Prayer Focus - Needs
Day 6
Pray for:
One thing that you need to be grateful for but find it difficult to be
One person that you need to apologize to, resolve a conflict with, or forgive
One dream that you need to surrender to God
One challenge that you need to face and deal with
One health issue that you need to deal with
One sin you need to overcome
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 98
"Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him. The Lord has made His salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations. He has remembered His love and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God." ( vs. 1 - 3 )
We are told again to sing a new song! We are told to be different; to start over. Why is this so important to God? This first verse holds the key. God has done marvelous things; He has brought salvation and not just salvation for the Jewish nation, but for the whole world. The whole Bible is an amazing story written over a long period of time by various authors that tells the story of a loving God seeking to restore a lost relationship with His creation. God has always been after us to give us the chance to start over; to sing a new song. He had so many dreams and desires for a people that would love Him and He has patiently been pursuing the human race and each one of us ever since the fall. He is not satisfied with anyone being lost. He includes story after story of how He feels about each and every person that turns back to Him. He rejoices over the returned souls. What an amazing thought that I am that loved. In another part of the Scriptures it states that even if our mothers and fathers could forget us, God would not be able to. We are etched in His heart and soul. We are His. This is why we are to rejoice. This is why we are to sing a new song; because God has made it possible.
Another wonderful thought I have about this verse is that it shows the universality of a faith in God. It is not limited to one country or group of people. It is for everyone. Sometimes I think that those of us in America, think that Christianity has to look like American Christianity to be real, but this is so far from the truth. The Scriptures do not tell us what our dress should look like or what our songs should be or how each step of our worship service should go. It speaks to the heart. It speaks of loving God and loving others. If I am in another country, true Christianity will look like the people in that country with all their rich heritage loving God and others with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. What is important is our hearts. So if I worship outside in a field or I worship in a grand cathedral, it is all the same. I am worshipping God. I hope that we can open up our eyes to the love of God for all people and all nations. God wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. We should too.
Key verses:
I Timothy 2: 1 - 4
"I urge, then, first of all, that request, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."
Jeremiah 29: 11-13
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.'"
Luke 15:6 - 7
"Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
Isaiah 49:14 - 16
"But Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.'
'Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.'"
Acts 17: 26 - 27
"From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, thought He is not far from each one of us.
Galatians 3: 26 - 29
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
You have done amazing miracles. You have worked salvation for the whole world. You have pursued us relentlessly. We have never been loved as we are with You. You love in a perfect manner and all that You bring into our lives is what we need to grow and change. Help us to love as You love. Help us to sing this new song and not be bound up with our traditions. We can truly change the world if we love. We thank You for giving us this task.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What marvelous things have I seen God do in my life? Am I grateful on a regular basis for these things? Why or why not? How can I increase my appreciation for what has God has done for me?
2. Have I experienced a fresh start with God? What was this experience like and when did it take place? What did I leave behind?
3. How do I feel about people that do not share my faith? Am I concerned about them being found by God? Why do I feel this way? Am I helping others to find God? Why or why not? What can I do to be more involved with helping others?
4. How do I feel about people that are different from me? How do I feel about people that worship differently from me? Am I prejudice in any way? How is this unlike God? What can I do to change?
5. Am I holding onto any religious traditions? Do I think people have to worship exactly as I do to be right with God? Why or why not? What can I do to reach out to others that differ from me religiously and show them the love of God?
Showing posts with label religious. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religious. Show all posts
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Friday, September 18, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/18/15 (11/18/09)
Prayer Focus - Needs
Day 7
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
One thing that is needed in your family
One thing that is needed at your work or in your social circle
One thing that is needed in your life
Focus on how the fulfilled need will help impact people's:
spiritual life
physical life
emotional life
mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 78
"The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan." ( vs. 9-12)
"They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, 'Can God spread a table in the desert? When He struck the rock, water gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly. But can He also give us food? Can He supply meat for His people?' when the Lord heard them, He was very angry; His fire broke out against Jacob, and His wrath rose against Israel, for they did not believe in God or trust in His deliverance." (vs. 18-22)
"In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of His wonders, they did not believe. So He ended their days in futility and their years in terror. Whenever God slew them, they would seek Him; they eagerly turned to Him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter Him with their mouths, lying to Him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to Him, they were not faithful to His covenant. Yet He was merciful; He forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time He restrained His anger and did not stir up His full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return." (vs. 32-39)
There are many ways to displease God and this psalm uses the stories of the Israelites to remind us of what to avoid. The first thing to avoid is turning back on the day of battle. We are equipped for whatever we have to face because we have God with us. God has appointed a path for us, a race to run. He does not give us more than we can handle. We must go up to battle when it is time.
