In the Center of My Will
Note from Jesus Dear Follower of the Way, The growth of My Kingdom will not necessarily be an easy undertaking. Spreading the good news of the Father’s grace is often met with opposition. However, do not see that opposition as an indication that you have done something wrong. After preventing Paul’s team from continuing to their intended destinations in Asia Minor, I sent Paul a vision of a man inviting his mission team and him to come over into Europe and help the people of Macedonia come to faith (Acts 16:6-10). I sent him this vision to show him it was My will that he and his team should go into Macedonia. From there they continued on to Achaia and Greece. They would need a sense of certainty because they faced challenges, hardship, opposition, physical abuse, ridicule, and jail when obeying this call. Nevertheless, they were doing what I wanted, where I wanted them to do it, and how I wanted them to do it. They were in the center of My will, yet many things about this missionary journey were hard for them. However, in the middle of these difficulties, great churches were planted, and incredible people were brought into My family. Important people among the Gentiles, especially among the women, became disciples. Paul grew incredibly close to the churches of Thessalonica and Philippi. He invested a lot of time in the Corinthians and a lot of prayer for them. Despite their early problems, these disciples became strong churches and congregations close to the apostle’s heart. The point I want to make is this: don’t try to determine if something is My will simply by seeing if it is immediately “successful” or if it is easy! Often, time must pass before you can see your efforts bear fruit. Satan will frequently viciously test you in the initial stages of your ministry to try to get you to give up. When I call you into a ministry or mission opportunity, don’t give up on it until I call you to do something else. Prayerfully ask the Spirit to help you discern the truth about what is happening. Be faithful to your mission. Leave the success of the mission to Me. Sometimes these tough times are necessary to reach those I’ve called you to reach. Sometimes the times are tough to prepare you for future efforts that need even greater endurance and perseverance. While endurance and perseverance aren’t always appreciated in your instant-everything society, these qualities are necessary if you are to truly develop the character and compassion of your Father. Being in the center of My will sometimes means hardships. Remember what I told my disciples on the eve of my death: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (John 15:18 NIV) Verses to Live Notice that Paul had a strategic plan that he used to reach the cities of Macedonia. While he faced stiff opposition, he also influenced key people to follow Me. These were people who would later be important in the life of My church and for their Christian influence on their communities. The events recorded here occurred after Paul and Silas left Asia Minor and went to Macedonia in response to My call through Paul’s vision. After leaving Philippi and passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica. There was a Jewish synagogue there. As he had done in other cities, Paul attended the synagogue and presented arguments, based on the Hebrew Scriptures, that the Anointed had to suffer and rise from the dead. Paul: Who is this suffering and rising Anointed One I am proclaiming to you? He is Jesus. He came back the next two Sabbaths — repeating the same pattern. Some of the ethnically Jewish people from the synagogue were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas. Even more devout Greeks who had affiliated with Judaism came to believe — along with quite a few of the city’s leading women. Seeing this movement growing, the unconvinced Jewish people became protective and angry. They found some ruffians hanging out in the marketplaces and convinced them to help start a riot. Soon a mob formed, and the whole city was seething with tension. The mob was going street by street, looking for Paul and Silas — who were nowhere to be found. Frustrated, when the mob came to the house of a man named Jason, now known as a believer, they grabbed him and some other believers they found there and dragged them to the city officials. Mob: These people — they’re political agitators turning the world upside down! They’ve come here to our fine city, and this man, Jason, has given them sanctuary and made his house a base for their operations. We want to expose their real intent; they are trying to overturn Caesar’s sensible decrees. They’re saying that Jesus is king, not Caesar! Of course, this disturbed the crowd at large and the city officials especially, so they demanded bail from Jason and the others before releasing them. The believers waited until dark and then sent Paul and Silas off to Berea. When they arrived, they went to the synagogue. The Jewish people here were more receptive than they had been in Thessalonica. They warmly and enthusiastically welcomed the message and then, day by day, would check for themselves to see if what they heard from Paul and Silas was truly in harmony with the Hebrew Scriptures. Many of them were convinced, and the new believers included — as in Thessalonica — quite a few of the city’s leading Greek women and important men also. Reports got back to Thessalonica that Paul and Silas were now spreading God’s message in Berea; the Jewish people who had incited the riot in Thessalonica quickly came to Berea to do the same once again. The believers sent Paul away. A small group escorted him, first to the coast, and then all the way to Athens. Silas
Guidance for Seeking Hearts
