.

When we demonstrate thankfulness in harsh circumstances, other people pay 
attention. Coworkers, family, and friends will want for themselves the peace and 
energy we derive from a grateful relationship with God. So whatever you’re experiencing, go ahead and defy logic—praise the Lord.

A Tough Command- In Touch Daily Devotional

In Touch Daily Devotional

A Tough Command

Read | 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Some verses—like today’s—are easier to memorize than practice. Giving thanks is easy, but giving thanks in everything is a nearly impossible task. And gratitude at times even seems inappropriate, considering the depth of pain or turmoil we are experiencing. But we have a Comforter who helps us exercise thankfulness in every situation.

The Holy Spirit enables believers to do what God requires, and teaching us a gratitude habit is part of His work. Psalm 92 teaches that since “it is good to give thanks to the Lord,” we should “declare [His] lovingkindness in the morning and . . . faithfulness by night” (vv. 1-2). In other words, we should regularly anticipate and recall His provision. But when believers awaken to painful circumstances that have no logical reason for thankfulness, our Comforter provides the motivation and words.

Expressing thanks during turmoil takes place neither spontaneously nor apart from another spiritual activity—prayer. Today’s passage links the disciplines of rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving: both exultation and gratitude hinge upon regular communication with God. A prayerless man cannot remain thankful for long, because he is too overwhelmed by his problems. Talking with God forces problems to recede so they can be replaced by peace.

Why does the Lord command us to exercise gratitude? Because He knows that when we focus on His work in our life, we’ll discover our spirits lifting and courage strengthening. Then as we watch Him intervene, we rejoice more, pray more fervently, and learn to give thanks in everything.

Good vs Evil

The Empowering Emotion of Joy- In Touch Daily Devotional

In Touch Daily Devotional

The Empowering Emotion of Joy

Read | John 15:9-17

Jesus promised us His joy. However, such gladness evades most Christians.

There are certain important points that we must understand about joy. This gift to every believer in Christ has a spiritual source—the Holy Spirit—and is produced from within by Him. Since divine joy is supernatural, it exists independently of our circumstances. In contrast, happiness comes from external causes, is earthly in nature, and increases or decreases as events change. Recognition by others, completion of a project, and a favorite team’s win all represent sources of earthly happiness.

Joy will emanate from the Holy Spirit as we . . .

• Focus on our relationship with Jesus. Because of the Lord, our sins are forgiven, our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and we are forever His. Nothing can separate us from Him now or in eternity.

• See His transforming work in others. Notice and draw pleasure from what God is doing: rescuing people from bondage to sin and conforming them to His Son’s likeness.

• Serve those He sends to us. Obedient, loving care for others brings spiritual joy.

• Meditate on God’s Word. Through Scripture, we receive an outpouring of His love and precious truths on which to build our lives.

The Holy Spirit desires to produce His gladness within you. Take a few minutes to ponder the wonder of your new birth, share someone’s spiritual joy, serve as God directs, or receive guidance from His Word. Then check your emotional barometer. Are you singing hallelujah yet?

False Images

Daily New Life

False Images

1 Corinthians 10:12-14

We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

We may find that our imaginations are held captive by an image or ideal that makes demands of us. We may be focused on the image of "the perfect body" and find ourselves swept into compulsive eating disorders, depression, or sexual addictions. We may be focused on the image of "the good life" and find ourselves swept into workaholism, stealing, or lying to try to appease the image we worship. We may have an image of ourselves as "the black sheep of the family" and slavishly live our lives playing out that role.

We don't talk much about idol worship in our culture, except perhaps when we talk of celebrities. Idolatry can be defined as image worship; it may involve becoming a slave to the ideas an image represents. This is the second commandment: "You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods" (Exodus 20:4-5). The apostle Paul warned, "So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols" (1 Corinthians 10:14).

In his protective love, God warns us not to let devotion to an image enslave our lives. The images we worship are more likely to come through television or other media than from an idol carved from stone. But we need to ask ourselves, What are the images and ideas that drive our compulsive behaviors?

Taking inventory of the things we consider important may alert us to the false gods in our lives.

Daily New Life with Steve Arterburn

Solving Problems through Prayer - In Touch Daily Devotional

Solving Problems through Prayer

Solving Problems through Prayer

Read | 2 Chronicles 20:1-13

The cultural emphasis on “self” has bred a prayer crisis. Too many believers focus on a problem or its perceived solution instead of making God the center of their attention. Second Chronicles 20 shows us a better way.

