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Post by Theophilus on Aug 29, 2022 4:48:58 GMT -8
Overthrow the Flesh
But the Lord has told me to say to you, This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the earth. Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.
Jeremiah 45:4-5
What is the root of all our troubles with the flesh? It is seeking great things for ourselves. That is behind the naiveté, the secret vengeance, the treachery and murder, the unjustified fear, the pious deceit, the baseless hopes, the misdirected blame, the insolent rebellion — all of these arise out of a heart which longs to have glory that belongs to God. That is the basic problem, is it not? As we look at this we say to ourselves, Who is sufficient for these things? How can we lick this terrible enemy within? The only answer, of course, is the cross and the resurrection of Jesus. This is all that has ever been able to deal with the flesh in man's life: the cross which puts it to death; the resurrection which provides another life in its place. That is the glory of the gospel.
Near Watsonville, California there is a creek that has a strange name: Salsi Puedes Creek. Salsi Puedes is Spanish for Get out of it if you can. The creek is lined with quicksand, and the story is that many years ago, in the early days of California, a Mexican laborer fell into the quicksand. A Spaniard, riding by on a horse, saw him and yelled out to him, Salsi puedes! (Get out if you can!) which was not very helpful. The creek has been so named ever since.
That is what the flesh is like. We struggle to correct these tendencies ourselves, but we cannot do it. Only God has the wisdom to do it. That is why Jeremiah's word in the tenth chapter comes to mind again. He said, I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. And we are driven again to the wisdom of the Proverbs:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not unto your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV)
Nothing else will do it. Your own heart will deceive you. If you follow your own desires, your own likings, you will end up trapped. Only the wisdom of the Word, only an honest acknowledgment of what is going on in your life will suffice. Bring it to God and tell him the whole thing, and trust him to have put your flesh to death on his cross. And rely upon his resurrection to live by from there on, upon his power and his grace to lead you through. It is his knowledge of this tendency of the flesh which has led our Lord to include in the Lord's Prayer the little phrase which I pray every day, and I hope you will too: Lead us not into temptation.
Father, I pray that you will indeed lead me away from temptation. Lead me from this evil thing within me from which I cannot by myself escape. Deliver me from evil by the power of the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.
Life Application
What are identifying characteristics of the flesh? Have we learned to recognize the root problem? Are we choosing God's glory over our own, His power over our weakness?
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Post by Theophilus on Aug 30, 2022 4:58:43 GMT -8
Defeating Worldliness
This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations: Concerning Egypt: This is the message against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah...
Jeremiah 46:1-2
This takes us back to the year 605 B.C., when Nebuchadnezzar first came up against Judah. He was met by the armies of Egypt at the city of Carchemish on the Euphrates River, and there one of the great strategic battles of all history was fought. Until then, Egypt had been the most powerful nation of the day, but Babylon broke the power of Egypt at that place. In chapter 46, Jeremiah is describing that battle in advance — how long in advance we do not know. He describes in very vivid terms the advance of the Babylonian army, the clash of these conflicting forces, the terrible battle that ensued, and the final defeat of Egypt. We will not take time to cover these verses, but you can read them for yourself. The language is very beautiful.
However, in the midst of this a characterization is made of Egypt. In the Scriptures Egypt is a picture of the world and its influence upon us. Egypt was a place of tyranny and bondage for the people of Israel. They were under the yoke of a wicked and severe king who enslaved them and treated them cruelly. Yet strangely enough, after they escaped, it was the place they always fondly remembered and wanted to return to. They remembered the food, the comfort, and the ease of life in Egypt. So this has always stood as a picture of the lure of the world to the believer — to think as it thinks, to react as it reacts, to seek from the world your own satisfaction and pleasure and enjoyment instead of living for the glory of God.