Note from Jesus Dear Follower, I promised My followers that the Holy Spirit would guide them in their witness to the nations (Acts 1:8). Today, I want to talk to you about an example of that guidance. I also want to show you an occasion when this guidance produced fruit in places that Paul and his missionary team had not planned to go. Closed doors and changed plans are not necessarily reasons for discouragement or a sense of failure! The Spirit guided the mission efforts of My first disciples. The Spirit indicated that Barnabas and Paul should be sent on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-3). The Holy Spirit helped the church decide what to do about welcoming Gentile converts they brought to Me in Antioch and on their first journey (Acts 15:1-35). My church was growing and reaching out to the lost in more areas. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit guided Paul and his partners Silas and Timothy in the direction and to the places they needed to go on their second journey. Part of the way through this journey, they were kept from going to their intended destinations. Instead, Paul had a vision that a man from Macedonia invited them to come to Macedonia and help. Although sharing My story was challenging almost everywhere they went, they also enjoyed success essentially everywhere they went. What began as frustration and closed doors ended up as great victories for the kingdom of God! My disciples in every era can become discouraged when they have a plan to carry out My mission, and their work is thwarted at every turn. Please read carefully what happens in today’s verses. Paul and his team didn’t get to go where they thought they should go as the door to these places was shut by the Holy Spirit. Instead, I opened another door to go into Europe — Macedonia, Achaia, and Greece. People were waiting to have the message shared with them in these places. Paul and his team couldn’t foresee this opportunity, but I knew and yearned for these people to find My grace! Philippi was one of those places where this was true. Lydia and those in her household who worked for her in her fine fabric business were some of those people whose hearts were yearning for My grace. In Philippi, Paul continued his strategy of going “first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16 NIV). There was no synagogue, so he went to the Jewish place of prayer by the river. Lydia and her household were there. They heard My message from Paul. They believed that message and were baptized. Their hearts were ready for the gospel. They not only responded to the message, but they also opened their lives up to work for the sake of the gospel. Lydia offered her house to be the place for the missionary team to stay and also for this new church to meet. More became My disciples in Philippi in the days that followed Lydia’s conversion, but her story is enough for Me to make My point to you today. Remember what I said earlier to the disciples: Here’s the knowledge you need: you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be My witnesses, first here in Jerusalem, then beyond to Judea and Samaria, and finally to the farthest places on earth. (Acts 1:8) Sharing My message does not depend just on you and your plans. It’s about My guidance and power given to you through the Holy Spirit along with your willingness to respond to the Spirit’s leading. Verses to Live Please don’t become discouraged when you find closed doors. Some doors the evil one closes. Some I close for strategic reasons. Trust in this: I know those who are seeking Me. I long to get My people into position to share My grace with these seekers. Don’t let closed doors dishearten you. Instead, seek the Spirit’s guidance and trust that I will get you to the place and the people at the time that is most effective in sharing My grace. This trust was true in Philippi in Paul’s day. This confidence is also true for you in your day! Leaving there [Derbe and Lystra], now accompanied by Timothy, they [Paul, Silas, and Timothy] delivered to the churches in each town the decisions and instructions given by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. The churches were strengthened in the faith by their visit and kept growing in numbers on a daily basis. They sensed the Holy Spirit telling them not to preach their message in Asia at this time, so they traveled through Phrygia and Galatia. They came near Mysia and planned to go into Bithynia, but again they felt restrained from doing so by the Spirit of Jesus. So they bypassed Mysia and went down to Troas. That night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was pleading with him. Macedonian Man: Come over to Macedonia! Come help us! This vision convinced us all that God was calling us to bring the good news to that region. We set sail from the port city of Troas, first stopping in Samothrace, then the next day in Neapolis, finally arriving in Philippi, a Roman colony and one of Macedonia’s leading cities. We stayed in Philippi for several days. On the Sabbath day, we went outside the city walls to the nearby river, assuming that some Jewish people might be gathering for prayer. We found a group of women there, so we sat down and spoke to them. One of them, Lydia, was a business woman originally from Thyatira. She made a living buying and selling fine purple fabric. She was a true worshiper of God and listened to Paul with special interest. The Lord opened her heart to take in the message with enthusiasm. She and her whole household were… washed through baptism. Lydia: If you believe I’m truly faithful to the
Imprisoned to Redeem
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, Grace can have a strong touch of redemptive irony! As you read in the verses below about Paul and Silas being thrown into jail, notice some of these touches of irony: By divine intervention, the prisoners’ chains are unlocked, and their cell doors opened but they remain in their cells, and when the jailer discovers what had happened, he brings them out of their cells and even takes them home with him rather than locking them back up. The jailer washes the wounds inflicted by those he supervised in the jail. The prisoners tell the jailer and his family My story of grace, baptize them, and free them from being bound to sin and death. The prisoners eat at the jailer’s table rejoicing with a family that was saved after the jailer did not lock the prisoners back up immediately after his baptism. All of this begins with Paul liberating a young woman who was being manipulated and exploited for money because of her “occult spirit.” The story ends with those in charge begging not to be humiliated for their grievous error of beating Roman citizens without a trial. And as a small sub-plot, Paul and Silas go free because they are both Roman citizens. However, if Paul were still partnered with Barnabas, Barnabas would have gone back to jail because he was not a Roman citizen. Many things that happen behind the scenes of history empower the spread of the good news. You will never know many of these things. Little subtle connections between people and events that lead to the spread of the good news may appear to be random “coincidences” from your side of history. They are, however, better called “God-incidences.” I’m talking about Our — Father, Son, and Spirit’s — purposeful acts of providence that help bring redemption to those in need of grace. You are not alone in your work for the Kingdom. Even when things appear to be disastrous messes, please know that Paul’s declaration remains true: We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. (Romans 8:28) As you’ve seen time and again, when the good news message about Me is shared, and people truly believe and are baptized, great things happen. Not one of these things happens by accident. Remember My promise made early in My ministry: Just ask and it will be given to you; seek after it and you will find. Continue to knock and the door will be opened for you. All who ask receive. Those who seek, find what they seek. And he who knocks will have the door opened. (Matthew 7:7-8) Verses to Live Read carefully the following verses that tell of the continuing work conducted by Paul, Silas, and Timothy. Notice how We — Father, Son, and Spirit — are involved in redeeming each situation and bringing grace. It was true when the events you read about happened, and it is true today. One day [in Philippi], as we [Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke] were going to the place set aside for prayer, we encountered a slave girl. She made a lot of money for her owners as a fortune-teller, assisted by some sort of occult spirit. She began following us. Slave Girl (shouting): These men are slaves like me, but slaves of the Most High God! They will proclaim to you the way of liberation! The next day as we passed by, she did the same thing — and again on the following days. One day Paul was really annoyed, so he turned and spoke to the spirit that was enslaving her. Paul: I order you in the name of Jesus, God’s Anointed: Come out of her! It came right out. But when her owners realized she would be worthless now as a fortune-teller, they grabbed Paul and Silas, dragged them into the open market area, and presented them to the authorities. Slave Owners: These men are troublemakers, disturbing the peace of our great city. They are from some Jewish sect, and they promote foreign customs that violate our Roman standards of conduct. The crowd joined in with insults and insinuations, prompting the city officials to strip them naked in the public square so they could be beaten with rods. They were flogged mercilessly and then were thrown into a prison cell. The jailer was ordered to keep them under the strictest supervision. The jailer complied, first restraining them in ankle chains, then locking them in the most secure cell in the center of the jail. Picture this: It’s midnight. In the darkness of their cell, Paul and Silas — after surviving the severe beating — aren’t moaning and groaning; they’re praying and singing hymns to God. The prisoners in adjoining cells are wide awake, listening to them pray and sing. Suddenly the ground begins to shake, and the prison foundations begin to crack. You can hear the sound of jangling chains and the squeak of cell doors opening. Every prisoner realizes that his chains have come unfastened. The jailer wakes up and runs into the jail. His heart sinks as he sees the doors have all swung open. He is sure his prisoners have escaped, and he knows this will mean death for him, so he pulls out his sword to commit suicide. At that moment, Paul sees what is happening and shouts out at the top of his lungs, Paul: Wait, man! Don’t harm yourself! We’re all here! None of us has escaped. The jailer sends his assistants to get some torches and rushes into the cell of Paul and Silas. He falls on his knees before them, trembling. Then he brings them outside. Jailer: Gentlemen, please tell me, what must I do to be liberated? Paul and Silas: Just believe — believe in the ultimate King, Jesus, and not only will you be rescued,
Humbly Yield Control
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, Yesterday I talked to you about letting the Spirit lead the dance of your life. Today, I want you to notice what happens when a person takes the lead of his or her own life. This is what happens when a person’s “constant pursuit of gratification” and continual “focus on self-indulgence” have control of his or her heart: Prayers go unanswered. Envy and jealously control life in ways similar to an out-of-control addiction. Pride and arrogance rule over a person’s heart. Overbearing criticism shows up regularly in conversations. Accusations are made against good people. A sense of control of one’s destiny makes a person oblivious to the fragility of his or her own life. Good things that need to be done go undone and neglected. Just as Paul emphasized in the verses yesterday, James reminds you today with strong words that you must consciously and humbly offer yourself to the Father. Don’t be afraid to be physically demonstrative with your humble repentance. Not only ask for His forgiveness but also offer Him control over your heart and your life. Offer your whole self to the Father — heart, soul, mind, and strength — to be used as His person and controlled by His Spirit. Rid your heart of the evil influences that poison it and that make it inhospitable to the Holy Spirit. I sent the Holy Spirit to live in your heart. The Spirit wants to bring God’s character, compassion, and blessing to life in you. So resist the power of evil, Satan, and the demonic world. Drive the evil one away and invite the Holy Spirit to take control! Verses to Live In the verses below, James uses his typical straightforward style to challenge his readers to look at their hearts. He wants you to be aware of what motivates your heart. He warns of all sorts of ways pride and arrogance sneak in and steal a person’s heart from God. So offer yourselves to God… in humility. Where do you think your fighting and endless conflict come from? Don’t you think that they originate in the constant pursuit of gratification that rages inside each of you like an uncontrolled militia? You crave something that you do not possess, so you murder to get it. You desire the things you cannot earn, so you sue others and fight for what you want. You do not have because you have chosen not to ask. And when you do ask, you still do not get what you want because your motives are all wrong — because you continually focus on self-indulgence. You are adulterers. Don’t you know that making friends with this corrupt world order is open aggression toward God? So anyone who aligns with this bogus world system is declaring war against the one true God. Do you think it is empty rhetoric when the Scriptures say, “The spirit that lives in us is addicted to envy and jealousy”? You may think that the situation is hopeless, but God gives us more grace when we turn away from our own interests. That’s why Scripture says, God opposes the proud, but He pours out grace on the humble. So submit yourselves to the one true God and fight against the devil and his schemes. If you do, he will run away in failure. Come close to the one true God, and He will draw close to you. Wash your hands; you have dirtied them in sin. Cleanse your heart, because your mind is split down the middle, your love for God on one side and selfish pursuits on the other. Now is the time to lament, to grieve, and to cry. Dissolve your laughter into sobbing, and exchange your joy for depression. Lay yourself bare, facedown to the ground, in humility before the Lord; and He will lift your head so you can stand tall. My brothers and sisters, do not assault each other with criticism. If you decide your job is to accuse and judge another believer, then you are a self-appointed critic and judge of the law; if so, then you are no longer a doer of the law and subject to its rule; you stand over it as a judge. Know this — there is One Who stands supreme as Judge and Lawgiver. He alone is able to save and to destroy, so who are you to step in and try to judge another? Listen carefully, those of you who make your plans and say, “We are traveling to this city in the next few days. We’ll stay there for one year while our business explodes and revenue is up.” The reality is you have no idea where your life will take you tomorrow. You are like a mist that appears one moment and then vanishes another. It would be best to say, “If it is the Lord’s will and we live long enough, we hope to do this project or pursue that dream.” But your current speech indicates an arrogance that does not acknowledge the One Who controls the universe, and this kind of big talking is the epitome of evil. So if you know the right way to live and ignore it, it is sin — plain and simple. (James 4:1-17) Response in Prayer O Father, please forgive me. Forgive me for trying to live my life by my own power. Forgive me for the times I’ve wandered from the Spirit’s lead in the dance of my life. Forgive me for my willful sins. Please forgive me for those sins of neglect and laziness when good things have gone undone. I humbly offer myself — my heart, my mind, my spirit, and my body — to be controlled by You and used for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated,
Today’s Verse – Revelation 7:17
[One of the elders from around the throne of God declared:] “For [Jesus] the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” —Revelation 7:17 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What a beautiful picture! The One who died for us will nourish and refresh us. The One upon whom all eternity hinges will take time to comfort us personally. The One who has “destroyed death and brought immortality to light” (2 Timothy 1:10) sends us the Holy Spirit as our needed living water (John 7:37-39). No wonder Paul could say that he did not consider his present sufferings worth comparing to the glory that Jesus will reveal in us (Romans 8:18)! My Prayer… Father God and Sovereign LORD of all Creation, thank you for your incredible love for us. While we know we don’t deserve your overwhelming and generous grace, we rejoice in it. While we know our best attempts at honoring you fall short, thank you for promising to welcome us into your presence, care for us, and comfort us when we come home to you. Your love, O LORD, is beyond our comprehension and exhausts our appreciation while filling our hearts with wonder and praise. In Jesus’ name, we praise you. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
The Importance of Affirmation!
Note from Jesus Dear Child of the Father, While Paul was in Corinth, he waited anxiously to hear how the new believers in Thessalonica were doing. The Thessalonians had made a huge change when they became Christians, as he wrote to them: [Y]ou turned toward God and realigned your life to serve the one true living God — leaving your idols to crumble in the dust — and how you now await the return from heaven of His Son, Whom He raised from the dead — namely, Jesus — our rescuer from the wrath to come. In addition to the huge change in their lifestyles, the Thessalonians had endured some hardships because of their faith: You took to heart the word we taught with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, even in the face of trouble. Since Paul was prevented from returning to Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:17-18), he sent Timothy “to strengthen and encourage” them in their faith (1 Thessalonians 3:2 NIV) and report back to him on how the Thessalonian Christians were doing (1 Thessalonians 3:5). Paul was relieved that in the face of real suffering for Me, these new believers in Thessalonica were remaining faithful to Me and still thought favorably of him, My apostle. As Paul began the first of his two letters to the Thessalonians, he affirmed My new disciples. He thanked God for these new brothers and sisters in Thessalonica. His thanksgiving was not generic appreciation for new believers, but he was genuinely excited about their signs of true Christian maturity — faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). In his letter to them, he said: Your actions on behalf of the true faith, your tireless toil of love, and your unfailing, unwavering, unending hope in our Lord Jesus… To affirm them further, Paul then reminded these new believers that he knew God had selected them. He emphasized three things that show they were chosen by the Father: The way the “life-empowering, Spirit-infused message” had come to them. The way they (Paul, Silas, and Timothy) as messengers from God had come to them — they had lived “transparently” as great examples of My lifestyle for the Thessalonians. The way the Thessalonians had come to be a great example of outreach and faith to other churches. How important was it for Paul to start with affirmation? Extremely important! Remember that the Father affirmed Me right after My baptism by saying: “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” (Luke 3:22 NLT) The Father gave Me assurance that I was His beloved Son Who brought Him joy, and He did this immediately before I faced a time of testing from the evil one. I faced struggles with the evil one, but I had been prepared by My Father! Paul is doing a similar thing with these new believers facing hardship, troubles, and sufferings. Paul had some very important doctrinal and moral truths to communicate to the Thessalonians and also some things to correct in them. However, he spent over sixty percent of this letter affirming them, praying for them, and stressing how important his relationship with them was to him. Despite all that they lacked in their understanding about morality and My return in glory, Paul began with an affirmation of their progress in their faith and confirmation of his love for them. Paul’s emphasis on affirmation is important for you to notice. As you encounter new and struggling disciples, I hope that you will remember his example of affirmation. The evil one is always sowing seeds of doubt in new believers’ hearts. When hardships and troubles come, new disciples can easily doubt their importance to Me and the growth of the kingdom. They need affirmation that they are loved. They need to be assured that faith in Me is the right choice. They need to be reminded that the sacrifices they are making and the hardships they are enduring are worth it. This affirmation is especially important at the earliest stages of faith. I don’t want the evil one to steal away new believers’ joy at being My disciples. I don’t want Satan to use hardships and suffering to lead My new disciples to fall away from Me. I don’t want the cares of the world to keep them from being effective in their discipleship (Mark 4:13-19). Please affirm new and struggling believers and help them stay on track in their lives of faith! Verses to Live As Paul begins his first letter to the Thessalonians, notice his emphasis on what these new believers are doing right! He is thankful for them. He sees the good work they have done and the great example they set even in the face of hardships. He reminds them of how they turned their lives around to follow Me. Paul begins with affirmation! Paul, Silvanus [also known as Silas], and Timothy to the church gathering in Thessalonica, those living in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus the Anointed. May grace and peace be yours from God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Anointed. We always thank God for all of you in our prayers. Your actions on behalf of the true faith, your tireless toil of love, and your unfailing, unwavering, unending hope in our Lord Jesus the Anointed before God our Father have put you consistently at the forefront of our thoughts. O brothers and sisters loved by God, we know He has chosen you. And here is why: what you experienced in the good news we brought you was more than words channeling down your ears; it came to you as a life-empowering, Spirit-infused message that offers complete hope and assurance! We lived transparently before you so that you would know what sort of people we truly are. We did it for your sake, and you have modeled your lives after ours just as we are modeling ours after the Lord. You took to heart the word we taught with
Today’s Verse – Luke 7:16
[After Jesus had raised the son of the widow from Nain: Those in the crowd who saw this] were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” —Luke 7:16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Jesus came to do God’s work. He came as the Son of God, God incarnate in human flesh (John 1:14-18). He came to reveal God. Jesus came, and many people praised God. He came so people could see God. Do you know Jesus? If you do, do you know him as well as you should? As Luke reminded us in this event, when people saw Jesus at work in our world, they said: “God has come to help his people.” Let’s look for God at work in our world today and invite him to use us to manifest his presence! My Prayer… O Gracious Father and Eternal God, thank you for revealing yourself, your love, your grace, and your salvation to us in Jesus. We thank you for visiting our world and making us your children. To you, O God belongs all glory and praise in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Mark 7:15
[Jesus challenged the outward show of religiosity among religious people who were ignoring their inner need to be humble and pure before God. He said:] “Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.’” —Mark 7:15 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We get so hung up on externals, appearances, and facades. Jesus cuts to the core of God’s concern — our spiritual heart condition. He wants us to focus not only on what we put in our bodies but also on what we allow to grow in our hearts and simmer in our heads. Most of us need our inner world to receive our most earnest attention and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. So, let’s be honest and ask if we are spending as much time focusing on our inner world as we are focusing on our external appearance and how we appear to others! In a world constantly preening for acceptance on social media, this may be one of the most critical spiritual challenges of our times. My Prayer… O God, who searches minds and hearts, may the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you. I offer you my inner world to cleanse and redecorate by the sanctifying work of your Holy Spirit. Please guard my heart from evil ambitions and my mind from impure thoughts. I want my inner life and outer deeds to glorify you and honor Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – 2 Chronicles 7:14
[The LORD appeared to Solomon upon the completion of the temple and said,] “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” —2 Chronicles 7:14 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Concerned people use this passage in our day when discussing the problems with nations, governments, and leaders needing to repent. Let’s remember that its most complete application must find its home in physical Israel, in us, and in our churches as “the Israel of God” (Galatians 3:26-29; 6:16; Romans 9:6-9). We can begin revival in our land, churches, and groups if we humbly commit to daily prayer, seeking God’s presence in our world as we turn away from wickedness and seek God’s forgiveness. My Prayer… O God, Father of all nations and peoples, please enter our world with clear signs of your power and grace. Transform us and our lives as we seek to live under the Lordship of Jesus! Call the lost to you through us. Use us as the first fruits of renewal and restoration as you begin to heal our land and our world through your people and your grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Matthew 7:13-14
[Jesus said,] “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” —Matthew 7:13-14 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Decades ago, Juan Carlos Ortiz criticized European and American evangelists for offering a carrot stick gospel — a gospel that focused on our personal payoff for following Jesus, not Jesus’s lordship over every area of our lives. Jesus, especially in Matthew 7, reminds us that grace does not dismiss discipleship, and mercy does not release us from our need to repent genuinely. Genuine repentance is NOT feeling bad about our sin — that is godly sorrow that should lead to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-11). Repentance means changing how we live our lives and choosing to live for Jesus. We joyously accept the grace God gives to us in Jesus and truly let Jesus be LORD of our lives. It’s not an “either-or” proposition but a “both-and” call from God. We receive grace and obediently follow Jesus as LORD. We obey and serve God because he has adopted and brought us into his family. Our motivation to do good things is not to earn our salvation but to thank and honor God, who has been so good to us and saved us at great cost by his mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:8-10). My Prayer… Almighty God, holy and awesome in your majesty and might, I know I will never be worthy of your grace. I know that my flesh can easily be lured away from the path of discipleship. So, Father, I need the Spirit to help me as I strive to follow Jesus and live obediently to him. In his name, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.