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Light Overcomes the Darkness
"And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." ~ John 1:5
Careful readers of Scripture have noted that the book of Genesis and the Gospel of John begin the same way: “In the beginning.” John used Genesis as a template for introducing Jesus Christ to his readers. God began overcoming the chaos and darkness of the pre-creation world by speaking light into existence (Genesis 1:3). Using the theme of light overcoming darkness, John portrayed Jesus as the Word of God that brings spiritual order into a spiritually dark and chaotic world (John 1:1-4).
But, John writes, the world did not recognize (John 1:10) or understand (John 1:5) the light that God sent into the world in Jesus Christ. In translating John 1:5, interpreters differ as to whether the world did not “comprehend” the light or “overcome” the light — the original text allows for either translation. Actually, both translations are true! Not all the world has comprehended the light of God, and the world (“the darkness”) has certainly not overcome the light which is Christ.
Both in Creation and the Incarnation, God’s light in Christ has penetrated and conquered the darkness of this world. Give thanks today that God’s Light can overcome every darkness.
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~ by David Jeremiah (https://www.davidjeremiah.org)
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Battles Within
"What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from the cravings that are at war within you?" ~ James 4:1
Most of our inner turmoil is a result of the battle within each of us. Like it or not, we all have a bit of the flesh in us. The part of us that just wants to have everything go our way, that doesn’t care that much about others, and is not sure God is really looking out for us (or that this is His exclusive role). The flesh fights to make us god, the center of the world.
On the other hand, we also have within us the image of God. The spirit. The part of us that wants to participate in something greater than ourselves, needs and values community, appreciates the unique joy of others, and trusts in the mystery of God.
We are not just one of these things. They both exist within us. We can never be fully rid of either. And this internal wrestling match spills out and affects the way we interact with others. Our external battles are often projections of our internal battle; flesh versus spirit.
For as long as we are human, both of these internal desires will exist, to some degree, within us. The great opportunity of a human soul is the ability to choose between the two. We get to decide, over and over, moment by moment, which to give heedance to and which to relegate into captivity.
The more we choose the spirit, the easier it becomes to do so. The flesh will adapt and always try to speak up, but we can develop a pattern of righteousness just as easily as we can develop patterns of wickedness.
It all begins by sorting through our desires, sifting and separating what is from the flesh and what is from the spirit. As we choose the spirit within ourselves, we will more readily see and appreciate it in others.
______________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net/devotional/battles-within/
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Exhaustion
"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'" ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9
Difficult situations or heavy responsibilities often leave us mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted.
I found myself feeling this exhaustion last week. We had just come out of a "ministry filled weekend" which was amazing, but I was already feeling the physical strain. Then I went into a new week with my workload, taking care of our 3 children, managing our home, and just the day to day running around, and I started feeling a bit overwhelmed! Some nights, I was working until midnight because it was the only time I actually had the quiet time necessary to concentrate. There were a couple of times I told the Lord, "Please give me the strength and energy I need to complete the tasks before me!"
I was reminded of Elijah in 1 Kings 19:1-9. Elijah had killed the prophets of Baal, and now Jezebel is threatening to kill him. Afraid, Elijah runs for his life. He finally comes to a bush, sits under it and prays that he might die. He tells the Lord in verse 4, "I have had enough, Lord." Then he lays down and falls asleep. The angel of the Lord comes to him twice and tells him to get up and eat. After feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, the Lord meets Elijah and gives him the strength he needs to continue.
Have you ever felt this exhaustion? Sometimes we, too, need to allow the Lord to be our strength in weakness and be encouraged by Him. With Elijah, the Lord sent an angel. For us it may come in the form of a conversation with a friend or loved one, a worship song we hear, or by simply coming to God in prayer and allowing Him to speak to us. Whatever the situation, let us remember that our strength comes from the Lord. Call out to Him because He will answer.
Suggested prayer: Dear God, thank you for being my strength when I have nothing left. You are faithful and never leave nor forsake us. Thank you because we can always trust that you will meet us where we are. You are a good Father who cares for us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
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~ by Crystal B.
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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Following God into the Light
~ May you feel better equipped to face temptation and sin today as you encounter Jesus and His truth for you on this subject.
The Holy Spirit dwelling within is always leading us out of darkness and into the light. He is ready and available to guide us through every decision, temptation, trial, tribulation, and circumstance - that we might experience all the abundance available to us in His light.
God promises us in Isaiah 42:16:
“I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on paths they have not known. I will turn darkness to light in front of them and rough places into level ground. This is what I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.”
You serve a loving, good Father who doesn’t leave you to figure out life on your own. He doesn’t even leave you just with Scripture to find your way into the light. He knows that we are blind without Him. He knows that we are in immense need of His help. And He is constantly leading us into the better things He has for us.
1 Corinthians 10:13 encourages us that:
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
With every temptation the enemy brings, God is leading us in a great escape. You and I so often don’t know the way out of temptation. It feels impossible to find the path to righteousness when all we feel is wrongful desire welling up within us. But if we will acknowledge that we are indeed blind and reach out our arms for the guiding hand of God, He “will turn the darkness before [us] into light” (Isaiah 42:16). He is our faithful Shepherd to the abundant pastures available to us on the other side of temptation.
Hebrews 2:18 says:
“For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Our God is compassionate because He has felt the temptations we feel. He has walked through this life and lived in the light. You are not alone in your sin. You are not alone in your temptations. You are not alone in the trials, decisions, and circumstances that seem to draw you into darkness. Your Savior has compassion on you and longs for you to simply lean on His strength, trust Him, and follow Him.
“He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” ~ 1 John 4:4
You will overcome your enemy if you reach out for the help of God. He will lead you away from the sin that entangles you and direct you to His perfect, peaceful paths of righteousness. Have faith in the love and ability of your God and follow Him throughout your day to the still, calm waters of His presence.
May Psalm 23:1-6 fill your heart with a longing for a close, open relationship with your good Shepherd today as you seek to live in the light:
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/following-god-into-the-light-2023/
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Feasting As Warfare
~ The habit of gratitude protects us from the trap of discontentment and endless striving.