Now, when I refer to the world I am not talking about people, nor about doing any specific so-called worldly thing. That is not what worldliness is. Worldliness is an attitude of life that causes you to think of living only for your own pleasures and enjoyment. That is what Egypt symbolizes in Scripture. The character of Egypt is described for us in Verses 7-8: Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge? Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge (Jeremiah 46:7-8a RSV). Every spring the Nile River rises and overflows its banks, and this restores Egypt. The prophet uses this as a picture of the way the world comes at us — in surges and waves. We think we have it licked, but pretty soon it will come at us again. Repeatedly, throughout our lifetime as believers on our spiritual pilgrimage, the world rises to afflict us and to lure us, and seeks to betray us and get us back into bondage again.
But there is another message here about Egypt, Verses 13-24, delivered by Jeremiah after he had gone into exile in Egypt. Here he describes the forthcoming invasion of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, which took place after Jeremiah's death. In accord with this prophesy, Nebuchadnezzar came down into Egypt and took over the land. In the midst of this prophesy is another characterization of Egypt, Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, Noisy one who lets the hour go by. (Jeremiah 46:17 RSV)
Isn't that a strange name to give somebody? That is the characterization of Egypt — and the world. It is one of the ways we can recognize the world: it loves noise, because it does not want to stop and think. It loves to kill time. The world comes at us constantly, trying to get us to think only in terms of immediate pleasure and indulgence, and forgetting that it leads to slavery and bondage. So God punishes Egypt — that is the message here.
Thank you, Father, for the faithfulness of your word. Teach me to stand against the world and stay faithful to you in this day of moral dissolution.
Life Application
Are we learning to identify and compare worldly attitudes by comparing them with God's Word of Truth? Have we succumbed to the worldly distraction of noise?
Daily Devotion © 2014, 2022 by Ray Stedman Ministries.
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Post by Redeemed on Aug 30, 2022 7:34:36 GMT -8
Here's a good one from Charles Stanley.
Walking Through Dark Valleys
God will never leave us to face difficulty alone.
Genesis 37:18-28
When he was 17, Joseph lost almost everything. His family, his position as the favored son, his home, and his freedom were abruptly taken from him. But he didn’t lose his faith in the Lord.
Life is like that at times for all of us. Changes in health or finances, the death of a loved one, or abandonment by a friend can bring us into a dark season. We don’t understand why God allows the trial or lets the pain continue. Joseph probably wondered the same things, but he managed to hold fast to his faith.
One of the keys to walking through a valley is to embrace the reality of God’s presence with us. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to live permanently within us and seals us as belonging to God forever. Because of Him, we are never apart from the Lord. No circumstance, suffering, or loss can separate us from Him or His love (Romans 8:35; Romans 8:38-39).
Take a few minutes each day and reflect on Jesus’ promise to be with us always (Matthew 28:20). The result will be that this truth becomes planted deep within your soul to sustain you in hard times.
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Post by civic on Aug 30, 2022 7:39:11 GMT -8
Here's a good one from Charles Stanley. Walking Through Dark Valleys God will never leave us to face difficulty alone. Genesis 37:18-28 When he was 17, Joseph lost almost everything. His family, his position as the favored son, his home, and his freedom were abruptly taken from him. But he didn’t lose his faith in the Lord. Life is like that at times for all of us. Changes in health or finances, the death of a loved one, or abandonment by a friend can bring us into a dark season. We don’t understand why God allows the trial or lets the pain continue. Joseph probably wondered the same things, but he managed to hold fast to his faith. One of the keys to walking through a valley is to embrace the reality of God’s presence with us. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to live permanently within us and seals us as belonging to God forever. Because of Him, we are never apart from the Lord. No circumstance, suffering, or loss can separate us from Him or His love (Romans 8:35; Romans 8:38-39). Take a few minutes each day and reflect on Jesus’ promise to be with us always (Matthew 28:20). The result will be that this truth becomes planted deep within your soul to sustain you in hard times. I like Charles and he is one of my wife's favorites. |
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Post by Aeliana on Aug 30, 2022 8:32:47 GMT -8
Here's one of my favorites from Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional
God's Supernatural Favor
The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 1 Samuel 2:7
There is a distinction between natural favor and supernatural favor. Natural favor must be earned, but supernatural favor is a gracious gift from God.
First Samuel 2:7 says, "The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and He lifts up." A perfect example of this is found in the life of Esther. God raised her up out of obscurity to become the queen of the entire land. He gave her favor with everyone she met, including the king.
Esther drew upon that favor to save herself and her people from being murdered by the evil Haman. She may have been afraid to go to the king and ask him to intervene, but Esther knew she had favor with God and pressed on with complete confidence in Him.
Like Esther, we should live with the freedom and liberty that comes from living in God's favor. Regardless of the circumstances that come into your life, believe God for supernatural favor.
Despite how hopeless things may seem, God can lift you up. If your life is in His hands, the light of the Lord shines upon you.
Prayer Starter: God, I don't rely on natural favor. Instead, I want to live in Your supernatural favor. With my life in Your hands, I know You can lift me up.
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Post by civic on Aug 30, 2022 8:42:21 GMT -8
Here's one of my favorites from Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional God's Supernatural Favor The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 1 Samuel 2:7 There is a distinction between natural favor and supernatural favor. Natural favor must be earned, but supernatural favor is a gracious gift from God. First Samuel 2:7 says, "The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and He lifts up." A perfect example of this is found in the life of Esther. God raised her up out of obscurity to become the queen of the entire land. He gave her favor with everyone she met, including the king. Esther drew upon that favor to save herself and her people from being murdered by the evil Haman. She may have been afraid to go to the king and ask him to intervene, but Esther knew she had favor with God and pressed on with complete confidence in Him. Like Esther, we should live with the freedom and liberty that comes from living in God's favor. Regardless of the circumstances that come into your life, believe God for supernatural favor. Despite how hopeless things may seem, God can lift you up. If your life is in His hands, the light of the Lord shines upon you. Prayer Starter: God, I don't rely on natural favor. Instead, I want to live in Your supernatural favor. With my life in Your hands, I know You can lift me up. Welcome to the forum and I hope you enjoy your time here are are encouraged in your walk with Christ  |
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Post by Aeliana on Aug 30, 2022 8:48:42 GMT -8
Thank you and I'm sure I will be encouraged here, as this seems to be a lot different than some other forms I have visited.
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Post by civic on Aug 30, 2022 8:49:43 GMT -8
Thank you and I'm sure I will be encouraged here, as this seems to be a lot different than some other forms I have visited. That is our intention, hope and prayer |
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Post by Obadiah on Aug 30, 2022 13:07:10 GMT -8
Mornings with Tozer: Daily Devotional / AUGUST 30
HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY
God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
1 Corinthians 1:27
To meet the kind of temptations and enemies confronting us in this world, it is not enough for us to stick out our chins, inflate our chests and mutter the old refrain, “Never say die!”
Since I have been a Christian, I have had a negative reaction to that kind of human psychology. I do not mind saying that my favorite hymns are not those that exhort me to flex my biceps and tell the world where to get off! That is not my philosophy because it would put my confidence in the wrong place. If my faith, my belief, my confidence are in myself, then they cannot at the same time be resting in God!
The Bible tells us to believe in God and put our trust in Him. It warns us against having any confidence in the flesh. So I do not want some voice exhorting me to “Rise up, O man of God; go forth to face the foe”—and all of that. I would rather go to a place of prayer, meet God there and then let Him face the world for me.
We rest our case completely on God—then our experiences proceed by faith, through faith and in faith! Our victory must be God’s victory first!
Dear Lord, the devotional this morning is a good reminder to me to always go to You in prayer—first! I need to learn to wait upon You for Your divine wisdom and guidance before I take any blundering steps.
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Post by Theophilus on Aug 31, 2022 10:05:48 GMT -8
A DAILY DEVOTION FOR AUGUST 31ST
Babylon!
This is the word the Lord spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Babylonians: Announce and proclaim among the nations, lift up a banner and proclaim it; keep nothing back, but say, Babylon will be captured; Bel will be put to shame, Marduk filled with terror. Her images will be put to shame and her idols filled with terror.(Jeremiah 50:1-2)
Jeremiah 50:1-2
Chapters 50 and 51, two of the longest in the book, are devoted to the destruction and overthrow of Babylon. Everywhere in Scripture Babylon is a symbol of the great enemy of God, especially as the devil uses false religious authority to claim earthly standing, prestige, and power.
