DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 12.5.20

The Hour Has Come by Debbie Holloway �The hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed� (Romans13:11). Christmas Eve is a special, ritualistic time for many families, especially ones with young children. Children have an almost tangible energy and near-breathless excitement for the festivities of the next day. Parents have all the gifts wrapped and hiddenin secret closets, simply awaiting nightfall to relocate to their resting place beneath the Christmas tree. Finally, after too many Christmas treats, laying out milk and cookies for Santa, a recitation of T�was The Night Before Christmas and perhaps a reading from the book of Luke, the kids are tucked in bed. The work has been done. No more shopping, no more wrapping, no more commanding the children to stop poking around their parents� bedroom. Preparations have been made. And in the morning, what a glorious day Christmas day will be! The second candle of advent is called the Bethlehem Candle, and it is known as the candle of preparation. We are still near the beginning of advent, with a few weeks to prepare our hearts for the Lord�s coming. For indeed, not only do we commemorate his first comingon December 25th, but we also know that he will come again. Will we make preparations for our Messiah, just as we make preparations for Old St. Nick? Will we spread peace and goodwill, as the angels did on the evening of Christ�s birth? Will we offer even the lowliest parts of our lives up to God, as the farm animals made room for him amongst their beds and feeding troughs? Will we sacrifice unto himeven our most precious treasures, as the Magi did after many months, perhaps even years, of travel? Will we �wake from sleep,� as Paul exhorts, and prepare for salvation? Much preparation is needed to make our lives reflect Christ, and we may feel small and unprepared for such a task. Take comfort, then, that Bethlehem was also considered too small for God�s work. As we light the Bethlehem Candle, remember the ultimate significanceof this tiny town of shepherds and stables: �But you, Bethlehem�though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel� (Micah5:2). The Uniqueness of Christ Matthew 16 When Jesus asked His disciples, �Who do people say that the Son of Man is?� they replied, �Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.� But Peter answered, �You are the Christ, the Son of the livingGod� (Matt. 16:13-16). What set Jesus apart as the Messiah? •His birth: He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born, as prophesied, in Bethlehem to a virgin. Though angels announced His arrival and He reigns over all creation, Jesus entered our world in a lowly manner so He could be identified with the meek and the poor. •His wisdom: At age 12, He spent three days with rabbis, asking questions that showed his uncommon understanding. •His baptism: Though He didn�t need cleansing, Jesus asked John to baptize Him so He could identify with sinners and demonstrate His love to them. •His temptation: Satan tempted Him relentlessly for 40 days, yet He did not sin. •His ministry: He challenged man-made religious traditions. And by healing people�regardless of nationality�raising the dead, and forgiving sins, He revealed that God wants to be involved personally in our lives. Leading Pharisees wantedHim dead, but the Father protected His life until the crucifixion. Many people deny Christ�s deity, calling Him simply a �prophet� or �good teacher.� But Jesus was never merely human. As complex as it is for us to comprehend, He was fully God and fully man. This is the unique way in which our heavenly Father chose to demonstrateHis eternal love for us. Continue �But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thouhast learned them.� (2 Timothy 3:14) This encouraging exhortation by Paul is in the midst of a discouraging prophetic warning of things to come. �In the last days,� he said, �perilous times shall come� (v. 1). We may very well be entering those times, and, in any case, we do well to be alert forthe signs of those times. The doleful description that follows seems to be a very accurate picture of the beliefs and practices of modern secular humanists, including those religionists who have �a form of godliness� but deny �the power thereof� (v. 5 ). Moreover, there is little prospect that the situation will get better, for �evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived,� and �all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution� (vv. 13, 12). Should we, therefore,tremble and flee, or perhaps compromise, or even surrender to such powerful and persuasive deceivers? No, we should continue! Just keep on believing and obeying God�s Word. Even in the dark last days, the �Holy Scriptures� are still able to make a man �wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus� (v. 15). Since they are all �given by inspirationof God,� they are still just as powerful and just as profitable for every need, �that the man