Scripture Reading:
"Even when I go through the darkest valley, I will fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff — they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." ~ Psalm 23:4-6
Psalm 23 portrays feasting as a form of trust amid adversity. Imagine the courage it would take to sit down at a banquet with a horde of angry enemies surrounding you. Yet this is God’s invitation to us in every struggle and trial: Come. Sit at My table and rest. I’ve prepared a place for you in the presence of your enemies.
What keeps us from sitting at God’s table and rejoicing in the story of God’s faithfulness in our own life?
Three obstacles come to mind: striving, discontentment, and deception.
Striving is the internalized sense that we must always keep moving forward in pursuit of success, money, and acclaim. We think, More is always better, and rest is for the weak. This inability to slow down and appreciate God’s gifts breeds a profound sense of unfulfillment, making joy and peace elusive. The world’s competitive striving and restless dissatisfaction are fueled by the enemy’s most ancient and insidious deception: My way is better than God’s way.
But when we feast, we declare that God’s way of gratitude, rest, and simplicity is better than the world’s deceived way of striving and discontentment. We feast to challenge the enemy’s lies. In this way, feasting — slowing down to savor God’s gifts and remember His faithfulness — is an act of spiritual warfare.
To feast is to trust in the Lord.
_____________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/feasting-as-warfare
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I am rejoicing with you over the salvation of your mother! I am praying for her continued spiritual growth, and physical health and well-being. Please refer to my private message concerning the other aspects of your post. God bless!
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Looking at the Light
~ As we re-train ourselves to seek God first for satisfaction, may we find how abundantly beyond our imaginings the Lord’s sufficiency is for us.
We live in a world filled with darkness of all forms. On any given day we are inundated with temptation after temptation, lie after lie, darkness after darkness. But in the person of Jesus a powerful hope has entered into the story of humanity.
Matthew 4:16 says:
“The people who live in darkness have seen a great light, and for those living in the shadowland of death, light has dawned on them.”
You and I now have the choice to fill our lives with the light of God. We’re delivered from a life marked by darkness and set free to fill ourselves with the things of God.
But still, there is a choice set before us. The light has come, but we have a real enemy trying to draw us back to the darkness at every turn. It’s for this reason Jesus said in Luke 11:34, “Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light. But when it is bad, your body is also full of darkness.” You and I must choose to look to the light if we want to be spiritually healthy and full of light. We must look to the light if we want the abundant life God offers us throughout every season of this life.
Paul writes in Philippians 4:8:
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
I pray that God would train us to look upon only that which will fill us with more of Him. I pray that He would train our minds to think about only that which will truly satisfy the deep desires of our hearts.
Darkness is often only tempting to look at because we have yet to experience the immense satisfaction found in the light. So often God is characterized as a taskmaster out to ruin all the fun. And so often our church services, speech, and lives depict our Father as anyone but a fun, satisfying God. But if we will take some time to trust the truth of Scripture and get to know our heavenly Father as a friend, we will discover a wellspring of life to which no darkness could ever compare. The pleasures of the enemy are nothing but a shadow of the satisfaction we have in the light. Lust, adultery, earthly glory, the opinion of man, and pride in possessions are nothing compared to total, open, and eternal relationship with a good, near, and loving God.
Look to the light today for all you need. Cultivate a hunger and thirst for the things of God that can only be quenched in relationship with your heavenly Father. Run to God with your temptations, needs, and desires and ask Him to lead you to satisfaction. And open your heart to Him today that you might receive a wealth of love, purpose, joy, affection, and enjoyment from the only true source of life in this earth.
At times, the desires we feel are wrong desires that God cannot satisfy. However, these wrong desires are always indicative of a deeper desire that God does want to satisfy. Lust and adultery are desires indicative of a need to be loved, liked, seen as beautiful or handsome, or simply enjoyed. Wrongful ambition and glory-seeking are wrong desires indicative of a true need to have passion and make a deep and lasting impact on the earth. The temptations of the enemy and satisfactions we find in darkness are mere shadows compared to the true satisfaction available in God. Discover the root of your wrongful desires. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the true needs within your heart and to guide you to a lifestyle of fulfillment in God. May your eyes be wholly focused on the light today as you seek fulfillment in your heavenly Father.
________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/looking-at-the-light-2023/
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Growing Deeper [maybe it's time to share your faith]:
“So that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” ~ Colossians 1:10
At age six, Henry John Heinz began helping his mother tend the small garden behind their family home. At twelve, he was working three and a half acres of garden, using a horse and cart for his three-times-a-week deliveries to grocery stores throughout the city of Pittsburg. He went on to found his own company and named it Heinz 57 Varieties, a name brand now known around the world.
Heinz was well-known for his Biblically-based business principles and his Christian treatment of employees. However, there was an incident in his life that changed this godly man to grow even more deeper in his faith. One day after an evangelistic service, the speaker turned to him and said:
"You are a believer, but with all your energy why aren't you up and at it for the Lord?"
Heinz went home in anger. That night, however, he couldn't sleep, thinking about the question he’d been asked. At four o'clock in the morning, he prayed that God would use him to lead others to the Savior. A day or so later at a meeting of bank presidents, he turned to the man next to him and told him of his joy in knowing Jesus. His friend looked at him in surprise and said, "Because I knew you were a Christian, I've wondered many times why you never spoke to me about salvation." That gentleman became the first of 267 converts - people of different varieties, from all walks of life - that Mr. Heinz eventually won to Christ!
In his will, Henry John Heinz said: "I desire to set forth at the very beginning of this will, as the most important item in it, a confession of my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I also desire to bear witness to the fact that throughout my life, in which there were unusual joys and sorrows, I have been wonderfully sustained by my faith in God through Jesus Christ."
_______________
~ published by: The Daily Encourager
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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Marriage of the Lamb Announced
"Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters, and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying:
"Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty, has begun to reign! Let us be glad, rejoice, and give Him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself. She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure. For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints."
