....prepared

After delivering many of God's messages to the people of Israel, calling them to repent and return to the worship of the One True God, the prophet Jeremiah became impatient with God's timing: "I would speak with You about Your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?" Jeremiah 12:1. 

Jeremiah complained about how long he had to wait for the wicked to be punished. He was following God and calling others to do the same, but the ungodly seemed to continue living the "good" life. Sounds much like our complaints today. But God's response was not what Jeremiah was hoping to receive.

If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5

God told Jeremiah that the situation in Israel was going to get worse in the coming days, and He asked Jeremiah if he was truly ready for the challenge. Jeremiah had been called to be God's messenger and now was not the time to complain. This was the time to be a soldier and trust with ALL his heart; it was a time to renew his strength and push toward the assigned goal.

Our Heavenly Father dearly loves us and desires an eternity of intimate fellowship. He is a God of great comfort, but He is also challenging us to prepare for the spiritual battles ahead. This world often appears corrupt and unjust, but the conditions of today may be preparing us to fight in the trenches of tomorrow. We must trust now more than ever that God chose the right person when He called and gave us our assignments. He continues to give direction and has promised to provide all the necessary tools at the proper time.

Let's spend more time worshipping at His feet and loving Him with all our heart. Let's rely on His strength and trust His understanding. Let's draw closer to His side and always be prepared to follow. 

- st mwankolelo

....follow

We are often reminded of our need to pray and study God's Word. These essential disciplines allow us to abide in the presence of God and "hear" when He calls; they are also necessary for strengthening our faith in order to obediently follow where He leads.

God's Word encourages us that when He calls, He also provides the tools to accomplish our assigned task; "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness" 2 Peter 1:3. And we are comforted that as we respond, we will never be alone; "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" Hebrews 13:5. 

God's call also carries responsibility. His call says He has made His choice - He has chosen us to take part in His wonderful plan, and, in faith, we must respond.

....deeper

So that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:10

At age six, Henry John Heinz began helping his mother tend the small garden behind their family home. At twelve, he was working three and a half acres of garden, using a horse and cart for his three-times-a-week deliveries to grocery stores throughout the city of Pittsburg. He went on to found his own company and named it Heinz 57 Varieties, a name brand now known around the world.

Heinz was well-known for his Biblically-based business principles and his Christian treatment of employees. However, there was an incident in his life that changed this godly man to grow even more deeper in his faith. One day after an evangelistic service, the speaker turned to him and said, "You are a believer, but with all your energy why aren't you up and at it for the Lord?"

Heinz went home in anger. That night, however, he couldn't sleep, thinking about the question he’d been asked. At four o'clock in the morning, he prayed that God would use him to lead others to the Savior. A day or so later at a meeting of bank presidents, he turned to the man next to him and told him of his joy in knowing Jesus. His friend looked at him in surprise and said, "Because I knew you were a Christian, I've wondered many times why you never spoke to me about salvation." That gentleman became the first of 267 converts - people of different varieties, from all walks of life - that Mr. Heinz eventually won to Christ!

In his will, Henry John Heinz said: "I desire to set forth at the very beginning of this will, as the most important item in it, a confession of my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I also desire to bear witness to the fact that throughout my life, in which there were unusual joys and sorrows, I have been wonderfully sustained by my faith in God through Jesus Christ."

......fire

King Nebuchadnezzar made a large statue of gold and commanded that everyone must worship the statue whenever they heard the royal music; they must worship the statue, or face terrible consequences! "Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace" Daniel 3:6.

Daniel's friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were determined to live with an uncompromising faith. They believed God's Word and obeyed His commands: "You shall have no other gods before Me...you shall not bow down to them or worship them" Exodus 20:3,5. These three young Jewish men took a stand and refused to worship the golden statue. Their devotion to God was greater than their fear of the fire; "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it...But even if He does not, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up" Daniel 3:17-18.

Nebuchadnezzar was furious and followed through on his threat: "He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace" Daniel 3:19-20. But when Nebuchadnezzar looked inside the furnace, he was amazed by what he saw.

"Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."Daniel 3:25

As they were facing the fire, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego saw no chance of escape, but they placed their complete trust in God - a trust which would not falter even if they were burned. But rather than being burned by the fire, these three men were freed from their binding ropes and walked with "a son of the gods," who many believe is an Old Testament reference to Jesus Christ!  In their time of greatest need, God comforted these young men and set them free.

The fires in our life WILL come. The heat will seem intense! But we must not fear, or abandon what we know to be true. Our faith is ALWAYS refined and made stronger by fire; "the testing of your faith develops perseverance" James 1:3. Fire will always teach us to trust more deeply and worship more sincerely. 

When we really believe this truth, it will become possible to actually rejoice in the face of fire. We can rejoice because we KNOW He will walk beside us, no matter how hot the flames - this is true freedom! Let's walk with a bold faith, knowing our Father is there to comfort and protect us, knowing He will strengthen us and set us free in the fire. 

- steve troxel

......way

 "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you" Ex 33:13

"My Work, My Way"

When you and I live in this world without Christ we live a life just as Esau lived his life. Esau despised his birthright and failed to enter into a relationship with God that allowed him to fulfill his destiny. In essence, Esau fulfilled his work, his way. His life represented the carnal life of the flesh.

