Monday
Who Or What Possesses You?
Read Philippians 3:12-14
This week’s “Daily Compass” has been a little difficult to write, based on my perception of the words possessed, possess, and possession, typically when we use these words it brings up negative connotations, that is usually associated with evil. There have been countless movies and music that have been produced that use these words in this manner. So wrapping my head around the fact that I am possessed by God took a minute and then I remembered that satan does not have a single original thought, he is the master manipulator and the word possessed is just another example of how he can twist and turn words and situations for his advantage. As I begin to ponder being possessed by God that is really a different way of saying I am filled by the Holy Spirit. Part of the definition of possession is stated in this manner; possession may be voluntary or involuntary and may be considered to have beneficial or detrimental effects. Over the past months we have been hearing the words that we speak shapes our lives. So I think the same rule applies here, what we allow to possess us, shapes us.
Jesus took possession because He was possessed, He was possessed by God the Father, He stated that I and the Father are one, I am in the Father and the Father is in me. In order to be possessed by someone or something you have to give yourself to it, when you have done this you will manifest what has control of your life. If you are possessed by the Holy Spirit then it should be clear whom you are following, there should be no doubt when you look at yourself and when others see you as to who you are filled with.
Jesus’ possession was apparent; He exhibited all of the attributes of the Father. Jesus walked in the Father’s love, extending mercy and grace wherever He went. Jesus did not look at the giants, even though in His day too many the Pharisees could be seen as giants, as a roadblock, Jesus did not let them stop Him from demonstrating the Kingdom and its benefits. That’s what we need to do, we need to allow God to fully possess us, and we need to take hold of His possession and walk in Kingdom power and move on to greater stuff.
Tuesday
Bondage Or Freedom; I Choose!
Read Romans 6:15-18
So, since we're out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we're free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly, You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom! (The Message, Romans 6:15-18)
We have the opportunity to choose freedom over bondage every day; our choice begins with what we allow in our life or what we give ourselves to. If we speak gloom and doom into our lives we are going to receive gloom and doom, however if we seek gladness and joy then our lives will be full of gladness and joy. We need to evaluate our thoughts and actions. The same is true with sickness or health, poverty or wealth. In hearing this message I had to step back and take a look at myself, the words I speak, my actions, what do people see when they see me. Do my actions match what I am speaking? Do I really do what I say, do I really want what I say I want. Who or what possesses me. Am I free or in bondage?
Wednesday
Possession; Begins With Seeking
Matthew 6:33
The Jews were greatly mistaken in respect to the nature of that kingdom which their Messiah was to set up. They expected a kingdom like the kingdoms of this world, invested with earthly splendor; they expected to increase wealth and power to their nation, and minister to their national pride. Christ sought to free them from the illusion that they had of this kingdom they were seeking. He told them that his kingdom did not come with outward show--that it must be within men, and that it was not of this world. He would have them understand that it was spiritual, and not temporary; demanding the place of the heart, and not the pomp and pageantry, so commonly rendered to royalty. The simple idea of this kingdom is that Christ himself reigns in the hearts of his people, securing the perfect submission of the will, and the consecration of every power to himself. Thus his kingdom is within; it is invisible. It puts on no outward glare. In the hearts of men he writes his laws by his Spirit, and thus rules over them to deliver them from satan and sin, and translate them into his own kingdom of peace and love.
This is the kingdom we are required to seek. To seek it, implies that we seek to belong to it--seek to know Christ's will and to do it--seek to be recognized by Christ as one of his subjects, and seek to promote the interests of this kingdom, as all true subjects of any kingdom do, and should do if the government deserves their support. He, who truly seeks first the kingdom of God, seeks to be as really and perfectly governed by Christ now, as the holy in Heaven are. He would have Christ living and reigning within him so that every thought shall be brought into obedience. This is one of the first steps to growing up into Him to possess what God has for us.
Thursday
Move To Possess
Exodus 14:15-16
One of the most common ways for the Lord to speak, both in the Bible and today, is through dreams and visions. He may use dreams because when we are asleep our rational mind cannot interfere with our listening or seeing. They have great emotional power. Dreams and visions keep us moving to possess. Dreams and visions inspire us to reach a goal and as we are working to achieve the goal set before us we need to keep that dream and vision in front of us. Many times with our dreams or visions we want to wait until the time seems right or until things get better or until we are better people, if we wait for those things then we will never get started. I believe that when we begin moving that is when our breakthrough comes. So you may ask yourself where do I start, start right where you are! With any dream or vision there are usually many questions, but we do not seek the right source for the answers. Seek The Source! God is that source. To possess we have to know that we have a promise, we have to see our promise, and we have to have faith that we can have our promise, we have to prepare to move into our promise, we have to move into our promise and we have to fight for the promise.
Steve Backland, author of “Victorious Mindsets” says in his book “you take the kingdom ‘little by little” but you must move forward to take it. Don’t wait seek and move to take possession.”
Friday
You Become What You Crave
Read 1st Peter 1:8-10
What gives joy its quality? I don't mean merely its intensity, but its moral character? What makes joy ugly or beautiful? Depraved or noble? Dirty or clean? The answer is that the thing enjoyed gives joy its character. If you enjoy dirty jokes and bathroom language and lewd pictures, then your heart is dirty and your joy is dirty. If you enjoy cruelty and arrogance and revenge, then your heart and your joy have that character. Or the more you get your joy simply from material things, the more your heart and your joy shrivel up like a mere material thing. You become like what you crave.
Peter says that Christian joy is inexpressible and glorified. So how does it become that like that? It becomes like that because Christian joy is the joy of craving the preciousness of Jesus and the reliability of Jesus. You become like what you crave. Christians crave Christ. Therefore they become like Christ. Christ's preciousness and reliability are inexpressibly great, and so our joy is inexpressible in him. And Christ has in him all the glory of the universe and of God, and so our joy in him is a glorified joy—that is, a joy being changed from one degree to another by his glory as we are attracted by its preciousness and as we are confident in its reliability. We become what we crave and what Christians crave above all else is the glory of Christ. So our joy is "inexpressible and glorified" because it is joy in loving Christ and trusting Christ who is inexpressibly glorious.
You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation. 1 Peter 1:8-10(The Message).
The Weekender
Let’s look back on what we have learned this week and review. In reflecting it is our desire that if something that you have learned really stands out that you look at ways in which you can implement them into your situation and life that will make a difference in your life.
Who or what possesses you?___________________________________________________________
Do you express attributes of God living in you?______________________________________
You have a choice, freedom or bondage, which do you live in?_________________________
Does your life reflect one living in freedom or one living in bondage?______________
If living in bondage what are ways that you can move forward to freedom?_____________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Christ tells us to seek first the Kingdom, are you seeking the Kingdom? ____________
In what ways are you seeking the Kingdom?____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What is your dream or your vision? __________________________________________________
Are you moving forward or are you at a standstill? __________________________________
What is holding you back?____________________________________________________________
What can you do to move forward?_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What do you crave?___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Do you have inexpressible joy? _________________________If not; why? ________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
March 28, 2011
March 21, 2011
The Daily Compass March 20-26, 2011
Monday
Possessing Joy
Read Psalms 16:11
If I grant you one wish, asking you, "Do you want money or joy?" which one would you choose? Yes, you can only pick one. Now, carefully think it over. I know what's going through your mind; you're thinking, "If I pick money, I'll be able to have joy, too." Certainly, money can buy you almost everything, but can it bring you true joy?
While money may bring us delights for our eyes, it cannot buy us lasting joy for our spirits. If fire meets money, everything that money could bring will shrivel into flames. On the other hand, if you possess joy, no fire can ever burn it. And since you will not be dependent on material riches with true joy, you will be able to be content in whatever circumstances you're in. The apostle Paul said, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need." (Philippians 4:11-12)
God is our secret to true joy, as the Bible says, "Happy is the people whose God is Jehovah." My relationship with God brings me the greatest joy and contentment. When I know and have God, I have everything else. God is not just my life--He is more than life. After all, Jehovah is the Creator of life, so the Creator is always larger than the creation, regardless how grand the creation may be. God is love. When God is the very representation of love (I John 4.8), we can be certain that we can entirely trust Him. When we can completely trust someone with our very lives, it not only brings security but the greatest joy. God provides direction. On our own, we are like travellers’ trying to find our way in a foreign country without a map and a compass. God delivers us from troubles. And last but not least God gives us an eternal hope. When we abide in God, we receive the greatest opportunity to live forever in fellowship with our Heavenly Father. The relationship that we have truly can define the level of joy that we possess in our lives.
Tuesday
The Secret Of Joy
Read The Book of Philippians
At this very moment people all over the world are experiencing things that are threatening to break into their lives, steal their joy, and leave them miserable. Right now there are people in the city where you live that are experiencing things that are jeopardizing their joy. But you don’t have to travel around the world—or even around town—to witness what I’m talking about. All you have to do is live. Because, every day negative things happen in our lives that threaten to send us spinning in a downward spiral. The good news, though, is that we don’t have to go down with our circumstances. As a Christians, we have the power to rise above our circumstances.
Paul did. He was in prison when he wrote the letter to the church in Philippi. The prospect of death hovered over his head daily. To make matters worse, Paul’s friend—got very sick and almost died while visiting him during his imprisonment. And as if that weren’t more than enough for one person to handle, Paul had enemies within the church that sought to make his life as miserable as possible. Considering the circumstances in Paul’s life when he wrote this letter, one might suppose to read in Philippians the words of a grumpy old man who is mad at the world and at God. After all, less than half of what Paul experienced would be more than enough to make most of us depressed or cynical. However, in spite of his circumstances, Paul writes from prison the most beautiful "joy- letter" ever written. The Romans had hand-cuffs, but they didn’t have heart-cuffs. Therefore, Paul was free to possess joy in jail. He was free to turn a cell into a celebration. Sixteen times in the four chapters of Philippians we read the words joy or rejoice in some form. Paul rejoiced in prayer, in the preaching of Christ, in the unity of the church, in the thought of the second coming, in the thought of death, in the Philippians themselves, and in their care for him. What was the secret to Paul’s joy? Where—if not in his circumstances—did he find his joy? What was the secret to Paul’s joy? Jesus. Where—if not in his circumstances—did he find his joy? Let us never forget that—like Paul—even when we can’t rejoice in our circumstances, we can rejoice in Christ. Remember, the God that you serve wants to bless you with joy in any and every circumstance.
Wednesday
Removing The Spirit of Heaviness
Read Isaiah 61:3
Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? You have been sick for so long that you don't remember what it's like to be healthy. At one time, you battled this sickness, but the sickness seems to be winning. So you think, what’s the use, I might as well accept this sickness and learn to live with it. I'm never going to get well. Perhaps you are tired of fighting for your marriage. You are fed up with your spouse. You think that he doesn't love you anymore, so why fight for his love. You are ready to throw in the towel. Possibly you once waged war against your financial debts. But things haven't changed much, and you're beginning to get discouraged. You think that you are never going to get out from under all your bills. Perhaps you are tired of fighting for your marriage. You are fed up with your spouse. You think that he doesn't love you anymore, so why fight for his love. You might be having trouble with your children. You wonder if they are ever going to straighten up. You are exhausted from their rebellion. Is God ever going to change them? You wonder.
One of the most popular passages in the Bible is Nehemiah 8:10: "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Why is joy important? Because the "joy of the Lord is your strength!" Joy produces strength. And strength is needed to fight. You are called to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12). Isaiah 61:3 tells us that when we feel we are backed in to a corner and there is no hope, we are to put on a garment of praise (my interpretation). I have found that when I do just that PRAISE, my spirit lightens and is lifted up to new heights, the despair, hopelessness and depression leaves. Get rid of that heaviness; Praise the one whom our strength comes from.
Thursday
Serving with Gladness
Read Psalms 100:1-2
There are moments in our lives when we can serve the Lord with gladness, and it appears such a natural thing for us to do. Yet there are other moments when things happen in our lives that we don’t understand, and in those moments sometimes we find it hard to serve our Lord with gladness. It’s not that we don’t want to serve him continually with gladness. It is the sadness often of our circumstance that takes our Joy and we allow those circumstances to steal our opportunity of that moment in serving our God with gladness. In those moments, it is so very important that no matter the circumstances we learn to trust God even more and Praise Him through every circumstance. Our God never changes and He is the same in the good and bad times.
Our God is an awesome, loving, caring God, before our time, while in the womb of our Mother, he knew what our lives would be, and to this day already knows what lies ahead in our future. It is so important that we realize just what we mean to Him, and in doing so we will learn what He means to us. Peace, Contentment, Joy, Happiness, Blessings, God’s Love, Understanding and so much more the list is endless. It is time we realize that we can serve the Lord with gladness. Give to Him our all and allow Him to work through us every day in everything we do as we serve the Lord with gladness and rest in knowing it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves and it is He that will lead, guide, and direct our lives to work for our good if we only summit our whole being unto Him.
Friday
Strength In Joy
Read Nehemiah 8:10
Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” It’s been said that true joy always involves three things. First we have to make conscious decision to focus each day on God and His goodness. Second we must reach out and bless others every chance you get. This is a proven fact. Not long ago my family and I were going through a very rough patch and someone who was praying for us sent us an e-mail and told us that while she was praying that God reminded her of something and she wanted to pass it on. The advice was that each day for one week we were to bless someone less fortunate than us and through our blessing others that God would move on our behalf, well let me tell you that on the second day of doing this, we received a phone call that the need that we had was taken care of……two days!!! So my family and I have made it a point in some way we are going to do our best each day to bless someone. Third we must understand that joy produces strength, which we also need to realize that this makes our joy satan’s target. When we lose our joy we lose our strength and when we lose our joy, satan wins.
There are basically three kinds of people: there are those whose joy is impaired this is the one who believes that we’re not supposed to be happy. The joy killer….this is the one who’s been hurt by life and they don’t want others to be joyful either. Then, there is the joy carrier...these are the ones who when you’re around them, they exhilarate you, and what they are experiencing is often contagious. Many times joy was the word of the day so to speak with Jesus, wherever Jesus was there was joy. With Jesus living inside us and having a right relationship with Him, Real joy...wonderful joy is a result of our relationship with Jesus Christ...then we can say, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”
The Weekender
Take Your Joy Back
Like last week let’s take today and look back at what you have learned this week and reflect. In reflecting it is our desire that if something that you have learned really stands out that you look at ways in which you can implement them into your situation and life that will make a difference in your life.
