DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 10.8.22

AngelsRound About “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” (Psalm34:7) Since God’s angels are normally unseen, we have little appreciation of how intimately they are involved in our lives. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews1:14). As in our text, there may well be a protecting angel embracing and delivering us in times of danger. “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot againsta stone” (Psalm91:11-12). Angels are sometimes called on to rout the enemies of God and His people. “Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul...and let the angel of the LORD chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecutethem” (Psalm35:4-6). Angels are intensely interested in the salvation and spiritual growth of believers, “which things the angels desire to look into” (1Peter 1:12). “For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men” (1Corinthians 4:9). There are even occasions when “some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews13:2). There is “an innumerable company of angels” (Hebrews12:22), beings of great power and wisdom (2Kings 19:35; 2 Samuel 14:20). They are not omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient, of course, since they—like us—were created by God simply to obey God. “Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of hisword” (Psalm103:20). Finally, we shall be “carried by the angels” (Luke16:22) into God’s presence. Then we can better understand and thank them for all the many services rendered to us here on Earth. HMM -------------------- SinNot “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” (Ephesians4:26) There are many occasions when a Christian may be rightly angered by some ugly word or incident and thus be strongly tempted to respond in kind. Our text, however, reminds us that such a reaction for a Christian is sin, and it urges us to get control of ouranger before sundown. We are not to let our anger fester until it breaks out in action. A very similar command was given long ago to Old Testament believers also. “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah” (Psalm4:4). When angry, it is far better to wait and communicate with God about it in bed than to bring recriminations in the street (or, perhaps, in the home) against the ones who have angered us. The Lord Jesus Himself is always our example, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1Peter 2:23). Anger is often one of the most difficult areas to overcome in the Christian life. As James says, “The tongue can no man tame...Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God....My brethren, thesethings ought not so to be” (James3:8-10). Nevertheless, what man cannot tame, God can! “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James1:19-20). “Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans12:19). Anger may come, but to act in anger is sin. HMM ----------------- StandFast “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth....Forhe spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” (Psalm 33:6, 9) Many is the modern-day evangelical who has attempted to harmonize the plain sense of the Scriptures with Big Bang cosmogony, concepts of stellar evolution, and a uniformitarian framework for Earth history. This exercise seldom results in a tempering of secularthought but rather results in a compromising reinterpretation of Scripture, making it say something it clearly does not say. The Bible says that “the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3), thatall things that now exist were simply called into existence at God’s spoken command. Creation was a true miracle. It was not (as some insist) merely a godly oversight of cosmic processes acting on eternal matter, nor was it the gradual appearance and disappearance of matter in a steady-state transformation. Only a poor regard for Scripture,coupled with an overly high regard for current astronomical theory, could interpret Hebrews 11:3 as the explosion of a tiny, super-dense “cosmic egg” (that did not “appear,” i.e., too small to see), itself the result of a “quantum fluctuation in a vacuum” in a Big Bang that produced the entire universe. Rather, as implied in the formula “Let there be...and there was” repeated many times in Genesis 1, and as described in our text and elsewhere, all things derive simply from His spoken word. Our response should not be to disbelieve and twist but to believe and praise. “Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world standin awe of him” (Psalm 33:8). JDM ------------------ TheTrue Vine “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.” (John15:1) This seventh and last “I am” statement of Jesus in John’s gospel was made immediately prior to His earthly departure. Although He was physically leaving, Christ admonished His followers to continue abiding in Him as the true source of life. This foundationalfaith-based paradigm is affirmed in 1 Peter 1:8-9: “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” But this whole concept of abiding in Christ for life and sustenance is contrary to the world’s wisdom, which pushes the meme of self-actualization whereby the individual is the ultimate determining factor in all success. While hard work and diligence are importantin life, if you are not connected to the true vine, Jesus Christ, it’s all for nothing. Christ elaborated, “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me” (John15:4). Needless to say, the stark analogy is that a branch severed from the main supporting vine withers and dies. But Jesus expands on the analogy of the Father God being the husbandman, saying, “And every branch [in me] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (v. 2). The purging, or pruning, process involves the removal of unproductive plantgrowth that would otherwise divert resources from the plant’s goal of bearing fruit. In this regard, Hebrews 12:11 says, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” JPT ------------------- TheWay, the Truth, and the Life “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John14:6) The context of Jesus’ sixth “I am” statement in John’s gospel is the discourse in which Jesus had just told His disciples that He would soon be leaving them. The concern among the disciples was obviously building, especially after Jesus said, “And whither Igo ye know, and the way ye know” (John14:4), to which Thomas replied, “Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?” (v. 5). Then Jesus proclaimed, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (v. 6). This profound declaration of His identity addressed the anxiety in the disciples’ minds, countering their confusion and uncertainty. Of course, this proclamation also has comfort for us as Christ’s followers in the midst of a turbulent and unpredictable world. But Jesus was offering more than assurance and consolation. He was also making a profound statement of exclusivity, emphasized in the final clause “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” This statement stands in direct opposition to the popular opinionof a fallen and rebellious world that wants to proclaim there are many paths to God. Indeed, we are admonished in Scripture that there is “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians4:5), and “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts4:12). While there are many paths leading to deception and destruction, Christ is the only way to truth and life. In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus said, “For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction…narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life.” JPT ------------------------ God Works Within Us Ephesians 3:20-21 Let these words slowly sink into your understanding: “able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (v. 20). What an amazing description of God’s ability to work within us. Yet so often our focus is mainly on what we want Him to do around us: If He would change this situation or fix that problem, then my life would be better. But He invites us to think and ask bigger—He wants to change us! The Holy Spirit has more than enough power to transform lives from the inside out, but working change within is usually a slow process. Spiritual fruit takes time to grow and mature. That’s why we need patience and faith to believe He is working even when we don’t see the results right away. God is never in a hurry and will never give up on us. The Lord has a purpose for your life, and He is constantly working to achieve it. Although He has an individualized plan for each one of His children, He also has an overarching goal—to conform every believer to the image of His Son Jesus Christ. In orderto accomplish this, He may have to bring us through some struggles and heartaches. It might make no sense to us, but God knows exactly what He’s doing. What would you like to see the Lord do within you? As you read the Scriptures, look for qualities that God considers precious, and ask Him to work them out in your life. Then rely on His wonderful promise to do even more than you have asked or imagined. ------------------------ The Reason for Hope By Emma Danzey 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to givethe reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. But in Your Hearts Revere Christ as Lord The word revere is often not used in today’s modern language. It means to have deep respect. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to revere Christ as Lord in our hearts. Before we can even get to the hope that we have with others, it has to be personal to us. How has Christ saved you from sin? In what ways has His sacrifice blessed you? What impact has the sealingof the Holy Spirit had on you? We have a heart of reverence for Jesus when we have been personally blessed by His gift of salvation. Jesus has taken our hearts of stone and given us hearts of flesh. Ezekiel 26:26 says, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” When we have had a personal encounter with Jesus, and we invite Him into ourhearts, His Spirit transforms us, and we worship Him as Savior and Lord. Always Be Prepared to Give an Answer to Everyone Who Asks You to Give the Reason for the Hope That You Have As Christ-followers, it is vital that we are always prepared to share the hope that we have in Christ. This means that we are well equipped with knowing our God and His Word. By spending time with Him in prayer and in Scripture daily, we are strengthening our own faith and confidence in our relationship with Him and then able to communicate more effectively the hope that we have in Jesus. The truth is that there are people around us every day who will not be in heaven without the saving grace of Jesus. We can ask God for hearts of compassion to share the gospel with them. When they ask us why we do certain things or say certain things pertainingto Christ, these are open doors to sharing the hope that we have in Jesus. We so often shy away from “controversial” topics when in reality, we are not loving well unless we do share this hope that we have. Who are we to withhold the key to eternal life fromothers based on our own comfort levels or pride? We need to ask God to help us to have confidence led by His Spirit to be able to share authentically and purposefully with those around us. In our homes, At our schools, in our jobs, in our communities, we arewalking representatives of Christ. We are His ambassadors. But Do This with Gentleness and Respect Approach matters. I was having a conversation just today with a friend about how our approach to sharing the gospel makes a difference in the willingness of someone else to listen. We both talked about the importance of genuinely loving and asking questions.Our culture is getting closer and closer to post-Christian. This means older tactics of sharing faith do not necessarily speak as effectively to this generation. We need to be able to shift our evangelistic mindsets with the unchanging message of the gospel.The message should never change, but the method of sharing might. Scripture makes it clear that however we share with others, we are called to do this with gentleness and respect. The guy in the suit yelling on the street corner repels me, and I’m a Christian.How much more does he push away those who do not know God? However, the person who loves, befriends, genuinely cares, and does life with another who shares with others about the hope of Jesus is a fragrant aroma to a world in need. May we be this person aswe share Christ. It does not mean we do not share hard truths, but we do so in love. Intersecting Faith and Life: How has Christ transformed your heart? How can you be better prepared to share about Jesus with those around you? In what ways have you not been loving in your approach to evangelism? How can you be gentle and respectful in your sharing? Further Reading: •2 Corinthians 2:15 •2 Corinthians 5:20 •Ephesians 4:15 ------------------ How Awesome is this place By Rev. Kyle Norman “When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate ofheaven.” (Genesis 28:16-17) Sometimes the most profound experiences of God’s presence occur within the ordinary places of over lives. God comes amid the regular and routine, catching us unawares. This is no truer than in the story of Jacob. One of the high points of his life with Godis when he dreams of a ladder upon which the angels of God ascend and descend. Rising from his dream Jacob exults the presence of the Lord saying, “Surely the Lord is in this place!” He dedicates the spot to the Lord, and calls the place Bethel, meaning “TheHouse of God”. Bethel becomes a recurring place of divine encounter throughout the Scripture. Did Jacob simply happen to lie down in a thin place, a place where heaven and earth touch? Was his dream nothing more than blessed happenstance, a byproduct of resting near the stairway of the heavens? If we read the scripture this way, then we must assumethat Jacob has the dream simply because he happened to lie down in the correct spot. The implication of this is clear; if we wish to have a similar occurrence, we must make our way to the appropriate location. God will come to us if we to rest in the correctplace. But what does this mean? Does God remain hidden behind secret doors and heavenly staircases? Does an encounter with God simply boil down to being in the right place at the right time – even if it’s by accident? The account of Jacob’s dream testifies to the exact opposite. Jacob does nothing to bring about this dream, he is but a passive recipient. At the time of this encounter, Jacob had just swindled his brother out of his rightful blessing. What is more, thedivine blessing which Jacob stole did not lead to immediate satisfaction. Instead, Jacob must contend with the murderous intent of his brother. When Jacob lies down that evening, he is not desiring divine communication; he is running for his life. Jacob liesdown to rest in a very ordinary and routine way. Similarly, Scripture goes out of its way to describe the place of Jacob’s resting as “a certain place” (Genesis 28:11). In fact, scripturerecords that the reason why Jacob lies in that place is because the sun had set. The place of Jacob’s dream is a random location; it is ordinary and nondescript. If Jacob had run more quickly or started his journey hours earlier, he would have rested in aplace far from that location. But the dream would have still happened because, in the end, the dream was not about where Jacob laid his head; it was about the presence of God. The dream testified to God’s gracious love toward Jacob, a love that is expressed despite his duplicity and deception. While we often title the dream “Jacob’s ladder,” the point of the dream isn’t about the ladder at all. Even the angelsslip into the background when Jacob awakes. Instead, he rises with the knowledge that God is with him. The one who made him also sustains him. Surely the Lord is in this place. Surely this is the house of the Lord. Intersecting faith and life: The Lord’s house is the place where the Lord lovingly dwells, and that is around us and within us. Jesus promises to reside within the heart of those committed to him. “Those who love me will keep my word,” Jesus says, “and my Father will love them, and wewill come to them and make our home with them” (John 14:23). Like Jacob, the one who created us also sustains us. There is no place in ourlives where we are outside God’s gracious presence. This means that each evening, regardless of where we place our heads, we rest within the presence of God. Hear these comfortable words: Surely, the Lord is in this place. Every moment of your life, you are surrounded by the gracious presence of the Lord. When you retire for the evening, you rest your body and soul in the protective arms of Jesus. And when yourise, you waken to a day that will be lived in the context of his grace and mercy. You may not experience divine dreams such as Jacob did, but the reality of God’s presence is assured just the same. This is an awesome place. You stand at the gate of heaven. For further reading: •Genesis 27 •Genesis 28 •Hebrews 12:22-29 •John 14:23 ----------------------- It Is Designed to Kill You By Clarence L. Haynes, Jr. “…but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” – Genesis 2:17 After Adam was created, God gave him this one command to follow. It was the only thing he had to obey. Unfortunately, we all know how this turned out. When God gave Adam this command, he was attempting to protect Adam from something he was unaware of, whichis sin. God knew the moment Adam ate the fruit, sin would enter the world, and nothing would ever be the same again. For this reason, it is crucial to understand the impact of sin and how it can impact your walk with the Lord. Sin That Kills There is one phrase I want you to pay attention to because this underscores the impact of sin as succinctly as possible…you will certainly die. We know from the story that after eating the fruit, Adam didn’t just drop dead yet something died. In the Bible,when they talk about death, it means separation. Physical death is when your spirit is separated from your body, but this didn’t happen when Adam ate, there was a different kind of separation, a spiritual one. The moment Adam ate the fruit, his relationshipand fellowship with God were separated. That’s why before he ate the fruit, he could stand in God’s presence but afterward, he had to hide. His decision to sin had killed his intimacy with God. This is the reality of sin in your life now and why it must beavoided at all costs. If you continue in sin, it is going to kill something in your life. It may not cost you your life immediately, though it could, it will cost something. Sin can kill families, it can kill relationships, it can kill visions, it can kill dreams, it can killreputations, it can kill ministries, and it can kill careers. There is nothing positive that will ever result from indulging in sin because that is not the nature of sin. Recently in my house, we had an ant problem. Somehow, they had gotten to the second floor and were in my son’s room. To remedy this situation, I purchased a liquid ant bait. The way the bait works is it attracts the ants with a sweet liquid that causes theants to eat it. The ants believe they are getting a sweet treat, but the liquid is laced with a slow-acting poison. It doesn’t kill the ants right away it takes about forty-eight hours for the poison to kick in. The goal is for the ants to take some back totheir colony, share it with the other ants and hopefully the queen, and by doing this, eliminate the colony. What was sweet to the taste will ultimately be their destruction (at least I hope so because I am not a fan of having ants in my house). This is exactly how sin works. It presents itself as something sweet and pleasing to the eye, so it entices you to indulge in it. However, it is really a slow-acting poison that is designed to bring destruction to your life. It desires to destroy you andeverything you are associated with, and it plays no favorites or spares no one. This is the danger of sin. “…but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” – James 1:14-15 Intersecting Faith and Life: For all of us, certain sins are more tempting than others. For some of us, we have even been overcome by them. When tempted, you may even wonder if it is worth resisting because the experience may look and feel so good. My friends don’t fall for the trap. Sinis a sweet-smelling and even sweet-tasting bait that is looking to take you down. Sin is designed to kill you. Regardless of how difficult it may be to resist, do it. Even if you have failed before, that does not mean you have to fail again. The reason youcan resist is that you have the Holy Spirit living inside you. This is your power source which gives you the ability to say no. To resist, you may have to run or look foolish in some way because you are going against the motivations of the world and the impulses of your flesh. Do it anyway. The momentary pleasure is not worth the pain and destruction sin will bring. Whatever sinis calling you or tempting you to do, let today be the day you take a stand against it by the power of the Holy Spirit. You can do it. You should do it. You must do it. You better do it. The seeds of sin, when planted, can feel good; however, the harvest theyreap is often painful. God, who wanted to protect Adam wants to do the same for you. After all, if it did not work out so well for Adam, it won’t work out well for you either. ------------------ Filled, Refilled, and Filled Again - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. �2 Corinthians 5:5 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/filled-refilled-and-filled-again/Listen Let�s say that you just bought a brand-new car and were enjoying everything about it, from the new-car smell to the beautiful new paint. But it suddenly started sputteringand then stopped completely. You have it towed to the dealership, where you demand an explanation. A technician gets into the car and turns on the ignition. Then he informs you that you�re out of gas. The Christian life can be like that. Sometimes, we run out of gas, or we start shutting down because our batteries are low. I can barely make it through an entire day withoutmy cell phone going dead. I need to plug it in and recharge it periodically. If you�re losing momentum in your walk with God, maybe you need a recharge. You need to be filled, refilled, and filled again with the Holy Spirit. In the Book of Acts, we read about God�s outpouring of the Holy Spirit onto a group of believers gathered in Jerusalem in what we now know as the Pentecost. This outpouringon that day set the Church in motion. But what does being filled with the Holy Spirit mean? Sometimes, we think it means that we�ll have an emotional experience. Maybe we will, and maybe we won�t. It would benice if, at the start of each day, we could get a zap of sorts that fills us with energy and passion. However, I think that our being filled with the Holy Spirit may not even affect us emotionally. If we want this to happen, we will have to ask for it. Lastly, the Holy Spirit isn�t an �it�; the Holy Spirit is a He. The Holy Spirit is God and a member of the Trinity. He has a will and a purpose, and He wants to accomplishsomething in your life and mine. ------------------ God�s Guarantee - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit,whom he promised long ago �Ephesians 1:13 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/gods-guarantee/- Listen According to the Bible, we may insult, lie, or resist the Holy Spirit, but Jesus said that blaspheming the Holy Spirit is the only unforgivable sin. But what does this mean?To blaspheme the Holy Spirit means to reject the primary work that He has come to do: to bring us to Jesus. Thus, the only unforgivable sin is the outright rejection of Jesus Christ. Referring to the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, �And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God�s righteousness, and of the coming judgment� (John 16:8 NLT).Notice that Jesus used the word sin, not sins. He was speaking of sin in general. The Holy Spirit has come to show us that we�re sinners in need of a Savior. Now, once the Holy Spirit does the work of conviction in our lives, it is up to us how we will respond to it. If the Holy Spirit makes you aware of your sinfulness, He doesthat not to drive you away in despair but to bring you to Jesus and to show you how you can deal with your sinfulness. There is a way to receive forgiveness for our sins. There is a way to have a fresh start. The Holy Spirit comes to bring us to Jesus, and once we come to Jesus, He seals us. God places the Holy Spirit in our lives as a deposit, if you will, to let us know that He is serious about His commitment to us. Ephesians 1:13 tells us, �And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago� (NLT). The Holy Spirit isGod�s guarantee that He will give us the inheritance He promised us. ------------------------------- How the Holy Spirit Helps Us - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative�that is, the Holy Spirit�he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. �John14:26 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/how-the-holy-spirit-helps-us/- Listen I can think of times when I was giving a message or talking with someone one on one and a Scripture passage came to mind. I didn�t remember memorizing that passage, but thereit was. That is because the Holy Spirit teaches us. Jesus said, �But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative�that is, the Holy Spirit�he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have toldyou� (John 14:26 NLT). The Holy Spirit not only teaches us but also assures us that we are children of God. Once the Holy Spirit has brought us to Jesus and sealed us, He reassures us that we belongto God. Romans 8:16 tells us, �The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God� (NKJV). I know that I�m a child of God not because I deserve to be, but because Jesus Christ has forgiven me, and the Holy Spirit assures me of this. In fact, the Bible says, �Thesethings I have written to you who believe in the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life� (1 John 5:13 NKJV). The Holy Spirit also helps us pray. (And we need help in our prayers, don�t we?) Romans 8:26 says, �And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don�t knowwhat God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words� (nlt). The Holy Spirit knows what we need to pray for, and He will bring it to the Father. Finally, the Holy Spirit leads us in life (see Romans 8:14), and sometimes, we�re not even aware that He is leading us. That is why every day, we should ask the Holy Spiritto fill us. --------------------------------- Walkas He Walked �He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.� (1John 2:6) The idea of walking as Christ walked can be intimidating to a Christian. After all, the sinless Son of God, Himself fully God, who gave up everything to serve and save rebellious mankind, set an exceedingly high standard. Nothing short of perfection and totalsacrifice will do. Nevertheless, while we recognize that we will never fully achieve Christlikeness on this side of glory, we have �received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him� (Colossians2:6). Let us note several specific commands in the New Testament that describe such a walk. First and foremost, we are to �walk in the Spirit� (Galatians5:16, 25; Romans 8:1-4). The empowering of the Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to �walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory� (1Thessalonians 2:12; Ephesians 4:1). Furthermore, our walk is a walk of faith: �For we walk by faith, not by sight� (2Corinthians 5:7). We must �walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us� (Ephesians5:2), and since �now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light� (v. 8; see also 1 John 1:7). We will make good use of our opportunities as we �walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil� (Ephesians5:15-16; Colossians 4:5). We must �walk in truth� (3John 1:4) and in honesty (1Thessalonians 4:12; Romans 13:13). This walk will be evident to all by our �good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them� (Ephesians2:10). Such a victorious walk might be its own reward; but there is more. Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, has said of those who overcome that �they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy� (Revelation3:4). JDM --------------------- Christthe Creationist �For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God createdunto this time, neither shall be.� (Mark 13:19) In predicting a future judgment on the unbelieving world, the Lord Jesus referred to �the beginning of the creation which God created,� thus affirming the biblical doctrine of supernatural, sudden creation. In the pagan world of His day, evolutionism was dominantalmost everywhere. The Epicureans, for example, were atheistic evolutionists. The Stoics, Gnostics, Platonists, and others were pantheistic evolutionists. None of the extra-biblical philosophers of His day believed in a God who had created all things, includingeven the universe itself. But Christ was a creationist, and the much-maligned �scientific creationists� of today are following His example and teaching. He even believed in recent creation, for He said (speaking of Adam and Eve) that �from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female� (Mark 10:6). Thepagans all believed in an eternal cosmos, but Jesus said it had a beginning and that man and woman were a part of that beginning creation, following which �the sabbath was made for man� (Mark2:27). He also believed that the �two accounts� of creation (Genesis 1 and 2) were complementary, not contradictory, for He quoted from both in the same context. �Have ye not read,� He said, �that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female [Genesis 1], And said For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh [Genesis 2]?� (Matthew19:4-6). There may be some Christians who are evolutionists, but there is no such thing as �Christian evolution,� for Christ was a creationist! HMM ------------------ Our Heart's Desires Psalms 145:17-21 If you could have anything in the world, what would it be? Your answer reveals a lot about who you are. The psalmist writes, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart" (Ps.37:4). There is nothing wrong with desires--they motivate us to achieve great things. But not all of our yearnings come from God. Consider your aspirations and what they say about who you are: Do you hope for a position of authority in order to be in control? Longing for personal advancement in order to manipulate others reveals a lack of integrity, whereas a godly person craves righteousness. Do you dream about wealth and fame? Perhaps there's a void in your spirit that you're trying to fill. But only God can meet the insatiable needs of the human heart. Are you afraid to ask the Lord for what you want? Maybe you think He won't listen, but God tells us to approach His throne with boldness and confidence (Heb.4:16). If the Lord doesn't respond affirmatively to your prayers, ask Him to make your desires conform to His will. Whatever you do, don't take matters into your own hands and go after what you want. There is always a high price to pay for rebelling against God. God cares for us bountifully, but that doesn't mean we can expect Him to deliver whatever we want, whenever we want it. Only when our dreams align with His plan for our lives does He fulfill them. The thoughts that preoccupy us are an accurate barometerof the state of our relationship with Christ. -------------------------- Looking for Fruit Galatians 5:16-26 As believers, we all want the fruit of the Spirit, but how can we know if we truly have it? Even unbelievers can display these qualities when conditions are positive. This nine-fold fruit of the Spirit is not what we do, but who we are, and it is primarily on display in Christians when circumstances are unfavorable. Two characteristics help us recognize these traits in our lives. Fruitful believers are not controlled by their environment. Everyone experiences trials and pain, but those who are filled with the Spirit do not lose His fruit because of their situations. They keep their joy even when difficulties overwhelm.If someone speaks harshly, they respond with kindness. Because the Holy Spirit is in control, He is free to produce His fruit no matter what the circumstances are. Even though such believers may feel pain, anger, or a desire for revenge, they choose to trust the Lord to protect them and direct the outcome. Fruitful Christians recover quickly after a fall. These believers are not perfect, but they are sensitive to the Spirit's conviction and are quick to return to the Lord in repentance. In fact, they are actually grateful for the correctionand praise God, not only for revealing their weakness but also for drawing them back to obedience. No one produces these amazing qualities in himself. Trying harder to be godly will never work. Character transformation occurs when we submit to God, giving Him complete control of our lives. Only then will the Spirit be free to produce fruit that remainseven in the deepest, darkest storms. ------------------ 5 Lessons on Sexual Temptation from Proverbs 5 By Aaron D�Anthony Brown �Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her words are smoother than oil, in the end she�s as bitter as wormwood and as sharp as a double-edged sword.� (Proverbs5:3-4) The Forbidden Woman �Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?� asks one of the proverbs (Proverbs 6:27). The answer to this rhetorical questionis obvious, as is our innate desire for sin, especially the sexual kind. God intended for sex to be an act that honors spouses, and honors Him, but much like other sins, mankind�s creativity for wrongdoing knows no bounds. From billboards to social media, to movies on the big screen, or the device we keep in our pockets, if you want to find sex, you don�t have to look far. Young children access porn on a moment�s notice online, while some adults form groups with the sole purpose of fornicating. Our fleshly weakness may explain why there are various passages in Scripture that warn us about uncontrolled desire. One such place is Proverbs 5, where a father cautions his son about the �forbidden woman.� Today, his wise words can serve to enlighten and strengthen us as well. Whether we are nearing temptation, have already given in, or are seeking to remain strong, there is something each of us can learn from these five lessons on sexual temptation from Proverbs 5. 1. Establish Boundaries (Proverbs 5:1-2) Living in a world of sin, something we all need is boundaries. Unfortunately, many of us learn this after answering the call of temptation. Too many parents give their children unmitigated access to the internet. And too many adults refuse to limit their ownaccess for fear of missing out. No boundaries is like a wide-open door, an invitation for anything outside to come in. Know your limits, and don�t test them. Approaching your boundary is a sign that you�re nearing a bad choice. 2. Humanize the Person (Proverbs 5:5-6) The forbidden woman is a person, just like you, just like me. And just like us, no one chooses to sell their body when they think there is a better way to make money. Only people who have been abused, molested, and broken from early childhood pursue prostitutionas a legitimate way to work. The same goes for the woman on the corner of a busy city and for the woman appearing in a late-night movie. When we humanize people, we stop treating them as tools for our pleasure. They are people with emotions, goals, thoughts, and struggles exactly like us. They have family, friends, and more. If we knew them, whether as a relative, friend, or acquaintance,would we want them to engage in such behavior? 3. Flee (Proverbs 5:8) Possibly the most underrated advice when facing temptation is to run. Flee. Escape the fire before you get burned. Saying no to sin early on is like pulling out a seed from the ground. Uprooting a tree is a much more difficult task. 4. Know the Consequences (Proverbs 5:9-14) One reason we succumb to lust is that we either don�t know, or we ignore the consequences. The easiest way to resolve this issue is by ensuring that we not only know the consequences of our actions, but that we meditate on them. This is especially true if weare in seasons or places in life where temptation is higher. Knowing what possible bad outcomes await can be sure motivation to walk the straight path. 5. Enjoy Marriage (Proverbs 5:15-19) If marriage is a part of your life, then enjoy the blessing that God has given you. Realize that your spouse will never match up to lust. They will never look, act, or talk like those people we lust after. That�s because your spouse is real. Honor and appreciatethat realness. If you�re single, pray to God for strength to remain chaste and for discernment as to where you can put your sexual energies. Sex is a want, not a need, but no one denies that libido exists. Find a way to put that energy toward serving the community, a hobby,or anything positive that gets your mind off of sex. Intersecting Faith and Life: There is a reason lust makes the list as one of the seven deadly sins. Much of humanity has succumbed to the forbidden woman at one time or another, and just about all of us have heard her call. Whether we are talking about sirens from Greek mythology or Instagram models today, lust is always looming onthe corner, beckoning whoever will listen. Those who answer waste time, and themselves, chasing after an ever fleeting high. Let us as a church choose to be different today. May we each stand firmly, soberly, and righteously against temptation. Further Reading (and Listening): •Proverbs 6:20-35 •2 Timothy 2:22 •1 Corinthians 6:12-20 ----------------- Thanking God When We Don�t Feel Like It By Lynette Kittle �Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God�s will for you in Christ Jesus� - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 What happens when we don�t feel like giving thanks, especially during times of rising fuel prices, increasing mortgage rates, food shortages, job losses, and more? Amid unstable times, God asks us to focus on Him and His faithfulness, instead of our circumstances.He draws us to dwell on His promise to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and to trust Him to help us in every situation we facein life. Some say if they aren�t really feeling thanks, then it�s fake and insincere to practice thankfulness. But thankfulness is not a feeling or based on what�s going on in our lives but rather it�s an offering to God. God Calls Us to Be Thankful God understands it can be difficult for us to give thanks during trying times but He wants us to be willing to be thankful even when we don�t feel like it. Psalm 100:4, expresses God�s call to us to be thankful. �Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks toHim and praise His name.� His will is for us to approach Him with thankfulness. Yet many of us misunderstand God�s directive to give thanks in all circumstances, believing we�re supposed be thankful �for� everything when the truth is, God is asking us to be thankful �in� everything.Still some of us struggle with this concept, resisting thankfulness, thinking God is telling us to be thankful �for� the challenges. But we�re missing what He is really leading us to do, which is to be thankful despite the difficulties, to not let lack, losses,disappointments, and hurts keep us from expressing our gratefulness to Him. Sacrificial Thankfulness Throughout Scripture God emphasizes the importance of thankfulness, understanding that even if it�s sacrificial on our part, He is honored and glorified through it. Psalm 50:23, describes its benefits. �Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor Me, and to the blameless I will show My salvation.� As well, Psalm 116:17, encourages sacrificial thankfulness. �I will sacrifice a thank offering to You and call on the name of the Lord.