How the Truth Can Set You Free

How the Truth Can Set You Free

2 Peter 1:1-4

Galatians 5:1 tells us “Christ has truly set us free” (NLT). The reason we can know genuine freedom is that Jesus “has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us” (2 Peter 1:3).

Oftentimes people say, “I would like to become a Christian, but I don’t dare start because I know I couldn't live up to all that is required.” Of course they couldn't. And that is precisely why this generous assurance is given. God says that you and I have been granted everything we will ever need to live a triumphant Christian life.

The Lord’s glorious provision, however, begins only after we trust Christ for salvation. We have to take the plunge of faith before His divine power is released into our life. Once we've taken the step of believing in Jesus, all things are available, including courage, forgiveness, vision, wisdom, and a deepening trust in God.

Such a promise is hard to comprehend because it seems too good to be true. Many people pass it by with hardly an acknowledgement. Others look askance and wonder what needs to happen for it to become a reality in their life. As with all of God’s promises, you must accept it before you can act upon it. And while recognizing the promise as yours is one thing, applying it in daily life can be quite another matter. Ultimately, the promise is realized by the full experiential knowledge of Jesus as we hunger and thirst for the living water He supplies. Only when we refuse to be content with the world’s broken cisterns (Jer. 2:13) will we find the fullness of this promise working in us.

Waiting for God to Meet Our Needs

Waiting for God to Meet Our Needs

Philippians 4:18-20

Every need we will experience in life is already met in Christ Jesus. By His power, God has prepared blessings to fill each of our needs in His perfect timing. Sometimes, when life is not exactly as we hoped it would be, we begin to despair. We think that we must have certain things in a particular time frame, but the Lord knows better.

Sometimes a need in our life—whether it is physical, spiritual, relational, emotional, or financial—persists because the Lord is trying to get our attention. He wants us to focus on Him so that He can correct our thinking. He desires that we experience abundance, but He knows we cannot enjoy blessing until He has been allowed to work in our life. Like a fruit tree, we must be pruned; sometimes the cutting back hurts, but it is always followed by a more bountiful harvest.

At other times, the way we approach God may be what hinders His promised blessings. Perhaps our prayers reflect feelings of inferiority and insecurity, though as members of God’s family, we have absolutely no reason to come crawling like a beggar to our Father. He wants His children to come with confidence, anticipating the blessings He longs to give!

Do not misunderstand. We can expect blessings, but we cannot dictate when or how or what they should be. God knows what’s best and is intently interested in our well-being. And while He does not promise ease, God is certainly steadfast in providing us spiritual comfort and meeting our every need. Look in anticipation; He will do something far beyond what you could have imagined.

The Pattern of Powerful Prayer

The Pattern of Powerful Prayer

Colossians 1:9-10

Praying effectively isn't something we naturally know how to do—for most Christians, it must be learned. In fact, one of the disciples who walked with Jesus asked for help in this area (Luke 11:1).

So often we hear requests to bless, protect, and provide for a person. While these are fine to ask of the Lord, there is another, more powerful way to pray: When we use Scripture to speak to the heavenly Father, our conversation contains His own divine authority.

The apostle Paul is the author of today’s passage. It shows us the specific requests he brought before God concerning the Colossian church. These apply to us today as well. Let’s focus on the first two requests today, and we’ll look at the remaining four over the weekend.

Paul prayed that the Christians at Colossae would . . .

• Understand God’s plan for their lives. While the Lord often does not reveal everything at once, He will give seeking hearts enough information to trust and follow His way.

• Conduct themselves in a manner worthy of Christ and pleasing to Him. Paul longed to see the Colossians’ lives prove consistent with their true spiritual identity: A follower of Jesus is evident to other people because of lifestyle and spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23). One of the greatest gifts we can give is to lift a person in prayer. And there is no more powerful way to do this than to speak Scripture on his or her behalf. Colossians 1:9-14 is a beautiful example of a passage to pray as we bring loved ones and ourselves before God’s throne.

Abundant Life

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

Jesus warns us to be on guard for thieves who will try to rob us of what God has for us. Jesus wants us to enjoy abundant life (John 10:10). Since the time of Adam and Eve, people have had to choose whom to believe. Satan convinced Adam and Eve that forfeiting their obedience to God would gain them everything. Instead, their disobedience robbed them of all they had. For the rest of their lives they experienced only a fraction of the blessings God had intended. Scripture is replete with accounts of those who forfeited their inheritance as children of God in order to gain that which was transitory and empty.

The world seeks to convince you that you will find fulfillment if you adopt its standard of morality for your marriage, raising your children, advancing your career, or pursuing pleasure. If you believe this, you will never experience the blessings God intended for you. Sin brings death (Rom. 6:23).It is tragic to listen to the voices of the world instead of to the One who created life and who wants you to experience life to its fullest.

Jesus wants you to live your life with security, knowing that you are a beloved child of God. If you are not experiencing love, joy, and peace, you have settled for less than what God intends for you. If you have been making excuses for why you are not experiencing an abundant and joyful life, determine today to settle for nothing less than God’s best for your life. Stop following the world’s way of finding satisfaction. Instead, listen to the Savior’s voice, and you will find true fulfillment.

EXPERIENCING GOD DAY-BY-DAY

BY: HENRY T. BLACKABY & RICHARD BLACKABY

God Forgives Our Sin

God Forgives Our Sin

Ephesians 1:3-8

The Bible is a guidebook mapping the route to our eternal home. But travelers must read and follow the directions. Some people claim they will get to heaven because of their morality, their religious observances, or even their belief that God exists. But those paths lead to death.

The only road that leads to the Lord’s eternal home is faith in Jesus (John 14:6). Scripture gives us three landmarks along the route—points when there is an awareness of Christ and our need for Him.

Landmark 1: I am a sinner. Everyone has done wrong (Isa. 53:6; Rom. 3:23). But only someone under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit recognizes that sin is what separates us from our holy God (John 9:31). When the spiritual seeker has this awareness about iniquity, he is accountable for his response.

Landmark 2: Jesus is perfect. Christ’s sinless sacrifice on the cross is what spans the chasm between the Father and His creation. Our Savior paid all past, present, and future sin debt.

Landmark 3: I need Jesus. The defining moment on the journey is the point when the traveler believes Jesus is who He claimed to be. Belief is accompanied by repentance—a turning away from old sins. The pilgrim is given a brand-new nature and is welcomed into God’s family (2 Cor. 5:17; John 1:12).

Are you on the road to discovering the Lord? Here is a peek at what is ahead if you stay the course: redemption (Rom. 3:24), eternal life (John 3:15), and a great adventure walking with Jesus. Trust in the Savior, and thank Him for His mercy and grace.

The Risk of Obeying God

The Risk of Obeying God


Luke 5:1-11

No one could have been more caught off guard by the Master’s command than Peter. After toiling all night, he and the other fishermen had absolutely nothing to show for their efforts. They were weary and discouraged; the last thing they wanted to do was cast off on another futile attempt to catch a few meager fish. What could Jesus be thinking? What purpose could there be in His instruction to set out again to go fishing?

A short time later, as the bulging nets were hauled to shore, these men undoubtedly began to understand an eternal principle that many people have yet to realize: God will never instruct us to do anything unless He has a specific, sovereign purpose for it (Jer. 29:11). Jesus’ command must have seemed unnecessary, if not irrational. After all, these men were professionals. They knew how to catch fish. What they had yet to learn was that apart from the supernatural involvement of almighty God, every bit of self-effort is in vain.

Peter and his crew could never have imagined what kind of reward was in store for their obedience. The thing they sought and desired most of all was the very thing God gave: nets overflowing with fish. The difference was that the second fishing expedition was done God’s way and in God’s time.

Is there an issue of disobedience in your life? What step of obedience has God asked you to take? Trust His purpose and plan. You’ll never know the reward until you’re willing to take the risk—and the greater the risk, the greater the reward.

Daily Bread

"Give us this day our daily bread." (Matthew 6:11)

Jesus often reminded His followers not to worry. He told them not to be anxious about tomorrow’s needs or potential problems (Matt. 6:25). Rather, Jesus stressed a daily reliance on the Father, who provides for His children day by day.

As the Israelites wandered in the desert, they had no way to get food. Miraculously, God provided manna that appeared on the ground each morning. God’s provision was sufficient for one day at a time. Each day the children of Israel received fresh manna as a tangible reminder of God’s love for them. If they attempted to store it for the days to come, they found that it had spoiled by the next day. It was impossible to stockpile God’s provision, because God wanted them to trust in Him, not in their pantry. God’s grace was sufficient for each day.

God wants us to trust Him daily with our needs. This trust does not make us poor planners or careless with our futures, unprepared to face what may come. Rather, it keeps our relationship with the Lord in its proper perspective as He reminds us daily of our dependence upon Him. God is aware of what tomorrow will bring and how we should prepare for it. He knows the problems we will face, and He has already made provision for us to overcome them. He asks us to trust in Him daily. Our faith in Him today cannot substitute for our trust in Him tomorrow. If we walk with Him closely today, we will be in the center of His will tomorrow.

EXPERIENCING GOD DAY-BY-DAY

by: henry t. blackaby and richard blackaby

Faith and Obedience

Faith and Obedience

1 Kings 18:1-15

Think of faith and obedience as travel companions heading to the same destination—namely, to please and glorify the Lord. You cannot have one without the other. They grow simultaneously as they are practiced but will wither if neglected.

Elijah was a man with both of these qualities. He believed God and always responded in obedience. When told by the Lord to show himself to King Ahab, Elijah didn't permit fear to stop him. He had learned through experience that the Father was faithful and trustworthy.

Fear short-circuits faith when we begin to doubt that God’s way is really best. If we allow worry to gain a foothold in our minds, we’ll respond by refusing to do what the Lord says, which is disobedience. The result will be a change in our “travel plans,” and by rejecting the way of faith and obedience, we’re actually choosing the path of unbelief and sin.

Satan loves our fear and disobedience because they hinder the journey that God has designed for us. We can’t believe the Lord for great things in one area of our life if we are allowing sin in another. Self-examination is essential in the walk of faith. Where have you compromised by allowing sin a foothold? Are you resisting anything God says in His Word?

Great faith begins with small steps. When you choose to follow God’s Word, an ever-increasing cycle of faith and obedience will begin. Don’t let fear or sin rob you of the great adventure He’s planned for your life. Who has a better track record for choosing the right path—you or God? So believe Him!

In the Midst of Trials

In the Midst of Trials

Genesis 39:6-20

Joseph’s enslavement lasted for 13 years and went from bad to worse. He lost his favored position in Potiphar’s household and went to prison when the master’s wife told lies about him. His hope for release from jail died when the king’s servant forgot his promise (Gen. 40:14, 23). The future looked bleak.

Despite the evidence of circumstances, God was carrying out His plan to bless Joseph and benefit his family. Joseph was His appointed person to rescue them from the coming famine. To accomplish this, he had to learn the Egyptian language and culture, develop leadership abilities, and mature spiritually. The Lord’s plan accomplished all of this.

Joseph learned two helpful lessons. First, the Lord is a faithful companion who uses our troubles to prepare us for His work. When the time came, Joseph was fully trained to become second-in-command to Pharaoh—the Egyptian king even testified that God’s presence was with Joseph (41:38).

Second, when the Lord accomplishes His purposes, the difficulty will end. At God’s chosen moment, Joseph was freed from jail, rewarded with a high-ranking appointment, and reconciled with his family. Though his boyhood was gone, he was greatly blessed by living in the center of the Father’s will.

