THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF GRACE

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”—Ephesians 2:8

 

The transforming power of God’s grace is the heart of our Christian faith and the heart of our relationship with God.  Grace is the means by which God brings himself to us and restores us.  Grace is best defined as: God giving me what I need, not what I deserve.  I deserve to be punished for my sins, but in grace, God offers me forgiveness.  Through forgiveness, I am able to experience blessings upon blessing.  Grace is a fit that we accept in faith, and that is totally undeserved.  We tend to offer people conditional love; I love you, if.  But Jesus Christ offers each of us unconditional love: I love you, period!  And, when we are the recipients of such an awesome gift, our hearts are transformed and the desire of our hearts becomes helping others understand this amazing grace.  Dr. T. L. Osborn related that his older brother was transformed by the power of grace at his conversion to Christ.  Before being transformed his brother was mean and treated people badly, afterward he spoke kindly to people and treated them nicely.  Dr. T. L. wanted to experience the new birth because it made such a radically change in his brother.  Grace transforms people.

 

The apostle Paul is another example of the Lord’s power to transform an unrighteous man into an image-bearer of Jesus.

 

God changed a sinner into Christian. Paul was deeply religious before his conversion, but he relied on good works and a pious nature to gain divine acceptance.  When he met the Lord on the road to Damascus, the future apostle learned that all of his religious zeal meant nothing.  The only way for people to be acceptable before God is to receive the saving grace of Christ—He replaces our sin nature with a righteous spirit.  And even though Christians will sometimes falter and make mistakes, our heavenly Father remains patient and loving toward His children.  He uses our failures to teach us more about Himself and His ways.

 

God changed a servant of sin into a servant of the Lord. Paul was welcomed into the kingdom in spite of his hostility toward the church.  He had promoted blasphemy, punished believers, and cast his vote against those being put to death (Acts 26:10-11).  The lesson here is that nothing can separate you from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).

 

The Father shapes and chisels His children until they mirror His Son.  He turned one of the early church’s enemies into a wise and repentant leader. Commit to obey the Lord, and see what He will do in your life.  He is faithful to complete the good work He has begun in you, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

 

I have made many mistakes in my life, and in repentance I have seen that God’s grace is always willing to receive me back in love and mercy.  We all need God.  The Apostle Paul wrote that, “The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me—to tell people the good news about God’s grace” (Acts 20:24 NCV).  Sharing the transforming grace of God with others is a sacred responsibility.  When we experience the transforming grace of God and His miraculous intervention, we should be filled with the desire to share that same wonderful reality with others.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for Your miraculous transforming power of grace at work in my life.  I thank You that I will complete the work that You have given me to do, to share the good news of Your grace with others, in Jesus Name. Amen.

THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF HOPE

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit”—Romans 15:13

 

In Luke 4:40, we are given a wonderful example of hope and healing, “When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.”  Here, we are given an image that we can relate to.

 

It was the end of a busy day.  People were coming to Jesus from the labors of their day with such hope.  Hope because they had heard that Jesus was doing miracles.  If you will come to Jesus He will heal you.  In the natural they had no hope, no money, and no resources and yet they came to Jesus. 

 

We can assume that Jesus and His followers had had a busy day.  Jesus might have been weary from His day, and yet he had time for every hurting person.  He was not too busy or too tired, He did not ignore those who came late; He laid hands on every one of them and healed them. 

 

I encourage you to hold to the faith in this Christ who cares about people.  “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” (Lamentations 3:24).

Continually, religious attitudes are coming to you that say God does not have time for you or that you missed His will.  You are not pleasing to Him in some way you are not perfect enough.  Christ’s life never demonstrated these attitudes.  He loves you.  He has time for you.  If you will embrace these true attitudes of Christ as absolute truth about Him it will influence how you treat other people.  You will have time for them.  You will care about them.  They too will begin to hope in this Christ who has time for them and cares for them, as He did you, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5).  People need the hope that you have.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for the hope that You have given to me in Jesus Christ.  Today I commit not to be in despair, but to hope in You for all that I have need of, and with Your help I will share Your love and hope with others, in Jesus Name. Amen.

THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF PROMISES: CONDITIONAL / UNCONDITIONAL

“By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you maybe be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”—2 Peter 1:4

 

The Scriptures records two kinds of promises from God—unconditional and conditional.  An unconditional promise is one whose fulfillment rests solely with the Lord; His commitment is independent of people, circumstances or situations.  An example would be God’s covenant never to send another flood to destroy the entire earth, “Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth” (Genesis 9:11).  No matter how people act, He will not cause a flood to cover the earth.

 

The second type of divine promise is conditional.  This means that something that will be done or will happen only if and when another thing is done or happens.  What this means is that, the Lord is willing to act under certain circumstances.  Most often it is written as an “if-then” statement and involves our cooperation.  To understand more about conditional promises, we will look at three; salvation, forgiveness, and wisdom.

