DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 11.20.21

EvilChoices Produce Evil People “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind,to do those things which are not convenient.” (Romans1:28) The apostle Paul provides a chilling analysis of the process by which the human mind progresses through rejection of the evidence of God’s existence to ultimately worshiping the creature more than the Creator and finding pleasure only among those of like mind. God has displayed His “eternal power and Godhead” since the creation of the world (Romans1:20). Those who reject that clear physical evidence are “without excuse” since they do know God but will not recognize His existence and engage in such destructive thinking that “their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, theybecame fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” (Romans1:21-23). That foolish behavior so shifts their intellect that they serve “the creature more than the Creator” and wind up so distorting their lifestyle that they become unable to tell what gender God made them (Romans1:24-28). Once that kind of behavior is sanctioned, their emotions become consumed with hatred of God and all things good, winding up inventing “evil things” and living within a godless world (Romans1:29-31). Having rejected the truth that God has openly displayed for everyone to see and having plunged into a foolish and damaging lifestyle that warps their intellect and emotions beyond repair, they can find pleasure only in those who live, think, and love as theydo. All the while heaping a “treasure” of wrath that will be poured out upon them when the Creator returns (Romans2:1-6). HMM III ------------------------- EvilPeople Hate God's People �Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.� (Psalm139:21-22) Once a conscious choice has been made to reject God�s truth and love, an individual begins to hate God and the people of God. The Scriptures are replete with these insights, but two references should suffice to establish the teaching��they that hate the righteousshall be desolate� (Psalm34:21) and �the bloodthirsty hate the upright� (Proverbs29:10). Don�t be surprised at the hatred of godly issues and people. �If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world,therefore the world hateth you� (John15:18-19). Perhaps more alarming than the widespread evidence that many are running full-tilt into the �broad way� leading to destruction (Matthew7:13) are the few who have found the �strait gait� leading to eternal life and yet continue to remain indifferent to the crisis of evil surrounding our country, our churches, and our families. Would God that our leaders would have the same passion the psalmist felt when he wrote, �Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law� (Psalm119:53). Perhaps it is time that we each feel something of the godly sorrow that caused �rivers of waters [to] run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law� (Psalm119:136) or sense an ache when we �beheld the transgressors, and [were] grieved; because they kept not thy word� (Psalm119:158). As our text notes, �I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.� �Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me� (Psalm101:6). HMM III ----------------------------------------------- TheMarvel of Design “And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth:and the men marvelled one at another.” (Genesis43:33) When creationists calculate the extremely low probability of the chance origin of life, many evolutionists scoff at the calculation, alleging that any one arrangement of the components of a simple, living molecule is just as likely as any other arrangement,so it is no great marvel that the components fell into this particular arrangement. This is a puerile argument, of course, quite unworthy of the intelligent scientists who use it. There are at best only a few arrangements that will contain the organized information necessary for reproduction, compared to “zillions” of arrangements with noinformation at all. This fact is beautifully illustrated in our text. Why should Joseph’s brothers “marvel” when they were seated in chronological order of birth by a host who (presumably) was entirely unaware of that order? The reason why they marveled was because there are almost 40 million different ways (calculated by multiplying all the numbers, one through 11, together) in which the 11 brothers could have been seated! It seemingly couldn’t happen by chance. Maybe an evolutionist would not “marvel” that this unique seating arrangement happened by chance, since he somehow believes that far more intricately organized arrangements than this happened by chance to produce our universe and its array of complex systems.Anyone else, however, would immediately have realized this, and so the brothers of Joseph “marvelled one at another.” So also, when we behold the wonders of design in the creation, we should “lift up [our] eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things” (Isaiah40:26). HMM --------------------------------- Keepingthe Law “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James2:10) The law of God, centered in the Ten Commandments, is “holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12) and