READ | 1 John 4:1
Believing that the Lord still speaks to His followers, we must learn how to hear His voice. We have to develop discernment—many voices claim to be His and yet have nothing whatsoever to do with the true God.
For example, just think of the many cults around today. No doubt, you’ve seen news reports or televised specials dissecting the odd-sounding belief systems of different faith-based groups. Many of them profess to be based on Scripture, yet they often have certain doctrines that are radically foreign to us; the God of the Bible is completely unrecognizable in their creeds. Obviously, this can pose a problem for those of us in the church who are eager to hear from our Father.
When confronted by different voices that claim to be “true” and clamor for our attention, we remember two absolute truths:
First, we know that the Lord will never say anything that contradicts Scripture. For example, suppose a religious group claimed that extra-marital affairs were somehow acceptable in the Lord’s sight. We would know immediately that this wasn’t from God, as it directly contradicts Exodus 20:14.
Second, we know that God won’t add to or take away from the Bible. It is His complete and reliable Word. Therefore, anyone claiming to have “more” scriptures or another Testament is a fraud.
Two of the Enemy’s best weapons are distraction and deception. Don’t fall for his lies. Test every voice against Scripture, and ask God for the wisdom to discern His voice among the impostors.
From: InTouch - Early Light Devotionals
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Daily Victory in Battles
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Labels: Bible Devotionals, Christian Lifestyles, Crosswalk Devotionals, Daily Devotions, Facing Problems, Focus on God, Instant Daily Devotion, Reality of Faith, Spiritual Reminder, Youth Devotionals
Labels: Bible Devotionals, Christian Lifestyles, Crosswalk Devotionals, Daily Devotions, Facing Problems, Focus on God, Instant Daily Devotion, Reality of Faith, Spiritual Reminder, Youth Devotionals
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4
To understand the battle, we need to begin with acknowledging that we are in a war. Battles make up smaller components of the bigger picture. By definition, battles involve combat between two persons, between factions, between armies and they consist of any type of "extended contest, struggle, or controversy" (Webster-Merriam). As Christians, we are in a spiritual battle of some sort on a daily basis. In warfare, battles are fought on different fronts, for different reasons, and with varying degrees of intensity. The same is true in spiritual warfare. Our spiritual battles are real, even though we cannot physically see the attacker. But, we can educate ourselves on how the battles are fought and how they impact our lives on a daily basis.
We have to ask ourselves, "Why do we even want to fight?" It will do us no good to educate ourselves on the battle if we see no reason for the fight. War is very controversial today in the physical realm. Those attitudes, beliefs and convictions will transfer over to the spiritual realm. However, in the spiritual realm, there is a battle going on regardless of our opinion. We are either victors or victims. Jesus has come and conquered. The war is already won in the heavens. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:18 that, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." We now have the privilege of having an eternal relationship with God. Many of us enter into that covenant of salvation by grace. But Matthew 28:18 is not only about our salvation; but also it is about our every day victory, which adds up to victorious living in Christ. Every day victory is achieved by knowing, believing and understanding the battles that we are enduring daily, regardless if we are passive or active in the battles. Do you want all that God has for you on this earth right now, or do you want to wait until you get to heaven to receive the victory and blessings?
We can only receive the abundant life by understanding the battles that we are facing every day. We need to pray for spiritual eyes and we need to understand what weapons the Lord has given us to not only fight the battles but to win the war.
Yes, Lord, I want all that You have for me on earth as it is in heaven. Give me spiritual eyes to see the world as You see it and do not let anything stop me from receiving good gifts from You. Educate me to live a victorious life in Christ because of Christ. In His name I pray, Amen.
From: CrossWalk Devotionals
To understand the battle, we need to begin with acknowledging that we are in a war. Battles make up smaller components of the bigger picture. By definition, battles involve combat between two persons, between factions, between armies and they consist of any type of "extended contest, struggle, or controversy" (Webster-Merriam). As Christians, we are in a spiritual battle of some sort on a daily basis. In warfare, battles are fought on different fronts, for different reasons, and with varying degrees of intensity. The same is true in spiritual warfare. Our spiritual battles are real, even though we cannot physically see the attacker. But, we can educate ourselves on how the battles are fought and how they impact our lives on a daily basis.