 

Salvation—Salvation is promised to those who confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord, “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).  The conditional promise is that we are saved from eternal damnation when we genuinely believe in our heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead and confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus. 

 

Forgiveness—The Christian is assured of forgiveness when she or he comes to the Lord with sincere confession of sin, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  The fulfillment of this promise of forgiveness depends on our following the required condition of the promise—confession.

 

Wisdom—There are times when we need to have “good sense” in making a decision, judgment or action.  James 1: 5-6 instructs us to ask God for wisdom without doubting that we will receive it, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind’ (James 1:5-6).  The condition:  Must approach the Lord with faith.  The promise: He will give the understanding—good sense.

 

God will do exact what He has promised.  But He requires our obedient cooperation before fulfilling His conditional promises.  To receive the stated blessing, we must satisfy the conditions He has set.  If you are waiting for the Lord to fulfill His promise to, check to be sure that you are carrying out your part.

 

Prayer—Father I thank you that when I follow the required condition of the promise You will fulfill Your par—every time, in Jesus Name. Amen.

UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN TRUST THE PROMISES OF GOD

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”—2 Corinthians 1:20

 

A promise is valuable only if the one making it has trustworthy character and the ability to carry through.  In today’s world, people may promise us many things, but do they possess the character and have the ability to carry through?  Scripture tells us over and over again that God’s promises never fail.  Our heavenly Father is truthful, faithful, loving, and all-powerful.  You can base your entire life on His promises, secure in the knowledge that He will do just as He has said.

 

The Christian’s life rests on the foundation of God’s promises for today and for the future.  That’s why my goal is to encourage you to read your Bible more and help you believe in and take advantage of the wonderful array of promises found throughout His Word.  You can trust everything that our heavenly Father has said because His Word shows Him to be…

 

Truthful—The Lord knows what is true and speaks honestly in all matters.  Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not a man, that he should lie; … hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”   We humans are pretty weak-willed.  Sometimes out of fear we will make an impulsive promise, even though we know we cannot keep it.  But God does not need to do that.  For one, He never feels threatened or pressured.  But most important, the Bible says He simply cannot lie, “That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God lie, …” (Hebrews 6:18) and, “In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began” (Titus 1:2).   His promises are based on His infinite knowledge and truthfulness. 

Faithful—Scripture compares the Lord to a shepherd who, “He will feed His flocks like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young” (Isaiah 40:11).  What He has planned for us, He will bring to fruition, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).  Our heavenly Father does not waver in His intentions or will.  In Matthew 24:35, Jesus explains, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”  In fact, God goes out of His way to guarantee Himself for all eternity:  “My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of my lips” (Psalm 89:34).  Then He backs it up by doing what He says.

Loving—God is love, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love’ (1 John 4:8).  God’s love for us was demonstrated at the cross.  He sent His son Jesus to die by crucifixion and thereby take the punishment for our sins.  The Savior experienced God’s wrath against iniquity so we might know only His love. “For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).   This is the ultimate proof of His devotion to us.

 

All-powerful—Divine power created the world and raised the Savior back to life, so we know God has the ability to carry out all His plans.   In Colossians 1:17 we find that, “And He is before all things, and in Him all things consists.” And in Revelations 19:6, “And I heard, as it were the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thundering, saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”  Our omnipotent Father will keep every one of His promises.

 

Prayer—Father today I lay all of my insecurities of not trusting you aside.  I understand that I can trust you with everything because You are truthful, faithful, loving and all-powerful.  Today I choose to trust You in everything that concerns my life, in Jesus Name. Amen. 

 

 

AVOID CONTENTIONS

“But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.”—Titus 3:9

 

In today’s cultural climate, the Church is being urged to accept the false teaching of tolerance and acceptance.  Just as in Titus day so is it in our day, false teachers are in the Body of Christ disputing the fact of absolute truth.  False teachers say that there are many ways to God; however, Scripture clearly teaches us that Jesus is the only way to God, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (John 14:6). 

 

The Holy Scriptures affirm that God exists.  He spoke the universe into existence.  He has revealed Himself in the written words of Scripture and supremely in the person of Jesus Christ, who is God in human flesh.  God is true whether you or I believe in Him or not and whether we like who He is or not.  You can make up a god who is all love, who never judges anyone, but such a god is not the God who has revealed Himself in the Scriptures.  You can make-up a God who lets everyone into heaven, no matter what the person believers, but that god is not the God found in the Scriptures.  If you believe in this tolerant god, then you have rejected Jesus Christ, who taught something very exclusive and narrow—absolute truth.

 

When the Apostle Paul was writing his letter to Titus, he was instructing him to set things in order, to ordain elders, he set forth the qualities of a sound church, and how to deal with those causing conflict in the church.  “But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.  Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned” (Titus 3:8-9).  Among the four things that Paul listed to avoid was contentions.

