DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 5.21.22

Forget about Being Worthy - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. �Revelation 12:11 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/forget-about-being-worthy/- Listen Did you know that you�re loved by God, you�re cherished by God, and your prayers are welcomed by God? Maybe you�re thinking, �But I�m not worthy.� You�ll never be worthy, so forget about being so. We approach God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:19 says, �And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldlyenter heaven�s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus� (NLT). Years ago, I was I having a meal with Billy Graham. I was a young man at that time, so I said to him, �If an older Billy could speak to a younger Billy, what would you sayto yourself? What would you say to a younger Billy that he should be preaching on more than he is now?� Without missing a beat, he said, �I would preach more on the cross and the blood of Christ, because that�s where the power is.� It�s through the blood of Jesus that we can approach God. Ephesians 2:13 says, �Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the bloodof Christ� (NLT). And 1 John 1:7 tells us, �But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin� (NKJV). As Christians, we can sometimes get into a works�righteousness mindset, where we think that if we do a certain number of good things, then God will be happy with us and hearour prayers. But God doesn�t hear our prayers based on what we�ve done. He hears our prayers because He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross in our place. There�s nothing we need to do to earn the favor of God. The blood of Jesus purchased that for us. ------------------------------------ Watchingfor Christ's Return “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come....Therefore be ye also ready: for in suchan hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew24:42, 44) Those who try to predict Christ’s return may become skeptical about biblical prophecy. But this would be a sad mistake. Regardless of just when it will happen, Christ will return, for so He promised, and He cannot either lie or fail. He has repeatedly madeit plain that no one can determine the date of His coming. Not even He, while in His human limitations, knew that (Mark13:32). Again and again He urged us to watch and be ready for His return. He did not tell us to watch for the Antichrist or the revival of Rome’s empire or a great apostasy or a great revival or a world government or anything else—just for Him! Note some of His commandsto do this (in addition to the two in our text). “Take ye heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is” (Mark13:33). “Watch ye therefore:...Lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping” (Mark13:35-36). “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Matthew25:13). In addition to such exhortations by the Lord Himself, the apostles also sounded similar warnings. “Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Hebrews9:28). “Abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1John 2:28). Space limitations preclude listing others, but again in the words of Christ: “And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” (Mark13:37). HMM ------------------------ Do You Believe This? By Emma Danzey John 11:25-26 says, “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, thoughhe die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’” I Am the Resurrection and the Life There is only one person who ever resurrected Himself from the dead. This means, there was no medical intervention or intervention from others. Jesus, Himself, brought His dead body back to life. It is an important thought to remember that had there just beena cross, we would not be celebrating. It is because of the resurrection, the empty tomb of Jesus that we have victory and life today. Webster’s Dictionary defines resurrection as “the rising of Christ from the dead or the state of one risen from the dead.” When Jesus declared Himself as the Resurrection and the Life, He was telling HIs disciples, and the world that He was God and He was the Messiah that they were waiting on. It is because of His death and resurrection that we can all have eternal life. Althoughwe are sinners, He bore our sins on the cross. Every thought, action, and sinful feeling, He took on for us and placed Himself under the punishment and judgment of God. He became sin for us, so we could have the righteousness of God. (2Corinthians 5:21) Whoever Believe in Me, Though He Die, Yet Shall He Live Jesus makes a promise that whoever chooses to believe in Him will have eternal life. Yes, the reality of death still very much exists. There is a 100% death rate in the world because of sin. However, Jesus brings the message of hope that even though we eachmust face physical death, we can be spiritually made alive in Christ forever. We will never be separated from God again and His sacrifice covers us completely to enter into the holy presence of the Lord. Everyone Who Lives and Believes in Me Shall Never Die Jesus tells us that everyone who lives and believes in Him will never die. He is referring to eternal life. Although we face physical death, we will never face eternal separation from God when we accept Jesus. I was once encouraged to think of sin like thedistance between the Grand Canyon from one side to the other. If God was on the other