DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 7.31.21

StuntedGrowth in Carnal Christians “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes inChrist. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.” (1Corinthians 3:1-2) The apostle Paul here makes a clear distinction between “spiritual” Christians, controlled and led by the Holy Spirit, and “carnal” Christians, still controlled by the desires of the flesh. A carnal Christian is a baby Christian. Baby Christians are a causeof great rejoicing when they are newborn believers, just like baby people. But if they remain babies indefinitely, they become an annoyance to hear and a tragedy to behold. Each born-again believer needs urgently to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2Peter 3:18). That spiritual growth comes only through study of the Word, accompanied by belief and obedience. First there must be “the sincere [or ‘logical’] milk of the word” (1Peter 2:2), but that is good only for the first stages of growth. “For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use havetheir senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews5:13-14). Scripture encourages us to grow to maturity and then to continue growing. Carnal Christians are not necessarily pseudo-Christians, although they should examine themselves to determine whether their profession of faith in Christ is genuine (2Corinthians 13:5), but they should not be content to remain spiritual babes. Every Christian should be able to say with the prophet Jeremiah: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for Iam called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah15:16). HMM ---------------------------------------------------------- Labeled by John UpChurch After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. Ephesians 5:29-30 Early in their marriage, Kate* discovered her husband, Jim, had a pornography addiction. She confronted him about it; they prayed; and he promised to change. For several months, Jim seemed to be doing just that by throwinghimself into his ministry position. Their marriage returned to normal. But the façade soon collapsed. Kate began suspecting something when she discovered Jim had been to a questionable restaurant several times with some of the other members of the church staff. She searched his computer and found hundreds of porn sites in thebrowser history. She also came across personal items belonging to another woman in his car. When confronted, Jim begged for forgiveness. Kate moved out but agreed to counseling—if Jim would be serious this time. But he wasn’t. He was late when he did show up for the counseling sessions. Mostly, he just didn’t come. Kate filed for divorce—and picked up a label. Many members of the church where Jim worked couldn’t believe he would do anything. So, they blamed the divorce on Kate. They knew she had her eye on someone else for months. They knew why she really wanted adivorce. And that label went with Kate. Thanks to the power of the Internet, the certainty of Kate’s actions spread to other friends and family members. Jim, for his part, did nothing to dissuade the rumors, and Kate refused to slander Jim to the church—even if he’dhurt her, even if it meant wearing the label. Kate eventually moved back to her hometown, but even there, enough people knew her past to keep the stories and “certainties” churning. They knew who she was and what she’d done. Jim stepped down from the church staff, ostensibly because of the turmoil,but picked up his own label: poor, discarded husband. Years later, Kate still wears her label. She remarried, but for many people, she’s still the woman who ran out on her husband, who didn’t fight hard enough, who really had ulterior motives for leaving him. Even after Jim left ministry and church altogether,the reason behind his apostasy fell at her feet. She’d been labeled, and that was enough. ------------------------------------------------------------------ A Debtor to Grace “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; buthow to perform that which is good I find not.” (Romans 7:18) All too often we find ourselves as frustrated as the apostle Paul in that we often know to do the right thing, to abstain from a particular sin, but we quickly fall right back into that sin. We must daily recognize our sinful habits and determine in our hearts,with strength from the Holy Spirit, to withstand the sin, to overcome temptation. “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans7:25). The writer of “Come Thou Fount” had the same frustration. O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above. Scripture tells us we are secure in Christ, never to be separated. Christ informed His disciples that “my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck themout of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29). We are safein Christ’s hand surrounded by the Father’s hand. And then the transaction is sealed by “the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians4:30). Take courage. We are secure in Him. JDM ------------------------------------------------------------ The How of the Christian Life by Alex Crain "…be it unto me according to Your word." Luke 1:38 "How It's Made," the Science Channel's hit show, regularly makes the most of people's curiosity about how household items like gummie candy, aluminum cans, and flavored bacon actually go from raw materials to finished product. It's easy to becomemesmerized when cameras are leading you behind the scenes into the inner workings of factories making a few of your favorite things. By the end of each segment, the mists of your own vague ideas about process and production have been utterly dispersed. This week's reading in chapter four of Francis Schaeffer's True Spirituality is a bit like "How It's Made" in that he delves into the secret of how the Christian life is effectively lived. While many of us know this secret in theory, the daily mistof our own residual fallen nature makes it necessary to review the blazing truth so that we might see ourselves (and God) accurately and live out our faith practically. Moving forward from last week's teaching in chapter four about the normality of believing in unseen things, Schaeffer issues the biblical call this week to engage in what he terms "active passivity" when living the life of faith. Schaeffer points out that belief in the Holy Spirit is one thing. Now what do we do with that belief? 