You Can Defeat This Giant
All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:47 To defeat giants like addiction, resentment, fear, lust, pride, envy, or anger, you must understand these three Scriptures: 1) ‘The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience’ (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT). Goliath was born a baby, but he grew into a giant. Our giants are often little sins we overlooked and indulged until they assumed a life of their own and came back to haunt us. So as you begin to say no to small impulses, you will gain the strength to say it to bigger ones. 2) ‘As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him’ (1 Samuel 17:48). David faced Goliath head-on. You must force your giant out into the light, and not let him back into your life. Establish boundaries! And if necessary, make yourself accountable to someone who can strengthen and encourage you. Stay out of the wrong company. And above all, don’t view God in the light of your problem, view your problem in the light of God. 3) ‘This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!’ You’re not in this fight alone. God wants to help you to overcome old habits and establish new behaviors. His will for you is ‘to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own’ (Ephesians 4:1). When you repent, which means to do an about-face, turn, and resolve to walk with God, He will give you the strength to conquer the giant you’re facing. God has never lost a battle yet, and when you invite Him to join you, you will win. Prayer Heavenly Father, the “battles” I am facing can and will be won because of You and not me. Thank You Jesus! Amen
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A devotion from Lutheran Church Charities Avoid Habits That Can Enslave You
“Everything is permissible for me” — but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me” — but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12 Paul said, ‘Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean…it’s spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims.’ If you’re serious about spiritual growth, look for opportunities to say no to yourself in small areas. Then one day you will be able to say it when it really counts. Daniel started by saying no to eating the king’s food, and later was able to say no to bowing to the king’s idols. Zero in on the undisciplined areas of your life; the ones you keep excusing, rationalizing, and delaying dealing with. Paul measured his actions by this yardstick: ‘Is it beneficial? Does it have the potential to control me?’ (see 1 Corinthians 6:12). You have a ‘right’ to eat a tub of ice cream every night. It’s permissible – but it’s not ‘beneficial’, especially if you want unblocked arteries, a trim waistline, the ability to run a marathon, or to just keep up with your kids and grandkids. You have a ‘right’ to spend your money as you please, but don’t complain when you end up strangled by debt. You have a ‘right’ to look at whatever you want on TV or the internet, but exposure to wrong influences will inevitably weaken your character, rob you of self-respect, and enslave you. Bottom line: your character is the sum total of the choices you make each day. And one more thought: when it comes to replacing bad habits with good ones, the only person who can make that happen is you – by the power of Jesus to give you the strength to do so! Prayer Heavenly Father, help me to watch my actions and habits so that I remain honoring to You and reflect You in all I do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen A devotion from Lutheran Church Charities Focus On Your God-Given Vision
“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. Acts 26:19 When God gives you a vision of what He wants you to do, you will have to go against the flow of the world. Society wants to keep you in a box. Most people are married mentally to the status quo. They want what was, not what can be. They seek safety and simple answers. So, you need to give yourself permission to go a different way, to break new ground. Paul said, ‘I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.’ It was his consuming passion and the central focus of his life. He got up every morning thinking about it and went to bed every night thinking about it. And at the end of his life, he could say, ‘I have finished the race…Finally, there is laid up for me the crown’ (2 Timothy 4:7-8). No one achieves greatness by becoming a generalist. Whether your vision is to build a great family, or a great church, or a great business, or a great ‘anything’, you must focus. Author Harry A. Overstreet observed: ‘The immature mind hops from one thing to another; the mature mind seeks to follow through.’ Does every area of your life deserve focused thinking time? No. Be selective, not exhaustive, in your thinking. What has God called you to do? What’s your role in it? What skill sets do you need to sharpen? What knowledge do you need to acquire? What relationships do you need to build? The first question Paul asked when God gave him his vision was, ‘What do You want me to do?’ (Acts 9:6). And today, that’s the question you need to ask God, too. Prayer Heavenly Father, no matter what age or place I am at – help me get and stay focused on what You have called me to do! In Jesus’ Name, Amen A devotion from Lutheran Church Charities