side, thousands of miles away, the gap would be too far to jump to in my own efforts. If I ran and jumped next to the best Olympic athlete, even though he would get closerto God, he still would fall short. In life, we cannot base our salvation on what we bring to the table. We cannot earn our way to heaven. A relationship with Jesus comes from accepting Him and the beautiful part is that He is calling everyone. He wishes thatall the world would come to repentance. Do You Believe This? This is the personal section of this message from Christ. He can tell us all day through the Bible that He is the Way to having forgiveness and a relationship with God, but we each have to come to a point of making a choice. He asks, “Do you believe this?” Our faith cannot be piggybacking upon what our parents believed, it is not based on what country and culture we are from, it is the simple question of do I believe that Jesus, the Son of God died for my personal sins so that I could have a relationship withGod? If the answer is yes, Scripture says if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. This means saved from hell, saved from separation from the Lord, saved from the identitycrisis, saved from fear of life after death. Not only do you have eternal security and hope, you get to have a wonderful relationship with God through the Holy Spirit now. You will have the gift of God’s presence with you now and always. This is why we celebrate Easter. This is the joy of having life with Christ. Intersecting Faith and Life: Have you made a personal decision to accept Jesus as your Savior? If so, thank Him for how He rescued you. If not, what’s stopping you from placing your faith in Him today? He is extending His great love and forgiveness for you. Further Reading: •John 3:16-17 •Romans 10:9 •Philippians 2:6-11 ---------------------- Impossible Love Made Possible Galatians 5:22-23 When a lawyer asked Jesus which commandment was the greatest, He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind,” and “the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22:37, 39). What an overwhelming assignment! In our own strength, none of us can live up to this obligation, but the Lord has provided a way for Christians to do the impossible. The indwelling Holy Spirit works to produce His fruit in us, and first on the list is love (Gal. 5:22). In fact, the other eight qualities arereally just descriptions of its expression. Whenever we demonstrate kindness, patience, or gentleness, we see the Lord’s love at work through us, especially when the other person has been unkind and doesn’t deserve such pleasant treatment. This fruit is not produced by trying harder to muster goodwill toward someone who is irritating or hard to get along with. Instead, think of the process more like sap running through a branch on a grape-vine. The branch doesn’t make grapes; the sap does. In the same way, the Spirit flows through us, producing God’slove in us, so that we can pass it on to Him and others. Agape love is the reason we are able to care for someone who mistreats us—it’s God’s doing, not ours. Even the adoration we offer the Lord is not something that we can produce in our own heart apart from His assistance. Though the command to love is enormous,God’s grace makes it possible. -------------------------- Careful for Nothing “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requestsbe made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6) Many of us know those types of precious people who seem to thrive on making sure the details are right. They keep us careful, ensure our safety, and strengthen our plans, and yet that same strength can lead to anxiety, troubling our souls and dominating ourlives. Our verse today warns us about this facet. Our Lord gently admonished in Luke 10:41: “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things.” Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazurus were longtime associates of the Lord Jesus. He had spent many hours in their home and had come to love themas close friends. No doubt Martha had often “given thought” to Christ’s visits and had been “in turmoil” over the details many times. But our gracious Lord saw the circumstances controlling Martha, and He softly insisted that she not lose the thing of greatestvalue by sacrificing the permanent on the altar of the immediate. And that is the admonition in our text. Nothing should absorb us so much that we attempt to solve things on our own before submitting our requests to our Lord. Jesus made it pretty clear: “Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink;nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on” (Matthew 6:25). Look around, our Lord insisted. The birds and the flowers can’t be altered by our “thoughts.” After all that Job’s friends did to “encourage” him, our great Creator reminded Job of the many wonders that he could see if he paid attention. Nothing is beyond the care of our Lord. Sometimes, we need reminding, too. HMM III ----------------------- Faithful in the Fire By Kyle Norman “Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walkingin the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” (Daniel3:24-25) We would love to affirm that faith makes the problems of life disappear. How grand would it be if we could live our lives without hassle, discouragement, or frustration? Sadly, we know this is not the case. We are never removed from the frailty of life.We go through times of burden, hardship, and struggle. There may even be seasons where we feel tossed into a fiery furnace of affliction. Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego knew about fiery afflictions…literally. These three young Hebrew men, probably no more than 20 years of age, find themselves on the wrong side of the King’s ire. They are arrested and threatened with death, all because theywill not violate their allegiance to God. In refusing to bow down before the golden statue, they oppose the royal edict and must suffer the consequences. --------------------------- Moderation “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” (Philippians4:5) There are three important aspects to this instruction. First, we are to be “moderate,” the core meaning of which is to be equitable or fair, with further associations of mild and gentle. The Greek word rarely appears in the New Testament. Twice the qualifications of church leaders include this characteristic (1Timothy 3:3 and Titus 3:2), both times stressing the “gentle” aspect of the term. Once, and importantly, the term is used in a broad sweep of adjectives outlining the “wisdom that is from above” (James3:17)—all aspects, incidentally, fleshing out the idea of “fair” or “equitable.” Secondly, today’s verse tells us to make our moderation “known unto all men.” That is demanding, since it is more difficult to apply equity to all people rather than just attempt to be fair and gentle in our dealings. Surely the Holy Spirit is insisting thatour inner character be “moderate” so that the resulting actions will flow from a person’s character rather than his circumstance. As noted of those of the Corinthian church, they were “manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ” (2Corinthians 3:3). Everybody “reads” us, and what others decide about us must include the reputation of fair and gentle behavior to all. Finally, the reason that this requirement is so significant is because “the Lord is at hand.” Although a quick application might lead one to think “the Lord is coming back soon,” the time element is not at all implied in the sentence. A better translation maybe “the Lord is alongside,” “He is close,” or even “the Lord is with you.” It is easy, sometimes, to forget that God indwells us through the Holy Spirit and that our every action and thought are known by our Creator (Psalm139:3-4). HMM III ---------------------- How Does God Touch Us? By Anne Peterson “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.” - Psalm 73:23-24 Human touch is necessary for thriving. As a returning student, in a psychology class, I learned the importance of human touch. Some scientists separated a group of baby monkeys into two groups. Each group of monkeys was given their basic needs- food water,and rest. But while the monkeys in Group 2 did have all their physical needs met, one need was withheld— touch. The monkeys were not touched by the caregivers. The scientists believed there would be differences in the outcomes, but they were surprised to findthat the monkeys who did not receive touch languished and actually died. We all need touch. When I was a child, if I had a fever, my mother would gently feel my brow. I knew my mom loved me, but she wasn’t someone to physically show it. I still remember one time telling her, “I think I have a headache.” Confusing headaches with fevers, I hopedfor a tender touch. It’s a basic need we all have. ---------------------- Rejoice “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” (Philippians4:4) This encouraging command has been used in many generations of Sunday school teachings and sermons to challenge the saints. The apostle Paul uses nearly half of the 74 appearances of the word in the New Testament in his epistles. This simple statement in Philippians 4:4 seems to summarize all of the other passages: “Rejoice [imperative command] in the Lord [the qualifier, or the ‘way’ to rejoice] always [in every circumstance and condition].” Joy is a godly thing. Because of our sinful condition, we cannot easily “rejoice in the Lord.” We can have fleeting moments of happiness and experiences that fill our hearts with delight and pleasure, but true joy—the ability to “rejoice”—only comes “in the Lord.” A quick review from the “Songs” of Israel can help us grasp how the righteous rejoice. •“Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart” (Psalm32:11). •“Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright” (Psalm33:1). •“Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified” (Psalm40:16). •“My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed” (Psalm71:23). •“Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness” (Psalm97:12). Joy and rejoicing from born-again believers produce emotion (gladness, cheering, praise, singing, thanks, etc.), but the object of the emotion is always the source of our joy—the Lord Jesus our Savior, King, and Creator. HMM III -------------------- The Reason We Sing By: Emma Danzey Psalm 47:6 says, “Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!” Sing Praises Have you ever heard the voice of a young child singing throughout the day just because he or she can? The sweetness of a little voice can easily bring a smile to any face. Even if the child is completely tone-deaf, it is still precious for that parent to hearthe melody of the son or daughter. This is similar to how God must feel when we sing praises to Him. We worship Him and use the voices He gave to us out of pure delight and joy in our Creator. As kids begin