of God may be perfect� (that is, ready for whatever comes) and fully equipped �unto all good works� (vv. 16-17). Paul himself set an inspiring example of �patient continuance in well doing� (Romans 2:7) under conditions of great trial. Awaiting execution in a Romandungeon even as he wrote, he still requested his books and parchments (2 Timothy 4:13) that he might continue to study and prepare himself. May God enableus also to continue, to remain, to abide, and to stand in His truth in these last days. HMM Is Satan Spamming You? by Ryan Duncan Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship The Lord your God, and serve Him only.'" - Matthew 4:10 "This stock is about to take off!" ... "You won�t believe this Miracle Pill!" ... "Hello, I am a Nigerian Prince" ... These are only a few of the emails that have ended up in my spam folder. We've all received them, those obnoxiousmessages that try to trick you into sending money or personal information to some unknown source. All spam email follows the same design. First, they open up by preying on a person�s fear, insecurity, or general discontent. After that, they propose a simplesolution, an easy win for the reader, which convinces the reader to put their trust in something very untrustworthy. Thankfully, most computers now come with software to filter out the phony emails. Unfortunately, the same can�t be said for everyday life. I�ve found Satan often uses the same tactics as these spam mails whenever he wants to attack a human being. First,he takes advantage of your worry, your self-image, or something else in your life. Then he offers you something that might fix the problem, but in truth, only makes things worse. These temptations will always be present in life, but Jesus offers us a powerfulreassurance in Matthew 6 that equips us to defend ourselves. "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air,that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how thelilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.� Matthew 6:25-29 Many people have taken this verse to mean that as long as we trust in God, nothing bad will happen. Not so. We live in a fallen world, and bad things are always going to happen. What this verse does promise is that no matter what we face in life, God willalways be there. Sometimes in the healing we desperately prayed for, other times in the shoulder we cry on. The Power Within Acts 1:8 God's Spirit works in every believer. He does not limit Himself to pastors and missionaries. If you've received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, then residing within you is the same great power that raised Christ from the dead (Rom 8:11) The Holy Spirit pours His energy into creating godly character in all who follow the Lord. The fruit of the Spirit is so named because it is the character and conduct that the Holy Spirit produces in believers. These are qualities that we can't generate consistently on our own. The most powerful message we cangive isn't a testimony or sermon; it is the life we live when the pressure is on, temptation is tremendous, or we are buried under an avalanche of problems. TheSettled Word “Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” (Psalm119:89) Most who read the Bible regularly are probably familiar with these sweeping statements from the Scriptures. •“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah55:11). •“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew5:18). •“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew24:35). •“But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1Peter 1:25). On this foundation, the psalmist made additional promises to his Lord in this stanza (Psalm119:89-96). He noted the affliction that almost took his life (v. 92) and the wicked who tried to destroy him (v. 95), common enough occurrences among the godly. But in spite of the troubles in life, this godly man knew that the evidence abounds for God’sfaithfulness throughout the earth (vv. 90-91). God’s 77 rhetorical questions to Job (Job38–41) centered on the evidence of His control and care for the universe. These prompted the psalmist to reiterate his commitment to a firm familiarity with God’s precepts and a continual effort to seek them (Psalm119:93-94). He knew that the wicked would continue trying to destroy, and that human affairs limit the possibility of perfection. But the godly man would understand God’s testimonies, since they are sufficient to apply to all situations (v. 96). HMM III An Introduction to Christ Revelation 1:4-8 The first chapter of Revelation gives a compact description of the Lord. In verses 4 to 8, John condenses the wonder of Jesus Christ to the bare but beautiful essentials of who He is: Jesus Christ is the faithful witness. Jesus came to earth to more fully reveal the character and ways of the Father (John 14:9).The miracles He performed validated His claim to be the Son of God. Jesus Christ is the first-born from the dead. The Savior bore our sins and died on the cross, was buried, and rose again on the third day. His resurrection proved that eternal life is possible for us, too, as Jesus taught in John 11:25: “He who believes in Me will live even if he dies.” Jesus Christ is the ruler of the kings of the earth. It is the Lord who raises men to power, just as it is He who removes them (John19:11; Rom. 13:1). Meanwhile, believers have access to a higher authority. In God’s throne room, we can beseech Him on behalf of our nations and lay claim to His promises. Jesus Christ loves us and released us from our sins by His blood. Note the change of tense in John’s writing. The Lord’s love is ever-present, but He has freed believers from their past. Both the penalty and power of sin have been broken. When people ask you about Jesus, introduce Him by guiding them through this mini-biography. In just a few sentences, John describes Christ’s character, divinity, and authority. The disciple was not timid about proclaiming the Lord. We shouldn’t be shy, either,when we serve so great a Savior. FaithfulSayings “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to savesinners; of whom I am chief.” (1Timothy 1:15) The adjective “faithful” is usually applied either to God or to those godly men and women who remain true to their words and convictions. However, there are eight New Testament references to words (or “sayings”) that are faithful. Six of the references to sayings that are faithful are found in Paul’s pastoral epistles as he gave counsel to young pastors Timothy and Titus, the first being our text for the day. Here are Paul’s faithful sayings: (1) “Christ Jesus came into the world tosave sinners”; (2) “If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work” (1Timothy 3:1); (3) “Bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things” (1Timothy 4:8); (4) “If we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2Timothy 2:11-12); (5) “They which have believed in God [should] be careful to maintain good works” (Titus3:8). The sixth reference is a command that any “bishop” must continue “holding fast the faithful word [same as ‘saying’] as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (Titus1:9). The final two references are in the Bible’s last two chapters, stressing that the words of Revelation are indeed true and believable. After stating His glorious promises for the future life, Christ told John: “Write: for these words [i.e., ‘sayings’] are trueand faithful” (Revelation21:5). Then, after the magnificent description of the Holy City, the angel said: “These sayings are faithful and true” (Revelation22:6). All the Bible’s sayings are true, of course, but these that are specifically called “faithful” surely warrant our special attention. HMM God’s Reminder to Us This Christmas Season: Do Not Fear By Debbie McDaniel "But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy the will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10 Four times in the Christmas story, angels appeared at appointed times to give a message to key individuals who were a part of Jesus' life and birth. And every time, those to whom they appeared were greatly "troubled," "afraid," or even "gripped with fear."And every time the angels said these powerful words, "Do not be afraid..." To the shepherds: "But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy the will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10-11 To Mary: "But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus." Luke 1:30-31 To Joseph: "...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birthto a son and you are to give him he name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:20-21 To Zechariah: "But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid Zechariah, your prayer has been heard, Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you are to give him the name John." Luke 1:13 Just like these in the Christmas story so many years ago, we’re often people who can easily become fearful, troubled, even gripped with fear. It's a natural human emotion, but God never intends for us to stay stuck there. And His powerful words and messageto us is still the same, for He never changes. He says, “Do not fear,” over and over in His Word, reminding us that He is with us. And He made sure it was part of the message given to each of those to whom an angel appeared to announce His Son's birth. "Do not be afraid." For perfect love casts out all fear. Discovering Our True Identity 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Many Christians are experiencing an identity crisis. They know they’re saved, but they don’t really know what to think about themselves. Let’s take a little test. Do you consider yourself a sinner saved by grace or a saint who occasionally sins? Both statementsare true, but the first one dwells on your past identity, whereas the second focuses on the Lord’s perception of you. If you are a believer, God’s Word says that you are a saint (v. 2). But too many of us still see ourselves as the same old sinner, who’s been forgiven and patched up and yet is basically unchanged inside. But the Lord says anyone in Christ “is a new creature;the old things passed away” (2 Cor. 5:17). That’s what being born again is all about. We can never go back to the way we were. The solution to this identity crisis is to change the way we think about ourselves. If we don’t, we’ll rely on how we feel, and Satan will bombard us with reminders of our failures and sins. He wants to keep us focused on being a sinner, because he knowsthat the recognition of our sainthood will lead us to live like saints. We’ll be motivated and empowered to obey God, and the Devil will lose his foothold in our lives. Jesus didn’t come just to save you from hell; He wants to live His life through you. In Christ, you have a new identity which has replaced your old one. If you will focus on who you are now, your actions will follow, and you’ll experience the enjoyment of a victorious Christian life. ComeForth as Gold “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be triedwith fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” (1Peter 1:7) These words of Peter are certainly applicable today, but they have always been true. That proper character and testimony are of supreme importance to God was certainly recognized by godly Job in the midst of his heavy trials, for he claimed: “But he knoweththe way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job23:10). The context for this stirring statement of faith proves instructive. Just as most people do, whether Christian or not, Job appealed to heaven for relief from his troubles (v. 3). Job felt he was suffering unjustly and wanted to state his case before God (v. 4), but more importantly, Job desired to know God’s will in the matter. “I would [i.e., desire to] know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me” (v. 5). He knew God well enough to know that God had a purpose in his suffering, and Job asked for knowledge of that purpose. Job knew God’s goodness,that He would not punish him for his questions, and felt that greater understanding would give him strength to continue. But without God’s revelation, Job knew he was unable to understand or even find God (vv. 8-9). God mercifully and lovingly allows trialsto discipline, guide, and develop us. Such trials will, in the end, work to our advantage as impurities are removed, leaving behind only that which is lasting and precious. The goal of our lives should be to bring “praise and honour and glory” unto our Lord, and if tribulation can best accomplish these goals, so be it! As David said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word” (Psalm119:67). God knows what is best for us. He knows what He is doing, and we can rest in that fact. JDM InspiredWords “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” (Luke21:33) The doctrine of plenary verbal inspiration, wrongly considered antiquated by many modern neo-evangelicals, is actually essential to the Christian faith. “All scripture [that is every word written down or inscribed] is given by inspiration [literally ‘breathedin’] of God,” not man (2 Timothy 3:16)! We acknowledge, of course, that problems of transmission and translation exist, but these are relatively trivial in the entire context. We also acknowledge that the process of inspiration may have varied, but the end result is as if the entire Bible had beendictated and transcribed word by word. This is the way Jesus Christ—the Creator, the Living Word, the Author of Scripture—viewed the Scriptures. “The scripture cannot be broken,” He said (John 10:35). “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18). “Then he said unto them, Ofools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:...And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke24:25, 27). The Bible, therefore, every word of it, is divinely inspired, verbally without error, infallibly true, and of absolute authority in every area of our lives. The words of Christ who taught these truths are forever “settled in heaven” (Psalm119:89) and “shall not pass away.” It is mortally dangerous, therefore, “unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book” to “add unto these things” as the cultists do, or to “take away from the words of the book of this prophecy” as the liberals do (Revelation22:18-19). Would it not be much better to say with the psalmist, “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors” (Psalm 119:24)? HMM Keep My Running Shoes On By Nichole Huggins I love to walk around my house barefoot. I like the feeling of soft carpet on my toes and feel more “at home” without the restriction of wearing shoes. But more and more it seems that I forgo this comfort for the functionality of keeping my running shoeson. You see, our home is different than many people’s homes. Because our son has autism, our home is louder; he is always singing, making noises, or quoting movies (in the world of autism it’s called “scripting”). Our house is in interesting order; you willfind trains lined up on the kitchen table and strategically placed books open to strategically chosen pages. Currently our back door is always open. Our son loves to run outside and play, but it is also his current belief that the back door should remain openat all times—even if he is playing in a different part of the house. Living in this world of autism has caused our home to be a sometimes chaotic, but always beautiful haven for our family. And for now, living in the world of autism has causedme to keep my running shoes on. For many, running and autism go hand in hand. People who are “on the spectrum” are often runners. Our kiddo is no exception to this pattern. Although he frequently overcomes his urge to run, our son’s current impulsivity requires me to jumpup and move quickly at any moment. I have to be ready, so I keep my running shoes on. I love how the Lord uses my son’s autism to gently sharpen me in my personal relationship with Him. The Lord has recently reminded me that just as I have to keep my running shoes on, the same applies in my walk with the Lord. I need to keep my spiritual running shoes on. In 1Peter 3:15, the Bible reminds us to sanctify our hearts and “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…” We need to keep our spiritual running shoes on! It is easy for us to slip our shoes off and run our toes throughthe carpet of comfortability in life, but that is not the calling of Christians. Life was never meant to be about our comfort, but rather exalting our Creator. It’s my prayer that people around me will be able to see that my hope is in Christ. May I be quick to help and show love to others. May I be a reflection of Christ in all that I say and do. I pray that I am sharp and “ready to run” this great race called life. Sometimes it’s easy to let our spiritual shoelaces come untied. We become comfortable Christians, and it’s easyfor us to get tripped up. I am thankful the Lord can use my precious son to remind me that I need to lace up my spiritual running shoes and be prepared for this sometimes chaotic, but always beautiful life. So, what condition are your running shoes in? Saying "Yes" to God by Debbie Holloway It seems like every day one hears about all kinds of troubling behavior from people who ought to know better. A family friend leaves his wife and children for his secretary. A pastor resigns from his parish after his drug addiction is discovered. A CEO iscaught with his hands on company money. We see it in the news. We hear about it from friends. It invades our households. Destructive, self-centered, sin. And so often the guilty party seems completely blind to his error, or unable to fathom how he ever made such a huge mistake. As a recent member of what most would consider the “adult” world, I have often pondered how seemingly well-adjusted, often God-fearing members of society can justify such actions in their minds. In fact, in my more panicky moments, I have had a fear of suddenlylapsing into some dreaded sin myself – like these perfectly capable people I see all around me. After all, does my righteousness exceed that of the Pharisees? How can I claim to have more wisdom than my parents or my pastor? Do I know more about the world than my professors? Could I possibly have a better understanding of morals and truth than my governmentleaders? If I watch them stumble into seemingly obvious moral blunders, how could I possibly escape the same fate? After recently confiding this dread to a loved one, I was reminded that drastic sin or extreme lifestyle choices don’t just appear out of nowhere. Adultery doesn’t just happen. Divorce doesn’t just happen. Heartless slander and libel don’t just happen. Sinmust begin as a small seed, creep in, take root, and grow. We can choose to feed it …or starve it. The hard part is that often our sin nature is just as appealing as the prompting of Holy Spirit. Far too often we know right away what the godly course of action would be. Humility. Purity. Hard work. Compassion. Faithfulness. But we still get tired, exasperated, lustful, and proud. So we start making decisions which violate our consciences. Tiny decisions that seem meaningless. But those tiny choices grow and grow.Eventually, our life becomes a messy sin explosion and we cry out, “Where did I lose control?” The comforting part is that it’s a process. I won’t wake up one morning and all of a sudden think it’s totally OK to steal someone’s car or send nasty, gossipy emails about people I don’t like. 1 John 1:7 says that, Our Righteousness Ephesians 2:1-10 Anyone who thinks of himself as a pretty good person ought to take a look at God’s assessment of humanity. He says we all come into the world spiritually dead and are ruled by Satan, his world system, and our own sin nature, or flesh. In the Lord’s eyes,we are children of wrath who deserve only punishment. On the other hand, God is so pure and holy that He is totally separated from all sin and cannot look upon it with any favor or approval (Hab.1:13). Everything He does is appropriate and beneficial; by comparison, even mankind’s righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). Yet even though we have nothing of value to offer Him, the Lord wants us for His ownand has done everything necessary to draw us close. Those of us who have placed faith in Jesus Christ have been made spiritually alive in Him, and all our sins have been forgiven. There’s a striking contrast between what we were and who we now are in the Lord. But this change has nothing to do with how good we’ve been. Even the faithwith which we respond to the Savior comes from God. We can never make ourselves righteous; it’s all a gift from Him. And once He declares us justified, we will never be pronounced guilty again. God has said that in the ages to come, He wants to show the “surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us” (Eph. 2:7). Forall eternity, we will be showered with this awesome demonstration of His love. As great as our blessings are now, they’ll pale in comparison to what awaits us in heaven. The Pilgrims “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia,and Bithynia.” (1 Peter 1:1) These “strangers” to whom Peter wrote his two epistles were actually “pilgrims.” He used the same Greek word (parepidemos) in 1 Peter 2:11: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts.” The word means a residentforeigner, and its only other New Testament usage is in Hebrews 11:13, speaking of the ancient patriarchs who “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” We give honor today to the American “pilgrims,” as they called themselves (thinking of these very verses), who left their homelands in order better to serve God in a foreign land. The “pilgrims” to whom Peter was writing likewise had been “scattered abroad” for their faith (note Acts 8:4). For that matter, every born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is really just a pilgrim here on Earth, ambassadors for Christ in a foreign land. “For our conversation is in heaven” (Philippians3:20). That is, we are citizens of heaven (the Greek word translated “conversation” in this verse is politeuma, meaning “a community” or “citizenship”) and are here only for a time to serve our Lord until He calls us home. And while we are here, we may endure many trials and sorrows just as did those Massachusetts pilgrims. But He nevertheless supplies our needs—just as He did for them—and we ought to abound in thanksgiving, as they did. Thus, Christians all over the world have cause for thanksgiving every day. Since we are “enriched in every thing” through our Savior, this “causeth through us thanksgiving to God” (2Corinthians 9:11), and we should be “abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7). HMM A Perfect Friend - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. �Romans 5:11 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-perfect-friend/- Listen Someone has said that a true friend stabs you in the front, not in the back. We all need friends who will tell us the truth. For instance, maybe you�re getting ready to leave the house, and you�re not sure whether you�re dressed OK. So you ask some friends, �Does this look good?� �You look awesome. Let�s go.� But then you turn to another friend and say, �What do you think?� And your friend says, �I think you need to change.� That�s a true friend. Those other so-called friends don�t really care about you because a real friend will tell you the truth. Though we�ve done nothing to merit it, God has made us His friends. The Bible tells us, �So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our LordJesus Christ has made us friends of God� (Romans 5:11 NLT). We have friendship with God because Jesus made it possible. Maybe you have a friend that you constantly text or communicate with. It�s an ongoing conversation throughout the day that picks up the next day. That�s what friendshipis. My best friend is my wife (she�s also my prettiest friend). But I don�t get up in the morning and say to her, �Most awesome Honey, please make me a blessed breakfast today.� She�d wonder what was wrong with me. Instead I might say, �Cathe, I�m late. I�ve got to go. Can you make me something to eat?� She understands that because she�s my wife and my friend. In the same way, I think we sometimes overly formalize our friendship with God. He�s always there, ready to communicate with us, because friends like to spend time witheach other. And He will always tell us the truth because He loves us. He�s always in our corner. The Road of Discipleship Galatians 1:11-17 After Paul's conversion, he disappeared into the desert for three years, during which time the Holy Spirit instructed him in the ways of God. He emerged, ready to communicate divine truth. The Lord speaks to believers so that they will comprehend the truth, conform to the truth, and communicate the truth. These same steps form a roadmap to discipleship. What happened during Paul's desert years was only the beginning of a life-long process—Godrenewed his mind and transformed him into the image of Christ. For the apostle, that change began with connecting his rich biblical knowledge to the revelation that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Unclaimed Spiritual Wealth - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. �Romans 5:5 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/unclaimed-spiritual-wealth/- Listen I read an article about a couple in Louisiana who were cleaning up their home and came across an unclaimed lottery ticket worth $1.8 million dollars. They bought it andhad forgotten about it. It was still valid, so they went and claimed their winnings. That�s like us sometimes. Many of us live as though we�re spiritually impoverished. We say, �I need more love, more faith, and more peace.� Yet God is saying, �I�ve given these things to you already.� Romans 5:5 tells us, �For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love� (NLT). In fact, the first 11 verses of Romans 5 show us some of the amazing things that God has done for us. We have peace with Him (verse 1). We have free and open access into the presence of God, and we have the hope of glory (verse 2). In addition, we have God�s love towardus, and we won�t face judgment (verses 5�10). Finally, we have joy in the Lord (verse 11). So God already has given us what we need. But I think at times we�re praying for what we already have. Let�s say, for example, that you�re having troubles in your marriage. The romance is gone, and you�re beginning to wonder if the marriage will even last. You�re saying, �I just don�t feel the love.� Why don�t you start doing loving things instead of waiting to feel the love? Or maybe you�re thinking, �Well, someone has hurt me. I can�t forgive them. I just don�t feel it.� Do it anyway. The emotions will catch up. Instead of praying to feel forgiveness, instead of praying for more love, just start doing loving things. In time, I think your emotions will match your actions. The Choice to Rejoice - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. �Romans 5:3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-choice-to-rejoice/- Listen Everywhere the apostle Paul went, there was either a riot or a revival. Paul never had a boring day in his life that we know of. There was always something going on withhim. Yet Paul didn�t merely endure these experiences but rejoiced in them. He wrote, �We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help usdevelop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation� (Romans 5:3�4 NLT). Paul was describing the kind of trials in which there�s nothing we can do to make them go away. But when Paul went through those hardships, he made the choice to rejoice.And we have that same choice before us. I can�t control what happens around me, try as I may. But I can control how I react. When difficulties come my way, when things that seem unfair happen to me, when I�m goingthrough a time of hardship, I can choose to be better or bitter. Some people choose the latter. They�re bitter. They�re mad at God, mad at the world, and mad at their family. They�re mad at everything. However, others say, �Lord, I don�t know why you�ve allowed this, and I wish you wouldn�t allow it. But I want to be better. I want to learn through this.� Some trials that come into our lives are short-lived. But others don�t go away, and there�s no way around them. So what should we do? We need to put our hope in God. Remember, Paul said, �We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.� Maybe you don�t understand it at the moment,but there�s a reason for what you�re going through. God is working through it. And He never will let you down. Why Joy Is Never Dependent on Our Circumstances By Debbie McDaniel "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." - Ps. 118:24 Many of us may have heard this verse over long years. But what's interesting to know is that it's set right within a Psalm where the author is writing about huge adversity. It's not written about when times are good, but when times are hard. Situations werechanging. The Psalmist cried out to God in anguish, he was surrounded on all sides by the enemy, he felt pushed back, and about to fall. Yet right in the midst of huge struggles shared, this chapter both starts and ends with the same verse, of giving thanksand praise unto God. "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever." v. 1,29 Such a powerful reminder to us: True joy is never dependent on our circumstances. We can still choose to give thanks. We can still believe in God�s goodness and love, for that�s what carries us through all difficult seasons. We might be facing the toughest of times, but the truth is this, He's still given us today. He's with us, and will never leave or fail us. His love covers us, His peace sustains us, and His joy gives us the strength to face every trial and obstacle withcourage and grace. We can rest in the security that Truth brings. May His blessings overwhelm you today as you look to Him and choose joy. Give thanks. Our Partnership with God 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 I don't know how some in today's church got the false idea that the preacher is a servant and the folks in the pews are just members. No one is a bystander in God's kingdom! All believers are in partnership with the Lord (2Cor. 6:1). He chose to work through mankind to accomplish the gospel mission on earth. To borrow a biblical metaphor, we are the workers cultivating and harvesting His fields (Matt.9:37-38). God gave one or more spiritual gifts to every single believer to aid in the work for His kingdom. We each need this special "wiring" to carry out our unique role in His plan. He knits that spiritual gift into our personality and inborn talents to createa useful and effective servant. And just to be clear, there is no such thing as a non-gifted believer. Believers are the Lord's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of good works (Eph. 2:10). Spiritual gifts are notour own abilities. The Holy Spirit manifests them through us. Remember, it is the sap running from the vine into the branches that produces fruit (John 15:5). Inthe same way, the Spirit lives and works through God's followers to bring forth acts of service. The Lord's power is behind it all. Think of that when you are tempted to shy away from God-given opportunities. God's awesome power is present in and available to every believer. The Holy Spirit equips us to obey the Lord in whatever He calls us to do. Don't waste your life sitting in a pew! Get busy using that spiritual gift. The fields of this world are ripe forharvest (John 4:35). HeRides Upon the Heaven �There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellencyon the sky.� (Deuteronomy33:26) Chapter 33 of Deuteronomy contains the last recorded words of a truly great man, Moses, �whom the LORD knew face to face� (34:10). Many times Moses had addressed the people of Israel with mixed blessing and warning, listing conditions for blessing and the inevitableresults of rejecting God�s plan. But here, as he prepared for his impending death (32:48-52), Moses spoke only of God�s majestic character and the privileges of those who serve Him. The God of Jeshurun (literally �upright,� here a symbolic name for Israel) is an active God, for He rides in His excellency across the heaven to help us, as we see in our text. He strongly acts on our behalf. �The eternal God is [our] refuge, and underneathare the everlasting arms� (33:27). He is not like the gods of the heathen, who do nothing. Next, He is a God of grandeur. Here He rides across the sky and the heaven; elsewhere we are told that He �rideth upon the heavens of heavens� (Psalm68:33). He walks (104:3) and flies (18:10) �upon the wings of the wind.� �The LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet� (Nahum1:3). Finally, God is eternal. The �eternal God� with �everlasting arms� (Deuteronomy33:27) assures us of eternal victory. �I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death� (Revelation1:18). Such was Moses� God and the God whom we serve today� the One who showers us with incomparable blessings. Indeed, �who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD� (Deuteronomy33:29) to have such a One as our God? JDM Battle-Tested - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. �James 1:3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/battle-tested/- Listen When people sporadically go to the gym, they want to make up for the times they didn�t go. So they end up working out really hard. The problem is they can�t walk the next day. They overdid it. They need someone to help them learn how to work out properly. Of course, building up muscle means tearingdown muscle. You break it down to build it up, and then you get stronger. In time, you�ll develop more physical endurance and can lift more weight. The Bible talks about another kind of endurance: �Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you knowthat when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow� (James 1:2�3 NLT). Everything you go through in life as a follower of Jesus Christ is preparing you for something else. God is toughening you up. He�s preparing you for something that is coming.He�s making you stronger. You might be going through a difficult time right now. God is preparing you for something that is yet to come. So hold your course and know that God is at work. There�sno joy in the difficulty itself, but it is strengthening you. God wants us to develop character. Justification is what God does for us, but tribulation and perseverance are what God does in us. God is getting you ready because you�rein a spiritual battle. There�s no getting out of it. And the objective is to win, not lose. We need to look through our sufferings to the certainties and remember that God is at work. Whatever you�re going through right now, remember that it isn�t a coincidence; it�s providence. It isn�t an accident; it�s an appointment. God is in control. And He�s goingto see you through. 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