Adversity can be painful, but the Lord uses it to further His purposes and equip us for His plan. What is He trying to teach you in the midst of your trials? Are you cooperating with Him? Remember, even Jesus suffered in order to fulfill God’s redemptive purpose (Matt. 16:21).

A Bitter Root

A Bitter Root

Hebrews 12:15

Yesterday, we came to think of bitterness as a poison—a concoction that we create for someone else but then end up drinking ourselves. Today, let’s consider another useful illustration that will help us understand the negative effects of resentment.

Hebrews 12:15 describes bitterness as a “root.” Think about that. Where do you find roots? That’s right—they grow underground, sitting beneath the surface and siphoning off nutrients from the ground around them. Whenever you see a plant, flower, or tree, you can be sure that just below the peaceful façade is a root that is sucking life from the soil and pushing it up through the plant’s foundation. Without the root, the vegetation would collapse and die.

Can you see how this image parallels your spiritual life? Perhaps you have a root of bitterness that is sitting just under the surface, practically invisible to anyone who walks by. Does the fact that the bitter root is barely noticeable mean that it is inert and harmless? Absolutely not! Instead, you can be sure that the root is doing its job—sucking the life from you and using it to nourish a weed of hatred, impatience, or discontentment.

A root of bitterness will never produce healthy fruit. When the root is harmful, it is senseless to expect anything other than bad fruit and a tangle of weeds.

The good news is, there’s a remedy to the problem. All it takes to kill a weed is to unearth and dispose of the root. Pull the source of your resentment out of its hiding place. Expose it and give it to God, who knows how to cultivate the heart.

Walking Through Dark Valleys

Walking Through Dark Valleys

Genesis 37:18-28

As a teenager, Joseph lost almost everything. His family, his position as the favored son, his home, and his freedom were abruptly taken from him. How stunned he must have been by the hatred of his siblings and such overwhelming loss. But one thing he did take with him was his faith in God.

Life is like that at times for every one of us. Sudden changes in health or finances, the unexpected death of a loved one, or abandonment by a good friend can bring us into a dark season. We do not understand why the Lord has allowed the trial or lets the pain continue. Joseph probably wondered the same things, but he managed to hold fast to his faith. Even as a slave in a foreign land, he experienced the blessing of God’s presence. And recognizing that the Lord was with this young captive, his Egyptian master showed him favor (Gen. 39:2-3).

One of the keys to walking through dark valleys—those times when life seems to be crumbling and the future’s looking grim—is to embrace the reality of the Lord’s presence with us. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to live permanently within the new Christian and seals him or her as belonging to God forever. Because of the indwelling Spirit, we’re never apart from God. No circumstance, suffering, or loss can separate us from Him or His love (Rom. 8:35, 38-39).

Take a few minutes each day and reflect on Jesus’ promise to be with us always (Matt. 28:20). The result will be that this truth becomes planted deep within your soul to sustain you in hard times.

Put Away Evil

So you shall put away the evil from among you. (Deuteronomy 22:21b)

It is a dangerous and costly mistake not to take temptation seriously. The sad testimony of many who have succumbed to sin’s enticements is that they thought they were strong enough to remain in the midst of temptation and resist it. God requires that His people remove evil from their midst (Deut. 21:21). One way to do this is to remove anything in your environment that may tempt you to sin. When wickedness surrounds you, you are in danger of becoming anesthetized to its destructive potential. Never assume that you are immune to temptation. Do not underestimate the craftiness of the evil one.

God does not tolerate evil, for evil cost the death of His Son. Sin causes untold pain and destruction to everyone it touches. Treating evil lightly shows foolish disregard for God’s redemptive work. An honest evaluation of your life will reveal temptations that you should remove, such as some forms of entertainment or ungodly relationships. When God convicts you of evil in your midst, remove it immediately!

There are times, however, when you are powerless to remove ungodly influences, so you must remove yourself from the temptation. Paul urges us to avoid every kind of evil (1 Thess. 5:22). When Joseph was enticed to commit adultery by his master’s wife, he fled immediately! (Gen. 39:12).