~ Revelation 19:6-8
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What We Lose, What We Gain
~ Surrender makes it possible for God's fruit to blossom in our life.
Scripture Reading: Luke 14:25-33
Yesterday, we talked about giving control of our life to God and what we gain as a result. But now let’s go a step further and ask, How do we know whether we are wholly surrendered? We are fully yielded when …
1. We say, “No matter what, Lord, Your will be done.”
We start by acknowledging His right to be in control of our life. Then we follow, even if we don’t fully understand His reasons for where He is leading us.
2. We stop bargaining with God.
As sinners saved by grace, we have no reason to negotiate with God. He redeemed us with the shed blood of His Son and made us part of His family. Our allegiance to Him must be wholehearted.
3. We let go of everything in order to receive from the Lord.
Absolute surrender means we willingly give up our independence and personal preferences (Matthew 10:39). By doing so, we position ourselves to be truly useful to the Lord and to experience deep fellowship with Him. Because we are an open channel ready for God’s use, nothing obstructs the flow of His Spirit through our life and work. It won’t necessarily be easy, but we will always receive more than we’re asked to give up.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/what-we-lose-what-we-gain
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Works in Progress
~ God patiently guides drifting believers back into His will.
Scripture Reading:
"Yet Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we all are the work of Your hands. Lord, do not be terribly angry or remember our iniquity forever." ~ Isaiah 64:8-9
In a studio, the potter has complete power over the clay. The same is true of God: As our Creator, He can do with us whatever He chooses. That might sound scary, but remember that God’s sovereignty cannot be separated from His other attributes.
While the Lord is sovereign, He is also loving, gracious, and thorough — and that influences how He shapes us. Just as a potter works the clay with patience, God forms our Christlike character slowly — one experience at a time. He knows that spiritual maturity can’t be rushed.
And just as clay can slip from the middle of the wheel, we too might find ourselves off-center from time to time — whether due to an old wound, a new hardship, a recurring habit, or something else. However, we don’t have to worry. In His grace, God always maneuvers the drifting believer back into position and begins remolding. He never discards His vessels but patiently works to mold them.
Our Father is a personal Potter. His creations reflect Him, and His Spirit is poured into each believing vessel so He can be an intimate part of our life. The result is a work of true beauty — a saint dearly loved by the Lord.
______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/works-in-progress
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Light & Dark
~ May the Lord open our eyes to see the glorious light before us this week.
All throughout Scripture God reiterates a consistent, powerful metaphor: light and dark. Scripture depicts the darkness as that which is without God and light as that which has God in it. As “children of light,” it’s vital for us to dive deeply into this concept of light and dark that we might experience the fullness of all God has made available to us (1 Thessalonians 5:5). We must accept that both light and dark exist, that we can engage with both, and learn what it is to choose light at every turn.
In Isaiah 42:16 God says:
“I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on paths they have not known. I will turn darkness to light in front of them and rough places into level ground. This is what I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.”
God has not left us to wander in darkness. He never leaves us or forsakes us (Deuteronomy 31:6). We who were blind to the paths of God have had our eyes opened through the powerful sacrifice of Jesus. We now have relationship with the Holy Spirit who seeks to guide us into the light with every thought, emotion, action, and decision.
Ephesians 5:14 says:
“...for what makes everything clear is light. Therefore it is said: "Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.”
It’s time for you and me to arise from any part of darkness and live in the shining light of Christ Jesus. It’s time for us to wake up from our former lives that were consumed with chaos, lies, and sin, come out of the shadows, and find true life in the light of God’s presence, will, and Word.
God has so much more in store for you than a life lived working to escape darkness. The power of Jesus’ sacrifice has hidden you in Him. His light is your light. But before we can experience this fullness of life available to us, we must allow Him to open our eyes. We must allow Him into the darkest places of our past, thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. We must allow His light to illuminate our darkest of sins in order that those which cause us the most shame might be healed and broken off of our lives.
Just as light can hurt a little at first when we’ve become accustomed to darkness, seeing the parts of our lives that we’ve shut off to God, others, and even ourselves can be painful. But, once we’ve allowed God to illuminate our whole lives that we might see ourselves as we truly are, we will discover a wealth of grace, love, and forgiveness unlike any we’ve ever known. Once we experience the unconditional love of a God who knows all we’ve ever done, thought, and felt, our lives begin to change by His overwhelming goodness. Light is powerful in its ability to heal, set free, and empower.
Take time in prayer to open your heart to your heavenly Father and reflect on this Biblical principle of light and dark. Allow Scripture to fill you with a desire to seek the light of God in all things. Ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the places in your life He longs to heal. And find grace, rest, and forgiveness in the loving presence of your heavenly Father.
The fullness of life is only available in the light. Anything we experience in darkness is a mere shadow of what is available to us with God. Any pleasure we find in impurity, lies, and pride is nothing compared to the inexhaustible satisfaction available in God’s light. Trust God that He absolutely has the best life in store for you if you choose Him. Trust Him that the fullness of joy, peace, purpose, and pleasure is found in Him alone. May your day be filled with the peace and joy that comes from living in the light of God.
_________________
~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/light-and-dark-2023/
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Molded by the Master
~ You have been perfectly designed to accomplish the work God has planned for you.
Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 18:1-6
If you have ever watched a potter work, as Jeremiah did in today’s passage, you know the wonder of seeing a vessel take shape from a lump of clay. It was an object lesson for the prophet — God was teaching that the nation of Israel needed to be shaped by His hand. In fact, we are all vessels designed and molded by the master Potter.
In the studio, when clay is placed on the wheel, the potter already has a specific design in mind for it. The same is true of us — the Lord has determined how He plans to work in our life and what part we are to play in building His kingdom. Each believer is shaped differently to worship and honor God. But regardless of how He made us, we all bear our Potter’s unmistakable imprint.
Too often we look around at the talents and abilities of others and wish to be more like someone else. But we have been perfectly designed for God’s purposes, and He makes no mistakes. Know this: As a born-again believer, the Master is pleased with who you are in Him, for you are “awesomely and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). Take a moment and ask God to let this truth sink into your heart and mind today.