2 Corinthians 2:14 says that "the communion of the Holy Spirit" is to be with all true believers. We are to rely fully and constantly on Christ's promise to send us the Holy Spirit. He is the agent of the power and Person of the glorified Christ. "There is not enough strength in ourselves, but placed before us is the power and work of the glorified Christ through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Surely this is exactly what Christ meant when he said, ‘I will not leave you as orphans.'" (John 14:18) "As we look at the book of Acts, we find in the early church not a group of strong men laboring together, but the work of the Holy Spirit bringing to them the power of the crucified and glorified Christ. It must be so for us also." "As with Mary in the virgin birth when she gave herself with her body to God in response to His promise, so we are in the same situation in [a certain sense] that we have these great and thrilling promises we have been considering, and we are neitherto think of ourselves as totally passive, as though we had no part in this; nor are we to think we can do it ourselves." -------------------------------------------------------------------- Can You Trust Your Conscience? 1 Timothy 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. A trustworthy conscience is programmed with scriptural teaching. Believers build a stable and sensitive spiritual radar system by applying God’s truth to their lives. They are committed to thinking and acting in ways that honor and please the Lord. Then,when sinful thoughts or choices come across that radar, it will deliver a sharp warning. A person with a reliable conscience will have a strong desire to obey God. He won’t settle for what feels right or looks good, but instead prayerfully seeks the Lord’s will. In other words, he does not rely solely on his conscience but incorporates all ofthe Holy Spirit’s tools into his daily life: Scripture, prayer, etc. Moreover, when his spiritual radar sounds the alarm, he is quick to draw back and reject unwise choices. A conscience isn’t designed to be our guide; it is a tool of the Guide. The Holy Spirit not only convicts us of sin, but He also brings to mind godly principles and leads us on a righteous path. He uses a variety of tools to conform us to the likeness ofChrist (Rom. 8:29). -------------------------------------------------------------- His Precious Blood “But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; andthey were smitten before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them….Then Samuel took a stone...and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.” (1Samuel 7:10-12) The Philistines had stolen the Ark of the Covenant, given to Israel by God. In a battle to take it back, the Lord miraculously intervened, routed the Philistines, and retrieved the Ark. Samuel, the spiritual leader of Israel, ordered the people to erect a lasting “stone of remembrance” called Ebenezer to commemorate God’s deliverance of them from their enemies, a scene reflected in the hymn “Come Thou Fount.” Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I come; And I hope by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood. The great “Hall of Fame” of faith in Hebrews 11 extols many biblical heroes for their great works of faith and then mentions those who would overcome after Bible times, persevering through deadly trials. Some survived, some were killed, some wandered to find their dwelling place, but all neededrescue through the shed blood of God’s own Son. For you “know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold….but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1Peter 1:18-19), “which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:6). Please come quickly, Thou Fount. JDM --------------------------------------------------------- Look What I Did! by Laura MacCorkle Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10, NIV “So . . . have we talked about me, yet?” Several years ago, my good friend Jeremy and I would always kid each other with that question during our conversations. It was said after one of us realized we were talking way too much about ourselves, about our accomplishments or about anything that wewanted the other to know so he or she could give up some props and praise. It was said in jest, but also with an ounce of truth. For we really were so self-focused that the other would periodically enter into the “conversation coma” while listening. You know . . . the whole eyes glazed over, occasional nodding of the head and maybean “uh huh” every now and then type of thing. I have gotten that a lot with my friends over the years. But I used to just think, Well, I’m just very verbal and like to over-describe things and tell really good stories . . . so that must be why people can’t stay focused on what I’m talking about. Right. Several times recently, the Holy Spirit has checked me on that interpretation. In one instance, I was sharing with a small group about my “ministry” of reaching out to back-burner Christians. I think if I had just simplysaid that I feel like the Lord surrounds me with these people and has allowed me to speak into their lives and that’s all, then that would have been fine. But ohhhhh no. I had to go on and on and list example after example of how I had “helped” and “ministered” and said exactly the right words to help a brother or sister see his or her bad life decisions, so that they would get back on track with the Lord. I didn’t realize what kind of a peacock moment this was was until later on. I’ve also noticed that I tend to be less than humble when it comes to sharing about my acts of service. I won’t fall into my own trap and list them all out right here and now, butI sure would love to. Why? Because I want the praise. I want the recognition. I want to feel like Sally Field at the Oscars and know that “You like me . . . you really like me.” --------------------------------------------------------------------- Come Thou Fount “And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto himthat is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” (Revelation 21:6) Promises of God’s fountain of blessings fill Scripture. They beckon our prayers for fulfillment, not only in heaven but even now. Christ assured us that “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John10:10). The precious hymn “Come Thou Fount” reminds us of our position of blessing in Christ. The first verse says: Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, mount of thy redeeming love. God acts toward believers in grace and mercy, not deserved justice, eliciting praise from the recipients. His “fount” assures us that He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians3:20). We look forward to singing and praising our Lord with the angelic “flaming tongues” above for all eternity. “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever…saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord,to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:10-11), and “I heardthe voice of many angels...saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing” (Revelation5:11-12). Even so, come Thou Fount. JDM --------------------------------------------------------------------- Come Thou Fount “And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto himthat is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” (Revelation 21:6) Promises of God’s fountain of blessings fill Scripture. They beckon our prayers for fulfillment, not only in heaven but even now. Christ assured us that “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John10:10). The precious hymn “Come Thou Fount” reminds us of our position of blessing in Christ. The first verse says: Come, thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, mount of thy redeeming love. God acts toward believers in grace and mercy, not deserved justice, eliciting praise from the recipients. His “fount” assures us that He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians3:20). We look forward to singing and praising our Lord with the angelic “flaming tongues” above for all eternity. “The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever…saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord,to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:10-11), and “I heardthe voice of many angels...saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing” (Revelation5:11-12). Even so, come Thou Fount. JDM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The God of My Salvation “Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Shew methy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:3-5) Have you encountered persecution in your neighborhood, workplace, or even within your own family? How can you find comfort and relief? In today’s text, David was discouraged by nameless enemies. Yet his discouragement was met by confident trust and consistent theology. The Lord is completely trustworthy. He cares for His people, and this fact is confirmed throughout the Psalms. Waiting on the Lord is not a passive afterthought (Psalm 27:14; 37:7; Luke 12:35-40). No, this is an active pursuit. Biblical hope is more like a tense expectation. David knew the Lord would deliver him—if not on Earth, then certainly unto his heavenly future (2Timothy 4:18). Consider implementing David’s pattern in your own life. •Adoration: Praise the Lord for His sovereignty, holiness, and omnipotence. •Humility: Daily seek God’s Word with faithfulness, humility, and the desire to obey. •Worship: Honor and thank the Lord for His gift of salvation from temporary trials and for all eternity. •Patience: Wait on the Lord to deliver and provide. He alone is worthy of our trust and hope. Will you choose to adore, humbly pursue, worship, and patiently trust the God of your salvation? MH ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sex, God, and a Lasting Love by Ryan Duncan An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. – Proverbs 31:10 We live in a culture obsessed with sex, but that shouldn’t surprise anyone. From the moment we get up in the morning, to the second we fall back asleep, we are bombarded with images and slogans designed to generate our physical desires. Like many Christians,I grew up listening to sermons about the sin of premarital sex. Over and over I heard pastors talk about the sanctity of marriage, the spread of diseases through casual encounters, the risks of unwanted pregnancies, etc. While I took these warnings to heart and stayed celibate, another part of me was too embarrassed to admit that I just didn’tget it. To me, most of the sermons just sounded like fear-mongering. As long as both people were careful and consenting adults, was it really that bad? For a long time, I chose to ignore my questions, hoping the answers would eventually just come to me, and ironicallyenough, they did. I was working part-time at an amusement park with a bunch of other teens when I overheard a co-worker boasting about a girl he’d hooked up with the previous week. I was beginning to tune him out when a realization suddenly struck me. He didn't care about this girl; and odds were she didn't care about him either. They didn't know each other's hopes and fears, or the character traits that defined their identities. They had both just used each other for their own gratification. To eachother, they were both a disposable pleasure. But look now at how the first marriage is described in Genesis 2, ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Basis for Discernment Hebrews 4:12-13 Since spiritual discernment is the ability to see life from God's perspective, it requires that we know how He thinks and acts. The Bible is His unchanging, infallible revelation of Himself. However, the Lord doesn't simply give us a list of facts about His character and ways. All throughout the pages of Scripture, He illustrates who He is and how He operates. Although the Bible is ancient, it's not a dead book. It's alive and as fresh as if He were speaking directly to you. The stories may have taken place centuries ago, but the principles and applications are current and relevant. It's our instruction book abouthow to live. Guidance for decisions and discernment about situations are found from Genesis to Revelation. God's Word is active and piercing. The words don't simply sit on the page. They penetrate our hearts and judge our thoughts and motives. This convicting quality is why some people don't like to read the Bible. But self-discernment is essential if we don'twant to keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Some Christians live on a surface level, never understanding why they react to situations the way they do. But if we'll approach the Word of God with an open spirit, it will bring to light our hiddenmotives and reveal unrecognized sins. Spiritual discernment involves seeing not just our circumstances but also ourselves from God's perspective. Have you learned to embrace the piercing sword of Scripture, or have you avoided doing so because it makes you uncomfortable? Remember, God's Wordcuts only so that it can heal. --------------------------------------------------------------------- For Its Own Time - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God�s work from beginningto end. �Ecclesiastes 3:11 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/for-its-own-time/- Listen As you look back on your own decision to follow Christ, you probably can see the events that led to it, things that began to soften your heart. You can remember certainthings that touched you and made you more open and receptive to the gospel. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, �Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scopeof God�s work from beginning to end� (NLT). The seeds of the gospel that we�re sowing today are important. You might say, �Well, I get a little discouraged because I sow all of these seeds, and I don�t really see anything happening.� A farmer needs to be patient because God tells us that His Word will not return void (see Isaiah 55:11). I�ve heard story after story of people who didn�t come to Christ at a Harvest Crusade, but they came to the Lord later that evening. Sometimes it took place in the parkinglot, and sometimes it happened during a meal afterward. Sometimes it occurred a day, a week, or a month later. That�s why we must be patient in sowing the seeds�in sharing the gospel�and not give up. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, �A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instructthose who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people�s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil�s trap� (2 Timothy 2:24�26 NLT). You see, the harvest is not at the end of a church service. It�s at the end of the age. So we need to keep praying and believing that God will use His Word. ---------------------------------------- Don�t Settle for Cheap Substitutes - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Then He said to them all, �If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.� �Luke 9:23 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/dont-settle-for-cheap-substitutes/- Listen When was the last time you heard someone actually talk about denying themselves? We hear so much today about gratifying ourselves, fulfilling ourselves, discovering ourselves,and esteeming ourselves. There�s even a magazine called Self. But here�s what Jesus says: �If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life willlose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it� (Luke 9:23�24 NKJV). Some people have a false concept of God and think that if they�re really going to be Christians and take up the cross, they will never have fun again. They falsely believethey�ll have a dull, miserable life of bondage to rules and regulations. But that isn�t true. When we understand what it really means to follow Jesus, we�ll find the greatest joy there is in life. We never will know greater passion or excitementthan what we�ll know in a relationship with God. Anything this world has to offer is nothing but a cheap substitute. There�s no drug, no experience, or any other thing in this world that even comes close to what it meansto be a real follower of Jesus and to discover what we were made for. So if you want to find life, it means that you come to God and say, �Here are my plans. I dedicate them to you, and I invite you to overrule them if you don�t like the choicesI�ve made. I want your will more than my own because I�ve discovered that your plans are better than my plans. Your purposes are better than my purposes.� Do you believe that? If so, then dedicate your life to God. Take up the cross and follow Him. ----------------------------------- Salty in a Good Way - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? �Luke 14:34 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/salty-in-a-good-way/Listen In the Roman culture, salt was extremely valuable. It was so valuable, in fact, that salt was a form of payment�hence the expression, �He�s not worth his salt.� Jesus said, �Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile.It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!� (Luke 14:34�35 NLT). Jesus was saying that you�re valuable, and your life makes a difference. On the other hand, what good is salt that isn�t salty? It�s like Christians who aren�t making animpact on their culture. Obviously, salt makes a difference. A little pinch of salt in something can help enhance its flavor. Among other things, salt stimulates thirst. When you�re eating popcornduring a movie, for instance, you realize that you�re really thirsty. In the same way, when you�re living a godly life, you should stimulate in others a thirst for Jesus Christ. People should be able to look at your life as a believer andknow what you stand for and what your convictions are. It also should cause them to want what you have. So when Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth, He was saying that our lives should make a difference wherever we are. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, �Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This �letter� is written not with pen and ink,but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts� (2 Corinthians 3:3 NLT). We are the only Bible that some people ever will read. I hope that we�re pointing them to Jesus. --------------------------------------------------------------------- FromPrayer to Praise �Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and myshield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.� (Psalm 28:6-7) The story of David facing fears of surrounding enemies and impending death seems to be on repeat in the Psalms. But before we allow it to become redundant, consider your own life. How often do you face trials that strain your heart with fear, worry, and doubt?Perhaps David�s life isn�t too far from your own, just with fewer spears and battle cries. In today�s psalm, David spends the first portion crying out to the Lord for help. But for our encouragement and edification, pay special attention to the close of this installment of Scripture. David goes from heart-wrenching prayer to heartfelt praise! Consider practicing praise throughout your daily prayer pattern. Here are several reasons why you should bless the Lord. •He hears your prayers (Psalm 66:17-20; Matthew 21:22; 1 John 5:14-15). •He is your strength (Exodus 15:2; Isaiah 40:29; Philippians 4:13). •He is your shield (Psalm 18:2; 33:20; Proverbs 30:5). •He is trustworthy (Psalm 9:10; 56:3; Proverbs 3:5-6; Jeremiah 17:7). •He is your helper (Psalm 54:4; Isaiah 41:10; Hebrews 13:6). •He gives you reason to rejoice (Isaiah 61:10; Romans 15:13; Philippians 4:4). •He is worthy of praise and worship (2 Samuel 22:4; Psalm 96:4; Revelation 4:11). Join your heart today with the psalmist. Rejoice greatly and sing praises to the Lord! MH ----------------------------------------------------------- Do You Have Unfair Expectations? by Debbie Holloway "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD?� (Exodus 4:11) Last week one of the ladies in my office brought some veggie burgers to give away during lunchtime. She is sometimes sent free products or games through a certain company in exchange for spreading word about them and sending in pictures of her friends &co-workers enjoying the free product. I�d never had a veggie burger, but I thought, Hey, I won�t say no to a free lunch! Several people showed up to the break-room to sample the burgers, but everyone was a little nervous to actually eat them. I went first, my expectations low and my mind open. It wasn�t bad! In fact, I found it tasty and would eat it again. Later I chuckled to myself, thinking, there�s no way my husband would enjoy this. You see, my husband is a pretty big fan of a good burger. And, while the veggie burger was tasty in my opinion, it didn�t really taste like a beef burger. It had its own unique flavor. But it would be hardto give my husband something that looks like a burger and then tell him that it won�t taste like a burger. Basically disappointment would inevitably happen. And that got me thinking even further. Isn�t that an epidemic that the human race has most of the time? We have such specific expectations about things. We hear a movie quoted and praised to death, set our expectations sky-high, and by the time we watchit, we can�t appreciate it because it doesn�t live up to the hype. More harmful than movie expectations, however, are the expectations we subconsciously place on our spiritual life, or our relationship with Christ. �I�m supposed to feel ____ when I worship�right? But I don�t feel it. There must be something wrong with me.� �Why don�t I hear God�s voice when I pray? Abraham did. Moses did. Does God hear me?� ------------------------------------------------------------------- Refined by Fire 1Peter 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. --------------------------------------------------------- The Voice of the Lord �The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. Thevoice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.� (Psalm 29:3-4) When did you last consider the majesty of God and the power of His voice? From creation to consummation, Scripture proclaims the power of God�s voice. His Word begins with His speaking everything into existence (Genesis1), and He completes His Word with eternal declarations (Revelation 21:5-8). Today�s psalm draws our eyes to God�s power over the natural world. Think about mighty, rolling ocean waves and booming thunder during the fiercest storm. Many would describe them as powerful. While that is a good description for our finite minds to comprehend,as believers we ultimately don�t ascribe power to nature itself (e.g., Mother Nature or natural selection). We choose to give praise to the Lord Jesus Christ, who created and sustains each element of creation (Colossian 1:16-17). Spurgeon expounded, �The thunder is not only poetically but instructively called �the voice of God,� since it peals from on high; it surpasses all other sounds, it inspires awe, it is entirely independent of man, and has been used on some occasions as the grandaccompaniment of God�s speech to Adam�s sons.� The book of Job also portrays God�s powerful voice. �After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannotcomprehend� (Job 37:4-5). �Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?