DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 12.11.21

TheChristian's Prosperity “God and Father...who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians1:3) Given our high position in Christ, it follows that God would provide whatever is necessary to accomplish His purposes in and for us. The Beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-12 provide a good illustration. Each blessing is designed to meet a need or fulfill a desire of God’s chosen (Ephesians1:4). The poor, meek, and persecuted are given ownership in the Kingdom. The mournful are given God’s special comfort. Those who hunger for righteousness are filled. The merciful will obtain mercy, the pure in heart will see God, and the peacemakers areidentified as God’s children. The longings of our souls and characters are all met by God. The practical needs of “wisdom and prudence” are met, too (v. 8). Wisdom is knowledge focused toward useful application, and prudence is the ability to develop successful activities based on wisdom. The Word of God is the source of wisdom (Deuteronomy4:1-6; Proverbs 1:1-6) and is inspired of God to be “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2Timothy 3:16-17). Furthermore, He has “made known unto us the mystery of his will” (Ephesians1:9). “Kept secret” in the days of the Old Testament prophets (Romans16:25-26), it is now made clear to us so that we can show “unto the principalities and powers...by the church the manifold wisdom of God” (Ephesians3:10). These spiritual resources are available for every believer “to profit withal” (1Corinthians 12:7). We must pray that we do not waste these resources like the “wicked and slothful” servant in the parables of the talents and the pounds (Matthew25:26; Luke 19:22). HMM III --------------------------- TheChristian's Purpose “According as he hath chosen us in him...that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” (Ephesians1:4) In the grand purpose of our “selection” into God’s family, two key words are used: “Holy” (Greek hagios) stresses dedication. A holy man or woman is distinctively God’s, set apart for God’s use, separated from the secular, and consecrated to God’s service. All who are “chosen” are chosen to be holy. The Colossian Christians were told to “mortify” the physical appetites, to “put off” their sinful mental attitudes and habits, and to “put on the new man...as the elect of God, holy and beloved” (Colossians3:5-12). The focus is character. “Without blame” refers to our reputations. This character will only be fully realized in heaven (1Corinthians 1:8), but there is a present responsibility to “present your bodies a living sacrifice...And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans12:1-2). The character of holiness will become the cause of a lifestyle of blamelessness. We are to be the “sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Philippians2:15). This holy and blameless condition will result in “the praise of the glory of his grace” (Ephesians1:6), where God will someday “gather together in one all things in Christ” (v. 10). What a magnificent thought! The purpose for which we have been chosen, predestined, redeemed, and forgiven is to be holy in character and blameless in reputation, so that when God gathers us all together in Christ, we will be the praise of the glorious graceof God! HMM III ------------------------- TheChristian's Position “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.” (Ephesians1:4) The search for identity and meaning can drive one to great successes or tragic failures. For the Christian, however, the question is answered throughout Ephesians. We are chosen! We are selected as a favorite out of “many [who] are called” (Matthew 22:14) “out of the world” (John15:19). What a privilege! We are God’s choice to bear His name, represent His cause, and share His glory throughout eternity. In fact, we are “predestinated [previous boundaries set]...unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself” (Ephesians 1:5). And “if children, thenheirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). Furthermore, we have been “accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). That word, “accepted,” is a specialized form of the word most often translated “grace.” We have been “graced” by almighty God, who has set absolute boundaries around our lives and made us His children. We were purchased “through his blood” (v. 7) “that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar [that is, ‘precious’] people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). Moreover, we are forgiven (Ephesians 1:7)! Our sins are “covered” (Psalm32:1); “cast” behind God’s back (Isaiah 38:17); removed “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm103:12); “remember[ed]...no more” (Jeremiah 31:34); and cleansed “from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9). Hallelujah! Since we are God’s children, we should have no identity crisis. We are a chosen, predestined, accepted, redeemed, forgiven, and holy people. Finally, we are predestined “to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans8:29). HMM III ----------------------------- Our Best Friend Is Jesus John 15:9-17 Years ago the Sunday School teachers in my church would teach