______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/molded-by-the-master-2
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Wisdom from the LORD
"This is what the LORD GOD says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land."
“But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit."
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?"
"But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
~ Jeremiah 17:5-10 (NLT)
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A Gift Already Given
~ We don’t have to strive for God’s favor; we just need to receive and believe.
Scripture Reading: Romans 5:1-6
In today’s passage, Paul uses beautiful language to describe the believer’s position in Christ: “We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand,” (v. 2, emphasis added). This grace is no puddle that barely gets our toes wet. It’s a mighty ocean that stretches on forever. And it’s grander than we could ever fathom.
God’s grace is an essential concept for believers to understand. He freely offers His favor to mankind because Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross granted forgiveness and salvation to anyone who believes. However, many people think they are enjoying God’s kindness when what they are really trying to do is earn it. And the Lord is very clear that works cannot save us:
"For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — not from works, so that no one can boast." ~ Ephesians 2:8-9
Serving God in order to gain favor or ensure that He continues to bless you diminishes the beauty of His grace. You can do nothing to deserve His kindness! He pours it upon believers freely. So receive it, beloved, and live free in the knowledge that while your efforts are welcomed and cherished by God, grace is a gift already given.
______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/a-gift-already-given
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The Provider
"I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content — whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~ Philippians 4:12-13
It is easy for us to compartmentalize the seasons of life. It makes it simpler to cipher what is fun and what is hard and what is in between. The plains can seem boring. What is “in between” becomes a kind of apathy. A complacency that undermines the value of daily living.
God provides in mysterious ways. Within every moment, He provides all that we need for life and for righteousness. His goodness is in abundance. It is even in sorrow. As strange as it sounds, His provision can be found even among the most “boring” of circumstances.
After all, boredom is a matter of perspective. If we are bored, it is no one’s fault but our own. Boredom is an inability or unwillingness to see and celebrate God’s provision. The Israelites got bored in the desert. Bored with manna. Bored waiting on Moses to come down from the mountain. Because of this they missed God’s blessing and incurred God’s wrath.
In all that we are and all that we face, God has already provided. The question is whether we have eyes to see. The Apostle Paul learned to be content no matter the circumstance. That means he learned to adopt a perspective that he was being blessed no matter his surroundings. He didn’t learn this through radical independence, but radical dependence. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” applies to every situation, even the routines of daily life.
_______________
~ published by: Yellow Balloons
https://yellowballoons.net/devotional/the-provider/
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God's Gift of Second Chances:
~ God’s desire to forgive and restore is always greater than our capacity to fail.
John 21:15-17 tells us this:
“When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”
“Feed My lambs,” He told him.
A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”
“Shepherd My sheep,” He told him.
He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”
Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You.”
“Feed My sheep,” Jesus said.”
Before we discuss today’s verses, let’s look at one other passage. Take the time to read Matthew 26:69-75 (see below at end of post) and consider Peter’s emotions in that moment. The more people asked about his relationship to Jesus, the more emphatic his denials became. At first, he said, “I do not know what you are talking about” (v. 70). Then he denied Jesus with an oath, and finally “began to curse and swear” (vv. 72-74).
But when the rooster crowed, he remembered his words from the night before: “I will never fall away!” He had even gone so far as to declare he’d never deny Jesus, even if it meant dying with Him (Matthew 26:31-35 see below at end of post). For all that false bravado, the apostle failed exactly as Jesus said he would. No wonder he sobbed bitterly.
A few days later, when he saw Jesus on the shore, Peter hurled himself into the sea and hurried to his Savior. Imagine how it must have felt to stand there, dripping wet, staring at the One you loved and had betrayed. After the meal, Jesus allowed Peter to rewrite his answers that had been given in a haze of panic and fear. And with each affirmation, the disciple knew he was both forgiven and profoundly loved. Jesus offers that same experience to us, now and always. He never stops seeking, never stops offering forgiveness to all who call Him Lord and Savior.
______________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
Peter Denies His Lord:
“Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant approached him and she said, “You were with Jesus the Galilean too.”
“But he denied it in front of everyone: “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“When he had gone out to the gateway, another woman saw him and told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene!”
“And again, he denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man!”
“After a little while those standing there approached and said to Peter, “You certainly are one of them, since even your accent gives you away.”
“Then he started to curse and to swear with an oath, “I do not know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed, and Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
~ Matthew 26:69-75
Peter’s Denial Predicted:
“Then Jesus said to them, “Tonight all of you will run away because of Me, for it is written:
“I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered” [Zechariah 13:7]
“But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
“Peter told Him, “Even if everyone runs away because of You, I will never run away!”
“I assure you,” Jesus said to him, “tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times!”
“Even if I have to die with You,” Peter told Him, “I will never deny You!” And all the disciples said the same thing.”
~ Matthew 26:31-35
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The Gift of Second Chances
~ God’s desire to forgive and restore is always greater than our capacity to fail.
Scripture Reading: John 21:15-17
Before we discuss today’s verses, let’s look at one other passage. Take the time to read Matthew 26:69-75 and consider Peter’s emotions in that moment. The more people asked about his relationship to Jesus, the more emphatic his denials became. At first he said, “I do not know what you are talking about” (v. 70). Then he denied Jesus with an oath, and finally “began to curse and swear” (vv. 72-74).
But when the rooster crowed, he remembered his words from the night before: “I will never fall away!” He had even gone so far as to declare he’d never deny Jesus, even if it meant dying with Him (Matthew 26:31-35). For all that false bravado, the apostle failed exactly as Jesus said he would. No wonder he sobbed bitterly.
A few days later, when he saw Jesus on the shore, Peter hurled himself into the sea and hurried to his Savior. Imagine how it must have felt to stand there, dripping wet, staring at the One you loved and had betrayed. After the meal, Jesus allowed Peter to rewrite his answers that had been given in a haze of panic and fear. And with each affirmation, the disciple knew he was both forgiven and profoundly loved. Jesus offers that same experience to us, now and always. He never stops seeking, never stops offering forgiveness to all who call Him Lord and Savior.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/the-gift-of-second-chances
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Power in the Word
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." ~ Romans 10:17
In the famous and epic movie "The Ten Commandments", whenever Pharaoh would make a decision or issue an edict, he would say authoritatively, “So let it be written; so let it be done!” The royal scribes would dutifully record the Pharaoh’s words for posterity. The message was clear: Pharaoh’s words were powerful; they were the guiding force in Egypt.