expresses perfectly the will of God for holy living. “Theman that doeth them shall live in them” (Galatians 3:12). The problem is that no man can possibly do them all. He may keep most of the commandments most of the time, but he will inevitably fail in some of them some of the time. Since the law is a divine unit, breaking any commandment—as our text reminds us—breaksthe whole law, bringing the guilty one under God’s curse of death. “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Galatians3:10). “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight” (Romans 3:20). All men, having sinned against God’s law, are therefore lost and in urgent need of salvation. This is where God’s wonderful grace comes in. “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested...Even the righteousness...which is by faith of JesusChrist unto all and upon all them that believe” (Romans 3:21-22), “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Galatians3:13). He kept the law for us, and bore its curse for us. Thus, we are saved through trusting Him. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid” (Romans 6:1-2). We now desire to keep His commandments, because welove Him. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3). We are now able to keep them,because His Spirit now lives in us, and we are “strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16). HMM ------------------------------ Sufficient Grace 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 I thought the Christian life was going to be easier than this. Have these words ever entered your mind? Sometimes we come into the family of God thinking that our heavenly Father will fix all our problems and devote Himself to our happiness andcomfort. However, that is not the reality portrayed in Scripture. Paul was a man whom the Lord used greatly, and yet his life was anything but easy. In fact, at one point, the apostle thought his pain was too much to bear, and he begged God to remove it. There’s nothing wrong with asking the Lord to relieve our suffering, but what should our response be if He doesn’t? Paul probably had no idea that Hisexperience would find its way into the Bible, to comfort and guide believers throughout the ages. The promise God gave him applies to us as well: “My grace is sufficient for you” (v. 9). God’s grace could be defined as His provision for us at the point of our need. The problem is that sometimes it doesn’t seem as if the Lord truly is meeting our need. But He frequently sees deficiencies, outcomes, and complications that we don’t. His goalsfor us involve spiritual growth, the development of Christlike character, and strong faith. And trials play a vital role in achieving these. The important issue is how we respond. If all you want is relief, you could descend into anger and doubt. But if your desire is to become the person God wants you to be, you’ll see each trial as an opportunity for Christ to display His character and strengthin you. ----------------------------------- The Power of a Discerning Spirit Hebrews 5:11-14 In a world filled with endless sources of information and opinions, believers need to develop a discerning spirit. Otherwise, how will we know what is true? Much of what we see and hear is based on a worldly perspective that is influenced by Satan, the Fatherof Lies. Deception is found even in the religious realm: cults mix lies with enough truth to make some people consider them legitimate Christian institutions. The only way believers can guard against deception is to ground themselves in God's Word. The more time you spend filling your mind with the Lord's thoughts, the more discerning you will be. However, just knowing biblical truth isn't enough. You must putwhat you learn into practice so that it becomes more than head knowledge. ------------------------------ Living Your Thanksgiving by Laura MacCorkle Make a glad sound to the Lord, all the earth. Give worship to the Lord with joy; come before him with a song. Be certain that the Lord is God; it is he who has made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep to whom he gives food. Come intohis doors with joy, and into his house with praise; give him honour, blessing his name. For the Lord is good, and his mercy is never-ending; his faith is unchanging through all generations. - Psalms 100, The Bible in Basic English When I was younger, Thanksgiving was pretty much just another holiday—a day when I got to eat a whole lot of good food and nibble on all the sugary stuff I wanted. In fact, one year it only took me, my sister, two forks and about 30 minutes to finish off the rest of the pecan pie, while everyone else was either glued to the football game or snoring in a recliner. We had no regrets, and I’m pretty sure we’d do it again. ------------------------- A Thankful Tomorrow by Ryan Duncan “How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.” – Psalms 31:19 I’ve always really enjoyed Thanksgiving. Sure, the family can be pretty crazy at times, and I usually end up on dish duty after the meal, but Thanksgiving has always been a time for me to stop and realize how blessed I am. Friends, family, a warm meal, thereare many simple things in this life that are easy to take for granted, so it’s good to have a day