� Still with our human weaknesses and frailties, it may feel like God is asking too much of us, especially during times of huge disappointments, unbearable heartaches, and tremendous losses. It can seem beyond our capabilities to offer Him thanks amidst suchdeep devastations. Practicing Sacrificial Thankfulness If it�s God�s will for us to give thanks �in� everything, how do we begin? Prayer is the place to start. Colossians 4:2 urges us to keep alert in our prayers with an attitude of thankfulness, which involves recognizing where ungratefulness can creep into our thoughts, words, and even our prayers. At times when we think there is absolutely nothing, we can find to be grateful for in our lives, we can be thankful for Jesus Christ and the Salvation we receive through Him. Even when life seems empty, we can give thanks to God for His peace, presence,faithfulness, and comfort. As Colossians 3:17 urges, �And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.� In experiencing everyday disappointments, job losses, natural disasters, financial stresses, and more, thankfulness helps us to cultivate a trust in God. Like Isaiah 12:2 assures, �Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord Himself, is my strength and my defense. He has become my salvation.� Even in situations that seem hopeless, like there couldn�t possibly be any good evercome from them, God promises to work them together for our good. �And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose� (Romans8:28). ------------------- The Results Are in God�s Hands - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Peter�s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, �Brothers, what should we do?� �Acts 2:37 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-results-are-in-gods-hands/- Listen Sometimes, I hear people say they are not into �mass� evangelism or into numbers. Well, God is interested in both one-on-one evangelism and mass evangelism. We find an example of mass evangelism in Acts 2, where Peter spoke to a crowd of thousands. As a result, about 3,000 people wanted to follow Jesus Christ (see verse 41). TheBible says, �Peter�s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, �Brothers, what should we do?�� (verse 37 NLT). Peter told them, �Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receivethe gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away�all who have been called by the Lord our God� (verses 38�39 NLT). In the book of Acts, we find instances of both mass evangelism and one-on-one evangelism. When Philip spoke with the dignitary from Ethiopia in the desert, he engaged in one-on-oneevangelism (see Acts 8:26�39). When Peter addressed the masses on the Day of Pentecost, that was mass evangelism or what I like to call proclamation evangelism. It�s the evangelism we have been doing for more than 30 years now through the Harvest Crusades,and we�ve seen more than 500,000 people make professions of faith in Jesus and commit to following Him. Do we know for certain that all the people Peter addressed became Christians? No, we don�t. Do we believe that many of them did? Yes, we do. Our job is to proclaim the gospel and sow the seeds. It�s the Holy Spirit who determines where the seeds end up and what happens in people�s lives. ------------------- A Worldly Heart 2 Peter 2:9-18 God warns us against misguided desires, because sinful passions can lead to emptiness, suffering, disappointment, pain, and even death. Wise believers let the Father direct their yearnings--and then make changes if necessary. Impure desires have been part of the "flesh" nature since the fall of man, and they can be hard to see in ourselves. Instead of obvious things like theft, drugs, or immorality, they often involve more subtle attitudes and behaviors, like hoping for a rival'sdownfall, despising authority (2 Peter 2:10), obsessing about wealth (1Tim. 6:9), or even speaking arrogant and vain words. Since worldly passions can cause great damage (2 Peter 2:18), believers are todeny them (Titus 2:11-12). But we can't overcome these desires on our own. Submitting to God's Spirit is theonly way to live righteously. The Lord knows what we really desire--and more importantly, what we need--even when cloudy judgment leads us astray. And He understands honest mistakes. When a believer misinterprets the Spirit's guidance or receives bad advice from a friend, God looks atthe heart. He may allow the consequences of a poor choice to play out, but He won't shame His children for an honest mistake. He can turn a bad situation into something good (Rom.8:28). God can save us from worldly desires, but we must be willing to commit ourselves to Him and trust that His response is the best thing for us. When we put our lives entirely in the Father's hands, we can claim the wonderful promises He has for us and thenrest in His grace. ----------------- The Choice By Michael A. Milton, PhD �See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord yourGod will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days inthe land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; thatyou may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."- Deuteronomy 30:15-20, NKJV. Human beings are not trapped by divinely imposed fatalism. This is one of the regrettable marks of some world religions. Some even confuse the Christian doctrines of election, predestination, the sovereignty of God, and the secret councils of God with fatalism. However, the Bible never advances this dogma of human robots being unable to make a change. Instead, God ordains not only the ends, but he ordains the means. God cannotbe God unless He is sovereign. Yet, He is not the Lord revealed in creation and the Bible unless He permits human moral agency. Thus, Moses can say to the people, �Choose on this day whether to know God�s blessing or His displeasure. It is true, as Martin Luther responded to Erasmus, that our wills are in bondage until they are released by God through faith in Jesus Christ.However, when we receive Jesus Christ, our wills are liberated, as Augustine taught, �to sin or not to sin.� Therefore, God calls us to receive God�s gift of the way, the truth, and the life. To deny this invitation to our Creator�s way is to default go sorrow. To choose God'sway is to choose human flourishing. There can be no greater curse one places upon oneself than to disregard this Creator. Therefore, Moses calls the people to the reminder that if they turn away from God and choose the ways of the world so prevalent in the people groups around them, they willbe choosing the judgment that comes upon the world. We must be careful to add that it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that one is saved. God saved the people from the bondage of Egypt. They could not do it themselves. God gave them a leader, aforeshadowing of a Redeemer, in the person of Moses. God worked miracles to liberate them from bondage and lead them through the wilderness. Yet, God calls them in their redeemed state � redeemed from Egyptian bondage � to a new way of life. So, it is withus. God saves us, and then God calls us to follow him. He calls us to be imitators of Christ and walk in his ways (Ephesians 5). To do soavoids the inevitability of crushing consequences of disobedience and leads to a life of joy. Moses calls creation to witness this statement. In doing this, Moses demonstrates that divine commands and consequences are deeply embedded within creation. These are universal laws that, if violated, will bring a judicial hardening of the conscience, removingGod-given restraints and, at length, causing a free-fall descent into madness, resulting in personal and societal death. Such choices could not be for the people chosen to bring forth the Savior to the world. In verse 19, Moses reflects the Lord's concernfor the magnitude of �The Choice.� If the people choose what is right, they will not only bring blessing unto themselves but blessing unto their progeny. Israel�s choice to follow God or not was inexorably linkedto the destinies of generations unborn. Our choices always are. The force of the collected truths of Scripture demonstrates our connection across generations. Children not yet born will know Jesus Christ from infancy. Others will not. There are many who arecalled to the ministry because of the prayers of great-grandparents or great-great-grandparents whom they never met. Moses� message from God to Israel is God�s Word to us today. God calls each generation of people who are his to this same �valley of decision. Choose today if you will follow God or if you will follow the world. Your choice unleashes or hinders God�s blessings. While eachperson is responsible for his moral choices, one might be given the advantage of insight and wisdom�a legacy of faithfulness. Those Pilgrims and Puritan congregations who came to these shores decided to follow the Lord. They not only covenanted with God forthemselves but, maintaining the transgenerational vision of this passage, prayed for us as well. The motif of this covenant of life in Deuteronomy 30, with its judgments and blessings, has been repeated throughout history. The covenant of Moses has birthed great nations, including the British Empire and the United States. As nations of families and individuals follow the truths of God�sWord, great benevolent cultures arise, bringing blessings to themselves and others. When the same people reject God, they invariably decline. We speak of nations not as merely political entities but as human families gathered in a place, in unity and boundby joint commitments. Even those individuals and families who deny God receive the public and cultural benefits of the shade offered by a greater collected faith and obedience to God. Human flourishing is the inevitable outcome of obedience�not a transactionalhealth and wealth deal with God, but the ordinary blessings that do certainly attend recognition, submission, and practice of divine truth. Likewise, all human beings experience not only the positive but also the adverse effects of the covenant, the cursing,or the blessing. Christians today in the West must be particularly careful and prayerful. The prevailing winds of our culture are not only anti-Christian but if come to the point of denying reality. The judgments that the Apostle Paul noted in Romans chapter1 have now fallen upon our people. Many rightly ask if the restraining power mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 NKJV is now upon us. There is a tipping point in the stages of great nations in which they go too far from revealed truth (Romans1:18-32). Like Nineveh, however, which certainly was on that trajectory to destruction, those who repent and believe the gospel are saved. It is never too late for either a person, a family, a local church, or a nation of Christians to repent and choosewhat is good and right. We are called to not only receive Christ by faith but to walk in faith. Obedience is the fruit of a will liberated from the devil's bondage. Choose what is good that you may live and your children and those after them. Intersecting Faith and Life: Fatalism is not biblical. The sovereignty of God is exercised through creation and providence. And providence is �moved� by prayer and by petition. Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). Until death removes the opportunity,a kind and merciful Savior grants you the opportunity to �choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwellin the land . . .� Further Reading •Deuteronomy: A Mentor Expository Commentary by Dr. Douglas F. Kelly •10 Things You Should Know aboutthe Sovereignty of God by Sam Storms •The article, What God Starts God Completes: Help and Hope for Hurting People by Michael A. Milton and the book: What God Starts, God Completes. ----------------------- Start with Compassion - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more. �1 Corinthians 9:19 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/start-with-compassion/- Listen Today, many people no longer know the Bible. There was a time, maybe 30 years ago, when you could ask someone if they were a Christian and they would say yes. Today, manypeople either will say no or will not know what a Christian is. There was a time when you could reference stories from the Bible, like the stories of Adam and Eve or Noah and the ark, and people would understand what you were referringto. Now, many people are no longer familiar with such stories. That�s why when we�re sharing our faith, it�s important to adapt to the people we�re speaking with and make things understandable to them. Don�t assume that people know whatyou�re talking about. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter knew his audience. Many of the people in the crowd that he addressed had witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus, and there were some in the crowdwho literally played a role in actually crucifying Jesus. Peter quoted many verses from the Scriptures because his audience was largely Jewish and knew the Scriptures. In contrast, the people today are more like those whom Paul spoke to on Mars Hill in Athens. Paul said, �Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious;for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to the unknown god. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you� (Acts 17:22�23 NKJV). Paul�s message was quite different in structure from Peter�s message. Peter was speaking to a biblically literate audience, while Paul was speaking to a biblically illiterateaudience. That�s why it�s a good idea to get to know the people you�re speaking with. It�s a dialogue, not a monologue. Start with compassion because people don�t care how much youknow until they know how much you care.