preschoolers a little chorus that included the line, “My best friend is Jesus.” As those children grew into adulthood, they naturally put aside juvenile songs like this one. But sadly, they alsofrequently seemed to grow out of the idea of Jesus being a friend. As believers learn more about God, they rightly elevate Him to be the Lord of their lives and acknowledge Him as sovereign ruler over all the earth. It is easier to think of One so high and mighty as Creator, Savior, and Lord than to “lower” Him to the positionof Friend. But Jesus makes a point of telling His disciples that He is both a transcendent deity—the Son of God—and their companion (John 15:15). The offer of friendship extends to modern disciples as well. Like the original twelve followers, we are privileged to say that Christ laid down His life for us in a supreme act of love and devotion (v. 13). What is more, His Spirit reveals the truth of Scriptureto our hearts so that we can learn more about God and His ways. In other words, Jesus has made known to us the things He heard from His Father. A man doesn’t tell secrets to slaves; he tells them to his friends (v. 15). Teaching children to sing of their friendship with Jesus is a wise idea. But I wonder when some grown believers will learn to sing of that special relationship again? May we never become so religious, so pious, or so full of our own maturity that we willnot say, “My best friend is Jesus Christ.” -------------------------------- Jesus Christ the Sin Bearer Matthew 26:26-27 The cross is so common in our culture that most people don’t think twice when they see one on a church. But unfortunately, familiarity with the symbol can actually get in the way of understanding what it truly means. So let’s stop to consider how Jesus becamethe bearer of sin. We begin with Scripture written long before Jesus was born. Genesis, the first book of the Bible, explains how man chose to disobey God. Because Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, their descendants are all born under the curse of death, having inherited a sinful “flesh” nature. In Leviticus, God’s laws for the Jewish nation included observance of Yom Kippur, the day each year when the Israelites fasted, prayed, and sacrificed an animal to atone for sin. In essence, the goat would bear the wrongs done by the people and suffer thepenalty that divine justice required. Centuries later, Isaiah prophesied that a Savior would atone for transgression once and for all (Isa. 53:5, 8; Heb. 7:27). After another 700 years, John the Baptist identified Jesus as the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The Messiah had come, though Hewas totally different from what the people expected—so much so, in fact, that they rejected Him and requested His crucifixion. In all, God gave 613 laws through Moses. But none of us can perfectly follow even the Ten Commandments. In fact, one reason He gave us these rules is to show us our need for a Savior (Ps.19:7; Gal. 3:24). Meditate on those commands (Ex. 20:1-17), asking God to speak to your heart. ------------------------------- The Names of Christ Philippians 2:5-11 The Bible ascribes many different names to Jesus, all of which provide great insight into His character and person. Here are some from John’s gospel that I find particularly revealing: The Good Shepherd (10:11) protects his sheep at all cost from predators. They know His voice and follow Him. The Door (vv. 7-9) is the only way to enter heaven. Whoever enters through the “gate” of Christ will be saved. The Vine (15:1-10) is the source of our spiritual life. When we stay intimately connected to Jesus, we bear fruit. If we do not remain in Him, we wither. The Bread of Life (6:25-35) the only one who can truly satisfy our hearts. Jesus feeds our souls with sustenance that never leaves us wanting for more. The Light of the World (9:5) shines His light through our countenance as a ministry and testimony to a dark world. The Way (14:6) to happiness, peace, joy, and eternal life is Jesus Christ. The Truth (14:6) of His revelation, as recorded in the New Testament, is the reason we can know as much as we do about God. The Life (14:6) Jesus imparts to believers is powerful, effective, and fruitful, not only in eternity but here on earth as well. In biblical times, Israelites would choose a baby’s name based on the child’s characteristics or a hope or prayer of the parent. The names given to Jesus tell a great deal about His ministry on earth 2,000 years ago. The scriptural names describing Him reveal who He was and is and will be for eternity. ----------------------------- The Thrill of Hope by Shawn McEvoy May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13 "A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn." ~~ O Holy Night Does Christmas thrill you? Children get excited at the coming of the season, and often we might feel a bit of a charge through experiencing their amazement, but the chores we go through to provide that for them are often the very things that rob us from knowing the wonder for ourselves.Plan the party, trim the tree, max out the MasterCard, wrap, ship, take a trip. And that's assuming we aren't one of the multitudes who find themselves with a case of the Holiday Blues. So if Christ's coming into this world offers hope, and hope, as the song says, provides a thrill, how do we locate that experience amid the distraction and disillusionment of December? Well, that's the cool thing about Hope. Just as total darkness can't hold back the light of a tiny flame, so does even the smallest increment of Hope provide joy and purpose. Here are a few scriptures I've been mulling over on the subject: Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews11:1). Notice the parallel between "things hoped for" and "things not seen." Talk about a paradox; try applying "assurance" to something your five senses can't detect. It's a challenge. The plus side is that hope, through Christ, is available to you no matter whatyou see, hear, or feel. It's above your circumstances. ------------------------------- A Taste of Heaven - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For �whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.� �Romans 10:13 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-taste-of-heaven/- Listen Have you ever noticed that when someone pulls out a cell phone in a movie theater, your eyes immediately go from the movie screen to the phone? That�s because we�re drawntoward the light. In Mark 9 we read about the Transfiguration, where Jesus shined like the sun. We tend to think of this as a miracle, but the real miracle is that Jesus didn�t shine likethe sun all the time. He was God walking among us. And when He walked among us, He didn�t void His deity; He veiled it. The lyrics to �Hark! The Herald Angels Sing� describe Him this way: �Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail th� incarnate Deity!� Jesus never ceased to be God, but He essentiallyrestrained that glory from showing. The Transfiguration took place at a significant point in Jesus�s earthly ministry, at the halfway point of a very difficult journey. At the Transfiguration, He gave Peter,James, and John a glimpse of glory, or a taste of Heaven. It was a preview of what is yet to come for all of humanity when Christ returns one day as King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus, being God, knew what was ahead. He knew He would have to take all the sin of the world upon Himself. That�s why He said to the Father, �If it is possible, let thiscup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will� (Matthew 26:39 NKJV). But Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and then He rose from the dead. Now He offers us the ultimate gift: eternal life. The Bible tells us, �Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved� (Romans 10:13 NKJV). Today you can reach outand accept this gift, and He will forgive you of all your sin. ------------------------------------------ The Real Santa Claus by Sarah Phillips I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. - Romans 1:16 NIV His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow. ~ "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore (1823) My dad used to take my sisters and me down to Miller & Rhodes for a visit with the "Real Santa Claus." The trip made for some of my favorite childhood memories. This Santa wasn't some ordinary mall Santa. The "Real Santa" arrived via reindeer-pulled sleighand -- you bet – slid down a chimney. His full, white beard was genuine, and his beautiful friend, the Snow Queen, glittered as she greeted each awe-struck child. ----------------------------- Not What You Wanted? by Alex Crain "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?" - James 4:1 A holiday edition of the TV show "America's Funniest Home Videos" showed various children opening their presents on Christmas morning. Apparently, it's hard for many kids to see humor in getting an unwanted gift. Most of their reactions were, well… downrightchildish. When the ribbons and paper were torn off, one child pulled out a new pair of socks, threw her head back and erupted in an angry sob. A matching outfit given to another child produced a tantrum across the floor followed by stomping footsteps up the stairs.Other children glowered with frowns and snarls. One even screamed at the parent holding the video camera, then hurled the unwanted gift back in his face. Not exactly the funniest home videos. In contrast to all the immaturity and ingratitude came a bright ray of hope at the end of the montage as a little brown-haired girl in pink pajamas ecstatically jumped up and down with glee. She held in her hands a tiny chestnut and spun around to the cameraexclaiming, "A nut! A nut! I got a nut! I don't know what kind it is, but I got a nut!" James 4:1-6 says that sinful responses erupt from hearts that are controlled by overwhelming desires. They don'thave to be sinful desires necessarily. The degree to which "harmless" desires become sinful is shown by what happens when things don't turn out as you hoped or expected. Whether it is irritability, or an angry tantrum or a sulking frown; sinful responses showthat something in the heart has replaced God. --------------------------- The Hour Has Come by Debbie Holloway “The hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Romans13:11). Christmas Eve is a special, ritualistic time for many families, especially ones with young children. Children have an almost tangible energy and