that reminds us to be thankful for all God has given us. The problem is that’s usually how long it lasts, a day. After the food has been eaten and prayers havebeen said, many people wake up the next morning and jump headfirst into the madness of Black Friday. I can only remember shopping twice on Black Friday, and I regretted it both times. It’s complete chaos, with people running, screaming, and sometimes even fighting each other over things they want to buy. I’ve never had any crazy experiences myself, butmy brother-in-law remembers a particularly strange incident that happened while he was in college. One year, while he and my sister were still dating, he drove up to visit her on the Friday after Thanksgiving. He had left his house at 3am with hopes of avoidingthe holiday rush and was making good time on the freeway when suddenly, out of nowhere, a long line of traffic appeared in the distance. ----------------------------------- Being Thankful in “All” Things By Debbie McDaniel "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 I must be honest, sometimes it's the "all" in that verse that gets me. Most of us can be thankful, for lots of things, at lots of times, but in "all" circumstances? That can be tough. What about when you find yourself suffering illness, or defeat, or you're walking through huge loss...what about when a loved one leaves this world too soon and you still can't see past your tears...or when you've been praying for your prodigal loved oneto come home and it seems like the prayers are unanswered...what about when you're discouraged, disillusioned, and struggling with disbelief...or when you're overwhelmed, overextended, and just fighting being over-stressed...what about when the needs mounthigh and the way doesn't look clear...or when people are cruel, life seems unfair, and the enemy's breathing down your back...what about when the storms come, and the car breaks down, or the air conditioner stops working on a holiday weekend (true story)... ------------------------------------------- Spot Free - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Don�t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God�s will foryou, which is good and pleasing and perfect. �Romans 12:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/spot-free/- Listen The Bible tells us to keep ourselves �unspotted from the world� (James 1:27 NLT). So how does the world �spot� (or soil) us in the first place? It starts with friendship with the world. James 4:4 says, �Don�t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to bea friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God� (NLT). This leads to a love for this world. First John 2:15 says, �Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love ofthe Father in you� (NLT). Then it�s our love for the world that results in our conformity to this world. We read in Romans 12:2, �Don�t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transformyou into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God�s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect� (NLT). We find a classic example of this in the book of Genesis. When the angels came to deliver Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah, they had to practically drag him out of the city. How did it all start? The Bible tells us that �Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain� (Genesis 13:12 NLT). Lot moved closerto Sodom (maybe so he could keep it in view), and the next thing you know, he had moved into Sodom. But before long, Sodom had moved into him. Lot lost his testimony and ultimately his own family. And when judgment fell on Sodom, he lost everything. True spirituality is primarily measured by what we do, not by what we say. So let�s keep ourselves unspotted from the world. ---------------------------------------- OurUmpire in Heaven �For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neitheris there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.� (Job9:32-33) Job, in his sufferings, was mystified by the complete silence of God, whom he had loved and tried to serve faithfully all his life. He longed somehow to be able to come before the great Judge to plead his case, but this was not possible, for God was not a manlike himself. He did not even have a �daysman� to mediate between himself and God. Oh, yes, he did! And so do we. A �daysman� is an arbitrator or umpire, or mediator (as this word is usually rendered in modern versions). But how could there be an umpire to mediate disputes between God and man unless such an umpire could somehow be both Godand man, able to �lay his hand upon us both?� There is one perfect umpire, of course. �For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time� (1Timothy 2:5-6). The ransom He paid was His own blood, with which �he entered in once [for all] into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us� (Hebrews9:12). Thus, the God/man Christ Jesus is perfectly able to bridge the chasm between God and man. Perhaps an even better connotation of �daysman� is that of �advocate.