DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 8.21.15

NOTE: [PLEASE EXCUSE THE SYMBOLS MIXED IN WITH THE WORDS. THIS IS THE WAY THAT IT IS SHOWING UP WHEN I RECEIVE THEM. IT MIGHT BE ON THEIR END AND NOT MINE. IT TAKES WAY TOO LONG TO EDIT THEM ALL.]

 

The Priority of Obedience

John 14:23-26
The Creator gave two commands to Adam and Eve—first, to fill the earth and rule over it, and second, not to eat from a certain tree in the Garden (Gen. 1:28; 2:17). Because they chose to disobey, their relationship with God was broken, and they had to leave Eden.
The first couple’s rebellion not only impacted their own lives but also had far broader implications: all future generations have suffered. In Romans 5:12-19, the apostle Paul explained the reason. Through the trespass of one man, Adam, sin made its entrance into the world, and death resulted for all mankind. Because Adam was head of the human race, his actions affected everyone born after him. His disobedience resulted in each of us having a bent away from the Lord and a desire for self-rule.
By contrast, Jesus made conformity to the Lord’s will the priority of His life. He obeyed God in both word and deed (John 8:28-29). Having lived a perfect life—one entirely without sin—He qualified to be our Savior (2 Cor. 5:21). Through the death of one man, Christ Jesus, payment was made for the transgressions of all mankind. God’s acceptance of the Son’s sacrifice brought us forgiveness and freedom from sin’s power.
Adam’s disobedience brought judgment and death upon us, whereas Jesus’ obedience resulted in new life for all who believe in Him (Rom. 6:4). Our Savior calls us to deny selfish desires, live sacrificially, and follow Him (Matt. 16:24). A godly life will bring Jesus honor and influence others for Him.

The Scattering Hammer
Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29)

 

One of the most picturesque of the figures used to describe the Holy Scriptures is that of the hammer striking and shattering a rock. In this text, however, the “rock” is literally a mighty rock mountain.

 

Furthermore, the effect of the hammer is to “break in pieces.” This phrase actually is a single Hebrew word which normally means “disperse,” or “scatter abroad,” usually used in describing the worldwide dispersion of the children of Israel. It was used even earlier for the first dispersion at Babel: “So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth” (Genesis 11:8). Perhaps most significantly of all, it is used in the prophecy of Zechariah 13:7: “Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.”

 

This verse was quoted by the Lord Jesus just after the last supper and applied to Himself: “All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad” (Matthew 26:31). Combining all these themes, our text really seems to be saying: “Is not my word like a mighty hammer from heaven that shatters the great mountain and scatters it abroad?”

 

Our text is inserted in the midst of a stinging rebuke by Jeremiah of Israel’s false prophets, contrasting their lies with the mighty power of God’s true Word. Perhaps it is also a parable of the living Word, who is also the great Rock of ages, as well as the loving Shepherd. When the Rock was shattered, the living stones were ejected from the Rock. The sheep that were thus scattered from the Shepherd became the spreading fire of the written Word, and “they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). HMM

 

Stewardship Warfare
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” (Galatians 5:9)

 

Most of us have seen ripples created from a pebble dropped in a pond. They also make good illustrations of what atheistic and naturalistic science does to truth.

 

The Bible uses a number of illustrations about the importance of getting rid of the source of the problems. The psalmist cried out for strength when he saw the enemies destroying foundations (Psalm 11:3). Jesus warned about the “leaven” of false doctrine (Matthew 16:12). And the prophet noted that if the stump is left, the tree will grow again (Daniel 4:23-26; contrast with Luke 3:9). These principle illustrations warn us to focus on the cause of the error, not the symptoms.

 

It is tempting to go after only the symptoms. The pain of abortion, pornography, flagrant promiscuity, widespread STDs, easy divorce, victimless crimes, political corruption, and so on are very real and terribly destructive. But the core rationale in the educated Western world for all the anti-God, anti-righteous, anti-authority beliefs is atheistic and naturalistic science.

 

Ephesians 6:12 explains that the real battle is “not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” A great part of biblical stewardship must involve direct opposition toward these “rulers of the darkness.”

 

Our “intellectual” world needs the evidence that will expose the atheism in naturalistic science. Christian leaders must not only be trained biblically, but also in a defense of the faith “once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3). That work is extensive, time-consuming, and expensive, and those called to so labor must have the prayer support of other Christians. Please consider co-laboring with us. HMM III

 

The Passion of Stewardship
“And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” (Mark 12:33)

 

The regular diet of TV and Hollywood productions—which have grown far worse in many ways than in the radical 1960s—is rarely scrutinized or criticized. Yet vitriolic attacks on “religion” in the media are both commonplace and increasingly intense. Is there a reason for this passionate aggression?

 

God has a rather “passionate” view about His character and His unique authority in the universe: “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. . . . For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:5-6, 18).

 

We do not and cannot know many details about the great work of God as Creator and on Calvary as Savior. What is very clear, however, is that the same God who created the worlds (Hebrews 1:2) also died on the cross (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16-17).

 

It is nothing short of blasphemy to profess that the omniscient and omnipotent God of love and grace would have effected His creation through the horrific, purposeless, waste-filled and age-long death of billions of living things prior to the rebellion of Adam (Romans 5:12). The naturalistic and evolutionary scheme of atheistic man is contradictory to God’s Word and His revealed character. We are to be committed to what God has said—whether the majority is passionately against it or not. HMM III

 

Stewardship Strength
“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” (1 Samuel 17:45)

 

Our Lord Jesus taught us to expect ongoing instability until He returned (Matthew 24:6). Sometimes, it seems, we must be reminded by circumstances that this world is not our home!

 

Psalm 2 is a rather important perspective for God’s people to keep in mind. Physical circumstances often seem rather bleak, and the “bad guys” seem to have it their way much of the time (Psalm 73). But we are continually reminded that their apparent success should not trouble us (Psalm 37:1; Proverbs 3:31-34; etc.), for “he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision” (Psalm 2:4).

 

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

 

This verse encourages the ministry of the Institute for Creation Research. We see ourselves as fighting the “imaginations” and the “strong holds” of those who would dare to set themselves against the authority of Scripture and the evidence of the Creator and His creation. The Western world has embraced the anti-God and anti-gospel message of evolutionary naturalism as its religion. ICR wages spiritual warfare against that terrible lie. The battle is very specialized in our world today. God has brought dedicated “warriors” to ICR to engage the enemy, and we invite you to join us in that mission with your support and intercessory prayer. HMM III

 

Stewardship Investment
“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21)

 

Taxes have been a part of civilizations for thousands of years. Even our Lord Jesus found the subject important enough to comment on. We all have responsibilities to pay “tribute” or taxes to those in authority over us.

 

But tribute money is not ours! In fact, the whole concept of a tribute was initiated by God Himself in the tithe. God said that one tenth of the “firstfruits” belonged to Him (Malachi 3:8-10; 1 Corinthians 16:2). The Creator God, of course, is the ultimate Owner of all things (Psalm 50:7-12). We are to be His “stewards” (Luke 12:42; 1 Corinthians 4:2) and have been delegated the responsibility to “occupy” until He comes back (Luke 19:13; Matthew 25:14).

 

Although we have “use” of money, we also have certain obligations for that money. We may have freedom to do with the money whatever we wish, but we will suffer consequences if we choose to ignore the responsibilities to “render,” or pay, our “tribute to whom tribute is due” (Romans 13:7).

 

We also have the freedom to invest. God richly rewarded those who made eternally wise investments with the “pounds” and “talents” that they received from Him (Matthew 25; Luke 19). The tithe belongs to the Lord and should be deposited in the Bible-preaching church where we fellowship. Our gifts and offerings may be deposited into Kingdom investments that will reap eternal dividends in the ages to come. What are you investing in?

 

The Institute for Creation Research invests in the ministry that confronts the godless worldview of evolutionary naturalism that is robbing the minds and wrecking the faith of so many in our day. Invest with us in this challenging work. HMM III

 

Let's Stop Begging for Acceptance
LYNN COWELL

"Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong." Acts 3:7 (NIV)

I shouldn’t even be thinking this.

But that didn’t change the fact that I was.

The parade of beautiful women dancing at the game during halftime sent my mind reeling.

How did they get to be so … perfect?

To be honest, my thoughts caught me off guard. Of all things! Body image is a topic I often speak and write about to girls and women. Why was I thinking these thoughts, especially considering most of the women were probably 20 years my junior?

My body was in the bleachers, but my mind was at the gate.

Let me explain.

In Acts 3:1, Jesus’ disciples, Peter and John, were on their way to the temple to pray when they saw a crippled man. Every day this man was put outside the temple gate to beg. Because of its size and magnificence, the name of this entrance into the temple court area was called Beautiful.

When the crippled man saw Peter and John entering the gate, he asked them for money. "… Peter said, Ã¢â‚¬ËœLook at us!’ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them" (Acts 3:4b-5, NIV).

The crippled man had a need and he looked to others to meet it.

As I read this encounter, the name of the gate struck me.

Beautiful.

I immediately thought of our children as they head back to school. Our culture’s obsession with external, physical beauty can put them in a place similar to the beggar. Ads, TV and social media constantly shout what acceptable looks like. And it doesn’t stop there. They might even receive signals to become beautiful from friends and yes, even from us, their family.

Other times, pressure to arrive at Beautiful comes from within. Every day many of us go to our closets, mirrors or make-up bags for the tools we think we need to achieve beauty.

The gate called Beautiful might be the scale we hope will tell us the right number, the gym we join to become the right size or the mall we cruise through looking for the right outfit.

We go to the gate Beautiful and there we beg for what we need for that day: acceptance, approval and affirmation. It’s not enough to sustain us, though. Tomorrow, searching again, we’ll return.

We’ll go back and so will our children. They’re watching us, taking their cue on how to be acceptable from us.

The crippled man had to beg every day as well. I’m sure he never dreamed Jesus would meet his needs for good.

We each desire value and significance. As our children head back to school, they also need to find approval in their world.

Like the crippled man in today’s key verse, Jesus offers His helping hand to each of us. It’s the hand that will heal us, and put our begging days behind us. Jesus wants us to stop begging at society’s gate for what He freely gives.

With the power of the Holy Spirit we can say: "No more!" No more will we beg when Christ died to give us the acceptance we need. Like the crippled man, let’s take His hand and look to Him each day for strength and approval.

Dear Jesus, I don’t want to go to the gate of society’s definition of beautiful. I don’t want to pass this burden on to my friends and family, either. You are the One who has everything I need for significance and strength. Today, I come to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

How to Live a Satisfied Life
SARAH MAE

"Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life." Genesis 25:8a (NASB)

I was lying in bed one morning, my sweet daughter Caroline tucked in close, as I rubbed her head.

She had come down a few minutes earlier to snuggle. It was early, 5:30 a.m., but the sun shone through my bedroom window, gently easing me awake.

As I stroked her soft hair, I kept thinking about how much I love her and how she is growing up so fast. Six years old now.

Four years ago I wrote about how exhausting it is to tend to little ones, especially at bedtime when you're spent and just need a break. But how yet, even in the crazy hardness of it all, God made it so that our little ones would need us. Close, and soothing and available. I find that those words are just as true today. She still needs me, pulled in close, surrounding her with comfort and love.

And so I do this. I let her get into bed with me in the early-morning hours because I don't want to miss it at this precious time, this cuddly, sleepy, warm, tender time. I know it is only for a season, and one day, it will be gone. But I have the here and now; I have today to take it in and enjoy.

And this is how I want to live, taking in these moments so that I can look back on my life and not regret that I missed them.

Every day I get the opportunity to start new. Every day I can begin again. Maybe I missed it yesterday. Maybe I got too busy or I got sucked into Facebook, or I just didn't want to play with my kids. Those are the moments that keep me up at night. Those are the moments I need God's grace to cover me so I can start over. I need His help every day.

This loving, this mothering, this living that I'm doing requires sacrifice and work, and I need daily reminders of this truth, or I will let the days carry me off, one rolling into another. I don't want to regret my days because I don't want to regret my life.

Here's the thing about regret: We can't escape it because we can't escape sin.

We will have things and times and decisions we will regret over the course of our lives. The key to really living, to living unregrettably, is not to have no regrets, it's to know and choose to begin again. It's to be fully awake to our decisions. It's to choose the direction of our lives the best that we can, with who we are and where we are. It's to trust God, walking forward in faith, knowing that He delights in us as we delight in Him and the good things He gives us.

We can live in such a way that at the end, we can die satisfied with how we lived.

Satisfied. Not perfect.

Abraham died satisfied with his life, but we know that he sinned and made poor decisions in his life. He didn't live perfectly, but He followed God by faith, and he lived a well-spent life. He died satisfied.

When we sin or fail or botch up something again, we can decide to move forward, learning from it, and beginning again and again and again. This is how we keep on.

This is how we live a satisfied life.

Heavenly Father, thank You that You don't leave me in my mess. Thank You that Your mercies are new every day, and that I can begin again. Help me to never forget Your grace, and please help me to live a life that is well-spent. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

 The Rewards of Patience

Psalms 40

 

The Scriptures contain many stories of people who waited years or even decades before the Lord's promises came to pass. What modern believers can learn from the patience of biblical saints like Abraham, Joseph, David, and Paul is that waiting upon the Lord has eternal rewards.

 

Today let's look at Israel's most memorable monarch. David was the chosen heir to Israel's throne, but he spent years dodging King Saul's wrathful pursuit. Despite having two different opportunities for vengeance, David resisted the temptation and spared Saul's life. He chose to adhere to God's timetable for his coronation instead of dishonoring the Lord by killing the divinely anointed king. David's psalms reveal his intimate awareness of Yahweh's work in his life. The shepherd king not only achieved his objective through patience; he also observed that God's way was always best.

 

David left behind an incredible testimony of God's faithfulness for each of us to read and meditate upon. He was committed to waiting upon the Lord, and as a result, he had the Father's approval and blessing. We cannot underestimate the reward of living in divine favor. That isn't a special state reserved for "giants of the faith" like David. All who obediently endure until the Lord acts on their behalf abide in His favor.

 

David didn't receive his blessings because he was special; he was honored among men because he honored the Lord above all. And since he trusted in God's faithfulness, he endured hardship with patience. We, too, can expect to be blessed when we wait upon the Lord.

 

How to Hold On

 

Psalms 37:5-7

 

Job was a man who certainly knew trouble and temptation, and yet he boldly claimed, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him" (Job 13:15). That is commitment. Job had lost his children, his fortune, and his health, but he refused to abandon faith in God. The stricken man was determined to hold on because he trusted the Lord to do right.

 

Unwavering commitment to trust the Lord in all situations is a cornerstone of unshakable faith. From the vantage point of that foundation, we can focus our eyes upon God alone. It is easy to be distracted by circumstances and allow them to dictate our emotions. But if that's the case, then when life is good, we're happy; when times are tough, we're frustrated; and when hardship pours in, we're downright miserable and looking for escape.

 

Unlike Job, we are fortunate to have Scripture, which reveals God's nature and promises. And it is a wise believer who claims those promises when enduring hardship. For His Word tells us that our Father is always good, always just, always faithful, and always trustworthy. When we take our eyes off the whirl of day-to-day activity and concentrate on honoring Him and following in His way, we find a consistent peace that carries us through both plenty and poverty.

 

In order to hold on to God through any trial or temptation, commit to trust and follow Him all of your days. Lay claim to His promises: The unchanging Lord and Savior (Heb. 13:8) is committed to caring for you in all circumstances (1 Peter 5:7) and will never leave or forsake you (Heb. 13:5).

 

Baptism: Identifying with Christ

Matthew 3

 

Christ began His public ministry with baptism. At the time, John the Baptist was calling people to confess their sins and demonstrate repentance through immersion in the river. So why did Jesus, the sinless One, ask to be baptized? At first, John actually refused, knowing Christ was the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). But Jesus wasn't demonstrating repentance; He was sacrificially identifying with sinful humankind.

 

As Christians, we're called to follow His example in all things, becoming more like Him as we grow in our faith. That's why baptism is the first step in following Jesus. As He was willing to identify Himself with us, we publicly identify with Him when we are baptized, which is a symbolic way of declaring, "I have trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior and believe that the debt of my sin is fully paid through His sacrifice. I believe that as He rose from the dead, I will also be resurrected through Him. I look forward to walking in God's will while I'm on the earth and living with Him throughout eternity. Since He loved me enough to identify Himself with me in my sin, I will show my love for Him by following His example right now, and for the rest of my days."

 

Baptism demonstrates our connection not only with Christ but also with our spiritual brothers and sisters--past, present, and future. We're joining everyone who has walked before us in faith, saying that we are members of one body, redeemed and brought to life by the same Lord.

 

The New Birth and Baptism

Romans 6:3-10

 

Jesus commissioned His followers to go and make disciples, "baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19). As the early church spread the gospel message, baptism would follow a new believer's response of faith. It publicly signified that the individual was now a follower of Jesus

 

Metaphors often communicate on a level that words cannot. Baptism is a powerful picture of our salvation experience. Through this act, we proclaim the good news that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again--and testify that we've welcomed His transforming power into our life.

 

The Greek word for "baptize" in Scripture is the same term used to describe a cloth dipped in dye--it refers to total change. So by being plunged into the water, we declare that we're choosing to die to our old way of life and are uniting with Christ. Our sin is buried with Him, and its power is conquered through His atoning death on the cross (Rom. 6:14). When we're raised up out of the water, we affirm His resurrection. Baptism is a symbolic way of expressing that just as the Lord conquered death and rose again, we are spiritually resurrected from death into new life. We are "born again" and irrevocably transformed through the power of His Holy Spirit.

 

In the Bible, the word "believe" isn't a conceptual word describing intellectual agreement alone. It is a word of action. Our belief should never be hidden like a light placed under a bowl (Luke 11:33)--when unbelieving family and friends look at our lives, they need to see the gospel in action.

 

Stewardship Among the Churches
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Revelation 2:29)

 

In Revelation, the Lord Jesus dictated seven poignant letters to seven different churches. Two letters contain praise and commendation. Two give grave warnings. Three are mixed.

 

Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) was faithful in the midst of terrible persecution and was promised a “crown of life” for its steadfast testimony. Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13) was commended because of its attention to the Word that was given as an “open door.” These served with favor and were given a promise for victory. Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) was doctrinally sound but had a love that had grown cold and was in danger of losing the “lamp stand”—the very church relationship that kept them tied to service in the Kingdom. Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) was oblivious to its danger of expulsion. It was neither “cold nor hot” (neutral) and had assumed that being successful and well thought of by the world was the goal of the church.

 

The opposites reflect the reaction among today’s evangelicals to the foundational issues of biblical creationism and the pervasive impact of the approach to biblical inerrancy. Some, like Smyrna, stand firm in spite of denominational disdain, social ostracism, or limited resources. Larger “Philadelphian” churches boldly minister within their spheres of influence, heedless of the pressure to yield to the majority.

 

Sadly, many are like Ephesus and Laodicea, so concerned over doctrinal technicalities that they have lost their love for the Word, the lost, and the Kingdom. More are caught up in the neutrality of acceptance and are concerned with “the praise of men” (John 12:43) rather than “sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3). Of all the resources available to us, God’s Word is the most precious and requires proper stewardship. One day, we will give an account for how we used it. HMM III

 

Marriage Is Honorable
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” (Hebrews 13:4)

 

Ever since the divine union of Adam and Eve, the institution of marriage has been between a man and woman. However, the “bed” has often been defiled, with all kinds of sexual perversions. Homosexual behavior is often mentioned in the Bible, and always explicitly condemned, even being called an “abomination” by the Lord (Leviticus 18:22). Adultery, fornication, prostitution, incest, bestiality, and all forms of sexual practice outside of heterosexual marriage relations are also condemned. Indeed, “God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions” (Ecclesiastes 7:29).

 

Yes, but times have changed, we are told. The so-called “gay” lifestyle is now a normal option, they say, and even “same sex” marriages are acceptable. Premarital sex, as well as adultery, are very common today, all over the world, often even impacting Christian homes and churches. Indeed, the world has changed!

 

But God has not changed, and His commandments and purposes have not changed. “For I am the LORD, I change not” (Malachi 3:6), He says. In the last book of the Bible, the glorified Christ said that “the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

 

The Greek word for “whoremongers,” incidentally, includes anyone who practices or promotes illicit sex of any kind and the Bible says that “whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” However, God will forgive and purge away any of these sins when they are repudiated and Christ is accepted as Savior. HMM

 

 And God Said, "Ta-da!"
LIZ CURTIS HIGGS

"For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation." Psalm 149:4 (NASB)

Feeling less than likeable? A far cry from beautiful? Today’s encouragement from God’s Word might be just what you need to change your view.

First, the Lord takes pleasure in you. He doesn’t simply accept you, forgive you or put up with you. He delights in your company. He celebrates your place in His kingdom. "As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you" (Isaiah 62:5b, NIV).

What about your family history, your personality, your popularity? People worry about those things, but not the Lord.

So, your education, your resume, your bank balance? Impressive or not, none of that changes how God values you.

Even your behavior doesn’t alter His kind affection for you. His love is unconditional and irrevocable. God doesn’t love you because you’re wealthy or clever or good. He loves you because you’re His. "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1 John 3:1a, NIV).

Even more good news? The Lord says you are beautiful. Not just slightly attractive or marginally appealing. Beautiful. You are lovely to look at because "God created mankind in his own image" (Genesis 1:27a, NIV). And that includes you.

As today’s verse, Psalm 149:4b, tells us, "He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation." You are beautiful beyond description when you’re covered in His grace.

We are endlessly obsessed with our earthly appearance, doing everything possible to look our best, to measure up, to please others. Yet invariably, we look in the mirror and are disappointed with the results.

But not God. He knew exactly what He was doing the day He knit you together in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13).

Some women are quick to say, "Maybe God was pleased when He made me, but I’m not sure He’s happy with how I turned out …"

Listen. God knows your first breath and your last (Psalm 139:16), He counts every hair on your head (Matthew 10:30), and He stores all your tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). Our God? He is not surprised or disappointed with how you turned out. He loved you then, He loves you still and He will love you forever.

We get in trouble when we compare ourselves to others, always finding someone who is younger, taller, thinner, more athletic, more graceful … the list goes on.

But God does not compare. God does not clone. Each of us is a unique work of His creation. You are God’s definition of beautiful for you, beloved. Are you ready to see yourself as God sees you?

Here’s a simple exercise I’ve been teaching women for ages. Every morning, stand in front of a mirror (fully dressed, of course), stretch up your arms with joy, and say it like you mean it: "Ta-da!"

Feels good, yes? Looks good, too. You can’t say it without smiling, which always improves things. "Ta-da!" is the LRV (the Lizzie Revised Version) of "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good" (Genesis 1:31a, NIV).

We’ve all known beautiful women who, when they opened their mouths, quickly lost their appeal. And we’ve also known average-looking women who love the Lord with all their hearts, and it shows on their radiant faces. Gorgeous.

When the light of Christ shines through us, we are utterly transformed. That’s the real story, the hope of glory, the ultimate "Ta-da!"

Father God, many of us have struggled with our appearance or sense of worth all of our lives. Let this be the day we turn away from the world’s lies and embrace the truth of Your Word and the beauty of Your Son. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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