In an even more authoritative way, the Words of God are alive and powerful:
"For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." ~ Hebrews 4:12
By His Words, God spoke into existence the earth and everything in it. Jesus is called the "Word of God" — the incarnation of the will and Words of God:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." ~ John 1:1-2
And Peter says that by God’s Words — His “great and precious promises” — we become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). And Paul writes that our faith comes by hearing “the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).
We gain power and maturity in our spiritual life as the Spirit of God illuminates the Word of God on a daily basis. Make God’s Word a priority in your life.
Charles Spurgeon once said, "I hold one single sentence out of God’s Word to be of more certainty, and of more power, than all the discoveries of all the learned men of all the ages."
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~ by David Jeremiah, Turning Point Ministries (https://www.davidjeremiah.org)
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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Benefits of Intimacy with God
~ Experiencing God's love enables us to extend His grace and mercy to others.
Scripture Reading:
"I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father." ~ John 15:15
In yesterday's devotional we mentioned we all want to be loved — in other words, to be fully known by another person yet still cherished and accepted on both our good days and bad. This kind of bond is hard to break since both people feel safe. Do you enjoy any relationships like this?
Research shows that this level of love and acceptance is lacking in many instances. For one thing, it’s hard to love someone else unconditionally, much less multiple “someones.” And we might naturally fear others can’t love us that way, either. So perhaps we hold back, afraid to fully expose our heart, lest we be judged or rejected.
But God invites us — and longs for us — to experience that kind of intimacy with Him. In today’s passage, He calls us His friends. If we are completely open with Him and fully trust that He loves us unconditionally, we can love others better. The Lord will also give us spiritual sensitivity and teach us to see people the way He does — as beloved children. We will then become more understanding and be able to extend the grace and mercy we ourselves have received:
"I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another." ~ John 13:34
• What’s one way you can give this type of love to someone else?
• More importantly, what’s one step you can take to cultivate a more intimate relationship with the Lord?
After all, that’s the foundation for everything else.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/benefits-of-intimacy-with-god
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The Power of Love
~ We can show others the heart of God by caring for them as He does.
Scripture Reading: Luke 15:11-32
In today’s well-known passage, Jesus tells a parable about a man with two sons. The younger son made an untimely request for his share of the inheritance and then left for a faraway place. After spending all he had, the young man decided to return home and beg for his father’s forgiveness. When he was still a long way off, his father ran to welcome him — no apologies necessary.
Jesus’ parable about the prodigal son never mentions the word love directly, but it’s there in every one of the father’s actions. Putting yourself in the father’s place and then the younger son’s, reread today’s passage with an eye toward expressions of love. What examples can you find?
Notice that godly love enables us to:
• Respond graciously in trying circumstances.
• Sacrifice without complaining.
• Wait patiently for others instead of pushing them to change.
• Encourage others.
• Forgive those who have wronged us.
• Give generously and serve joyfully at all times.
• Assist people who are struggling.
• Show kindness to those who misjudge or misunderstand us.
Keeping this parable in mind, how can you begin to love others more fully, as the Lord does?
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/the-power-of-love-2
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The God Who Comforts
~ When pain seems unbearable, ask God to teach you how to rely on His strength.
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11
• When life gets difficult, how do you respond?
• Do you begin to doubt God, wondering why He’d let adversity happen?
• Or, do you turn to Him, seeking to better understand His ways and grow stronger in faith?
While in Asia, Paul and Timothy faced hardship and persecution. Today’s passage says they “were burdened excessively, beyond their strength” (v. 8). But they chose to put their hope in the Lord and trusted that He would comfort them in their affliction.
Paul writes, “For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ” (v. 5). The apostle explained to the Corinthian believers that the trials he and Timothy endured taught them to rely on God’s strength, not their own. Bolstered by God’s faithfulness in the past and the prayers of other believers, they held on to hope.
We will all face difficulty at one point or another. And when that happens, we should try to respond like Paul and Timothy — trusting in the Lord, even though our pain may seem unbearable. Ask the Lord to comfort you. His power is unparalleled and available to every believer.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/the-god-who-comforts
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Living a Life Worthy of God
"For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God." ~ Colossians 1:9-10
How can anyone live a life that is worthy of God?
If God is perfect, does He expect perfection from us?
No. Our sins don't surprise God. If anything the one sure thing that God could expect from us is failure!
So, if He doesn't expect perfection, what does God desire from us?
He desires:
• Repentance, rather than rejection
• Love, rather than lip-service
• Worship, rather than works
• Obedience, rather than offering
• Relationship, rather than religion.
• Living a public faith, rather than a private faith
• Time with us, rather than testimonies from us
• Our pursuit of holiness, rather than giving us a perfect life
• Our desire to truly know Him, rather than just to know about Him
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~ by Marji "Mike" Kruger, "Anchor Your Life"
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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When Loneliness Overwhelms
~ What should you do when you feel alone?
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 13:5-6
Solitude can be nice — relaxing, even — especially after a busy day or a long shift at work. Spending time alone can leave you feeling recharged and rested. But loneliness is different.
So, what should you do if you feel lonely?
• First, ask yourself if you’ve accepted Jesus’ invitation to have a personal relationship with Him. He is the nearest, dearest friend you can ever have.
• Second, remember that God repeatedly promises that He will never leave or abandon you (See Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5, 9; Psalm 27:10; John 14:18).
You can also ...
• Pray. Ask the Lord to help you have a right understanding of who you are as His child. Scripture tells us that God loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and that He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). Ask Him to help you to feel His love and friendship.
• Memorize the Lord’s promises. We mentioned a few up above, but are there any you want to add? Prayerfully examine Scripture to find a few that encourage you.