King Jehoshaphat faced a dire situation: “a great multitude” approaching quickly to overthrow him. If he had wrung his hands and wailed instead of concentrating on God’s promises and past provision, Jerusalem might have been wiped out as the Moabites and Ammonites intended.

The king magnified the Lord’s greatness, recalling for himself and his people many divine triumphs. In that way, he was able to bolster the Israelites’ courage and prepare them for whatever solution God proposed.

Through the words of his powerful entreaty, Jehoshaphat revealed his firm belief that no problem—not even three fast-approaching murderous armies—is bigger than the Lord of the universe. The Israelite army was powerless against such an onslaught, but the king refused to give in to his initial fear and despair. “Our eyes are on You,” he pledged. In other words, “We know You have a plan, and we are waiting to hear what to do.” Seeking the Lord’s will and His best way is a priority for those who want to solve problems through prayer.

God doesn’t want us to pray casually, “Lord, please solve my problem. Amen!” and then rush into our day, thinking we’ve done well to unload our difficulty onto Him. If He’s going to solve a problem, we should have our ears and mind open to receive His answer—and our heart ready to obey.

Answers to Prayer- In Touch Daily Devotional

  In Touch Daily Devotional

Read | 2 Chronicles 20:14-25

“My boss is intolerable, Lord. Please help me find another job.”

“God, this back pain is ruining my life. Have mercy and heal me!”

Christians almost universally agree that God answers prayer. But many people, if they were honest, would amend the phrase to say, “He answers most prayers, but not mine.” A believer can fervently call upon God without receiving what he considers a satisfactory answer. The stumbling block isn’t God’s unwillingness or inability to respond, but rather the word satisfactory. If we come to God with a preconceived idea of how to solve our problem, we will likely overlook His true resolution.

Suppose King Jehoshaphat had decided that God could answer his prayer only by giving the army extra strength for the forthcoming skirmish. He would have called a war council, arrayed his soldiers in armor, and set up battle lines. God’s solution was entirely unexpected: to send the choir out singing praises and then watch the Lord save Israel. Had the Israelite army attempted combat, they would have lost Jerusalem.

Sometimes we don’t like God’s solution. We desire freedom from difficulty rather than an extra measure of grace to endure it. Or we want a new job, not a command to ask the boss to forgive our poor attitude.

It is a very human reaction to want the Lord to fix everything without requiring any effort on our part. But our willingness to obey is a key to answered prayer. When He tells us how to resolve our problem, we must act just as He specifies, or we’ll never be satisfied.

Learning to Wait -In Touch Daily Devotional

In Touch Daily Devotional

Learning to Wait

Read | Psalm 25:20-21

What are we to think when God withholds His answer to a prayer? Most likely, you’ve wondered this at some point. As creatures stuck within time, we can find those ticking seconds very frustrating.

We must realize that God doesn’t see us simply in the here and now; He perceives the big picture all at once—where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. He knows exactly how every little decision, action, or blessing will impact our lives.

Do you think God wants to bring some- thing into your life that would absolutely destroy you? Of course not! He knows that what may be a tremendous blessing for you later could completely wreck your life now. For this reason, though the Lord hears your prayer, He often pauses to give you time to prepare for that blessing.

Learning to wait on God demands at least three things of us. 

First, we must be sensitive to Him. That is, we must nurture our relationship with the Father so we can hear Him when He says 

                                     “Wait.” 

Second, we must trust His judgment. Does God know more than we do? Yes. Then we should trust Him. 

Third, we must be obedient to Him. If we try to make something happen on our own after God tells us to wait, then we’re heading for disaster. 

          The Lord blesses obedience—even obedient waiting.

God doesn’t operate in a vacuum; He works within His relationship with you, on the basis of His omniscience, omnipotence, and love. Never forget He’s actively walking with you, even when He withholds an answer to prayer. It doesn’t mean He’s not there; it means He’s looking out for you even more.

The Grace to Wait-In Touch Daily Devotional

In Touch Daily Devotional

Read | Psalm 62:1-2

No doubt one of your least favorite things is to wait in line. We arrive at a doctor’s appointment on time or a little early only to sit and sit in that waiting room. We go to the grocery store for just a few things and get stuck in an endless checkout line. And we’ve all been delayed in the drive-through lane at the bank. Nobody in our culture likes to wait, it seems.