Do you remember where Babylon began? In the tower of Babel, after the Flood. Why did men erect the tower of Babel? They erected a tower to ascend into the heavens and become like God. Under Nimrod it became the mother of harlots and the abominations of the earth. It became the fountainhead of idolatry and began to export these ideas all throughout the world. It was so that they might make a name for themselves (Genesis 11:4). Babylonianism is the attempt to gain some prestige or status in the eyes of the world by religious authority. Every religion in the world seeks that. Whole systems of religion have been seized and these systems seek to gain great authority, to be known as princes and kings and powers in the world today. It all began with the tower of Babel.
Just as Babylon itself was the great destructive power against Judah, so Babylon's turn must come. Out of the north, the Medes and the Persians would come against Babylon and overthrow this great kingdom. Despite its tremendous walls, its vast palaces, its ornate hanging gardens, its huge size, and its great armies — the greatest power of the world of that day — at the very height of its power God declares that it shall be totally lost.
There are many who say that Babylon must be built again because of the prophecies in the book of Revelation that refer to Babylon. But the reference there is to Mystery Babylon the great, (Revelation 17:5 KJV). So this is not the actual, literal city, but that for which Babylon stands — the idolatrous practices and the blasphemous assumption of power by religious authority. That is what is going to be destroyed, as the book of Revelation says. Yet here in Chapter 51, we are given a description of the destruction of this actual city, which is picked up and used again in Revelation.
Babylon symbolizes the enemy arrayed against us — the devil — and the two channels through which he attacks us — the world, and the flesh. These are forces with great power, bringing to pass all the terrible things recorded in our daily newspapers. God is adequate for all of them. Jesus speaks of these troubles in the world, assuring us, But take heart. I have overcome the world. (John 16:33) Faith in a living God can overcome the power of the world, can beat back the deceitfulness of the flesh, and can overcome the roaring, lion-like qualities of the devil in our life, so that we can stand free in the midst of the bondage of this age. Babylon shall sink and never rise again.
Thank you, Lord, for the promise that you will defeat the forces that are arrayed against me, symbolized forever by Babylon. Help me to walk by faith in the victory you have promised, and have given me in Christ.
Life Application
What evil worldly power is symbolized by Babylon? Have we learned to identify this power as we encounter media reports of worldwide terror and suffering? To whom do we turn for personal deliverance and ultimate worldly triumph?
Daily Devotion © 2014, 2022 by Ray Stedman Ministries.
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Post by Theophilus on Sept 1, 2022 3:54:48 GMT -8
A DAILY DEVOTION FOR SEPTEMBER 1ST
Regarding His Son
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God — the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 1:1-4
At the heart of Paul's argument is a person: Jesus Christ, our Lord. That, certainly, is the theme of the epistle to the Romans, as it is the theme of all Paul's writings and all the New Testament. Union in Christ is the central truth that God wants us to see. As Paul himself wrote in the letter to the Colossians, Christ in you, the hope of glory, (Colossians 1:27b). That is the great truth from which all others flow.
Sometimes Bible teachers identify certain of the great emphases that come from that truth as being the central truth. For instance, they emphasize justification by faith, or sanctification, that is, solving the problems of sin. But these themes all stem from the great central theme — union with Christ. We are not simply followers of a philosophy, or even of a philosopher, but of a savior, a redeemer, a person — and he must be central in all things.
In his introduction, Paul points out that the Lord was promised to us; he came as predicted in the Old Testament. The gospel was promised beforehand through the prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son. One of the most important things that we can learn about our faith is that it comes to us through the anticipation and prediction of centuries of teaching and preaching.
When The Lord Jesus comes, he is presented to us in two unique ways: First, concerning his human nature, the apostle says he was a descendant of David. The actual Greek says he comes of the very sperm of David, emphasizing his intense humanity. We all came that way, and Jesus came in the same way.
