Today’s
scripture: 2 Peter 3:18
Recently, I had the privilege of attending a women’s conference at my church.
The theme was being rooted in Christ.
The analogy is sound: When a tree is firmly rooted, it grows; it withstands
strong storms; it bears fruit.
We too, when we are firmly rooted in Christ, grow, withstand storms, and bear
fruit.
On the other hand, a tree with weak roots doesn’t grow. It may be pulled up
when the storms hit. And it is fruitless … and it is the same with faith.
Oh, but by grace, we can grow in our “knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.”
How? By spending time in His word, studying and meditating. By internalizing
its truths. By praying and listening to God’s voice.
Only then can we be firmly rooted in Christ.
So … how strong are your roots?
Today’s
scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:3
A believer’s faith should be a growing faith.
I give a talk every once in a while entitled “Fresh Faith.” In it, I talk about
how followers of Christ can—and should—keep their faith fresh.
Just like any relationship, our walk with the Lord can become stale or
stagnant. So, what can we do to have that growing faith? I encourage several
things, but the most important—for me, at least—are:
Spending daily time in God’s word. He communicates to us through the Holy
Scriptures, and we need to study and meditate on them in order to know Him and
His purposes.
Spending time in prayer. This is more than just a “Good morning, Lord” or a
“Thanks for being with me today, Father.” It’s coming to Him with praise and
worship. Confessing sin. Interceding for others’ needs. Listening to His voice.
Spending time with other believers. We are made for relationships, and we grow
in faith as we grow with others. I’m a strong proponent of small group Bible
studies. I often learn more from my sisters in my small group than I would ever
learn on my own.
There are so many ways to grow in faith, but it takes commitment and focus.
What are you doing to grow your faith and keep it strong? Ask the Holy Spirit’s
help to become stronger and stronger in faith.
Today’s
scripture: Jude 20-21
Building up your faith, keeping it fresh is oh-so-important. It’s so easy to
get caught up in the “stuff” of the world and not take the time to grow in
faith.
And that which doesn’t grow does what? It either stagnates—or dies.
So, let’s take a moment to look at what these two verses say about how we can
build our faith.
First, we’re to pray in the Holy Spirit. Do you spend time each and every day
in prayer? Do you spend time in praise and confession, intercession and
gratitude? If you want to build your faith, you need to.
Second, we’re to keep ourselves in the love of God. Do you realize how much God
loves you? Have you read John 3:16 lately? He loves you more than you can even
imagine. He loves you with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3). Live your life to
bring honor to that love.
Finally, we’re to look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. But guess what,
we don’t have to look very far. Christ gave us what we don’t deserve: eternal
life with Him.
Build up your faith. Every day. Don’t let it stagnate, or even worse, die.
What do you do to build up your faith? To keep it strong? If you’re letting
your faith stagnate, do something today—and every day—to keep it strong,
starting with prayer.
Today’s scripture: James 3:1-5a
“… we all stumble in many ways.” Isn’t that the truth?
None of us is able to “bridle the whole body.” None of us is perfect. We will
stumble.
The question is, what do we do when we stumble? Do we throw our hands up in
defeat and continue in our sin? Do we figure we’ve failed so badly there’s no
hope?
If you have never accepted the gift of salvation of your sins, all you need to
do is confess your need for salvation and submit your life to the Lord Jesus
Christ. Then find a Bible-teaching church. Get a Bible and read it every day.
Pray for guidance and help from the Holy Spirit.
But if you’re already a Christ-follower, don’t ever give up. Know that you will
stumble, but the more you grow in your faith, the more you become like Christ,
the less you’ll stumble. And when you do, confess your failings and commit to
avoiding that sin in the future. Keep away from anything that might make you
stumble—that means you may have to give up certain friends or seeing certain
movies or going certain places.
Because, yes, you may stumble. But you have choices to make that might keep you
from stumbling again.
Today’s scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3
I asked Jesus to come into my heart when I was six, and as a child, I loved
God’s Word. While I’m not sure I would have described myself as “longing” for His Word, I
remember reading and memorizing scriptures with joy.
Then came my twenty-year rebellion. As my path meandered, times when I wanted
nothing to do with God intersected with moments I desired nothing more than to
find Him again.
I recommitted my life to Jesus in September of 1993, and for a while, I was
content just knowing I was back in the fold. Praise God, that contentment
didn’t last. About five years into my renewed relationship, I realized I needed
more. If I was going to become the woman God desired me to be, if I was going
to “grow in respect to salvation,” I needed really know God’s Word. I needed to
meditate and study and respond.
I needed to long for it.
In the last 23 years, I still experienced seasons where that longing was
suppressed—usually by my own selfishness or pride. But for quite a while now, I
seek to spend time in God’s Word daily. And I find myself missing that time
when I neglect it. I recognize such weakness in me that if I don’t take this
crucial time, I tend to falter.
I’ve “tasted the kindness of the Lord,” and the least I can do is make time for
Him, in prayer and enjoying the “pure milk” of the gift of my Father’s Word.
I pray for you, my friend. Long for the Word of your Father. Grow in Him. Be
grateful to Him.
Today’s scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16
As I’ve heard many pastors say, when you see a “therefore” in the Bible,
you need ask yourself what it’s “there for.”
Yesterday’s passage spoke of prophets serving us and preaching the “gospel to
you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.” Today’s verses now put the focus on
us. If indeed the prophets spoke truth about the birth, death, and resurrection
of Jesus—and I believe with all my heart they did—then what are we to do to
continue to proclaim the gospel—the good news?
We have a pretty concise “to do” list here:
Prepare our minds for action
Keep sober in spirit
Fix our hope completely (Did you get that? Completely)
on grace
Do not be conformed to former lusts
And finally:
Be holy
Wow. I don’t know about you, but this list is pretty daunting. In fact the
“easiest” of these tasks (for me, at least) is fixing my hope on grace. I am so
very, very grateful that, 46 years ago, God adopted me as His beloved
daughter. I’m equally grateful that, 23 years ago, He brought
this prodigal back to Himself. I understand grace.
I can even handle being prepared for action, keeping sober in spirit, and not
being conformed to former lust—that’s where grace comes in.
But that last? Be holy? Me? With all my flaws and weaknesses and brokenness?
Are you kidding me?
I’m far from holy. You may be thinking the same about yourself.
Ah, but it’s not about us. It’s not about me. I’m holy because the One to whom
I belong is holy. When I gave my life completely and irrevocably to God, I was
washed clean. I was made righteous in His eyes.
And in gratitude, I strive to live as closely to how Christ lived as I can. I
desire my Lord’s will. I want to follow His plan.
And I, with His grace, am becoming more and more like my Savior.
Thank You, Abba, for seeing the worth in
me. Thank Your for looking past my rebellion, my deliberate sin. Thank You for
making me holy in your eyes. Amen.
Today’s scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-15
Maybe you’ve “from childhood known the sacred writings.” Or maybe you’ve
recently become a Christian and are learning God’s word.
In either case, if you want to receive God’s wisdom, you must “continue in the
things you have learned.” Just as you gain knowledge of any subject by study
and repetition, so you also gain knowledge of God and His will through study of
His word.
I can’t stress how important daily study is to growing in faith. And I don’t
mean just reading a chapter here and there (although any Bible reading is
better than nothing). I mean real study.
I learned the importance of real study myself. When I rededicated my life to
the Lord almost 23 years ago, I started sporadically reading the Bible. A verse
or two every few days. And I found myself reverting to old habits. I realized,
if I wanted to know God more, I needed to do more.
And so I started what’s called “inductive Bible study.” It’s a process by which
you spend a lot of time in a specific book of the Bible. Chapter by chapter.
Verse by verse. You immerse yourself in the truth of God’s word. And as you do,
it becomes more real to you, as does God Himself. I’ve spent weeks—even
months—in a particular book. Investigating. Praying. Meditating. Reading
trusted commentaries. Memorizing verses.
I’ll tell you something: If it wasn’t for this time of daily study, while I
would still be a Christian because I believe in the God of the Bible and that
salvation comes through Christ’s blood, I wouldn’t be so in love with Him. I
wouldn’t want to serve Him as I do. I wouldn’t want His will above all things.
That’s how important real study of God’s word. If you want a vibrant, strong,
growing faith, study God’s word. Spend time in it. Learn from it. Gain
knowledge from it.
It’s that important.
Today’s scripture: 2 Timothy 2:20-21
Vessels of honor … and vessels of dishonor.
We are all vessels created by God. He created each of us to serve and glorify
Him. Some of us choose to do as He created and do “every good work.” We are
vessels of honor, delighting our Master.
Others choose to do their own thing, live their own lives. And these are
vessels of dishonor in the Master’s eyes.
I’ve been both. If you’ve followed this devotional for a while, you may have
read that I spent twenty years on a quite meandering journey away from God. I
made poor choices. I followed the world and allowed myself to be sucked in by
its temporary pleasures. I was a dirty, useless vessel.
Then almost 23 years ago, I recommitted my life to God, and He cleansed that old
vessel and began to use it. Over the years, I’ve sometimes allowed a little
dirt to land, but I go immediately to the Lord, and He cleanses me again (1 John 1:9).
Our Lord God wants to use us. He invites us to participate in His
kingdom-building plan and serve Him gladly. But He wants clean vessels. Ones He
can honor and use with joy.
Are you a cleansed, honored vessel? If not, you can be. Just accept Jesus’ gift
of cleansing salvation. Delight your Father, and be a part of His plan.
Today’s scripture: 2 Timothy 2:7
If we seek God, if we focus on Him, if we meditate on His word, if we spend
time in prayer and solitude, He will reveal Himself and His will to us.
We will understand His word more and more. We will see His plan more and more clearly. We will
know how to serve Him so He’ll be glorified.
That’s what being in a relationship is all about. Learning more and more about
the other. Being increasingly in tune to his desires. Wanting to bring him joy. The most
healthy relationships I know are like this. And that’s how our relationship
with God should be.
Do you truly desire a growing relationship with your Lord God? Do you want to
know Him more, have “understanding in everything”? Then focus on what you can do.
Do your part.
God has already done His.
Today’s scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1-3
I know how easy it is to believe things contrary to God’s word.
I made some really unwise decisions when I was young, decisions that allowed me
to “fall away from the faith.” I listened to the lies of the enemy, and spent
twenty years on a journey that led me, as I titled a book I wrote, on a crooked path, away from
and back to the arms of the Father.
I see this same “falling away” in many people today. Young people raised to
know God are making choices to follow the world. Older people, disillusioned
because of loss or difficulty, claim God is unfair or, because of their
pain, doesn’t exist at all.
A large part of the problem is that many Christians don’t really know why they
believe what they believe. They go to church on Sunday, and then never touch
their Bibles or talk to God the other six days and 22 hours of the week. And
since they really don’t know truth, it’s very, very easy for them to believe
the lies whispered in their ears.
That’s why I pray regularly for my brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray
they’ll ground themselves in God’s word. Study it. Meditate on it. Investigate
its truths. I pray they’ll spend time talking with and listening to God. I pray
they’ll be protected by the Spirit.
And I pray that those who have “fallen away” will repent and recommit their
lives to God. Just as I did.
Today’s
scripture: 1 Timothy 1:18-19
Paul gave good counsel to Timothy—counsel we should heed ourselves.
We need to fight the good fight. And whom are we fighting? In another letter,
Paul wrote that “our struggle is not against flesh
and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces
of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly
places” (Eph. 6:12). We’re fighting against the devil and his forces, and
in order to combat them, we need to daily put on our “armor.” (See Eph. 6:10-17.)
We need to keep the faith. As we deepen our relationships with God, our faith
grows stronger and less vulnerable to the lies of the enemy. We need to spend
time with God every day. Reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible.
Praying. Spending time in quiet solitude, just listening to His voice. Learning
about Him through corporate worship.
We need to keep a good conscience. If we seek God’s will and do what He’s
called us to do, we will grow more and more like Christ. Sin will be abhorrent
to us, and we will strive to live righteously.
If we live for God, if we keep Him the priority of our lives, we won’t reject
our faith and “suffer shipwreck.”
Today’s scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8
God is in the business of saving lives. As soon as Adam and Eve made the choice
to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—against God’s command—He
has always had a gracious plan of salvation. His plan culminated in the death,
burial, and resurrection of God the Son, Jesus Christ. It is only by the belief
in and acceptance of this amazing gift that we are saved.
But our faith journeys don’t end at the moment of salvation; rather, they just
begin. Once we commit ourselves to God—heart, soul, mind, and strength—He
begins the process of sanctification in us.
Sanctification means being “set apart to a
sacred purpose” (Webster’s Dictionary).
And this is ongoing in the lives of believers. Every day, if we “take up
our cross,” if we submit ourselves completely to God, He’ll continue to mold
and refine us so that we can complete whatever purpose He has willed for us.
However, if we fight this process by constantly choosing our own way—or
choosing to be impure in any way—or if we refuse to grow in our faith by
ignoring His word or neglecting Him, then we prevent His perfect work in us. We
are no longer being sanctified.
Our time on this earth is just a blip, a vapor, a minuscule dot on the timeline
of eternity. What we do with our time has eternal impact. The question is: Are
we going to spend our time here pursuing meaningless, impure things, or are we
going to allow the sanctifying work of God to make us worthy vessels to be used
by Him?
Today’s scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2
We Christians often use the phrase, “Walking with the Lord.” Paul used it as
well. He also described our lives as Christ-followers as a race, more like a
marathon (1 Corinthians 9:24, 26). I like to call it a journey—running just
isn’t my thing.
No matter what you call your particular faith journey, how should you behave?
What should all of us do to move forward rather than backward—or not move at
all?
One of my favorite talks I give is “Refresh Your Faith.” I talk a lot about
what we can do to keep our faith fresh and vibrant. I emphasize how important
it is to keep God—Father, Son, and Spirit—first and foremost in our minds and
hearts. And to do that, we can and should do several things:
Take time for personal Bible study and
prayer. I believe this is the most important of all. When we spend quiet
time alone with God’s word, we learn more about Him and His will for our lives.
And when we pray, we draw closer to His throne.
Spend time in solitude listening to His
voice. It’s one thing to talk to God. It’s another to listen to Him. When
you quietly sit in His presence, focusing completely on Him, He’ll often speak
to your heart.
Take times of retreat. Whether this
is a weekend with the women or men from your church, or a few hours of personal
retreat, it’s important to regularly get away from the “stuff” of the world to
fully focus on God.
Spend time with others of faith. As
often as possible, get involved with a group Bible study. The Holy Spirit
reveals truth to each of us differently, and it’s inspiring to hear what has
touched others’ hearts.
Memorize scriptures. Knowing God’s
word by heart helps in so many ways. It offers encouragement when you face
difficulties. It helps to combat the lies of the enemy. Jesus Himself used
scripture to counter the enemy (Luke 4:1-13). Should we do any less?
These are just a few of the things we can do to keep our focus on God … and
that’s what we need to do to win the race or arrive at our destination:
eternity with Him.
Today’s scripture: Philippians 3:17-19
Paul’s heart broke when he thought of the lost. He didn’t look down on them or
take on a “holier than thou” attitude. He didn’t ridicule them. He didn’t
ignore them.
He wept over them. He foresaw their destruction—eternal separation from God.
And he desired that his spiritual children would not follow in their steps.
Paul exhorted the Christians in Philippi to follow the example of godly men and
women, to walk as they walked. I know he’d pray the same for us today.
Do you have an example of strong faith that you can emulate? Do you have a
mentor who exemplifies a godly walk? Maybe it’s your parents. Or a church
leader. Or someone whom you’ve never met, but who inspires you.
If you don’t, please find one. Read the works of C.H. Spurgeon or Oswald
Chambers or C.S. Lewis. Ask your Bible study teacher if she would recommend a mentor. Look
around you. There’s someone who would be honored and privileged to walk with
you on your path to stronger faith.
And if you’ve been walking with the Lord for a while now, be an example to
those younger in their faith. Help them to avoid any pitfalls of following the
world.
Today’s scripture:
Philippians 3:15-16
Just as we mature and grow physically, we mature and grow spiritually. And we
require the same things: food to nourish; relationships to develop emotionally;
study and learning to stimulate mentally.
If a child isn’t fed regularly and nutritionally, her growth is stunted. If she
doesn’t have regular, positive interaction with others, she becomes socially
inept. If she is never given the opportunity to read or learn, she stays
childlike in her thinking.
The same is true for believers. We must be nourished by God’s word—studying it,
meditating on it—every day. We must spend time with God in prayer and solitude,
listening to His voice. We must also spend time with other believers to learn
from them and fellowship with them. We must stimulate our minds by reading
books that make us question, that strengthen our beliefs, that challenge us.
Some seem to think that being a Christian means praying a prayer and then just
going merrily on our way. While
accepting God’s gift of salvation is key to forgiveness and eternity with our
Lord, it’s not the end. It’s the beginning. Let us not be content with where we
are today. Rather, let us have a true desire to be more, grow more, develop
more. So we can indeed be mature Christ-followers.
Today's
scripture: Ephesians 4:14-16
I don’t mean to offend anyone, but it seems like the Christian community is
full of “children.” So many people who call themselves Christ-followers have
bought into the “pick and choose” philosophy this world offers.
I’m a Christian, they say, but I like this from Hinduism or that from Buddhism.
I like the “new age” idea of being my own god. I mean, I still believe in the
God of the Bible, but it feels good to think I’m in control. And of course, the
Bible probably isn’t really “inerrant.” It’s just some guidelines. But I am a
Christian.
So many are “tossed … and carried away by every wind of doctrine.” So many
don’t even know what they’re supposed to believe because they haven’t been
taught what the Bible says.
Tragic.
So instead of “grow[ing] up in all aspects into” Christ, so many stay
unhealthily childish. They don’t work together with other believers to build
the body of Christ. They don’t speak truth because they don’t know the truth.
Tragic indeed.
I pray—daily—for a revival in the hearts of those who follow Christ. A revival
to really study God’s word and hold it in their hearts. A revival to embrace
truth. A revival to go and make disciples, “teaching them to observe all
[Jesus] commanded” (Matthew 28:19-20).
Without proper nutrition, we cannot grow well physically. Malnourishment
affects every part of the body.
It’s the same with our spiritual growth. If we’re not properly nourished in
God’s word, we remain stagnant … and sometimes even decline.
Paul prayed that the Christians in Ephesus would have a “spirit of wisdom and
of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”
Proverbs 2 outlines the importance of godly wisdom. It should be a “hidden
treasure” that we search for diligently, and when we find it, we will
“understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God”
(v. 5).
Moreover: … knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you,
To deliver you from the way of evil … (vv.
10b-12)
And where do we gain knowledge? Through God’s word. Daily study and meditation
is imperative.
Think of it this way: If you’re planning to be a doctor, you will be diligent
in your study. You may even have to curtail other activities in order to have
the time and energy to devote to learning. Right?
It’s the same as a follower of Christ. If you want to grow in Christ, if you
want to have godly wisdom, if you want to truly know God, you need to spend
time in the Bible. It shouldn’t be an afterthought. Rather, it should be the
first priority of your day.
What are you doing that would be better spent gaining wisdom and knowledge of
your Lord? Nourish yourself daily so that you will be spiritually healthy.
Today's scriptures: Galatians 5:16-21
Why do so many who call themselves Christians live in habitual sin? It seems
there are two reasons: Either they’re ignorant of what the Bible says are
“deeds of the flesh” or they’re not being led by the Spirit.
Many people who have accepted God’s gift of salvation through belief in and
acceptance of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection just haven’t spent much
time in God’s word. They have a sincere faith, but they’re still “baby
Christians.” In other words, they just don’t know any better.
However, once they grow in faith and study and meditate on God’s word, they
begin to see how their behavior is contrary to God’s will for their lives. They
seek to behave in ways that please their heavenly Father.
On the other hand, some who once made an “altar call decision” to follow Christ
didn’t really commit their lives to Him. Oh, they may still go to church on
Sunday and say grace before meals. They may carry their Bible and say “amen” in
the appropriate places. They may serve on committees and volunteer their time
to help others.
But in the privacy of their homes, they “practice” sin. They live in habitual
sin—and they know it.
Only God knows the heart, but one has to wonder: If I knowingly sin, if I
deliberately do something the Bible clearly says is wrong, if I ignore the
prompting of the Spirit … am I really a follower of Christ? Are you?
Today’s scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:11-14
We’re finishing our months-long journey through Paul’s letters to the church in
Corinth. We’ve been encouraged, affirmed, exhorted, and convicted. And as we
wrap things up, let’s meditate on Paul’s last encouraging words:
Rejoice. The Bible tells us that God desires that His children experience joy.
Psalm 16:11 tells us that:
You [God] will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
(emphasis mine)
And the second of the “fruit of the Spirit” is joy (Galatians 5:22). We can
find joy in every situation because the God of the universe is with us, never
leaving our side and loving us everlastingly (Hebrews 13:5; Jeremiah 31:3).
Be made complete. We are all works in progress, and God is molding and refining
us to be more like Christ (Philippians 1:6). Our job is to be open to His will
and live to bring Him glory.
Be comforted. We began Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians with the
reminder that our God is the God of comfort. We receive comfort from Him, and
we receive comfort from others—and we give comfort in return.
Be like-minded. It’s beyond critical that we believers be unified. We must love
each other, support each other, esteem each other.
Live in peace. We need to “Pursue peace
with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord”
(Hebrews 12:14). And we are blessed to remember the words of Jesus: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world
gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be
fearful” (John 14:27).
And may the “grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit, be with you all.”
On Monday, join me as we continue through Paul's epistles and spend time in Galatians.
Today’s scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:5-6
Sometimes when I’m studying God’s word, I like to look at several versions of
the same verses. Meditating on different ways of saying the same thing helps me
to better understand what God is saying.
Other versions of verse five of today’s scripture say:
Test yourselves and find out if you really are true to your faith. If you pass
the test, you will discover that Christ is living in you. But if Christ isn't
living in you, you have failed. (CEV)
Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don't drift along
taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need
firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. (MSG)
Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to
your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not
Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an
ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you--unless you are
[counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? (AMP)
Test. Examine. Evaluate.
I’m getting ready to teach for another semester. Testing, examining, and evaluating are
"part and parcel" of each term's work. When I test my students, I’m looking for a
breadth of knowledge. How well did they study? How well do they know the
material?
It’s the same when we test our faith. How well do we know God? How well do we
know His word? Are we studying it daily? Meditating on in? Saturating ourselves
with its truths?
If someone were to test us, would we pass? While we may not be handed a pop
quiz about our faith, we need to “always be ready to give an answer when
someone asks [us] about [our] hope” (1 Peter 3:15, CEV).