� Now, when Satan, �the accuser of our brethren� (Revelation12:10), accuses us of sin before God, as he did against Job, our great Intercessor defends us. �If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous� (1John 2:1), and �he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them� (Hebrews7:25). HMM ------------------------------ The Ultimate Father-Son Relationship John 5:19-20 God is called by a variety of names in the Bible, and each one sheds light on an aspect of His nature. Jesus' favorite title for Him was Father. Surprisingly, this name for God is used only 15 times in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament, it's recorded 245 times! Many of God's names speak of His majestic and lofty attributes that separate Him from mankind, but Father conveys intimacy. Jesus used this name not only because He was God's Son, but also to help people realize that Jehovah isn't some unapproachable Deity gazing down on them from a distance. Rather, He is their loving heavenly Father, who cares about them and wants to be involved in their everyday lives. Throughout His time on earth, Christ revealed by example what this kind of love relationship was like. He depended completely on His Father for daily direction, power, and provision and obediently carried out every instruction. He often left the demandsof ministry just to find a secluded place to be alone with Jehovah. We know Jesus successfully conveyed the riches of this relationship to His disciples, because in John14:8, Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father"�he wanted to know Him the way Christ did. Do you long for that kind of intimacy with God? He wants to relate to you as a Father to His child, and He's given you the privilege of drawing near to Him. In fact, He chose you before the foundation of the world and waits with open arms for you toenter His loving embrace. ------------------------------------- Remembering Thanksgiving By Ryan Duncan �Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.� � Colossians3:16 Thanksgiving has got to be one of the most underrated holidays in America. Once Halloween has finished and the Jack-O-Lanterns are all put away, the Christmas frenzy takes over. Holiday specials start playing on TV, stores decorate their aisle with snowflakes and mistletoes, and people take the chance to hang Christmas lights while there�s no snow. It�s not all that surprisingreally; the Christmas spirit can be pretty infectious, it�s also a lot harder to profit off a holiday that emphasizes thankfulness. I feel like this is how many people, even Christians, treat the idea of thankfulness in general. I don�t know about you, but I�m much faster at coming up with a list of things I want for Christmas than a list of things I�m grateful for. It�s also prettyeasy for our prayers to become filled with phrases like �God, please give me��, �God, please help me��, or �God, I need��. We get so tied up in what God can do for us, how Christ can impact our lives, that we forget how to be thankful for what we have. Luckily,God is good at reminding us what�s important. ------------------------------------------- Resisting Ourselves - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. �James 1:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/resisting-ourselves/- Listen When my son Jonathan was very young, I found him playing video games one morning when he was supposed to be doing his homework. With the controller in his hand and a guiltyexpression on his face, he told me, �Dad, I couldn�t resist myself.� He didn�t say that he couldn�t resist the video games or the temptation to play video games. Rather, he said that he couldn�t resist himself. And I thought that was aboutthe most accurate description of temptation I�ve heard. After we fall into temptation, we like to say the Devil made us do it or that someone entrapped us or a certain situation just happened, and therefore we had no controlover the circumstances. But God never will give us more than we can handle or allow us to be tempted above our capacity to resist. The Bible tells us, �The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than youcan stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure� (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT). Scripture clearly says that temptation does not come from God. James wrote, �And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, �God is tempting me.� God is never temptedto do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else� (James 1:13 NLT). Instead, James says that �temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away� (verse 14 NLT). We play a key role in our own temptation. Now, clearlythe Devil will work in concert with the flesh and this world to bring us down, but we have to cooperate. Yet when temptation comes to us as Christians, we do not fight for victory. Rather, we fight from victory. In other words, we rest in the finished work that Christ has accomplishedfor us on the cross. -------------------------- What Does God Love? by Debbie Holloway I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave (Psalms86:12). There is a very famous passage in Proverbs detailing what God hates. Indeed, throughout the Bible God never shows reluctance to speak against behaviors he finds detestable. This should come as no surprise to us, being that he is holy and man has amasseda large amount of sinful tendencies since he first came into the world. But what does God love? While avoiding the �bad� list � is there a �good� list toward which we can be working? Let�s dissect Proverbs 6:16 to discern the things which God loves. God hates �haughty eyes.