When we take something to the Lord in prayer, we bring our human impatience with us. We often make a request and expect an answer right then and there. If God doesn’t spring into action immediately, many people begin to think, Well, I tried praying, but the Lord just didn’t do anything. Prayer doesn’t really work.

How tragic! Compare that attitude to King David’s. When David was only 16 years of age, God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint him as the king. Sixteen more years would pass before that promise was fulfilled. What did David do during that time? Did he moan and groan, shaking his finger at the Lord and demanding his kingship now? Not at all. David understood that God was trustworthy. He also realized that his heavenly Father was the God not only of who and what, but also of when and how. David wanted the kingship only when the Lord was ready for him to have it. So he waited.

Is there something in your life for which it’s hard to remain patient? Will you wait on the Lord as one waiting on a bank teller or doctor—or will you, like King David, trust in God’s timing and provision? The Father knows every facet of your situation, and His “delay” is actually in your best interest. 

Through His Eyes

Collateral Damage-Encouragement for Today

Encouragement for Today

Collateral Damage Suzie Eller

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3 (ESV)

My house has a crack. Just over the doorframe, creeping to the ceiling. It catches my eye every time I sit on my couch in my living rom. My house isn't that old, so when I asked how this happened, the answer was, "collateral damage."

Collateral damage is defined as damage to things that are incidental to the intended target. Who knew that the sunny rays outside could fracture the wall of my nicely air conditioned home? But it happened.

Last year we had one of the hottest summers on record and the parched ground around the foundation strained the frame, which put pressure on the walls, and eventually a crack appeared.

Collateral damage can also take place within our family when we've been hurt by something or someone else, no matter how long ago.

Because a parent made you feel unworthy of love, you lash out when your child doesn't eat the meal you lovingly prepared.

Because your trust was shattered by another, your loyal husband pays the price as his faithfulness is questioned again and again.

Because of negative words poured over your tender heart, you struggle to believe your value to God.

Collateral damage. All of it.

Years ago I struggled with collateral damage. Because of my own past hurts, sometimes I lashed out, or withdrew from a loved one. Sometimes I worked way too hard to be accepted by a God who loved me right where I was.

Psalm 147:3 promises God can fix these broken parts. As He began to heal my heart, He showed me the cracks weren't the source of the problem. My behavior, my inadequacies, even my struggle to feel grace ... these were superficial issues.

The foundational issue was there from the time when a little girl tried hard to stay out of trouble, to make peace, and yet nothing I did worked. So I learned how to hide, how to defend myself, and a few other unhealthy behaviors along the way. Do you relate?

By taking my eyes off the cracks and opening my heart to 

God, the original source of damage was in plain sight ... 

where it could be addressed and healed. The more I soaked 

those wounds in God's truth, the more I began to recognize 

the cracks and see them in an entirely different Light. The 

more He healed me.

The fact that a child didn't eat a meal so lovingly prepared has nothing to do with a woman's value; it's just one of the many mom-things we get to tackle.

The fact that your trust was shattered by another just makes the gift of a loyal husband that much more sweet.

The fact that negative words were poured over your tender heart means the thousands of words etched in Scripture are that much more powerful because they redefine you, as seen and loved by your Heavenly Father.

The crack in my living room is slated to be fixed. And next summer I'll be sure to water my foundation in the fierce heat. But as for me, my heart is bound and secure, and that foundation has become a source of collateral gifts in my marriage, with my children and grandbabies, and in my relationship with my God.

Dear Jesus, before today I pointed out the cracks, those superficial acts and behaviors that I've tried to patch over. But today I hold up my heart. You see the foundation of my brokenness. Thank You for binding up my wounds, for healing, and for my new journey to wholeness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Created to Love One Another-In Touch Daily Devotional

In Touch Daily Devotional

Created to Love One Another

John 13:34-35

Jesus spent His last evening before the crucifixion reminding the disciples of essential principles. Kneeling to wash their feet, He gave them a new commandment—to love one another. In fact, over the course of the evening, He would repeat that phrase five times (John 13:34-35; 15:12, 17). He emphasized the command because He knew it was not only critically important but also one of the toughest to obey.