 

Contentions are the same as strife.  Strife in the original language means contention, wrangling or quarrels.  It refers to engagement in rivalry, especially with reference to positions taken in a matter, such a belief in the meaning of a genealogy.  Strife is a general term that carries the ideas of all kinds of self-centered rivalry and contentiousness about the truth.  Strife is an expression of enmity with bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension.  It refers to persistent contention, bickering, petty disagreement, and enmity.  It reflects a spirit of hostile competitiveness that fights to have its own way, regardless of cost to itself or of harm to others.  It is produced by a deep desire to prevail over others, to gain the highest prestige, prominence, and recognition possible.  Strife is characterized by self-indulgence and selfishness.  It has no place even for simple tolerance, much less for humility or love.

 

Paul told Titus to Avoid contention.  The word “avoid” means to keep away from somebody or something.   Paul was telling Titus to, “Turn yourself about so that you will avoid these things.”  “Continually place yourself at a distance from these and stand aloof from them.”  This command is specifically given to Titus but obviously applies to believers because no one is completely exempt from the corruptive influence of falsehood.   

 

Many times parents will tell children to walk away from a fight.  We as believers can do the same thing with contentions.  We may be exposed to false teaching and doctrines, but we have a way of limiting our exposure—avoidance.

 

Charles Spurgeon said of the believer, “Our business is neither to ask nor answer foolish questions, but to avoid them altogether; and if we observe the apostle’s precept [Titus 3:8] to be careful to maintain good works, we shall find ourselves far too much occupied with profitable business to take much interest in unworthy, contentious, and needless strivings”.

 

Prayer—Father I ask You to forgive me for the times that I engage in foolish disputes, contentions, and endless explaining.  I ask You to help me turn my back to avoid these false disputes and to engage in good works that will bring glory to Your name and expand Your kingdom, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he….”—Proverbs 23:7

 

I know a person who is constantly thinking about the things that are wrong in the world, the lack in his life and is always seems depressed to the point of being in self-pity.  However, this is just the opposite of the parameters given in Philippians 4:8 concerning our thought life, “ For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them](Amplified).” 

 

When we are “born-again,” it is our spirit that experiences the new birth, not our thought life.  We must literally “renew our minds” as the Apostle Paul writes, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).  He went on to say that although we have a flesh and blood body, we are not to war according to the flesh.  We are to use the mighty weapons that God has given us to pull down strong holds in our thought life, by “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

 

I encourage you today to sincerely begin to think about what you are thinking about at any given moment.  If after examining your thought life you see that there are times that your thoughts are not agreeing with how God thinks, begin to change those thoughts by replacing them.

 

 I do not know of a believer who has not had to work at replacing the way they thought before being “born-again.”  I can testify that taking thoughts captive and then replacing them works.  I have had to do this in a number of areas in my life.  Cursing, how I thought about money, my husband and my family are just some of the areas that I have dealt with.  The more that I read and got to know how Jesus thought and acted the more I wanted to be like Him.  The Holy Spirit helped me by quickening me every time I had a thought that was contrary to God’s way of thinking.  He taught me to write 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 and Philippians 4:8 on a piece of paper.  Every time I had a thought that was not God-like, I would take the paper out of my pocket and read the scriptures out-loud.  It took diligence and not giving up, but my thought life has changed, and is changing.

 

You may have to replace wrong thoughts every minute or two.  But do not let that discourage you.  Just keep replacing.  You are changing habits that are ingrained, and you are in a war with your enemy.  Isaiah 26:3 tells us, “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You (Amplified).”    So do not give up; just replace the wrong thought with the right thought, as many times as necessary.

 

Prayer—Father I commitment my thought life to You.  I ask You to cleanse my mind of all unrighteous thoughts and I ask You to help me retrain the way that I think so all that I do will give glory to You, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

WATCH FOR ATTITUDES THAT PROMOTE / PREVENT COMPROMISE

“For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”—James 1: 7-8

 

Jesus spoke much about attitudes—the opinions one has, or the way you feel about something.  He said in Luke 16:15, “And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.   For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”   In other words, He was saying watch your attitudes (the way you feel about something) it will cause you to compromise your values and belief system.

 

It is always good to exam yourself to see if any of the following attitudes are present in your life which promotes compromise.  If they are, you can repent and ask the Lord to help you change your attitudes so that they are pleasing to Him and will allow you to remain strong and to avoid compromise (1 John 1:9).   “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.  This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.  For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there” (James 3:13-16)

 

Allow the Holy Spirit to shine is light into your heart revealing any thing that needs to be corrected.  Here is a short list to ponder; the Holy Spirit may reveal others:

a).  Are you selfish—looking after your own interest’s, desires and wishes while ignoring those of others?

b).  Half-heartedness—do you perform task with little or no enthusiasm and have no real interest in the outcome?

c).   Pride—do you receive satisfaction when others admire you or your skills?  Do you feel that you are better than others?

d).  Arrogance—Do you feel that you are superior to other people?  Do you have a false sense of self-importance?

e).  Double-mindedness—Do you change between one opinion and another?  Do you make a decision and then someone or something causes you to change your decision?