• Pray about godly friendships. Ask God to bring the right people into your life — particularly those with whom you can laugh and pray. Friendship is an extension of the Lord’s love and goodness in your life.
________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/when-loneliness-overwhelms
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A Few Sobering Quotes:
“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion.” ~ President John Adams
“The government of a country never gets ahead of the religion of a country. There is no way by which we can substitute the authority of law for the virtue of man. . . . Peace, justice, humanity, charity; these cannot be legislated into being. They are the result of a Divine Grace.” ~ President Calvin Coolidge
“Unless there is within us that which is above us, we shall soon yield to that which is about us. The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom but its Master.” ~ P. T. Forsythe
“We are only creatures; our role must always be that of patient to agent . . . mirror to light, echo to voice. Our highest activity must be response, not initiative. To experience the love of God in a true, but not an illusory form, is therefore to experience it as our surrender to His demand, our conformity to His desire.” ~ C. S. Lewis
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." ~ Galatians 5:22-23
“There are five Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Christian — but most people never read the first four.” ~ Gypsy Smith
When people encounter your Gospel today – will the fruits of the Spirit be evident within you?
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No Fear in Love
~ The perfect love of God compels us to courageously love others.
Scripture Reading: 1 John 4:7-21
If you’ve ever enlisted in the military, joined a rescue team, or even given birth to a baby, you know people don’t take on dangerous tasks because they falsely believe the mission is safe. No, we agree to face potential peril because someone or something we love dearly is worth taking any risk.
This can help us understand why God so often tells His followers not to be afraid and then gives encouragement to boldly move forward in obedience, courage, and trust. While fear may spur us to action, love is a more powerful motivator. We will do out of love what we would never do out of fear.
So divine love compels us. God — who created this world, who took on flesh to walk among us and redeem us, who died to save us — has given us perfect love. And we demonstrate this love from God by loving each other. Even when we are afraid.
What a mission God has given us — to both receive His perfect love and demonstrate it to each other. In the process of carrying out that mission, we will find that where love abounds, there’s no room left for our fears.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/no-fear-in-love
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God of Fresh Starts
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, all new things have come." ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17
Water. All Noah can see is water.
You can relate. You've known your share of floods. Flooded by sorrow at the cemetery, anger at the disability in your body, fear of the uncertainty of a pandemic. And you've needed what Noah needed; you've needed hope.
Sometimes, all we need is a little hope. That's all Noah needed, and that's what Noah received. This is how the Bible describes the moment: "When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!" (Genesis 8:11). Hope is an olive leaf — evidence of dry land after a flood.
Could you use some hope? Could you use a fresh start? At some point in life, we all could! And the oh-so-welcome news of Scripture is this: Our God is a God of fresh starts. He is the God who told a weary and discouraged people: "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." (Isaiah 43:19)
But these streams are streams of grace and mercy and love, not the floods that have burdened your heart. So, dear friend, our prayer for you is that you will experience a flood of God's grace to drive away your despair, disappointment, discouragement, and grief.
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~ by Max Lucado (https://www.maxlucado.com)
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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Our Righteousness in Jesus Christ
~ May you see yourself in light of the finished work of Christ today as we make space to see the new nature we’ve been given by God’s grace.
2 Corinthians 5:14-21 describes one of the most powerful outcomes of Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross. Scripture says:
“For Christ’s love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised. From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him in this way. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Jesus’ death on the cross defeated the power of sin and darkness and set us free to walk in the glorious light of righteousness. You and I have been transformed by the power of Jesus’ death. He took every sin we would ever commit and bore the entirety of their penalty. Through the death of Jesus, you and I are now free to live as new creations formed in the righteous and holy image of our heavenly Father.
When God tore the veil, He demonstrated that our sin and depravity couldn’t hold back His presence any longer. Thousands of years of pent-up longing for restored relationship burst forth proclaiming the newfound nature of God’s people who would choose to accept and follow Jesus.
There is no more important way to end this week of pursuing a greater connection to our heavenly Father than accepting our new standing before God. Even though Jesus defeated the power of sin in our lives, our great enemy continues to tempt us, lie to us, and steal from us the abundant life God intends. He continues to try to rob God of what He so fully deserves: unencumbered relationship with His children.
Satan lies to us and tells us that sin still causes God to withhold Himself from us. We allow condemnation that is not of God to creep in and cause us to believe that our heavenly Father doesn’t want to be with us. But the truth is, God always wants to be with His children. God runs out to us, calls us His beloved, wraps us with honor and His righteousness, and leads us into His glorious embrace.
Take time and renew your mind to your righteousness in Jesus. Ask the Spirit for fresh revelation of your freedom from sin and allow your longings to be satisfied in God rather than the world today.
Praise God that He is a loving Father who loves to be with and satisfy the needs of His children! God longs for us to bring to Him all our problems, insecurities, sin, and shame so He can cover them to overflowing with His merciful love. May you find rest, satisfaction, and healing in the arms of your heavenly Father today.
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~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/our-righteousness-in-jesus-christ-2023/
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Do Not Be Afraid
~ Our loving, faithful, and powerful God will never leave us, so we need not succumb to fear.
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 41:9-10
Throughout the Bible, God’s messengers and prophets tell His people to resist fear. Phrases like “Do not be afraid!” and “Don’t be anxious or worried!” abound. It’s enough to make us think perhaps the world is the safe and comfortable place we’re always dreaming it could be. With all these commandments not to be afraid — often backed up with the promise that God is with us — we might start to feel invincible.
But a closer look tells a different story. To whom did God say these words?
• To Hagar, the abused slave, alone with her young boy and about to perish in the desert. She wasn’t safe. Her life was in shambles. But God saw her.
• To the Hebrew slaves, mistreated for generations, now facing the terrifying reality of spending their life in the wilderness.
• To the exiles who watched their cities destroyed, only to be carried away to their conqueror’s homeland. God promised return — but not for 70 years, a full lifetime.
None of these people were safe, and most of them never would be. Yet God said, “Do not be afraid.” He says this to us today, too, amid our own grief. Though the suffering may not pass, God’s love and faithful presence will never leave our side.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/do-not-be-afraid
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Amen Brother! Glad you stopped by! Pray that all is well with you and yours.
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Faith Guides Us In
~ May your faith increase today, and may your experience of God’s presence deepen as we create space to seek God together.
To see the living God face-to-face is to have our spiritual eyes opened through the important practice of faith. The entirety of our relationship with God really boils down to faith. By faith we trust in Him even though we haven’t seen Him. By faith we believe the Bible is truly His Word. And it is by faith that we enter into His tangible presence where our hearts are transformed and our lives changed.
Paul prays an important prayer at the beginning of Ephesians that I believe God desires for you and me today.
Ephesians 1:17-19 says:
“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.”
We need the eyes of our hearts enlightened. We need to develop spiritual eyes to see all that is available to us in God. We need faith to guide us into the deeper things of God.
Hebrews 10:19-23 says:
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh), and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
God longs for us to draw near to Him. He longs for us to experience Him unveiled, face-to-face with the eyes of our hearts open and our hearts full of awe and wonder. The single most exciting truth of our lives is that the God of the universe, the Creator of all, can be seen and known. Spending time with Him is more satisfying, entertaining, uplifting, and better than any other way our time could be spent. If we will have the faith to make time and let God move in and on our hearts, practicing faith as God’s Word tells us to, we will experience a reality unknown and unseen to the naked eye. We will experience the reality of heaven: God and man joined together in communion.
Faith is a gift given to those who cry out to know God. It is a gift given by the Holy Spirit in response to our desperation for relationship. If you will seek out more in your communion with your heavenly Father, He will respond with an increase of faith. He will answer your call by carrying you into the depths of His endless love where you belong — where you’ve always belonged.
May God grant you a “Spirit of wisdom and revelation” and open “the eyes of your heart” today as you spend time in prayer.
May we be a people that seek out the fullness of God. May we be children awed by the beauty, majesty, mystery, and love of our Father. God has more in store for us than we could ever ask or imagine if we will seek Him with all of our hearts. Fight the mediocrity of this world for the higher calling of experiencing all that God longs to give you.
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~ published by: First 15
https://www.first15.org/devotionals/faith-guides-us-in-2023/
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Infinite Forgiveness
~ Relationships work well when we become channels of God’s mercy and grace.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:15-22
Some people say the most difficult part of any job is not the task itself or the challenge involved but getting along with coworkers. Are you surprised? Getting along with other humans is where things likely fall apart. So, after Jesus drives home God’s intention that not even one of His little ones should perish, the immediate takeaway He gives the disciples is conflict management advice.
Jesus says to point out transgressions privately to a brother or sister in sin. Few of us love confrontation whether we’re on the giving or receiving end. But if we find the courage to address this kind of situation correctly, we may save a relationship.
Of course, confrontation often goes sideways. As Jesus unpacks this possibility, Peter asks how many times he must forgive his brother — even seven times?
That small number represents a large amount of pain to the disciple. But Jesus doesn’t hesitate: Yes, and even seventy times seven times. In Jesus’ culture, the symbolic “seventy times seven” didn’t equal 490; it equaled infinity. In other words, forgiveness is something Christ followers should always practice.
Salvation is instantaneous, but discipleship is a lifelong journey. We will need each other’s encouragement — and the grace and mercy of God — as we learn to forgive the way Jesus taught us.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/infinite-forgiveness
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These Little Ones
~ Every life is precious in God’s sight — and should be in our sight as well.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:10-14
“What do you think?” Jesus asks His disciples in Matthew 18. “If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, and go and search for the one that is lost?” (v. 12).
Well, what do we think? If we had a hundred sheep and one of them wandered away, I’m not sure any of us would leave the rest to go searching. It’s likely that the single missing animal would feel like a reasonable loss — a small impact on the bottom line, something already factored into the budget.
But in this passage, Jesus makes it clear just how precious “these littles ones” are to Him. He is driving home a point about the person who seems worthless — the one we tend to overlook or don’t care much about: That’s the one God is looking out for.
In other words, God’s spreadsheet doesn’t look like ours. In His budget, there are no calculations for loss with regard to His “little ones.” No one is considered collateral damage. That’s good news, because the One who watches over lost lambs and tiny sparrows is watching out for us as well. But these are also challenging words, for God asks us to live with compassion, too. Thankfully, His grace is sufficient to equip us for this good work.
_________________
~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/these-little-ones
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"I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and shower righteousness upon you.’" ~ Hosea 10:12
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Thanks in Everything
"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Think about the events of your day today or perhaps yesterday. Consider all that happened: disruptions, disappointments, delays, delights, diversions, dangers, and more. No doubt you were thankful for some events and not so thankful for others. What may surprise you is that the Bible says you should have been thankful for all those events.
To be more accurate, Scripture says to be thankful in everything, not for everything. That is, be thankful in the midst of a circumstance, whether pleasant or unpleasant, not necessarily for the circumstance itself. God doesn’t expect us to be thankful for an illness, a car accident, or losing a job. But it “is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” to be thankful in the midst of those circumstances. Why are we able to give thanks in every situation? Because “we know that all things work together for the ultimate good to those who love God” and who are called to “be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:28-29).
Whether you are reading these words at the beginning or the end of your day, breathe a prayer of thanks to God for EVERY situation and circumstance. God’s giving deserves our thanksgiving.
_________________
~ by David Jeremiah (https://www.davidjeremiah.org)
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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Good Things Versus God Things
"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God." ~ Romans 8:14
The greatest sign that you and I are maturing in our walk with God is when we can discern the difference between "good things" and "God things". When the people of Israel journeyed out of Egypt through the desert, the cloud led them by day. They could move only as fast as the cloud. If they went ahead, they went without God's presence. If they lagged behind, they also lost God's presence.
Each of us must have the discernment to know when God is leading in a matter, or if it is simply a good idea. There are so many things in which you and I can be involved, and the more successful you become, the greater the temptations to enter into things where God has not called you. Entrepreneurs are especially prone to see all the opportunities.
I recall one time when I entered into a project that I thought was a great idea. It would help many people. After two years, the project had to be discontinued. It was a great lesson on understanding what projects have God's blessing on them. There are some projects you and I might get involved in that result in little fruit compared to the investment put into them. That is because they may never have been birthed by the Holy Spirit.
As sons and daughters of God, we are called to be led by the Spirit. This requires a level of dependence on God in which many of us really do not want to invest. It requires listening, waiting, and moving only when God's Spirit tells us to move. Workplace believers are "action" people. We know how to get things done, but our greatest strength can be our greatest weakness.
Today, ask God to make you a Romans 8:14 man or woman who is led by the Spirit of God. Pray against lagging behind or moving too far ahead. Ask God to reveal whether the next project you consider is a "good thing" or a "God Thing."
________________
~ by Os Hillman, TGIF - Today God Is First
~ To receive The Daily Encourager FREE each weekday, click on the following link: http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager
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Who Is Greatest?
~ Christ’s followers find purpose and joy when they trade their earthly mindset for an eternal one.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:1-6
If you’ve spent time around little children, you can attest to the innate human desire to be best, fastest, strongest. “Watch me run! I’m the fastest in the world!” sounds adorable coming from a little boy — but those same words from a grown man would be unsettling. For better or worse, most of us learn to hide our hubris from the world.
Yet when Jesus’ disciples asked, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew18:1), it seems they were trying to one-up each other, thinking as a child would. Am I the greatest? Or is he? Why is he better than me? How could I surpass him?
Jesus responded to the juvenile question with a necessary rebuke: None of them were greatest. Yes, as adult men, they held legal and social status. Yet in God’s kingdom, this sort of privilege would not only fail to gain them power; it would also be a roadblock to true greatness. However, there is a childlike quality God values: To be “great” in His eyes and in the kingdom, we’re to divest ourselves of power and status and become low, as Jesus Himself did (Philippians 2:5-8). In this way, believers are meant to become like little children.
As followers of Jesus, we too are invited to set aside any earthly status we’ve achieved and become humble and childlike. In so doing, we just may find the kingdom of God in our midst.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/who-is-greatest
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Looking Forward
~ Because God promises a glorious future, Christians can find the strength to wait — even when it’s difficult.
Scripture Reading: Joel 1:1-20; Joel 2:1-32; Joel 3:1-21
More often than not, waiting involves a lot of stress — especially when we don’t know how long it will be until the holding pattern ends. During the wait, we sometimes turn away from God and yearn for a time when things felt easier. But what if we turned towards God and looked forward instead?
The prophet Joel spoke to God’s people during a challenging time when their land had been invaded by locusts. Livelihoods were destroyed by drought and pestilence, and people were starving. Those were days full of destruction, darkness, and utter gloom.
Yet God did not point them back to the good old days. Instead, He pointed them to the future, to Himself. He called them to return to Him and reminded them that a day of vindication and redemption would ultimately come. And while it’s true that “ultimately” could be generations away, there is comfort in knowing His promise of restoration is certain. On that day there will be tremendous rejoicing — vats will overflow and “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32).
By turning our eyes forward towards that certain-yet-far-off day, we too may find the strength to keep waiting.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/looking-forward
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White as Snow
“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool." ~ Isaiah 1:18
Looking outside my window at the beautiful white layer covering my yard and driveway, it's hard to believe that this layer is mostly sleet and ice. It looks just like the snow scenes from friends and places just a few miles north of us. It reminds me of the time I visited some friends in Clearview, Canada. During the night, a beautiful snowfall had blanketed the entire area. In the early morning hours, as I ate breakfast and looked outside the window, everything I saw was pure white. The snow had covered everything with its beauty.
In the midst of that beautiful white snow, I saw something moving. It was dirty, and dingy, and filthy. As it approached me, I soon realized that the dirty-looking animal was actually the family pet - a white poodle. In the house, that poodle looked so white and so pure. But against the background of the fresh, fallen snow, that same poodle looked dirty and unclean.
It reminded me of the way God sees us and the way we tend to see ourselves. When we compare our lives to someone else's life, we look "pretty good" and "pretty clean". Our sins don't look that bad - in fact, they don't look "black" at all, they're only a "dull grey". But when we compare our "holiness" to God's holiness, we soon realize like Isaiah, that our "righteousness is as filthy rags". (Isaiah 64:6)
Like the white poodle who looked so white in the house, but so dirty against the new snow, our lives can look "good" to the world and to the people around us, but look "dirty" when we compare our lives to the holiness and the purity of God. Here's the good news... 1 John 1:9 reminds us that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness".
Forgiven - Cleansed - Pure - Holy. When we confess our sins, that's the way God looks at us. The same snow that reminds us of our unrighteousness can remind us of our right-standing in God's presence when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and confess our sins. The Bible says it this way, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18)
As you see the beautiful white layers covering those dirty areas, remember and claim that promise, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18)
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~ by David Langerfeld
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When Truth Is Absent
~ We miss God's best when we choose to compromise our integrity.
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:17-25
We often don’t realize how important something is until it’s not there. For example, we may not think much of a light bulb until we’re fumbling in the dark. Similarly, to appreciate how much truth matters, consider the impact of its absence.
When our faith isn’t grounded in truth, we...
...become vulnerable to wrong teaching.
...develop habits that don’t align with God’s will, because we don’t know what it is.
...can stay trapped in emotional bondage.
...experience continual disappointment because our peace is gone.
...can’t grow spiritually.
...grieve God’s heart.
All relationships require honesty. If we develop a reputation for not telling the truth, our friendships and testimony will be damaged. Not only that, but our self-image will also suffer. And unless we repent, we won’t reach our full potential. This isn’t how God wants us to live — He wants so much more for us.
Today’s passage tells us “to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth”. He made us for a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11) and wants us to live in truth so we can walk with Him, enjoying all the blessings He has in store for us.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries
https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/when-truth-is-absent
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