Do not lose your abhorrence of sin. Be diligent to keep any form of temptation out of your home, out of your relationships, out of your mind. You can do this only by maintaining your love relationship with God, recognizing that you are powerless to resist temptation in your own strength. You will not be able to walk closely with God unless you see sin as He sees it. Darkness and light cannot coexist. Run from the darkness to the light!

EXPERIENCING GOD DAY-BY-DAY

BY: HENRY T. BLACKABY & RICHARD BLACKABY

http://www.blackaby.org/devarchive.asp

Pleasing God, Pleasing Others

For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)

At times you will have to make a choice between pleasing God and pleasing those around you, for God’s ways are not man’s ways (Isa. 55:8–9). As important as it is to strive for good relations with others, it is even more important to maintain a steadfast and obedient relationship with Christ. Disobeying God to keep peace with other people is never wise. Peace with God is always paramount.

Jesus warned that obeying Him might cause division in your relationships (Matt. 10:35–36). If Paul’s primary goal had been to please others, he would never have become an apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul went completely against the wishes of his colleagues in order to obey Christ. At times, obedience to God sets family members at odds with each other (Matt. 10:35–36). When you follow Jesus’ Lordship, your family may misunderstand, or even oppose you, yet your obedience to God reflects your identity as His child. Jesus said that those who obey His will are His brothers and sisters (Luke 8:21). God does not intend to divide the home, but He places obedience before domestic harmony.

It is important to get alone in quietness with God so that you understand what pleases Him. The world’s thinking will mislead you more easily when you are not clear about what God desires. It broke Peter’s heart to know that the opinion of a servant girl had mattered more to him than the approval of his Lord! If the desire to appease others tempts you to compromise what you know God wants you to do, learn from Peter’s mistake. Determine that you will please your Lord regardless of the opinions of others.

http://www.blackaby.org/devarchive.asp

EXPERIENCING GOD DAY-BY-DAY

by: henry t. blackaby & richard blackaby

The Results of Insecurity

The Results of Insecurity

Read | Psalm 143:8

We've already seen some of the areas where insecurity shows up. Now we need to turn our attention to its effects.

To start, insecure people have difficulty establishing good, lasting relationships. They simply cannot see how they could add value to anyone else’s life. This is a tragic loss, because every one of us needs deep and meaningful friendships to help us grow.

Also, men and women with insecurity are often seen as prideful or snobbish. Lack of confidence may cause them to withdraw from others, which can easily be mistaken for an act of arrogance. They can thereby give the impression that they simply don’t want to be around others.

What’s more, insecurity frequently leads to indecisiveness and fear. People can be so consumed with self-doubt that they can’t make any decision at all. They wonder, What if I make a mistake? Well, so what if they do? Making mistakes is one of the best ways to learn how to do something correctly. Don’t be afraid to try. Even if you don’t succeed, you can at least rest in the fact that you did your best.

After a while, insecure people typically become angry. When they go so long feeling so poorly about themselves, they start to resent the success and happiness of others. Can you see how something as subtle as a lack of confidence can have a debilitating effect on one’s life? Don’t let such devastation affect your relationships. Pray for the ability to recognize areas of self-doubt. And then take a step toward freedom today by asking the Lord to heal your insecurities.

Dealing With Wrong Desires

Dealing With Wrong Desires

Psalm 145:18-21

Believers can have wrong desires. In fact, if we work hard enough—by pressing ahead of divine timing, manipulating our circumstances, and even acting dishonestly—we may be able to make those wishes reality. But anything gained apart from God will prove to be empty and disappointing.

Having desires is good—goals drive us and set the direction for our life. But we want our objectives to match the ones God has for us. Longings contrary to His purposes have the power to corrupt the body, mind, or spirit and can also cause believers to fall into temptation (2 Pet. 2:9-10; 1 Tim. 6:9).

