Author: Daryl Pint

 

 

Psa 139:1-6  O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

God, You know me! Think about this for a minute. It is something that is far too great to put into words though we try. We kind of know ourselves. We know what we like and don’t like. As we get older we may learn to recognize what triggers happiness and anger, love and hate, peace and anxiousness, giving freely and greed, humbleness and pride, gentleness and impatience, rest and fear, truth and false, good and bad, right and wrong, etc…., but if we are to be honest we don’t truly know ourselves. We may even adopt an unhealthy opinion of ourselves one way or the other. 

God knows you!

God knows all of your thoughts!

God knows all of the words you will speak before you speak them!

God knows all of the actions you have taken or will take!

God has a purpose and plan for your life!

God knows everything past, present, and future about you, EVERYTHING!

God knows all of our intents in the actions and words we speak!

God knows every single sin of your life!

What is more glorious, precious, unfathomable, and impossible to comprehend is that God knows all of this, and despite knowing, He sent His Son to redeem, adopt, and make you His child. The God of all creation, all-knowing, ever-present, and all-powerful, holy, glorious, pure, and righteous has not only made Himself known, sent His Son to redeem us, but has sent His Holy Spirit to guide, lead, encourage, convict, and fill us with His Spirit. 

God knows everything about you!  Do you ever wonder what the fullness of grace, mercy, and love of God is? Knowing everything about you, He sent His Son to die for you. This just scratches the surface of the magnitude of God’s grace, mercy, and love. David said; “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.” 

What manner of person should we be in light of His glory, grace, mercy, love, and adoption?

 

 

Rom 1:18-23  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools,  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Rom 1:28-32  And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.  Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Rom 2:1-8  Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

Rom 2:11-12  For God shows no partiality. For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

Rom 2:14-16  For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Rom 3:9-18  What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”  “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery,  and the way of peace they have not known.”  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Rom 3:21-27  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—  the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,  whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.  Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.

Job 4:17  ‘Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?

Job 9:2  “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?

Job 25:4  How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?

While reading a devotion by Steven Cole – 

Is everything right between you and God? 

I read this question this morning. How is a person to answer this? How do people answer it? What does the bible say in relationship to being right with God? Paul shows here that if salvation depends on our works, we face two impossible barriers: the righteousness and glory of God. How can we who have sinned be reconciled to the righteous God of all glory? How can we who have dishonored Him enter His holy presence?

We all need to be right with God because we all have sinned and fall short of His glory. It is all nice and good to hear of God’s grace, mercy, and love, but apart from the basic understanding of God’s righteousness and our sinfulness, it is meaningless. God’s righteousness refers to His absolute holiness or separateness from all sin and all that is wrong. How can a person, you, me, get right with the righteous God in view of a person’s, yours and mine, sin? You don’t have to examine your heart and mind very deep to see that sin is rooted there. Treasures and pleasures of this world consume us and for the most part, we prefer them over knowing and understanding the holiness and glory of God. It is pointless to talk about God’s grace, mercy, and love apart from His glory and holiness and our sinfulness and our need for redemption.

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And yet, sinners can be right with God! Faith in the redemption from sin and its consequences through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for our sin results in our sins being covered over and removed as far as the East is from the West. For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

People who do not see the need for redemption, salvation, and forgiveness have not heard of their need or have rejected it. You do not have to look very hard at our culture to see the lack of or desire for God and things of God. Mankind is without excuse. Someone wrote; “if you don’t think you’re sick, you won’t go to the doctor and though you may be sick you are void of any diagnosis”. You happily go about your day without giving it any thought. However, “We have to accept the diagnosis that we are sinners before we welcome the cure of God’s grace, mercy, and love in and through Jesus Christ.

TO BE JUSTIFIED MEANS THAT GOD DECLARES US TO BE RIGHTEOUS.

To justify does not mean to make someone righteous, but to declare him to be righteous. It is a forensic or legal term that means to obtain the verdict of acquittal. Charles Hodge defined it (Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans [Eerdmans], p. 102), “Justification is pronouncing one to be just, and treating him accordingly, on the ground that the demands of the law have been satisfied concerning him.” It is something that God does to us, not something that we do for ourselves. It is not a process, but a judicial action. The process of becoming righteous in character and behavior follows the judicial act of God declaring us to be righteous.

“By His grace you have been justified!”  If an earthly judge declares a guilty murderer “not guilty” and in addition awards him a healthy judgment and then says, “I wanted to give him what he did not deserve,” we would say, “That’s unjust!” So how can God be just when He declares guilty sinners to be justified when they don’t deserve it? With grace, you get undeserved favor. That’s grace. God justifies sinners who deserve His wrath freely by His grace.

“Redemption” means to buy something back by the payment of a price, or to release someone by the payment of a ransom. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Through His death, Jesus paid the price/penalty that God righteously imposed for our sins. Thus God’s justice was satisfied. Jesus was our substitute, paying what we should have paid so that we go free at His great expense. Thus, justification is completely free for us, but it was costly to Jesus who redeemed us with His own blood.

Faith, trust, belief, and reliance on Jesus Christ for redemption, salvation, and forgiveness justifies us (makes us right with God). You must specifically put your trust in Jesus Christ for what He did on the cross. There is no past action in a person’s life that the Blood of Jesus will not cover. No person needs to despair that they are too far gone. All fall short, all have sinned, none have been righteous, no one seeks God, all have turned away, no one does good, and all are worthless in the light of God’s glory and holiness.  (Cole)

When the gospel is presented in a way that is void of the holiness and glory of God, and our sinfulness, His judgment (eternal separation – Hell) how is a person made right? How are they to believe the need for redemption, salvation, and forgiveness if this is missing? Have you heard the invitation to come to God said like this;

Are you having financial problems? 

Are you lonely? 

Are you angry?

Are you anxious about the world around you?

Do you want rest from worry?

Do you want peace of mind?

Do you want joy?

Do you want purpose and meaning in your life?

Does something seem to be missing in your life? 

Do you want God’s grace, mercy, and love?

Do you want hope for today’s and tomorrow’s problems?

Do you want clarity in the confusion?

With all heads bowed and eyes closed, if you want XXXX then raise your hand, I will not call you out or embarrass you, I just want to pray for you. Raise your hand if you want it. Is this being saved, born again, being made new? Is this salvation? Is this the Gospel of Jesus Christ? 

All of what is stated above is offered and freely given by God through Jesus Christ in various ways that only God knows. However, do you notice that God’s glory, holiness, righteousness, and judgment, and our sinfulness and the need of redemption, salvation, and forgiveness are missing? When an invitation is given in such a way that God is presented like an ATM machine and the magic card for you is to raise your hand and claim the withdrawal, then I fear for their souls. Being made right with God must address His glory, holiness, and righteousness in light of our sinfulness before any of these other blessings have any bearing in our lives. Our sin must be addressed first.  

I think it is good to talk about the blessings God bestows on believers. It opens the doors to many conversations that can lead to being able to clearly proclaim the Gospel. A shallow approach to our need results in a very limited understanding of God’s grace, mercy, and love, not to mention the fullness and purpose of the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ. 

To tell someone that they deserve God’s judgment, death, and eternal separation and torment does not seem to be preached much anymore, if at all. How can the fullness of grace, mercy, love, and blessings of God be fully understood without knowing His wrath, anger, and judgment and what separates us from Him? It can’t.

People who are weak in their understanding of God’s grace, mercy, and love and the things of God are far too common. Time in God’s Word is little to non-existent. There is little difference in the way they are living compared to those who have no knowledge of the Gospel. It is very easy to fall into the trap of pretending to be right or trying to perform in the right ways to be made right with God. This is the logical conclusion of a shallow approach to the true need for Jesus Christ’s salvation, redemption, and forgiveness. 

