God's Perfect Way

GOD'S PERFECT WAY: "As for God, his way is perfect...He is a shield for all who take refuge in him." Ps18:30 wp.me/p29yfQ-pB#God

What is in your Eternal Portfolio? R11; Mike Kendrick (Blueprint for Life)

IR17;m big on goals. I like to make them and accomplish them. I have learned that when I can define a goal, itR17;s easy to create a game plan to achieve it. If I want to lose weight, I define whatR17;s involved in reaching the goal. If I want to start a business, I develop a plan, seek wise counsel, refine the plan, and then take action. When any goal is defined, itR17;s easier to accomplish.

There is one goal everyone wants to obtain: they want to live a life that matters, they want to live a life of value. No one wants to die with regret. I am sure you feel the same.

Unfortunately, some people miss living a life of value because they have not defined this goal. It must be defined. Otherwise, one week, they may think living a life of value means saving their money to gift it to their grandchildren. The next, they may think it means attending college.

If you donR17;t have a solid sense of what it means to live a life of value, you may reach the finish line and realize that you have missed your goal because it wasnR17;t properly defined.

A Life of Value Defined

You donR17;t have to live being pushed and pulled by every new idea that comes your way; there is an answer for living a life of value. You can live with a solid sense of what it means to live a life of value, because God has clearly defined what it means in His Word. This means you can reach your goal.

A life of value is defined by those things that will make a difference in eternity. Nothing else will matter after you die. If it doesnR17;t make a difference in heaven, itR17;s not worth pursuing on earth. When you stand before Christ, He wonR17;t ask you if you had a six-figure income because that has no value in heaven. He wonR17;t ask you if you drove a hot car, or were an executive at your company, because those things wonR17;t matter in heaven. He wonR17;t ask you if you followed the latest fashions because after you die, it just wonR17;t matter if you looked stylish.

Instead, He will want to know whatR17;s in your eternal portfolio.

WhatR17;s in Your Portfolio?

Your eternal portfolio is a record that God is keeping of the things that you are doing that will matter in heaven. Everyone has an eternal portfolio. No one asks for it, and no one can give it away, but God assigns one to each person; He collects information about them every day. He is keeping track of all you do while you are on the earth for HimR12;not so He can punish you, so He can reward you. And when you get to heaven, He will reveal to you what is in your eternal portfolio so He can pay you back in love.

As you plan ahead, consider what will truly keep its value in eternityR12;and which things that you value today will become worthless. Also what things that seem worthless will be priceless?

The greatest commandment in the Bible is to love God with everything in us (Luke 10:27). That will clearly matter in heaven. Think about this: This means that all the ways that you love Him are being recorded in your eternal portfolio! Other things that are being added to your eternal portfolio include loving and serving others for the purpose of making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).

So what can you do to cooperate with Christ to live a life of value? What can you do to demonstrate your love for Him, draw others close to Him, and influence them for His Kingdom? And what things are you currently doing that have absolutely no eternal value? If you made a list today of the things that areR12;and arenR17;tR12;adding to your eternal portfolio, how would it look?

I encourage you. DonR17;t live with regret. Instead, store up for yourself treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:20). You only have one life to live to make a difference for Christ and add to your eternal portfolio. Make every day count.

CREATED FOR GOD

"...for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Rev 4:11wp.me/p29yfQ-ps

Blueprint for Life

For the last couple years, I have been wondering, When a person has a purpose or something they want to accomplish, is it okay with God to make plans?

There are two familiar positions related to this question.

Some people say that it’s not okay to make plans for anything. Instead, you should be like a leaf floating in the wind. You let God take you wherever He wants. You don’t exert your will or your desires. You just are.

Others say that if anything good happens in life, it’s because you make it happen. After all, God won’t magically appear on your door step and offer you a new job, a new relationship, or a new life. He set the world into motion and then stepped back to watch it spin. Everything else is up to you.

I found something interesting in Scripture I never noticed before that addresses both of these positions.

Perspective from the Bible

James 4:13 says, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.”’

To begin, we can throw Position No. 1 out the window that you don’t make any plans at all, that you don’t exert your will, your desires, or hope into any situation. Some people might think that is what this passage is saying.

It is not.

Notice it says, “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will do this or that.’” God is saying, “It’s okay to have a ‘I’d like to do this or that’ in mind. It’s okay to verbalize it and make plans for it. But, in all of your expectations, remain flexible and let Me have the final say.”