� Therefore, God loves eyes which gaze with humility. Not a false or broken humility of despising oneself, but a genuine, Christ-like choice to serve others, not draw undue attention to oneself, and treat others with great honor and respect. God hates �a lying tongue.� Therefore, God loves a tongue which speaks truth. Note that this does not say a brash tongue, or a loud tongue, or a tongue which speaks its opinion at any and every possible moment. Rather, he loves a tongue which, when it does speak, valueshonesty and artlessness. God hates �hands that shed innocent blood.� Therefore, God loves hands which protect the innocent. Throughout Scripture, God�s compassion for the defenseless and the innocent is clear. He commends his children (in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Covenant) to protect the defenseless(Psalm 82:3-4), welcome the alien (Matthew25:35), care for the widow (James 1:27), defend the orphan (Deut.24:17), and mourn with those who are mourning (Romans 12:15). We are to be peaceful citizens, not bloodthirsty citizens, and our handsshould therefore strive to protect innocence. --------------------------- The Worst Possible Time - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. �1 Corinthians 10:12 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-worst-possible-time/ - Listen During World War II, Hitler had an interesting strategy of attacking his enemies on a weekend. He knew the various parliaments wouldn�t be in session, making it more difficultto react swiftly to an invasion. In the same way, the Devil waits for the opportune moment to attack us. It may come when our guard is down or when we think we�re the strongest. But it�s usually at theworst possible time. For example, you can be taking part in a worship service when suddenly a wicked thought comes knocking on the door of your imagination. You�re very embarrassed, and youcan�t even believe you�re thinking such a thing. Then the Devil, as cunning as he is, will condemn you for being tempted: �How could you think such a thought? What are you even doing in church?� Remember, it isn�t a sin to be tempted. Even Jesus was tempted. The sin takes place only when we give in to the temptation, when we open the door and entertain it. Thatis why we should flee temptation and never leave a forwarding address. When we think we�re doing well spiritually and everything is going great, that is when the Devil will choose to hit hard. It�s why the Bible tells us, �If you think youare standing strong, be careful not to fall� (1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT). Often temptation will come after a great blessing. So don�t be surprised if you are tempted right after you get out of church. And don�t be surprised if you are temptedright after God has done a wonderful work in your life. Perhaps you have experienced a great blessing in your life recently. That blessing may involve your family, your career, your ministry, or your personal walk with God. TheEnemy wants to rob you of that blessing. So be careful and keep your guard up. -------------------- EvilHearts Produce Evil Deeds �And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,because their deeds were evil.� (John3:19) Make no mistake�those who love evil hate righteousness. Petty selfishness is often invoked to justify a host of social evils, and the sin burden constantly overlays human behavior. But an evil heart produces evil deeds and drives an evil person to commit atrocities. �For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved� (John3:20). Both the apostles James and Paul made the same observation. James noted that �wars and fightings� come from the �lusts that war in your members� (James4:1). Paul bemoaned the conflict of �laws� that he sensed in his own body and called himself a �wretched man� because he couldn�t seem to shake the �law of sin� (Romans7:18-24). The beloved apostle John insisted that the twice-born should never love the world or �the things that are in the world� because �all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is ofthe world� (1John 2:15-16). Once a decision is made to reject the overwhelming evidence of the �eternal power and Godhead� that the Creator has displayed for all to see (Romans1:20), and once the personal conviction of the Holy Spirit has been spurned (John16:7-11), nothing remains but social pressure to do good. And when that wanes (as it surely will), the individual person cycles ever more rapidly into a godless lifestyle, falling away �from the faith... having their conscience seared with a hot iron� (1Timothy 4:1-2). HMM III --------------------------------- God's Reminder for Today: Don�t Let Your Hearts Be Troubled by Debbie McDaniel "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me." John 14:1 Sometimes we face circumstances in life that are just out of our control. No amount of our own planning and effort can make it better, or could have even prevented it from occurring. Hard things happen. We feel at a loss in how to fix it all. Sometimes itseems too broken. We may try hard to regain some sense of order, but