 

The Apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter the attitudes that would prevent compromise.  “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.  For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;  for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-11).

a).  Faith—Do you trust in God and His word at all times?                                                     

b).  Do you conduct your life with integrity?                                                            

c).  Does your life reflect moral excellence and virture?

d).  Do you respect God’s word and seek to expand your knowledge of Him and His ways? 

e).  Love—Do you care about God, your brothers and sisters in the Lord, the truth enough that you will do what is right?

 

The choices that we make in life should be based on scriptural truth, not on our feelings or desires. We have an enemy in life his name is Satan.  He wants us to ignore the Holy Spirit and His leadings and to compromise because this breaks our fellowship with the Father and makes us weaker. 

 

Prayer—Father, I repent for the attitudes that I have that leads me to compromise.  I ask You to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.  I ask You to please help me stay strong in my convictions and not compromise, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

AVOID THE SEDUCTION OF COMPROMISE

“Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD.  Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His paths. You have charged us to keep Your commandments carefully.”—Psalm  119:1-4 (NLT)

  

Recently, during our Day of Prayer for America, and the Elections, I asked a young man, whom I knew walked in integrity, to lead us in prayer for a specific prayer point— Integrity of America. By the unction of the Holy Spirit, one of the things that he prayed was that those who held the office would not compromise, or compromise the government office that he or she held or would fill.

 

As an individual, when we compromise we are agreeing to accept less than what we originally wanted; divided—not whole or complete.  On the other hand, integrity is the state of being complete—undivided.  To understand the difference between compromise and integrity, think of it like this:  Comprise is giving up your core beliefs or convictions to get what you want or what someone else tells you that you have need of.  Integrity is taking a stand for what you believe and not yielding to the pressure of opposition or seduction.  Seduction leads people astray, or it can tempt, persuade or attract.  Seduction is deceptive and causes people to do things—compromise values and beliefs. 

 

There are many ways that the Church is being seduced into compromising its core beliefs.  One of the main ways this happens in the believer’s life is when he or she does not respect God’s word.  There is no respect for truth.  If we are to avoid compromise we have to respect God’s word as His word.  It is indestructible.  He said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Mark 13:31).  His word is pure, “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Psalm 12:6). 

 

I want to encourage you today, to determine not to compromise.  Avoiding anything wrong requires determination.  Until you make up your MIND that you will respect God’s word at all times and at all cost, you will be in danger of compromise.  The apostle Paul did not give in “not even for an hour” (Galatians 2:5).  Jesus was tempted—seduced to compromise; but in each incident He avoided compromise by responding with scripture.  As a Christian we are disciples of Christ, Matthew 4:1-11 gives to us the KEY to avoiding compromise in our lives—appeal to God’s word in all that we do. 

 

In order to stand firm against compromise, we must make God’s Word the standard for our conduct.  We are then able to respond in integrity (the truth of God’s word) when the seduction of compromise comes seeking to devour our values and beliefs.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for opening my spiritual eyes to see the seduction of compromise and I ask You to forgive me the times when I have compromised my values and beliefs.  Today, with Your help I purpose to not compromise my godly values and beliefs in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

RECEIVE COMFORT IN THE TIME OF DIFFICULTIES, PAIN OR HURT

“I, even, I am He who comforts you…”—Isaiah 51:12

 

Today, I want to encourage you to see God as a comforter.  See Him as the one who offers consolation as you walk through the valleys in life.  In times of difficulties, pain or hurt remember it is the Lord of Comfort who comes to encourage your heart, relieve your burdens and help you through trials. 

 

Jesus Christ was the representation of God the Father on earth—and the symbol of all His names. He always responded to hurt and distressed people with soothing words and kind actions.   He did not judge the Samaritan woman for her serial marriages.  Instead, Jesus offered her new life, “But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.  But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). He gave relief to the bleeding woman, “And He said to her, ‘Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace” (Luke 8:48),  and solace to Jairus’ grieving family, “Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, ‘Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping”  (Luke 8:52).   

 

The Lord is as ready to comfort and strengthen believers today as He was back then, “Blessed be the God and Father of our lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

 

Human beings heap shame and blame upon themselves and each other, but the Lord does not function that way.  He is the God of comfort, a trait that shows up in another of His names: Shepherd.  The Shepherd uplifts His followers, even through the valley of the shadow of death, “Yea, 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” (Ps. 23:4). 

 

Today no matter what difficulty you are going through, call upon the God of Comfort.  He will strengthen your heart, ease your burden and help you regardless of what you may be going through. 