There is no person who will suffer the disappointment and despair that comes from dashed expectations if they live with a plan in one hand, and surrender to God in the other.

Position No. 2, as I mentioned, says that you make things happen. That it’s all up to you. You are in the maker of your own destiny—you are your own god. I have one word for that: baloney! It’s pretty clear that according to James, you can make your plans, but God says yes or no.

Make Your Plans with God

The real truth is that control is an illusion. No one really has any. We don’t even control our own breath or how long we live. The person who assumes that they have control of their life is, as the Scripture says, boasting—and boasting is evil. It is opposed to the idea of being God dependent. Only God has total control—and because He loves us, we can trust Him with that control.

If you have a goal, a hope, or a dream, pray over it and if you feel that God is giving you the thumbs up and it’s not sinful, go for it! Make your plans. Dream your dreams. But always let God have the final word.

By Shana Schutte – Blueprint For Life

FAITH

FAITH: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Heb.11:1 wp.me/p29yfQ-po #devotion #faith

The Death of the Family

The Death of the Family – Dr .Tony Evans

In His Presence: Colossians 1:9

“I will put enmity between [the serpent] and the woman”(Genesis 3:15).

When Satan wanted to instigate mankind’s rebellion against God, he went to the woman to undermine the man’s God-given authority. He approached Eve rather than Adam at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil to discuss what God said about the tree.

Eve responded to Satan’s prompts by taking up the position of the spiritual guide for her family. Eve made the decision about the direction the family would move. Adam became the follower. Eve ate the fruit and gave it to her husband. We know that Adam was with her; he heard the conversation Eve had with the serpent and did not interpose God’s viewpoint. Eve became the initiator and Adam became the responder. Their roles were reversed.

When a man gives up the biblical headship of his family, especially in the spiritual realm, there is a death in the relationship. Satan has become an expert in getting men to forsake their biblical roles because he knows if he can get the man out of his leadership role, the family will be weakened. We think conflict in the family is about differing personalities, or about finances, or how to rear our children. But the underlying cause is the death of the spiritual state in the home. The roles have been reversed, and man has forsaken the spiritual mantle God gave to all men.

One Minute Please

When the husband and/or wife have rebelled against God in some way, death takes hold of family relationships.

SURELY:

SURELY: ". . . And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt28:20 wp.me/s29yfQ-surely #devotion #hope #Jesus

God Is Always In Control – Dr. Charles Stanley

God Is Always In Control – Dr. Charles Stanley

Isaiah 45:5-7

I admit that I often don’t understand why bad things happen. Even so, I believe that God has a purpose for everythingHe does or permits. My faith is rooted in the biblical principle that says the Lord is sovereign (Ps. 22:28). He is in absolute control of this universe, the natural and political climate of this earth, and my life and yours.

When we are in the midst of a trial, it is hard to resist crying out, “God, Why is this happening?” Sometimes we get the answer and sometimes we don’t. What we can be sure of is that nothing happens by accident or coincidence. He has a purpose for even our most painful experiences. Moreover, we have His promise to “cause all things to work together for good to those who love God” (Rom. 8:28).

Seeing in advance how the Lord will work evil or hurt for our benefit is very difficult, if not impossible. My limited human perspective doesn’t allow me to grasp His greater plan. However, I can confirm the truth of this biblical promise because the Father’s good handiwork appears all through my pain, hardship, and loss. I have experienced Him turn mourning into gladness and have seen Him reap bountiful blessings and benefits from my darkest hours.

As believers, we must accept that God won’t always make sense to us. Isaiah teaches that His ways and thoughts are higher than our own (Isa. 55:9). He sees the beautifully completed big picture. We can rely on the fact that God is in control, no matter how wildly off-kilter our world seems to spin.

 

 

Sid Stewart

Executive Director

864 226-6193

www.havenofrest.cc

NO GREATER LOVE

NO GREATER LOVE: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." Jn15:3 wp.me/p29yfQ-p8 #MemorialDay

When a Nation Turns Its Back on God

When a Nation Turns Its Back on God – Charles Stanley

2 Chronicles 33:1-25

Hezekiah was a god-fearing king who brought about reformation among the Israelites. His son Manasseh, however, was an evil ruler. He had watched his father walk with God and live according to Scripture. Yet he chose to ignore the Lord.