In taking possession of joy, does the relationship that you have with God bring you joy and contentment?
Do you allow circumstances to interfere with your joy? If so take a look at Paul’s life and how he dealt with the circumstances he faced and try some of the methods he used to retain his joy. Make a list of ways that Paul possessed joy:
Why is joy important in our lives? Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? What are ways that we can overcome the feelings of wanting to give up and draw on the strength that God has for us?
Would you like to experience immeasurable, eternal joy? Do you possess eternal hope? If you answer no to any of the above questions take a moment and reflect on your relationship with the Father, do you see something in your relationship that is preventing you from possessing the joy that God has for you?
Steps you can take to possess joy in your life: Make a conscious decision to focus each day on God and His goodness. Reach out and bless others every chance you get. We must understand that joy produces strength, which we also need to realize that this makes our joy satan’s target. Serve the Lord in gladness. Praise Him and most of all when you welcome Jesus into your heart, for nothing and no one else can ever promise you the kind of joy only God can bring you!
Possessing Joy
Read Psalms 16:11
If I grant you one wish, asking you, "Do you want money or joy?" which one would you choose? Yes, you can only pick one. Now, carefully think it over. I know what's going through your mind; you're thinking, "If I pick money, I'll be able to have joy, too." Certainly, money can buy you almost everything, but can it bring you true joy?
While money may bring us delights for our eyes, it cannot buy us lasting joy for our spirits. If fire meets money, everything that money could bring will shrivel into flames. On the other hand, if you possess joy, no fire can ever burn it. And since you will not be dependent on material riches with true joy, you will be able to be content in whatever circumstances you're in. The apostle Paul said, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need." (Philippians 4:11-12)
God is our secret to true joy, as the Bible says, "Happy is the people whose God is Jehovah." My relationship with God brings me the greatest joy and contentment. When I know and have God, I have everything else. God is not just my life--He is more than life. After all, Jehovah is the Creator of life, so the Creator is always larger than the creation, regardless how grand the creation may be. God is love. When God is the very representation of love (I John 4.8), we can be certain that we can entirely trust Him. When we can completely trust someone with our very lives, it not only brings security but the greatest joy. God provides direction. On our own, we are like travellers’ trying to find our way in a foreign country without a map and a compass. God delivers us from troubles. And last but not least God gives us an eternal hope. When we abide in God, we receive the greatest opportunity to live forever in fellowship with our Heavenly Father. The relationship that we have truly can define the level of joy that we possess in our lives.
Tuesday
The Secret Of Joy
Read The Book of Philippians
At this very moment people all over the world are experiencing things that are threatening to break into their lives, steal their joy, and leave them miserable. Right now there are people in the city where you live that are experiencing things that are jeopardizing their joy. But you don’t have to travel around the world—or even around town—to witness what I’m talking about. All you have to do is live. Because, every day negative things happen in our lives that threaten to send us spinning in a downward spiral. The good news, though, is that we don’t have to go down with our circumstances. As a Christians, we have the power to rise above our circumstances.
Paul did. He was in prison when he wrote the letter to the church in Philippi. The prospect of death hovered over his head daily. To make matters worse, Paul’s friend—got very sick and almost died while visiting him during his imprisonment. And as if that weren’t more than enough for one person to handle, Paul had enemies within the church that sought to make his life as miserable as possible. Considering the circumstances in Paul’s life when he wrote this letter, one might suppose to read in Philippians the words of a grumpy old man who is mad at the world and at God. After all, less than half of what Paul experienced would be more than enough to make most of us depressed or cynical. However, in spite of his circumstances, Paul writes from prison the most beautiful "joy- letter" ever written. The Romans had hand-cuffs, but they didn’t have heart-cuffs. Therefore, Paul was free to possess joy in jail. He was free to turn a cell into a celebration. Sixteen times in the four chapters of Philippians we read the words joy or rejoice in some form. Paul rejoiced in prayer, in the preaching of Christ, in the unity of the church, in the thought of the second coming, in the thought of death, in the Philippians themselves, and in their care for him. What was the secret to Paul’s joy? Where—if not in his circumstances—did he find his joy? What was the secret to Paul’s joy? Jesus. Where—if not in his circumstances—did he find his joy? Let us never forget that—like Paul—even when we can’t rejoice in our circumstances, we can rejoice in Christ. Remember, the God that you serve wants to bless you with joy in any and every circumstance.
Wednesday
Removing The Spirit of Heaviness
Read Isaiah 61:3
Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? You have been sick for so long that you don't remember what it's like to be healthy. At one time, you battled this sickness, but the sickness seems to be winning. So you think, what’s the use, I might as well accept this sickness and learn to live with it. I'm never going to get well. Perhaps you are tired of fighting for your marriage. You are fed up with your spouse. You think that he doesn't love you anymore, so why fight for his love. You are ready to throw in the towel. Possibly you once waged war against your financial debts. But things haven't changed much, and you're beginning to get discouraged. You think that you are never going to get out from under all your bills. Perhaps you are tired of fighting for your marriage. You are fed up with your spouse. You think that he doesn't love you anymore, so why fight for his love. You might be having trouble with your children. You wonder if they are ever going to straighten up. You are exhausted from their rebellion. Is God ever going to change them? You wonder.
One of the most popular passages in the Bible is Nehemiah 8:10: "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Why is joy important? Because the "joy of the Lord is your strength!" Joy produces strength. And strength is needed to fight. You are called to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12). Isaiah 61:3 tells us that when we feel we are backed in to a corner and there is no hope, we are to put on a garment of praise (my interpretation). I have found that when I do just that PRAISE, my spirit lightens and is lifted up to new heights, the despair, hopelessness and depression leaves. Get rid of that heaviness; Praise the one whom our strength comes from.
Thursday
Serving with Gladness
Read Psalms 100:1-2
There are moments in our lives when we can serve the Lord with gladness, and it appears such a natural thing for us to do. Yet there are other moments when things happen in our lives that we don’t understand, and in those moments sometimes we find it hard to serve our Lord with gladness. It’s not that we don’t want to serve him continually with gladness. It is the sadness often of our circumstance that takes our Joy and we allow those circumstances to steal our opportunity of that moment in serving our God with gladness. In those moments, it is so very important that no matter the circumstances we learn to trust God even more and Praise Him through every circumstance. Our God never changes and He is the same in the good and bad times.
Our God is an awesome, loving, caring God, before our time, while in the womb of our Mother, he knew what our lives would be, and to this day already knows what lies ahead in our future. It is so important that we realize just what we mean to Him, and in doing so we will learn what He means to us. Peace, Contentment, Joy, Happiness, Blessings, God’s Love, Understanding and so much more the list is endless. It is time we realize that we can serve the Lord with gladness. Give to Him our all and allow Him to work through us every day in everything we do as we serve the Lord with gladness and rest in knowing it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves and it is He that will lead, guide, and direct our lives to work for our good if we only summit our whole being unto Him.
Friday
Strength In Joy
Read Nehemiah 8:10
Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” It’s been said that true joy always involves three things. First we have to make conscious decision to focus each day on God and His goodness. Second we must reach out and bless others every chance you get. This is a proven fact. Not long ago my family and I were going through a very rough patch and someone who was praying for us sent us an e-mail and told us that while she was praying that God reminded her of something and she wanted to pass it on. The advice was that each day for one week we were to bless someone less fortunate than us and through our blessing others that God would move on our behalf, well let me tell you that on the second day of doing this, we received a phone call that the need that we had was taken care of……two days!!! So my family and I have made it a point in some way we are going to do our best each day to bless someone. Third we must understand that joy produces strength, which we also need to realize that this makes our joy satan’s target. When we lose our joy we lose our strength and when we lose our joy, satan wins.
There are basically three kinds of people: there are those whose joy is impaired this is the one who believes that we’re not supposed to be happy. The joy killer….this is the one who’s been hurt by life and they don’t want others to be joyful either. Then, there is the joy carrier...these are the ones who when you’re around them, they exhilarate you, and what they are experiencing is often contagious. Many times joy was the word of the day so to speak with Jesus, wherever Jesus was there was joy. With Jesus living inside us and having a right relationship with Him, Real joy...wonderful joy is a result of our relationship with Jesus Christ...then we can say, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”
The Weekender
Take Your Joy Back
Like last week let’s take today and look back at what you have learned this week and reflect. In reflecting it is our desire that if something that you have learned really stands out that you look at ways in which you can implement them into your situation and life that will make a difference in your life.
In taking possession of joy, does the relationship that you have with God bring you joy and contentment?
Do you allow circumstances to interfere with your joy? If so take a look at Paul’s life and how he dealt with the circumstances he faced and try some of the methods he used to retain his joy. Make a list of ways that Paul possessed joy:
Why is joy important in our lives? Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? What are ways that we can overcome the feelings of wanting to give up and draw on the strength that God has for us?
Would you like to experience immeasurable, eternal joy? Do you possess eternal hope? If you answer no to any of the above questions take a moment and reflect on your relationship with the Father, do you see something in your relationship that is preventing you from possessing the joy that God has for you?
Steps you can take to possess joy in your life: Make a conscious decision to focus each day on God and His goodness. Reach out and bless others every chance you get. We must understand that joy produces strength, which we also need to realize that this makes our joy satan’s target. Serve the Lord in gladness. Praise Him and most of all when you welcome Jesus into your heart, for nothing and no one else can ever promise you the kind of joy only God can bring you!
March 12, 2011
The Daily Compass March 14-19, 2011
Monday
The Basis of What We Believe
Read Matthew 11:1-6
Do we arrive at our beliefs in a systematic manner or through an intuitive process? Are we predisposed towards some beliefs while being skeptical about others? Do life experiences play a strong role in what we believe? Does scientific training enable us to develop a method for deciding what to believe? Or is it that rationalists are born, not made? Is there a commonly accepted set of methods for deciding the truth value of claims?
Webster’s dictionary gives the following definitions for “belief”: “(1): a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing (2): something believed; especially: a tenet or body of tenets held by a group (3): conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence.” These definitions raise further questions such as “How does one arrive at this state of belief? Upon what does belief stand?
Everyone believes something. Belief is the heart of life itself. Belief makes up the convictions we hold, the principles we live by, the ideas we have about the world around us, the confidence we have in someone or something, and even the “faith” we have in God. But what is “belief”?
The picture we hold of God is the basis for what we believe. When a person has the wrong view of God it will affect what they believe, receive and how they live. John the Baptist sent his disciples to get an answer that he already knew. The circumstances he was in at the time seemed to contradict what he believed. John knew that Jesus was the Lamb of God and that He had come to set the captives free, but found himself in bondage.
Often we find ourselves in that very bondage by the words that we speak or allow others to speak over us. Scripture tells us that all we have to do is have the faith the size of a mustard seed and the problem or mountain sized problem we face can be spoken to and removed from our lives, but, when we live in the midst of contradiction and do not take God at his word we move into unbelief and doubt we do not see the things that want to take place happen and we begin to search for our own solutions and answers, which never work. Put you faith to work, trust God and sit back and watch what happens.
Tuesday
Waiting On God’s Will
Read Habakkuk 2:1, 3:16-19
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.(Habakkuk 2:1 niv) Unlike Habakkuk often we are not willing to wait on God to see what He is going to do. We live in such rush, rush, society to get things done, we want to see results immediately we often settle for second best instead of waiting on the very goodness that God has for us. There are advantages and rewards for waiting on God.
In several place throughout the book of Isaiah we find that God acts on our behalf as we wait for Him. “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him”. As you are waiting for God, He strengthens you. “But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” When waiting for God, He blesses you. “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him”
What does it mean to be blessed by God while we wait on Him? As we wait on God and His timing, He can accomplish so much in our hearts. Often we find new purpose in life, receive answers to prayer, see God work, increase our faith, and most often we see God’s perfect plan fulfilled in our situation. Remember, waiting is not wasted time!
Wednesday
Finding God’s Goodness In The Hard Times
Psalms 23
Everyone needs a bit of encouragement from time to time. Thankfully we have the Bible as our ultimate source of encouraging words! Even in the midst of the “financial crisis” or in the middle of a health crisis, we can remain hopeful and encouraged if we keep trusting in God. I have found that the key is to finding specific Bible verses and meditating on them. According to the Word, this is how faith comes. The more we soak up the truth of God’s Word, the more assured we become that He really is going to take care of us!
I know some people whose lives have been dramatically affected by this and I am one of those who have been affected, and I think as it progresses we will all know people who will go through struggles as a result. The important thing to remember in the midst of the chaos is that God is in control. He is not surprised by the events and He is not unsure how He is going to take care of his children. We are just as safe putting our trust in Him when things are going great as when it looks like everything is falling around us. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 4:19) Notice the verse says “ALL.” It doesn’t say “some” or “most,” but it says that He will meet all of our needs. It doesn’t say how He will meet our needs and I have found from experience the way He does it is often not what I expected. But the bottom line is that God is faithful and He does what He promises. In Psalms 23 David found rest and peace in the midst of his enemies and hard times. When facing the difficult times all we have to do is look to God and to His word to find his goodness.
Thursday
His Suffering Is Redemptive
Read Isaiah 53
The story of a Job is not about the sufferings of Job, but is a revelation about God and His mercy, love and His redemption of those who wait in faith on Him. Religion has it so messed up and religion teaches that the devil is the source of our pleasure and that God is the source of our pain. Scripture tells us that God only wants what is pleasurable and good for us. At the cross Jesus took on all of our pain and suffering, therefore our suffering is fruitless as there is no redemption in our suffering. Redemption is found in Jesus’ suffering.
God does not will our suffering. God desires fullness of life for all. Not the physical pain, but the love underlying the suffering. Love redeems, not pain. Love redeems, not shame. The unjust execution of an innocent man, Jesus, the Son of God, is the work of human sin, a travesty in the eyes of God, the rejection of the Father’s supreme gift to humanity. But the love of Jesus underlying his suffering and his fidelity to his Father and his mission despite the consequent persecution is redemptive. Ultimately, the depth and purity of love, not the extent and intensity of physical pain, is what is redemptive. Forced suffering is evil, but suffering freely embraced out of love heals and liberates. Suffering is redemptive because Jesus redeemed us from sin through His suffering. We must remember that Jesus took all of our burdens, if we trust Him, and the sufferings of the present is nothing compared to the glory that awaits those who trust Him.
Friday
In The Know
Read John 9, Revelation 12:5
As we see the wonders of the universe all around us; the complexity, beauty and design everywhere we look, we are confronted with what should be undeniable evidence that there is an infinitely wise and powerful Creator behind it all. In spite of this evidence in nature, one can observe throughout history that many people choose not to respond to this light they are given. They get preoccupied with the pleasures and possessions of this life and never search for the truth about the One Who created us and the universe in which we live. Instead, they choose to believe what they want to believe - sometimes creating their own religions or choosing not to acknowledge God's existence at all. Jobs friends and the Pharisee’s tried to come up with a pointing finger theology for every circumstance. They determine their own beliefs and close their eyes and ears to everything else, including the truth.
There are individuals, however, scattered over the face of the earth, who respond to the evidence God has given them about Himself and seek to learn more about Who He is and how they can know Him. God promises to reveal the truth to those who seek Him, and has given us everything we need to know about life, death, and eternity in the Bible; a Book which He has miraculously preserved for us down through the ages. Most importantly, He tells us in the Bible how we can be forgiven of our sins and have the assurance of a home in Heaven. We have not arrived yet we just need to know that it will end in the glory of God. We need to live up to what we already know and seek to know God more. When we seek Him out for solutions to the problems we face He knows the answer and is willing to give us the solution.
The Weekender
Implementing What You Have Learned
The things we have learned will gather dust unless it is actionable, unless we do something with it. We should not just assume because we have learned something or we have read something that it will make an immediate change in our life without taking some sort of action. If you do not take what you have learned and put it into some type of action plan then nothing is going to happen. Often as God speaks to us through our Pastors, a prophet, His word or through our friends and the solution we are facing is right there we miss an opportunity by not doing something with what we have learned. Beginning today we want to give you an opportunity to look back at that you have learned this week and reflect. In reflecting it is our desire that if something that you have learned really stands out that you look at ways in which you can implement them into your situation and life that will make a difference in your life.
Do you really believe what you say or are you just fooling yourself?_________ Are the words you are speaking bringing you freedom or keeping you in bondage? _________ List ways that you can see what you believe begin working in your life: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When looking for God to work in your life do you get impatient and try to fix things on your own, waiting on God is not wasting time. What are some things you can do while waiting on God? _______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
When facing hard times look for ways to keep in mind that God is in control. What are ways that we can be encouraged and reminded that God in is control? _____________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
It is the suffering of Jesus that redeems us, God desires fullness of life for us. What are some ways that we can show God that we are thankful for what He has done for us? _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
God has given us instructions and solutions for our circumstances, what do we do, do we continue to live with a problem or do we listen to what God’s instructions and do something about it? List problems you are facing and search God’s Word, pray, wait for the answer and when you have it do something: __________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
The Basis of What We Believe
Read Matthew 11:1-6
Do we arrive at our beliefs in a systematic manner or through an intuitive process? Are we predisposed towards some beliefs while being skeptical about others? Do life experiences play a strong role in what we believe? Does scientific training enable us to develop a method for deciding what to believe? Or is it that rationalists are born, not made? Is there a commonly accepted set of methods for deciding the truth value of claims?
Webster’s dictionary gives the following definitions for “belief”: “(1): a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing (2): something believed; especially: a tenet or body of tenets held by a group (3): conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence.” These definitions raise further questions such as “How does one arrive at this state of belief? Upon what does belief stand?
Everyone believes something. Belief is the heart of life itself. Belief makes up the convictions we hold, the principles we live by, the ideas we have about the world around us, the confidence we have in someone or something, and even the “faith” we have in God. But what is “belief”?
The picture we hold of God is the basis for what we believe. When a person has the wrong view of God it will affect what they believe, receive and how they live. John the Baptist sent his disciples to get an answer that he already knew. The circumstances he was in at the time seemed to contradict what he believed. John knew that Jesus was the Lamb of God and that He had come to set the captives free, but found himself in bondage.
Often we find ourselves in that very bondage by the words that we speak or allow others to speak over us. Scripture tells us that all we have to do is have the faith the size of a mustard seed and the problem or mountain sized problem we face can be spoken to and removed from our lives, but, when we live in the midst of contradiction and do not take God at his word we move into unbelief and doubt we do not see the things that want to take place happen and we begin to search for our own solutions and answers, which never work. Put you faith to work, trust God and sit back and watch what happens.
Tuesday
Waiting On God’s Will
Read Habakkuk 2:1, 3:16-19
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.(Habakkuk 2:1 niv) Unlike Habakkuk often we are not willing to wait on God to see what He is going to do. We live in such rush, rush, society to get things done, we want to see results immediately we often settle for second best instead of waiting on the very goodness that God has for us. There are advantages and rewards for waiting on God.
In several place throughout the book of Isaiah we find that God acts on our behalf as we wait for Him. “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him”. As you are waiting for God, He strengthens you. “But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings as eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” When waiting for God, He blesses you. “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him”
What does it mean to be blessed by God while we wait on Him? As we wait on God and His timing, He can accomplish so much in our hearts. Often we find new purpose in life, receive answers to prayer, see God work, increase our faith, and most often we see God’s perfect plan fulfilled in our situation. Remember, waiting is not wasted time!
Wednesday
Finding God’s Goodness In The Hard Times
Psalms 23
Everyone needs a bit of encouragement from time to time. Thankfully we have the Bible as our ultimate source of encouraging words! Even in the midst of the “financial crisis” or in the middle of a health crisis, we can remain hopeful and encouraged if we keep trusting in God. I have found that the key is to finding specific Bible verses and meditating on them. According to the Word, this is how faith comes. The more we soak up the truth of God’s Word, the more assured we become that He really is going to take care of us!
I know some people whose lives have been dramatically affected by this and I am one of those who have been affected, and I think as it progresses we will all know people who will go through struggles as a result. The important thing to remember in the midst of the chaos is that God is in control. He is not surprised by the events and He is not unsure how He is going to take care of his children. We are just as safe putting our trust in Him when things are going great as when it looks like everything is falling around us. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 4:19) Notice the verse says “ALL.” It doesn’t say “some” or “most,” but it says that He will meet all of our needs. It doesn’t say how He will meet our needs and I have found from experience the way He does it is often not what I expected. But the bottom line is that God is faithful and He does what He promises. In Psalms 23 David found rest and peace in the midst of his enemies and hard times. When facing the difficult times all we have to do is look to God and to His word to find his goodness.
Thursday
His Suffering Is Redemptive
Read Isaiah 53
The story of a Job is not about the sufferings of Job, but is a revelation about God and His mercy, love and His redemption of those who wait in faith on Him. Religion has it so messed up and religion teaches that the devil is the source of our pleasure and that God is the source of our pain. Scripture tells us that God only wants what is pleasurable and good for us. At the cross Jesus took on all of our pain and suffering, therefore our suffering is fruitless as there is no redemption in our suffering. Redemption is found in Jesus’ suffering.
God does not will our suffering. God desires fullness of life for all. Not the physical pain, but the love underlying the suffering. Love redeems, not pain. Love redeems, not shame. The unjust execution of an innocent man, Jesus, the Son of God, is the work of human sin, a travesty in the eyes of God, the rejection of the Father’s supreme gift to humanity. But the love of Jesus underlying his suffering and his fidelity to his Father and his mission despite the consequent persecution is redemptive. Ultimately, the depth and purity of love, not the extent and intensity of physical pain, is what is redemptive. Forced suffering is evil, but suffering freely embraced out of love heals and liberates. Suffering is redemptive because Jesus redeemed us from sin through His suffering. We must remember that Jesus took all of our burdens, if we trust Him, and the sufferings of the present is nothing compared to the glory that awaits those who trust Him.
Friday
In The Know
Read John 9, Revelation 12:5
As we see the wonders of the universe all around us; the complexity, beauty and design everywhere we look, we are confronted with what should be undeniable evidence that there is an infinitely wise and powerful Creator behind it all. In spite of this evidence in nature, one can observe throughout history that many people choose not to respond to this light they are given. They get preoccupied with the pleasures and possessions of this life and never search for the truth about the One Who created us and the universe in which we live. Instead, they choose to believe what they want to believe - sometimes creating their own religions or choosing not to acknowledge God's existence at all. Jobs friends and the Pharisee’s tried to come up with a pointing finger theology for every circumstance. They determine their own beliefs and close their eyes and ears to everything else, including the truth.
There are individuals, however, scattered over the face of the earth, who respond to the evidence God has given them about Himself and seek to learn more about Who He is and how they can know Him. God promises to reveal the truth to those who seek Him, and has given us everything we need to know about life, death, and eternity in the Bible; a Book which He has miraculously preserved for us down through the ages. Most importantly, He tells us in the Bible how we can be forgiven of our sins and have the assurance of a home in Heaven. We have not arrived yet we just need to know that it will end in the glory of God. We need to live up to what we already know and seek to know God more. When we seek Him out for solutions to the problems we face He knows the answer and is willing to give us the solution.
The Weekender
Implementing What You Have Learned
The things we have learned will gather dust unless it is actionable, unless we do something with it. We should not just assume because we have learned something or we have read something that it will make an immediate change in our life without taking some sort of action. If you do not take what you have learned and put it into some type of action plan then nothing is going to happen. Often as God speaks to us through our Pastors, a prophet, His word or through our friends and the solution we are facing is right there we miss an opportunity by not doing something with what we have learned. Beginning today we want to give you an opportunity to look back at that you have learned this week and reflect. In reflecting it is our desire that if something that you have learned really stands out that you look at ways in which you can implement them into your situation and life that will make a difference in your life.
Do you really believe what you say or are you just fooling yourself?_________ Are the words you are speaking bringing you freedom or keeping you in bondage? _________ List ways that you can see what you believe begin working in your life: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When looking for God to work in your life do you get impatient and try to fix things on your own, waiting on God is not wasting time. What are some things you can do while waiting on God? _______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
When facing hard times look for ways to keep in mind that God is in control. What are ways that we can be encouraged and reminded that God in is control? _____________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
It is the suffering of Jesus that redeems us, God desires fullness of life for us. What are some ways that we can show God that we are thankful for what He has done for us? _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
God has given us instructions and solutions for our circumstances, what do we do, do we continue to live with a problem or do we listen to what God’s instructions and do something about it? List problems you are facing and search God’s Word, pray, wait for the answer and when you have it do something: __________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
March 7, 2011
The Daily Compass March 7-12, 2010
Monday
Believe: The Report
Isaiah 53:1; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Galatians 3:5
Believing God…it’s what takes us into our personal Promised Land. In the Old Testament, God brought the Israelites out of the bondage of Egyptian slavery. Moses led the people under the blood-stained doorframes of the Passover, across the dry land of the Red Sea, and into the land flowing with milk and honey. The travelers witnessed God part the sea, rain down quail from heaven, scatter manna on the ground, and pour water from a rock. He guided them by a fire at night and a cloud by day. And yet, when it came time to march into the Promised Land, the land that was theirs for the taking, they faced a crisis of belief. “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites,” God instructed Moses. So Moses sent twelve spies to scout out the land. When they returned, ten gave the following report: 8 told We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are…The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size…We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them. But two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, believed God. “We should go up and take possession of the land,”
Isaiah speaking of the work of the Messiah says who has believed the report. He says that those that believe will see the power of God. Who are we believing? Do we believe what God has done for us and what He has said about us? If we believe what the Gospel God has promised we would experience the power of God. Paul reminds us it is the power of God for those who are being saved. (1 Corinthians 1:18) It is the Spirit that gives us faith not keeping the rules of religion but the life of the power of the life of God working in us. (Galatians 3:5) God calls us to be believers. We are called believers and believers are what we are to be. God tells us that signs and wonders will follow those who believe. (Mark 16:17-18) Believers are the only ones that can change the things in their lives and in the world. Unbelievers are never motivated to change things.
So here’s my question to you. Whose report are you going to believe? Are you going to believe God’s Word is true, or the enemy who tries to stop you from entering your own Promised Land because of fear?
Satan says, “You can’t do it.” God says, “I already have.”
I don’t want to be like those Israelites who didn’t believe God. Do you? Are you going to move into the land flowing with milk and honey – take God’s promises and make them yours? Or, are you going to believe the evil report and continue wandering around in the desert – free from slavery, but missing the Promised Land? Whose report are you going to believe?
Tuesday
Believe: The Plan of God
Jeremiah 29:11
Do you believe that God has a plan for your life? The truth is that God has plan for each of us. Yes, there are days that circumstances may look bleak and grim, we may not be spared pains, suffering and hardships, but God knows the future and His plan for us is good for us and full of hope. God has made each of us unique and we each have a specific purpose, if you ever doubt this is true think on this, He made us because He wanted to not because He had too. As long as God, knows the future, and provides us with directions for the path we are to take, and goes with us there is not any goal or obstacle we cannot conquer.
Did you know that you life will move in the direction of your most dominant thoughts? If you're constantly down on yourself thinking you'll never get ahead, then you won't. But if you'll choose to believe, you have victory up ahead, that God has good things in store for your future; then that's what you'll end up with. That's why it's so important to make sure our thoughts are the same as God's thoughts. Just like a computer, whatever you allow into your mind is what will come out in your attitude and actions. The more you meditate on God's Word, the more you will transform your thinking to be like God's thinking.
Choose today to focus on the Word of God and allow your mind to be renewed. As you focus on God's thoughts, you will see your actions become more like Him and you will see His hand of blessing in every area of your life. You will see His plan in action for your life.
Wednesday
Believe: The Message of God
Matthew 10:7
The real message of God is that salvation is by grace through faith, not faith and something you do like baptism or faith and speaking in tongues, or faith and going to a particular church, etc. True salvation is freedom from the requirement of keeping any part of the Law to get or maintain salvation. True salvation is receiving Christ, being in the body of Christ, and being redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. It means that we are not obligated to keep a moral code such as women should not wear pants, shorts, makeup, or jewelry. It does not mean that we are in danger of losing our salvation if we go to movies, own TV's, swim in public, or wear facial hair as some would have us believe. We have been set free from the Law. Of course, this does not mean that we are free to sin. Not at all, for how shall we who have died to sin still live in it?
Friends, let me go over the Message with you one final time— this Message that I proclaimed and that you made your own; this Message on which you took your stand and by which your life has been saved. (I'm assuming, now, that your belief was the real thing and not a passing fancy, that you're in this for good and holding fast.)
3-9The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says. (The Message, 1 Cor. 15:1-4).
Do you believe what scripture tells us the Message of God is or do you believe what someone else is saying? The Message of God is for you!
Thursday
Believe: The Power of the Gospel Preached
Acts 2:44; Mark 16:16-18
Have you ever thought about how amazing it is that the Gospel message has spread from twelve apostles to encompass the whole world! We are not talking about God using twelve Bible scholars, theologians, and Jewish leaders. Instead, he used a rag tag group that included, among others, fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot, and a doubter. Two thousand years later, the word of God continues to grow and spread as Christians across the globe proclaim the Gospel message with clarity and bear witness to the power and love of God in their lives. In many cases, this message is proclaimed by ordinary people like you and me. That is why God wants to use you to spread his Gospel and his love to others. God promises that when His words are proclaimed they will never return void or empty, but will accomplish all it is set out to do (Isaiah 55:10-11). You can be sure that every opportunity you take to share the Gospel message and your faith in Jesus Christ with others, they will be blessed in some way. It will not be through your persuasive words of wisdom but through the power of the God’s message. You may or may not see a person come to instant conversion. You may simply be watering a seed that someone else has planted. Or you may be planting a brand new seed yourself. Whatever the result, know that God sees every good thing you do, and He rewards it. Remember: He is even more eager than you to see people embrace the Gospel and come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Friday
Believe: Change Your Lifestyle
Acts 18:12, 13, 36; 13: 39; 15:7
The Bible is clear about the answer to changing your life. It tells us that believing in God changes everything about our lives. Accepting God’s existence is a life-altering belief, not only in the hope that it gives us for the future, but in the way God’s presence can change our lives now. You probably think at times, I am just one person, how can I really make things different? One is left wondering, what is the appropriate response? What could I possibly give God in return for everything He has done for me? How does He want me to live and serve Him? It is therefore a great blessing for us that our God wants us to know Him and has given us a book that answers these questions of how best to please Him. The Bible makes it plain what it is God is asking us to do. Putting God first in our lives should be our first change and the second change is to love others as God loves us. Therefore, how do we serve God? We must set our hearts to believe in God completely and we must earnestly seek Him out. God calls us to leave behind every other desire or distraction in this world and put our faith in Him first. We must be like His son, Jesus Christ, who sacrificed his will to live a life of service to his Father. In striving to know our God better we must seek him out by reading His Word and find out more about him.
The Weekender
Believe: Just Do It
2 Timothy 1:12
“Unless you stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” “Sin boldly.” “Be certain, because God is.” You might have heard these or other similar sayings. They’re all telling us the same thing: don’t doubt, but be sure. Each day, every day, we make decisions in our lives that call for our being certain. We are certain that a particular vehicle is far enough away that we can safely turn. We are certain that a friend will keep the luncheon appointment and we will go out of our way to be there on time. We are certain that the “laws of nature” will hold true for another day. If we doubt, we can become paralyzed, or at least severely slowed down. Doubt is not helpful.
The great saints were not immune to the same doubting that you and I experience. “Doubting Thomas” as he is often dubbed, is a common example. “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” (John 20:25) And this man lived with Jesus for three years! And He still experienced doubt! Think of the father whose child was demon-possessed: “I do believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24) The disciples on the road to Emmaus were so disappointed, having doubted the resurrection of Jesus. They said, “we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” but were so dispirited when He died. (Luke 24;21)
But of Jesus’ work on our behalf, we can be certain and sure and positive and confident and definite. The Holy Spirit has given us faith, faith that carries us through in times of trials and doubts. When something awful happens to a dear friend, we can rely on the promise of “Lo, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) There is a book called “Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People”, reflects human thinking. This human thinking is the product of the devil at work. We might better ask, “Why do good things happen to any people?” After all, we are born sinful, sin daily, violate God’s holy will and desire on a regular basis; yet He gives us all we need and even more. He gives us forgiveness for all our sins, peace in the midst of turmoil, and clarity of mind when we most need it.
Look to the mountains around you and ask the question, “who but a loving God would put these beautiful edifices there for you?” No one but a God who cares enough to send His Son to take away your guilt and give you eternal life, so you could live with Him forever and ever in the mansions He has prepared for you.
When doubts come, stop for a moment, open God’s Word, say a prayer, and reflect on the mercies and miracles you see around you and ask whether the wonders you see are just coincidences or serendipitous acts. No, they are neither. God gives you all you have because He wants the best for you. Sometimes struggles are good for you, believe it or not! “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
When doubts come, stop and send them away to fly back to the devil’s lair where they belong and then raise a prayer for life and salvation you have in Jesus Christ. Bottom line Just Believe God!!!
Believe: The Report
Isaiah 53:1; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Galatians 3:5
Believing God…it’s what takes us into our personal Promised Land. In the Old Testament, God brought the Israelites out of the bondage of Egyptian slavery. Moses led the people under the blood-stained doorframes of the Passover, across the dry land of the Red Sea, and into the land flowing with milk and honey. The travelers witnessed God part the sea, rain down quail from heaven, scatter manna on the ground, and pour water from a rock. He guided them by a fire at night and a cloud by day. And yet, when it came time to march into the Promised Land, the land that was theirs for the taking, they faced a crisis of belief. “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites,” God instructed Moses. So Moses sent twelve spies to scout out the land. When they returned, ten gave the following report: 8 told We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are…The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size…We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them. But two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, believed God. “We should go up and take possession of the land,”
Isaiah speaking of the work of the Messiah says who has believed the report. He says that those that believe will see the power of God. Who are we believing? Do we believe what God has done for us and what He has said about us? If we believe what the Gospel God has promised we would experience the power of God. Paul reminds us it is the power of God for those who are being saved. (1 Corinthians 1:18) It is the Spirit that gives us faith not keeping the rules of religion but the life of the power of the life of God working in us. (Galatians 3:5) God calls us to be believers. We are called believers and believers are what we are to be. God tells us that signs and wonders will follow those who believe. (Mark 16:17-18) Believers are the only ones that can change the things in their lives and in the world. Unbelievers are never motivated to change things.
So here’s my question to you. Whose report are you going to believe? Are you going to believe God’s Word is true, or the enemy who tries to stop you from entering your own Promised Land because of fear?
Satan says, “You can’t do it.” God says, “I already have.”
I don’t want to be like those Israelites who didn’t believe God. Do you? Are you going to move into the land flowing with milk and honey – take God’s promises and make them yours? Or, are you going to believe the evil report and continue wandering around in the desert – free from slavery, but missing the Promised Land? Whose report are you going to believe?
Tuesday
Believe: The Plan of God
Jeremiah 29:11
Do you believe that God has a plan for your life? The truth is that God has plan for each of us. Yes, there are days that circumstances may look bleak and grim, we may not be spared pains, suffering and hardships, but God knows the future and His plan for us is good for us and full of hope. God has made each of us unique and we each have a specific purpose, if you ever doubt this is true think on this, He made us because He wanted to not because He had too. As long as God, knows the future, and provides us with directions for the path we are to take, and goes with us there is not any goal or obstacle we cannot conquer.
Did you know that you life will move in the direction of your most dominant thoughts? If you're constantly down on yourself thinking you'll never get ahead, then you won't. But if you'll choose to believe, you have victory up ahead, that God has good things in store for your future; then that's what you'll end up with. That's why it's so important to make sure our thoughts are the same as God's thoughts. Just like a computer, whatever you allow into your mind is what will come out in your attitude and actions. The more you meditate on God's Word, the more you will transform your thinking to be like God's thinking.
Choose today to focus on the Word of God and allow your mind to be renewed. As you focus on God's thoughts, you will see your actions become more like Him and you will see His hand of blessing in every area of your life. You will see His plan in action for your life.
Wednesday
Believe: The Message of God
Matthew 10:7
The real message of God is that salvation is by grace through faith, not faith and something you do like baptism or faith and speaking in tongues, or faith and going to a particular church, etc. True salvation is freedom from the requirement of keeping any part of the Law to get or maintain salvation. True salvation is receiving Christ, being in the body of Christ, and being redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. It means that we are not obligated to keep a moral code such as women should not wear pants, shorts, makeup, or jewelry. It does not mean that we are in danger of losing our salvation if we go to movies, own TV's, swim in public, or wear facial hair as some would have us believe. We have been set free from the Law. Of course, this does not mean that we are free to sin. Not at all, for how shall we who have died to sin still live in it?
Friends, let me go over the Message with you one final time— this Message that I proclaimed and that you made your own; this Message on which you took your stand and by which your life has been saved. (I'm assuming, now, that your belief was the real thing and not a passing fancy, that you're in this for good and holding fast.)
3-9The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says. (The Message, 1 Cor. 15:1-4).
Do you believe what scripture tells us the Message of God is or do you believe what someone else is saying? The Message of God is for you!
Thursday
Believe: The Power of the Gospel Preached
Acts 2:44; Mark 16:16-18
Have you ever thought about how amazing it is that the Gospel message has spread from twelve apostles to encompass the whole world! We are not talking about God using twelve Bible scholars, theologians, and Jewish leaders. Instead, he used a rag tag group that included, among others, fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot, and a doubter. Two thousand years later, the word of God continues to grow and spread as Christians across the globe proclaim the Gospel message with clarity and bear witness to the power and love of God in their lives. In many cases, this message is proclaimed by ordinary people like you and me. That is why God wants to use you to spread his Gospel and his love to others. God promises that when His words are proclaimed they will never return void or empty, but will accomplish all it is set out to do (Isaiah 55:10-11). You can be sure that every opportunity you take to share the Gospel message and your faith in Jesus Christ with others, they will be blessed in some way. It will not be through your persuasive words of wisdom but through the power of the God’s message. You may or may not see a person come to instant conversion. You may simply be watering a seed that someone else has planted. Or you may be planting a brand new seed yourself. Whatever the result, know that God sees every good thing you do, and He rewards it. Remember: He is even more eager than you to see people embrace the Gospel and come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Friday
Believe: Change Your Lifestyle
Acts 18:12, 13, 36; 13: 39; 15:7
The Bible is clear about the answer to changing your life. It tells us that believing in God changes everything about our lives. Accepting God’s existence is a life-altering belief, not only in the hope that it gives us for the future, but in the way God’s presence can change our lives now. You probably think at times, I am just one person, how can I really make things different? One is left wondering, what is the appropriate response? What could I possibly give God in return for everything He has done for me? How does He want me to live and serve Him? It is therefore a great blessing for us that our God wants us to know Him and has given us a book that answers these questions of how best to please Him. The Bible makes it plain what it is God is asking us to do. Putting God first in our lives should be our first change and the second change is to love others as God loves us. Therefore, how do we serve God? We must set our hearts to believe in God completely and we must earnestly seek Him out. God calls us to leave behind every other desire or distraction in this world and put our faith in Him first. We must be like His son, Jesus Christ, who sacrificed his will to live a life of service to his Father. In striving to know our God better we must seek him out by reading His Word and find out more about him.
The Weekender
Believe: Just Do It
2 Timothy 1:12
“Unless you stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” “Sin boldly.” “Be certain, because God is.” You might have heard these or other similar sayings. They’re all telling us the same thing: don’t doubt, but be sure. Each day, every day, we make decisions in our lives that call for our being certain. We are certain that a particular vehicle is far enough away that we can safely turn. We are certain that a friend will keep the luncheon appointment and we will go out of our way to be there on time. We are certain that the “laws of nature” will hold true for another day. If we doubt, we can become paralyzed, or at least severely slowed down. Doubt is not helpful.
The great saints were not immune to the same doubting that you and I experience. “Doubting Thomas” as he is often dubbed, is a common example. “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.” (John 20:25) And this man lived with Jesus for three years! And He still experienced doubt! Think of the father whose child was demon-possessed: “I do believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24) The disciples on the road to Emmaus were so disappointed, having doubted the resurrection of Jesus. They said, “we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” but were so dispirited when He died. (Luke 24;21)
But of Jesus’ work on our behalf, we can be certain and sure and positive and confident and definite. The Holy Spirit has given us faith, faith that carries us through in times of trials and doubts. When something awful happens to a dear friend, we can rely on the promise of “Lo, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) There is a book called “Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People”, reflects human thinking. This human thinking is the product of the devil at work. We might better ask, “Why do good things happen to any people?” After all, we are born sinful, sin daily, violate God’s holy will and desire on a regular basis; yet He gives us all we need and even more. He gives us forgiveness for all our sins, peace in the midst of turmoil, and clarity of mind when we most need it.
Look to the mountains around you and ask the question, “who but a loving God would put these beautiful edifices there for you?” No one but a God who cares enough to send His Son to take away your guilt and give you eternal life, so you could live with Him forever and ever in the mansions He has prepared for you.
When doubts come, stop for a moment, open God’s Word, say a prayer, and reflect on the mercies and miracles you see around you and ask whether the wonders you see are just coincidences or serendipitous acts. No, they are neither. God gives you all you have because He wants the best for you. Sometimes struggles are good for you, believe it or not! “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
When doubts come, stop and send them away to fly back to the devil’s lair where they belong and then raise a prayer for life and salvation you have in Jesus Christ. Bottom line Just Believe God!!!
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