 

Prayer—Father I ask You to help me as I go through this difficulty (ies).  I ask for Your Comfort, grace and strength to help me during this time, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

TRUE FINANCIAL SECURITY COMES FROM GOD

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you always having all sufficiency in all things, may have abundance for every good work.”—2 Corinthians 9:8

 

Feeling safe is one of our basic human needs.  Many people think they are financially secure until something comes along in the economy or in their personal circumstances.  Then the reality that they are vulnerable hits home.  Contrary to what the world says, financial security is found not in a bank account or a retirement fund but in a relationship with the One who owns everything in heaven and on earth.

The Lord is not too busy running the universe to be concerned about your financial situation. The truth is He cares about every detail of your life, including your need for economic security.  By heeding His directions about how to acquire and use money, you can experience peace, contentment, and joy. 

When it comes to finances, three basic truths should govern our thinking:

1.       God owns it all.

      2.       We are managers of His possessions.

      3.     We are responsible and will one day give an account to Him about the way we used His resources.

Some years ago, my husband worked for my father on a farm.  One day while he was reading the Bible, Psalm 50:10 seemed to be burned into his heart, “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.”  However, instead of cattle on 1,000 hills his mind saw 1000 head of cattle on a hill.  My husband felt impressed in his heart that God wanted him to buy a 1000 head of cattle.  He talked to my dad about renting pasture from him to feed the cattle and then telephoned our banker.  The banker authorized him to buy the cattle without any collateral.  The late Rev. Billy Joe Daugherty often said, “Where God guides He provides.”

 

True financial security comes only when we use God’s money His way for His purposes.  He alone knows the future and has the power to provide for our needs, whereas any personal financial strategies are backed only by human effort and wisdom.

Trusting in the Lord’s provision and obeying His instructions will fill you with confidence when others are gripped with fear and uncertainty.  Rest in the knowledge that He provides for His children, “I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread” (Psalm 37:25).

Prayer—Father I thank You that my financial security does not solely rest upon my own human efforts, but I trust You for Your provision in my life.  Today, I turn my eyes upon You, I repent for looking to man-made gains in my life and with Your help I will trust in You, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

LIFE LESSONS FROM A GODLY PARENT

“When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”—2 Timothy 1:5

 

The Apostle Paul wrote a loving letter in exhortation to Timothy whom he was mentoring.  He had personal knowledge of the sincere faith that Timothy was reared with, by his mother and grandmother.  A child reared by godly parents can accomplish much in the kingdom of God.  John and Charles Wesley were two such people.

 

Susanna Wesley was the mother to John and Charles Wesley who have long been credited with founding the Methodist movement which encouraged people to experience Jesus Christ personally.  Their reform doctrine of justification by faith was the seeds for revival.  Susanna lived from 1669-1742 and gave birth to 19 children within twenty-one years.  Kathy McReynolds wrote in her book, Susanna Wesley, that, “Susanna prayed two hours every day.” 

 

The following is an excerpt from a letter that she wrote to her oldest son Samuel.

I exhort you, as I am your faithful friend; and I command you, as I am your parent, to use

your utmost diligence to make your calling and election sure; to be faithful to your God;

and after I have said that, I need not bid you be industrious in your calling….I have a

great and just desire that all your sisters and your brothers should be saved as well as

you….

 

Susanna made the following statement regarding her life lesson of being a godly parent.

 

Though the education of so many children must create abundance of trouble, and will       

perpetually keep the mind employed as well as the body; yet I consider it no small honor to 

be entrusted with the care of so many souls. And if that trust be but managed with prudence 

and integrity, the harvest will abundantly recompense the toil of the seed-time; and it will be certainly no little inheritance to the future glory to stand forth at the last day and say, 'Lord,  here are the children which Thou hast given me, of whom I have lost none by my ill example, nor by neglecting to instill into their minds, in their early years, the principles of Thy true religion and virtue!'

 

McReynolds said that, “Many of her thoughts on religion she wrote down and would give to her children. They were so long that they were actually almost like books. Because of these writings we are really able to gain a better understanding of how she thought.”

Susanna read the Bible and applied God’s principles to her life. Then she made sure her children knew how to do the same.

 

The life lesson that we can learn is that no matter how difficult your situation may be God does hear and answer the cry from the heart of the parent.  He wants us to instill godly principles into our children, but remember, He uses parents or guardians to do so. 

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for my children and with Your help I purpose to rear my children using the Bible as my guideline and moral compass, in Jesus Name. Amen.

GOD IS MIGHTIER THAN OPPRESSION: THE GOSPEL WILL GO FORTH

“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise, says the Lord; I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”—Psalms 12:5

 

God desires that all people be saved and to understand truth, “[God]who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:4).  However, in many countries, the gospel cannot be shared freely. Repressive governments and religions stop Christians from telling others about Jesus. However, I want to encourage you today, God is mightier than oppression!  For thousands of years oppressive regimes have tried to suppressed God’s people, He is a God who hears and reveals Himself.   Where human messengers can not carry the good news, the Lord is revealing Himself to those whose hearts are open.   

