GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY MARCH 16, 2013.
PROVERB:
Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler, whoever is led astray by them is not wise. Proverbs 20:1
PROMISE:
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves, nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. I Corinthians 6: 9-11.
PRAISE:
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the sovereign Lord comes escape from death. Psalm 68: 19-20.
March 17, 2013
Wait: March 15, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY MARCH 15, 2013.
WAIT
DEFINITION:
To remain inactive or in a state of repose, until something expected happens.
SCRIPTURE:
For they shall not be ashamed who wait for me. Isaiah 49:23.
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. Lamentations 3:25.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In this hurry up world no one likes to wait for anything. Waiting causes some people even to lose their temper. Others just lose their good sense out of frustration. No one enjoys waiting in line, waiting for stop lights or even waiting for dinner.
The Word of God insists that we as believers can learn some of life’s greatest lessons while we wait. Waiting can be difficult for most of us, but God promises vast rewards to those who wait for Him. God chooses to use the long pauses in our life, the waiting period, to give us great blessings and rewards.
Why does God often ask us to wait? Here are five reasons for us to consider today.
In the verse above found in Lamentations we are told to wait. When we wait we will discover God’s will for our lives. While we are waiting he is working out all things for our good. He is not delaying in giving us the desires of our heart. He knows our heart and knows what we need to have in order to be in His will.
When we wait on Him we will receive supernatural energy and strength. In Isaiah 40:29-31 we are told that God gives strength to the weary and to those who lack might he increases power. When we wait on Him He increases the closeness of our relationship with Him and also increases our faith, energy, endurance and strength.
When we wait on God, we win battles. Proverbs 20:22 tells us that “Wait for the Lord and he will save you.” When we do things our way and in our hurried time we end up defeated because we act in haste and rely on our own strength and ability. When we wait on Him the Lord will rescue us in our battles and bless us with His favor.
When we wait on Him we will see the fulfillment of our faith. We will never feel embarrassed by waiting on God. He is the only one trustworthy to help us. We need to learn not to forge ahead when we feel we can conquer an issue or when our friends encourage us to move ahead. Always wait on Him and you will never be defeated.
When we wait on Him we will always see God work on our behalf. What a wonderful promise we are given by Isaiah in Isaiah 64:4, “Who acts on behalf of the one who waits for Him.” While we actively wait, He actively works on our behalf. Trust Him and be patient. He is producing wonderful blessings for you and all you have to do is wait on Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 1:9.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PRAYER:
Help me to choose to wait on You. When I wait on You I know I will be rewarded with blessings both large and unexpected. Guide me as I lead my family so that together we will learn to patiently wait on You.
WAIT
DEFINITION:
To remain inactive or in a state of repose, until something expected happens.
SCRIPTURE:
For they shall not be ashamed who wait for me. Isaiah 49:23.
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. Lamentations 3:25.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In this hurry up world no one likes to wait for anything. Waiting causes some people even to lose their temper. Others just lose their good sense out of frustration. No one enjoys waiting in line, waiting for stop lights or even waiting for dinner.
The Word of God insists that we as believers can learn some of life’s greatest lessons while we wait. Waiting can be difficult for most of us, but God promises vast rewards to those who wait for Him. God chooses to use the long pauses in our life, the waiting period, to give us great blessings and rewards.
Why does God often ask us to wait? Here are five reasons for us to consider today.
In the verse above found in Lamentations we are told to wait. When we wait we will discover God’s will for our lives. While we are waiting he is working out all things for our good. He is not delaying in giving us the desires of our heart. He knows our heart and knows what we need to have in order to be in His will.
When we wait on Him we will receive supernatural energy and strength. In Isaiah 40:29-31 we are told that God gives strength to the weary and to those who lack might he increases power. When we wait on Him He increases the closeness of our relationship with Him and also increases our faith, energy, endurance and strength.
When we wait on God, we win battles. Proverbs 20:22 tells us that “Wait for the Lord and he will save you.” When we do things our way and in our hurried time we end up defeated because we act in haste and rely on our own strength and ability. When we wait on Him the Lord will rescue us in our battles and bless us with His favor.
When we wait on Him we will see the fulfillment of our faith. We will never feel embarrassed by waiting on God. He is the only one trustworthy to help us. We need to learn not to forge ahead when we feel we can conquer an issue or when our friends encourage us to move ahead. Always wait on Him and you will never be defeated.
When we wait on Him we will always see God work on our behalf. What a wonderful promise we are given by Isaiah in Isaiah 64:4, “Who acts on behalf of the one who waits for Him.” While we actively wait, He actively works on our behalf. Trust Him and be patient. He is producing wonderful blessings for you and all you have to do is wait on Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 1:9.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PRAYER:
Help me to choose to wait on You. When I wait on You I know I will be rewarded with blessings both large and unexpected. Guide me as I lead my family so that together we will learn to patiently wait on You.
Resistance: March 14, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY MARCH 14, 2013.
RESISTANCE
DEFINITION:
The act of resisting, opposing or withstanding.
SCRIPTURE:
Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. I Peter 5:9.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We hear a lot today about resistance movements rising up, especially in depressed countries. Basically these are oppressed people rising up against their oppressors. Resistance fighters take a stance that says that they have had enough and they will no longer stand idly by and allow the evil to continue.
Resistance fighters choose to, at all costs, resist the wrongs they face in life. Whether they live or die they are committed to resist the oppressor. They are committed not to live any longer as they had been.
As believers our oppressor is the devil. The Biblical approach to resistance is prayer. Through prayer we can confront and overcome the devil. In the verse above, Peter tells us resist the devil and be firm and unwavering in your faith.
James echoed this teaching in James 4:7-8. He says, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
Such resistance takes strength and courage. It also takes patience and perseverance. Peter and James point to two key phrases at the heart of our ability to resist the devil: submission to God and faith in God.
Submission to God is saying to Him in prayer: “I cannot but You can.” We might also pray that we cannot defeat the devil on our own but with You I can. Submission occurs when we seek to develop a closer relationship with God. As we spend time with God, through prayer, we get to know Him better and are able to discover how He wants us to over-come evil and experience blessing.
Faith is saying to God, “I believe You will.” We might also say as we battle, “I believe that You will defeat my enemy and cause him to flee from me as I resist him and put my trust in You by faith.
We grow in faith by exercising it, by trusting God in situation after situation, circumstance after circumstance and relationship after relationship. It is impossible for you to resist the devil for a very long time if you do not believe that Christ Jesus through you can and will defeat the devil. We can stand firm and not only resist the devil but defeat him, but it is only by the power of God. When we pray, Satan flees.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 1:9.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the assurance that if I fight all my battles on my knees I will win every time. Thank You for this assurance and help me to spend the time I need each and every day to pray and expect great things from You by faith.
RESISTANCE
DEFINITION:
The act of resisting, opposing or withstanding.
SCRIPTURE:
Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. I Peter 5:9.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We hear a lot today about resistance movements rising up, especially in depressed countries. Basically these are oppressed people rising up against their oppressors. Resistance fighters take a stance that says that they have had enough and they will no longer stand idly by and allow the evil to continue.
Resistance fighters choose to, at all costs, resist the wrongs they face in life. Whether they live or die they are committed to resist the oppressor. They are committed not to live any longer as they had been.
As believers our oppressor is the devil. The Biblical approach to resistance is prayer. Through prayer we can confront and overcome the devil. In the verse above, Peter tells us resist the devil and be firm and unwavering in your faith.
James echoed this teaching in James 4:7-8. He says, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
Such resistance takes strength and courage. It also takes patience and perseverance. Peter and James point to two key phrases at the heart of our ability to resist the devil: submission to God and faith in God.