 If, while on my wondering around life, lost, I met someone who said there is a great big canyon just ahead and if you can get to the other side you will find safety, but if you don’t get to the other side soon you will die a terrible death, wouldn’t I go to the canyon to find an escape from my current state? Once there I would find the canyon far too wide to jump, far too treacherous to climb, and absolutely impossible to achieve.  If while standing on the edge of the canyon a person offered to take me to the other side I would jump at the offer. If I asked what’s the cost or why are you doing this? They would say the cost is free and because I love you. Facing an impossible task and certain death wouldn’t I be thankful and forever grateful for the rescuer who found me and led me to safety? Such it is with those who come face to face with their sinfulness in light of the glory and holiness of God. 

Why is God’s Word so neglected in the lives of many Christians? Why are so many complacent in their walk with Him? How can the Holy Spirit lead, guide, convict, encourage, etc… if God’s Word is neglected? Continually growing in our understanding of the grace, mercy, and love of God should never end this side of eternity. This will never be accomplished when the Word of God is neglected. Oh, we try to fill the void and make ourselves feel good by listening to Christian music and attending church, but the Word of God takes second or third place to things of this world and what it has to offer. Do you see a famine of God’s Word around you or in you? How foolish would it be to stand in the most ripe and lush fruit and vegetable garden and then starve to death because you did not eat of it? How foolish would it be to stand at the water well and die from dehydration because you did not drink from it? And yet, this is what happens when the Word of God is neglected and not cherished, read, or studied.  How are we to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all of our thoughts, words, and actions if the Word of God is not cherished, read, and studied? 

We do well to examine our lives in light of how we are honoring, glorifying, and worshipping Jesus Christ in all of our thoughts, words, and actions.

 

 

So Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again. (Genesis 38:26)

One of the truly remarkable things about the Bible is how honestly it presents the people of God, even heroes among them.

Noah, the great man of faith and action – drunk and in disgrace.
Abraham, the father of the faithful – hiding behind his wife and behind lies.
Isaac, the chosen son – ignoring God’s word and caring only for the material.
Jacob, the father of Israel – deceives others to his own advantage.
Moses, the great lawgiver – misrepresented God in a notable way.
David, the man after God’s heart – a murderer and adulterer.

Genesis 38 is an honest chapter, telling a story from the life of Judah, the son of Jacob and father of one of the great tribes of Israel. Judah’s sons failed to provide descendants to Tamar, the widow of Judah’s oldest son.

Judah refused to do rightly by Tamar, and he compounded that sin by unwittingly hiring her as a prostitute. As a result, Tamar became pregnant, and Judah commanded she be put to death. Tamar then shrewdly revealed the father of the child in her womb: Judah himself.

In the end, Judah confessed that Tamar had acted more righteous than he had, because he didn’t do what was proper and customary in that culture – direct his youngest son to marry Tamar and provide descendants to her who would carry on the name of Judah’s oldest, deceased son.

The unpleasant and unflattering story of Judah and Tamar demonstrates how the corruption of the Canaanites had a bad effect on the sons of Israel and their families. The longer they stayed in Canaan, the more they would become like the Canaanites.

This was a family destined for corruption and assimilation among the depraved Canaanite culture. On the track displayed in Genesis 38, in a few generations there would be no more family of “Israel” – just another family absorbed into a lager people group, and a people group that was severely compromised morally.

What would rescue Israel from the path of doom? God worked in two main ways. First, Joseph and the great injustices done against him. Second, a great famine that afflicted the whole region.

Through Joseph, God would carry out a plan to take this family from Canaan, put them in a culture that would isolate them, and allow them to grow from a large family to a significant nation over many generations. Genesis 38 is more evidence that God’s plan was necessary for Israel’s survival as God’s covenant people.

As believers, we face seasons of difficulty and crisis. Our weaknesses and failings sometimes seem to ruin everything. We often must face consequences from our sin, but despite it all – God is working out His plan. Our failures don’t surprise Him or necessarily ruin His plans for us. God is in control even when things are getting worse.  (Guzik)

 

 

The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

–1 Timothy 6:10

It’s easy to see why people tend to worship money: It provides security. It reduces stress. And it’s the key to fulfilling many of our desires. One final reason we crave money is that it provides independence. Think about the phrase independently wealthy. The two are tied together: if you’re wealthy, you can be independent; you don’t need anyone else.

I think the desire for independence was at work in the life of the prodigal son in Luke 15. More than anything, he wanted his share of the inheritance so he could get out from under his father’s authority and live on his own. He wouldn’t have to answer to anyone except himself. We all have that independent spirit within us, but the Bible says that is not a healthy attitude.

In fact, we see the desire for independence in the story of the very first sin in the universe. Lucifer said, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). Lucifer wanted to be the number-one guy, and God cast him out of heaven. It’s no coincidence that Lucifer–now known as Satan–used the same temptation in the garden of Eden. He told Eve, in essence, “If you eat the fruit God has forbidden you to eat, you’ll be just like God.” Yes, money offers independence. But the independence we crave can be harmful to our spiritual health.

That’s why money is a double-edged sword: a love of money leads to dangerous desires, and its promise of happiness is an empty one. Steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie once wrote, “Wealth lessens rather than increases human happiness. Millionaires who laugh are rare.” And railroad magnate William Henry Vanderbilt allegedly said, “The care of two hundred million dollars is too great a load for any brain or back to bear; it is enough to kill a man. There is no pleasure to be got out of it.”

The promise of money to provide happiness is an illusion, but the power of money to destroy our lives and our relationship with God is very real. Paul said it this way: “The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10). (Jeffress)

 

 

Put off the old man with his deeds.
Colossians 3:9

The Bible tells us to “put off the old man.” What does that mean? It doesn’t mean tossing grandpa out the door. It means we’re to turn away from the flawed traits we had before coming to Christ and from the corrupt nature we inherited from Adam.

Perhaps you’ve chosen to follow Christ, but you know there are some things you must toss out, some habits you must break, and some sins you must confess. You’re not alone. Paul was speaking to the Colossians and to all of us when he said, “Put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him” (Colossians 3:8-10).

You have a new nature—a Christly calling. If there’s an area of residual sin in your life today, ask God to help you toss it out of your life. You can do it in the power of Christ!

God’s ultimate goal for us…is that we be truly conformed to the likeness of His Son in our person as well as in our standing. (Dr. Jeremiah)

 

 

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!

–Psalm 32:1

God’s amazing grace has made us spiritually alive. Not only that, but we are also forgiven. Look at Colossians 2:13: “He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions.” The word “forgiven” is in the past tense–it’s something that has already occurred. If you are a Christian, God has forgiven you. Psalm 32:1 says, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!”

And notice in Colossians 2:13 how many of our sins have been forgiven. Did Paul write that God has forgiven us “some of our transgressions” or “most of our transgressions”? If Paul had used the word “some” or “most,” I would lie awake at night terrified, wondering which of my sins have not been forgiven. But Colossians 2:13 says He has forgiven us “all our transgressions” (emphasis mine).

We have trouble conceiving of God’s ability to forgive us for everything we’ve done. The reason is that we tend to think God is like we are. How do we forgive people? Selectively, conveniently. We forgive little offenses and think we’re magnanimous. But when it comes to the really big sins people commit against us–cheating, betrayal, infidelity–are we going to let go of those? Not on your life. We may file them away for a while, but at just the right time, we pull those offenses out of the file drawer and hang them over people’s heads. That’s how we forgive.

I like the story about a man who said to his friend, “My wife and I had a terrible fight last night. She got historical on me.” His friend said, “You mean hysterical?”

The man said, “No, I mean historical. She dragged up every bad thing I’ve ever done!”

Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about God getting historical on us. The Bible says He has forgiven us of all our sins.