Romans chapter 1 shows He is holy and just, but He cannot overlook man’s sinful condition, which renders all guilty and without excuse.  He will not admit people into heaven unless they have acknowledged their need for a Savior.  ^“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them,  for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.  Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 1:18-25).

 

But, our Father is also fair and merciful. He makes His presence known to every person so each one may choose to recognize His sovereignty.  The Lord does this by revealing Himself to all mankind in two ways: through conscience and creation.

First, He has imbedded His basic moral guidelines in the human conscience.  In other words, at some point in life, every sane person has an innate sense that certain actions are right and others are wrong.

Second, the Creator displays His power and divine nature through what He has made.  The complexity, variety, order, and beauty of the world all point to an intelligent Designer.  We cannot pinpoint every method the Lord uses to reveal Himself.  Yet we can be sure nothing will stop Him from reaching out to people who follow conscience and creation to the logical conclusion: the existence of a loving, sovereign God.

 

I want to encourage you today to join us in praying that the Gospel will go forth, God will make Himself known in the hearts of people and that salvation will be the outcome.

 

Prayer—Father, I life up those whom have never heard the Gospel I ask that You reveal Yourself to them and that You will make Yourself know in the hearts of people.  I ask You to touch their hearts so that salvation will be known to them, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORTHLESS CHATTER AND WISE SPEECH

“A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, and the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.”—Proverbs 12:14

Worthless chatter is any speech that does not produce life.  Jesus said that His words are Spirit and they are life, “It is the spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.  The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).  However, the world’s standard for speech is vastly different than God’s.  For example, by the world’s standard’s it is acceptable to take the Lord’s name in vain, curse profusely, to use flattery for personal gain, speak deceitfully and murmur and complain.

 

Two basic guidelines can be used for God's principles of wise speech.

 

The first is that our speech should lead to edification, encourages, and builds up,  "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers" (Ephesians 4:29).  Additionally, speech should extend grace to others, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one" (Colossians 4:6).  Our words are to cool down heated arguments, "A soft answer turns away wrath; but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1).  They are to be a delight to those who hear them, "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it  breaks the spirit. A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of  silver" (Proverbs 15: 4, 23; 25:11).

 

Lastly, our speech should be characterized with thankfulness, have a good attitude and be free from murmuring and complaining.  "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor  coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks" (Ephesians 5: 3-4).  And our speech should be keeping with an attitude that is becoming as a child of God., "Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance os saints in the light" (Colossians 1:12).  We are to be, "Rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:7).  "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of God rule in your hearts to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Colossians 3:15-17).  Murmuring and complaining are not to be a characteristic of a Christians, "Do all things without complaining and disputing,...you shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:14-15). 

 

A person will speak wisely who has a desire to please God and show His grace toward others.  Therefore, we must know the difference between worthless chatter and wise speech.

 

Prayer—Father I repent for every idle word that has proceeded from my mouth and all worthless chatter.  I ask you to forgive me and to set a guard over my mouth.  I ask you to help me so that I speak that which is good and helpful to those who hear what I say, in Jesus Name.  Amen.

 

  

 

 

DO NOT ALLOW YOUR SOUL TO FALL INTO DECREPITUDE

“Bless the Lord, o my soul and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”—Psalm 103:2-5

 

 

Have you ever noticed a frail looking individual who walks bent over and moving very slowly with shuffling steps?  Usually we attribute such fragility to an older person or some one who may be suffering from some health problems.  And if you stop to talk to the individual they will usually tell you all of their problems, such as how weak, sick and tired they are.   The Scripture tells us that how we think about ourselves is who we really are, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he… (Proverbs 23:7), and “…For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).

 

The image that we have of ourselves in our minds is how we will act.  If we have the mindset of being old and walking with a limp then that is how we will act.  If we see change our mindset then we can change our actions.  Some time ago, the Spirit of the Lord spoke these words to my heart, “The Church is old and decrepit in their soul.”  He went on to explain, that the Church’s soul is connected to their will and emotions which has been made old by the decrepit spirit. 

 

One of the definitions for the word decrepit means to fall into ruin or disrepair.  I believe that is what the Lord is getting across to us.  The enemy comes to influence how we think, and instead of casting down those thoughts we allow them to take root and grow, and then it is not long before we begin to “mirror” how we feel.

 

Do not allow your mind-set to fall into ruin or disrepair because when that happens you become bent over with the cares of the world, and become weak and sick; therefore, you are not able to carry out the “Great Commission”  that Jesus gave to the Church in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

 

We, the Church are positioned by faith to stand tall, walking with our shoulders squared, and our head held high confident in God’s grace and ability abounding in us to every good work.