life can still feel unbalanced, uncertain, even chaotic, because of the pressures that cling too tightly. Jesus Himself understood these pressures. Over and over in His Word, He reminds us not to worry, not to fear, not to be "troubled" in our hearts. And on the heels of the Last Supper, before His difficult journey to the cross, Christ offers comfort to His disciples, for He knew what lay ahead. He knew the trials they would all soon face. He could have said so many things in that moment, but these are the words He chosethen, and the words that have such power for us still today: "Do not let your hearts (inmost part, center of your spiritual life and physical being), be troubled (agitated, restless, disturbed). Trust (believe, to have full confidence) in God, trust also in me." John14:1 4 Truths from this verse to help us live wisely: - Many around us will have troubled hearts in this world, troubled souls, but Jesus reminds us, don't let "your" heart be troubled. Don't follow the crowd, stand apart, for we know where our true peace and security are found. --------------------------------------- To Live Is Christ - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shallthe flame scorch you. �Isaiah 43:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/to-live-is-christ/- Listen I�ve been bitten by a lot of snakes in my lifetime. When I was a kid, I collected them. As a result, a number of those snakes bit me, including gopher snakes, king snakes,boas, and pythons. The book of Acts tells us about a time when the apostle Paul was bitten by a snake�a venomous snake. After being shipwrecked on the way to Rome, he and his fellow prisonersmade their way to shore along with Roman soldiers. And as they warmed themselves by a fire, a snake fastened itself to Paul�s arm. Everyone thought Paul would die, of course, but he simply shook off the snake into the fire. Paul lived to see another day because it wasn�t his time. If God still has a plan and a purpose for you or me, we will continue on with our lives, just as Paul did. We will live as long as God wants us to live, and He will protectus until that day. Psalm 91:7 says, �Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you� (NLT). This doesn�t mean that we should test the Lord, however. Instead, we should trust Him. You and I will be around as long as God wants us around. As God said to Abram (latercalled Abraham), �Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great� (Genesis 15:1 NLT). That�s wonderful for us to know. But what about that moment when death comes? Then death comes. But here�s what the Bible says: �To live is Christ, and to die is gain� (Philippians1:21 NKJV). Or, as another translation puts it, �Living means living for Christ, and dying is even better� (NLT). The reality is that a Christian doesn�t have to fear death, because God is greater, even, than that. ------------------------------ TheCaptain of Our Salvation �But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned withglory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.� (Hebrews2:9-10) Christ is referred to in this passage as the captain of our salvation. The word translated captain implies one who is first in line, the beginning, or the originator. So, Christ is discovered to be the first in line of an endless procession of the saints ofall ages resurrected from the grave and marching to the ultimate realization of their salvation. He is truly �the first born among many brethren� (Romans8:29). �But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept� (1Corinthians 15:20). The word finds usage only three other times in the New Testament, each within a resurrection and glorification context. Peter, addressing the people of Israel, said that they had �killed the Prince [originator] of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereofwe are witnesses� (Acts3:15). And later, �the God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince [leader] and a Saviour� (Acts5:30-31). As a result of what our �Captain� has done, we should be �looking unto Jesus the author [same word] and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand ofthe throne of God� (Hebrews12:2). The only way we could ever share in His glory is for Him to suffer and die. �Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren� (Hebrews2:11). JDM ---------------------------------------------- Resisting Fleshly Appetites Ephesians 2:1-7 The Holy Spirit guides believers to make wise and righteous decisions. But when Christians fail to listen, they can make choices that appeal to the flesh instead. After the serpent spoke to Eve, she no doubt took a long look at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17; 3:3). Whatevershe might have thought about the tree before, she now saw it with new eyes�flesh-focused eyes. Genesis 3 tells us that the forbidden tree appealedto Eve in three ways: 1) it was good for food, 2) it was a delight to the eyes, and 3) it was desirable to make one wise. In other words, the tree could fulfill three legitimate human appetites: the desire for tasty meals, beauty, and wisdom. There is nothing wrong with these God-given yearnings. The Lord created a variety of food and an earth packed with breathtaking sightsso that people could enjoy them. He