to grow up, something unfortunate happens. They become more self-conscious and aware of their own singing level. The house that was once filled with noise and musical tunes is now full of silence. How often have we allowed our praises to theLord to snuff out because we begin to grow more like the world and ignore the child-like faith we are called to live out? The Hebrew word, zam·mə·rū— means sing praises. Part of the joy of a believer in Jesus is the gift of singing. We see this modeled in people throughout the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, we see Moses, Miriam, and king David. In the New Testament, we read ofPaul and Silas singing in prison, and the disciples of Jesus singing at the Last Supper. We also see singing as an important act of worship in Revelation. This means that the future Heaven will be filled with singing. Some people do not have the ability to sing for various reasons, and they can worship God with the song in their hearts and in their own ways. That too pleases Him greatly. Singing When We Don’t Feel Like It Something very difficult to do is to sing when you don’t feel like it. However, God commands our worship and deserves it. Some days, singing might be the last thing that we feel like doing. We might be in the midst of heartbreak, loss, or sadness. However,the Lord can strengthen us through songs of praise. Many times when we feel as if we have nothing to bring to God, we have everything that we need, a humble spirit, and a willingness to worship. We see this found in many Psalms of David. He was a man with many highs and lows in life. He was a sinner and he was a man after God’s own heart. He was a shepherd and he was a king. He was also a musician. That harp was one of David’s favorite instruments.He played the harp to soothe others, and I assume it also calmed his own spirit as well. Music is very therapeutic. It can sound the emotions we have bottled up, it can express what we are unable to say clearly. The Lord knew when He created music that itwould be a tool for proclaiming victory to Christ, a comfort to those who mourn, and a unifier for the church body. Many times we see the psalms of David begin with a burden and then turn into praise. Our singing to God can help us to rid ourselves of our emotions or thoughts and refocus our attention on what truly matters and Who has us. Many times people in the Scriptureswould sing and play instruments in battle. I am sure they may not have felt like singing at that moment, however, they chose to worship and use their musical abilities as a weapon against the enemy. We are in a spiritual battle today and can do the same inour lives. Sing praises to our King This verse brings up the importance of God as our King. Just like a person might bring a song as a gift to royalty or do some type of presentation, we can offer our voices as a blessing to the Lord. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We have beenbrought into His presence and are given the joy of having His Holy Spirit live within us. We can celebrate that we do not have to work hard to get a moment with the King, our King came down to us. We get to worship a personal God, who loves us and pursues us. 1 Chronicles 16:9 says, “Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.” Part of the responsibility in singing is witnessing that Jesus is Lord. When we sing a song, it can hold such power and testimony within it. I can think of a few songs rather quickly that have made a personal impact on my walk with God or in my journey inlife. When the church comes together and sings praises, we are a light shining brightly for the community around us to see. We should never underestimate the power and witness that singing has for others. Jesus can use a voice and a message from a song tohelp open the eyes of a blind person to the truth of the gospel. Intersecting Faith and Life: How are you singing praises to God? Are you unashamedly lifting your voice for Him and His glory as King? If not, how can you begin to sing again and let go of anything holding back your worship of Him? --------------- A Faith Worth Passing Down 2 Timothy 1:3-5 The most precious thing we can pass down to children is our faith--the confident conviction that God is who He says and will do all He has promised. Timothy's strong relationship with Christ didn't materialize out of thin air; it grew as a result of hismother and grandmother's example. Here are ways we, too, can hand down a rich legacy to the next generation: 1.Teach practical biblical principles. Kids need to know God's views on material wealth (Ps. 24:1), meeting needs (Phil.4:19), and direction in life (Prov. 3:5-6). 2.Model character through lifestyle. How we live--whether with transparency, peace, and perseverance, or with fear, anxiety, and self-reliance--loudly communicates what we believe about God. 3.Serve God by serving others. Actions show that our faith is real (James 2:26). If we want kids not to develop a self-centeredperspective, servanthood is key. 4.Intercede for them. Children won't forget hearing us pray regularly for them. 5.Communicate love. Young people need to know we love them the way God loves us--unconditionally rather than based on what they do or don't do. Spoken words of love breathe life into their hearts. And as we affirm them for trusting God, theysee that we value their spiritual growth. As parents, we must be intentional about leading and inspiring our sons and daughters to follow Christ. But even