"His Work, My Way"

When you and I become born-again by the Spirit of God, we begin to focus our attention on living for Christ. We realize it is His work we are doing but it takes time before we learn what it means to do His work, His way.

"My Work, His Way"

As the Holy Spirit does His work in us, we learn to walk with God. We learn what it means to see our work as His work and we desire to do it His way. The Israelites were guilty of not knowing His ways and were unable to move into the Promised Land, because of not understanding how to do "Their Work, His Way". 

"His Work, His Way"

When we begin to walk with God, we begin to realize that all that we do is His work and He calls us to do it His way. When we begin to walk with God in this manner, we begin to see the Kingdom of God manifested in our lives. We begin to experience His power and learn what it means to do "His Work, His Way". 

In order to experience God in this way, each of us must give our lives to the Lord and ask him to teach us "His way". Moses asked God: "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you" Ex 33:13. Moses realized He needed God to teach him His ways in order for him to prosper in His relationship with God.

What best describes your life today? 

    Your Work, Your Way 

    Your Work, His Way 

    His Work, Your Way

    His Work, His Way 

Pray that today, you learn to do "His Work, His Way"!!!

- david langerfeld

.....chains

Though our faith may appear small, all genuine believers in Jesus Christ have the faith to move any and all mountains which stand between us and a close relationship with our Heavenly Father. HOWEVER...Not all trials represent mountains which must be moved! Many things we view as obstacles are perfectly aligned with God's plan. This can definitely be a difficult and unpopular message!

Our Christian walk never promises freedom from trouble. In fact, Jesus promised us just the opposite; "In this world you will have trouble" John 16:33. Fortunately, Jesus immediately followed these words with a message of hope; "But take heart! I have overcome the world" John 16:33. Though trials may come and remain much longer than we would like, we can still be set free by abiding in The One who has overcome.

The Apostle Paul had many trials during his ministry: "Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea" 2 Corinthians 11:24-25. But Paul was able to keep his trials in proper perspective by focusing on what was eternally relevant; "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" Romans 8:18.

Toward the end of his ministry Paul was arrested for the "offense" of preaching the gospel. While awaiting trial in Rome, Paul spent two years under the guard of a Roman soldier and wrote a wonderful letter of encouragement to the Philippians: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4. Though he was confined, Paul allowed himself to be used by God to encourage many others toward an increase in their faith.

"Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly."Philippians 1:14

Every time we experience a trial, the world watches to see the substance of our faith. Often, there is no better witness than to continue to trust and praise in the middle of our own trials. The best way to show that God is real is by making Him real in our own life.

Let's take a new look at our trials. Some are truly mountains which must be moved, but others are simply the chains we must patiently endure for the sake of the gospel. Let's turn what the enemy meant for harm into something which glorifies God. Let's encourage others to draw nearer to a loving Father as we praise Him with all our heart...in spite of our chains.

- steve troxel

.....vine

From the moment sin entered the world, we've been unable to satisfy God's requirement of perfection. But, knowing our weakness, God gave His Son as a sacrifice to make perfect those who believe; "By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy" Hebrews 10:14. Faith in the sacrifice of Jesus makes us perfect forever - this is the gracious gift of Salvation; "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith" Ephesians 2:8.

The grace of God makes us perfect when we accept the offer of salvation through faith in Jesus; but, for the rest of our days on this earth, we are in the process of "being made holy." This is why Paul, who freely writes about the gift of grace, exhorts us to a life free of sin; "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires" Romans 6:12. 

Paul understood we have also been called to a high standard of holiness. He therefore refers to his life after Salvation as a race to be won; "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me" Philippians 3:12-14.

However, when we press and strain toward the wrong goal - or with our own strength - we will soon become fatigued and discouraged. We are in a race, but we must allow Jesus to establish the goal as well as the route to be run. The goal of a Christian life must always be to produce fruit that glorifies God; "This is to My Father's glory, that you bear much fruit" John 15:8. And the route of fruit production must ALWAYS be through the vine of Christ.

"No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing."John 15:4-5

We are called to produce fruit by living a life of holiness and bringing glory and honor to God in all we do. However, fruit can only grow if we remain intimately attached to the vine - a branch cannot produce anything by itself! In our own strength we cannot produce holiness or ANYTHING esteemed by God. But when we allow the life of the vine to flow through our veins, we WILL produce a bounty of fruit.

Let's attach firmly to the vine of Jesus Christ and allow Him to flow through every area of our life. Let's live each day in the holy presence of God and produce baskets of fruit for His glory and honor. Let's run to win the race as we press and strain toward the vine. 

- adapted from steve troxel

....power

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

In the famous and epic movie The Ten Commandments, whenever Pharaoh would make a decision or issue an edict, he would say authoritatively, “So let it be written; so let it be done!” The royal scribes would dutifully record the Pharaoh’s words for posterity. The message was clear: Pharaoh’s words were powerful; they were the guiding force in Egypt.

