DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 8.1.20

Just Turn It Off - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. -Ephesians 6:11 One morning many years ago, our sons Christopher and Jonathan were sitting at the table eating breakfast and watching cartoons. Christopher was around 11 or 12 at the time,and Jonathan was still young enough to be in a high chair. Christopher was running behind schedule, so my wife, Cathe, said, "Christopher, turn off the TV, go upstairs, make your bed, and get ready for school." But he just kept eating cereal and watching the cartoon. So Cathe told him, "Christopher, did you hear what I said? Turn off the TV, go upstairs, make your bed, and getready for school." Christopher ignored her again, so she said it a third time. But before she could come back for the fourth time, Jonathan climbed out of his high chair, walked over to the TV, turned it off, and then said to his brother, "Go makeyour bed!" And amazingly, Christopher got up from the table and walked upstairs. Sometimes the best thing to do is just turn it off. Temptation starts in the mind, so be practical. Did you know that if you're sitting in a movie theater and something comes on that you shouldn't watch, you can actuallyget up and walk out? Or, more likely these days, if you're watching TV and a scene comes on that you shouldn't be seeing, don't watch it anymore. Turn it off. And if you're married and considering an adulterous fling, here's what you need to know: your sin will find you out (see Numbers 32:23). You're headed down a road that willlead you to a miserable end. If only we would think these things through and take practical steps to protect ourselves. We need to keep our spiritual armor on at all times. We need to keep our guard up and be aware that the enemy can hit us at any time. He Shall Judge the World “Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness,and the people with his truth.” (Psalm96:13) Those men and women who reject or ignore the wonderful offer of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ need somehow to realize the eternal consequences of their foolishness. Jesus Christ was not just a religious teacher in Israel 2,000 years ago but is thevery God who created them, the Second Person of the triune Godhead (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). God the Father “created all things by Jesus Christ” (Ephesians3:9) and therefore “hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John5:22). And on what basis will He judge us? Our text tells us that “righteousness” and “truth” are the criteria. The problem is that “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans3:10). “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1John 2:4). However, the Lord Jesus was incarnate truth and righteousness, and God “hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2Corinthians 5:21). Christ has made eternal salvation available freely to us. There is no other way. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John3:36). But how do we know that all this is not just a peculiar doctrine of one particular religion? Here is how: God “hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts17:31). By defeating death itself, Christ has vindicated His claim to be the Judge of all! HMM Givento Us Eternal Life �And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.� (1John 5:11) Our text for today contains truths that provide great power and comfort for Christians. Let us reflect on some of them. The word �record� needs amplification. In noun form, it means �the evidence given,� and in verb form it means �testify,� or �witness.� The apostle John used it nine times in verses 7 through 11. Study of our text and its context shows that the record mentionedis none other than the great truth that Christ Jesus was God�s only Son and that He died as a perfect and fully sufficient sacrifice to provide us life eternal. In our text, we see that this work of bestowing eternal life is God�s work. It is �not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us� (Titus3:5). This eternal life is our present possession, for He �hath given� it to us (i.e., in the past). This gift is to individuals�to �us��not to a nation or even the church, but to those who have believed. Furthermore, this �eternal life� is eternal! Itwill last for eternity and cannot be taken away. It is inconceivable for an omnipotent God to give �eternal life� temporarily. We are alive in Him, having been born (again) into His family. This is a permanent situation. The tense shifts to the present in the last phrase of the text. Our �life is in his Son.� We are �in him....This is the true God, and eternal life� (1 John 5:20).Our life finds its vitality in living union with the Son. His death and resurrection made life possible, and now His present life is ours. His Spirit, resident within us, provides this vitality, and since the Spirit of God is eternal, our life is eternal. �These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God� (v. 13). JDM Can You Trust Your Conscience? 1Timothy 1:5-7 Let your conscience be your guide. This bit of folk wisdom seems to make sense since our conscience is designed to help us discern right from wrong. However, people cannot always trust their internal radar to steer them correctly; this is the caseparticularly with unbelievers, who don’t have the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and offer guidance for wise decisions. And while Christians do have God’s indwelling Spirit, they should be careful not to harbor sin in their lives, as that can interfere with the way their morality sensor functions. Our Role in Temptation - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When youare tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. -1 Corinthians 10:13 Where does temptation come from? Many of us would say that it comes from the devil. There's truth to that, of course. But even if the devil just took a month off every year,we'd still get ourselves into trouble. All of us will be tempted at one time or another. The apostle Paul wrote, "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful.He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure" (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT). Yet there's something we need to recognize: we play a key role in our own temptation. James tells us, "Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, itgives birth to death" (James 1:14-15 NLT). In this verse James breaks down the steps of temptation for us. First, we're drawn away by our own desires. The temptation comes to mind and we say, "I'm not going to do it, but I'll just take it for a test drive. I'll kind of thinkit through. What would it be like?" But then we take the bait, which makes us responsible. And we're under its power, and frankly we're enjoying the experience. There's a momentary euphoria in sin. Next, the problem is already in full bloom because we effectively bit on the hook. Then we're enticed and drawn away. And ultimately that gives birth to sin. We play a key role in our own temptation because the devil needs our cooperation in this area. And where there's no desire on our part, there's no temptation. Remember, it isn't the bait that constitutes temptation. It's the bite. The Everlasting Covenant “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep,through the blood of the everlasting covenant.” (Hebrews13:20) This is the only verse in the book of Hebrews that refers specifically to Christ’s resurrection from the dead. It occurs at the climactic conclusion of the book (which had previously referred at least 17 times to the atoning death of Christ) and is associatedwith God’s everlasting covenant with His people. The covenant theme is strong in Hebrews. The Greek word diatheke, which is also frequently translated “testament,” occurs more in Hebrews than in all the rest of the New Testament (or “New Covenant”) put together. The word basically means a contract,especially one for disposition of an inheritance. A number of God’s divine covenants are mentioned in Scripture, but the writer of Hebrews is especially concerned with God’s new covenant (or “new testament”). It is surely the most significant of all covenants. This new covenant is also called “a better covenant” (Hebrews7:22; 8:6). It is best defined in Hebrews 8:10-12, quoting Jeremiah 31:33-34: “I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts:…and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Christ is “the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressionsthat were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Hebrews9:15). The inheritance is eternal because the covenant is everlasting. The blood of the covenant is the infinitely precious blood of Christ, whom God has raised from the dead, and now “he ever liveth to make intercession” for all those who “come unto God by him” (Hebrews7:25). HMM PlacesHe Has Been “And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.” (John 18:2) In the 18th and 19th chapters of John’s gospel, there are four “places” where Jesus had to go to accomplish our salvation. The first was the place as noted in our text: He, “knowing all things that should come upon him” (John18:4), nevertheless went directly to that place, knowing that Judas would meet Him there. Then He went to the place of trial: “Pilate…brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called…Gabbatha” (John 19:13). ButHe did not stay there long; the mockery of a trial was soon over, and Pilate delivered Him to be crucified. “And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull” (John19:16-17). And in that place called Golgotha, He died for our sins. He was betrayed in a place called Gethsemane, condemned in a place called Gabbatha, and crucified in a place called Golgotha. But that was not all; He must yet be laid in a tomb. “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the gardena new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus” (John 19:41-42). And that also was the place from which He arose, and our salvation was secured forever! Now, just before this amazing four-place itinerary of our Lord Jesus, He had promised still another place to which He would be going. “In my Father’s house are many mansions.