How can we be sure our desires are right? A godly ambition is usually specific and fixed, and it will stand up to evaluation through prayer and Bible study. In contrast, a wrong desire fails to meet these criteria. For instance, some people have only a vague sense of what they want from life. Or their yearning changes easily as circumstances shift or time passes. Most dangerous is that goal which is pursued despite its incompatibility with a righteous lifestyle. In such cases, the believer has neglected to consider two vital questions: Does God want this for me? and Can I follow Christ and this objective at the same time?

Many of the things we desire are not specifically addressed in Scripture as “thou shalt” or “thou shalt not.” That is why God has given us access to the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and discernment. We must prayerfully evaluate our longings to ensure we are within the Lord’s will and pursuing His purpose for our life.

The Power of Persistence

The Power of Persistence

Read | Philippians 3:10-14

To be someone who perseveres, it is necessary to . . .

• Learn the difference between being a failure and experiencing failure in life. Once we trust in Christ as our Savior, we are new creations, and our past failings are just that—in the past. Any future mistakes are to be regarded as temporary defeats; they do not define who we are. The apostle Paul learned this lesson well. No matter how many times he was reviled, chased out of town, or stoned, he did not consider himself a failure. Rather, he looked to His Lord to determine the truth about who he was: a forgiven sinner commissioned to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 22:10, 21).

• Learn that encountering difficulties and tests does not automatically mean we’re to change direction. They may delay us in reaching our goals, but they aren't necessarily a dead end. Look at trials not as reasons to quit, but as opportunities that can assist us in reaching goals. During our moments of defeat, God wants to teach us something that will help us succeed later on. Paul didn't interpret the tragic events of his life as signals to stop. He knew what God was calling him to do and was committed to accomplishing it. He also experienced the power of persistence to transform his character and give him hope (Rom. 5:3-4). We are sustained by such hope, even in our greatest crises.

Through the work of His Holy Spirit, our heavenly Father will give us the ability to stay on course. Do not give up. Draw near to the Lord, and allow His power to sustain you.

Jesus Died For You

You don't have to have some special feeling to believe. You can just choose to believe the Truth that Jesus died for all your sins over 2,000 years ago and He loves you.

Joyce Meyer



credits to: THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST 

Clean Hands; a Pure Heart

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart. (Psalms 24:3-4a)

God has rigid requirements for those who want to enjoy intimate fellowship with Him. There is no easy access to God for those with unclean hands or an impure heart. It is an affront to holy God to assume that we can indulge in our sin and blatantly disobey His word, then brazenly enter the holy of holies. In Old Testament times, one’s hands represented one’s activities. Clean hands symbolized pure activities. Priests washed their hands before serving in the temple to symbolize that only those who were cleansed could worship holy God.

There are levels of intimacy with God. The moment you become a Christian you begin a relationship with the Lord. However, if you persist in your sin, sin will separate you from God and keep you from enjoying close fellowship with Him. If you follow only God’s basic commandments but resist every time God gives you specific, personal directions, you will never fully experience the depths of God’s Person. If, however, you are like the psalmist and understand the holiness of God, you will adjust your life to His standards and respond to His prompting so that you may have deeper fellowship with Him.

The closer you get to holy God, the more obvious even your smallest sins become. The more you know of God’s character, the more you will realize the need to wash your hands and purify your heart before you can get close to Him.

Are you willing for almighty God to make you absolutely pure before Him so that you can enjoy the maximum possible relationship with Him?

http://www.blackaby.org/devarchive.asp

EXPERIENCING GOD DAY-BY-DAY

BY: HENRY T. BLACKABY AND RICHARD BLACKABY

Asking for Mountains

"Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the LORD said." (Joshua 14:12)

Caleb’s faith in God never wavered though everyone around him doubted. God convinced Caleb that the children of Israel should enter the Promised Land, but the people were intimidated by giants and fortified cities (Num. 13:28–33). Their disbelief forced Caleb to wait forty years in the wilderness before he finally entered the Promised Land. Even after all those years, Caleb was as confident as ever in God’s power.