Second, is the deity of him who was appointed the Son of God in power. There Paul begins with that phrase, the Son of God, that unmistakably declares the deity of our Lord. There were three things that marked the deity of Jesus: First, there was power; he came by power. This is a reference to the miracles that he did. Second, he came by the spirit of holiness. I've always been concerned about this word holiness because I find people misunderstand it so. We think of it as something that is bad, but the meaning can be recaptured for us if we will use a similar term that comes from the same root, the word wholeness. Paul is saying that when Jesus came, he was a whole person. He demonstrated whole humanity — humanity as it was intended to be. That is how we are called to live. The glory of the good news is that God's goal for us is to make us whole, so that we are able to walk through the midst of the pressures and the turmoils and the tragedies of this world and be able to handle them — whole persons — holy persons. That wholeness is what Jesus demonstrated, and supplies us in himself.
The third great mark of Jesus' deity was the resurrection; his deity was authenticated by his resurrection from the dead. That is where our faith ultimately rests. We can have confidence that God has told us the truth by the unshakable fact that he raised Jesus from the dead. No one can remove that fact from the annals of history. It happened, our faith rests on it, and whenever anybody pursues you and tries to shake your faith, ask them to explain the resurrection. Ask them what they do with it — because it cannot be explained away. It is the unshakable fact through which God has broken into our time, and he rests the whole story upon that great fact.
Thank you, Father, for sending your Son and for giving me the joy of knowing him and seeing his life manifest through me.
Life Application
What is the central theme of the Book of Romans? What are three powerful proofs of Christ's deity? Is the Lord Jesus Christ and our union with him the central theme of our life and of our verbal witness?
Daily Devotion © 2014, 2022 by Ray Stedman Ministries.
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Post by civic on Sept 1, 2022 4:08:44 GMT -8
Mornings with Tozer: Daily Devotional / AUGUST 30HUMAN PSYCHOLOGYGod hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. 1 Corinthians 1:27To meet the kind of temptations and enemies confronting us in this world, it is not enough for us to stick out our chins, inflate our chests and mutter the old refrain, “Never say die!” Since I have been a Christian, I have had a negative reaction to that kind of human psychology. I do not mind saying that my favorite hymns are not those that exhort me to flex my biceps and tell the world where to get off! That is not my philosophy because it would put my confidence in the wrong place. If my faith, my belief, my confidence are in myself, then they cannot at the same time be resting in God! The Bible tells us to believe in God and put our trust in Him. It warns us against having any confidence in the flesh. So I do not want some voice exhorting me to “Rise up, O man of God; go forth to face the foe”—and all of that. I would rather go to a place of prayer, meet God there and then let Him face the world for me. We rest our case completely on God—then our experiences proceed by faith, through faith and in faith! Our victory must be God’s victory first! Dear Lord, the devotional this morning is a good reminder to me to always go to You in prayer—first! I need to learn to wait upon You for Your divine wisdom and guidance before I take any blundering steps. Tozer another one of my favorites ! |
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Post by civic on Sept 1, 2022 4:09:32 GMT -8
A DAILY DEVOTION FOR SEPTEMBER 1ST Regarding His SonPaul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God — the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 1:1-4 At the heart of Paul's argument is a person: Jesus Christ, our Lord. That, certainly, is the theme of the epistle to the Romans, as it is the theme of all Paul's writings and all the New Testament. Union in Christ is the central truth that God wants us to see. As Paul himself wrote in the letter to the Colossians, Christ in you, the hope of glory, (Colossians 1:27b). That is the great truth from which all others flow. Sometimes Bible teachers identify certain of the great emphases that come from that truth as being the central truth. For instance, they emphasize justification by faith, or sanctification, that is, solving the problems of sin. But these themes all stem from the great central theme — union with Christ. We are not simply followers of a philosophy, or even of a philosopher, but of a savior, a redeemer, a person — and he must be central in all things. In his introduction, Paul points out that the Lord was promised to us; he came as predicted in the Old Testament. The gospel was promised beforehand through the prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son. One of the most important things that we can learn about our faith is that it comes to us through the anticipation and prediction of centuries of teaching and preaching. When The Lord Jesus comes, he is presented