When God Looks on Us with Favor
Believers are always under the canopy of God’s grace and love. Nothing we do can change that. At the same time, our behavior and heart condition do determine whether we receive the fullness of His blessings. Today’s passage teaches us how to experience the Father’s favor.
First, He desires that we have a contrite heart and a humble spirit (Ps. 51:17). For that to be the case, all aspects of our lives must be surrendered to Jesus. Yet some dreams, desires, and people are difficult to release into His hands.
Anything we do not give over to His authority is evidence of pride, the exact opposite of what our Father wants in His children. Remember that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Lack of submission proves that we think our way is better than His plan.
Second, God tells us to tremble at His Word (Isa. 66:2). Scripture—the unfolding revelation of Jesus Himself—is living and powerful to teach and transform us. Consider how we treat this treasure. Do we devote time each day to know what the Bible says and how to apply its principles? Do we hunger for more of the Word in our lives so we can know its Author better? One measure of our reverence is obedience: to honor the Lord, we must obey Him.
We all desire God’s favor. Are you living in a manner that positions you to receive His full blessings? Prayerfully consider whether you have submitted all areas of your life—from finances and health to relationships and work habits—to Jesus Christ. Recognize His authority in all things, and revere His Word.
~Dr. Charles F. Stanley~
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Accusation vs. Conviction: Learn to Tell the Difference!
BIBLE MEDITATION:
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” John 16:7-8
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The devil accuses you of sin. The Holy Spirit convicts you of sin. Do you know the difference? The devil accuses you to drive you from Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts to draw you to Christ.
The devil wants you to get under a load of guilt so you’ll say, “I’m no good. I can’t live the Christian life. There’s something wrong with me. God doesn’t hear my prayers. It doesn’t do me any good to go to church.”
When you believe those lies, you let the devil drive you away from God! He accuses you to destroy you.
The Holy Spirit convicts you to reclaim you. He is trying to correct you and bring you back, that you may know the fullness of joy. The Holy Spirit draws you to Christ that you may confess your sins and be cleansed!
ACTION POINT:
Confess, be cleansed, and go your way rejoicing!
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” John 16:7-8
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The devil accuses you of sin. The Holy Spirit convicts you of sin. Do you know the difference? The devil accuses you to drive you from Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts to draw you to Christ.
The devil wants you to get under a load of guilt so you’ll say, “I’m no good. I can’t live the Christian life. There’s something wrong with me. God doesn’t hear my prayers. It doesn’t do me any good to go to church.”
When you believe those lies, you let the devil drive you away from God! He accuses you to destroy you.
The Holy Spirit convicts you to reclaim you. He is trying to correct you and bring you back, that you may know the fullness of joy. The Holy Spirit draws you to Christ that you may confess your sins and be cleansed!
ACTION POINT:
Confess, be cleansed, and go your way rejoicing!
~Adrian Rogers~
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Removed, Not Just Covered
Today I want to give you another reason why the new covenant is better than the old covenant. I want you to read Hebrews 10:11 first, then Hebrews 9:25-26,
And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
And then talking about Jesus,
Not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with the blood of another—He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
Under the old covenant, sins were merely covered. In the new covenant, Jesus removes our sin. In fact, John the Baptist declared, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" Jesus doesn't just cover it, He takes it away!
I want to tell you, friend, we are not just some patched up old sinners. We have been made new creations in Christ Jesus.
I know a horse trainer who trains beautiful thoroughbred horses. If I took a mule over to this guy and said, "Look, I want this mule to run with the thoroughbreds," he could feed it, brush its coat every day, and trim its tail and ears to look like a quarter horse. But when the gun fires and the gates go up and the horses start to run, it is just a mule. That is all it is!
Religion dresses up the mule, but God changes the mule into a thoroughbred. He takes away your sin and makes you a new creature in Christ Jesus when you embrace salvation.
Our sin is not just covered, it is gone, and we have been made into new people.
~Bayless Conley~
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Ruth have I purchased to be my wife - Ruth 4:10
So this exquisite idyll, which began with three deaths and famine, ends with marriage rejoicings. Shall not all God's idylls end thus? Shall it be left to the dream of the novelist only to make happy forever after? God has eternity at His disposal, as well as time. Only trust Him; "thy darkest night shall end in brightest day."
It is impossible not to read between these lines and see the foreshadowing of another marriage, when the purchase of the Church shall issue m her everlasting union with the Son, in the presence of God the Father. Let us, however, apply these words to ourselves as individuals.
The Lord Jesus has purchased us to be His own, not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with His precious blood.
He has also won back our patrimony; this earth is His; and shall be yet rid of all intruding evil, to shine as the brightest jewel in His crown.
He has received the shoe, the symbol of dominion and authority. He is not only our lover, but our Lord.
He waits to take us to Himself, in a love that shall not cease, and compared to which all the love we have ever known is as moonlight compared with sunshine.
~F. B. Meyer~
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Down With a Shout
And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city!” Joshua 6:16
The story surrounding the city of Jericho is amazing. The Bible tells us that the walls came down with a shout. Just imagine the fear that already existed within the people in the city. For six straight days, the Israelites arose early in the morning and marched around the city of Jericho. A regiment of armed guards in the front, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant in the middle, and another regiment bringing up the rear marched around the city, never saying a word, just blowing their trumpets. Then, on the seventh day, they did it again, but not once, but seven times! And on the seventh time, at Joshua’s command, they shouted with their voices…and the walls came down. What an awesome display of God’s power!
We learn a lot from this story and this verse. We learn that God is sovereign and has a plan for all things. We learn that God’s ways are not our ways and that His works seem mysterious at times. We learn to trust Him, obey Him and wait on His timing, despite what we think. We learn that the battle is His, not ours. We may want to use all of our weapons and all of our own strength, but God can strike the enemy with one word or one shout! We learn that we serve an awesome God, for He is God alone and there is none other. Let Him take down your walls today. Follow Him, trust Him and obey Him. Stop looking for worldly proof and evidence, just put your faith in His Word and start marching to the beat of His drum.
~Daily Disciples Devotional~
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Today's reading: 1 Kings 21: 1-16
For the last week or so, we've spent a good amount of time on passages dealing with king Ahab, and what we repeatedly see is that Ahab is consumed with himself--his position, his happiness, his comfort. Even though he's absolutely aware of God, his continued choice is to elevate himself and his wants above God. And boy, he certainly provides us with an accurate look at selfish thinking and living.
What did you observe from Ahab's example about the negative impact of selfishness? Putting our interests first is a constant temptation. So what helps you keep the right perspective, and yourself in the right position, with God?
~Tami~
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