Next we must remember God's covenant and keep His laws. We have to obey if we want things to go well for us. The third pitfall to avoid is ingratitude. We have to remember the miracles and wonders God has done in our lives and in the lives of those around us. The fourth way to displease God is to put Him willfully to the test. He does not need to prove anything to us. He has already proved enough. We just need to start believing and living out His word. Then we will see the victories in Christ. Next we need to not speak against God. We do not need to doubt Him or be dissatisfied with what He provides. We can be so spoiled sometimes. We have our minds set on one thing and when God provides for us in a different way, we say, "Yeah, but what about this?" We can be displeased in the midst of plenty. This is just not right.
We can anger God. Sometimes we think that no matter what, God just keeps on forgiving and doesn't really care what happens in our lives, good or bad. As long as most of the time we are decent people, (by our standards of course), then we will be okay with God as well. This is just not true. God went to so much trouble and pain to save us that it does matter to Him. He is invested in us and what we do. Each time we sin, it is a reminder to Him of what Jesus had to go through. We need to realize this and realize that the Israelites wandered in the desert because of all of these previously mentioned sins. They did not get to go to the promised land because they did not go up to take what God had promised. They doubted God. They doubted that He could get them into the promised land and, therefore, they received what they believed. Let us believe in God and trust in His deliverance. Let us enter into His rest. Let us strive to avoid these problems that brought the Israelites down. We can be faithful. We can make it, with God.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
The Israelites were Your promised people and You went to so much trouble to get them out of Egypt. You worked so many miracles in their lives and yet they still doubted and turned back on the day of battle. It is so important that we don't do this. We have to strive to believe and have faith. We want to enter into Your eternal rest. You have provided. Help us to live in such a way as to embrace Your will and covenants. You are great. We are grateful to be with You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I turn back on the day of battle? Am I being a soldier of Christ? What battles am I being called to fight? What is my reaction? How can I be a better warrior?
2. What has God done for me in my life? Do I recognize His blessings and His leading? What is the race God has marked out for me like? Am I satisfied with it? Why or why not?
3. Am I putting God to the test? Do I demand God prove Himself to me? In what areas am I tempted to do this?
4. What is my speech like towards God? Do I utter more praise or doubting? How can I focus more on praise and less on doubt?
5. Am I loyal to God? How do I show my loyalty? In what ways have I been unfaithful? How can I change this?
Day 7
Pray for:
One thing that is needed in the world
One thing that is needed in your country
One thing that is needed in your state/region
One thing that is needed in your city
One thing that is needed in your family
One thing that is needed at your work or in your social circle
One thing that is needed in your life
Focus on how the fulfilled need will help impact people's:
spiritual life
physical life
emotional life
mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 78
"The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle; they did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by His law. They forgot what He had done, the wonders He had shown them. He did miracles in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the region of Zoan." ( vs. 9-12)
"They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, 'Can God spread a table in the desert? When He struck the rock, water gushed out, and streams flowed abundantly. But can He also give us food? Can He supply meat for His people?' when the Lord heard them, He was very angry; His fire broke out against Jacob, and His wrath rose against Israel, for they did not believe in God or trust in His deliverance." (vs. 18-22)
"In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of His wonders, they did not believe. So He ended their days in futility and their years in terror. Whenever God slew them, they would seek Him; they eagerly turned to Him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter Him with their mouths, lying to Him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to Him, they were not faithful to His covenant. Yet He was merciful; He forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time He restrained His anger and did not stir up His full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return." (vs. 32-39)
There are many ways to displease God and this psalm uses the stories of the Israelites to remind us of what to avoid. The first thing to avoid is turning back on the day of battle. We are equipped for whatever we have to face because we have God with us. God has appointed a path for us, a race to run. He does not give us more than we can handle. We must go up to battle when it is time.
Next we must remember God's covenant and keep His laws. We have to obey if we want things to go well for us. The third pitfall to avoid is ingratitude. We have to remember the miracles and wonders God has done in our lives and in the lives of those around us. The fourth way to displease God is to put Him willfully to the test. He does not need to prove anything to us. He has already proved enough. We just need to start believing and living out His word. Then we will see the victories in Christ. Next we need to not speak against God. We do not need to doubt Him or be dissatisfied with what He provides. We can be so spoiled sometimes. We have our minds set on one thing and when God provides for us in a different way, we say, "Yeah, but what about this?" We can be displeased in the midst of plenty. This is just not right.
We can anger God. Sometimes we think that no matter what, God just keeps on forgiving and doesn't really care what happens in our lives, good or bad. As long as most of the time we are decent people, (by our standards of course), then we will be okay with God as well. This is just not true. God went to so much trouble and pain to save us that it does matter to Him. He is invested in us and what we do. Each time we sin, it is a reminder to Him of what Jesus had to go through. We need to realize this and realize that the Israelites wandered in the desert because of all of these previously mentioned sins. They did not get to go to the promised land because they did not go up to take what God had promised. They doubted God. They doubted that He could get them into the promised land and, therefore, they received what they believed. Let us believe in God and trust in His deliverance. Let us enter into His rest. Let us strive to avoid these problems that brought the Israelites down. We can be faithful. We can make it, with God.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
The Israelites were Your promised people and You went to so much trouble to get them out of Egypt. You worked so many miracles in their lives and yet they still doubted and turned back on the day of battle. It is so important that we don't do this. We have to strive to believe and have faith. We want to enter into Your eternal rest. You have provided. Help us to live in such a way as to embrace Your will and covenants. You are great. We are grateful to be with You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Do I turn back on the day of battle? Am I being a soldier of Christ? What battles am I being called to fight? What is my reaction? How can I be a better warrior?