Manasseh worshipped false gods, even to the point of sacrificing his sons by fire in order to praise Molech. He practiced much evil—including witchcraft and sorcery— and led Israel astray, thereby provoking God to anger. The king, along with the people, paid a high price for his rebellion.

This story illustrates the Lord’s intolerance of a nation’s disregard toward Him. Now consider our country. We, too, are a nation that pushes God aside—one that has turned away from the only true God and embraced idols. Perhaps these aren’t statues of stone, but we worship money, sports ability, fame, and reputation, to name a few.

The United States of America was founded on biblical principles with the intent to guarantee freedom of worship. But over time, we have removed the Lord from many aspects of public life. Prayer in schools, for instance, was deemed unconstitutional. What was once a “nation under God” has turned into a country that tolerates a growing number of sins and yet belittles absolute truth.

If a nation turns its back on the Lord, His judgment is inevitable unless the people repent and make Him Lord once again. As believers, our responsibility is to pray that God would draw the heart of our country back to Himself—and to help the gospel and truth spread through our land.

 

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR LIFE

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR LIFE: "...Though outwardly we are wasting away...we are being renewed day by day..."2Cor4:16-17 wp.me/p29yfQ-p0

Know God’s Written Word – Dr. Tony Evans

Know God’s Written Word – Dr. Tony Evans

In His Presence: 1 Corinthians 1:4-5

“The devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, “He will command His angels concerning You”; and “On their hands they will bear You up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” ’ Jesus said to him, ‘On the other hand, it is written, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” ’ ’’(Matthew 4:5-7).

We can be certain that Satan knows the Bible. He knows what it says and how to twist it into half-truths when it serves his purposes. Satan pulled a portion of Scripture out of context to serve his purposes. It isn’t enough for us to know the words in the Bible; we need to know the context. We need to understand the basic principle that the Word of God never violates: God does not contradict Himself.

“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” ’ Then the devil left Him”(vv. 8-11).

One Minute Please

If the Living Word, who wrote the written Word, needed to use the written Word to get Satan off His back, then think how much more we need to use the written Word of God to fend off the devil!

 

WORK OF ART

WORK OF ART: "...We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Is64:8 wp.me/p29yfQ-oW #devotion

ALL THINGS – Dr. Neil Anderson

ALL THINGS – Dr. Neil Anderson

Mark 11:24

All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted

If God wants it done, can it be done? Yes! "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). If God wants me to do it, can I do it? Of course! "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

What are the "all things" mentioned in those verses? Is this "miracle-a-moment" living? Can we just name it and claim it? No. "All things" pertains to God's will. What God makes possible is the doing of His will; what He empowers us to do is what He desires done. Every miracle outside the will of God is made possible by the god of this world. Satan can work miracles, but he cannot please God (Matthew 7:20-23).

Jesus shocked His disciples when He cursed a fig tree which bore no fruit for Him. The next day Peter noticed the tree was withered from the roots up. When Peter pointed it out to Him, Jesus answered, "Whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted" (Mark 11:23, 24).

Can such a miraculous thing happen by prayer and faith? Yes, if we understand what a God-wrought miracle is. A miracle from God is a supernatural intervention in the fixed order of the universe for the sole purpose of establishing His kingdom. A true miracle can only be accomplished by God and only to help fulfill His redemptive purpose.

Moving a mountain into the sea fulfills no redemptive purpose. Besides, given enough time and earth-moving equipment, we could accomplish that without God. The point Jesus is making is this: If God wants it done, it can be done. Nothing can keep us from doing the will of God, if we believe. Nobody can stop us from being the person God wants us to be. "Mountains" are often obstacles standing in the way of accomplishing God's will. Faith removes such barriers.

Prayer: Lord, I ask that I will be so sensitive to Your Spirit and full of faith that my prayers will be in harmony with Your will

 

Victory Secured

Victory Secured

Written By: admin - May• 22•13

John 19:30 (NIV) “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
With these three words, “It is finished,” Jesus successfully fulfilled the plan of our redemption: He delivered us from sin, and He gave us the Hope of Salvation. Just picture Jesus on the cross as He looked down through the ages speaking directly to you and to me, “I came to fulfill the prophesies, to provide you with a blueprint of how to live a righteous life, to give you peace and love towards one another; and to give you eternal life with unrestricted access to the Father. And, now, all of this is yours!” Even more, through His death and resurrection, Christ gave us His Spirit – the Holy Spirit — to live in us. He will protect us and guide us. He will fight our battles and seal joy in our hearts.  When Jesus said “It is finished,” He was securing our victory to overcome the world! This beautiful gift is available to all who believe (John 3:16).
Have a victorious day!