to us in two unique ways: First, concerning his human nature, the apostle says he was a descendant of David. The actual Greek says he comes of the very sperm of David, emphasizing his intense humanity. We all came that way, and Jesus came in the same way. Second, is the deity of him who was appointed the Son of God in power. There Paul begins with that phrase, the Son of God, that unmistakably declares the deity of our Lord. There were three things that marked the deity of Jesus: First, there was power; he came by power. This is a reference to the miracles that he did. Second, he came by the spirit of holiness. I've always been concerned about this word holiness because I find people misunderstand it so. We think of it as something that is bad, but the meaning can be recaptured for us if we will use a similar term that comes from the same root, the word wholeness. Paul is saying that when Jesus came, he was a whole person. He demonstrated whole humanity — humanity as it was intended to be. That is how we are called to live. The glory of the good news is that God's goal for us is to make us whole, so that we are able to walk through the midst of the pressures and the turmoils and the tragedies of this world and be able to handle them — whole persons — holy persons. That wholeness is what Jesus demonstrated, and supplies us in himself. The third great mark of Jesus' deity was the resurrection; his deity was authenticated by his resurrection from the dead. That is where our faith ultimately rests. We can have confidence that God has told us the truth by the unshakable fact that he raised Jesus from the dead. No one can remove that fact from the annals of history. It happened, our faith rests on it, and whenever anybody pursues you and tries to shake your faith, ask them to explain the resurrection. Ask them what they do with it — because it cannot be explained away. It is the unshakable fact through which God has broken into our time, and he rests the whole story upon that great fact. Thank you, Father, for sending your Son and for giving me the joy of knowing him and seeing his life manifest through me. Life Application What is the central theme of the Book of Romans? What are three powerful proofs of Christ's deity? Is the Lord Jesus Christ and our union with him the central theme of our life and of our verbal witness? Daily Devotion © 2014, 2022 by Ray Stedman Ministries. Excellent thanks ! |
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Post by Aeliana on Sept 1, 2022 8:49:35 GMT -8
Move Past Regret and Make New Choices
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].
Wrong choices cause regret, and when we experience regret we need to deal with it and let it teach us how to make better choices in the future.
I understand firsthand that wrong choices lead to regret. I remember a time several years ago when I looked at myself and saw a noticeable difference between my husband, Dave, and me, because he has exercised all his life and is healthy, strong and in good physical shape.
Initially, I merely regretted that I wasn't as strong as Dave, but then I realized I could do something about it. I now exercise regularly and have been amazed by the positive difference.
The Bible says that with God, you are a "new creation." You don't have to live in your old ways, but you can now make new, better choices empowered by the Holy Spirit. If you find yourself regretting some of the unwise choices you have made in the past, don't be deceived into thinking it is too late to do anything about it. Just start doing what's right and then stick with it.
As you start making better choices, you will come to experience a life in which you enjoy God's blessings every day.
Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional
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Post by Obadiah on Sept 1, 2022 9:23:40 GMT -8
SEPTEMBER 1
CONFIDENCE IN GOD
If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
1 John 3:21
This is surely one of the great realizations that can come to us in the Christian life—we can put our complete confidence in the God who has revealed Himself to us!
It was a gracious day in my early Christian experience when I realized that it was not in God’s character to pounce upon me in judgment. He knows that we are dust, and as our God He is loving and patient towards us.
If it were true that the Lord would put the Christian on the shelf every time he failed or blundered or did something wrong, I would have been a piece of statuary by this time!
It is surely true that God will bring judgment when judgment is necessary, but the Scriptures say that judgment is God’s strange work. Where there is a lifetime of rebellion, hardened unbelief and love of sin, judgment will come.
But God watches over us for spiritual growth and maturity, trying to teach us the necessity for fully trusting Him and coming to the place of complete distrust of ourselves. We have met God and can now say with Paul, “That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
Lord, in this world there are not many “sure” things. But You, O Lord, are 100 percent unchangeable. Your love is unfailing towards us. Your patience is undying. I praise You, Lord.
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