2. What has God done for me in my life? Do I recognize His blessings and His leading? What is the race God has marked out for me like? Am I satisfied with it? Why or why not?
3. Am I putting God to the test? Do I demand God prove Himself to me? In what areas am I tempted to do this?
4. What is my speech like towards God? Do I utter more praise or doubting? How can I focus more on praise and less on doubt?
5. Am I loyal to God? How do I show my loyalty? In what ways have I been unfaithful? How can I change this?
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Daily Devotional - 9/9/15 (11/9/09)
Prayer Focus - Gratitude
Day 5
Pray for:
One thing you are grateful for about the country that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the state/region that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the city that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the home that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about your family
Thank God for the effect that what you are grateful for has on:
your spiritual life
your physical life
your emotional life
your mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 69
"My eyes fail, looking for my God...May those who hope in You not be disgraced because of me, ...But I pray to You, O Lord, in the time of Your favor; in Your great love, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation...Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy turn to me. Do not hide Your face from Your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. Come near and rescue me; redeem me because of my foes...
The Lord hears the needy and does not despise His captive people. Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and all that move in them, for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it; the children of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will dwell there." ( vs. 3b, 6a, 13, 16, 33-36)
Sometime we are searching, and sometimes we are finding. There are many seasons in our lives. I love the scripture in Ecclesiastes that highlights this.
Psalm 69 contrasts two seasons - a season of struggle and a season of rebuilding. Both are written by the same person. I know I have been through both seasons and though I love the rebuilding, I do not regret the seasons of struggle. I would not want to go through some of the valleys I have been through again, but I would never want to take them back. They are why I am where I am at now and God has used them. He has used them to humble me and to show me what life is truly about.
I was very arrogant as a young person and I did not really understand struggle. Many things came easy to me and so I became very prideful and sure of myself. But we can not find God if there is no room for Him in our hearts; if we are too full of ourselves. That was me. I had been trained to be a student, not a person. I was taught to achieve, not love. I was taught that it was all about me. There was no room for God in my life, even though I professed to be a Christian. God had to allow me to face complete and utter moral failure so that I could truly see who I was.
All the things that I used to hide behind were stripped away in college. It was there that I truly began to understand that I was not a "good person". Whatever I had was not of my own doing. I did not make myself intelligent. That was a gift of God. I did not make myself athletically talented. That too was a gift of God. What I had made of myself, however, was a mess. I could finally see how I used people. I could see how I thought so many mean and impure thoughts. I could see how I thought I was better than others because of the gifts that God had given me. I could finally see clearly.
I did not want to bring shame and disgrace on those that hoped in God anymore. I claimed to be a Christian, but in my actions I was denying Him. I was as big of a hypocrite as the people I hated for being hypocritical. In God's great mercy, He had allowed me to see this. He did not show me this to destroy me, however. He showed me this so that I could change. He allowed me to start over. He came to my rescue. I had searched and searched for Him and He was found. At the right time, when I was most open to see the truth, God was there. God is here. I was crushed so that I could rise to a better life.
God saved me from myself and He continues to save me from myself. I can not believe how far I have come and I am so grateful that I can now understand life better and I know what it is to struggle. I know what it is to have to climb that long ladder back up to normal; to be a successfully functioning human being. God does restore and rebuild, even if everything right now lies in chaos around us and we struggle to get through each day. God will not despise us. The poor and needy will see and be glad. Our hearts will live. Our searching for God is not in vain. We will find Him and He will reward us if we are faithful. I praise God every day for this.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We grow weary searching for You. We are looking. We are struggling but You are strong. You are waiting for us to come to You. You are not far from each one of us. Help us to clear all the fog from our vision and throw off the sin that so easily entangles us. Help us to run our race with perseverance and not lose sight of our goal to make it to be with You. Keep our sights eternal. We love You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What season am I in right now? How do I know this? What seasons have I gone through? What have I learned from them?
2. Am I disgracing God and/or my brothers and sisters by the way I am living? What do I need to change to be living a life that pleases God?
3. Am I praying and pleading with God about my needs? How often am I praying? Can I make a schedule that would enable me to have more time to pray? When is the best time for me to pray? Where is most effective?
4. What do I need God to rebuild in my life? In what way am I like the cities of Judah that were torn down? How can God restore me? Do I believe God can and desires to do this?
5. How will I be able to help others better once I am rebuilt by God? What is my vision for what my life could be like and what is my vision for how God could use me?