…I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John14:2-3). Because He went to a place called Calvary, we shall soon be with Him forever in a place called heaven! HMM God Uses the Wicked Genesis 37 When we don't understand what God is doing or why, His ways can seem perplexing. The times when ungodly people seem to triumph over the righteous make us scratch our heads and wonder why the Lord doesn't intervene. But the truth is, He often uses the wicked to accomplish His purpose. Joseph faced one hard-hearted individual after another during his years in exile. His brothers shipped him off to Egypt. His boss's wife accused him of an unspeakable crime. And even those he helped, like Pharaoh's cupbearer, forgot about him (Gen.40:23). The actions (or seeming inactions) of God make little sense at this point. But once the story of Joseph's life was written in full, it was clear that everyone who harmed or neglected the young man contributed to God's plan. The Lord used numerous people across several years to bring a humbled young Hebrew unexpectedly to powerat the right moment to spare his family--who were the Messiah's ancestors--from the effects of famine. In our circumstances, we can see God's actions only from the limited vantage point of our humanness. We experience the events He has allowed or caused but can't discern what He is thinking. Often the Lord's goals and purposes are hidden from us until Hisplans come to fruition. God is sovereign over all the earth. We may wonder at the strange or even terrifying turns our lives take, but we can be certain that He is in control and at work. The wicked may triumph for a season, but the final, eternal victory belongs to Christ andHis righteous followers. With the Rich in His Death “And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence,neither was any deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah53:9) It is generally recognized that the amazing 53rd chapter of Isaiah, written over 500 years earlier, is the most explicit and complete exposition of the substitutionary suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ in all the Bible, including even the New Testamentaccounts. And this prophecy that His death and burial would be with both the “wicked, and with the rich” is surely one of the most remarkable. How could such a prediction possibly come to pass? Yet, it did! Unjustly condemned, not for any violent or deceitful acts, but only for telling the truth, Jesus was crucified between two wicked criminals, yet He was buried in a garden tomb lovingly built by a rich member of the council that had condemned Himto death. Furthermore, that elaborate tomb had almost certainly been personally designed and built ahead of time by Joseph in specific anticipation of using it to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy. That wealthy owner of the tomb lived in Arimathea and would never have builta tomb for himself or his family near Calvary, the place of crucifixion. But he and a friend on the council (Nicodemus) had somehow come to believe in Jesus and His gospel and decided they were the ones that should render this service. Perhaps, as they looked up at the body of the Lord on the cross just before removing it for burial, they remembered His words to Nicodemus three years earlier, when He had said: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son ofman be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John3:14-15). They had indeed believed, no doubt suffering severe loss, but they had done what they could for Christ. HMM Honor God in Your Work by Max Lucado Heaven�s calendar has seven Sundays a week. God sanctifies each day. He conducts holy business at all hours and in all places. He uncommons the common by turning kitchen sinks into shrines, caf�s into convents, and nine-to-five workdays into spiritual adventures. Workdays? Yes, workdays. He ordained your work as something good. Before he gave Adam a wife or a child, even before he gave Adam britches, God gave Adam a job. �Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keepit� (Gen.2:15 NASB). Innocence, not indolence, characterized the first family. God views work worthy of its own engraved commandment: �You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest� (Exod.34:21 NASB). We like the second half of that verse. But emphasis on the day of rest might cause us to miss the command to work: �You shall work six days.� Whether you work at home or in the marketplace, your work matters to God. Defeating the Devil's Strategies John 21:15-19 All of us make tracks through the valley of failure. Then the key question is, What we will do next? Sadly, many believers who stumble give up a vibrant kingdom-serving life for a defeated existence. But failure can also be a chance for a new beginning ofliving in Christ's strength. In pride, Peter thought his faith was the strongest of all the disciples' and swore that even if the others left Jesus, he never would (Mark 14:29). Yet when the timeof testing came, he denied even knowing Christ--and did so three times (Matt. 26:69-75). Satan hopedthe disciple would be so wounded by his own disloyalty that his faith would be undermined by shame, condemnation, and despair. Likewise, when the Enemy sifts believers today, his goal is for us to become shelved and ineffective for God's kingdom. That's why he goes after our strengths, especially the areas in which we proudly consider ourselves invincible. But if we're willing,the Lord can use our failures to do spiritual housecleaning, as He did in Peter's life. After the resurrection, Jesus met with the disciple personally and restored him, preparing him to become a great leader in the early church. He made it clear that Peter'spotential to serve was defined, not by failure, but by his unwavering love for Christ. Peter laid down his pride, received the healing Jesus offered, and put on courage with the Holy Spirit's help. He then risked his life fearlessly to further the gospel, and many came to Christ through his example. Failure was the catalyst that grew in hima stronger, more authentic faith. Reconciling Love and War Luke6:27-31 One area of confusion about war is the apparent discrepancy between Jesus’ words and God’s approval of battle in the Old Testament. Can such dissimilar teachings be reconciled? How can the God who told Israel to destroy the Canaanites be the same one whosaid, “Love your enemies,do good to those who hate you” (v. 27)? To clarify this issue, we must distinguish between commands issued to nations and instructions given to individuals. The Lord has bestowed certain responsibilities upon governments. He calls them ministers of God for good and entrusts them with avenging evil (Rom.13:4). But to individuals, He says, “Never take your own revenge” (12:19). The Day of Visitation “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers,they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” (1Peter 2:12) This unique expression, “in the day of visitation,” based on a surprising use of the Greek word episkope, occurs one other time in such a way, when Christ wept over Jerusalem and pronounced its coming judgment. “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.…becausethou knewest not the time of thy visitation” (Luke19:42-44). Now this word, episkope, and its derivatives are usually translated as “bishop,” “office of a bishop,” or “bishopric,” and it seems strange at first that it could also mean “visitation.” However, its basic meaning is “overseer” or “oversight,” andthe Lord Jesus Christ Himself is really the “Shepherd and Bishop of [our] souls” (1Peter 2:25), as well as that of nations and, indeed, every aspect of every life. As a bishop or pastor (“shepherd”) is responsible for the “oversight” of his local church, or flock, so Christ is “that great Shepherd of the sheep,” the true “Bishop of [our] souls,” the overseer of all people in every age. In His great plan of the ages, theJews, and then the Gentiles, each have been entrusted with a time of “visitation,” or “oversight,” of God’s witness to the world. Sadly, Jerusalem “knewest not the time of [her] visitation” (Luke19:44) and, as for Judas, the Lord had to say, “his bishoprick let another take” (Acts1:20). Now in God’s providence, it is the time of Gentile oversight, and it is eternally important that we who know His salvation today glorify God by our good works, with our “conversation [i.e., lifestyle] honest among the Gentiles” in our own “day of visitation.” HMM Mary by Max Lucado Marys are gifted with praise. They don’t just sing; they worship. They don’t simply attend church; they go to offer praise. They don’t just talk about Christ; they radiate Christ. Marys have one foot in heaven and the other on a cloud. It’s not easy for them to come to earth, but sometimes they need to. Sometimes they need to be reminded that there are bills to be paid and classes to be taught. But don’t remind them too harshly. Flutesare fragile. Marys are precious souls with tender hearts. If they have found a place at the foot of Jesus, don’t ask them to leave. Much better to ask them to pray for you. That’s what I do. When I find a Mary (or a Michael), I’m quick to ask, “How do I get on your prayer list?” Where Sin Begins - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. -2 Corinthians 10:4 If my son were to sin against me, he wouldn't stop being my son. And when we sin against God, we don't cease being His sons and daughters. We are, however, prodigal sons and daughters. Of course, we like to blame everyone for our sin except ourselves. But we play a role in it. And if you think about the last time you gave in to any sin, you'll realize that it started inyour imagination. Then it led to an action. Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, "But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians11:3 NKJV). He also explained how to win this spiritual battle: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thingthat exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV). Sin has ramifications. First, we feel the guilt-if our consciences are working, that is. Then we experience a dead feeling, which means that sin has done its work and has produced death. Wehaven't experienced separation from God in our relationship, but we have experienced separation from Him in our fellowship. So, when we sin, we need to restore that communication. We need to admit our sin, turn from it, and ask God to forgive us. 1 John 1:9 tells us, "But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithfuland just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness" (NLT). Whatever season we're in, we never can take a vacation from the spiritual battle. The devil doesn't take the day off from it, and we can't either. Refined by Fire 1 Peter 1:6-7 God is always at work in our lives. Even during seasons of adversity, He wants to accomplish something powerful and good. How should this knowledge affect our response? Today's passage teaches us to choose to rejoice during difficult times. This doesn'tmean we have to be happy about the hardship itself. Instead, joy comes from drawing close to the Lord and believing steadfastly that through His redemptive power, He is growing and preparing us. If your usual response to trials is anxiety, anger, or depression,the idea of having joy in the midst of a negative situation might not seem logical. However, if you look beneath the surface, you will discover that this biblical directive makes sense for several reasons. Often, our natural reaction to pain is to run in the opposite direction, and as fast as possible. However, God wants to teach us endurance--much like a long-distance runner builds up strength in training--so that we can fully benefit from what He is doingin our hearts. He uses trials as a refining fire to purify us like gold and bring us to greater spiritual maturity. As we realize that we are actually being made more complete through our adversities, we'll begin to face challenging times with confidence thatHe always has our best interest in mind. While a worldly viewpoint sees hope and joy in the midst of dark times as na�ve, a spiritual perspective discerns that we're really progressing on a journey toward life at its fullest. We can be filled with supernatural joy, knowing that the Lord is makingus into world-changing spiritual warriors. The Powerful Hand of God �Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: whenI call unto them, they stand up together.� (Isaiah48:13) The human hand is an anatomical marvel; nothing remotely comparable exists among the primates or any other animals. It is a marvel of design. But surely the �hand of God��of which a human�s hand is only a very dim shadow�is infinitely more powerful and skillful. Note the testimony of Isaiah 45:12: �I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.� God did not have to use intermediate processes or pre-existing materials. Everythingwas �commanded� into existence, and �I, even my hands,� made all of it, including humans. Creation was direct�a direct product of God�s mighty hands. Not only was it direct, it was also immediate, as our text above makes emphatically plain. His hand laid the earth�s foundation and spanned the heavens. Then, �when I call unto them,� He says, �They stand up together!� Not one by one� firstthe universe, then the sun, then the earth, and so on. No, �they stand up together.� �He spake, and it was done� (Psalm33:9). It did not take 16 billion years; it took six days�and the only reason it took that long was so that God�s workweek could serve as a pattern for people (Exodus20:8-11). God�s hand is omnipotent, and �He�s got the whole world in His hands.� It is wonderful to know His hand is gentle and loving as well as powerful. His hands will bear eternal scars where they were spiked to the cross, because He loved us and died for us. �Mysheep hear my voice,� He says, �and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand� (John10:27-28). The hand that spanned the heavens can hold on to those who trust Him. HMM The Makeover for Your Mind - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. -Psalm 119:11 Parents know that if they want to get a child to drop something, they need to offer something better in its place. We can apply the same principle when sinful thoughts come our way. Scottish minster Thomas Chalmers called this, "the expulsive power of a new affection." This means thatsomething is so powerful that it's more attractive to us than the other thing. In other words, we push the old stuff out of our lives and say, "I don't want that garbage in my life anymore. I have something far better in its place, which is knowingGod." Remember, when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness to turn stones into bread, Jesus responded, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone, but by everyword that comes from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4 NLT). Then the devil took Him to a high point of the temple and essentially said, "Why don't you jump off here, and the angels will catch you?" But Jesus said, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the Lord your God'" (verse 7 NLT). Then the devil wanted Jesus to fall down and worship him. So, Jesus told him, "Get out of here, Satan. For the Scriptures say, 'You must worship the Lord your God and serveonly him'" (verse 10 NLT). How did Christ defend Himself against the onslaught of temptation? He used the Word of God. That's why we need to know Scripture. The psalmist wrote, "I have hidden yourword in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:11 NLT). While it's a good thing to carry a Bible in a purse, backpack, or briefcase, the best place to carry the Word of God is in your heart. Memorize it. Fill your mind with it.Know the Word of God. The Makeover f Failing to Listen to God Genesis3 Listening to God is not a onetime event. We must continually keep His Word before us, or we'll begin to listen to the wrong voices. In Genesis2:16-17, the Lord gave a command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But Eve began to listen to another voice and did not hold firmly to her Creator's words. All that Satan had to do was plant a single doubt about God's integrityand offer Eve one appealing advantage of doing things her own way�and she fell for it. He mentioned wisdom, but using her own reasoning, Eve added two more benefits to the temptation: the fruit is good for food and a delight to the eyes.