In an even more authoritative way, the words of God are alive and powerful Hebrews 4:12. By His words, God spoke into existence the earth and everything in it. Jesus is called the Word of God—the incarnation of the will and words of God John 1:1-2. And Peter says that by God’s words—His “great and precious promises”—we become “partakers of the divine nature” 2 Peter 1:4. And Paul writes that our faith comes by hearing “the word of God” Romans 10:17.

We gain power and maturity in our spiritual life as the Spirit of God illuminates the Word of God on a daily basis. Make God’s Word a priority in your life.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "I hold one single sentence out of God’s Word to be of more certainty, and of more power, than all the discoveries of all the learned men of all the ages."

- david jeremiah

....flirting

Then she cried out, ‘Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!’ When he woke up, he thought, ‘I will do as before and shake myself free.’ But he didn’t realize the LORD had left him. Judges 16:20 Talk about sleeping with the enemy. Samson fell asleep in Delilah’s lap and took a one-way trip to the barbershop, not realizing what he was doing.

Delilah had been hired by the Philistines to discover the secret of Samson’s strength. But so far, she was getting nowhere. So she said, “How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don’t share your secrets with me? You’ve made fun of me three times now, and you still haven’t told me what makes you so strong!” Judges 16:15.

In other words, “If you love me, you’ll do this.” Anyone who would ask you to prove your love to them by compromising your spiritual principles is not someone you should be involved with. That is not love. 

But after a while, Delilah was wearing him down. The Bible says that “she tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it” verse 16. Finally, Samson told her the secret of his strength, and this time when the Philistines came to capture him, he couldn’t free himself.

One of the most tragic statements in the Bible: “But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him” verse 20. Samson had not only lost touch with what was going on, but he had also lost touch with God. If this were a story about running a race, Samson would have just fallen—and fallen hard. In fact, it would appear that he wasn’t ever going to get back up again.

This is so typical of someone who has been trapped in sin. Everyone else knows what is happening, but they don’t know. They refuse to listen to the warnings, and they continue down a path of destruction. And then one day they wake up and realize how far they’ve gone. Sin blinds us, and we do completely irrational things. That’s what happened to Samson. Sin blinded him.

Sin finds us. There may be an initial excitement that comes with crossing the line in a certain area. But we need to be aware that eventually, our sin will find us out  Numbers 32:23. Sin will grind us. Ultimately, we will pay the miserable price for our sin, whether it’s a broken marriage or a betrayed trust or a damaged witness and reputation.

Sometimes we try to overspiritualize things that have an obvious solution. Sometimes the way of escape is as simple as walking out the door. Samson flirted with sin, and it destroyed him.

- gregory laurer

....goal

Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8

At the beginning of a new year, countless people make weight management goals, most of the time because they want to feel and look healthier. I have an autoimmune disease, so I constantly have to be aware of what I am eating and avoid certain foods and ingredients as much as possible. In addition to this, there are certain exercises I need to include in my daily routine to help keep my symptoms at bay.

Our physical bodies need a lot of attention, but this often gets me thinking… How is our spiritual health?

 

While it is important be good stewards of these earthly bodies God has given us, it is of even greater importance to strengthen our spiritual "muscles". We can strengthen the muscles of our faith by getting up each morning and choosing to trust God and having an attitude of gratitude. We can feed our faith by reading God's word and having constant communication with him through prayer. And when we need time to reenergize or heal, we can rest in the arms of our Father and let Him speak to us and give us direction and encouragement. 

Taking care of our bodies will help us be readily available for the physical work God has planned for us, but spiritual exercise will strengthen our hearts as we humbly serve God by compassionately serving others. Not only will we be better prepared for this life, but also for the life to come when we see our Lord face to face. 

 - crystal  

.....deposit

When God called the children of Israel, He knew they would face the same difficulties we face today: "Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them" Deuteronomy 11:16. He said the values of the world must never distract from our primary duty to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" Deuteronomy 6:5.

God told His chosen people that the best way to remain near to Him was to remain near to His Word through disciplined reading, teaching, discussing, and applying. When our lives are completely immersed in His Word, the "enticements" of the world lose their power and no longer pull us from God's path.

But His desire was never for us to stop with outward disciplines. While disciplines are somewhat useful in themselves, the desired end is always for His Word to be written on our heart and for our thoughts to remain with Him all through our day! 

Only as He is allowed to truly live through us will our lives become a complete sacrifice of worship.

If this is the life we desire, then we must begin with a disciplined approach to God's Word. We must become immersed in His Word such that His truth becomes a part of every portion of our day. God will soon reward us with a more intimate relationship as His Word becomes written on our heart and our thoughts turn more toward Christ. 

The world will still try to pull us away, but it will no longer succeed; we will be walking in His Presence and will have learned how to guard His deposit.

....deserves

When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Daniel 6:10

Daniel is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. Since his youth, he was an example of devotion and obedience to God amidst his circumstances. Even when faced with threats of death, he remained faithful and gave thanks to God.

During king Darius' reign, Daniel was placed as one of three high officials that were placed throughout the kingdom. Some folks became jealous of Daniel and tried to find fault in him to accuse him before the king. When they were unable to find error in him, they decided to try and attack his faith. 

They tricked the king into establishing a law where petitions could not be made to any god or man besides the king. The jealous officials did this because they knew of Daniel's close relationship with God and his faithfulness to Him. When Daniel heard of this, he could have become angry of accused God of injustice, but instead he went home and did what he always did… he prayed and gave thanks to God. 

It would be interesting to know what Daniel thanked God for that day. Was it for His constant provision? His faithfulness in every circumstance? His friendship and the fact that he was never alone? Every bit of this was true even if God had chosen not to rescue Daniel from the lion's den after having chosen to obey God over the king's decree. Daniel chose to express gratitude and remain faithful regardless of what happened to him, and God protected him. 

The God of Daniel is the same God we worship and serve today! His faithfulness, goodness, protection, provision, and friendship has not changed. Choose to put God above all else, express your gratitude to God daily for who He is, and remain faithful to His calling in your life.  

.....walk

To grow as a Christian means to become closer, and develop a more intimate relationship, with God. This relationship begins when we are born into His family - when we ask Him to forgive our sins through faith in Jesus and begin what is intended to be an eternal communion of love. He desires for us to trust Him in ALL things and pray to Him on all occasions; "In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" Philippians 4:6

Jesus promised that our prayers will be heard and answered; "Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete" John 16:24. But as we lift up our requests, we can sometimes become confused by God's response. We often perceive His answers to be slow in arriving, or we are disappointed with His reply; we may even begin to doubt if God even hears our prayers.

But we must remember that we have entered into an eternal relationship with the Sovereign Creator of the Universe! Underlying all our prayers must be the firm belief that "in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him" Romans 8:28. God always has a plan, and His plan is very, very good! His plan is that we draw closer to His side and joyfully be conformed to the image of His Son. We must trust that His answer to our prayers will meet our true need, and fulfill our deepest desire, much better than we could ever imagine Ephesians 3:20.

A short time after Jesus was crucified, Peter and John were confronted by a crippled man sitting beside the Temple gate begging for money. "Then Peter said, 'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.'"Acts 3:6

Until that day, the crippled man had never walked a single step. In his limited view of the world, the only hope he had for a better life was to be given a little money by those passing by. His request was limited by what he could see and understand - limited by his faith.

Our loving Father always hears our prayers, and He always answers. His answer to prayer is either yes, no, or wait...and sometimes He answers with, "Here my child, I have something much better for you." But most often, God answers by simply giving us more of Himself.

God's view of our needs is much higher and grander than our own. We generally see our need as the solution to some short term problem, but our true need is always to grow by drawing closer and loving Him more. Let's take our eyes off the crutches we think will "fix" our problem and look instead to the One who is calling, to the One who patiently says, "Trust Me and come into My presence as you arise and walk!" 

- steve troxel

......guard

We are encouraged to make a covenant to worship God with all our heart for the rest of our days. I pray we accept this challenge and make a decision to commit our lives to Him without any reservation.

When God brings us to this point of greater commitment and surrender, we have a wonderful reason to rejoice; but we also have an obligation to protect and nurture what He has planted in our heart. 

He has called us to draw closer and spend more time in His presence, to join Him in a more intimate and loving relationship. But the enemy is hard at work trying to destroy the change which has begun.

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us 2 Timothy 1:13-14

Every so often on our Christian walk, there comes a time of special closeness with God. This closeness may come as the result of a new understanding of His Word where we see His character like never before. It may come during a solitary time of prayer or while worshiping with many other believers, through a powerful speaker or inspirational writing. Each time this occurs, God is depositing a little truth into our life which says: I am the way; draw nearer and follow Me more.

We know when God calls us in this manner. We know His truth! We know He is lighting the only true way, and we honestly desire to follow. But then we are back at work with deadlines to meet, people to see, or kids to feed. Soon, the busyness of our everyday "normal" life has consumed our thoughts, and God's deposit has begun to fade. 

We must establish disciplines which enable us to hear God's message and then help us keep His message at the forefront of our thoughts all through the day. These disciplines will vary for different people. Some may need to wake up earlier to have a time which is quiet, others may need to change their work habits or the condition of their work environment, most need to simply turn off the television or put down our phone! But regardless of our hectic pace, we ALL need to talk with God more and worship more at His feet. This must become our highest priority.

His call to draw near is a precious deposit, a gift which we must not allow to be destroyed or forgotten. We should never allow the frustrations of the past, the pulls of the present or the desires of the future, to steal the gift entrusted to us today. Let's make the necessary changes and boldly draw near without hesitation. 

Let's praise Him for His gift, and "with the empowering of the Holy Spirit who lives in us," guard the good deposit.

- steve troxel

.....seek

As Jesus was speaking to a Pharisee named Nicodemus, He said, "no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again" John 3:3. He then explained being "born again" as a spiritual birth which occurs when we believe; "whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16. EVERYONE who will spend eternity in the Presence of God must be born of the Spirit - it is impossible to be a Child of God without being "born again."

This spiritual birth is part of the New Covenant through faith in Jesus and was revealed over 500 years before Christ through the prophet Ezekiel; "I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees" Ezekiel 36:26-27. Paul referred to the spiritual birth as becoming "a new creation" 2 Corinthians 5:17, but it is most often referred to simply as being saved; "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" Titus 3:5.

The process of spiritual birth is relatively easy to explain: God reaches down and transforms our heart by the power of His Spirit. However, the exact events which lead to the spiritual birth (and when the birth actually occurs) remain somewhat a mystery. On one hand, God's Word is very simple and clear; "Whoever believes will be saved." But understanding what it means to really believe can be difficult. We can talk about submission, obedience, sacrifice, love, or the basic faith of a child, but these will always fall short of an adequate definition of belief.

Only God can save - only He is fit to judge, and He alone can look into the innermost part of our heart and determine true belief. All we can do is seek Him with all our heart...and trust He will be found.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."Matthew 7:7-8

Our Salvation was initiated by God when Jesus came to earth and died as a perfect sacrifice for our sin. He chose us for an intimate and eternal relationship when His Holy Spirit began to call us near. And, if we will but answer the call and begin to seek His face, He will be found. In an instant, which He alone determines according to His perfect timing, He will transform our heart and adopt us as His Child.

We may not be able to explain or even fully understand true belief, but if there is any call of God on our heart, we CAN ask, seek, and knock. God never hides or runs away; "He is not far from each one of us" Acts 17:27. He is waiting for us to reach out and call on His Name. Today, let's trust He will be found as we give Him all our heart and continue to seek. 

.....source

 "Now then, tell my servant David, "This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel" 2 Samuel 7:8.

David was nearing the end of his life. The prophet Nathan was responding to David's idea to build a temple where the Ark of the Covenant would stay. God reminded David through the prophet of his roots and where He had brought him. God took David from the fields of pasturing sheep to pastoring a nation. God reminded David that He cut off all of David's enemies for his sake and the sake of his nation. David never lost a battle.

Have you ever felt tempted to look at your accomplishments with pride as if you were the reason for your success? Have you ever thought your prosperity was due to your ingenuity? Has your material success been a testimony to others that God is the ruler of all aspects of your life, even the material side?

The greatest temptation some of us will ever face is pride of ownership. If we think our success is a result of our own effort we affront God and open the door to pride. “A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor” Prov 29:23.

Success can be a greater test than adversity. “Not every man can carry a full cup. Sudden elevation frequently leads to pride and a fall. The most exacting test of all to survive is prosperity,” said Oswald Chambers. Success can be a breeding ground for complacency with God and pride of ownership.

Do you have a proper understanding of who you are? 

Do you understand that it is God who has given you the ability to work and achieve? 

He is the source of all good things. Ask God today to help you modle this belief in your life. 

- david langerfeld

.....covenant

When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He made a covenant with them at Mount Sinai. He promised special blessings if they would set themselves apart and worship Him with all their heart. But the people failed to honor their commitment - they worshiped other gods and disregarded His commands.

After several hundred years of willful disobedience, God sent the prophet Hosea to remind the Israelites of the pledge they once made and to reveal their unfaithfulness.

I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. Like Adam, they have broken the covenant - they were unfaithful to Me. Hosea 6:6-7

Hosea was able to deliver this message with great passion because he understood the pain of unfaithfulness. God had called Hosea to marry a woman who, though she made a covenant of marriage, left him to live as an adulteress with another man. Hosea could literally cry to his Israelite Brothers of the hurt they were causing God with their spiritual adultery; he fully knew how it felt when the one you love turns away to love another.

The covenant we make with our Heavenly Father must not be taken lightly. He loves us dearly and gave His Son as a sacrifice for our sin. And, to those who believe, He has given His Spirit; "with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" Ephesians 4:30. God is committed to this covenant and, though He forgives us when we fall short, He expects and deserves commitment in return.

When we turn from sin and believe Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, He promises forgiveness; we promise to trust and follow where He leads. He promises a clean heart; we promise our heart will always be His. He promises eternity in His presence; we promise to worship Him with every breath!

Have we truly entered into a covenant relationship with the Living God? And if so, are we being faithful to this covenant? Are we seeking His direction, or are we following our own path and our own desires? We must commit to love, honor, cherish...and follow, until the end of this life brings us fully into His presence. Let's remain faithful and true to our promises. Let's renew our commitment to obedience and worship. 

And let's steadfastly refuse to come to the end of this journey with a broken covenant.

- steve troxel

....floods

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; Behold, all things are become new! 2 Corinthians 5:17 

Water. All Noah can see is water. You can relate. You've known your share of floods. Flooded by sorrow at the cemetery, anger at the disability in your body, fear of the uncertainty of a pandemic. And you've needed what Noah needed; you've needed hope. 

Sometimes, all we need is a little hope. That's all Noah needed, and that's what Noah received. This is how the Bible describes the moment: "When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!" Genesis 8:11.  Hope is an olive leaf — evidence of dry land after a flood.

 

Could you use some hope? Could you use a fresh start?  At some point in life, we all could!  And the oh-so-welcome news of Scripture is this: Our God is a God of fresh starts. He is the God who told a weary and discouraged people: "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland Isaiah 43:19

But these streams are streams of grace and mercy and love, not the floods that have burdened your heart. So, dear friend, may you experience a flood of God's grace to drive away your despair, disappointment, discouragement, and grief.

- max lucado adapted from God of fresh starts

.....preying

A first grade class teacher, for the "Natural World" section of her class, had a lesson about owls. She explained to the class about how they are nocturnal, how they can swivel their heads so far in either direction that it looks like they can turn them completely around, etc. Then she described how the birds swoop down to get their prey for dinner.