 

Prayer—Father, today, I purpose in my heart to cast aside every decrepit thought and feeling in my soul.  Lord, I thank You that I am positioned by faith to stand tall and that my confidence is in your grace and ability abounding in me to every good work, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH INTEGRITY

“The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.”—Proverbs 20:7

The Apostle Paul wrote to Titus teaching him how to live his life, “in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility” (Titus 2:7).  God wants us to increasingly pursue truthfulness, righteousness, and honesty.  The following are some ways to develop and maintain a lifestyle of integrity:

 

Formulate beliefs on the basis of Scripture.  Build your life on the foundational truths of humanities’ need for a Savior, our helplessness to save ourselves, Christ’s death on our behalf, salvation by faith alone, and the Father’s free gift of eternal life.  Our identity and priorities flow out from our position as God’s children.   Align your thinking with the Bible and refuse to compromise.

 

Submit to Christ’s lordship.  Jesus commands us to deny ourselves and follow Him. “…Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34).  Wholehearted commitment to Him will help us to stand against temptations and choose righteousness.

 

Build relationships with individuals who value godly living.  The influence of mature Christians strengthens us in our dedication and obedience to the lord.

 

Acknowledge our mistakes.  Everyone misses the mark at times.  As believers, we are to confess any known sin to God and turn away from wrong behavior, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:9).  There may be times when we need to ask forgiveness of others.  Walking in humility towards God and others enables us to fulfill the law of love—to love others as we do ourselves.

We live in a culture that approves of ungodly values and behaviors.  Because God understands our struggle to resist temptation and choose righteousness, He has sent His Holy Spirit to teach us how to live with integrity. 

 

Prayer—Father I ask You to help me live a life of integrity.  When I am tempted to deviate from your path of truth I ask that the Holy Spirit be my moral compass and direct my footsteps back to your pathway of righteousness and love, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

DECEPTION HAS CONSEQUENCES

“For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.”–Titus 3:3

  

The first recorded instance of deception that we read about in the Bible is when Satan deceived Eve, in the Garden of Eden.   God instituted consequences of deception when he told Satan that he would crawl on his belly, eat dust and that his head would be crushed by the seed of woman Eve.  Furthermore, Adam would toil in his farming and Eve would suffer pain during childbirth.

 

King David is another example of someone who was a committed follower of God.  Yet there was a time when this devoted man gave in to temptation and committed adultery with Uriah’s wife.  He is walk of integrity was severely compromised.

“It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.  Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.  So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”  Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”  Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David.  When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered.   And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a gift of food from the king followed him.  But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. So when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”  And Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”  Then David said to Uriah, “Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.   Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.  In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.  And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.”  So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.  Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war, and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king, if it happens that the king’s wrath rises, and he says to you: ‘Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall?  Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth?   Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’”  So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent by him.  And the messenger said to David, “Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate.  The archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”  Then David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab: ‘Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.’ So encourage him.”  When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.   And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord (2 Samuel 11: 1-27).

Ethical and moral failing have beset Christians throughout the ages.  When a believer decides to do whatever it takes to obtain something he or she wants, then selfishness or greed is the root cause.  At other times the desire for acceptance can tempt us to manipulate people and circumstances—or fabricate lies in order to seem more desirable.  And fear of conflict can result in compromised standards; many people try to fit in so they can avoid arguments.

At first, even those close to us may not notice our deception.  But God sees.  He will use our conscience to produce guilty feelings so we might confess our sin and turn from it.  Self-protection will take over if we continue in unrighteousness.  We will try to quiet our conscience by justifying the behavior.  Over time, we will draw away from certain people so they will not discover our ungodly behavior.  By keeping them at a distance, we hope to avoid their scrutiny.  Habitual sin may result in lost job opportunities, damaged friendships, and broken families.

It was not until David’s close friend, Nathan, confronted him that David was willing to acknowledge his sin, “So David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die” (2 Samuel 12:13).  Not only did David suffer a consequence to his sin, but Bathsheba did too; their child died.

How do you respond when the Holy Spirit convicts you of ungodliness and deception?  Do you see the reality of your behavior and repent, or do you try to justify and persist in your conduct? 

 

Prayer—Father I ask You to forgive me for any time that I have purposefully deceived others.  Today I turn from all attempts of cover-ups and ask You to have mercy upon me and to remove the sting of the consequences in my life, others that I am involved with, and ministry, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

BE UNSHAKEABLE IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE

“I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my God in Him I will trust.”—Psalm 91:2

 

Our world is a rapidly changing uncertain place.  Many people seek security in wealth, relationships and power.  These things, however, are not guaranteed from one day to the next.  Listening and watching the news provides enough proof that any of them can be taken away in a moment.  People see the things that are happening around them and they begin to fear and be in despair.

 

For believers, our reality is not based in what we see or hear, nor is it in the foundation found in the world system.  We build our hope and trust on the Lord, and we believe the truth of His word. 

 

Even in chaotic times, our certainty is found in our relationship with God.  Romans 8: 35-37 comforts and assures us that nothing can tear us away from our Lord Jesus Christ, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” 

 

Therefore, in the midst of turmoil, troubles, and trials, we have assurance that our lives are in the grip of the almighty God.  We can rely not only on His love and presence, but also on His uninterrupted attention, faithfulness, and perfect care.