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Asking “Why?”

Asking “Why?” – Alistair Begg

Psalms 107:7

Changing circumstances often causes the anxious believer to ask, "Why is this happening to me?" I looked for light, but darkness came; for peace, but faced trouble. I said in my heart, my mountain stands firm, I shall never be moved. Lord, You hide Your face, and I am troubled. Only yesterday I could read my title clearly; but today my evidences are blurred, and my hopes are clouded. Yesterday I could climb the mountain and view the landscape and rejoice with confidence in my future inheritance; today my spirit has no hopes, but many fears; no joys, but great distress. Is this part of God's plan for me? Can this be the way in which God would bring me to heaven?

Yes, it is even so. The eclipse of your faith, the darkness of your mind, the fainting of your hope--all these things are just parts of God's method of making you ready for the great inheritance, which you will soon enjoy. These trials are for the testing and strengthening of your faith--they are waves that wash you further upon the rock--they are winds that steer your ship more quickly toward the desired haven. What David wrote then will be true of you: "he brought them to their desired haven" (verse 30). By honor and dishonor, by evil report and by good report, by plenty and by poverty, by joy and by distress, by persecution and by peace--by all these things your spiritual life is maintained, and by each of these you are helped on your way.

Do not think, believer, that your sorrows are out of God's plan; they are necessary parts of it. "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom."¹ Learn, then, to "count it all joy . . . when you meet trials of various kinds."²

O let my trembling soul be still,
And trust Thy wise, Thy holy will!
I cannot, Lord, Thy purpose see,
Yet all is well since ruled by Thee.

¹Acts 14:22
²James 1:2

“Every other refuge in which you may seek safety and rest will, sooner or later, turn out to be a refuge of lies; but the refuge to be found in Jesus will never disappoint your hopes: it will abide forever.”
Anonymous quote in a nineteenth-century tract

 

WITH GOD IT IS POSSIBLE

WITH GOD IT IS POSSIBLE: "...With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matt19:26 wp.me/p29yfQ-oK #devotion

OUR DEFENSE AGAINST SATAN

OUR DEFENSE AGAINST SATAN – Dr. Neil Anderson

John 8:44

The devil . . . does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

Satan's power is in the lie. He has no power over you except what you given him when you believe his lies. You break his power when you expose the lie. Scripture says, "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one" (1 John 5:19).

How much deception is actually going on in Christians today I can only speculate. In my ministry I encounter it in nearly every counseling session. Many Christians I talk to struggle with oppressive thoughts, but they are afraid to tell anyone for fear that others will think they have a mental problem. Seldom do they realize that these distractions reflect the battle which is going on for their minds, even though Paul warned us: "The Spirit explicitly says that in latter times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Timothy 4:1).

Since Satan's primary weapon is the lie, your defense against him is the truth. Dealing with Satan is not a power encounter; it's a truth encounter. When you expose Satan's lie with God's truth, his power is broken. That's why Jesus said: "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). That's why He prayed: "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. . . . Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth" (John 17:15, 17 NIV ). That's why the first piece of armor Paul mentions for standing against the schemes of the devil is the belt of truth (Ephesians 6:14). Satan's lie cannot withstand the truth any more than the darkness of night can withstand the light of the rising sun.

Prayer: Lord, I seek Your boldness today to defeat the enemy's lies in my life and in the lives of those around me.

 

Sid Stewart

Executive Director

864 226-6193

www.havenofrest.cc

WALK THE TALK

WALK THE TALK: “Whatever you have learned or received...or seen in me--put it into practice....” Phil4:9,13 wp.me/p29yfQ-oB #devotion

SATAN'S PRIMARY STRATEGY

SATAN'S PRIMARY STRATEGY

Acts 5:3

Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?

Satan's primary strategy is deception. He will introduce his thoughts and ideas into your mind and deceive you into believing that they are yours. It happened to King David. Satan "moved David to number Israel" (1 Chronicles 21:1), an act God had forbidden, and David acted on Satan's idea. Did Satan walk up to David one day and say, "I want you to number Israel"? I doubt it. David was a godly man and he wouldn't have obeyed Satan. But what if Satan slipped the idea into David's mind in first-person singular? What if the thought came to David as "I need to know how large my army is; I think I'll count the troops"?

If Satan can place a thought in your mind--and he can--it isn't much more of a trick for him to make you think it's your idea. If you knew it was Satan, you'd reject the thought, wouldn't you? But when he disguises his suggestion as your idea, you are more likely to accept it. That is his primary deception. If you knew where the thought came from, you wouldn't be deceived.

I don't think Judas realized that it was Satan's idea to betray Jesus (John 13:2). It probably came to him as a way to prompt Jesus to deliver Israel from the Romans. Ananias and Sapphira might have thought that it was their idea to withhold some of their offering while getting the strokes and attention from others who believed they had given everything. If they knew that it was Satan's idea, they probably wouldn't have done it (Acts 5:1-3). If Satan can get you to believe a lie, he can control your life. That's why it is truth that sets you free (John 8:32).

There is one common characteristic shared by everyone in bondage: They all lie. The alcoholic lies about his drinking. The anorexic lies about her eating. The first step to recovery is to get out of denial, stop lying and start telling the truth.

Prayer: Lord, I really want Your truth and the freedom it brings in my life at all times. Help me face up to the truth, receive it and act on it today.

 

DIVINE WEAPONS

DIVINE WEAPONS: “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world...they have divine power....” 2Cor10:4 wp.me/p29yfQ-ou

Satan’s Lies – Tony Evans

Satan’s Lies – Tony Evans

In His Presence: John 17:17

Satan convinced Eve that he was harmless, not a creature to fear or be wary of. Today, he wants us to believe that we don’t need to fear him and to think that he may not even exist. Second, Satan convinced Eve that God was holding out on her. Satan wants us to focus on our misfortunes.

“The woman said to the serpent, ‘From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.” ’ The serpent said to the woman, ‘You surely will not die!’ ’’(Genesis 3:2-3). He was saying that God’s word could not be trusted.

Satan discovered that Eve had lost sight of what God actually said. First, she minimized God’s goodness by leaving out the word “freely” in God’s command to Adam. He had said: “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely” (Genesis 2:16). Second, she made God look stricter than He was by saying they could not touch the fruit of the restricted tree. God had not said anything about touching it. Third, she lessened God’s judgment by saying “lest you die.” She was implying an uncertainty. Instead, God had said: “From the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

One Minute Please

When Eve distorted God’s word, she was receptive to Satan’s lie that God’s word could not be trusted.

 

 

HIDING PLACE

HIDING PLACE: “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble & surround me w/songs of deliverance" Ps32:7 wp.me/p29yfQ-oo

Don’t Worry About What You Will Say

Don’t Worry About What You Will Say – Henry Blackaby

But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak. Matthew 10:19

We are servants. Christ is our master. We are His ambassadors. What we say to others merely reflects our Lord’s heart.

If the Holy Spirit orchestrates an opportunity for you to speak on His behalf, don’t be afraid! Not only will He provide you the occasion, He will also give you the words. It might surprise you what words come out of your mouth. Things you have never said before. Applications you never made before. It is an awesome thing to be God’s representative!

At times we can become too focused on ourselves. We worry about what we will say. We are nervous about whether we will speak well and whether our listeners will like what we have to say. Too often we act as if everything depended upon us and upon our eloquence.

The truth is that we are but God’s mouthpiece. We are His servants. At that time and place and before that particular audience, God has chosen for us to represent Him. What an undeserved privilege! When those times come in your life, may you represent your Lord well.

THE GIFT OF LIFE

THE GIFT OF LIFE: “...Because I live, you also will live.” John14:19 wp.me/p29yfQ-og #devotion #Christ #alive #trustGod

AN INTACT BELIEF SYSTEM

“The whole history of the world is discovered to be but a contest between the wisdom of God and the cunning of Satan and fallen men.” -  A. W. Tozer

 

AN INTACT BELIEF SYSTEM – Neil Anderson

1 Timothy 4:6

In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Jesus Christ, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following

One problem with Christian maturity is trying to base spiritual growth on practical sections of the Scriptures and spending too little time internalizing the doctrinal sections. Each of Paul's letters tends to fall into two major parts. The first part is generally doctrinal, such as Romans 1-8, Ephesians 1-3, Colossians 1-2, etc. These sections reveal what we need to know about God, ourselves, sin and salvation. The second half of each letter is the practical section: Romans 12-15, Ephesians 4-6, Colossians 3-4, etc. These passages describe what we need to do to live out our faith in daily experience.