Day 5
Pray for:
One thing you are grateful for about the country that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the state/region that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the city that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about the home that you live in
One thing you are grateful for about your family
Thank God for the effect that what you are grateful for has on:
your spiritual life
your physical life
your emotional life
your mental life
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 69
"My eyes fail, looking for my God...May those who hope in You not be disgraced because of me, ...But I pray to You, O Lord, in the time of Your favor; in Your great love, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation...Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy turn to me. Do not hide Your face from Your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. Come near and rescue me; redeem me because of my foes...
The Lord hears the needy and does not despise His captive people. Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and all that move in them, for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it; the children of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will dwell there." ( vs. 3b, 6a, 13, 16, 33-36)
Sometime we are searching, and sometimes we are finding. There are many seasons in our lives. I love the scripture in Ecclesiastes that highlights this.
"There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Psalm 69 contrasts two seasons - a season of struggle and a season of rebuilding. Both are written by the same person. I know I have been through both seasons and though I love the rebuilding, I do not regret the seasons of struggle. I would not want to go through some of the valleys I have been through again, but I would never want to take them back. They are why I am where I am at now and God has used them. He has used them to humble me and to show me what life is truly about.
I was very arrogant as a young person and I did not really understand struggle. Many things came easy to me and so I became very prideful and sure of myself. But we can not find God if there is no room for Him in our hearts; if we are too full of ourselves. That was me. I had been trained to be a student, not a person. I was taught to achieve, not love. I was taught that it was all about me. There was no room for God in my life, even though I professed to be a Christian. God had to allow me to face complete and utter moral failure so that I could truly see who I was.
All the things that I used to hide behind were stripped away in college. It was there that I truly began to understand that I was not a "good person". Whatever I had was not of my own doing. I did not make myself intelligent. That was a gift of God. I did not make myself athletically talented. That too was a gift of God. What I had made of myself, however, was a mess. I could finally see how I used people. I could see how I thought so many mean and impure thoughts. I could see how I thought I was better than others because of the gifts that God had given me. I could finally see clearly.
I did not want to bring shame and disgrace on those that hoped in God anymore. I claimed to be a Christian, but in my actions I was denying Him. I was as big of a hypocrite as the people I hated for being hypocritical. In God's great mercy, He had allowed me to see this. He did not show me this to destroy me, however. He showed me this so that I could change. He allowed me to start over. He came to my rescue. I had searched and searched for Him and He was found. At the right time, when I was most open to see the truth, God was there. God is here. I was crushed so that I could rise to a better life.
God saved me from myself and He continues to save me from myself. I can not believe how far I have come and I am so grateful that I can now understand life better and I know what it is to struggle. I know what it is to have to climb that long ladder back up to normal; to be a successfully functioning human being. God does restore and rebuild, even if everything right now lies in chaos around us and we struggle to get through each day. God will not despise us. The poor and needy will see and be glad. Our hearts will live. Our searching for God is not in vain. We will find Him and He will reward us if we are faithful. I praise God every day for this.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
We grow weary searching for You. We are looking. We are struggling but You are strong. You are waiting for us to come to You. You are not far from each one of us. Help us to clear all the fog from our vision and throw off the sin that so easily entangles us. Help us to run our race with perseverance and not lose sight of our goal to make it to be with You. Keep our sights eternal. We love You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What season am I in right now? How do I know this? What seasons have I gone through? What have I learned from them?
2. Am I disgracing God and/or my brothers and sisters by the way I am living? What do I need to change to be living a life that pleases God?
3. Am I praying and pleading with God about my needs? How often am I praying? Can I make a schedule that would enable me to have more time to pray? When is the best time for me to pray? Where is most effective?
4. What do I need God to rebuild in my life? In what way am I like the cities of Judah that were torn down? How can God restore me? Do I believe God can and desires to do this?
5. How will I be able to help others better once I am rebuilt by God? What is my vision for what my life could be like and what is my vision for how God could use me?
Friday, August 21, 2015
Daily Devotional for 8/21/15 (10/21/09)
Prayer Focus - Friends
Day 7
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
One friend that you have lost touch with and have no idea where they are
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 51
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions." (vs. 1)
"Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge." (vs. 4)
"Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (vs. 6 - 7)
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." (vs. 10 - 12)
"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." (vs. 16 - 17)
In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; Build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight You; (vs. 18 -19a)
True religion is something totally different than what most of us think. Often we think of going to church and a bunch of dos and don'ts. Definitely there are things that should and shouldn't be done but it all seems to boil down to love. What is the greatest commandment? Love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt 22:37-39). This is what Jesus said summed it all up - Love.
God is love. Do we remember this?
I think we forget. We think - God is a taskmaster. God is far away. God does not care. God is not fair. God is mean. God hates. God just wants me to obey. But is this really true? Does God want our sacrifices? Will our hard work save us? Can we ever be good enough?
The answer to all these types of questions are no. No, no, no. God is love. God wants truth. God wants integrity. God wants us to come back and say, "Thank You. Do not cast me away from You." God wants us broken and contrite. Ready to be something different. Ready to turn away from all the secrets within us. Bottom line, God wants us to be with Him and He knows what that will take.
I think when we look deep into ourselves, we know this as well. There is an aching part in us that just wants to be known, loved, and changed. I think we long for transformation. We long to be clean - to be free from what ever it is that is binding us and keeping us from life.
But even though we know this, there is a barrier to us reaching the healing we seek. I believe this barrier is sin. Sometimes we think we are so clever. We do things we know are wrong and think it will never be found out. We think no one can really see what is going on within us. Well, that is not really true is it? God sees everything. God already knows, and sooner or later everyone else usually finds out too.
When I was a child, I used to think it would be a great parenting tool to have cameras in every room so that a parent could see what was going on at all times. Now of course, that is possible now but it wasn't back in the 70's. I was grateful back then that nothing like that existed because I did a lot of things in secret that I didn't what anyone seeing. It was quite a revelation to me when I finally realized that God saw everything and that He had seen every single thing I had ever done in secret. I was quite ashamed and embarrassed.
So in order to be transformed and healed, and since all the things we have done have been seen anyway, we need to deal with them. We need to seek repentance. We have to get these secrets out into the open and get help. We need to stop doing wrong and start doing right. That is what I had to do.
I had to come to grips with the fact that God wanted me. He wants us, all of us, and He wants us to be true believers. He wants our hearts, not just our outward acquiescence. But I didn't know how to get from where I was to where I needed to be? This is where Psalm 51 is essential. It is the cry for forgiveness and restoration that we all need to cry.
When I was finally trying to get my life right with God, I had a mentor who was working with me in my life. He knew just about everything about me and he gave me a key assignment. He challenged me to memorize this Psalm and repeat it as often as I could. He felt that when I could truly pray this Psalm from my heart, then I would probably be ready to become a Christian.
I would finally be ready to become a Christian, because I would finally be ready to deal with the sin in my life. My heart would be ready to change because it would have released the things that were at that time controlling it. Sin hardens us. Sin hardens and breaks us. This world is broken. I was broken. Sin breaks our communion with God, others, and even ourselves. It cuts us off from our heart and it sears our consciences. It destroys whatever good is in us and it destroys the good in this world. We can not be close to God and be in sin as well. It is impossible.
I was so hard at this point in my life from all the sin I had indulged in that I needed a transformation. I needed a new heart, and new spirit. I needed to come to God on His terms, not mine.
I took my friend's challenge and eventually I had a breakthrough. God did have mercy on me. He did restore to me the joy of my salvation and renew a steadfast spirit within me. God was faithful and created a pure heart within me. I had not been pure in a long time but now I was and I could be completely different. Instead of being religious, I could be righteous - right with God. I could have integrity. I could have truth. I could walk without fear of what I was hiding.
God was and is faithful. Thirty some years later, I am still walking this walk and striving to keep this prayer and all of God's word in my heart so that I will not sin against Him.
I praise God that He did restore and in His timing, He did make me prosper. He has given me so much and I would never have known all the good He had in store if I had not been willing to get on my knees and pray.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Have mercy on us we pray. Forgive us our sins. Cleanse us. Only You can do this. We thank You for forgiving us. We thank You for Your mercy and grace. We thank you for even caring at all. We know that we are completely unworthy. Please grant us a willing spirit to sustain us. Grant us joy as well so that we may live and be the examples that You deserve. We know that in Your good pleasure, You can make us prosper. We look forward to that day.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What do I think God really wants from me? Why? Do I have a correct perspective of God? Why or why not? How can I get a more accurate view?
2. Do I realize how much I sin against God? Am I turning to Him for forgiveness? Do I realize that when I sin against others, I am sinning against God? Does this help me to stop sinning or could this help me? How can I remind myself of this fact?
3. Do I feel burdened by past sins? Have I been forgiven? How do I know? Do I need to discuss anything with another person to help deal with a habitual sin?
4. What does repentance mean to me? What do I do when I have done something wrong? How do I deal with it? Is this the best thing to do or could I do something differently?
5. Am I turning to God for a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, a willing spirit, and a joyful heart? Which of these is the hardest for me to maintain?
Day 7
Pray for:
One friend that you feel close to
One friend that has become distant and you would like to be closer to
One friend from long ago
One new friend
One friend that has hurt you
One friend that has always been there for you
One friend that you have lost touch with and have no idea where they are
Pray about:
Their physical needs
Their mental needs
Their emotional needs
Their spiritual needs
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 51
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions." (vs. 1)
"Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge." (vs. 4)
"Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." (vs. 6 - 7)
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." (vs. 10 - 12)
"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." (vs. 16 - 17)
In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; Build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight You; (vs. 18 -19a)
True religion is something totally different than what most of us think. Often we think of going to church and a bunch of dos and don'ts. Definitely there are things that should and shouldn't be done but it all seems to boil down to love. What is the greatest commandment? Love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt 22:37-39). This is what Jesus said summed it all up - Love.
God is love. Do we remember this?
I think we forget. We think - God is a taskmaster. God is far away. God does not care. God is not fair. God is mean. God hates. God just wants me to obey. But is this really true? Does God want our sacrifices? Will our hard work save us? Can we ever be good enough?
The answer to all these types of questions are no. No, no, no. God is love. God wants truth. God wants integrity. God wants us to come back and say, "Thank You. Do not cast me away from You." God wants us broken and contrite. Ready to be something different. Ready to turn away from all the secrets within us. Bottom line, God wants us to be with Him and He knows what that will take.
I think when we look deep into ourselves, we know this as well. There is an aching part in us that just wants to be known, loved, and changed. I think we long for transformation. We long to be clean - to be free from what ever it is that is binding us and keeping us from life.
But even though we know this, there is a barrier to us reaching the healing we seek. I believe this barrier is sin. Sometimes we think we are so clever. We do things we know are wrong and think it will never be found out. We think no one can really see what is going on within us. Well, that is not really true is it? God sees everything. God already knows, and sooner or later everyone else usually finds out too.
When I was a child, I used to think it would be a great parenting tool to have cameras in every room so that a parent could see what was going on at all times. Now of course, that is possible now but it wasn't back in the 70's. I was grateful back then that nothing like that existed because I did a lot of things in secret that I didn't what anyone seeing. It was quite a revelation to me when I finally realized that God saw everything and that He had seen every single thing I had ever done in secret. I was quite ashamed and embarrassed.
So in order to be transformed and healed, and since all the things we have done have been seen anyway, we need to deal with them. We need to seek repentance. We have to get these secrets out into the open and get help. We need to stop doing wrong and start doing right. That is what I had to do.
I had to come to grips with the fact that God wanted me. He wants us, all of us, and He wants us to be true believers. He wants our hearts, not just our outward acquiescence. But I didn't know how to get from where I was to where I needed to be? This is where Psalm 51 is essential. It is the cry for forgiveness and restoration that we all need to cry.
When I was finally trying to get my life right with God, I had a mentor who was working with me in my life. He knew just about everything about me and he gave me a key assignment. He challenged me to memorize this Psalm and repeat it as often as I could. He felt that when I could truly pray this Psalm from my heart, then I would probably be ready to become a Christian.
I would finally be ready to become a Christian, because I would finally be ready to deal with the sin in my life. My heart would be ready to change because it would have released the things that were at that time controlling it. Sin hardens us. Sin hardens and breaks us. This world is broken. I was broken. Sin breaks our communion with God, others, and even ourselves. It cuts us off from our heart and it sears our consciences. It destroys whatever good is in us and it destroys the good in this world. We can not be close to God and be in sin as well. It is impossible.
I was so hard at this point in my life from all the sin I had indulged in that I needed a transformation. I needed a new heart, and new spirit. I needed to come to God on His terms, not mine.
I took my friend's challenge and eventually I had a breakthrough. God did have mercy on me. He did restore to me the joy of my salvation and renew a steadfast spirit within me. God was faithful and created a pure heart within me. I had not been pure in a long time but now I was and I could be completely different. Instead of being religious, I could be righteous - right with God. I could have integrity. I could have truth. I could walk without fear of what I was hiding.
God was and is faithful. Thirty some years later, I am still walking this walk and striving to keep this prayer and all of God's word in my heart so that I will not sin against Him.
I praise God that He did restore and in His timing, He did make me prosper. He has given me so much and I would never have known all the good He had in store if I had not been willing to get on my knees and pray.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Have mercy on us we pray. Forgive us our sins. Cleanse us. Only You can do this. We thank You for forgiving us. We thank You for Your mercy and grace. We thank you for even caring at all. We know that we are completely unworthy. Please grant us a willing spirit to sustain us. Grant us joy as well so that we may live and be the examples that You deserve. We know that in Your good pleasure, You can make us prosper. We look forward to that day.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. What do I think God really wants from me? Why? Do I have a correct perspective of God? Why or why not? How can I get a more accurate view?
2. Do I realize how much I sin against God? Am I turning to Him for forgiveness? Do I realize that when I sin against others, I am sinning against God? Does this help me to stop sinning or could this help me? How can I remind myself of this fact?
3. Do I feel burdened by past sins? Have I been forgiven? How do I know? Do I need to discuss anything with another person to help deal with a habitual sin?
4. What does repentance mean to me? What do I do when I have done something wrong? How do I deal with it? Is this the best thing to do or could I do something differently?
5. Am I turning to God for a pure heart, a steadfast spirit, a willing spirit, and a joyful heart? Which of these is the hardest for me to maintain?
Monday, August 16, 2010
Daily Devotional - 8/14/10 (9/14/09)
Focus Letter - N
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 14
"Will evildoers never learn - those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the Lord? There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous." (vs. 4 & 5)
God is present in the company of the righteous. The Lord is their refuge.
If God is in the company of the righteous, that is what I want to be. I want to be with God; keep company with Him. I want to be able to go to Him with confidence and take refuge in Him. Often though, in my efforts to be righteous, I think I end up being "religious". I miss the whole point of what God desires from me and start following a bunch of rules. I have my checklist and do my duty, thinking that is enough. I become religious like the pharisees and I must remember Jesus' harshest criticisms were directed at them. So what is the difference between being righteous and religious?
Some verses come to mind when I think about this question.
James 1: 26-27
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
I must watch my mouth. It is not okay to say whatever I feel. I must speak the truth in love. I must remember that I will be called to account for every careless word I utter (Matt 12:36-37). Thank God for His mercy here but I must try harder. I also need to be socially conscious and help out those less fortunate than me. I must remember, even in my current financial difficulties, that I am rich. Finally, I must keep myself from becoming polluted by the world. I must be different. I must not become corrupted and cynical. I must not become a complainer. I must be different from the world.
Matt 7:13-14
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
I cannot follow the masses. There are only two roads. Which one am I on? Are there a lot of people on it? I should be a little concerned then. If there are a few, I should not be discouraged or think I am in the wrong!
Matt 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never know you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
This one is scary to me. These people were religious, and they were not pew warmers. They were actively serving God in the way they thought best. The question, however, is am I doing the will of the Father, or am I just doing what I think is the will of the Father? I can be sincerely wrong! (Proverbs 16:25)
Philippians 2:12b-13
"continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."
I must always keep striving to make sure I am following the will of God. It is easy to get off track and it is easy to follow the crowd, whether in the world or even in the church. I need to work out my own salvation. I must watch my own life and doctrine (I Tim 4:16). I must guard my own heart because it is the wellspring of my life (Proverbs 4:23). I cannot make anyone else do anything at all, but I can make myself do "all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)." I must do what I need to do and in doing this, then I may help save others. God is in the company of the righteous. Let us be righteous!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for hearing us when we pray. We long to be righteous and not just religious. Help us to watch our mouths and take care of others. Help us to do Your will as we work out our salvation. We know we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT: (Questions for Thought)
1. Am I righteous or religious? How do I know? What can I do to change?
2. Am I helping those less fortunate? If not, how can I start?
3. Am I keeping myself from being polluted by the world? What are my temptations here?
4. Am I keeping a reign on my tongue? When is it most difficult for me to do what is right in this area?
5. Do I know what the will of the Father is? If not, how can I find out? If so, am I doing it? How do I know? What evidence do I have? How can I start or improve on what I am presently doing?
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 14
"Will evildoers never learn - those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the Lord? There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous." (vs. 4 & 5)
God is present in the company of the righteous. The Lord is their refuge.
If God is in the company of the righteous, that is what I want to be. I want to be with God; keep company with Him. I want to be able to go to Him with confidence and take refuge in Him. Often though, in my efforts to be righteous, I think I end up being "religious". I miss the whole point of what God desires from me and start following a bunch of rules. I have my checklist and do my duty, thinking that is enough. I become religious like the pharisees and I must remember Jesus' harshest criticisms were directed at them. So what is the difference between being righteous and religious?
Some verses come to mind when I think about this question.
James 1: 26-27
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
I must watch my mouth. It is not okay to say whatever I feel. I must speak the truth in love. I must remember that I will be called to account for every careless word I utter (Matt 12:36-37). Thank God for His mercy here but I must try harder. I also need to be socially conscious and help out those less fortunate than me. I must remember, even in my current financial difficulties, that I am rich. Finally, I must keep myself from becoming polluted by the world. I must be different. I must not become corrupted and cynical. I must not become a complainer. I must be different from the world.
Matt 7:13-14
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
I cannot follow the masses. There are only two roads. Which one am I on? Are there a lot of people on it? I should be a little concerned then. If there are a few, I should not be discouraged or think I am in the wrong!
Matt 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never know you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
This one is scary to me. These people were religious, and they were not pew warmers. They were actively serving God in the way they thought best. The question, however, is am I doing the will of the Father, or am I just doing what I think is the will of the Father? I can be sincerely wrong! (Proverbs 16:25)
Philippians 2:12b-13
"continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."
I must always keep striving to make sure I am following the will of God. It is easy to get off track and it is easy to follow the crowd, whether in the world or even in the church. I need to work out my own salvation. I must watch my own life and doctrine (I Tim 4:16). I must guard my own heart because it is the wellspring of my life (Proverbs 4:23). I cannot make anyone else do anything at all, but I can make myself do "all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)." I must do what I need to do and in doing this, then I may help save others. God is in the company of the righteous. Let us be righteous!
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
Thank You for hearing us when we pray. We long to be righteous and not just religious. Help us to watch our mouths and take care of others. Help us to do Your will as we work out our salvation. We know we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT: (Questions for Thought)
1. Am I righteous or religious? How do I know? What can I do to change?
2. Am I helping those less fortunate? If not, how can I start?
3. Am I keeping myself from being polluted by the world? What are my temptations here?
4. Am I keeping a reign on my tongue? When is it most difficult for me to do what is right in this area?
5. Do I know what the will of the Father is? If not, how can I find out? If so, am I doing it? How do I know? What evidence do I have? How can I start or improve on what I am presently doing?
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Daily Devotional - 9/14
Focus Letter - N
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 14
God is present in the company of the righteous. The Lord is their refuge.
If God is in the company of the righteous, that is what I want to be. I want to be with God; keep company with Him. I want to be able to go to Him with confidence and take refuge in Him. Often though, in my efforts to be righteous, I think I end up being "religious". I miss the whole point of what God desires from me and start following a bunch of rules. I have my checklist and do my duty thinking that is enough. I become religious like the pharisees and I must remember Jesus' harshest criticisms were directed at them. So what is the difference between being righteous and religious?
Some verses come to mind when I think about this question.
James 1: 26-27
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
I must watch my mouth. It is not okay to say whatever I feel. I must speak the truth in love. I must remember that I will be called to account for every careless word I utter (Matt 12:36-37). Thank God for His mercy here but I must try harder. I also need to be socially conscious and help out those less fortunate than me. I must remember, even in my current financial difficulties, that I am rich. Finally, I must keep myself from becoming polluted by the world. I must be different. I must not become corrupted and cynical. I must not become a complainer. I must be different from the world.
Matt 7:13-14
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
I cannot follow the masses. There are only two roads. Which one am I on? Are there a lot of people on it? I should be a little concerned then. If there are a few, I should not be discouraged or think I am in the wrong!
Matt 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never know you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
This one is scary to me. These people were religious, and they were not pew warmers. They were actively serving God in the way they thought best. The question, however, is am I doing the will of the Father, or am I just doing what I think is the will of the Father? I can be sincerely wrong! (Proverbs 16:25)
Philippians 2:12b-13
"continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."
I must always keep striving to make sure I am following the will of God. It is easy to get off track and it is easy to follow the crowd, whether in the world or even in the church. I need to work out my own salvation. I must watch my own life and doctrine (I Tim 4:16). I must guard my own heart because it is the wellspring of my life (Proverbs 4:23). I cannot make anyone else do anything at all, but I can make myself do "all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)." I must do what I need to do and in doing this, then I may help save others. God is in the company of the righteous. Let us be righteous!
QFT: (Questions for Thought)
1. Am I righteous or religious? How do I know?
2. Am I helping those less fortunate? If not, how can I start?
3. Am I keeping myself from being polluted by the world? What are my temptations here?
4. Am I keeping a reign on my tongue? When is it most difficult for me to do what is right in this area?
Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to grow in that begins with the focus letter
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 14
God is present in the company of the righteous. The Lord is their refuge.
If God is in the company of the righteous, that is what I want to be. I want to be with God; keep company with Him. I want to be able to go to Him with confidence and take refuge in Him. Often though, in my efforts to be righteous, I think I end up being "religious". I miss the whole point of what God desires from me and start following a bunch of rules. I have my checklist and do my duty thinking that is enough. I become religious like the pharisees and I must remember Jesus' harshest criticisms were directed at them. So what is the difference between being righteous and religious?
Some verses come to mind when I think about this question.
James 1: 26-27
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
I must watch my mouth. It is not okay to say whatever I feel. I must speak the truth in love. I must remember that I will be called to account for every careless word I utter (Matt 12:36-37). Thank God for His mercy here but I must try harder. I also need to be socially conscious and help out those less fortunate than me. I must remember, even in my current financial difficulties, that I am rich. Finally, I must keep myself from becoming polluted by the world. I must be different. I must not become corrupted and cynical. I must not become a complainer. I must be different from the world.
Matt 7:13-14
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
I cannot follow the masses. There are only two roads. Which one am I on? Are there a lot of people on it? I should be a little concerned then. If there are a few, I should not be discouraged or think I am in the wrong!
Matt 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never know you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
This one is scary to me. These people were religious, and they were not pew warmers. They were actively serving God in the way they thought best. The question, however, is am I doing the will of the Father, or am I just doing what I think is the will of the Father? I can be sincerely wrong! (Proverbs 16:25)
Philippians 2:12b-13
"continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."
I must always keep striving to make sure I am following the will of God. It is easy to get off track and it is easy to follow the crowd, whether in the world or even in the church. I need to work out my own salvation. I must watch my own life and doctrine (I Tim 4:16). I must guard my own heart because it is the wellspring of my life (Proverbs 4:23). I cannot make anyone else do anything at all, but I can make myself do "all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)." I must do what I need to do and in doing this, then I may help save others. God is in the company of the righteous. Let us be righteous!
QFT: (Questions for Thought)
1. Am I righteous or religious? How do I know?
2. Am I helping those less fortunate? If not, how can I start?
3. Am I keeping myself from being polluted by the world? What are my temptations here?
4. Am I keeping a reign on my tongue? When is it most difficult for me to do what is right in this area?
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