 

When difficulty arises and circumstances seem overwhelming, we can respond with confidence and strength because of Jesus.  Along with the psalmist, David, who also lived during times of war and stressful events, we can call out and say, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling; (Psalm 46:1-3).

 

Today, consider where you find security.  Is the foundation of your life built upon the solid rock of Jesus which can never be moved?  Or is it planted in something as unstable as sand—like money or prestige?  Place your hope and confidence in the only thing that will not bend, sink, or fail—the solid Rock—JESUS.

 

Prayer—Father I ask You to forgive me for trusting other things to give me stability in my life other than Jesus.  Today, I turn and place my faith, hope and confidence in You who will never leave me or forsake me, in Jesus Name. Amen.

THE LORD OUR PROTECTOR

“The Lord shall preserve you from all evil. He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in and even forevermore.”—Psalm 121:7-8

 

When David wrote Psalm 121 robbers dwelled in the mountains, waiting for innocent travelers to become their unsuspecting victims.  Needless to say, journeying through these hilly roads must have caused anxiety.  David’s work as a shepherd took him into dangerous areas, where not only thieves but also wild animals posed a threat.

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.  Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.  The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.  The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.  The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.  The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”—Psalm 121

Our lives can be like mountainous territory.  Do you look into a future and wonder what dangers lurk?  The Lord is our helper; He is the only one able to protect us.  Friends and relatives can offer limited assistance, but God knows everything and has all the power necessary to rescue you.  Notice verse 3, “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved.”  God has provided everything we need in order to avoid every hidden danger.  However, He never stops us from disobeying Him although He could, but He does not interfere with our free will.  Instead, He upholds us, enabling us to walk in His way.

Whether trouble originates with others, external circumstances, or our own sin, we can find ourselves in danger and afraid.  Thankfully, we have a loving God who leads us to safety and shelters us from the storm, “Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler” (Psalm 91: 3-4).

Prayer—Father I thank You that You protect me from every dangerous thing in my life.  I ask you to deliver my feet from falling and keep me in the shelter of your arms, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

A RIGHTEOUS RESPONSE TO DISAPPOINTMENT

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”—Matthew 6:33

 

Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, was a righteous person who had sought a godly woman to share his life with.  Imagine the disappointment that he must have felt when he learned that Mary was pregnant and it was not his child!  Furthermore, she claimed that no man had touched her.

 

Any way Joseph looked at the situation it appeared grim.  And yet Matthew 1:20 tells us that Joseph “considered,” that is to say, that he sought a wise righteous response.  God entered Joseph’s life in a dramatic way to confirm Mary’s story and put a stop to his “quiet annulment” plans (Matthew 1:19 - 24). 

 

The Lord turned Joseph’s mourning into joy.  Mary had told the truth, strange and startling as it was.  The couple would bear the intense public censure of an early pregnancy, but Joseph stopped thinking about what others would say.  God had blessed work for him: to raise the Messiah alongside a faithful woman.

 

Followers of Christ should seek a godly response to disappointments they face.  Since the lord always has a plan, the wisest reaction is to anticipate the good He can do and await His timing.  God certainly blessed Joseph for his willingness to “seek first His kingdom.” 

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for showing me how to response to _________________situation.  I know that You will bring good out of this situation because You are for me and not against me, in Jesus Name. Amen.

TAKE YOUR OBLIGATION TO FUTURE GENERATIONS SERIOUSLY

“We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.”—Psalm 78:4

 

At any one time, America is just one generation away from being a pagan nation.  Consider what could happen to America if people stopped sharing the truth about Jesus with the children; the next generation would exist with no biblical foundation.  This could be one of the reasons why Jesus admonished His disciples to let the children to come to Him at a time they were trying to keep the children away (Mark 10:13-16).

 

American’s recent history has shown an unsettling history of progressing away from Christian values and teachings.  Years ago, America was founded upon scriptural principles.  It was common for people to take their children to church and read the Bible aloud at home.  As time went on, people became affluent and busy pushing the Lord aside.  Now, many children attend schools where God is not even mentioned—unless His name is used in vain.

 

In Psalm 78, we have been given divine instructions to teach the truth to our children.  We do this by modeling a godly life, teaching the Word, and sharing our testimony of the Father’s provision and leading.  Our obedience concerning the training of children will determine the future moral character of not only of America, but other nations as well. 

 

All believers have an important role to play in this—from the Sunday school teachers who instruct directly in a classroom to the volunteers who drive children to youth group, and the mentors who take time to impart into a child’s life.  Parents in particular have the enormous responsibility to train their daughters and sons in righteousness. 

 

Are you a parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent?  Or are there other children within your circle of influence?  Think about ways that you are purposefully teaching them how to walk with Christ.  There is no task quite as essential or fulfilling as investing in the lives of the next generation.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for the next generation.  Help me to see them as You do and show me ways that I can invest in their lives and future in Jesus Name. Amen.