near-breathless excitement for the festivities of the next day. Parents have all the gifts wrapped and hiddenin secret closets, simply awaiting nightfall to relocate to their resting place beneath the Christmas tree. Finally, after too many Christmas treats, laying out milk and cookies for Santa, a recitation of T’was The Night Before Christmas and perhaps a reading from the book of Luke, the kids are tucked in bed. The work has been done. No more shopping, no more wrapping, no more commanding the children to stop poking around their parents’ bedroom. Preparations have been made. And in the morning, what a glorious day Christmas day will be! -------------------------- The Most Important Question of All - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Then he asked them, �But who do you say I am?� �Mark 8:29 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-most-important-question-of-all/- Listen Jesus�s ministry in Galilee was coming to a close. It was a transitional moment in His ministry, and for the first time, He spoke very clearly and in great detail aboutwhy He had come. He also asked His disciples a powerful question that we still need to answer today: �But who do you say I am?� (Mark 8:29 NLT). Now, this is the most important question of all. It�s a question that, ultimately, we all must answer. In fact, I�ll give you the answer now: Jesus Christ is Lord. Someday,everyone will say Jesus Christ is Lord. Every Christian will say it, every non-Christian will say it, every atheist will say it, and every agnostic will say it. Every person ultimately will say that Jesus is Lord. Maybe you�re thinking, �You�re wrong about that. Not everyone believes.� They won�t necessarily say this during their lives on Earth, but one day when they stand beforeGod Almighty, they will acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord. The Bible tells us, �Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of thosein heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father� (Philippians 2:9�11 NKJV). It�s one thing to say that Jesus is Lord when we�re with our Christian friends, but it�s another thing to take a stand in our culture. Jesus said, �For whoever is ashamedof Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels� (Mark 8:38 NKJV). --------------------- The Planet�s Most Momentous Event - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Simon Peter answered, �You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God� �Matthew 16:16 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-planets-most-momentous-event/- Listen During His earthly ministry, did Jesus know the word on the street? Was He aware of what people thought about Him and said about Him? Absolutely. In fact, He would call people out for their thoughts while He was engaging them. So at Caesarea Philippi when Jesus asked His disciples, �Who do people say Iam?� (Mark 8:27 NLT), He was giving them a test. And why do teachers give tests? It�s to see if their students are learning the material. The disciples had seen Jesus perform miracles. They had seen Him walk on water,heal leprosy, drive out demons, and even raise the dead. But did they really understand who He was yet? Apparently not, because they replied, �Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets� (verse 28 NLT). That wasn�t the right answer. But Simon Peter, known for his outspokenness, got it. He said, �You are the Messiah� (verse 29 NLT). Matthew�s version of this story has Petersaying, �You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God� (16:16 nlt). Jesus replied, �You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being� (verse 17 NLT). Peter understood that Jesus wasn�t Elijah. He wasn�t John the Baptist. And He wasn�t even a mere prophet. He was and is the very Son of God. Jesus wasn�t a mere man or just one of the prophets. He was God, coming to us in human flesh. As Jesus entered our world, He was God with skin on, walking among us. The birth of Jesus Christ was the most momentous event that has ever occurred in the history of the planet. The eternal God literally became a fetus and was born of a womanin order to be the Savior of the world. ---------------------------------- TheChristian's Possibilities �That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ...May give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledgeof him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened.� (Ephesians1:17-18) The �spirit of wisdom� is applied to a wide variety of circumstances. It certainly includes leadership (Deuteronomy34:9). But wisdom is also identified with the ability to make beautiful clothing (Exodus28:3) and to engineer and invent complex equipment (31:2-6). Daniel was said to have �an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts� (Daniel5:12). We are even promised that our �adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist� (Luke21:15). A �spirit of revelation� is also made available to us. This revelation (literally �to take off the cover�) is not new doctrine or truth. Revelation is implemented by the Holy Spirit (1Corinthians 2:10), having the source of His revelatory work from Jesus Christ on behalf of Christ (John16:13-15). The Greek language of the phrase �the eyes of [our] understanding being enlightened� (Ephesians1:18) could be translated �the vision of your deep thought will be made to shine,� or paraphrased in a more colloquial expression, �the light comes on!