Putting self-interest before the needs of others is what comes naturally. But since the believer’s old self has been crucified, God’s Spirit can live in and through him or her. Giving of ourselves on behalf of someone else fits who we are in Christ. In fact, we show God’s love best when we care for others—especially those who aren’t easy to love.

In Paul’s New Testament letters, he picked up Jesus’ “love one another” refrain and suggested specific ways to obey. He said to accept one another (Rom. 15:7), bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2), be subject to one another (Eph. 5:21), and live in peace with one another (1 Thess. 5:13). In teaching churches and mentoring young pastors, Paul relied on the same principles Jesus taught: to love God and each other. That’s what it means to be a church that honors the Lord’s name and is attractive to unbelievers.  

If you were asked what you find most attractive about God, wouldn’t you say it’s His love? His plan is to use His children to meet emotional, material, spiritual, and physical needs everywhere. So God’s love should overflow from us to fill the empty hearts and hands of those in our sphere of influence.

God’s Word - Christ’s Commission Fellowship

God’s Word - Christ’s Commission Fellowship

Pursue Intimacy With God Series
Speaker: Peter Tan-chi 

What is your highest priority in life? Psalm 27:4 says, “One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple.”For most of us, the problem is not that we pursue the wrong thing, but that we fail to pursue the one thing—the most important thing – intimacy with God.

God wants us to know and experience Him, to connect with Him in personal way. But intimacy with God is not natural for us. We need to depend on His grace to be truly intimate with Him and to respond to Him by “training ourselves in godliness” (1Tim 4:7).

Intimacy with God cannot be realized apart from God’s word. The Bible is one of the most audible ways by which God reveals to us His character and promises, will and ways, and His power.

Like in the psalmist’s experience of God’s guidance in his life through His word (Ps 119:105), intimacy with God is a gradual process—it requires a step by step obedience. In essence, God’s truth is learned not just by listening but by obeying His word.

God promises us in Joshua 1:8 that if we meditate on His word and obey what is written in it, He will grant us success. God longs to bless us. When God tells us to do something, it is always for our good. If we obey and apply God’s word in our lives, we submit ourselves under His protection. It always helps to be reminded that God is infinitely wise and sovereign. 

There are no accidents with Him, only incidents. 

Everything that happens to us will work together for our good (Rom 8:28). When we choose to take God at His word and obey Him even when He is calling us to an obedience that is beyond our own reasoning, we are then being sanctified by His truth. This is because God’s word is powerful. It penetrates the hearts of men and transforms people (Heb 4:12).

Through the example of Moses and the Israelites, the Bible gives us a contrast between people who know God intimately and those who do not. When the Israelites were moving out of Egypt, God led them by the way of the desert—a fairly long way. Because of this, the Egyptians caught up with them. The Israelites found themselves caught in between Pharaoh’s army and the sea. They responded to this problem by panicking, complaining and grumbling against Moses and against God (Exo.14:11). By contrast, Moses encouraged them by saying: “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today…” (v.13)

Once you know the truth through God’s word, you will have an accurate view of God that you can appropriate whatever your circumstances are. You won’t judge God through your circumstances. Instead, you would judge your circumstances in light of who God is. Do you know God personally? Is your view of Him consistent with what the Bible tells about Him? Intimacy with God is a lifetime journey. It is a constant holistic process.

Do you value God’s word? We have the luxury of having the Bible readily available to us yet we have taken this freedom for granted. Reading the Bible must not be a duty but a delight. If you struggle with reading the Bible, ask God to change your heart. Be honest with Him. At the same time, respond to Him through obedience. Be intentional—pursue intimacy with God through His word!

Don't Worry... Pray

A Time for Courage-In Touch Daily Devotional

  In Touch Daily Devotional

Joshua 1:5-7

Even before the Israelites set out to conquer the Promised Land, the Lord knew everything they would experience—including the unconventional victory at Jericho, the defeat at Ai, and the Gibeonites’ deception (Josh. 6–9). And so He gave a command and a promise to Joshua, His chosen leader of the people. God knows what lies ahead for today’s believers as well, and His words still apply to all who walk with Him.

• The Command: “Be strong and courageous!” (1:6, 7, 9). So many things in this life threaten to overshadow godly hearts and minds. Adversaries assail us in the workplace, our neighborhoods, and sometimes even in our homes. We often have occasion to wonder if we are making a good decision or following the wisest course. Like the Israelites, we face battles, enemies, and trials. And yet God tells us to have courage and strength as we confront what comes.

• The Promise: “I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you” (v. 5). The Lord’s command would be impossible to obey without His promise. We stand not on our own strength and resolve but on the unwavering power of God. The guarantee of His presence and guidance is ours to claim.

The writer of Psalm 118 trusted in God’s command and promise from Joshua 1. He penned, “The Lord is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (v. 6). No one can remove God’s love from us, take our salvation, or make us forfeit our right to faithfully abide with Him forever.

Commitment - Christ’s Commission Fellowship

Commitment - Christ’s Commission Fellowship

Evidence of Intimacy Series
Speaker: Joby Soriano

For many of us, “commitment” is a strong word. Yet it is absolutely essential for relationships to last. Sadly, we live in a world obsessed with non-commitment even in the most basic relationships.

Our level of commitment is another evidence that we have continued intimacy with God. It is proof that we are growing deeper in our walk with Him. A commitment to Jesus is a daily and conscious decision to follow and obey Him and His Word. Commitment requires wholeheartedness from both parties. The good news is that God already showed His commitment to us by demonstrating His love when Christ died on the cross for our sins.

To be intimate with God, we must be more than a fan of Jesus; we must be followers of Christ. Whereas a mere fan of Jesus might have outward signs of simple fondness for God, a committed follower is one who mimics Christ in His character, carries his cross daily and bears the fruit of the Holy Spirit in his life. In short, commitment to God means following Christ no matter what.

Jesus equates true commitment with real discipleship; Him being the master, we being the disciples. His desire for commitment is made known to us through Matthew 16:24-26. From this passage, we can learn three principles:

Lay Down – Denying Ourselves

Biblical selfdenial is different from the worldly understanding of denial. Self-denial is not the giving up of worldly things and non-essentials for the sake of a virtue; instead, it is prioritizing our relationship with God over everything else.

By giving up His life for all of us, Jesus became the ultimate example of self-denial. While we may cringe at the thought of losing everything, the irony in Jesus’ statement is that, living for Christ by denying the self-secured life.

Lift Up – Carrying our Crosses

Many understand the crosses in our lives to be the various trials and times of testing that come our way. Yet carrying our cross simply means that we consider ourselves as dead to sin (Gal. 2:20, 5:24). If we think about it, this battle is the real cross of our lives, because we can be so inclined to sin. Living like a dead person brings true life.

Live Out – Following Christ

Christianity is not a set of rules to follow; it is about following a real Person. The bottom line of being saved by His grace is to commit to Him with all our hearts. Again, we may worry that following Christ may disrupt our lives. Yet, as God assures us, living to follow Jesus brings true life.

What is holding us back from committing our whole lives to the Lord Jesus? The rewards of following Jesus are very great. On this earth, He will use our lives to make a difference in the lives of other people. Yet we can only do so if we have committed our entire selves to God for the sake of His kingdom. Let’s follow Him wholeheartedly and with action.

When We Feel Inferior- In Touch Daily Devotional

  In Touch Daily Devotional

When We Feel Inferior

Ephesians 2:10

Many Christians wrestle their whole life with a crippling sense of inferiority. Such feelings, which can be devastating, are a barrier to good relationships and genuine contentment. There is, however, a way out for the believer. Feelings of inferiority can be healed.

After salvation, the first step toward healing is to get God’s viewpoint of yourself. Ephesians 2:10 spells that out clearly: it says you are His workmanship—He is at work in you, and He doesn’t turn out shoddy products. In fact, the word workmanship here means “masterpiece.” Would He allow His masterpiece to end up inferior? Absolutely not! His work in you is perfect. If you doubt that, you might be looking at others and thinking that you don’t measure up to them. Of course you don’t. God has designed something different for them. Because you are unique, there’s no one with whom you can compare yourself. God is fitting you for a purpose like no one else’s.

Another step in the healing process involves understanding what God expects of you. Too many believers set higher standards than God does, and they count on instant maturity. Of course, God wants us to become full-grown and reflect His image, but He doesn’t expect it overnight.

Our Creator knows the weakness of our human frame, and He is supremely patient with us. When we fall, He expects us to come to Him for cleansing and then to keep on moving ahead. Each of us is “a work in progress,” and in due time, God will complete His masterpiece.