When God was dividing the land among the Israelites, the people were asking for the lush valleys and grassy plains. Caleb asked for a mountain. The Israelites had driven their enemies into the mountains, where they had built fortresses. This did not intimidate Caleb—he asked for a challenge! He did not trust in his own strength but in God’s presence. Caleb longed to see God work in power, and he knew he would be less likely to rely on God if he dwelt in the easy places. He chose a situation in which he would have to trust in God. Caleb knew his inheritance from God was on the mountain. He refused to allow the difficulty of gaining it to stop him from enjoying all that God had promised him.

If you always choose the easy way, asking for the peaceful valleys, you will never see God’s power displayed to enable you to take a mountain. Seek out the mountains, and you will witness God doing things through your life that can be explained only by His mighty presence.

http://www.blackaby.org/devarchive.asp

EXPERIENCING GOD DAY-BY-DAY

by: henry T. blackaby and richard blackaby

God Knows What You Need

God Knows What You Need

John 4:1-16

One reason we at times have a weak faith is because our view of God is faulty. That’s not totally surprising—after all, He is so big, how could we ever truly get an accurate picture of what He looks like, how He acts, or how He feels about us personally?

Knowing that we would need a way to understand Him, our heavenly Father revealed Himself through His Son. And so “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The better we get to know Jesus, the more we will understand the Father (14:9).

And when we take a look at the way Jesus treated the people around Him, we get a good illustration of God’s love. Think about the woman at the well in today’s Scripture passage. This was a person who had been outcast by society. The fact that she came to draw water during the heat of the day (4:6)—a time when no one else would be around— indicates that her exclusion from the townspeople was not just their idea; she herself felt the need to stay isolated.

But what did Jesus do? He loved her. He accepted her. He gave her what no one else would give: attention and respect. That is what He does for us as well. The Lord does not want us burdened by guilt, shame, or heartache. Nor does He want us to be secluded from other people. Instead, He calls us to become active participants in His kingdom.

Have you cut yourself off from those around you? Take hold of your Savior’s hand today, and start experiencing the joy of His acceptance.

Our Firm Foundation

Our Firm Foundation

Ephesians 2:1-9

What we believe determines how we will act. To behave in a godly manner, we must embrace biblical truth. So let’s take a look at some basics of the faith:

• Man’s relationship with God is broken, apart from Jesus Christ. When Adam and Eve rebelled, their nature became corrupt and alienated them from God. That “flesh” nature was then passed down to all subsequent generations, separating man from the Father (Rom. 5:12). On our own, we can neither make amends for our sin nor change our nature.

• Salvation comes through Jesus alone (Acts 4:12). God’s justice required a penalty for sin, but only a sacrifice without defect would suffice. Jesus, who lived a perfect life on earth, was uniquely qualified. He bore our sins and died in our place so we might be forgiven and adopted into God’s family. When we receive Him as Savior, we’re given a new nature, and Christ’s righteousness is counted as ours (Phil. 3:9; 2 Cor. 5:17).

• The church—Christ’s body—is made up of born-again believers throughout the world (1 Cor. 12:13). All Christians are commanded to worship the Lord, care for one another, and share in the work of spreading the gospel. God’s followers are also given spiritual gifts to use in building up other believers.

If these truths are the basis for our view of life, we will find ourselves growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Forgiving others will become a possibility—and dying to self a more common occurrence. Ungodly traits will fade away and be replaced by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

GOD FINDS PLEASURE IN OUR OBEDIENCE

No one, nor any thing, brings pleasure to the Father as does seeing His Son. Every time we obey Jesus, giving Him access to this world, we please God. Each time Christ forgives or loves or blesses through us, the heart of God finds pleasure in our lives.