� (Job40:9). The voice of the Lord is unique. His voice alone can create and control. Let us use our words to praise His name and proclaim His wondrous deeds! MH -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 him a stronger, more authentic faith. ------------------------------------------ Live It and Proclaim It - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org You are the light of the world�like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. �Matthew 5:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/live-it-and-proclaim-it/- Listen In the military, if soldiers go absent without leave, or AWOL, a military court will rip their stripes off. It essentially takes away their rank. I wonder sometimes if we need something like that in the church, something where Christians lose their stripes for being bad witnesses. It�s better not to be a witness at all than to be a bad witness. What drives me crazy is to see people talk about the Lord all the time and then openly contradict it bythe way they live. In other words, they are light without being salt. Jesus said that we are to be both salt and light: �You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lostits flavor? . . . You are the light of the world�like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden� (Matthew 5:13�14 NLT). In contrast to salt, which is primarily living what we believe, light signifies proclaiming what we believe. Each one is important. But here�s the problem. Some Christians are light without being salt. In other words, they talk about it, but they don�t live it. If you are one of those people, may I askyou a personal favor? Would you please stop talking about Jesus? Then there are people who are salt without being light. They live it. They�re godly people. But they never tell anyone about Jesus. However, the Bible says, �But how canthey call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?� (Romans 10:14 NLT). If you want to be a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ, you need to live it. And you need to proclaim it. ----------------------------------------------- Defying Gravity by Katherine Britton �But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.� � 1 Chronicles 29:14 While I was in elementary school, family friends made the decision to leave the States for Kiev, Ukraine. This family of seven, including children my age, had to downgrade from a four-bedroom suburban home to an 800 square foot flat. That meant getting ridof a house full of clothes, toys, yard tools, furniture, dishes � a whole host of personal preferences and �needs.� Each family member had the luxury of one big trunk as they moved halfway around the world. For this family, however, the joy of sharing the Gospel in a former USSR satellite nation outweighed all their possessions. My dad asked his friend how he was handling the sudden �loss.� His answer was telling. �Actually,� the new missionary responded, �this is the most freeing thing I�ve ever done.� This family found a special freedom far before I began to sniff it out. For me, this reorientation is coming slowly, helped along recently by a little book called The Treasure Principle. In it, Randy Alcorn uses a science metaphor to explain why our friends felt unshackled rather than empty. He writes: It's a matter of basic physics. The greater the mass, the greater the hold that mass exerts. The more things we own�the greater their total mass the more they grip us, setting us in orbit around them. Finally, like a black hole, they suck usin. ----------------------------------------------------- Failing to Listen to God Genesis 3 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 Genesis 2:16-17, the Lord gave a command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good andevil. 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 integrity and offer Eve one appealing advantage of doing things her own way�and she fell for it. Hementioned 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. The schemes of the Enemy have not changed. He still whispers lies and twists truth to convince us that a) God cannot be trusted and b) His ways are not the best. In every temptation, there is a deception about the character and motive of God, plus an attractivepromise of a better way. The world is filled with voices that vie for our attention and influence our thoughts and actions. Throughout the day, consider the messages that are sent your way through the media and people. Consciously begin to compare them to what Scripture says aboutGod and His ways. Remembering what God says in the Bible is our safeguard against deception and temptation. Daily devotions won't protect us if they're quickly forgotten during the day. Follow Christ's example: be ready with truth in your mind and on your tongue whenever temptation strikes (Matt.4:1-11) -------------------------------------------- Why We Need New Believers in Our Lives - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. �Matthew 28:20 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/why-we-need-new-believers-in-our-lives/- Listen There�s a difference between going to Disneyland with adults and going to Disneyland with kids. If you go with adults, all they want to do is eat. They don�t want to goon rides because they don�t like waiting in line. They also analyze everything. On the other hand, if you go to Disneyland with kids, it�s a completely different experience. They�ll wait in line for that ride. And to them, everything is cool. In the same way, a new believer can energize a more mature believer. When someone who�s new in the faith comes into a church and is excited about Jesus, it energizes theolder believers. At the same time, those new believers need more mature believers to disciple them. They�re discovering things for the first time. Maybe they have questions about what aScripture passage means. As older believers start helping them, they, too, discover things they�ve forgotten. Their passion is being rekindled. So not only does it benefit the new believers who are being discipled, but it also benefits those who are doing the discipling. That is why mature believers need an outlet.It�s called making disciples. Jesus said, �Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples toobey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age� (Matthew 28:19�20). If you want to maintain passion and excitement in your spiritual life, then find some new believers and help them get on their feet spiritually. It will reengergize you. Show me a church that doesn�t have a constant flow of new believers coming in, and I will show you a church that is stagnating. True disciples will reproduce themselves. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM