DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 7.30.22 -

 DescriptiveAttributes of God “And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, whenhe was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran.” (Acts7:2) There are seven beautiful descriptive attributes of God mentioned in the New Testament. The first was used by Stephen, who called Him “the God of glory” as he gave his defense to the Jewish council just before he was martyred and indeed “saw the glory of God” (Acts7:2, 55) himself as he finished his testimony. The apostle Paul later called Him “the God of patience and consolation,” while urging his fellow Christians to be “likeminded one toward another” (Romans15:5). In the same chapter, he also called Him “the God of hope” in a benedictory prayer: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans15:13). To the Christians at Corinth, Paul wrote about “the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation” (2Corinthians 1:3-4). Then later he wrote that “the God of love” would be with them (2Corinthians 13:11). To both the Philippians and the Thessalonians, he wrote about “the God of peace” (Philippians4:9). “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly” (1Thessalonians 5:23). The seventh of these beautiful descriptions was written by the apostle Peter. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (1Peter 5:10). Recapitulating, in this logical Bible order, these seven beautiful attributes of God (we could almost call them “titles” of God) are: He is the God of glory, the God of patience and consolation, the God of hope, the God of all comfort, the God of love, theGod of peace, and the God of all grace. No wonder we can honor and adore Him! HMM ---------------- TheSerpent in the Wilderness “And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass,that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” (Numbers 21:8) This might seem an incredible story, but it was confirmed by none other than the Lord Jesus Himself: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternallife” (John 3:14-15). A plague of poisonous snakes had infested the camp of Israel, sent as a divine judgment because of their complaints and ingratitude, and many people had died. When they confessed their sin and Moses prayed for their deliverance, God in His grace prescribedthis unique remedy. There is, of course, no naturalistic process that can heal a deadly snakebite merely by a look. Neither, of course, is there a naturalistic explanation for the salvation of a sin-poisoned soul merely by looking with faith upon the crucified Son of man. Bothare mighty miracles, with the first being beautifully designed by God to be a prophetic foreshadowing of the other. The symbolism is striking. The brass serpent impaled on the pole represented the poisonous serpents slain, but it also spoke of “that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan,” eventually cast forever into the lake of fire (Revelation20:2, 10). Thus, it also symbolized the judgment on sin itself and its final banishment from God’s creation. All of this, however, was only the symbol. The real deliverance required Christ to be made “sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2Corinthians 5:21). The Son of man must be lifted up on the cross, and then all who see Him, and believe, receive life instead of death. HMM ------------------------ Howto Handle a Multitude of Sins “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.” (Proverbs10:12) There is an old familiar cliché to the effect that we should “hate the sin, but love the sinner.” This may sound a bit trite because of overuse, but it is nevertheless both biblical and practical. It is easy and tempting to be critical and condemnatory towardsomeone who has sinned (especially if the sin has affected us directly), but such an attitude seldom, if ever, produces repentance on the part of the sinner. As the above proverb reminds us, it will more likely generate an angry, defensive response and furtherstrife. An attitude of loving concern, on the other hand (not of condoning the sin but of personal understanding and sincere interest in the person) will much more likely lead to a genuine change of heart and restoration. Two New Testament writers (Peter and James)cite this Old Testament text in their own advice to Christian believers. Peter says, for example, “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins” (1Peter 4:8). “Charity,” of course, is the Greek agape, which is more often translated “love,” even in the King James Version. The translators used “charity” here, no doubt, because “love” might be, in this context, misunderstood as erotic love,or even brotherly love (different Greek words), whereas “charity” (as an attitude toward others) more nearly describes the agape kind of love. Note also that this “charity” is to be fervent charity. James, like Peter, understands “all sins” in the Proverbs text to imply “a multitude of sins,” and he stresses the true goal in using this kind of love in dealing with a sinner. “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shallsave a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James5:20). HMM --------------------- WithChrist “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him,that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans8:17) One of the greatest doctrines of the Christian faith is the identification of Christ with His people in all the key events of His great work of salvation. For example, we are considered by God as dying with Him since He died for us. As Paul said, “I am crucifiedwith Christ” (Galatians2:20). Furthermore, when Christ was buried, we were in effect buried also. “We are buried with him by baptism into death” (Romans6:4). Then we are also resurrected with Christ. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead” (Colossians2:12). But that is only the beginning of our great salvation. Christ then ascended to heaven, sat down on the right hand of the Father, and we are there with Him! “God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins,hath quickened us together with Christ....And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians2:4-6). Not even is this the end, for we are joint-heirs with Christ, as our text assures us. He has been “appointed heir of all things” (Hebrews1:2), and we share His inheritance. “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him” (2Timothy 2:11-12). Identified with Christ in His suffering, His death, His burial, His resurrection, His ascension, and then in His eternal reign! This is our position by faith. When He returns, it will become actuality, “and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1Thessalonians 4:17). HMM -------------------- Can You Trust Your Conscience? 1 Timothy 1:5-7 Let your conscience be your guide. This bit of folk wisdom seems to make sense since our conscience is designed to help us discern right from wrong. However, people cannot always trust their internal radar to steer them correctly; this is the caseparticularly with unbelievers, who don�t have the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and offer guidance for wise decisions. And while Christians do have God�s indwelling Spirit, they should be careful not to harbor sin in their lives, as that can interfere with the way their morality sensor functions. A trustworthy conscience is programmed with scriptural teaching. Believers build a stable and sensitive spiritual radar system by applying God�s truth to their lives. They are committed to thinking and acting in ways that honor and please the Lord. Then,when sinful thoughts or choices come across that radar, it will deliver a sharp warning. A person with a reliable conscience will have a strong desire to obey God. He won�t settle for what feels right or looks good, but instead prayerfully seeks the Lord�s will. In other words, he does not rely solely on his conscience but incorporates all ofthe Holy Spirit�s tools into his daily life: Scripture, prayer, etc. Moreover, when his spiritual radar sounds the alarm, he is quick to draw back and reject unwise choices. A conscience isn�t designed to be our guide; it is a tool of the Guide. The Holy Spirit not only convicts us of sin, but He also brings to mind godly principles and leads us on a righteous path. He uses a variety of tools to conform us to the likeness ofChrist (Rom. 8:29). ------------------ God Uses the Wicked Genesis 37 When we don't understand what God is doing or why, His ways can seem perplexing. The times when ungodly people seem to triumph over the righteous make us scratch our heads and wonder why the Lord doesn't intervene. But the truth is, He often uses the wicked to accomplish His purpose. Joseph faced one hard-hearted individual after another during his years in exile. His brothers shipped him off to Egypt. His boss's wife accused him of an unspeakable crime. And even those he helped, like Pharaoh's cupbearer, forgot about him (Gen.40:23). The actions (or seeming inactions) of God make little sense at this point. But once the story of Joseph's life was written in full, it was clear that everyone who harmed or neglected the young man contributed to God's plan. The Lord used numerous people across several years to bring a humbled young Hebrew unexpectedly to powerat the right moment to spare his family--who were the Messiah's ancestors--from the effects of famine. In our circumstances, we can see God's actions only from the limited vantage point of our humanness. We experience the events He has allowed or caused but can't discern what He is thinking. Often the Lord's goals and purposes are hidden from us until Hisplans come to fruition. God is sovereign over all the earth. We may wonder at the strange or even terrifying turns our lives take, but we can be certain that He is in control and at work. The wicked may triumph for a season, but the final, eternal victory belongs to Christ andHis righteous followers. -------------------------- WithChrist �And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him,that we may be also glorified together.� (Romans8:17) One of the greatest doctrines of the Christian faith is the identification of Christ with His people in all the key events of His great work of salvation. For example, we are considered by God as dying with Him since He died for us. As Paul said, �I am crucifiedwith Christ� (Galatians2:20). Furthermore, when Christ was buried, we were in effect buried also. �We are buried with him by baptism into death� (Romans6:4). Then we are also resurrected with Christ. �Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead� (Colossians2:12). But that is only the beginning of our great salvation. Christ then ascended to heaven, sat down on the right hand of the Father, and we are there with Him! �God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins,hath quickened us together with Christ....And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus� (Ephesians2:4-6). Not even is this the end, for we are joint-heirs with Christ, as our text assures us. He has been �appointed heir of all things� (Hebrews1:2), and we share His inheritance. �It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him� (2Timothy 2:11-12). Identified with Christ in His suffering, His death, His burial, His resurrection, His ascension, and then in His eternal reign! This is our position by faith. When He returns, it will become actuality, �and so shall we ever be with the Lord� (1Thessalonians 4:17). HMM ----------------- Build on Bedrock - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock �Matthew 7:24 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/build-on-bedrock/- Listen Surfers know when they �go over the falls� and don�t know which way is up, their surfboard always will float to the top. If they have a leash on their ankle that�s attachedto their board, they can follow it to the surface. In the same way, the Word of God pulls us to the surface, where we can fix our eyes on Jesus and get ourselves back into alignment with God. I can think of so many times inmy life when my mind was going in the wrong direction, and I found that simply quoting Scripture righted me. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave this summary: �Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won�t collapse because it is built on bedrock� (Matthew 7:24�25 NLT). Then Jesus went on to say, �But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn�t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and thewinds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash� (verses 26�27 NLT). We all will face storms in life as followers of Jesus. So make sure you build on the right foundation of a relationship with Jesus and God�s Word. Don�t build your faith onexperience or fickle emotions. How important is the Word of God in our lives? Success or failure in the Christian life depends on how much of God�s Word you get into your life on a regular basis and howobedient you are to it. The Word of God restores us. It refreshes us. It transforms us. Build your life as a Christian on Christ and His Word. ------------------- What Are You Thinking? - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in allyou do �Joshua 1:8 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/what-are-you-thinking/- Listen As the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land, God told them that if they wanted to succeed spiritually, they needed to be constantly looking at His Word. God said, �Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeedin all you do� (Joshua 1:8 NLT). What does it mean to meditate? In the Bible it means to contemplate. The idea given in Scripture is that of chewing your food carefully. Eastern meditation is emptying yourmind. But biblical meditation is filling your mind with the Word of God. And as you memorize, know, and understand Scripture, it will be a weapon to use as you share your faith and also to defend yourself when you�re being attacked. In the Garden of Eden, Satan came to Adam and Eve and basically challenged them to doubt the Word of God. He said, �Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from anyof the trees in the garden?� (Genesis 3:1 NLT). In other words, �Did God really say what you think He said?� This is one of the first things that happens to someone who becomes a Christian. They have doubts about what they believe. But Jesus showed us how to handle this during Histemptation in the wilderness. In each instance, He began by saying, �It is written.� He came back to the Word of God, which the Bible refers to as the sword of the Spirit. Psalm 1, describing the happy person, says, �But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearingfruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do� (verses 2�3 NLT). A growing Christian will delight in and love the Word of God. ----------------------------- HisSon's Name �Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath boundthe waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his Son�s name, if thou canst tell?� (Proverbs30:4) The obvious answer to these rhetorical questions must center in God, the Creator of all things. But the fascinating revelation in this Old Testament passage is that God has a Son and that both have names. When Moses asked God His name, �God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM....This is my name for ever� (Exodus3:14-15). Later, Moses, in his song of deliverance, said: �The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name� (Exodus15:3). The name Lord (Hebrew Jehovah or Yahweh) means, essentially, �I am, the self-existent one.� As far as His Son�s name is concerned, it is revealed in Scripture in many ways. In the Old Testament prophecy, �His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace� (Isaiah9:6). How remarkable that a �Son is given� who is also named the mighty God and everlasting Father! In His incarnation, the angel commanded Joseph, �Thou shalt call his name Jesus� (�Jehovah saves�), but he also said, �They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us� (Matthew1:21, 23). There are many other titles by which the Son of God is identified, but perhaps the most significant are noted in connection with His final return in triumph. �His name is called The Word of God� (Revelation19:13), identifying Him as both eternal Creator and incarnate Savior (John1:1-3, 14). As our eternal King, �he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords� (Revelation19:16). HMM ---------------------- Reconciling Love and War Luke 6:27-31 One area of confusion about war is the apparent discrepancy between Jesus� words and God�s approval of battle in the Old Testament. Can such dissimilar teachings be reconciled? How can the God who told Israel to destroy the Canaanites be the same one whosaid, �Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you� (v. 27)? To clarify this issue, we must distinguish between commands issued to nations and instructions given to individuals. The Lord has bestowed certain responsibilities upon governments. He calls them ministers of God for good and entrusts them with avenging evil (Rom. 13:4). But to individuals, He says, �Never take your own revenge� (12:19). People are killed in war, but this isn�t the same as murder. A soldier on the battlefield carries out his duties under the authority of his government (Rom.13:1-2). Murder, on the other hand, is an individual�s vengeful response to anger or jealousy and is motivated by a desire to destroy another person. When governments avenge wrong, innocent people are protected, but when individuals seek their own revenge, they destroy themselves and others. In Luke, Jesus was speaking about personal conflicts, not national wars. He knows that loving our enemies is theonly way to protect ourselves from bitterness. Would we prefer to turn the responsibilities around�are we quick to fight personal battles, but slow to affirm the avenging of evil nationally? Sometimes the only way for a country to have peace is to go to war, but we�ll never experience inner peace ifwe battle with individuals who wrong us. ----------------- Always Relevant - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever �Isaiah 40:8 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/always-relevant/Listen Have you ever noticed how strange most people�s photos look in their high school yearbook? It seems as though we all collectively decided to have the weirdest hairstyle ofall time. Hairstyles come and go, and other styles come and go. But the Word of God is always current and always relevant. Psalm 19:7�9 tells us, �The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right,rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether� (NKJV). The Word of God is perfect. There are no flaws in it. Everything we need to know about God is found in the Bible. I love what Lamentations 3:22�23 says: �The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning� (NLT). Have you ever had a time when you read a familiar passage of Scripture, and suddenly that passage seemed to jump off the page because it was so relevant to your life at thetime? Sometimes we wonder why life is going so poorly. Why are we making so many bad decisions? We need to open the Word of God. Doctors know that a healthy appetite indicates good health, while a loss of appetite may indicate there is something wrong. In the same way, healthy Christians are hungryChristians, and they are hungry for the Word of God (see1 Peter 2:2). We can find everything we need to know about life in the Bible, and it never goes out of date. We can trust the Word of God. --------------------------------- OurUnderstanding of Creation �Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, theearth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.� (Nehemiah9:6) The Bible clearly states that God created the �heaven, and earth, the sea and all that in them is� (Exodus20:11) out of nothing. �Things which are seen were not made of things which do appear� (Hebrews11:3). The first verse of the Bible, �In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,� could be paraphrased: God called into existence the space�mass�time (i.e., heavens�earth�beginning) universe. Evidently before creation, nothing now intrinsicto the universe existed at all. While this teaching is clear, not hard to understand, it is hard to believe. Such ex nihilo (i.e., out of nothing) creation is so foreign to our experience that it can only be comprehended as God reveals it to us. We are taught that His creative work was finished at the end of the sixth day of the creation week (Genesis2:1-4). With the exception of certain of the miracles of Christ on Earth, such creation has not occurred since, and we have difficulty believing it could happen, so foreign is it to our experience. Our difficulty stems primarily from the fact that we are sinful creatures; our minds are hampered by sin. �The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spirituallydiscerned� (1Corinthians 2:14). Since the doctrine of creation is foundational to the rest of Scripture, we dare not neglect it just because it is difficult, and we dare not impose our feeble naturalistic reasonings onto the clear teaching of Genesis 1 and related passages, thereby reducing God�s power to mere human abilities. JDM --------------------- Refined by Fire 1 Peter 1:6-7 God is always at work in our lives. Even during seasons of adversity, He wants to accomplish something powerful and good. How should this knowledge affect our response? Today's passage teaches us to choose to rejoice during difficult times. This doesn'tmean we have to be happy about the hardship itself. Instead, joy comes from drawing close to the Lord and believing steadfastly that through His redemptive power, He is growing and preparing us. If your usual response to trials is anxiety, anger, or depression, the idea of having joy in the midst of a negative situation might not seem logical. However, if you look beneath the surface, you will discover that this biblical directive makes sense for several reasons. Often, our natural reaction to pain is to run in the opposite direction, and as fast as possible. However, God wants to teach us endurance--much like a long-distance runner builds up strength in training--so that we can fully benefit from what He is doingin our hearts. He uses trials as a refining fire to purify us like gold and bring us to greater spiritual maturity. As we realize that we are actually being made more complete through our adversities, we'll begin to face challenging times with confidence thatHe always has our best interest in mind. While a worldly viewpoint sees hope and joy in the midst of dark times as na�ve, a spiritual perspective discerns that we're really progressing on a journey toward life at its fullest. We can be filled with supernatural joy, knowing that the Lord is makingus into world-changing spiritual warriors. --------------------- Proven - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him �Psalm 18:30 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/proven/- Listen How do I know the Bible is the Word of God? Because it gave me the experience it claimed it would. I believe it because everything the Bible promised me has been true. Everything. For example, the Bible says that God would forgive my sin: �But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness� (1 John 1:9 NLT). When I first read that verse, I prayed, �Lord, cleanse me of my sin.� And one of the first things I remember experiencing as a brand-new Christian was the sensation of havinga massive weight removed from me. When I prayed and asked Jesus into my life at the age of seventeen, I didn�t know what I had just done. I hadn�t read, �Give all your worries and cares to God, for he caresabout you� (1 Peter 5:7 NLT). I hadn�t read any Bible verses yet, but I do remember feeling that a burden had been lifted from me. That was God forgiving my sins. The Bible also says, �Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!� (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). I became a different personafter I gave my life to Christ. I recognized a change inside, and I knew it was real. I had tried to be a better person before. I wanted to be a more caring person and be different than I was, but I couldn�t change myself. Then suddenly with Christ living inme, and as I read the Word of God, I saw these things happen for me just as the Bible said they would. That�s why I believe the Bible is the Word of God. It has given me the experience it promised. ----------------- TheMinistry of the Saints �Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints,with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.� (1Corinthians 1:2) This salutation to those �called saints� at Corinth (the words �to be� are not in the original) makes it clear that all who �in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord� are the saints of God. The word �saint� means �one who is sanctified� or �set apart,� having been called to serve the Lord. That service is varied, and many striking figures of speech are used in the Bible to describe it. In the first place, the saints are �witnesses unto me� (Acts1:8) and, therefore, �ambassadors for Christ� (2Corinthians 5:20). The words and deeds of believers are to serve as an actual Bible to those who may not read God�s Word. �Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit ofthe living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart� (2Corinthians 3:3). Christ applied the figure of candlesticks to the churches addressed in Revelation, with Himself in the midst (Revelation1:12-13). Similarly, we are enjoined to �shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life� (Philippians2:15-16). This light is not merely the light of a godly life, but the light of God�s revealed truth, for we constitute �the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth� (1Timothy 3:15). In relation to Christ, we constitute �the body of Christ, and members in particular� (1Corinthians 12:27) and have been presented �as a chaste virgin to Christ� (2Corinthians 11:2). One day we shall reign with Him as �kings and priests unto God� (Revelation1:6). HMM --------------------- Defeating the Devil's Strategies John 21:15-19 All of us make tracks through the valley of failure. Then the key question is, What we will do next? Sadly, many believers who stumble give up a vibrant kingdom-serving life for a defeated existence. But failure can also be a chance for a new beginning ofliving in Christ's strength. In pride, Peter thought his faith was the strongest of all the disciples' and swore that even if the others left Jesus, he never would (Mark 14:29). Yet when the timeof testing came, he denied even knowing Christ--and did so three times (Matt. 26:69-75). Satan hopedthe disciple would be so wounded by his own disloyalty that his faith would be undermined by shame, condemnation, and despair. Likewise, when the Enemy sifts believers today, his goal is for us to become shelved and ineffective for God's kingdom. That's why he goes after our strengths, especially the areas in which we proudly consider ourselves invincible. But if we're willing,the Lord can use our failures to do spiritual housecleaning, as He did in Peter's life. After the resurrection, Jesus met with the disciple personally and restored him, preparing him to become a great leader in the early church. He made it clear that Peter'spotential to serve was defined, not by failure, but by his unwavering love for Christ. Peter laid down his pride, received the healing Jesus offered, and put on courage with the Holy Spirit's help. He then risked his life fearlessly to further the gospel, and many came to Christ through his example. Failure was the catalyst that grew in him a stronger, more authentic faith. ------------------ God Is Near By Jessica Van Roekel �The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit� (Psalm 34:18 NIV). Broken hearts are one of the heavier burdens we carry. Unanswered prayers, unfulfilled longings, and unmet expectations can lead our hearts to brokenness. Elijah, an Old Testament prophet, knew brokenheartedness too. His people, the Israelites, continually turned away from God and they rejected his message to return. How his heart must of broke for them. God revealed himself to his people over and over again and for a time, they served him, but then fell back into idol worship. This led to the famous encounter on Mount Carmel between the prophets of Baal and the lone prophet of God. Fire fell from heavenand consumed the drenched altar, the wood, the stones, and licked up the water that remained in the trench. The people rose up and proclaimed, �The Lord is God,� and killed the prophets of Baal. Once Jezebel heard this news, she vowed to kill Elijah. And Elijahran away. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it, and prayed that he might die. He had had enough. Elijah struggled with broken heartedness. And if he can struggle with it, then it shouldn�t surprise us when we struggle with it too. Living for the Lord and seeking to be obedient to him carries with it its own set of difficulties. We wrestle against ourold nature that rises to demand its own way, whether it�s through wanting recognition for a job well done or revenge against those who stand against us. We grow weary and declare that we�re done. We have had enough. There are times when God doesn�t feel near. He feels far off and we wonder where he went. This happened to Elijah too. Imagine standing alone against an entire group of Baal prophets and a people who toggled between serving the Lord and serving idols. Visiblyyou are outnumbered except you have God�the Everlasting God who has no beginning and no end�on your side. To the human eye, victory looks impossible, but God fights for you and makes victory possible. Elijah didn�t do anything except obey the Lord. And Godwon the victory. But then Elijah got scared and ran away. But in the wilderness, God came near. Under that broom tree, God provided sustenance and rest for Elijah�s refreshment. When we�re under duress of heart, we need to take time to satisfy our needs for refreshment too. Our broken hearts can cause us to throwup our hands in defeat and run away, and when we do, Jesus meets us in that moment, ready to remind us that victory is found in him and that he gives us the courage to stand and face the giants once again. Jesus is our bread and living water and his yoke iseasy. When we turn toward him instead of away, we find that he satisfies the weariness in our heart. When we state that we have had enough, Jesus becomes enough for us. We can taste and see that the Lord is good, and he is everything we need. Elijah left his broom tree of despair and traveled deeper into the wilderness to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God. Again, God met him there and asked him, �What are you doing here?� It is here that Elijah finally gives words to his broken heart. He says, �I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me� (1Kings 18:10 NIV). And the Lord drew near. The wind came and shattered rocks, but the Lord was not in the wind. Then the earth shook and fire fell, but the Lord was not in either. Instead, the Lord arrived in a gentle whisper. It is in gentleness that the Lord draws near. A broken heart doesn�t need more devastation like windstorms, earthquakes, or fire. It needs tenderness, and that�s what the Lord brings to us when our hearts are broken. He is gentle with our heart. He drawsnear. Will we come out of our caves of brokenness long enough to see his gentle ways with our hearts? Intersecting Faith and Life: You may be feeling crushed by the weight of a broken heart. You might even say like Elijah, �I have had enough.� But let me encourage you to be still and let God draw near. He longs to refresh you physically with rest and sustenance. Jesus longs tobe your bread and living water. Run to him. Pour out your broken heart to him. Ugly cry if you need to. He�s near, waiting to receive you with open arms. Take time today to walk into them. ------------------