� There are three specific enlightenments cited here: The hope of our calling (see Romans 15:13-14), the riches of the glory of our inheritance (11:33-36), and the exceeding greatness of His power exercised on our behalf (Ephesians3:20; 6:10). Each of these three are specifically designed by God to undergird our faith and embolden our confidence, even though we are �strangers and pilgrims on the earth� (Hebrews11:13). HMM III ------------------------------ God's Wisdom Revealed 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 After exposing the futility of worldly thinking in 1 Corinthians 1, Paul introduces Christians to the higher realm of godly wisdom.This kind of knowledge and understanding isn't available through human intelligence and reasoning; it comes strictly through divine revelation. Only those indwelt by God's Spirit have "the mind of Christ" (v. 16) and access to "the things freely given" tothem by God (v. 12). Without this supernatural insight, no one can accurately know the Lord or His ways. Many people say they believe in God yet may not have a correct understanding of Him because their perceptions are based on their own thoughts and ideas. It's easier to custom-designa god to fit our preferences than to make the required adjustments that worship of the one true God demands. Even believers need to guard against trying to fit God into their preconceived image of Him. The Bible is the only reliable source of divine revelation, but we must be careful to consider the Scriptures as a whole�it's critical that we don't just pick and choose the verses we want to believe. For example, by focusing only on passages that emphasizethe Lord's lovingkindness while excluding those that speak of His holiness and justice, we misunderstand His true nature. Let's seek to know the Lord in truth by considering the entire counsel of Scripture. Divine wisdom is available to every believer through the Holy Spirit, who searches the depths of God. May we never try to limit Him to fit our preferences. Instead, may He enlarge our minds to embrace His thoughts. ------------------------------- The Christian's Power �And...the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe.� (Ephesians1:19) The power of the triune Creator, as displayed in the resurrection of Christ, is directed toward us! We can be certain that we will never fully comprehend that, but the Scriptures provide several clear statements that will help us get some usable grasp on thisresource. 1.We receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit indwells every believer (John14:17; 1 Corinthians 6:19) and is therefore readily accessible to all believers (Ephesians 3:20). 2.We use the power of God every time we preach the gospel (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18), whether to one person or to thousands. 3.We learn of the power of God through �great and precious promises� (2 Peter 1:3-4). Indeed, those promises involve �all things that pertain to life andgodliness.� 4.We see the results of the power of God in our lives when our characters reflect �all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness� (Colossians 1:11). The Lord desires �that [we] might be filled with all the fulness of God� (Ephesians3:19) and �strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man� (v. 16). The purpose of this empowering is to be �rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith� (Colossians2:7), �able to comprehend...the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge� (Ephesians 3:18-19). �Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen� (vv. 20-21). HMM III ----------------------------------- TheChristian's Permission �To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.� (Ephesians1:6) The high priest of Israel wore the inscription �holiness to the LORD� to illustrate to all who obeyed God that they were �accepted before the LORD� (Exodus28:36-38). Joshua, as a type of all believers, was granted �places to walk� in the courts of God (Zechariah3:7). Christ�s disciples were commanded to �ask� the Father for �whatsoever,� since they were chosen and ordained to �bring forth fruit� (John15:16). We have permission to �ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you� (Matthew7:7). But there is more! Not only are we accepted, we are �sealed with that holy Spirit of promise� (Ephesians1:13), an �earnest [down payment, deposit] of our inheritance� (v. 14). We are �stablishe[d]...anointed...sealed� (2Corinthians 1:21-22). We are �confirmed� in everything (1Corinthians 1:4-8), consecrated and sanctified to serve (Exodus28:41; 1 John 2:27), and given the �earnest of the Spirit� (2Corinthians 5:5) to empower our ministry. The Holy Spirit does His work through a threefold ministry in our lives. He will work on Christ�s behalf, through our witness, to bring conviction to those not yet in Christ (John16:7-11). He will also minister to us as the teacher of our spirits to guide us into all truth (John16:13; 14:17, 26; 15:26). Furthermore, the wisdom, prudence, and knowledge of God are revealed to us through His work in