Devotionals Archives

March 17, 2022March 16, 2022

Walk in His Word

¹³Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, ~ 2 Corinthians 4:13

God never fails. It’s us, in this sinful flesh, that fails. We need to set up guards to keep us from giving in to this old sinful flesh. One of the best guards given to us by God Almighty is His Word. We can’t just hide it away in our hearts and expect things to change. That’s a good start, but the Word of God is useless to us unless we use it. We have to speak it, believe it, and live it. What good is the Word of God if we know but don’t use it, believe it, or live by it?

We have to breathe and live His Word, as that is the means of true living. His Word is our offensive and defensive. It never fails. It never steers us wrong. And it wins every battle. When we’re weak, weary, and tired from the battles and struggles of this world, His Word will fight for us. It will strengthen, renew, and revive us. When we’re tormented, in distress, and don’t know where to turn, His Word will bring peace and direction.

Today, speak, believe, abide in, live in, and walk in His Word.

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Grow in Christ Jesus

²A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. ~ Proverbs 18:2

In the Church today, one of our biggest strongholds is pride. We value our own thoughts and opinions over the Truth and Wisdom of God. So, when we are corrected, we feel personally attacked by the correction. This is because we’ve made it about us and what we think is right, instead of about God and what He knows is right. When we do this become like fools because our own understanding and wisdom could never even compete with the ‘foolishness’ of God.

God doesn’t always speak to us directly; He uses us to teach each other. When you’re corrected by God, it’s most likely not going to be face to face on a mountain like Moses or with a sword blocking the path as He did to Balaam. God will most likely use a fellow Christian to correct you. Why? Because iron sharpens iron. We help each other grow in the Spirit. If one person knew and understood everything, then we wouldn’t be the body of Christ. A body cannot function with just one body part. It needs the full system to function properly and accurately.

So, the next time you’re corrected, don’t feel attacked. Don’t get upset and offended. Instead, seek the wisdom of God and search through Scripture to make sure that they are speaking the Truth. Don’t let pride keep you from growing in Christ Jesus.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Grow in Christ Jesus.

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Correctly Use His Name

²⁰They speak against You with malicious intent; Your enemies take Your name in vain. ~ Psalms 139:20

As Christians, we don’t see ourselves as people who take the LORD’s name in vain, but what if we did and we didn’t even realize it? When bad things happen to us, do we blame God? Do we accuse God of not being there for us or causing our tribulation or temptation? These are all ways that we take His name in vain. If we say God has done something, then are we not using His name? And if that is using His name, then wouldn’t saying God has done something He has not done be taking His name in vain?

We’ve all blamed God for something that has gone wrong in our life or maybe a temptation that feels too strong for us to overcome, but we don’t have to feel shame or condemnation. Our God holds no condemnation for those who humble themselves before Him and change their ways. This offense isn’t too painful for God to forgive. He’s waiting for you to repent that He might take you to the next level.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Correctly Use His Name.

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Confirm With God

³³ Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. ³⁴ In fact, in His public ministry He never taught without using parables; but afterward, when He was alone with His disciples, He explained everything to them. ~ Mark 4:33-34^NLT

Often times things happen in our lives that we don’t understand. The people around us will try to guess, they may even say they got a word from God, but we can’t always take man’s word for it. We always have to go to God before we accept any word from man. Even the people of Berea questioned Paul and searched Scripture to see if what he was teaching was true. Nothing has changed today; we still have to seek the truth behind words given to us by men, whether it’s their own words or words from God.

We can’t just blindly take people’s word for it. They could feel as if they were getting a word from God, but it could be the Devil in disguise trying to deceive you and that person. Or the person could be a plant in your life sent to take away your blessing and betray you. Or the person could have only been given part of a word from God, and you have to seek God for the rest of the word. Either way, never just accept a word from anyone. Always bring it to God first that He might either confirm or reject the word given to you. Trust the LORD above all others; lean not on your own understanding nor the understanding of others. Let the LORD lead your life and let His word be a lamp on to your feet and a light on to your path.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Confirm With God.

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Keep Your Peace

³⁹ When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ Then He asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” ~ Mark 4:39-40^NLT

Fear comes in like a storm pushing against our boat. It tells us that we’re gonna sink. It distracts us with large waves and crashing winds so that we forget that God Himself is in the boat with us. That the commander of the winds and waves is with us, and we have nothing to fear.

So, as the boat is shaking and the waves are threatening to sink you, keep your peace and have faith in the Savior of the world. He isn’t just asleep in the boat with you; He’s given you authority in His name. So, stand firm and speak to the wind and waves around you in faith and confidence in Jesus Christ, your Savior.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Keep Your Peace.

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Turn In Here

⁴ “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks sense she says, ⁵ “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. ⁶ Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.” ~ Proverbs 9:4-6

So many of us struggle with understanding the Bible. I’ve heard so many say that we can’t truly know the Truth of what God meant when He breathed out Scripture, but look at what Wisdom promises us. The Spirit of Wisdom promises that if we seek her, we will find her.

We don’t have to stay ignorant of God’s Word. We don’t have to lack understanding. As long as we seek wisdom, we will find wisdom. God’s desire is for us to know Him, and the only way to do that is to read His autobiography. So, when you read your Bible, and you don’t understand what it’s saying, ask God for the wisdom to understand, and He will give you understanding.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Turn In Here.

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Accept Instruction

⁹ Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. ~ Proverbs 9:9

In our society today, we take correction personally. It’s almost as if the person correcting us is coming after us directly instead of trying to help us grow in Christ. The reason we’re offended by correction is because of one of the strongest strongholds, pride. Pride blinds us to the truth of situations and keeps us stuck where we are never able to move forward.

Jesus said, ‘Blessed is he who isn’t offended by me.’ Jesus was the ultimate corrector. It wasn’t because He wanted to call people out on their ignorance; it was because He wanted and still wants us to continue to grow in wisdom and understanding. He wants us to go from glory to glory.

Look at what the verse says again, The wise man who receives instruction becomes more wise. Just because the wise man received instruction, it didn’t mean he was no longer wise; in fact, it made him the more wiser. The wise man was wise not because he knew and understood much but because he could take instruction and continue to grow. So, when someone gives you instruction or correction, accept it and grow. Don’t allow pride to keep you from the next level of glory God has in store for you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Accept Instruction.

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Learn What Love Is

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ~ John 3:16

True love is not only patient, but true love is kind. It does not return railing for railing. Jesus is our perfect example of love and kindness. Kindness forgives. Jesus was beaten. He was spit upon. They slapped Him in His face. They mocked Him. They publicly humiliated Him. Then they made Him carry His own cross to Calvary to be crucified for crimes He did not commit.

They stretched out His arms and nailed His hands to the cross. Then they stretched out His legs and nailed His feet to the cross. Then they lifted Him up, and He hung between heaven and earth. And there, our Savior died for our sins.

He could have called ten thousand angels, but He refused to return railing for railing but instead returned love for hate. And some of His very last words, just before He died for the same ones who crucified Him, were: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” That is love. That is kindness. When you can forgive like that and overlook those who hurt you like that, you have learned what love is.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Learn What Love Is.

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Burn Off Your Dead Man

¹³ But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, ¹⁴ for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” ~ Ephesians 5:13-14

Sin thrives in darkness. That’s where it grows and multiplies. The darkness is its home. In order to remove or overcome sin, we have to place it in the light at the feet of Jesus. In other words, we have to pray about it. We can’t keep trying to battle it on our own because we’ll get nowhere. We can’t overcome on our own, and the sad part is, deep down, we all know it.

We all know that we can’t overcome our sin on our own, yet we are determined to try to keep it from God and do it on our own. Why? Could it be because we don’t truly wanna let it go? Darkness, oftentimes, is like false security. For whatever reason, when we’re afraid at night, we feel safer under the covers in our bed. Yet that isn’t providing any actual safety. That’s what the darkness is for us. We know that pretending our sin isn’t there or ‘trying’ to clean ourselves alone isn’t going to actually set us free, yet we still do it for the false sense of security. We’ve become like vampires.

Imagine this; vampires are literally the walking dead that avoid the sun because it burns them, so they hide from it. What if they avoid the sun because it’s killing the dead in them so that they might live again. But they avoid it because it hurts to go through. That’s how the darkness and sin keep us trapped. It lies to us, telling us that we can either overcome it on our own or hide it from God so that we never venture into the light. Then it tells us that we’ll die if we go into the light. If we bring this before the LORD, it’ll be a rough road like never before. It’ll be like one going through withdrawals, and even if you make it, no one will ever accept that you’ve changed. They’ll never see you for anything other than your past; you’ll still be dead to them.

But the Devil is a liar. Yes, walking into the light won’t be easy. Overcoming sin is a daily struggle that some days feels like more than you can take, but with each moment you stay in the light of Jesus, the more the dead person that you once were, burns off and the new person God is molding you into shines through. It’s not gonna be easy, and it won’t happen overnight, but hold on to God, and you will overcome through Christ Jesus.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Burn Off Your Dead Man.

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Do You Trust Him?

¹⁰So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” ¹¹And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” ¹²And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” ¹³And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son.” ~ 1 Kings 17:10-13

Jesus asked the question, ‘When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?’ This is the same kind of faith God was searching for in the widow at Zarephath. The faith that no matter what, you’ll be obedient to God. The faith of Noah when he built the Ark regardless of whether or not he saw even a hint of rain. The faith of Abraham when he was willing to sacrifice Isaac. The faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they were willing to die for their faith. Faith is what connects us to God. It’s what saves us. But we struggle with faith today.

We struggle with giving God our everything. It’s difficult to see the goodness of God when He’s asking us to risk or sacrifice something we love in the name of faith and obedience. Sometimes God is asking us to risk our entire reputation and relationships in order to give Him everything. Sometimes it’s our job, or our house, or our security. Sometimes it’s even our own lives, but God doesn’t do this just to see if we’ll do it. He doesn’t do it just for so; God tests our faith that He might know who truly loves Him. He’s making sure that you love Him in the good and in the bad. That you’ll love Him regardless of what circumstance you are currently in. God doesn’t just want to be a meal ticket; He wants a relationship with you. He wants you to trust Him with everything in you. He wants you to love Him for Him, not for what comes with Him. And when we love Him, He, in turn, draws closer to us. He draws closer than any brother or any friend. He never lets us go.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Have Faith.

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