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Temptations

17 Feb

This morning I was spending time in  1Peter and realizing how those that Peter was trying to encourage, faced the same battles we do today. It constantly amazes me how the scriptures are timeless. Today the battles of lusts and all the categories of it, are of biblical proportions. The sin of sex and pornography is available 24/7 on every phone we keep at our side. The sin of idolatry of anything is thrust at us in every media, and every thing someone else has, that we desire. Matthew Henry said, “The grand mischief that sin does to man is this, it wars against the soul; it destroys the moral liberty of the soul; it weakens and debilitates the soul by impairing its faculties; it robs the soul of its comfort and peace; it debases and destroys the dignity of the soul, hinders its present prosperity, and plunges it into everlasting misery. Of all sorts of sin, none are more injurious to the soul than fleshly lusts. Carnal appetites, lewdness, and sensuality, are most odious to God, and destructive to man’s soul. It is a sore judgment to be given up to them.” Pray for the strength to resist whatever temptation you are facing today, and tomorrow.

Temptations

1 Peter 2:11-12      Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Today’s society breeds lust at every turn. We not only are subject to the lusts of the sins of sex, we are subject to the lusts of the sins of idolatry heavily in today’s world. It is a battle of biblical proportions to anyone who has air to breath another day. These fleshly lusts are part of an invisible war that rages deep within our souls. This is the spiritual war that how we respond to affects our daily walk with God. It is not something that we see, but we can feel. Our flesh will want to lash out, or pursue, or even just satisfy our desires in our mind. But the mind is the battlefield.

We only can prepare for these daily trials through the strength that God provides. Galatians 5:16-17 says,” Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” We must pray for strength to resist the temptations that will arise today. We must consistently pursue a relationship with Christ for our feet will only be here for a while, as we are described above “as sojourners and pilgrims”. He is the only way to obtain the strength to have victory if the battle that rages within us.

 
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Posted by on February 17, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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The eternal well

16 Feb

The eternal well.

 
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Posted by on February 16, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

The eternal well

16 Feb

My heart lies in encouraging others to spend daily time with God. It is when and where you will truly begin to see real change in your life, by following the principle of Matthew 6:33 “Seek ye first….” As I was studying this scripture, I saw that application there. Returning to the well to nourish ourselves. If you will do this one thing, God will take care of all the rest for you, it will simply fall into place. Daily time with God will change you like none other next to Salvation.

 

 
The eternal well

John 7:38      He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. 

Many times in the bible we hear of Christ as the Living Water. Here He is speaking of the Holy Spirit that will dwell in us as the great supplier of our needs for our time here on earth. He is the fountain that continually flows, providing wisdom and discernment through the revelation of the scriptures to us. He is the great Enabler. John 6:35 says, “ And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” These are His promises for eternity.

How many times do you satisfy your thirst every day? We are told that we can only live for 3-5 days without water, so how often do you replenish your Living Water by spending time at the fountain in God’s Word? If this Word through Christ and the Holy Spirit is the fountain of life, then we must return daily to replenish what has been poured out on us, and hopefully through us to others, in the previous day. Are we robbing ourselves of the eternal water daily and the blessings that will come to us, and through us by coming to the well? How can we not go the the well to meet Jesus every day?

 
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Posted by on February 16, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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46 Days

15 Feb

46 Days.

 
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Posted by on February 15, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

46 Days

15 Feb

As I opened up my bible this morning and headed to 2nd Corinthians, I saw all the different colors and notes around these pages. Last year on a Fast, I did a self study of this book and I remember how powerful it was. God has provided all that we need…period. I cannot add anything to that.

 

46 Days

2 Corinthians 5:17     Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

We are now 46 days into the New Year, so how have your resolutions of change progressed? Have you slipped back into your old self, and the resolution faded away? We have been through a sermon series at church speaking of how to change. The only way to change anything, is through the free gift of Salvation, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit inside you. When Christ comes to live in your heart, nothing will remain the same.Verse 15 says, “and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” You will be changed as nothing else can promise or deliver.

We all have things we want to improve about ourselves. We think we see the means to accomplish them all over TV and media. But if we don’t put our souls and eternity at the top of the list, all else is vain, for it will die with us. In these verses Paul is speaking of the ministry of reconciliation, or a change from enmity to peace. Through Christ’s sacrifice, we have been righted to God. Verses 18,19 says “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” You have the opportunity to change the only thing that matters before you, and matters for an eternity. A whole lot longer than 46 days.

 
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Posted by on February 15, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Not Win?

14 Feb

Not Win?.

 
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Posted by on February 14, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

Not Win?

14 Feb

We all want to persuade others to our viewpoints. In any setting of most any discussion, we want others to believe what we believe. This could even let pride creep into evangelism. We can’t argue someone into accepting Christ. We can only present the Gospel with peace and love, and our testimony of what Christ has done in our lives. It is not us that does the work, it is Christ. We must learn to back ourselves down into meekness, and the strength that arises is the glory of Him who made us.

 

 

Not win?

James 3:16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

This entire chapter of James is speaking about the power of our speech. The blessings, the cursings, and the hypocrisy from the same mouth. Are you wired to try and win an argument? Do you find yourself compromising your integrity to try and drive your viewpoint home? That is pride and straight from Satan. Verse 15 says, “This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.” We are so inclined to bring to front our thoughts, and our ways, that they can become self-seeking, and not glorifying to God.

There is a meekness in the wisdom of a true follower of Christ that brings with it a strength that the earthly wisdom will not comprehend. There is a peace that comes with the heavenly wisdom that does not need to “win.” Verse 17, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” We have all heard of the scriptures about turning the other cheek, and forgiving our enemies, and such. This is the wisdom of Peace, that comes with Christ, that surpasses all earthly understanding. What do you mean you don’t want to win?

 
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Posted by on February 14, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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The Great Comforter

13 Feb

The Great Comforter.

 
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Posted by on February 13, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

The Great Comforter

13 Feb

We all have our battles, and our stresses of life. We all can be drug down into the gloom by our enemy and the focus on the problems, and not the solution. Constant distractions, lack of time, and the pressures of society feed worry. I know we all battle it daily. But there is a solution that comes with Christ, that gives us comfort in those times of need. The more time we spend with Him, the less the cares of the world have power over us. You truly begin to see things in a different light. If I am to describe my relationship with Christ in one word, that word is Peace. That does not mean my life is a bed of roses, and it is far from it. But I do know where to turn when the pressures of life get to me. It is not only for me, it is for all of you too….all you have to do is ask Him.

 

 

 

The Great Comforter

Philippians 4:6-7   Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

What worries you? What brings you comfort? Our world promised material treasures, 30 day programs, and medications to fix any problem that we have. I don’t know of anyone who could claim to not worry over something. I suffer myself from both anxiety and depression, and I have given both up to God. Paul is speaking here of the gift of the Holy Spirit upon acceptance of the free gift of Salvation. The Holy Spirit is also known as the Great Comforter. He is the enabler, the guide to wisdom, the pathway to peace.

John 14:27 says “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Christ was speaking here of whom He was leaving with us to those that accepted Him, when Christ returned to heaven. This is a free gift that nourishes our sousl for our little time here, then we take that peace into eternity. Our world is full of daily stresses that that draw our attention away from God. But if we turn our hearts to God in prayer and time in His Word, the Great Comforter that indwells in us, will bring about a peace that surpasses all understanding. Their is only one way to gain this comfort, by the Cross of Jesus Christ.

 
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Posted by on February 13, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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The Eyes

12 Feb

The Eyes.

 
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Posted by on February 12, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 
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