us (1Corinthians 2:9-10). All that is necessary for our �effectual working� (Ephesians3:7) is �graced� to us so that we can �work out [our] salvation� (Philippians2:12). We are �complete in him� (Colossians2:10). HMM III ------------------------------- Conviction for the Believer Romans 1:24-25, Psalms23 Recently I spoke to a heartbroken woman. Her father was dying, and he was cold toward his family and God. He desired no contact and refused to discuss any spiritual matter. But God is able to reach anyone�even someone hostile to the faith. Consider the apostle Paul�s conversion! Yet Scripture also teaches that the Lord eventually gives people over to the hardness of their own hearts. There may come a point when He no longer draws them by revealing their need for a Savior. The situation is different for believers, though. When we, in our humanness, continue to sin, the Holy Spirit convicts us so we�ll get back on track. At that point, we can humbly repent and follow Him or ignore His voice and continue to sin. If we persist in error, our Father will keep calling us back. But the danger is that our hearts may become desensitizedand eventually we may cease hearing His warning. Thankfully, we are children of God, and He loves us too much to let us remain in a sinful pattern. Though chastisement and conviction are never pleasant, He knows our travelling down the wrong road results in much greater heartache. The Lord is a shepherd,using His staff and rod to lovingly bring us to green pastures. On the Christian journey, there will be temptations to stray, falsely promising to satisfy longings. Stay closely connected to Jesus through prayer and Scripture. Be listening so you can obey immediately when He calls you to change course. In the long run,living God�s way brings the greatest joy. --------------------- Faith versus Reason 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 The first battle between faith and human reason took place in the garden of Eden. Spurred on by the lies of the serpent, Eve began to look at her situation from a purely logical perspective and decided she was being cheated by God out of something good.Her faith faltered as "reasonable" thoughts of self-interest filled her mind. I am not saying that the way of faith is never logical, but by operating only on the basis of reason, a conflict with the Lord is inevitable. The reason is that His instructions and actions don't always appear reasonable from a human perspective. Although Isaiah55:8-9 describes God's thoughts and ways as higher than man's, many people judge divine ideas to be lower than human intelligence. Paul emphasizes this when he points out that God's choices are illogical by the world's standards. His message of salvation seems foolish, and His messengers appear weak and unimpressive. In an age that thrives on recognition, admiration, and importance, a person who believes the Bible is considered a weakling in need of a religious crutch to cope with life. Whilethis description is given in derision, it's actually quite accurate. Recognizing their helplessness, believers lean on Christ so He can raise them to stand with Him in righteousness. That day in Eden, sin and self-importance entered the human heart. But all the worldly wisdom that fuels our pride is nullified by God. He is looking not for great and impressive people but for weak, humble servants who can boast only in Christ. TheSavior alone is their strength and wisdom. -------------------------- Only One Meaning - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. �Mark 8:34 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/only-one-meaning/- Listen We adorn our churches with massive crosses, we get into lawsuits about where we can display crosses, and we turn crosses into fashion accessories and even tattoos. But Ithink we have a lot of misconceptions today about the cross. In the first century, the cross was a repulsive symbol. In fact, it wasn�t a symbol of the church in the beginning, though it did become one later. Back then, a cross wasa despicable image, because it was an incredibly horrible way to die. To even use a picture of a cross was repugnant and repulsive in that culture. The Romans didn�t invent crucifixion, but we could say they perfected it. They saved crucifixion for the worst of criminals. So when Jesus said, �Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me� (Mark 8:34 NKJV), the meaning wasn�t lost on His first-centuryaudience. And although He spoke these words some 2,000 years ago, they still ring true for us today. So what does it actually mean to take up our cross and follow Him? First, it means to deny ourselves. That means saying no to ourselves. It means to put God�s will aboveour own. And what is this cross that were all called to bear? I think we need to first understand what it isn�t. We tend to use the phrase in ways that aren�t actually biblical.For instance, a mother might say, �My cross to bear is my children.� And the children of that mother might say, �Our cross to bear is our mother.� Someone else may identify a certain affliction, difficulty, or issue as their cross to bear. But that is not what Jesus meant when He spoke of bearing the cross. To bearthe cross means one thing: deny yourself and put God first.