We have to ask ourselves, "Why do we even want to fight?" It will do us no good to educate ourselves on the battle if we see no reason for the fight. War is very controversial today in the physical realm. Those attitudes, beliefs and convictions will transfer over to the spiritual realm. However, in the spiritual realm, there is a battle going on regardless of our opinion. We are either victors or victims. Jesus has come and conquered. The war is already won in the heavens. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:18 that, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." We now have the privilege of having an eternal relationship with God. Many of us enter into that covenant of salvation by grace. But Matthew 28:18 is not only about our salvation; but also it is about our every day victory, which adds up to victorious living in Christ. Every day victory is achieved by knowing, believing and understanding the battles that we are enduring daily, regardless if we are passive or active in the battles. Do you want all that God has for you on this earth right now, or do you want to wait until you get to heaven to receive the victory and blessings?
We can only receive the abundant life by understanding the battles that we are facing every day. We need to pray for spiritual eyes and we need to understand what weapons the Lord has given us to not only fight the battles but to win the war.
Yes, Lord, I want all that You have for me on earth as it is in heaven. Give me spiritual eyes to see the world as You see it and do not let anything stop me from receiving good gifts from You. Educate me to live a victorious life in Christ because of Christ. In His name I pray, Amen.
From: CrossWalk Devotionals
KEEP YOURSELVES IN GOD'S LOVE
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Labels: Bible Devotionals, Christian Lifestyles, Come Close To God, Daily Devotions, Instant Daily Devotion, Literature International Ministries, Reality of Faith, Spiritual Reminder, Youth Devotionals
Labels: Bible Devotionals, Christian Lifestyles, Come Close To God, Daily Devotions, Instant Daily Devotion, Literature International Ministries, Reality of Faith, Spiritual Reminder, Youth Devotionals
"Build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."
Jude 20-21
Ungodly men, who have sought to usurp the principles and truth upon which the church is founded, have grievously dishonored the gospel and have attacked the church in every age. It is against this background that Paul challenges the believers "to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Jude says it is imperative that you "build yourselves up in your most holy faith." It is always an effort to build. It takes time, preparation, commitment, and perseverance. God has already laid the foundation: "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11). We cannot rest in complacent satisfaction of being saved without any effort to "grow in grace and in knowledge of Him."
Paul says, "As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:6-7). Our faith is a "most holy faith," in its nature, in its tendency, and in all its practical effects. It is our responsibility as believers to appropriate all He has provided us in perfecting that which He has begun through the power and enabling of the Holy Spirit.
He adds that we should be "praying continually in the Holy Spirit." We must realize our utter limitations to do anything in this building process: our sufficiency must be of God alone. Thus, we are admonished by Paul to "Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:18). It is through prayer--our constant communication with God--that He gives us the needed grace and sufficiency for every encounter.
These two elements are necessary if we are to "keep ourselves in God's love." That is not in reference to being snatched from His love, for Paul said "no one is able to separate us from the love of God." Jude is speaking to the believer of having a sense of God's love shed abroad in our heart (Romans 5:5), to have the light of His countenance on us (Numbers 6:26), to be going to Him continually as our Father (Romans 8:15), to walk with Him as Enoch (Genesis 5:24), to commune as Abraham with Him as a friend (James 2:23), to "set him always before us" (Psalm 16:8), to have no wish or desire but to please Him (Colossians 1:10, Hebrews 13:21) and to be "delighting ourselves in Him" (Psalm 37:4) as "Our God, our portion, our eternal great reward." Thus, we will find ourselves drawing from Him strength, grace and all things that will enable us to walk worthy of the Lord and please Him in all things.
As we view the whole of our life, we cannot help but recognize that all we are is by His grace alone. God in His condescending love reached out with His plan for our redemption. Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, paid the debt of our sin through His atonement on Calvary. The Holy Spirit awakened us to our sin and drew us unto the Father, all by His grace. God's mercy withholds the judgment we rightly deserve. His grace gives us everything that we do not deserve. "Oh the love that drew salvation's plan. Oh the grace that brought it down to man. Oh the mighty gulf that God did span AT CALVARY!" Keep yourselves in God's love.
From: Literature International Ministry - Ed Powell
Jude 20-21
Ungodly men, who have sought to usurp the principles and truth upon which the church is founded, have grievously dishonored the gospel and have attacked the church in every age. It is against this background that Paul challenges the believers "to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Jude says it is imperative that you "build yourselves up in your most holy faith." It is always an effort to build. It takes time, preparation, commitment, and perseverance. God has already laid the foundation: "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11). We cannot rest in complacent satisfaction of being saved without any effort to "grow in grace and in knowledge of Him."
Paul says, "As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk you in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:6-7). Our faith is a "most holy faith," in its nature, in its tendency, and in all its practical effects. It is our responsibility as believers to appropriate all He has provided us in perfecting that which He has begun through the power and enabling of the Holy Spirit.
He adds that we should be "praying continually in the Holy Spirit." We must realize our utter limitations to do anything in this building process: our sufficiency must be of God alone. Thus, we are admonished by Paul to "Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:18). It is through prayer--our constant communication with God--that He gives us the needed grace and sufficiency for every encounter.
These two elements are necessary if we are to "keep ourselves in God's love." That is not in reference to being snatched from His love, for Paul said "no one is able to separate us from the love of God." Jude is speaking to the believer of having a sense of God's love shed abroad in our heart (Romans 5:5), to have the light of His countenance on us (Numbers 6:26), to be going to Him continually as our Father (Romans 8:15), to walk with Him as Enoch (Genesis 5:24), to commune as Abraham with Him as a friend (James 2:23), to "set him always before us" (Psalm 16:8), to have no wish or desire but to please Him (Colossians 1:10, Hebrews 13:21) and to be "delighting ourselves in Him" (Psalm 37:4) as "Our God, our portion, our eternal great reward." Thus, we will find ourselves drawing from Him strength, grace and all things that will enable us to walk worthy of the Lord and please Him in all things.
As we view the whole of our life, we cannot help but recognize that all we are is by His grace alone. God in His condescending love reached out with His plan for our redemption. Jesus Christ, His beloved Son, paid the debt of our sin through His atonement on Calvary. The Holy Spirit awakened us to our sin and drew us unto the Father, all by His grace. God's mercy withholds the judgment we rightly deserve. His grace gives us everything that we do not deserve. "Oh the love that drew salvation's plan. Oh the grace that brought it down to man. Oh the mighty gulf that God did span AT CALVARY!" Keep yourselves in God's love.
From: Literature International Ministry - Ed Powell
The Best Way to Face Life
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Labels: Bible Devotionals, Christian Lifestyles, Daily Devotions, Focus on God, Instant Daily Devotion, Max Lucado, Reality of Faith, Spiritual Reminder, Youth Devotionals
Labels: Bible Devotionals, Christian Lifestyles, Daily Devotions, Focus on God, Instant Daily Devotion, Max Lucado, Reality of Faith, Spiritual Reminder, Youth Devotionals
“Teach us how short our lives really are so that we may be wise.”
Psalm 90:12
In a life marked by doctor appointments, dentist appointments, and school appointments, there is one appointment that none of us will miss, the appointment with death. “Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God” (Heb. 9:27 tev). Oh, how we’d like to change that verse. Just a word or two would suffice. “Nearly everyone must die…” or “Everyone who forgets to eat right and take vitamins must die…” But those are not God’s words. In his plan everyone must die, even those who eat right and take their vitamins.
Exercise may buy us a few more heartbeats. Medicine may grant us a few more breaths. But in the end, there is an end. And the best way to face life is to be honest about death.
From: Max Lucado
Psalm 90:12
In a life marked by doctor appointments, dentist appointments, and school appointments, there is one appointment that none of us will miss, the appointment with death. “Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God” (Heb. 9:27 tev). Oh, how we’d like to change that verse. Just a word or two would suffice. “Nearly everyone must die…” or “Everyone who forgets to eat right and take vitamins must die…” But those are not God’s words. In his plan everyone must die, even those who eat right and take their vitamins.
Exercise may buy us a few more heartbeats. Medicine may grant us a few more breaths. But in the end, there is an end. And the best way to face life is to be honest about death.
From: Max Lucado
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