Let me drive home this point for you: I want you to bring to mind the one sin in your past that you pray your mate, your child, or your parent never finds out about. If that sin were projected on a big screen for everyone to see, you would hide in humiliation. Do you have something in mind?

Christ has forgiven that sin. By God’s grace, He has forgiven us of all our transgressions. (Jeffress)

 

 

 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;  and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”  In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

You may not know this, but the act of taking communion was pivotal in my decision to accept Jesus as my Savior.

When I was nearly 6 years old, I attended church with my parents and noticed that a plate of bread and a cup of grape juice were being passed around. As the bread came by, I excitedly reached out to tear off a chunk. Unfortunately, my dad stopped me before I could get the snack. I figured he was afraid I would make a mess on the new church carpet.

Later that day, once we had returned home, my dad took me to my bedroom and began to explain the meaning behind the bread and the cup. He told me about Jesus, His death, and resurrection. My dad shared that I could find forgiveness in Christ and spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

My first glimpse of communion led to me asking Jesus into my heart. It was January 11, 1981.

That’s my story, but the Lord’s Supper is significant to all of us for multiple reasons. In 1 Corinthians 11:26, Paul writes how the Lord’s Supper is given to us by God Himself as means to bring unity within the body of Christ. Moreover, when we observe the Lord’s Supper, we recognize that the table looks in three different directions: it looks to the past, the present, and the future.

The Past: Commemoration

The Lord’s Supper refers to the last Passover meal Jesus had with His disciples here on Earth (see Luke 22:14-20). At that time, Jesus took the bread and the cup and passed them around, signifying that His body would be broken (torn to pieces) and that the shedding of His blood would usher in the New Covenant (see Jeremiah 31:31-33).

Therefore, the Lord’s Supper makes us remember what Jesus did on the cross. That is why it says, “Do this in remembrance of Me” in both verse 24 and verse 25. Paul is stressing that we are to always remember the atoning sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross. We are to remember how He was flogged, beaten, and that He shed His blood to take away our sin.

The Present: Communion

The Lord’s Supper speaks of the present and how we have fellowship with a living Christ. We have communion with Him now because our sins are forgiven. We do not have to wait for Heaven to have fellowship with God; we can have communion now.

Not only do we have communion with God, but we can have communion with other believers. This brings unity out of division, which was exactly what was happening in Corinth when Paul wrote this letter.

The Future: Commitment

We are to continually observe the Lord’s Supper “till He comes” (v. 26c). Therefore, this table also looks ahead to Christ’s return.

It reminds us that Jesus is victorious and He will set up His kingdom here on Earth. We are to proclaim the Lord’s death (through the observance of the Lord’s Supper) until He comes again in the future.

It also signifies the destruction of Satan, when Jesus will return in victory. We won’t be taking communion at that point. We’ll be at the banquet table, and Satan will be defeated.

The Lord’s Supper keeps us focused on the cross. It draws us into fellowship with God and the body of Christ. It gives us the hope of the resurrection, the promise of victory over Satan and sin, and the truth of Heaven.

The next time you observe communion at church, take a moment to reflect on the past, the present and the future—and God’s incredible love and faithfulness. (Graham)

 

 

Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” Then the devil left Him.

–Matthew 4:10–11

In this corrupt world we live in, the Bible is like a night-light, giving us direction in the darkness. That’s why Paul said, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you” (Colossians 3:16). Let me point out three benefits of allowing God’s Word to become part of your life.

First of all, God’s Word produces spiritual growth in your life. Colossians 2:6–7 says, “As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith.” Once you become a Christian, you and God work together to construct a life that looks like that of Jesus Christ–and God’s Word is the building material. In 1 Peter 2:2, the apostle wrote, “Long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” God’s Word is the catalyst that produces spiritual growth.

Second, God’s Word is a deterrent to sin. Disobedience to God robs you of His blessings in your life. But God’s Word gives you both the desire and the ability to say no to sin and yes to God. We have a great illustration of that in Matthew 4 when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Each time, Jesus answered with Scripture. Contrary to what many people think, Satan didn’t run away because he couldn’t stand to hear God’s Word. No, Jesus quoted God’s Word for His own benefit. As He recalled the passages of Scripture that dealt with each temptation, God’s Word cut through the fog in His mind and gave Him the strength to say no to Satan and yes to God.

What I find fascinating about this passage is that each time Jesus was tempted, He quoted from Deuteronomy. If your success in fighting against Satan’s attacks depended on how well you knew the book of Deuteronomy, how would you do? Most of us can’t even find Deuteronomy, much less quote from it. Maybe that’s why we don’t have more success in our spiritual lives. God’s Word is a powerful deterrent to sin.

Third, God’s Word allows you to experience the peace of Christ. If you’re like me, most of the anxiety you feel is caused by unexpected or unwanted changes in your life. Yet even though people and circumstances change, God never changes. The Bible says, “Who is a rock, besides our God?” (2 Samuel 22:32). When you read the Bible, it’s a constant reminder that the God you serve and the God who loves you never changes. The word of Christ allows you to experience the peace of Christ in your heart. (Jeffress)

 

 

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14

On September 16, 1859, a newspaper in Ballynahinch, Ireland, carried this article: “For the last two months the Lord’s work has been spreading in this place; hundreds…have passed through the gate of conversion. Prayer meetings…are conducted by the young and old…. Let a minister be seen passing anywhere…and going into a house and, in a few minutes, the reapers would be seen leaving the fields and thronging the house, such is their unquenchable thirst for the means of grace.”¹

That’s what revival looks like. Young and old leading prayer meetings. People seeking the means of grace. Many being converted. Everyone hungry for the Word of God and the downpouring of the Holy Spirit.

That’s what the nations of the world need now! The formula is in 2 Chronicles 7:14. The people of God must humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways. Our Lord will hear, heal, and forgive! Let the revival begin in your heart today!

The only reason we don’t have revival is because we are willing to live without it. (Dr. Jeremiah)

 

 

The younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country.

–Luke 15:13

I’m not a mind reader, but I imagine one or more of the following is true about you:

• You can point to a time in your life when you were closer to God than you are right now.
• You know that you ought to read your Bible more and pray more, but frankly, you don’t have the desire to do so.
• You feel guilty for thinking about money so much and thinking about God so little.
• You find it easy to become obsessed with your work.
• You can look back to at least one mistake in your life that you wonder if God can ever forgive you for.
• You genuinely desire to have a closer relationship with God than you now experience.

Paul said one test of our Christlikeness is our relationship with God. Jesus enjoyed perfect fellowship with His heavenly Father. But if we’re honest, I think most of us can point to a time in our lives when we were closer to God than we are at the present. For some of us, our departure from God can be traced to a specific event–a bitter divorce, the death of a loved one, a prolonged illness, or the loss of a job. But for most of us, our departure from God is a gradual one. We move away from God step by step, choice by choice, until one day we awaken in a place we never thought we would be, separated from our heavenly Father.

In Luke 15, Jesus told a story about a young man who enjoyed a good relationship with his father, but he allowed his desire for money, his thirst for pleasure, and his drive toward significance to cause him to leave his father and move to the far country. Only because of a dramatic crisis in his life did he return to the security of his father’s home.

Many people use the story of the prodigal son to illustrate God’s attitude toward non-Christians, and I think that certainly fits the context in which Jesus told the story. But I also believe the story of the prodigal son illustrates our relationship with our heavenly Father. Specifically, the story demonstrates why we who love God wander away from God–it’s easier than you think. The story also illustrates what life apart from God is like–it’s different than you’ve been led to believe. And most importantly, the story of the prodigal son tells us how we can return to a right relationship with a Father who loves us–it’s simpler than you imagine. (Jeffress)