God Has Your Provision! On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. Matthew 2:11 The Bible tells us: ‘When Jesus was born in Bethlehem…[astrologers] from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east…and have come to worship Him.”…and behold, the star…went before them until it came and stood over the place where the young Child was…And on going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him. Then opening their treasure bags, they presented to him gifts – gold and frankincense and myrrh’ (vv. 1-2, 9, 11). One Bible teacher says: ‘We all remember the Christmas story: how…Wise Men came from the east following a star which led them to the Holy Child, how they came in and worshipped Him, laying before Him precious gifts…Mary and Joseph didn’t go out seeking gifts. Although they were forced to spend the night in a cold, dark stable, they didn’t send out messages asking for gifts. But because they were in the middle of God’s will, He sent them Wise Men…on camels, loaded down with provisions… ‘If we are in the will of God, He will…bring our provision to us. We don’t have to try to chase it down; it will seek us out. We don’t have to try to make things happen; God will bring them to us…The camels will come for each of us if we will stay in the will of God. The only way we can expect this kind of provision is by being faithful…where God has placed us…When we begin to believe this, we are free to cast our care upon Him. We don’t have to stay up all night fretting and worrying.’ Prayer Heavenly Father, help me to remember all of Your Faithful Provision for my Needs each day (not my greed’s). Thank You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen A devotion from Lutheran Church Charities
Always Treat People with Respect But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 The Bible says, ‘Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.’ Two ways to get an egg out of an eggshell are to 1) crack it open, or 2) put it in a warm, loving environment and allow it to incubate and hatch. The second way preserves the chick, while the first kills it. Similarly, two ways to get the good news of the gospel across to people are to 1) pound them over the head with it, or 2) love them into God’s family. Have you noticed that a lot of evangelism is just a thinly-veiled insult? ‘You need what I have because you’re so awful.’ People do need the good news, but your disposition can keep them from receiving it. Respect unbelievers; don’t humiliate them. Respecting means accepting them. That doesn’t mean you have to approve of their lifestyle. Acceptance and approval are different. But everybody has the right to be treated in a respectful way. The best way to share the gospel with unbelievers is to surround them with love and acceptance as you share it with them. Be respectful, sensitive, and caring. Theologian D.T. Niles said, ‘Evangelism is just one beggar telling another where to find bread.’ Share God’s Word! You do the sharing, and God will do the saving. Once you sow the seed of God’s Word into someone’s heart, you can love them and leave them and trust God to do His part. Prayer Heavenly Father, help me to nurture and accept all people, as You have done for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen A devotion from Lutheran Church Charities
Never Compromise On God’s Word We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. Hebrews 2:1 We must constantly reaffirm our scriptural foundations. What are these foundational truths on which the church of Jesus is built? The infallibility of the Bible; Christ’s virgin birth; His sinless life; His atoning death; His bodily resurrection and mediatory work on our behalf; our need to be saved, baptized, and filled with the Holy Spirit; and the commission to carry the gospel to the four corners of the earth and announce the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ to rule and reign. These truths are non-negotiable! You say, ‘But won’t we come across as being narrow minded?’ The law of gravity is narrow minded! The law of mathematics is narrow minded! Paul was narrow minded: ‘But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed’ (Galatians 1:8). Cancer begins with one unidentified, unchecked cell, but it can destroy your whole body. That’s why Jude writes: ‘Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Jude vv. 3-4). Note the words ‘the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints’. Our methods of reaching the world may change, but our message must never change. You say, ‘But aren’t we supposed to love everybody?’ Yes, and that’s why we must never compromise on God’s Word. Prayer Heavenly Father, help me love all people and never to let go of the truth of Your Word and Live. In Jesus’ Name, Amen God has assuredly promised His grace to the humble [1 Peter 5:5], that is, to those who lament and despair of themselves. Bu no man can be thoroughly humbled until he knows that his salvation is utterly beyond his own power, devices, endeavors, will, and works, and depends entirely on the choice, will, and work of another, namely, of God alone. For as long as he is persuaded that he himself can do even the least thing toward his salvation, he retains some self-confidence and does not altogether despair of himself, and therefore he is not humbled before God, but presumes that there is--or at least hopes or desires that there may be--some place, time, and work for him, by which he may at length attain to salvation. But when a man has no doubt that everything depends on the will of God, then he completely despairs of himself and chooses nothing for himself, but waits for God to work; then he has come close to grace, and can be saved.
~Martin Luther~ A devotion from Lutheran Church Charities Seven Scriptures You Should Stand On
Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.” Psalms 118:2 Do yourself a favor – read Psalm 118! 1) ‘In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me’ (v. 5). What are you battling today? A destructive habit? A crippling fear? A sense of worthlessness? God wants to set you free. 2) ‘The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear’ (v. 6). Your future doesn’t rest in the hands of people, but God; a good God who has good plans for you. 3) ‘He will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me’ (v. 7). When people try to put you down, God will raise you up. When they withhold from you, He will supply all your needs. 4) ‘I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the LORD has done’ (v. 17). We will all die someday; but you don’t have to die before your assignment is complete and you have brought glory to God. 5) ‘The LORD has punished me severely, but he did not let me die’ (v. 18). Is God correcting you? Rejoice; His correction is not rejection. It’s protection against future mistakes. 6) ‘This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it’ (v. 24). Whether yesterday was a triumph or a tragedy, God is giving you a new day. Seize it. Rejoice in it! 7) ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever’ (v. 29). You may experience days without enough money, but you will never have a day without God’s mercy. These seven Scriptures are for you, so stand on them today. Prayer Heavenly Father, forgive me when I stand on my own understanding and not on You and Your Word, which is the only rock to stand on. In Jesus’ Name, Amen Persecution 1 Peter 1:3-9
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Sever persecution for faith is not something most of us have had to endure in the United States of America. We may be ridiculed, rejected or even treated unfairly, but up to this point in time physical suffering, imprisonment or even death has not been a typical experience for those of the faith. This is not the case in many places on this Earth, because believers are brutally oppressed for their faith. No matter what negative treatment may come our way, the Bible consistently recommends to us a response of patient endurance filled with joy in the Lord. Jesus said anyone mistreated for His sake is actually blessed, “Blessed are you when people hate and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets” (Luke 6:22-23), and Peter points out that from God’s point of view, such oppression is designed to prove our faith genuine, In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, to that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7). Every time the church is persecuted, it is purified because those who remain are dedicated followers of Jesus. Persecution can have a similar purifying effect on our personal life. The effect of having our comforts, pleasures and/or our idols of this world stripped from us is that we are driven to the Lord for strength and grace. It is when pride, self-centeredness, selfishness, self-confidence lose their grip, and our weaknesses, we recognize God and His eternal inheritance as our only hope. Though oppression is certainly nothing you or I would desire, we can take heart knowing that even in such extreme situations there are blessings that lead to rejoicing in Christ. "Choose Your Company Wisely" Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Prov. 13:20)
The Lord desires that we spend our time in the company of those who are wiser than us. His desire is that we frequently converse with them privately concerning spiritual and experimental things. The Lord also desires that we walk with them in public in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. Those who do this will grow wiser and wiser and gain a large stock of spiritual knowledge and experience. This is actually good in both natural and spiritual wisdom. A person of any capacity at all will improve by keeping wise company; but a companion of fools will suffer harm. The Latin Vulgate version of this text renders it ""shall become like them"; be a fool as they are, and grow still more and more foolish. The Septuagint version is, "shall be known"; known by the company he keeps to be a fool also: or rather, "shall be broken"; ruined and destroyed. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, "Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” There is an old saying that goes something like this: "If you hang around 5 confident people, you will be the sixth one. If you hang around 5 wise people, you will be the sixth one. If you hang around 5 millionaires, you will be the sixth one. If you hang around 5 fools, you will be the sixth one. The bottom line is this brothers and sisters, "Choose Your Company Wisely". |
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