Francis Frangipane

God’s Scriptural “Benefit Package”

God’s Scriptural “Benefit Package”

2 Timothy 3:14-17

This world offers financial plans, weight loss programs, and a host of other opportunities that all claim to yield beneficial results. But nothing is as profitable to us as Scripture.

God’s plans for you do not stop at salvation. His goal is that you become conformed to the likeness of His Son, and the tool He uses to achieve His purpose is the Bible. Today’s passage outlines His comprehensive program for your spiritual transformation.

The foundation is laid with the teaching of Scripture’s basic truths. These doctrines about God’s character and work anchor our souls during the storms of life and protect us from deception. Since we all have certain flesh patterns, perfection is impossible, and we sometimes fall into sin. But when Scripture offers reproof, we are convicted about our wrongdoing.

This is followed by correction. The Lord never convicts us and leaves us in the mess we have made. He provides what we need to make things right.

The final step is training in righteousness. Think of this as a one-on-one discipleship course with the Word of God. If we heed the instruction and discipline of Scripture, we’ll grow in obedience and godliness and eventually will find that we need less reproof and correction.

Full participation in God’s scriptural benefit package involves three steps: Read the Bible each day; believe everything God says in His Word—not just the parts that appeal to you (Heb. 4:2); and do what He says. You will become equipped and qualified to fulfill His purpose for you.

The Desires of Your Heart

The Desires of Your Heart

Psalm 37

The Lord has given us many wonderful promises in His Word. But sadly, one of them is frequently misunderstood. It’s not uncommon for someone to tell me about a prayer request and then add, “God promised to give me the desires of my heart.” This makes the Lord sound more like a toy store than a wise Father. But when Psalm 37:4 is taken in context, we can understand God’s principle for ensuring that we have right desires.

To delight in the Lord (v. 4) means to take pleasure in discovering more about God and following His will. Spending time with the Father—learning what pleases Him and praying for discernment to make wise decisions—has two results. First, the Holy Spirit aligns our heart’s desires with Scripture; and second, we set ourselves up for blessing.

Delight in God derives from dedication to Him. When we commit our way to the Lord (v. 5), we allow His will and mandates to shape our thoughts, lifestyle, and goals. In other words, we acknowledge His right to determine whether our longing fits His plan.

Perhaps the hardest part of receiving the desires of our heart is waiting for them to materialize. Yet God’s Word insists that we rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him (v. 7). This means relying on Him to work out circumstances even when achieving our desire seems impossible. Taking matters into our own hands is not “helping Him out.”

God promises to give us our heart’s desires in His time when our requests are aligned with His will. Claim the promise as written, and He will bless you.

PUT AWAY LYING

Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. (Ephesians 4:25)

Because you are a Christian, your life ought to be permeated with truth. When you were born again, God put the Spirit of truth in you (John 16:13). The Spirit’s role is to guide you into all truth. The Spirit wants to fill your mind with whatever is true (Phil. 4:8). If you allow the Spirit to fill you with God’s truth, you will be truthful in your actions and in your relationships. According to Jesus, this means that your yes will always be yes, and your no will always mean no (Matt. 5:33–37).

The world considers truth optional. Deception permeates every corner of society because the prince of this world is the author and father of lies (John 8:44). From his first contact with people, Satan has been lying to them and persuading them to live in falsehood rather than in truth.

The world will tempt you to compromise the truth. You may be fooled into thinking that you can accomplish greater good by withholding the truth. That is a demonic deception. You cannot use deception to build the kingdom of God! God refuses to use sinful means to accomplish His holy purposes. You may be tempted to live a lie by projecting a false image of yourself. Jesus condemned this as hypocrisy (Luke 12:56). When you sin, you will be tempted to conceal the truth; yet only as you confess the truth will you be forgiven and set free (James 5:16).

What you say reflects what is in your heart (Matt. 12:34). If your heart is filled with deception, your mouth will speak falsehood. Ask God to permeate you with His truth so that you find falsehood, in any form, abhorrent.

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BY: HENRY T. BLACKABY & RICHARD BLACKABY