Submission to God is saying to Him in prayer: “I cannot but You can.” We might also pray that we cannot defeat the devil on our own but with You I can. Submission occurs when we seek to develop a closer relationship with God. As we spend time with God, through prayer, we get to know Him better and are able to discover how He wants us to over-come evil and experience blessing.
Faith is saying to God, “I believe You will.” We might also say as we battle, “I believe that You will defeat my enemy and cause him to flee from me as I resist him and put my trust in You by faith.
We grow in faith by exercising it, by trusting God in situation after situation, circumstance after circumstance and relationship after relationship. It is impossible for you to resist the devil for a very long time if you do not believe that Christ Jesus through you can and will defeat the devil. We can stand firm and not only resist the devil but defeat him, but it is only by the power of God. When we pray, Satan flees.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 1:9.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PRAYER:
Thank You for the assurance that if I fight all my battles on my knees I will win every time. Thank You for this assurance and help me to spend the time I need each and every day to pray and expect great things from You by faith.
Intimacy: March 13, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY MARCH 13, 2013.
INTIMACY
DEFINITION:
A close, familiar, and affectionate personal relationship.
SCRIPTURE:
For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
One of our greatest needs is to know we are loved and feel loved. We look for intimate love in our spouses, children, family and friends. But far too often the needed love is not there, which sends people looking for love and intimacy in the wrong places. Every believer should desire intimacy with God. Intimacy with God is His highest priority for our lives. We also need to understand that the intimacy we have with God determines the depth of the impact He has on our lives.
In the passage from Jeremiah (above), Jeremiah was counseling the Children of Israel in Babylon to live like colonists and settle in because they were going to be there for 70 years. Furthermore, they were to seek peace and pray for the prosperity of Babylon, their temporary home. They knew that their own welfare depended on the peace and prosperity of Babylon. God assured them that He had a planned future of blessing for Israel.
Jeremiah assured the Israelites that even though they were living in exile far from the land God had chosen for them, they were not exiled from the intimacy of God’s love and care. As believers we need to feel certain God loves us, cares for us, and has our best interests at heart. This is how God designed us. We want to feel loved. He wants us to know He loves us with a passionate intensity too deep for words and beyond our understanding.
God created us with fellowship in mind. First, this fellowship was with Himself, and then with others. We need to understand that we cannot fully love one another until we have experienced personally the love of God. We will experience His love when we willingly surrender to His call to be our Savior, Lord, and friend.
Intimacy with God requires surrender. There are three reasons God seeks our surrender.
First, He loves us and desires our fellowship and worship. We cannot hold something back from God and expect to know Him and fully experience His love. When we surrender to Him fully, we get all of Him.
Secondly, He wants our service for Him to be effective and fruitful. The more we know and love Jesus the more effective will be our service to Him. The closer we are to God, the more impact our lives will have on what God wants us to do.
Thirdly, He waits for the freedom to bless us. God is omnipotent, but He will not violate His own principles. Having intimacy with God is what God wants from us. He draws us to Himself so we can experience His love and forgiveness. He asks us for our willing surrender to Him so He can give us the best blessings He can offer.
When we as believers are offered all of this, why does anyone resist surrendering to God? Pride is the key reason. Most people think they know better than God and they can handle their lives better than He can, so the result is that they keep Him at a distance. Others do not surrender because they fear that God will make them do things that will make them miserable. Others believe Satan’s lie that God is judgmental and will punish them every time they make a mistake if they surrender to Him.
These are just excuses. God always wants His best for us. Surrender to God and take advantage of the intimacy He will provide for you.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 1:9.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PRAYER:
Help me not to drift away from You in my devotion to You. Continue to draw me closer to You so that I may experience the intimacy of your love and receive the blessings that You have for me.
INTIMACY
DEFINITION:
A close, familiar, and affectionate personal relationship.
SCRIPTURE:
For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
One of our greatest needs is to know we are loved and feel loved. We look for intimate love in our spouses, children, family and friends. But far too often the needed love is not there, which sends people looking for love and intimacy in the wrong places. Every believer should desire intimacy with God. Intimacy with God is His highest priority for our lives. We also need to understand that the intimacy we have with God determines the depth of the impact He has on our lives.
In the passage from Jeremiah (above), Jeremiah was counseling the Children of Israel in Babylon to live like colonists and settle in because they were going to be there for 70 years. Furthermore, they were to seek peace and pray for the prosperity of Babylon, their temporary home. They knew that their own welfare depended on the peace and prosperity of Babylon. God assured them that He had a planned future of blessing for Israel.
Jeremiah assured the Israelites that even though they were living in exile far from the land God had chosen for them, they were not exiled from the intimacy of God’s love and care. As believers we need to feel certain God loves us, cares for us, and has our best interests at heart. This is how God designed us. We want to feel loved. He wants us to know He loves us with a passionate intensity too deep for words and beyond our understanding.
God created us with fellowship in mind. First, this fellowship was with Himself, and then with others. We need to understand that we cannot fully love one another until we have experienced personally the love of God. We will experience His love when we willingly surrender to His call to be our Savior, Lord, and friend.
Intimacy with God requires surrender. There are three reasons God seeks our surrender.
First, He loves us and desires our fellowship and worship. We cannot hold something back from God and expect to know Him and fully experience His love. When we surrender to Him fully, we get all of Him.
Secondly, He wants our service for Him to be effective and fruitful. The more we know and love Jesus the more effective will be our service to Him. The closer we are to God, the more impact our lives will have on what God wants us to do.
Thirdly, He waits for the freedom to bless us. God is omnipotent, but He will not violate His own principles. Having intimacy with God is what God wants from us. He draws us to Himself so we can experience His love and forgiveness. He asks us for our willing surrender to Him so He can give us the best blessings He can offer.
When we as believers are offered all of this, why does anyone resist surrendering to God? Pride is the key reason. Most people think they know better than God and they can handle their lives better than He can, so the result is that they keep Him at a distance. Others do not surrender because they fear that God will make them do things that will make them miserable. Others believe Satan’s lie that God is judgmental and will punish them every time they make a mistake if they surrender to Him.
These are just excuses. God always wants His best for us. Surrender to God and take advantage of the intimacy He will provide for you.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 1:9.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PRAYER:
Help me not to drift away from You in my devotion to You. Continue to draw me closer to You so that I may experience the intimacy of your love and receive the blessings that You have for me.
Listening: March 12, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY MARCH 12, 2013.
LISTENING
DEFINITION:
To give attention with the ear; to heed; to obey.
SCRIPTURE:
He who has ears, let him hear. Matthew 13:9
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Are you a good listener? Most people today do not know how to listen. In this so called “ME” generation it is not important to most people what other people think so why listen? In Today’s Word we want to have each of us, first of all, evaluate how we listen to God’s Word. The scripture contains some critical information for us, but most people, even believers, approach how they listen very differently. In Matthew 13 we have identified for us, four types of listeners.
There are listeners that listen with a closed mind. They listen passively without any intent to apply what they hear or read to their life. The seed cannot germinate because the soil’s surface is too hard. When we have a closed mind God’s Word cannot penetrate. Such believers remain shallow until they decide to pay attention to God and obey.
Then there are those who listen with a clouded mind. In this passage found in Matthew 13, Jesus refers to the rocky soil to a clouded mind. They will listen and hear the Word of God and get all excited, but they do not take the time to study, grow roots, and let the truth sink into his or her heart. With little doctrinal foundation or knowledge of God’s promises, their faith is easily weakened by the harsh realities of life and soon dies.
There are listeners that listen with a cluttered mind. The worries of life are to the Christian heart what briars, thorns, and thickets are to a garden. A preoccupied mind has little or no room for God’s Word to sprout and thrive.
And then there is a listener with a committed mind. God can do great things through someone whose mind is like fertile soil. The most intellectual person in the world, if not teachable, will miss the truth of the gospel, whereas a young child who is willing to listen and learn will be transformed.
As believers in Jesus we must desire to have hearts and minds that are like fertile soil. We must have a willingness to listen and listen receptively to what God has for us. By an act of your will, choose to listen purposely when you read the Bible or hear it preached. A good listener will clear his or her mind of all outside clutter. Get your mind off of your concerns in life. Satan will use these concerns to clutter and distract from what God has for you. Satan vies with God for your full attention.
God’s Word is God’s standard by which you must evaluate your life style. To defeat Satan you must be willing to apply the truths that the Holy Spirit impresses upon your heart. God will honor you if you step out by faith and then you will see that God can be fully trusted to get you through all of life’s concerns.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 1:9.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PRAYER:
Help me to not only be a good listener to what You are teaching me but to be able to apply the teachings I learn from You to the way I act and live. Help me daily to strive to obey the scripture and to glorify Your name.
LISTENING
DEFINITION:
To give attention with the ear; to heed; to obey.
SCRIPTURE:
He who has ears, let him hear. Matthew 13:9
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Are you a good listener? Most people today do not know how to listen. In this so called “ME” generation it is not important to most people what other people think so why listen? In Today’s Word we want to have each of us, first of all, evaluate how we listen to God’s Word. The scripture contains some critical information for us, but most people, even believers, approach how they listen very differently. In Matthew 13 we have identified for us, four types of listeners.
There are listeners that listen with a closed mind. They listen passively without any intent to apply what they hear or read to their life. The seed cannot germinate because the soil’s surface is too hard. When we have a closed mind God’s Word cannot penetrate. Such believers remain shallow until they decide to pay attention to God and obey.
Then there are those who listen with a clouded mind. In this passage found in Matthew 13, Jesus refers to the rocky soil to a clouded mind. They will listen and hear the Word of God and get all excited, but they do not take the time to study, grow roots, and let the truth sink into his or her heart. With little doctrinal foundation or knowledge of God’s promises, their faith is easily weakened by the harsh realities of life and soon dies.
There are listeners that listen with a cluttered mind. The worries of life are to the Christian heart what briars, thorns, and thickets are to a garden. A preoccupied mind has little or no room for God’s Word to sprout and thrive.
And then there is a listener with a committed mind. God can do great things through someone whose mind is like fertile soil. The most intellectual person in the world, if not teachable, will miss the truth of the gospel, whereas a young child who is willing to listen and learn will be transformed.
As believers in Jesus we must desire to have hearts and minds that are like fertile soil. We must have a willingness to listen and listen receptively to what God has for us. By an act of your will, choose to listen purposely when you read the Bible or hear it preached. A good listener will clear his or her mind of all outside clutter. Get your mind off of your concerns in life. Satan will use these concerns to clutter and distract from what God has for you. Satan vies with God for your full attention.
God’s Word is God’s standard by which you must evaluate your life style. To defeat Satan you must be willing to apply the truths that the Holy Spirit impresses upon your heart. God will honor you if you step out by faith and then you will see that God can be fully trusted to get you through all of life’s concerns.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 1:9.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PRAYER:
Help me to not only be a good listener to what You are teaching me but to be able to apply the teachings I learn from You to the way I act and live. Help me daily to strive to obey the scripture and to glorify Your name.
Conquering: March 11, 2013
TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY MARCH 11, 2013.
CONQUERING
DEFINITION:
To acquire by force of arms; to overcome by force; win at war; to gain or win by effort.
SCRIPTURE:
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Do you have a conquering spirit? What we mean is when you face the issues of life, both those that are negative and those that are positive; do you face them with the confidence that you are going to be a conqueror?
Paul was a man with a conquering spirit and we can learn from him. Throughout his ministry he faced countless obstacles just as believers do today but he never gave up. He pictured the Christian life as a race. His nature was to be competitive and that drove him to be a conqueror. As believers today we need to develop a spiritual desire of competitiveness so we can conquer the tough situations the world presents to us. If we hope, as Paul did, to finish well we need to develop the following characteristics.
We need COURAGE: A conquering spirit is willing to risk failure. We naturally want to always feel strong and capable, but we will not always feel strong. At times we will feel very weak. God delights in empowering us in our weaknesses so He can get the glory.
We need CONFIDENCE: We are likely to stumble when we doubt our ability to do what God requires. When our confidence is placed in the Lord instead of ourselves, we can move ahead with confidence, knowing that God will enable us to do His will. There are many examples given us in the scriptures of weak men that God used to do great things.
We need COMMITMENT: The Lord promises to guide us as we run the race. That means as we face a need that needs to be conquered, God will provide for us whatever is needed, and will strengthen us all along the way. But for God to do this we must be committed to Him and determined to carry out His will, without doubt or fear.
We need PERSISTENCE: The road we are traveling on in this life is full of distractions, oppositions, and obstacles that tempt us to give up. That is why the apostle Paul advises us to “press on” through adversity toward that which is of eternal life (verse 14).
We need a FORWARD FOCUS: We must also forget what lies behind us and we must reach forward to what lies ahead. Those of us that weighed down by baggage from the past lose sight of the goal.
The key to success in our race in life is an all consuming desire to reach the goal. If we find no value in the prize, we will readily give up along the way and settle for the immediate gratification the world offers. If we understand what awaits us at the finish line in heaven, we will press on and be a conqueror in life.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 1:9.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PRAYER:
Give me today a conquering spirit that you alone can give. Help me to meet Your requirements so that I can conquer every situation I face today. Give me the leadership with my family and friends so that they will see in me a conquering spirit that only You can give.
CONQUERING
DEFINITION:
To acquire by force of arms; to overcome by force; win at war; to gain or win by effort.
SCRIPTURE:
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Do you have a conquering spirit? What we mean is when you face the issues of life, both those that are negative and those that are positive; do you face them with the confidence that you are going to be a conqueror?
Paul was a man with a conquering spirit and we can learn from him. Throughout his ministry he faced countless obstacles just as believers do today but he never gave up. He pictured the Christian life as a race. His nature was to be competitive and that drove him to be a conqueror. As believers today we need to develop a spiritual desire of competitiveness so we can conquer the tough situations the world presents to us. If we hope, as Paul did, to finish well we need to develop the following characteristics.
We need COURAGE: A conquering spirit is willing to risk failure. We naturally want to always feel strong and capable, but we will not always feel strong. At times we will feel very weak. God delights in empowering us in our weaknesses so He can get the glory.
We need CONFIDENCE: We are likely to stumble when we doubt our ability to do what God requires. When our confidence is placed in the Lord instead of ourselves, we can move ahead with confidence, knowing that God will enable us to do His will. There are many examples given us in the scriptures of weak men that God used to do great things.
We need COMMITMENT: The Lord promises to guide us as we run the race. That means as we face a need that needs to be conquered, God will provide for us whatever is needed, and will strengthen us all along the way. But for God to do this we must be committed to Him and determined to carry out His will, without doubt or fear.
We need PERSISTENCE: The road we are traveling on in this life is full of distractions, oppositions, and obstacles that tempt us to give up. That is why the apostle Paul advises us to “press on” through adversity toward that which is of eternal life (verse 14).
We need a FORWARD FOCUS: We must also forget what lies behind us and we must reach forward to what lies ahead. Those of us that weighed down by baggage from the past lose sight of the goal.
The key to success in our race in life is an all consuming desire to reach the goal. If we find no value in the prize, we will readily give up along the way and settle for the immediate gratification the world offers. If we understand what awaits us at the finish line in heaven, we will press on and be a conqueror in life.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 1:9.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
PRAYER:
Give me today a conquering spirit that you alone can give. Help me to meet Your requirements so that I can conquer every situation I face today. Give me the leadership with my family and friends so that they will see in me a conquering spirit that only You can give.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