In our zeal to correct the problems in our lives--doubt, temptation, satanic attack, conflict in families, friendships and churches which are falling apart--we jump to the practical instructions of God's Word. We want a quick fix, a rule or instruction which we can apply like a Band-Aid to make things better.

Perhaps you have already discovered that a Band-Aid approach to daily living doesn't work. Why not? Because when you don't understand the truth pertaining to your position in Christ, you have no ground for success in the practical arena. How can you rejoice in hope and persevere in tribulation (Romans 12:12) without the confidence of knowing you have been justified by faith and have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)?

When your basic belief system about God and yourself is shaky, your day-to-day behavior system will be shaky. But when your belief system is intact and your relationship with God is based on truth, you'll have very little trouble working out the practical aspects of daily Christianity. Show me someone who knows who they are in Christ and who is filled with the Holy Spirit, as taught in the first half of the Epistles, and I will show you someone who will instinctively live according to the second half of the Epistles. It will be the "natural" thing to do.

Prayer: Loving Father, I desire to know what I need to know about You so I can live the way You desire for me to live.

 

LISTEN & OBEY

LISTEN & OBEY: "Jesus said: 'My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.'" Jn10:27 wp.me/p29yfQ-o2 #God #devotion

He Shares His Crown

He Shares His Crown – Alistair Begg

Romans 8:17

The boundless realms of His Father's universe belong by right to Christ. As "heir of all things,"¹ He is the sole proprietor of the vast creation of God, and He has admitted us to claim it all as ours, by making us His fellow heirs. The golden streets of paradise, the pearly gates, the river of life, the transcendent bliss, and the unutterable glory are all, by our blessed Lord, made ours for an everlasting possession. All that He has, He shares with His people.

The royal crown He has placed upon the head of His Church, granting her a kingdom, and calling her sons a royal priesthood, a generation of priests and kings. He uncrowned Himself that we might have a coronation of glory; He would not sit upon His own throne until He had procured a place upon it for all who overcome by His blood. Crown the head, and the whole body shares the honor.

Here then is the reward of every Christian conqueror! Christ's throne, crown, scepter, palace, treasure, robes, heritage are yours. He deems His happiness completed by His people sharing it. "The glory that you have given me I have given to them."² "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."³

The smiles of His Father are all the sweeter to Him because His people share them. The honors of His kingdom are more pleasing because His people appear with Him in glory. More valuable to Him are His conquests since they have taught His people to overcome. He delights in His throne because on it there is a place for them. He rejoices in His royal robes since they cover His people. He delights all the more in His joy because He calls them to enter into it.

¹Hebrews 1:2
²John 17:22
³John 15:11

SPIRITUAL COMFORT

SPIRITUAL COMFORT: “Praise be to the God...who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort....” 2Cor1:3-4 wp.me/p29yfQ-nU

SPIRIT-INSPIRED BOLDNESS

SPIRIT-INSPIRED BOLDNESS – Neil Anderson

Joshua 1:9

Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go

The third qualification for demonstrating authority over rulers and authorities in the spiritual realm is boldness . A Spirit-filled Christian is characterized by a true, godly sense of courage and boldness in spiritual warfare. On the eve of taking authority over the Promised Land, Joshua was challenged four times to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 18). When the early church prayed about their mission of sharing the gospel in Jerusalem, "the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31). Spirit-inspired boldness is behind every successful advance in the church today.

The opposite of boldness is cowardice, fear and unbelief. Notice what God thinks about these characteristics:

I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murders and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Revelation 21:6-8).

That's pretty serious--cowards lined up at the lake of fire alongside murderers, sorcerers and idolaters! It should serve to motivate us to exercise authority with boldness (2 Timothy 1:7).

A lot of Christians I meet fear the dark side of the spiritual world. It's true that a little knowledge can be a dangerous and frightful thing, but a growing knowledge of the truth is liberating. Seminary students have told me, "I used to be afraid of that stuff, but now I know who I am in Christ, and I'm not afraid anymore." That's exactly the perception we should have.

Prayer: Lord, increase my courage to light candles of truth and dispel the darkness in Your name. I will fear only You today, not the enemy.

FOR MOM

FOR MOM: "...As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you....” Is66:12-13 wp.me/p29yfQ-nK #devotion #Mom #MothersDay #love

The Mystery of God

The Mystery of God – Dr. David Jeremiah

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:9

Recommend Reading Psalm 63

Before a stranger becomes a friend, you must get to know him. This takes time. No two people are the same. The same is true of God. He is different from any being we have known. We could spend all of eternity considering His attributes and never exhaust the subject.

The complexity, detail and wonder of nature illustrate this. Take a leaf for example. It has color, has veins, and feeds the plant using sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide to fuel. This is one part of creation. If creation is this unique, intricate and complex, how much more is the Creator!

Thankfully we have our entire lives, both on earth and in eternity, to learn and reflect on who God is. Keep calm and worship Him.

What repeatedly enters your mind occupies your mind, eventually shapes your mind, and will ultimately express itself in what you do and who you become.
John Ortberg

RUN WITH ENDURANCE

RUN WITH ENDURANCE: “...let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Heb12:1 wp.me/p29yfQ-nE #devotion #run #endurance

PRAISING GOD – Dr. Neil Anderson

PRAISING GOD – Dr. Neil Anderson

Psalm 100:4

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name

Praise and thanksgiving are part of every level of prayer. They are continuous as we walk in the light. To come before God with thanksgiving is no different than coming before our earthly parents with an attitude of gratitude. Nothing disturbs a parent more than a child who is always demanding, forever complaining, and never satisfied. How would you feel if you've given as much as you can as a parent and your child still wants more, more, more? On the other hand, how would you feel toward the child who snuggles up and says, "Thanks for being who you are. I just love you and I know you're doing the best you can for me." What a great parent-child relationship.

Can you imagine approaching God and demanding, "I want more!"

And He responds, "I gave you My only begotten Son."

"But I want more!"

We ought to start every day by saying, "Thank You, heavenly Father. I deserved eternal damnation, but You gave me eternal life. How may I serve You today?

Praising God is acknowledging His attributes. I try to be aware when I pray that God is the ever-present, all-powerful, all-knowing, loving heavenly Father. I don't praise Him because He needs me to tell Him who He is. He knows who He is. I am the one who needs to keep His divine attributes constantly in my mind. I try to keep the knowledge of God's presence foremost in my thoughts. No matter where I go, He is with me.

I'm always disturbed when I hear people asking God to "be there." It's like we are questioning His omnipresence. The same goes for asking God to be with our missionaries. We have the assurance of Scripture that He will be with them unto the ends of the earth. We can confidently acknowledge that He will neither leave us nor forsake us. We ought to thank God for His presence and ask Him to bring to our minds anything that may be keeping us from having perfect fellowship with Him.

Prayer: Father God, teach me to practice the awareness of Your presence and accept the sufficiency of Your attributes.

JOYFUL WORK

JOYFUL WORK: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men....” Col3:23-24 wp.me/p29yfQ-nx

SOWING AND REAPING – Dr. Neil Anderson

SOWING AND REAPING – Dr. Neil Anderson

Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap

The Scriptures are full of warnings about self-deception. James 1:26 reminds us that we deceive ourselves when we think we are religious but do not bridle our tongue. There is nothing that grieves God more than when we bad-mouth people instead of building them up with our speech. We are never to use our tongues to put others down. Instead we are to edify one another in what we say and thereby give grace to those who hear us. If your tongue is out of control, you're fooling yourself to believe that you have your spiritual life together.

We also deceive ourselves when we think we will not reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). As Christians we sometimes think we are exempt from this principle, but we are not. Even though our sins are forgiven, we will have to live with the results and consequences of our thoughts, words and actions whether good or bad.

Since I was privileged to be raised on a farm, I witnessed every year the law of cause and effect. If we didn't sow good seed in the spring, we didn't reap a good crop in the fall. If we didn't feed the sheep, they died. Our young people have difficulty grasping this simple sow-and-reap truth. Living from weekend to weekend or party to party, they fail to prepare themselves for the future.

Your life may be measured by what you reap, but it is determined by what you sow. For example, if you want a friend, be a friend. What you get out of life is what you put into it.

Prayer: Lord, guard me from the self-deception of thinking You will always cover for me or pull me out of the jams I get myself into. Help me learn to sow what I hope to reap.

 

 

Sid Stewart

Executive Director

864 226-6193

www.havenofrest.cc