also offers the Holy Spirit as a source of His true wisdom and knowledge. In fact, it is the Spirit who teaches believers to keep fleshly appetites under control and in balance. Meanwhile, Satan works very hard at corrupting healthy desires. He abhors seeing people's appetites satisfied. What he wants is to watch a person lusting after a good thing until he or she is controlled by the impulse to have it. The Devil is pleased when people make themselves slaves to a desire that�in the proper context�the Lord intended to be enjoyed freely. A believer walking in the Holy Spirit rejects gluttony, preferring desires that are within God's boundaries instead.That's how we get His very best. ----------------------------------------------------------------- For the Days You Feel Overwhelmed: There's a Rock that Is Higher By Debbie McDaniel �When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.� - Psalms 61:2 For the times when you feel overwhelmed, there's a Rock that is higher. Stable, sure, faithful, true...a place you can trust, a place you can rest. We often long for a more simplified life, free of mess or clutter, and struggles. Yet most days we strive just to keep our heads above the demands of work, family responsibilities, and all that calls our name. It�s hard sometimes, feeling like we can neverget it all done. Our minds are in a constant mode of �go� from the moment our feet hit the floor in the morning. This is life. Real life. And God longs to be right there in the center of it all. In the mess. In the full days. In the craziness and times when we feel overwhelmed. Because the truth is, the reality that we can ever get everything done we feel like we need to do, is not even areality for most of us. And that�s not where true success is found anyway. It�s found in spending time with Him. Our Rock. Our stability. Our hope. Our peace. Maybe today is the day to rise above. Maybe we�ve been stuck down too long. Maybe we�ve been drowning or fighting the �overwhelm.� All the struggles and stuff won�t ever go away, but they don�t have to defeat us. He is the One who brings hope in the chaos, the clutter, and demands. Because most days don't look like a Pinterest post or page fresh out of a magazine for Simple Living. Sometimes they're messy and full, and we can hardly keep up. The to-do list doesn'tget done, again, and we might be feeling a few steps behind. Pressures cling. We feel hurried and stressed. Battling defeat and discouragement, wondering why we can't just get it together. Yet still, His Truth shines through. For though there's a lot that may be left undone at the end of every day, if we're living close to the One who created the day and cares more about us than we could ever imagine, that's where true life is found. That's where real peace is. Resting there today. Hope you are too. Intersecting Faith & Life: You can be real with God this morning. Tell Him your struggles and what�s concerning you. He already knows, but He longs for that relationship with us, as we sit in His presence, as we pray, and read His words of truth. Ask Him forHis peace to cover you, even if you find yourself in circumstances that are anything but peace-filled. He alone has the power to help us rise above the chaos and mess of our days. Let�s choose to fix our eyes on Him and believe that He is with us. Further Reading: Isaiah 26:3, Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 11:28-30, 1 Corinthians 14:33 ------------------------------------------ In Sight - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. �Matthew 14:24 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/in-sight/- Listen A while back I heard a minister say, �Chaos is never the evidence of God�s absence; it�s the arena in which He moves.� When we�re surrounded by chaos, we might think that God is absent when He really isn�t. In Matthew 14 we read of a time when the disciples found themselves in the midstof chaos as they battled a storm on the Sea of Galilee. Worse yet, Jesus was nowhere in sight. Commenting on the same story, Mark 6:48 gives us this detail: �He [Jesus] saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. Aboutthree o�clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water� (NLT). Although the disciples lost sight of Jesus, He never lost sight of them. And He came to them, walking on water. Jesus will come to us in our storms as well. Jesus, being God, can do whatever He wants. He could have flown in. But Jesus walked among us as a man. He walked in our shoes, lived our life, and died our death. And Hecame to the disciples on the waves to show them that the things they feared�the wind and the sea�merely were a staircase for Him to come to them. The disciples, however, didn�t know it was Jesus who was coming toward them. Matthew�s gospel tells us that when they �saw him walking on the water, they were terrified.In their fear, they cried out, �It�s a ghost!�� (14:26 NLT). Why didn�t they know it was Jesus? It�s because they weren�t looking for him. A lot of times we miss Jesus not because He�s absent, but because we�re not looking for Him. You�re not alone in your storm. Jesus is with you. He�s watching you, not impassively but with great interest and great concern. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM