Today’s scripture: 1 Peter 5:10
Oh that word … “perfect.”
We all know—or we should know—that we are not perfect. Far from
it. Only one Person who walked this earth was perfect: Jesus Christ. And He is
God, so of course He’s perfect.
So how can we be “perfected”?
We become “perfected” here on earth by becoming more and more like Christ as we
grow in Him. God—the “God of all grace”—is working in and through all of us who
call ourselves by the name of His Son.
He molds us, refines us, encourages us, and guides us, and as we become more
like Christ, we are “perfected.”
While we will never reach perfection this side of heaven, we can be
“perfected.” We just need to devote our lives to the “God of all grace.”
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.
First, I have to apologize ... Things got a bit hectic, and I missed an entire week of devotionals. I'm back to "normal," and we're back in 2 Timothy.
When
we’re young, we think we’re invincible. We can do anything, try anything, and
experience no consequences. And the more we do or the more we have, the more we
want.
As we grow older and (we hope) more mature, we realize how wrong we were. We’re not
invincible. And every decision—good or bad—has its consequence. Those lusts—sex
or alcohol or drugs—we pursued as teens or young adults don’t fulfill us as
they did.
There’s a reason for that. They never did fulfill. Only a relationship with the
Lord can meet all our needs. And when we pursue godly things—such as
righteousness, faith, love, and peace—only then will we be content. We’ll be
fully satisfied with what God has given us, never needing or wanting more.
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 4:1-2
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: Philippians 3:12-14
When I recommitted my life to the Lord over 22 years ago, I adopted Philippians
3:13-14 as my life verses. Short story: Although I’d asked Jesus to come into
my heart when I was six years old, I’d allowed some painful situations to take
me away from my child-like faith. For twenty years, I walked a deliberate path,
one that was far from my Lord, and I made some really poor choices.
For a time after I found my way back to the arms of the Father, I’d beat myself
up with regret over those twenty lost years. If only I’d been stronger. If only
I’d clung more tightly to Jesus. If only …
Then God blessed me with these verses. I don’t have to live in the past. I
don’t have to continually berate myself for former choices. When I asked Jesus
to take over my life—completely—and forgive me for all the things I’d done that
were wrong and selfish and rebellious, He forgave me. He washed me clean. He
removed my sin as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).
I didn’t have to look at what had been. Rather, I could look forward to what
God had planned for my future. I could anticipate being used for His glory, to
serve others. I could delight in knowing that, one day, I’ll receive the prize
of eternity with Christ Jesus.
These verses have been a comfort and have encouraged me countless times. And I
praise God for the assurance I have that He has truly forgiven me. That He
continues to work in and through me. That the story isn’t quite complete.
I can press on, knowing He’s beside me all the way.
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 scriptures: Galatians 4:1-5
Before Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law, believers in Jehovah God needed
guidance—“guardians and managers.” And that guidance came through the Law.
Without the Law, God’s people would have behaved like children, easily influenced
by the “elemental things of the world.”
Think of the attention span of most young children. One moment watching
cartoons. The next coloring. And then chasing the dog.
But then we grow up—hopefully. We make wise decisions and choices.
And the wisest decision we can make is to follow Jesus Christ. God the Father
sent His Son to provide redemption for His children. We are adopted into God’s
family, and as His children, we are guided directly by the Holy Spirit.
We can ask the Spirit to help us choose well, to help us follow the Father’s
will.
Our Father’s will.
Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-2
As most of us know, “gospel” means good news. Specifically, it means the good
news of salvation through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Himself said that He—and only He—is the “way and the truth and the life.”
He also said that “no one comes to the Father but through [Him]” (John 14:6).
This is the gospel Paul preached with passion and diligence … and for which he
was willing to give his own life. And he definitely practiced what he preached.
He received the gospel when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Yes, he had a
supernatural encounter that few of us have, but when he was faced with the
truth of the risen Savior, He accepted that truth.
He stood by and held fast the gospel, devoting his life to sharing the
truth throughout his known world. And He suffered for that gospel: In addition
to being imprisoned countless times, he wrote, “Five times I received from
the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I
was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in
the deep. I have been on
frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the
Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea,
dangers among false brethren …” (2 Corinthians 11:24-25).
When we look at “receiving,” most Christians would say that, of course, they
received the gospel. That’s why they’re Christians.
But what about standing by and holding fast? Have I devoted my life to sharing
the gospel with my known world? Am I willing to suffer for it? Is God—Father,
Son, and Spirit—the number-one priority in my life? Do I live to glorify Him by
my speech, thoughts, and actions?
What about you?
Today's
scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
When my husband and I bought our current home over 12 years ago, we had the
privilege of watching it be built from the ground up. Every weekend or so, we’d
drive out from Anaheim to Corona (now Eastvale) to see what was new and
different.
Of course, the first thing the builders did was to lay the foundation. They
poured the slab, and then it took a while before they began to frame the house.
They had to make certain the foundation was sound in order to make certain the
house would be sound.
Once the foundation was as solid as a rock, they framed the house, using the
right materials and making careful measurements. Bit by bit, a house was built.
And it stands, solid and strong.
It’s the same with our Christian lives. First, we have to make certain our
foundation is sound, and for believers, our foundation is our faith in Jesus
Christ. But even with a sound foundation, our “houses” may not be as solidly
built as they might be.
If we’re building our faith with regular time in God’s word, prayer, and
fellowship with other believers, then our faith grows strong and vibrant. If,
however, we’re not really even building our faith at all, then it stagnates.While
we can never lose a sincerely-sought salvation, we may miss out on what God
truly desires to do in and through us.
So first, what’s your foundation? Have you sincerely committed your life to
Christ?
Second, how are you “building” your spiritual “house”? Serving God? Serving
others? Meditating on His word?
Lay the right foundation, and build a solid house. One that will live on and
will leave a legacy.
Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
Just as we start life with milk as our sustenance and then grow to eating solid
food, we start our spiritual lives with biblical “milk” and then grow in
maturity by “eating” more solid biblical truth. At first, we need to be taught
by godly men and women, but then we should get to the point where we
prayerfully meditate on and study the Bible for ourselves, spending time
thinking through and applying what we study.
If we never get to this place, we continue to live as spiritual infants, and
that’s tragic.
Unfortunately, I think this is where so many Christ followers are in their
spiritual journeys. And ever more unfortunately, this is why they so easily
succumb to the lies of the enemy. Because they don’t study God’s word for
themselves, prayerfully considering what God is telling them, they can’t
discern what truth really is.
Believers are always at war with the flesh, but immature believers allow the
flesh to win out more often than not. Paul seems to be saying that they’re
content to be Christians by name, but fleshly by nature. They’re living, as one
commentary put it, “like ordinary, unconverted men” (Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament).
If we’re truly followers of Christ, there should be a distinct difference in
how we live in comparison to nonbelievers. We should desire to grow in faith.
We should strive to live as Jesus did, demonstrating the
fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). We should be the light of Christ to a
dark world (Philippians 2:15).
And if we’re not? If we’re just going through the motions? It would be better
to not call ourselves Christians at all—and at least live honestly as “mere
men.”
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. However, 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).
Today's scripture: 1 John 5:7-8
I’ve been asked why I believe that Jesus is the only way to salvation, why I
believe that the God of the Bible is the one and only true God. If you’re a
follower of Christ, you have probably been asked the same.
What’s your answer?
Part of why I believe what I believe is I trust the Bible as God’s word. I
believe God the Spirit wrote through the pens of men.
But that’s not the only reason. In fact, in some ways, it’s not even the main
reason.
I believe what I believe because of how God has changed my life. I could share
countless testimonies of others' dramatic life-changes, but when it comes down to it,
the only story I can really tell is my own.
And God changed my life. He took a rebellious, angry young woman and made a strong, compassionate "daughter of the King."
I see Him work in my life each and every day. He gives me peace in this very
peace-less world. He gives me strength when I simply can’t function on my own.
He opens unexpected, but perfect doors. He provides—miraculously sometimes—for
my needs.
I know this sounds melodramatic, but I honestly believe I wouldn’t be alive
today if it weren’t for God’s work in my life. His very, very real presence. If I didn't believe there was a purpose for my life, for my pain, for my day-to-day, I wouldn't want to go on. Why would I?
I know God is who He says He is because of what He's done in my life. And as John said, I know the Holy Spirit is in me. I’ve been baptized by water
and cleansed by blood. Those three testify to my being God’s daughter.
That’s my testimony.