Following the lesson, she asked the children to draw a picture of one of the fascinating things owls do. Looking over the pictures, she praised and applauded each child on their efforts. She was puzzled, however, by one drawing. It was of an owl with its wings neatly folded, its eyes closed and a dead mouse nearby.

"Exactly what is this showing?" she asked. The little girl explained, "It's just like you said 'The owl swoops down and prays before dinner'!" I'm fairly certain that's not what owls do, but it certainly should describe what we as Christians do. But have we done a good job of receiving that food with thanksgiving? I'm not asking if we bow in prayer before we eat our meals, although that's very important. I'm just concerned that we sometimes offer those prayers out of habit, not because we are truly thankful.

You see, it's easy for me to think that what I'm about to eat is on my plate because because of what I have done -- I brought home the paycheck, I went to the grocery store, I cooked it. Am I really thankful to God? By that I mean, do I fully realize and appreciate that God is responsible for what I have on my plate (as well as everything else I enjoy in my life)?

May you truly be thankful as you pray before dinner this day.

- adapted from alan smith's praying before dinner

......thing

The one thing I ask of the LORD—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD’s perfections and meditating in his Temple Psalm 27:4 

The most spiritual people I’ve met have been the most down-to-earth. They didn’t speak in pious tones or act like they were above it all. The truly godly people I’ve known have been fun to be around. They’ve been great salt-of-the-earth kind of people.

David was a truly spiritual man, he wrote, “My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!” Psalm 57:7. He was focused, knowing  where he was going and wasn’t fickle. He knew what mattered in life, “The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple” Psalm 27:4

The apostle Paul had a similar goal in life, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” Philippians 3:13–14.

Do you have this “one thing” in life like Paul did? 

Do you know where you are going? 

Do you know what really matters?

Many of us don’t know what matters in life. We’re trying to live in two worlds. We want to be Christians on the weekend. We’ll go to a church service, but the rest of the week we leave God out of our lives. God desires to be a part of everything we do. He wants to be at the forefront of our lives.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to succeed, wanting a strong family, or wanting an effective ministry, this should not be the main thing. The main thing should be Jesus.

A truly spiritual person is someone who can enjoy life and love God. 

A truly spiritual person can have fun but at the same time know where their priorities are.

If we put God first in our life, He might not give us everything you want. Or, He might give us more than we want. But He always will give us what you need. 

- adapted from greg lauries': this one thing you need

....everything

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Think about the events of your day today or perhaps yesterday. Consider all that happened: disruptions, disappointments, delays, delights, diversions, dangers, and more. No doubt you were thankful for some events and not so thankful for others. What may surprise you is that the Bible says you should have been thankful for all those events.

To be more accurate, Scripture says to be thankful in everything, not for everything. That is, be thankful in the midst of a circumstance, whether pleasant or unpleasant, not necessarily for the circumstance itself. 

God doesn’t expect us to be thankful for an illness, a car accident, or losing a job. But it “is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” to be thankful in the midst of those circumstances. Why are we able to give thanks in every situation? Because “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God” and who are called to “be conformed to the image of His Son” Romans 8:28-29.

Whether you are reading these words at the beginning or the end of your day, breathe a prayer of thanks to God for EVERY situation and circumstance.  

God’s giving deserves our thanksgiving.

- david jeremiah

.....presence

Jehoiakim was king of Judah just prior to the first Babylonian invasion in 605 B.C.. He had become comfortable in the security of the palace, and an alliance with the Egyptians made him feel even more protected. But Jehoiakim led the people of Judah further away from God; "he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his fathers had done" 2 Kings 23:37.

God sent the prophet Jeremiah to warn Jehoiakim and the people of Judah that disaster would come if they did not repent; "If you do not listen to Me and follow My law..., then I will make this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth" Jeremiah 26:4,6. But with his every need and desire fulfilled, and his every fear removed, Jehoiakim did not see a reason to listen.

"I warned you when you felt secure, but you said, 'I will not listen!' This has been your way from your youth; you have not obeyed."Jeremiah 22:21

We spend the majority of our lives building security in our job, finances, and relationships. But security within the world system is extremely shallow and deceptive; "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, where thieves break in and steal" Matthew 6:19. We ought to be thankful for every one of our earthly blessings, but we should NEVER receive our "security" from the world. Our complete dependence must always remain on our Heavenly Father, and our eyes and ears should continually be open to His leading.

Our daily walk is made one slow step at a time as we "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5. Usually, we are allowed to see only the next step; "Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light for my path" Psalm 119:105. We may not know what turns lie ahead, but our true security, peace and comfort, comes from simply knowing we are on His path, not from feeling we control the direction or pace of the journey.

True security begins with faith in Jesus Christ and builds on a pure love which flows from the innermost part of our heart. Even activities such as church attendance, Bible study, or work in various ministries mean nothing without a faith based love; and these well-intended actions become a false spiritual security when they replace the need to abide in the presence of God or daily seek His direction.

Let's not allow our lives to develop a sense of security which shuts out the need for God and the absolute hunger for His presence. Our walk of faith will always require stepping into the unknown where all we have is what He provides, and a loving trust in God is confident that His provision is always enough! 

Let's lean on Him, love Him, and draw ever closer. Let's seek true security by only being secure in His presence.

- steve troxel

......misplaced

We are encouraged to guard against anything which takes away from our complete dependence on our Heavenly Father. Worldly security can sometimes cause us to close our eyes and ears to God's leading. Becoming secure in the world means we are placing our trust in the things of the world. David made this mistake and it cost him dearly.

God described David as "a man after My own heart" Acts 13:22. David clearly saw God working in his life. When he went to fight Goliath with only stones and a sling, he knew to trust in the strength offered by God; "All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's" 1 Samuel 17:47. God continued to protect David through his trials with Saul and later led him through many military victories as the king of Israel. But toward the end of his reign, David began to trust the world's definition of power and might.

"Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, 'Go and count the Israelites. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.'"1 Chronicles 21:1-2

God allowed Satan to tempt David because there was still deep rooted pride in David that needed to be revealed. There was nothing inherently wrong with counting the people. When God led the nation of Israel out of Egypt, He told Moses; "Take a census of the whole Israelite community" (Numbers 1:2). But David had become very "self" reliant and had placed his trust in his own strength and abilities. He became focused on his resources - the number of men who were able to fight - rather than keeping his eyes and ears on the true Commander of ALL battles.

David recognized and confessed his sin: "I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg You, take away the guilt" 1 Chronicles 21:8. Though David's sin was forgiven, God still enforced severe consequences; "So the Lord sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead" 1 Chronicles 21:14. As the leader of God's chosen people, David was expected to set a clear example of complete trust.

God wants and expects the total devotion of our heart. Devotion will always mean love and worship, but it also must include our sustained and unwavering trust. Our Heavenly Father establishes our path and provides all the necessary strength to achieve the victory He desires. He simply asks that we trust only in Him and continue to follow where He leads. Let's give Him ALL the glory and honor as we keep our eyes forever focused on Christ and guard against the sin of misplaced trust. 

- steve troxel

....resolution

Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see Daniel 1:12–13 

What was the real temptation for Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? They had refused the food and wine from King Nebuchadnezzar’s table and had chosen water and vegetables instead. But it wasn’t just a matter of the food. And it wasn’t because they liked only vegetables and water. Rather, they were taking a stand on principle.

The real temptation was this: eating the king’s food was the way to climb the corporate ladder in Babylon. It was like refusing the boss’s invitation to lunch. Why would they say no? For whatever reason, they did. It was important enough for them to take a stand on the matter. They wouldn’t make this compromise. And by doing so, they didn’t advance as quickly as they could have.

In the same way, we can struggle with the temptation to compromise. It might be the temptation to lie on a résumé to get a job or the temptation to embellish ourselves so that people will like us more. Or, it might be the temptation to cut corners on a job to make more money, even though it’s unsafe. It could be the temptation to go a little further with a girlfriend or boyfriend in the hope of gaining their love. We all face the temptation to compromise.

However, it’s the little things that ultimately lead to the big things. It’s the gray areas that ultimately lead to the black-and-white areas. That’s why we must look at things carefully and ask, “Is this a good or a bad thing for me? Is this a compromise before the Lord?”

When we come to those gray areas of life and wonder whether something is acceptable to God, it’s a good idea to ask ourselves four questions: 

• Does it build me up spiritually? 
• Does it bring me under its power? 
• Do I have an uneasy conscience about it? 
• Could it cause someone to stumble?

Here’s the wrong question to ask: Can I do this and still be a Christian? The Bible says, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” 1 Corinthians 6:19–20.

Character is not made in a crisis; it is only exhibited. It may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones. Do you have that character? Or, are you compromising in your life as a Christian? Are you doing what is right, even in the little things? Because if you don’t deal with compromise in the little things, it will lead to the big things. That’s why it’s a good time to have some resolution—not a bunch of silly resolutions that you make and can’t keep.

Resolution is purpose, commitment, and dedication to doing the right thing. Because if you compromise now, you will regret it later.

- greg laurie

.....worship

We are encouraged to live a life of sincere love and faithful service while we worship a God we truly know and adore. But this type of consistent life, where our daily activities match what we profess to believe, does not come easily or initially feel natural. Living such a life requires a firm commitment and a determined perseverance.

King Asa was the great-grandson of Solomon and led the southern kingdom of Judah about 900 years before Christ. He began his reign with ten years of peace because he "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God" 2 Chronicles 14:2. Asa took definite action to remove the idols and places of false worship from the country, and commanded his people to "seek the Lord and to obey His commands" 2 Chronicles 14:4.

When Judah was invaded by a foreign army, Asa realized he was greatly outnumbered with little hope of victory. As he went into battle, his faith was strengthened while calling on God: "Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this vast army. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You" 2 Chronicles 14:11.

After God granted them victory on the battlefield, the people gathered in Jerusalem to solidify their commitment by making a covenant to follow God. They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord with all their heart and soul. All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and He was found by them 2 Chronicles 15:12,15

Every child of God has a deep hunger for a more committed life. Once we have answered God's call and begun our journey with Him, we will not truly be at peace until His praise fills every area of our life. But this requires we establish priorities which allow us to actually spend time getting to know Him, His ways and His love.

Our Heavenly Father longs for us to abide in His presence; He rejoices when He is found by those who seek Him in a committed life of worship. He even promises to help those who begin down a committed path; "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him" 2 Chronicles 16:9.

Our time on this earth is very, very short. Let's not waste another day by aimlessly wandering through life, allowing the concerns of this world to choke off our relationship with God. Let's live with purpose and eagerly commit to seek Him with all our heart and soul - to seek Him "wholeheartedly." Let's make the decision today to enter into an eternal covenant of worship.

- steve troxel

....ordinary

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you 1 Corinthians 1:26 

God goes out of His way to use ordinary people. And the people God has used to touch the world often have been those you never would have expected to do great things with their lives. It came as a surprise when God chose David, a shepherd boy, to become the next king of Israel. Yet David took it all in stride and wisely waited on the Lord for further direction.

In many ways, David was the very opposite of Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul came from a family who loved him, while David came from a family that neglected and even disliked him. While Saul was the most handsome man in all of Israel, David was an ordinary man. While Saul was attractive on the outside, he was vain, shallow, and devoid of true integrity on the inside. In contrast, David had a deep commitment to God, even though he was very young.

This reminds us of the truth of Paul’s words: “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful” 1 Corinthians 1:26–27.

God uses ordinary people. For example, Dwight L. Moody, one of the greatest evangelists of his day, was a shoe salesman. When he heard the gospel and gave his life to Christ, he went from selling soles to saving souls. One day he was having a conversation with another Christian, who said, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to Him.”

Moody determined to be that man.

And Billy Graham, before he began his ministry, was a dairy farmer in North Carolina. Everyone knew him as Billy Frank. And he would have been about the last person whom people expected to become the most effective evangelist in world history. The Bible says, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” 2 Chronicles 16:9.

Notice this doesn’t say that God is looking for strong people, it says that God is looking “to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” The Bible is replete with stories like that of David, an obscure shepherd boy who was taken out of the fields and raised up to be the greatest king in the history of Israel.

Would you like God to use you to touch the lives of others? 

Would you like God to lead you and speak through you?

God goes out of His way to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

- greg laurie

....armor

 "That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies...." Joshua 7:12

Battle commanders want to know the vulnerabilities of their enemies. Companies want to know the vulnerabilities of their competition. We all need to know our spiritual vulnerability. This is the message God told Joshua when he attempted to go against a small army at Ai, which was the Israelites' second battle in the Promised Land. 

Sometimes we try to figure out why we are not successful in an endeavor from the natural only. We look at all aspects of our performance to see what went wrong. Perhaps our strategy was flawed or our timing was off or our pricing was wrong.

For the people of Israel, it was not easily seen on the surface. Everything seemed just as it should be from Joshua's vantage point, so when his army was soundly defeated, he cried out to God, "Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?" Josh. 7:7.

The people had been defeated because God could not bless them. One person had violated the covenant with God. They were not to take any possessions from the first battle, but one person failed to be obedient and the whole army suffered, there was "sin in the camp".

Sin makes our armor vulnerable to attack from Satan, who then attacks us in the area where we have failed to uphold righteousness. If we break down in moral purity, Satan comes in and establishes a stronghold. 

If we give place to bitterness and unwillingness to forgive, we will break fellowship with God and others. 

If we become money-focused, we will fall into greed and deception. It is a vicious cycle.

Examine your armor today. Make sure you are not susceptible to attack. Begin from a solid spiritual foundation and your chances of success will be great.

- david langerfeld

......known

"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: 'Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.'"Acts 17:22-23

The people in Athens worshipped gods like Zeus, Hermes, and Diana. And to ensure they did not overlook any god, they also gave their worship to a god they did not know.

Many of us go through our life worshipping such gods as Pleasure, Leisure, Entertainment, Security, Power, and Wealth. Then, usually with much less intensity and commitment, we "worship" the Creator of the Universe. It's not surprising that our worship often becomes something we schedule and not something we live. 

We take part in religious activity, but have no idea how to make the Almighty God an integral part of our everyday life. We attend church services, but never give a thought to actually loving God or asking Him for guidance and direction. We may go through the motions of worship, but our hearts are cold and far from the One True God.

We ALL must examine what we believe, and then live a life consistent with that belief. Many people profess belief in God - even the God of the Bible - but have no idea what this belief means or Who they really believe. They believe and then attempt to worship a God they do not know. 

If Christ died for the forgiveness of our sins, was resurrected, and now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession on our behalf, if He will one day return and take us to be with Him for all eternity, then He certainly deserves more than our casual worship and the leftovers of our time.

Our Heavenly Father has been calling us back to an intimate fellowship ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, and His message has remained the same: "Enjoy My creation, but give Me ALL of your heart." He must be given sole possession, without any competition. The true Creator of the Universe will never accept just being one of our many "gods."

Let's proclaim the absolute and unchanging truth, and encourage one another to "wholeheartedly obey the form of teaching to which you were entrusted" Romans 6:17. Let's resolve to live a consistent life - a life of sincere love and faithful service - a life which worships a KNOWN God. 

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