those without children of their own can leave a legacy. The example to follow is Paul: though neither married nor a natural parent, he was aspiritual father to many (1 Cor. 4:14-16). --------------------- Guilty - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God�s laws. �James 2:10 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/guilty/- Listen A while back I was driving and ran through a red light, but I didn�t do it intentionally. I just wasn�t paying attention. Worse yet, I did it right in front of a police officer.Immediately, I saw the flashing lights in my rearview mirror, so I pulled over, rolled down my window, and put my hands on the steering wheel. When the officer walked up and asked for my driver�s license and insurance, I simply said, �Officer, I�m really sorry. I was wrong. I wasn�t paying attention. It�s my fault.� I was fully prepared to get a ticket, because I deserved it. But then the officer said, �Listen, I�m going to let you off with a warning, because most people don�t admit it when they�re wrong. And since you did, I�m going to let yougo with a warning.� We don�t want to admit to God that we�re wrong. We don�t want to admit to God that we�ve sinned and broken His commandments, but that�s what we need to do. Who among us has not broken one of the Ten Commandments? Have you ever had another god before Him? Have you ever taken the Lord�s name in vain? Have you ever stolen anything?Have you ever lied? Every one of us has broken God�s commandments. Yet God didn�t give them to us to make us holy. He gave them to us to show how unholy we are and to open our eyes and shut ourmouths. The Bible says, �For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God�s laws� (James 2:10 NLT). The Ten Commandments drive us into the open arms of Jesus because we can�t live by these standards on our own. Are you feeling hopeless today? Jesus can come into your lifeand forgive all your sin. Hope has a name, and it�s Jesus Christ. ------------------ Why Choices Matter - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods ofthe Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord. �Joshua 24:15 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/why-choices-matter/- Listen My son Jonathan and his wife, Brittni, were in Peru awhile ago to work on some projects with Compassion International. Jonathan brought along backpack full of toys and otherthings, and while they were hanging out with a family, Jonathan played soccer with a little boy named Anthony. Then, as Jonathan and Brittni were getting ready to leave, Anthony ran to Jonathan, hugged him, and presented him with a little gift: a small bank in the shape of a dog. Obviously,this was a very precious object to Anthony. He had very little, yet he gave his very best to Jonathan. What is the most precious thing to you? What is the most precious thing you can give to Jesus? Yes, you can give Him your resources. You can give Him your time. But most ofall, you can give Him your life. Present your future to the Lord. The best thing you can do with your future is to choose to follow Jesus Christ. That is the best choice. The best choices I�ve made in my life were to give my life to JesusChrist at the age of 17 and to marry a girl named Cathe. Those are two choices I�ve never regretted. And here�s why choices matter: You make your choices, then your choices make you. You will never regret choosing to follow Jesus Christ. So make that choice now and then chooseto dedicate your life to the Lord. At the age of seventeen, I didn�t have a lot to offer Jesus Christ. I was a confused kid. I had gotten into drugs and made some bad decisions. But I said, �Here I am, Jesus.� And whatever good has come out of my life has been God taking very little and multiplying it. So let�s give our very best to God. He deserves nothing less. -------------------------------- Are You Being Shaped by the Savior or Warped by the World? By Brent Rinehart �But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they uttera sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them� (Psalm 115: 4-8). I live in a rural area with a lot of trees. As a result, I�m constantly picking up sticks and limbs on my property. When we moved there, one of my first purchases was a steel �burn cage,� so I can safely burn debris without burning my house down! It is speciallydesigned to allow the right amount of air for the fire to get extremely hot � to incinerate its contents to a fine ash powder. Over time, the weather and extreme heat of these repeated fires has caused the cage to rust and warp. Heat is an amazing thing. On one hand, artisans use it to shape objects into pieces of art. At the same time, it can melt the same material into something unrecognizable. The same heat can be used to shape, or it can be left unattended to warp. What about us? The Bible says �we are the clay, and You are our potter; we are all the work of Your hand� (Isaiah 64:8). �For we are his workmanship, createdin Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them� (Ephesians 2:10). God created us for a purpose � to bring Him glory. And, while we are here on earth, we should be continually growing more and more like Christ � being conformed to His image (Romans8:29). But, for many of us, something holds us back. The fact is this: we become like what we worship. We begin to resemble the things in our lives that we focus our attention on. We may not think we erect idols since we don�t have golden statues in our homes or prostrate ourselves in front of objects. An idol is anything that takes our focus off God; it is anything that takes priority in our lives over Jesus. For some, a love of money or success drives us to make work our top priority. For others, pleasure becomes an idol, as our lives revolve around chasing things that make us happy. Children are an idol for some, as they give family preeminence. Others of usworship politics, constantly feeding on cable news and letting our lives be shaped by our emotions. None of these things are inherently bad. But, just like heat, when they take the place of Christ, they will become like idols and warp us. The Bible says In Psalm 115 that we ultimately become like what we worship. The warning here is that worshipping other things will make you as lifeless as the subject of your adoration. Worshipping things other than God will leave us empty. Over time, we will God�s presencein our lives will become smaller and smaller. As the world becomes brighter, the things of God � namely His voice � will become fainter. We talk to our kids constantly about influences in their lives. We tell them to choose their friends wisely, because your friends will influence you, for good or bad. Famous motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said that you are the average of your five closestfriends. You will ultimately become like the people you hang around the most. God demands � and is worthy of � our full devotion. If we want to become like Christ, we have to spend time with Him. We have a choice here. We can either allow ourselves to be warped by the things of this world, or we can choose to be shaped by our Savior. When we allow anything or anyone to take His rightful place, we surrender our own opportunity for the fulfilling life He designed for us. We become more like creation and less like the Creator. And, we lose our ability to fulfill one of our highest callings � sharing with others about Christ. Worshipping things other than Christ renders us ineffective messengers: we �have mouths, but cannot speak,� eyes, but cannot see,� �ears, but cannot hear,� and �feet, but cannot walk, nor can [we] utter a sound with [our]throats.� Intersecting Faith and Life: •Are you being shaped by the Savior or warped by the world? •Are there any areas of your life that have taken the place that should be occupied by God? •What practical changes can I make in my lifestyle to put God first? Further Reading: •Psalm 115 •Isaiah 64: 1-8 •Ephesians 2: 1-10 ----------------------- PeacefulSecurity �And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through ChristJesus.� (Philippians4:7) This precious promise is rooted in the �garrison guard� that God will set around our hearts and minds through His peace. Imagine the war circle of angels �full of horses and chariots of fire round about� that Elisha spoke of (2Kings 6:17). And it is a war! �But I see another law in my members,� Paul wrote, �warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members� (Romans7:23). Were it not for the peace that exceeds human comprehension, we would quickly succumb to the fact that �in the world [we] shall have tribulation�; but Jesus also said, �Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world� (John16:33). The �peace of God� is a supernatural peace, not a false calm of meditative hypnosis or a denial of the turmoil that surrounds the �roaring lion� who seeks to devour (1Peter 5:8). This peace is from our Lord Jesus and �not as the world giveth� (John14:27). It comes through the �things I have spoken unto you,� Jesus said, �that in me ye might have peace� (John16:33). Since, however, this kind of supernaturally guarded and God-given peace comes from and through the message of the Scriptures, this peace must �rule in your hearts� (Colossians3:15). There can be no vacillation, no hesitation about the source, the authority, the capability, or the stability of such peace�or the war that rages in the members of our body will dissipate the vision of God�s garrison surrounding our hearts and minds. �For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace� (Romans8:6). �And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful� (Colossians3:15). HMM III --------------------------- Critical People - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Some of those at the table were indignant. �Why waste such expensive perfume?� they asked. �It could have been sold for a year�s wages and the money given to the poor!� Sothey scolded her harshly. �Mark 14:4�5 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/critical-people/- Listen Sometimes the people who complain the most actually do the very least, and the people who are aiming accusations at you are revealing something about themselves. The thingthey�re accusing you of actually may be something they�re guilty of themselves. After all, it was Judas who sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, yet he complained when Mary anointed Jesus with a jar of expensive perfume at a dinner in Bethany. Now,this probably was a family heirloom. The Bible tells us that it was worth a year�s wages (see John 12:5). Just a few drops from a bottle like that would be sufficient. But Mary poured all of it on Jesus and filled the entire house with its fragrance. But the point wasn�t how muchthe perfume cost. It was how much Mary�s act of devotion cost her. She gave the most precious thing she owned to Jesus. Judas, however, knew the price of everything and the value of nothing. He calculated it and declared it was a waste. And it did seem like a waste, but it was no waste at all. From the outside, Judas looked thrifty, careful, and spiritual. And Mary looked frivolous, wasteful, and silly. But the very opposite was true, because John�s gospel givesus this detail: �This [Judas] said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it� (John 12:6 NKJV). In reality, Judas was evil, greedy, and wicked, while Mary was thoughtful, godly, and committed. So things are not always as they appear. That�s why we need to be careful if we�re always emphasizing a certain sin in someone else�s life. We may be telling people more about ourselves than we want to reveal. ------------------------------------------- God�s Will Is Best By Liz LAmpkin Jeremiah29:11, ForI know the plans I have for you, �declares the Lord�, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. I recently celebrated a major milestone. I became a homeowner. I cried, laughed, and celebrated while diligently preparing to move. As my son, my father, and I fearlessly packed our belongings I couldn�t wait until we were settled into our new home. Duringthis time, I had so many plans as many of us do. I was going to have an amazing summer filled with new adventures as a homeowner while settling in. Little did I know, my life was about to drastically change. In early spring, I came home from work in an upbeatmood. Upon entering my new home, I spoke to my loved ones and completed my routine check-in. After seeing that everyone and everything were fine, I began preparing dinner as normal. As I made my way to the kitchen, my father called out for me to raise the window in his room to allow fresh air to come in. I did so, turned around, and asked was it up high enough? He didn�t respond. I asked him was he okay? Still, no response. I walkedover to him and he was gasping for air. I immediately called my siblings and the ambulance. Unbeknownst to me, that would be the last time my father would be in my physical presence. My world changed and was turned completely upside down. I was heartbroken,grief-stricken, and left feeling empty. Growing up, and as an adult, my parents were my rock. They were the people I could always depend on for anything I needed. --------------------------- RightThinking �Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,�honest,�just,�pure,�lovely,�of good report; if there beany virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.� (Philippians4:8) Our lives are surrounded with ungodliness and demands that often bleed away our thoughts until we are worn and weakened. Reflect for a few moments on this inventory of empowering thinking. •Truth�Literally �that which is not hidden�; Jesus Himself (John14:6); the Word of God (John17:17; Psalm 119:11). •Honesty�Not just accuracy, but �sober� and �venerable�; sometimes �magnificent� or �great�; used of church officers (1Timothy 2:2; 3:8). •Justice�Righteous, just, right, suitable; �The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom....The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable� (Proverbs10:31-32). •Purity�Morally and sexually chaste; closely connected with �holiness�; the emphasis is on physical and mental purity (1John 3:2). •Loveliness�Beauty, friendship, delight, and wonder are all suggested by the �good love� of this word (Luke12:27). •Good News�This takes discipline, because there is far more bad news than good in this world; we are admonished to take �inventory� (dwell on, recall) the �good reports� (Proverbs25:25). These excellent and praiseworthy matters should dominate our thinking in a conscious �inventory� of the attributes on this final list. If we do so, God promises His peace in our lives. HMM III -------------------------------- Aware of His Devices - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. �1 Peter 5:8 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/aware-of-his-devices/- Listen Wouldn�t it be nice if the Devil took a vacation? I wish he would take some time off, but he never does. He doesn�t take a month off, a week off, a day off or even an houroff. In fact, the Bible warns us, �Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour� (1 Peter 5:8 NKJV). Do you find yourself being held captive to a sin that gets you again and again and again, and you wonder whether you will ever get free from it? The answer is yes. As Christians, we�re in a war�an invisible war, a spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:12 says, �For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulersand authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places� (NLT). We�re in a very real battle. And as author Victor Hugo pointed out, a good general must penetrate the brain of his enemy. The apostle Paul, referring to Satan, wrote, �Weare not ignorant of his devices� (2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV). One of the primary ways that Satan attacks us is through accusation. Revelation 12:10 refers to him as �the accuser of our brethren� (NKJV). First, he tempts you, and thenhe condemns you for giving in to temptation. He will accuse you and use your own sins in a hateful way to destroy you. We need to learn to know the difference between Satan�s accusations and the Holy Spirit�s conviction. When a Christian sins, and yes, Christians will sin, the Holy Spiritwill convict or convince us of our sin. But it isn�t because He wants to drive us into shame. He wants to bring us back to Jesus.