DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 5.8.21

Choosing to Believe John 3:1-21 Faith isn't something we can lay claim to because we were born to believing parents or have citizenship in a Christian country. Nor can we attain it by attending or eventeaching Sunday school, though I've often heard such incorrect assertions. Instead, the following should be true of genuine believers. A clear understanding of the gospel is essential for a person to believe and receive the good news of Jesus Christ. His death on the cross was the only sacrifice required to remove our sins. God offers His grace as a gift to anyone who will receiveit. A definite decision at a particular point in time serves as a sort of landmark of the heart and mind. People do not just slip into Christianity; faith in Jesus must be chosen. Believers are those who have made a deliberate decision to trust theLord and follow in His ways. A blessed assurance follows the clear-cut decision so that believers can be certain of their salvation. God wants confident, assured children (1John 5:13). A visible symbol of what happens when someone receives the Savior--namely, baptism--illustrates dying to one's old ways and rising to new life in Christ Jesus. Believers are to take this step as a public way of identifying with Him (Matt.28:19). A man or woman of faith chooses to surrender to Christ, embraces the Word of God, and lives fully for the Lord. True believers no longer muddle through the practices of religion out of habit, but instead worship and rejoice in a vibrant personal relationshipwith the Lord. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GodIs Triune �Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and ofthe Holy Ghost.� (Matthew28:19) The foundational plank of Israel�s worship was Deuteronomy 6:4��Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.� Even the great apostle James acknowledged, �Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble� (James2:19). Some have suggested that the Old Testament does not teach the Trinity and that the New Testament is making a �god� out of Jesus to foster the new religion. Nothing could be further from the truth. Both sections present the triune God. The Father is named in Malachi 2:10: �Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?� Jesus Himself insisted that we pray to the Father. �After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name� (Matthew6:9). The Son is clearly declared in both Testaments. �The LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee� (Psalm2:7). Jesus said, �I and the Father are one� (John10:30), and the apostle Paul insisted that the Lord Jesus was �all the fulness of the Godhead bodily� (Colossians2:9). The Holy Spirit is hardly a stranger to both Testaments. King David knew that �the Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue� (2Samuel 23:2). And as the Lord Jesus was preparing to go back to the Father, He promised that �the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoeverI have said unto you� (John14:26). This much is clear: There is one God, who is manifested to us in three Persons. HMM III Psalm 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Powered by phpBible.org New Defender's Study Bible Notes Psalm2:7 2:7 my Son. In the third three-verse stanza, the Son speaks, noting that He is, indeed, the very Son of God! Psalm2:7 2:7 declare the decree. The Father gave the decree, the Son declared it (note John 1:18). Psalm2:7 2:7 I begotten thee. There are several senses in which Christ is the only begotten Son of God, but the emphasis here is on His resurrection from the dead, as evident from the quotation of this verse in Acts 13:33. He was �declaredto be the Son of God with power,...by the resurrection from the dead� (Romans 1:4). He was also called the �firstborn from the dead� (Colossians 1:18) and the �first begotten of the dead� (Revelation 1:5). Note also Hebrews 5:5. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Understanding the Bible 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 �I just don�t understand the Bible.� That�s a comment I hear quite often, even from believers. We can understand why those without Christ are unable to comprehend biblical concepts, but why do those who know Him struggle? Some people think that a seminaryeducation is the answer, but I have met several trained pastors and teachers who didn�t really understand the Word of God. They knew facts, but they had no excitement for the Scriptures or for the Lord. The key is not education but obedience. As we act on what we read, the Holy Book �comes alive,� and we begin to hear and understand the voice of God. However, if we have not obeyed what He�s previously revealed to us, why would He give us His deeper truths? �The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him� (Ps. 25:14), and those who fear Him are the ones who obey His commandments and arepromised �a good understanding� (Ps. 111:10). Living a fleshly lifestyle of disobedience to the Lord clouds our eyes, diminishes our ability to hear, and fogs our thinking. Although we have full access to the mind of Christ, our attachment to our own sinful ways keeps us from tapping into the rich treasuresof wisdom that are found in His Word. As you read the Scriptures each day, look for God�s instructions. Then with reliance upon the Holy Spirit, commit to do what He tells you. When you obey His voice, He�ll reveal deeper truths, and your understanding will grow. Soon your time in the Word will become a delight instead of a duty. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mercyand Truth “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” (Psalm85:10) The words “mercy” (Hebrew checed, also often translated by “kindness” or “lovingkindness”) and “truth” (Hebrew emeth) occur more often in Psalms than in any other book. In fact, “mercy” occurs more in Psalms than in all the rest of the Old Testament put together. Though at first these two concepts seem opposed to each other (for how can God’s truth, which abhorssin, be compatible with His mercy, which forgives sin?), nevertheless they are “met together,” for “his salvation,” according to the previous verse, “is nigh them that fear him” (v. 9). “Mercy and truth” (or “lovingkindness and truth”) are brought together at least 16 times in the Old Testament, including 10 times in the psalms. And when God’s eternal truth can be united with His loving mercy, both mediated through His holy Word, there isgreat blessing indeed! “All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies” (25:10). “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnifiedthy word above all thy name” (138:2). The first time the phrase is found in the Bible is in the prayer of Abraham’s servant thanking God for “his mercy and his truth” (Genesis24:27). God’s mercy and truth, of course, are really met together only in Jesus Christ, through whom God can both “be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans3:26). He is “our peace” (Ephesians2:14) and is “made unto us...righteousness” (1Corinthians 1:30). He is “the truth” (John14:6) and will show in the ages to come “the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians2:7). HMM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sit Down and Be Seen by Jesus: Beautifying the Beatitudes by Shawn McEvoy He went up on a mountainside and sat down… and he began to teach them… (Matt.5:1-2) I don’t really appreciate the way I learned the Beatitudes. I’m in my late forties now and I think I’m only starting to understand what’s happening in this passage at the beginning of The Sermon on the Mount, courtesy of a fantastic sermon and sweet, wonderful context. I’ve been able to rotely rattle off “Blessed are the poor in spirit… blessed are those who mourn… blessed are the meek” for decades. Because I was given that passage to memorize as a church child. And it sounded deep, and beautiful, but also a littleempty and off. I’d learned that Matthew 5:2-12 was a passage known as The Beatitudes, and that the word “blessed” repeated nine times here meant “happy.” Okay. But the people listed here didn’t sound very happy to me. More than that, knowing these words came from Jesus, it sounded as if The Lord was commanding his followers to be downcast mourners and peacemakers, meekly persecuted. One of those examples of upside-downliving in the Kingdom of God that we know were part of Christ’s teaching. I don’t think that’s what this text is showing, though. Think about where this passage appears. These are the FIRST WORDS of The Sermon on the Mount. The very beginning. The first thing Jesus has to say after he “saw the crowds” from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan referencedat the end of Chapter 4. He’d been teaching and healing and proclaiming the good news, and many are gathering. And what kind of people are in this crowd? I think we know. We know because this is the Introduction to the largest uninterrupted session of teaching we have recorded from Jesus. And in an introduction, it’s common to address your audience directly. Our Lord, we’re told, sees the crowds. He goes to a higher place from which to see them, then sits down and rests among them. I can imagine a lot of eye contact and a few deep breaths before Christ, who sees into their souls and knows every cell of theirbodies, speaks right to their hearts and the issues of their life that have brought them to his feet. He gestures to a group gathered nearby and says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” What a strange way to start a sermon. Unless it’s actually the most beautiful way to speak to someone there could possibly be. Who are the “poor in spirit,” after all? I never really knew, until I heard a sermon about this Sermon during a time I was being treated for anxiety and depression. For the first time in my life, I certainly related to being “poor in spirit.” And Jesus continues his way around the crowd, next finding those who are mourning. His heart breaks for them, too. Maybe then he sees someone meek shyly lurking near the edge. He knows some are there because they have a deep and wounded sense of justice,longing for truth and righteousness. He finds some rich in mercy who may be downtrodden or taken advantage of in life. He sees the pure and the peacemakers, and knows the loneliness these types can experience, but tells them they will see God and be calledchildren – part of his family. And finally, the persecuted, the cast-out, the misfits, who dare to seek him out anyway. He sees and addresses them all, all these types who are drawn to want to know God. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The "Shall Nots" of John's Gospel “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shouldnot perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) There are many wonderful promises to the believer listed in the gospel of John. Many of these promises are things that “shall” happen, but let us consider seven of these that teach of things that “shall not” happen to the believer whose trust is in Christ. Teaching of the indwelling Holy Spirit, Christ said, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (4:14). Similarly, “Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (6:35). Furthermore, He taught, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (8:12). Our deepest needs are met in Him. Having once believed, we are placed into His family, and He promises, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (10:28). In Him, we are utterly secure. Why? “He that heareth my word, and believethon him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (5:24). Consequently, we have no fear of death. “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (11:25-26). As the familiar verse in our text tells us, if we only believe “that he gave his only begotten Son,” we shall “not perish, but have everlasting life.” JDM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Day I Rolled Down the Window by John UpChurch “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18 The guy had no teeth on top. Sadly, I noticed that first. His cigarette dangled between gum and lip. While my wife jogged into Walgreens, this guy passed up dozens of other open spaces to squeeze his red coupe between our Prius and a truck that stuck slightly over the white line. He glanced over at us for only a moment before his window stuttered down anda mud-and-oil stained mitt poked out of the window to wave at my daughters in the backseat. I confess. I didn’t exactly feel neighborly. And then the guy began speaking and pointing to our car. I couldn’t hear a word through the glass, but that didn’t stop him from mumbling around his cigarette, which was probably 80% ash. Smiling from the silliness of it, I zipped the passenger-side windowdown and wondered what would compel him to speak to a complete stranger in a parking lot. Gas mileage. Seriously. This random guy in the parking lot of Walgreens wanted to compare gas mileage. At least, that’s what opened the door for conversation. From there, I learned what he did (shoeing horses), found out how his work had hurt his back (bulging disk), saw a pictureof his prized new jackdaw (I had no clue either), and realized how much you can love a guy with no upper teeth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GodIs Love “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love.” (1John 4:16) It is said that the most quoted verse in all the Bible is the passage in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Surely that is a magnificenttestimony to the love God has for us, and without it none of us would know God. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1John 4:19). But God “loved righteousness, and hated iniquity” (Hebrews1:9). How is it that God “commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans5:8)? “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1John 4:10). Human love is usually reciprocal. That is, we love if and when we are loved in return. Yet, those of us who are twice-born are commanded to love each other, and the godly husband is expected to love his wife like the Lord Jesus unilaterally loved the church.But that kind of love is not normal—it is God’s love in us. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (1John 4:7). The English word “love” in its various forms appears over 700 times in the Bible. The vast majority of those references do not attempt to describe God’s love. They focus either on our responsibility to “love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with allthy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy6:5) or “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God” (Micah6:8). Evidently, we experience God’s love when we are saved and are under obligation to show it as we “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians2:12). HMM III -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Armor 'n Enemies By Shawn McEvoy Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. - Ephesians 6:13-19 Six pieces of armor. Five primarily defensive, one primarily offensive. And yet... Have you ever used the chest-bumper of righteousness on someone? How about the head-butter of salvation? The bludgeoner of faith? The shin-kicker of readiness or the gut-puncher of holiness? Even the sword of the spirit has its proper purpose: to fight our enemies. Which are? Other Christians? Unbelievers? Mean people? While we humans can be so hard on each other, no. One verse earlier, Paul tells us what we're fighting: Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil (v. 12). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Son of the Living God “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew16:16) This ringing affirmation of faith came from Peter as spokesman but undoubtedly was shared by all the disciples, since Jesus had asked the question “Whom say ye that I am?” of them all. Actually, they had probably all been disciples of John the Baptist, whohad directed them to Jesus, and so had heard John’s testimony concerning Christ’s identity. John had said that Jesus was indeed “the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father” (John1:18). Yet, as they had been following Him, they had heard Him speak of Himself far more often as “the Son of man.” Over 30 times in the gospel of Matthew alone He identified Himself as Son of man, not once as the Son of God. Nevertheless, He accepted Peter’s statementas absolutely true, saying that the Father had so revealed it. In fact, it is essential that one must believe it to be saved. Jesus did say: “But he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John3:18). Yet, He seems to want us to know Him especially as the Son of man, perhaps so that we will never forget that He, though God, is also man just like us. And as man, He was “in all points [tested] like as we are, yet without sin” so He can “be touched with thefeeling of our infirmities,” and we now can “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews4:15-16). John was enabled to see Christ once again long after His return to heaven. Although He was now in His resurrection body, John still saw Him as “one like unto the Son of man” (Revelation1:13). Although He is indeed the Son of the living God, He is also our “man in the glory”! HMM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Strangers in a Strange Land By Anna Kuta �If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you� (John15:18-19). Last fall, I took a road trip with some friends to watch our college football team, the Richmond Spiders, take on in-state rival James Madison University. Our team was 3 and 1 at that point in the season, and our only loss had come from a nailbiter the weekbefore, so we were pretty confident as we set out that morning. It was a gorgeous day for football and we�d managed to get some of the very last tickets before the game sold out, so we were quite proud of ourselves and excited for what seemed like it wouldbe an extremely successful trip. However, it wasn�t long before things started going downhill. We took a wrong turn and ended up circling the entire town of Harrisonburg twice. An hour and a half later, we finally got to the stadium gates just as the game started, but as we started climbingthe bleachers to our seats, we began to realize we were the only ones in sight wearing Richmond red and blue. Turns out our tickets we were so proud of were not in the Richmond fan section, as we thought, but the reject seats on the complete opposite cornerof the field. We felt like the enemy as we took our seats smack in the middle of a sea of yellow and purple, but that wasn�t going to deter us from still cheering on a victory. When Richmond made a touchdown right away for the game�s first points, things seemed to be looking great (besides the dirty looks we got). Unfortunately, that was as good as it got. We didn�t score again for the rest of the game. JMU piled on touchdown,touchdown, field goal, touchdown � and with each point my friends and I sat a little more dejectedly in our seats. Someone threw yellow streamers and paper airplanes at us, and then it started pouring rain. It finally ended and we left the stadium soakingwet and miserable. But the ordeal wasn�t quite over yet. We started walking back to our car, got heckled, decided against walking in the rain among hecklers, got on a shuttle, and proceeded to get heckled for the next half hour we were stuck in traffic. Whenwe finally got back to the car, all we could do was grumble a little bit and shake our heads. We can laugh about that disaster of a day now, but it certainly wasn�t very funny at the time. Maybe you�ve had a similar experience at a sporting event, or you can identify with the same feeling of being unwelcome in a different situation. Have you everfaced similar hostility for your faith? Even though you and I might never experience anything close to the extreme suffering that many believers around the world face, we all have times when we feel out of place or downright vilified because of our faith. As Christians, we are �strangers and aliens� in a world of unbelievers, as Peter says in 1 Peter 2:11. The older I get, the more keenly aware I am that I don�t think like them, that I don�t have the same desires, motivations and passions. The more I grow in my faith, the more different I feel from many people I come in contact with, and themore open I am about my faith, the more that difference becomes tangible. We are called to be set apart, yet we are in the world for a reason: to share Jesus. It�s often not received with open arms, but it�s what we are commanded to do as followers of Christ. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Live in His Shadow - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word. �1 Kings 17:1 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/live-in-his-shadow/- Listen Elijah walked out of complete obscurity and into the court of the most wicked king that Israel ever had. Then he courageously declared to King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, �As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, exceptat my word� (1 Kings 17:1 NKJV). We can imagine what they were thinking: Where did this guy come from? Where did he get the audacity to speak to us in that way? Doesn�t he know who we are? Doesn�t he knowwhat we can do? The secret of his courage was contained in this phrase: �As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand. . . .� Elijah knew who his God was. The psalmist wrote, �He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty� (Psalm 91:1 NKJV). Have you ever tried to walk in another person�s shadow? You must be close to them and in step with them. Elijah was aware of the fact that wherever he was, he stood consciouslyin the presence of God. The psalmist continues, �I will say of the Lord, �He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust�� (Psalm 91:2 NKJV). The Bible is telling us we must have an intimate, close relationship with God. But a relationship alone isn�t all we need. We must also dwell in fellowship with God. SomeChristians attend church on the weekend where they listen to a message and sing worship songs, but then they live like atheists for the rest of the week. God wants to be part of our lives. He wants us to dwell consciously in His presence and spend time in His Word, in prayer, and with His people. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Courageous Faith - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. �Psalm 91:4 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/courageous-faith/- Listen Fear is an overwhelming emotion that can take hold of us and cause irrationality to the point that we�re no longer dealing with reality. In fact, sometimes we can be moredevastated by fear than the very thing we�re afraid of. I spent part of my childhood in New Jersey, where on one cold morning, I was walking around the neighborhood with a newly acquired pair of cowboy cap guns. I had on my littlebelt with my holsters and guns, and I was feeling pretty tough. But a couple of young hoodlums spotted me and starting pushing me around. Even worse, they confiscated my cap guns and started laughing at me. With empty holsters, I wenthome crying. Then I told my brother what happened and asked him to help me get my guns back. He was five years older than me and a lot bigger. So we went back and found the guys with my guns. Feeling great courage, I walked up and demanded that they give my guns back. My newfound boldness, however, didn�t comefrom who I was but because of who was with me. Psalm 91:4 tells us, �He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler� (NKJV). God will put His wings around us. He will protect us. And because of this, the psalmist is saying, we don�t have to be afraid. Why? Because He�s with us. In addition, verses 9 and 10 include a promise: �Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you� (NKJV). As we look at a frightening world, we can have courage�not because of who we are, but because God is with us. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trust at High Speeds by Katherine Britton "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths." - Proverbs 3:5 I had been on a WaveRunner before. "No problem," I said to myself as I climbed on behind my husband last weekend. I looked down at the brackish water that was more chilly than refreshing and told myself firmly, "Remember, you like going on adventures with him." Sure enough, David looked back and grinned at me when we got away from the dock. He told me to hold on. Then he gunned it. Jumping on a WaveRunner seems easy when I'm the one driving, because then I get to decide just how sharply I want to bank to catch that big wake. Or I can keep shooting out towards the Chesapeake Bay and avoid the wake altogether if I want. I can slow downif I scare myself, and I only "catch some air" if I'm good and ready - which, in reality, is almost never. Riding behind someone else, however, even when I trust him more than anyone, demands a leap of faith. The only thing I have to hang onto is his life jacket, and this guy in front of me gets to make the decisions while I peer over his shoulder. It's hard to anticipate or even see what is coming next, and leaning thewrong way when we bank could throw me into the cold water at 50 miles per hour. Out on the open water, with the wind stinging my eyes and convincing me that I'm about to fly off my seat, I'm pushed out of my comfort zone and into something more exhilarating than I'd wander into by myself. And the whole experience stems from lettingsomeone else sit in the driver's seat with not even a seatbelt for me. David knew I didn't want to capsize, and he directed the little WaveRunner accordingly. But he wouldn't let me be completely comfortable, because then we might as well take the paddleboatout and save gas. He made sure we got the full experience of saltwater, fun, and incredible views. If I can trust my husband who loves me, how much more should I trust my Heavenly Father, who knows my fears, needs, and weaknesses far better. God desires to take us on an adventure that lets us experience Him and His creation more fully and joyfully thanwe can imagine. Focusing on our fear of some abstract unknown keeps us from being open to the adventure unfolding before our eyes every day. We tend to forget God's amazing promise, that "the LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will neverleave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 1:8). Fear and worry indicate that we don't really believe that promise, and that we think we'd do a better job steering. Instead, when we make a conscious decision to trust the Lord- even when life is way too busy and fast for our liking - we find the peace to take a deep breath, smell the salty air, and enjoy where He is taking us. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Promise of God�s Protection - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. �Psalm 91:7 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-promise-of-gods-protection/- Listen Years ago, I was in Africa where we stayed in tents out on the open range. Now, when night falls in Africa, bizarre sounds come out of the jungle. It sounds like somethingout of a movie, except it�s real. Darkness can be a frightening thing because we can�t see what�s out there. The psalmist addressed this in verses 5 and 6 of Psalm 91: �Do not be afraid of the terrors ofthe night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday� (NLT). The phrase �terrors of the night� seems to indicate the things that threaten our safety during the course of the darkness of night. Then there are arrows, which played asignificant part in ancient battles. Warriors barraged their opponents with hundreds, even thousands of flaming arrows. In spiritual warfare, the Devil fires flaming arrows at us as well. For instance, it might be a flaming arrow of fear, a flaming arrow of impure thoughts, a flaming arrowof hatred, or some other thing designed to lodge in our spiritual armor and destroy us. The good news is that God promises to protect us from those arrows. He will be with us day and night. Verse 7 goes on to say, �Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you� (NLT). This certainly is a promise of God�s protection. But this isn�t saying that God�s people will not suffer difficulties in life. Christians have faced calamities. Christianshave been victims of crimes. Christians have faced hardship. So this isn�t a carte blanche promise that you will never face any difficulties. It is, however, a promise from God that He will be with you, no matter what you go through.And He will see you through. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Soul Exchange �For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shalla man give in exchange for his soul?� (Mark 8:36-37) The lives of many people revolve almost completely around the stock exchange, and they never stop to realize that it easily may become a soul exchange where they exchange their very souls for the imagined blessings of the great god Mammon. �For the love ofmoney is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows� (1 Timothy6:10). Similarly, many are greatly exercised about their monthly profit-and-loss statements. But the Lord Jesus asks whether there is really a profit, even if one acquires the wealth of the whole world at the cost of his soul, and the answer to such a rhetorical questionhas to be: �No!� For �the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever� (1 John 2:17). Furthermore, the words �life� in verse 35 and �soul� in our text are actually the same word (psuche) in the Greek original. That is, to lose one�s soul is to lose one�s very life, for they are inseparable. A life centered around money is not only asoul lost but a life wasted as well. On the other hand, if we lose our lives in Christ, then we find true life, eternal life, beginning here and now, and continuing forever. This is a good exchange! God may well bless a Christian with material wealth, but this should not be his motivation. �Charge them that are rich in this world,� Paul says, �that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate [i.e., share];Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life� (1 Timothy 6:17-19). HMM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bearing With One Another by Sarah Phillips Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3: 13-14 Sometimes I think the biggest stumbling block to living the Christian life exists in our interactions with other Christians. Those who profess faith in Christ are very capable of hurting each other � perhaps even unusually �gifted� at it. Yes, fellowship within the Church can be wonderfully fulfilling, offering true glimpses of the unity we will experience in heaven. But (as life frequently reminds us) we�re not in heaven yet, so our relationships with one another often fall short of the �Beatific Vision.� So what do we do when we�re faced with failure in our relationships, especially when our fellow Christians fail to meet our expectations? Much has been said about the necessity of forgiving trespassers. Scripture makes it clear we are to imitate Christ andshow mercy to those who have wronged us, and counselors have written extensively on the personal freedom one finds in forgiving even the most terrible sins. But I think sometimes it�s not the huge transgressions that challenge us most. Sometimes it�s the smallerinfractions that wear on our souls. Perhaps you�ve observed imperfections in another that open personal wounds, rub you the wrong way or just plain annoy you. Perhaps there is someone in your life that consistently brings out your ugly side or whose presence simply symbolizes something youdesire but have not achieved. This kind of pain is often absorbed interiorly. There�s no public stand to take, no 12-step program designed to walk you through. Over time, we may find that we begin to keep count of this person�s failings. We may catch ourselves gossiping about them or avoiding them in our daily lives. Each infraction is like a small stone that eventually builds a wall around the heart, a wall thatstands not only between you and that person but also between you and Christ. One of my favorite Christian heroes, St. Therese of Lisieux, faced such a situation in her community of cloistered Carmelite nuns. Behind the walls of her tranquil convent, relational strife simmered. Some nuns had maddeningly annoying habits that interferedwith prayerful contemplation whereas others displayed a variety of mundane vices like laziness or sloppiness. St. Therese had a personal dislike for a particular nun who often acted unhappy and critical. She sought ways to avoid this person in her daily tasks � until she realized she was failing to love one of God�s children. Therese had personally experienced Christ's love, with full knowledge of her invisible imperfections, so how could she justify failing to love this nun just because her faults were visible? As her heart changed, so did her actions. Therese chose to smile at this young woman every time she passed her. She displayed unusual grace in their interactions, always ready to help with a task or share a kind word. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Throw It onto Him - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. �1 Peter 5:7 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/throw-it-onto-him/- Listen Sometimes we put our eyes on a man or a woman, expecting them to be everything for us. We expect them to never make a mistake. We expect them to have all the answers, andthey don�t. The prophet Isaiah wrote about King Uzziah, who ascended to the throne at age 16. Ultimately, he ruled for 52 years. And according to Scripture, he did what was right inthe sight of the Lord, and his people loved him. But King Uzziah made mistakes. Interestingly, Isaiah made a statement about Uzziah�s death that we often can overlook: �In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high andlifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple� (Isaiah 6:1 NKJV). In other words, �This man was removed, and now I see the Lord.� Instead of looking to people, look to Jesus Christ. He is the only one who will never fail you. He is the only one who will sustain you. And He is the one you will meetone day if you put your faith in Him. John the Baptist said of Jesus, �He must increase, but I must decrease� (John 3:30 NKJV). Maybe today you�re feeling anxious and worried and afraid. The Bible tells us, �[Cast] all your care upon Him, for He cares for you� (1 Peter 5:7 NKJV). The original wordPeter used for �cast� isn�t a word we�d normally use for throwing something. Rather, it signifies an act in which we stop worrying about something and let God assume the responsibility for our welfare. So take the thing that burdens and concerns you and throw it onto the Lord. Protect your mind, and do everything you can to stay close to Jesus Christ. People will let us down at times, but Jesus Christ never will. So we need to put our eyes on the Lord. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Atonement �Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and withoutwith pitch.� (Genesis6:14) It may be surprising to learn that God�s instructions to Noah concerning the Ark�s design contain the first reference in the Bible to the great doctrine of atonement. The Hebrew word used here for pitch (kaphar) is the same word translated �atonement� in many other places in the Old Testament. While the New Testament word �atonement� implies reconciliation, the Old Testament �atonement� was merely a covering (with many applications). As the pitch was to make the Ark watertight, keeping the judgment waters of the Flood from reaching those inside,so, on the sacrificial altar, �it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul� (Leviticus17:11), keeping the fires of God�s wrath away from the sinner for whom the sacrifice was substituted and slain. The pitch was a covering for the Ark, and the blood was a covering for the soul, the first assuring physical deliverance, the second spiritualsalvation. However, not even the shed blood on the altar could really produce salvation. It could assure it through faith in God�s promises on the part of the sinner who offered it, but �the blood of bulls and of goats� could never �take away sins� (Hebrews10:4). Both the covering pitch and animal blood were mere symbols of the substituting death of Jesus Christ, �whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through theforbearance of God� (Romans3:25). Through faith in Christ, our sins are �covered� under the blood, forgiven by God, and replaced by His own perfect righteousness, by all of which we become finally and fully reconciled to God. HMM ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Wedding Day By Ryan Duncan As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. - Isaiah 62:5-6 Last weekend one of my best friends got married. The wedding took place outside at their old college, the place where the two had first met. A few of the groom�s friends and I helped raise a white tent on one of the school�s grassy fields while the bridesmaidsrushed back and forth setting tables, adjusting flowers, and making everything look just right. The ceremony was beautiful. The bride and groom received their parents� blessing, exchanged vows, and kissed with loud applause from the audience. For me though, the best part came during the reception when the bride and groom had their first dance. As I sat there watching my friend and his wife dance to �You�re Beautiful� by Phil Wickham, it struck me why Jesus often used weddings to describethe Kingdom of God. You see, in that moment the only thing that mattered to the two of them was each other. It didn�t matter that the road to marriage had been crazy, stressful and hard. It didn�t matter that the weather wasn�t perfect or that they had to wait a few days for their honeymoon. The only thing that mattered to my friend was holding the woman he lovedin his arms and knowing that she loved him in return. Life really is like a wedding banquet. The time leading up to the ceremony will be chocked full of mistakes and uncertainty, and there will be moments when we�re unsure if we can live up to Christ�s expectations. But if we continue to believe in Christ,then on the day when we stand before him, we will realize that none of those mistakes matter anymore. All that will matter is that he loves us, and we love him in return. Intersecting Faith and Life --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM