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The Conundrum of Comparison

Psalm 73:25-26

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

This excerpt from Psalm 73 is often quoted, but have you read the entire Psalm to see its context.  It has a great message regarding our attitudes towards those who do seem to prosper in this world … yet do not know God nor have a faithful relationship with him.  Too often, we compare our financial situations with others who seem to “prosper” more than ourselves. In doing so, we walk a dangerous line and fail to see the greater blessing of trusting God and serving Him with our lives. When Asaph, the Psalmist, went into the sanctuary of God, he discerned the end of the unrighteous and took hope in the resurrection to come for the righteous.  He concluded in his supplication before God:

Psalm 73:23-28 (ESV)

23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.  24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength (the rock) of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

It is probably best not to make comparisons with others because to do so often provokes envy and misguides our hearts. We can be enticed to covet things we do not have … not considering what we do have in Christ Jesus is far better than any riches this world might have to offer. As Paul wrote:

1 Timothy 6:6-12 (NIV)

6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/27/19

1 John 3:18 (NIV)

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

No matter how much we profess to love God or to love one another, the evidence of love is in the actions taken to demonstrate it.  God not only tells us that He loves us, but God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).  John reminds us here that actions speak louder than words.  Even Jesus requires action on our part to show or demonstrate our love for Him: “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (Cf. John 14:15; 1 John 5:3) Yes, love is a verb! Love is service oriented. Love is something we “do”.  (Love is: 1 Corinthians 13).

On a similar note, I am reminded that the Apostle James frankly addresses this point with regard to our faith.  Faith is not profession alone either.  No matter how much we “believe,” the evidence of faith is in the actions that demonstrate it as well.  Here James distinguishes between faith as a concept and faith as a reality:    

James 2:14-17 (NIV)

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

I pray that our Verse of the Day will challenge us to “live” like we “love” and to “befriend” like we “believe”.  As Paul challenges us:

Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)

I urge you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (spiritual worship). 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

And as a reminder, I will reprint this verse for us as well:

1 John 4:20-21 (NKJV)

20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/09/19

2 Thessalonians 1:3

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.

This verse is a nice reminder to be thankful for our brothers and sisters in the Lord.  Paul indicated to the Thessalonian Church that his offering of gratitude to God for fellow believers was the right thing to do in light of their faith; its perseverance; its ever-increasing growth and maturity; and its abounding love for others.  Paul said he boasted to other bodies of believers about their perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials they were enduring.  Wow!  What kind of testimony do you think Paul would give to Second Chance Church?  Other churches in our community?  What kind of prayer would he offer for the Church today?  Well, I’m glad you asked because I think Paul would offer the same prayer for us that he did for the Thessalonians:

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (NIV)

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s examine his prayer a little more:

1. With this in mind ….

What is Paul referring to with this phrase? In Verses 5-10, Paul discusses the challenges and suffering the Thessalonian church was experiencing from non-believers and the culture around them. Sound familiar?  Yet, he offered them hope that justice would be accomplished when Jesus returns and explains how that will occur.  Perhaps, we should take note….

2. We constantly pray for you….

What a great comfort to know that another person is praying for you.  Even better, like Paul, tell other people you are praying for them … and often.  And let them know what you are praying for them … and asking God to do in them and for them….

3. That our God may make you worthy of His calling…

This is an interesting petition.  Notice the implication of what Paul is saying here.  You and I do not make ourselves worthy of the call God places upon us; rather HE makes us worthy. The questions here become: “How does God make us worthy of His calling?” and “Why is it important for us to pray for worthiness?”  My thoughts are that worthiness  is something we cannot accomplish within ourselves; however, we can respond to His call upon our lives by living a life worthy of the calling we have received.  You see this phrase and similar petitions in other epistles of Paul.

4. That by His power He may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 

Again, note that it is the power of God that brings fruition our desire for goodness; to our desire for holiness; to our service and ministry for others prompted by our faith.  So this verse corroborates that our salvation is by grace through faith … and not of works.  Our desire for goodness and serving others is fulfilled by the power of God working in us.  His Spirit will equip us for being effetive and productive … living lives worthy of our calling (Cf. 2 Peter 1:8)

5. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him,

Notice that the purpose of his prayer is for the name of the Lord Jesus to be glorified in His disciples and followers … AND each of us to be glorified in Him!

I thought this opportunity to examine a powerful prayer was too important for us to miss.  And I hope that you will consider how your prayers for fellow believers will not only encourage them – but will strengthen your own faith as you petition the Lord and observe His grace and power unfold in the lives of His people according to your prayers.  So I have reprinted some additional prayers of Paul for other churches below.  Note the similarities and content of his prayers.  I hope these examples will “reset your mindset” regarding prayer and inspire you and I to pray more intentionally and powerfully.  For you know these prayers will be answered because the Lord Jesus will be glorified through the fruit we bear as we live lives worthy of the calling we have received.  Amen!.

Ephesians 1:15-19 (NIV)

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, 19 and His incomparably great power for us who believe.

Ephesians 4:1 

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Colossians 1:3-12 (NIV)

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and      increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 

1 Thessalonians 1:2-5 (NIV)

2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and  your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that He has chosen you,5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. 

1 Thessalonians 2:11-13 (NIV)

11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory. 13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually    is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 

Philippians 1:3-11 (NIV)

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/05/19

Psalm 33:4-5

For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love.

Sometimes we just need a reminder….

His Word is right and true … it is most trustworthy!  He is faithful in all that He does … even when we are not faithful.  He loves righteousness and justice … and calls us to follow Him to administer the same to one another.  The earth is full of His unfailing love … His deep, passionate, and everlasting love! I pray we will all meditate on these things….

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 02/02/19

1 Corinthians 2:9

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love Him—

I love our Verse of the Day because of the hope it expresses to us regarding our future … our eternal life with Christ Jesus in heaven.  Actually, Paul uses language here quite similar to that used by the Prophet Isaiah; so I will reprint the “original” passage from the O.T. for your reference:

Isaiah 64:3-5 (NKJV)

When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.  From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for Him.  You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways.

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NKJV)

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Obviously, the quote is not exact, but Paul applies the concept that Isaiah affirms: We just do not know the mysteries of God.  We have not seen or heard or conceived what God has prepared for us who have placed our faith in His Son, Christ Jesus!  It defies the imagination because we cannot even fathom the visible universe much less the detail of what is not seen.  What Isaiah targets is the unbelievable thought that the Creator would act on behalf of those who wait on Him … who call upon Him … who believe and trust in Him.  These mysterious experiences will follow those who have relationship and fellowship with God … i.e. those who love Him! Yes, it is hard to believe because it is hard to conceive … but Jesus Himself affirmed there is a place prepared for us – and He would come again to take us there:

Matthew 25:33-34 (NKJV)

 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

John 14:1-6 (NKJV)

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwellings (mansions); if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

I pray that each of us will meditate of this truth from Scripture:  There is a place prepared for us in heaven by our Lord and Savior.  Its beauty and composition surpass anything we could ever conceive or imagine.  And Jesus is returning to take us there at the appointed time of the Father.  So we just need to believe …  anticipate the supernatural … and be ready as the sheep of His right hand for the blessing that awaits us!  Amen.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 01/31/19

Psalm 86:5 (NIV)

You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.

This verse is a great reminder to us!  God really does love us … despite our sins and failures!  As God declared in Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.  Why?  Because He remembers His covenant forever … the promise He made … for a thousand generations. (Psalm 105:8) Yes, the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God … slow to anger … abounding in love and faithfulness. (cf. Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 103:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2)  Do you see the diversity of biblical writers who share this same truth?

Psalm 103:13-14 (NIV)

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; 14 for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust.

God desires us to be holy.  He wants us to be perfect … yet He knows how we are formed and remembers that we are but dust.  In our human state, we will not fully attain the holiness that God requires.  But in His love … in His compassion for His children (those who fear Him) … God provides His salvation for us.  God gave us His Son … that through Him (Jesus) we might be saved and hidden in Him … covered in His holiness … and beneficiaries of His righteousness. Yes, His righteousness is imputed to us through faith!  Why?  Because we would never be able to attain these things for ourselves.  If salvation were possible within ourselves or through our own deeds, then there would be no need of a Savior…. 

For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Someone reading this blog needs to know these truths!  Someone needs assurance that God truly loves them.  My child; my friend; my brother or sister in Christ … I can assure you … through the truth of the Word of God … you are loved!  You ARE loved! The Lord God says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3) Only I caution you, I urge you, to not dismiss or forsake the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience; rather, understand that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance. (cf. Romans 2:4) Seek His heart!  Ask Him to create a clean heart in you.  For who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin? (Proverbs 20:9) But what does the Scripture say?

1 John 1:8-10 (NKJV)

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

I am reminded of the Prayer of Repentance and the Prayer for Reconciliation that King David offered before God … and recorded for us in Psalm 51.  I encourage you to read the entire Psalm, but I have reprinted Verses 1-12 here for us to consider:

Psalm 51:1-12 (NKJV)

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight— that You may be found just in Your words, and blameless when You judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Yes, sin has separated us from God … for He is Holy!  And though God hates the sin in our lives … He still loves the sinner.  So He gave His life … the life of His Son, Jesus, for sinners. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).  That is how much He loves you and me!  God provided His own sacrifice for our sins … one not offered by us for ourselves – (inadequate and insufficient) …  but one offered by Himself and for Himself and for our sakes that would be the “propitiation for our sins”.  (cf. 1 John 2:2)

1 John 4:7-16 (NKJV)

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected (completed) in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

If you think about it, our sin(s) is usually rooted in the absence of love … whether the absence of love for God or the absence of love for other people.  Our sin stems from the lack of deep compassion … the lack of sincere respect for others (or ourselves for that matter).  And when we fail to love other people who we can see … we fail to love the God who created them that we cannot see. (cf. 1 John 4:20) The question, really, is not whether God loves you.  He does! The question here is whether you love God.  I pray that you will not confuse the remorse for your sin … the conviction of the Holy Spirit that your sin separates you from our Holy Father … as some sort of confirmation that God cannot and does not love you.  He does love you with an everlasting love.  But He wants you and I to respond to His love.  He wants us to fellowship with Him.  He wants His love for us to be completed in us … to come full circle … and that is accomplished when we love one another as He has loved us! I firmly believe that the sin in our hearts and lives can be distilled down to one issue: The absence of sincere love for other people!  We have this commandment from God: that he who loves God MUST love his brother also. (1 John 4:21)

So go back and read 1 John 4:7-16 again.  Now consider that if you want to live a sinless life … a holy life … then determine in your heart that a life of love (love as God has demonstrated it towards us) is the key to the accomplishment of your desire.  If we love one another, God abides in us! What was the sin the David confessed and repented from in Psalm 51?  Was it not for the lustful desire and willful violation of Bathsheba (a married woman); and the willful murder of her husband Uriah on the battlefield; and the ultimate death of the infant born to them out of wedlock?  Where was the love of others in the heart of David when all these events occurred? There was no love! There was only the evil intent and inclinations of his heart …  sin manifesting itself as the absence of love for others, and therefore, the absence of love for a gracious and loving Creator!  And if we honestly evaluate our own hearts and lives – are we any more innocent than David?  Are we any more righteous than a man who sought after God’s own heart?  If we fail to love one another – we sin and fall short of the commandment of God:

1 John 3:23 (NKJV)

23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave commandment.

1 John 4:21 (NKJV)

We have this commandment from God: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

1 John 5:1-5 (NKJV)

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves Him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—your faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

2 John 1:4-6 (NKJV)

4 I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father. 5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.

I really do not know how the message of God … the commandment of God could be made clearer to us than what the Apostle John has shared with us.  Again, I challenge you, that the question we should ask ourselves is not whether God loves us; but rather, we should ask ourselves if we truly love God.  And the answer is not something we can just verbalize.  Remember, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar.” No, love is something we actually do!  When we love one another … we will not give into temptation … we will not pursue the sin that so easily ensnares us.  When we love one another, God abides in us and His love is completed in us.  Yes, this is how we know He abides in us.  He has given us of His Spirit … and the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such there is no law. (cf. Galatians 5:22-23) As the Apostle Paul wrote:

Romans 8:3-4 (NKJV)

3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 

Romans 13:8-9 (NKJV)

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:13-14 (NKJV)

13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

God has declared and demonstrated His love for us.  There is no question or doubt about it!  What He wants to see is our love for Him!  His love for us was demonstrated through the sacrificial death of His Son.  Our love for Him is demonstrated through our sacrificial love for one another.  We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices … holy and acceptable to God … which is our spiritual worship.  (cf. Romans 12:1) So, I pray that each of us (just as our merciful, compassionate God and Savior) will be forgiving and good; abounding in love to all those God has placed in our lives.  May we in truth fulfill His commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves.  For this is how we will know, and will experience, His love for us and in us.  Amen.

So Now You Know….

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 01/25/19

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

It has been busy for me the past several days, but I have not forgotten about our Verse of the Day.  It was interesting because when I read them each morning, I was surprised to see verses we had already covered in the commentaries on temptation and holiness earlier in the week . So I thought that it would be redundant to the send them on….  For your reference:

Verse of the Day                    January 23, 2019

James 1:5       If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Verse of the Day                    January 24, 2019

Galatian 6:1   Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

This brings us to our current verse – which to me is related to our continuing theme of personal consecration, but moves us to another “strategy” in the pursuit of holiness.  Up to this point we had looked to prayer and spiritual empowerment … and taking every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5) But here Paul encourages us to take a proactive approach with our thought life – the wellspring which drives our behavior. He says: whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  What thoughts in this list do we need to take captive to make it obedient to Christ?

True:              Conformable to an essential reality.                                       Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. (John 17:17)

Noble:             Having or showing fine personal qualities or high moral principles and ideals.  A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. (Proverbs 31:29)

Right:             Being in accordance with what is just, good, or proper.             If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7)

Pure:              Unmixed with any other matter; spotless; absolute.              Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)

Lovely:           Delightful for beauty, harmony, or grace; attractive.             How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! (Psalm 84:1)

Admirable:    Deserving the highest esteem; praiseworthy; excellent. I will make known the Lord’s faithful love and the Lord’s praiseworthy acts, because of all the Lord has done for us— even the many good things He has done for the house of Israel, which He did for them based on His compassion and the abundance of His faithful love.

Paul asserts that we are to meditate on these types of thoughts.  Meditate on what is true; moral; good; pure; attractive; and praiseworthy.  But we all have to remember that our thoughts come from our inner being … our hearts … yes, our souls.

Genesis 6:5 (NIV)
The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 

Matthew 15:18-20 (NIV)
But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

And therein lies the challenge for us to think about the things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable .  The attributes of these thoughts have to come from our hearts as well.  So it is imperative that our hearts are changed.  Yet only God can change a person’s heart.  And here is how God does it:

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Interesting!  The Word of God has been declared by Christ Jesus as the Truth!  And it is the Word of God (Truth) that changes the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts!  Jesus, who is the Word of God, said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) If you want the Truth to fill your life … to transform you and renew your mind … then you need Jesus!  He is everything that is true; He is noble and exemplifies the highest moral principles; He is righteous and His judgements are true; He is pure, holy and sinless; He is altogether lovely, full of compassion and grace; and He is admirable, praiseworthy, and the most excellent of men!  If you need something; or rather, someone to adjust your thinking … to reset your mindset … just look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith (cf. Hebrews 12:2) Let Jesus captivate your thoughts and meditate on Him!  Then you will discover the “way out” God promise:s to you and me to endure temptation….)

When our faithful God promised to not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear, He provided us a way out so that we could endure it.  That WAY is Jesus!  Meditating on Jesus (His character, attributes, and teachings) enables us to transcend and endure temptation WHEN it comes.  The closer we draw to Him … the more we submit ourselves to Him.  The more we submit ourselves to Him … the more we are empowered to resist the devil so that he will flee from us. (cf. James 4:7-8) Can you imagine that scene?  Satan running away from us?  That roaring lion seeking someone to devour in retreat?  All we have to do is meditate on Jesus. As Paul urged us: “Just think on these things” and let them drive your behavior.  My friend, I pray you will know that the God of peace is with you, and His peace will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (cf. Philippians 4:7) Yes, God has assured us victory in the midst of temptation.  We can endure it, and Jesus is the Way!  Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 01/22/19

Matthew 7:7-8

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

This passage is probably quite familiar to you.  Jesus is speaking; or rather, teaching His “Sermon on the Mount” and imparting various spiritual lessons to those gathered and following Him.  The “Sermon on the Mount” actually begins in Matthew Chapter 5 and concludes in Chapter 7.  If you have the opportunity this week, I would encourage to take some time to read it again.  As usual, I want to reprint the passage in its surrounding context:

Matthew 7:7-11 (NIV)
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!

The passage is focused on our prayer time and quiet time before God.  The key principle is that we “ask” God for our needs, and that He is a loving and faithful Father and will give “good gifts to those who ask Him.”  Even the order of the action words in Verse 7 form an acronym of the word “ASK” as shown:

            A         Ask

            S          Seek

            K         Knock

I think Jesus is encouraging us to take “action” when in prayer. In prayer we are asking God for His help; seeking wisdom for our questions and concerns; and knocking on the doors of possibilities for answers to be provided.  But part of the deal is that we must believe God will answer prayer and do so in a manner that is “good” for us.  That might not always be what we think God should do or how He should answer our prayers…. The Apostles, as other inspired writers of Scripture, urge us to ask and seek God in prayer for our needs.  Note some of the insight surrounding prayer that James affords to us:

James 1:5-7 (NIV)
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

James 4:1-3 (NIV)
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Paul was not afraid to seek God and to ask Him for “good things”. Here are some examples of powerful prayers that serve as models for us:

 Ephesians 1:16-19 (NIV)
16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, 19 and His incomparably great power for us who believe.

Ephesians 3:15-21 (NIV)
16 I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Colossians 1:9-12 (NIV)
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light.

And, of course, John encourages us to trust in the character of the Father and the Son to answer our prayers:

1 John 3:21-23 (NIV)
21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22and receive from Him anything we ask, because we keep His commands and do what pleases Him. 23 And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He (Jesus) commanded us.

1 John 5:13-15 (NIV)
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.

What are some of your take-aways from these passages?  Mine are that we should ask in faith; ask according to His revealed will; and have confidence before God that we will receive IF we keep His commands and do what pleases Him.  God is generous and good as we know, but what we ask and how we ask and the intimacy of our personal relationship with God appear to affect answers and outcomes to our prayers.  I believe we need to examine ourselves in these areas more if we have come to the conclusion that “God does not hear me”.  Perhaps, the problem is not God at all….

For some final comments, I wanted to connect this Verse of the Day with our pursuit of holiness and living a consecrated life before God.  More specifically, our lesson on temptation from 1 Corinthians 10:13 comes to mind: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” My thought is this: Do we boldly ASK God for help when we are enticed by our hearts to indulge in sinful behavior or conduct?  Do we diligently SEEK His power to resist and flee? Do we KNOCK on the door of “escape” He promised in His Word to afford us?  The Apostle James wrote about this conflict within us:

James 1:12-15 (NIV)
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one.14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

To interrupt this process of temptation => sin => death, we need to ASK God for His power.  As Peter wrote: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3)   We need to SEEK the way out of temptation.  As James concluded: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7) And we need to KNOCK on the door of heaven for a place refuge.  As Jesus declared: “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:7-10)

So now you know … that Jesus instructed us to simply ASK.  If we will keep His commands; do what pleases Him; and ask according to His will – He will hear us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.  Let’s start asking for the conviction to consecrate our lives to God.  Let’s start praying for holiness to be the fervent and persistent passion of our hearts.  Let’s start resisting the devil who lies and deceives and urges us to act on the temptations we have in our hearts.  Let’s start submitting ourselves God wholly and completely … knowing that our gracious Father knows how to give good gifts (the anointing of the Holy Spirit) to those who ask Him.  Amen!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 01/21/19

Galatians 6:7-8

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

This Verse of the Day is connected with the last few we have studied.  To me, the Spirit is trying to focus us on sincerity of heart … the genuineness of our faith. We will all stand before our Holy Father … at the judgment seat of Christ, and the truth of our lives (which have always been known by God) will require an account. His Light will expose every hidden thought and act of darkness within us on the Day!  What we often fail to remember is that “Day” will be the day of our passing or the day of our resurrection. And we do not know the day nor the hour when that will occur….(Cf. Matthew 25:13)

Therefore, the Apostle Paul admonishes us to consider our manner of life … what we do; how we interact with others; and to not deceive ourselves by comparing our hearts and lives with others.  As Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) Paul is telling the Galatian Church (and us) to not deceive ourselves.  God sees and knows everything about us … what we say and what we do every moment we are breathing.  We are foolish if we think that He does see:

Genesis 16:13 (NIV)
She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

Job 11:11 (NIV)
Surely, He recognizes deceivers; and when He sees evil, does He not take note?

Job 31:4 (NIV)
Does He not see my ways and count my every step?

Psalm 33:13-15 (NIV)
The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.

Psalm 94:7-11 (NIV)
They say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob takes no notice.” 8 Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise? 9 Does He who fashioned the ear not hear? Does He who formed the eye not see? 10 Does He who disciplines nations not punish? Does He who teaches mankind lack knowledge? 11 The Lord knows all human plans; He knows that they are futile.

1 John 1:5-10 (NIV)
5 This is the message we have heard from Him (Jesus) and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.

And so the main point here is about self-deception.  We need to be honest.  We need to be transparent before both God and man.  God sees us even if we are able to hide the truth from others.  God knows us even if we are able to hide our actions from others. Paul warns us that whatever we sow … we will reap – both physically and spiritually.  That is the bottom line.  Everything we say or do has an effect on ourselves and most likely on those around us.  And God sees it all!  But I want to put our Verse of the Day into context so we can view it in a different light….

I think most of us read this verse and only look at its implications for ourselves.  For example, if I smoke (in order to please my flesh), I will reap the physical toll it does to my body.  Similarly, if I eat like a glutton or make poor food choices (in order to please my flesh), I might become overweight and reap the physical toll it does to my body. What about addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling, pornography or sexual desires? There are consequences to our bodies; and our souls are highjacked and return to bondage in the process. However, I wonder if Paul meant for us to more intentionally look at the impact of our conduct on the well-being of others when he states: “God cannot be mocked and that we will reap what we sow.”  When we are focused on “pleasing ourselves” do we consider the selfishness of what we sow to indulge our flesh?

Galatians 6:1-10 (NIV)

1Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

When I looked at our verse in its surrounding context, I began to see something different – something that I had not really considered before regarding sowing and reaping.  Most of the time I’ve only considered the outcome of what sowing to my own flesh would produce … how it would please me or the potential consequences which I would choose to dismiss. I might consider its impact on my own soul; but I did not think about the impact of what I sowed to my own flesh (sinful nature) on others.  For example, if I were to judge and broadcast the sins of another person, not only do I harm them emotionally and spiritually, I am reaping destruction within my own soul. Why? Because I am not loving that other person as Christ Jesus has loved me.  We are to comfort each other and edify (encourage) one another. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) We are to carry each other’s burdens. To do otherwise is to disregard the command of Christ to love one another … and to be filled with sanctimonious pride … and we know that God will oppose the proud. (Cf. James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5) I started to think about what Paul said about us judging others of their sin:

Romans 2:1-4 (NIV)
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things (see Romans 1:18-32) is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

When we sow to the flesh (our sinful nature), the consequences impact not only ourselves but those around us … often in ways we might not see … or deliberately or blindly ignore.  It is a road that leads to destruction and we are urged to forego the temptation.  Then notice that Paul asserts there is an alternative and that we need to “sow to please the Spirit”.  He suggests that our conduct … our thoughts and deeds … should be cultivated in a manner to please the Holy Spirit.  When we sow to please the Spirit, our objective is to bear the fruit of the Spirit.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Cf. Galatians 5:22-23) But here is the catch. Do you realize that this fruit is the product (outcome) of what we sow into the lives of other people?  Look at each of the nine fruits listed.  Every one of them is RELATIONAL! Of what value is the fruit or its harvest if there is no meaningful context for its manifestation! Love requires an object of affection. Joy and peace are to be shared. Kindness, goodness, and gentleness has no impact if these are not extended to another human soul….  I truly think Paul was writing with this in mind when discussing the concept of reaping and sowing.  Doing good … sowing the seeds of spiritual fruit into the lives of others is the harvest that the Lord is seeking from us.  In this way we fulfill what Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15) In this way we fulfill the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (James 2:8)

I pray each of us will thoughtfully consider what sowing to our own flesh really entails … and who it ultimately impacts.  Sin only diminishes your walk with Christ Jesus and it discredits your testimony with others … which ultimately dishonors the Savior who redeemed us and purchased us with His own blood.  Again, we have been called to holiness. We are called to be conformed to His image. (Cf. Romans 8:29) “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2) And Paul has warned us not to be deceived or to deceive ourselves … or somehow be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3) So I pray each of us will get serious … reset our mindset … and sow to please the Spirit so that our lives in Christ Jesus will bear the fruit of the Spirit for the benefit of one another and those around us.  In this way, we will reap eternal life….  Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Verse of the Day – 01/20/19

James 1:2-3 (NIV)

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Our Verse of the Day continues to focus on our theme of personal holiness.  Yesterday we examined 1 Corinthians 10:13 where Paul reviewed the issue of temptation (also translated ‘testing’) and how God is faithful to us … knowing what or how much we can bear as well as providing a way of escape from it so that we can “endure” it. Remember, this encouragement was given to the Corinthian Church which was had received the Gospel message and turned toward God from idol worship and pagan religious practices.  Paul used the history of the Israelites to illustrate to them the reasons they should persevere in their pursuit of holiness (separation unto God) and to not continue in their idolatry; sexual immorality; unseemly conduct; or testing the “grace” of God given to them in Christ Jesus.  Without holiness, no one will see God. (Hebrews 12:14)

The Apostle James approaches the same issue in his epistle, and his encouragement takes us a little deeper into our spiritual understanding of how temptation and testing works to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. The “trials of many kinds” is quite broad, but the point here is that in our desire and zeal to attain holiness as Christians our faith is going to be tested. I think is has to do with the sincerity of our profession of faith.  I am reminded of what the Prophet Isaiah shared in his writings:

Isaiah 29:13-16 (NIV)13 The Lord says:

“These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is in vain because it is based on merely human rules they have been taught. 14 Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon       wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.” (Cf. 1 Corinthians 1:16-31; 2:1-14) 15 Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?” 16 You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me” Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”?

We need to understand something more here.  Hearing and understanding the truth of the Word of God is only the beginning of faith!  Receiving it … believing it arouses the spirit of a person to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior … for in truth He is! This is the born-again experience that Jesus explained to Nicodemus (Cf. John 3:1-12) But this is just that – the birth of a new creation.  There is a spiritual maturation process that must ensue after our birth in Christ just as we have experienced a physical maturation process after our physical births into the world.  As Paul taught and ministered to the Galatian Church on these matters, we observe his sense of frustration with their “turning back” from the truth they had received. (Cf. Galatians 4:8-20) As the writer of the Book of Hebrews put it: “1Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts (useless rituals) that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites (baptisms), the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. (Cf. Hebrews 6:1-3)

Spiritual maturity is produced through the testing of our faith.  It comes through endurance of temptation and perseverance through trials. Both testing and temptation (trials of many kinds) are designed to strengthen our wills to attain the “obedience that comes from faith”. (Cf. Romans 1:5; 16:26) Therefore, trials can be opportunities for the suffering which we have learned can facilitate or produce obedience in our hearts.  So the perspective of James is to count this spiritual maturation process as “joy”.  He urges us to rejoice in the sufferings produced during trials because we should know this will produce perseverance in our faith.  We will not desire to go back to “Egypt” or the bondage of sin in our lives.  No, through this process our spirits will mature and our hearts will grow deeper in love for God … and we will desire to “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Cf. Philippians 3:14)

A few final thoughts (Scriptures):

James 1:13-15 (NIV)

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)

 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

John 14:15-16

Jesus urged, “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate (the Holy Spirit) to help you and be with you forever.

John 15:9-11 (NIV)

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love.I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

I pray we will meditate on these things and grow in the obedience that comes from faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!