Monday
Enduring Temptation
If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NLT).
The root of the problem with temptation is taking our eyes off God. When we do, the lure of temptation rears its ugly head.
We can bet that as soon as we take our eyes off God that worldly pleasure and distractions will begin to attract us. The temptations may come disguised as “It's okay,” or “Don't worry,” or “Only this once,” or “No one will know.” Temptations will destroy a good man or woman when given the chance.
Be cautious.
God is forever faithful and will give us the strength and power to avoid temptation, but we must remain in Him and continue to look into His mighty face.
Don't take your eyes off the prize, Jesus Christ.
Lord God, the Devil loves to tempt us and lure us away from you. It's his plan to lie, steal and destroy each of your children. Lord, help us to fight temptation. Help us to put on your armor (Ephesians 6:10-17).
Lord, we know you will never leave us, help us to not leave you. Lead us and direct us in your ways. Keep us near to you. We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.
Tuesday
Human Failure
If the godly give in to the wicked,
it’s like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring (Proverbs 25:26 NLT).
The world is accepting lies and turning away from Truth. Good is being called evil and evil is now called good. We are even seeing church after church and pastor after pastor cave into political correctness, instead of standing for and in the truth of God's Word. If this continues, our fate is sealed.
It's one thing for the government to turn its back on God, but a total travesty for the church and its leaders to do the same.
I'm praying for our world, our nation, and our people. More importantly, I'm praying for our churches and our pastors. Please join me in doing the same.
Dear Lord, save us from the evils of political correctness. Turn us to Truth. We must not turn away from Christ to make someone feel good about their sin and/or immoral lifestyle. Lord, bring all of the church back into your Word. Yes, truth hurts, but that hurt doesn't last nearly as long as a life of everlasting separation from you. We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
Wednesday
Gardening
“This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 NLT).
There isn't any time to be discouraged because we have a mission.
As Christians, we are to keep the faith and bring as many people as possible to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. He is our Savior and King, and we are to be bold and courageous as we share Him and His Word.
Like 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 says, some will plant, some will water, but it is God who grows. We are just co-workers in God’s service. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith yet He commands us in Matthew 9:38 to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest field.
Thank you, Lord, for letting us tend and work in your garden. May you use each of us today to bring more people to the knowledge of your love, mercy, and grace. In Jesus' mighty and matchless name, amen.
Thursday
Truly Blessed
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19 NLT).
(Jesus speaking)
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life – whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today (Matthew 6:25-34 NLT).
It's not about what we have but what we do with what He has blessed us with and to do so without taking those blessings for granted. We should take the time to look at what God has blessed us with, and we will find we are blessed far beyond our needs. Are you using His stuff for His glory?
We are His creation from beginning to end, but it's up to us to choose Him as our God and live according to His will and direction. I pray today for each of us to live a life that glorifies Him.
Dear Lord, we are all blessed beyond all measures. We have trials and struggles, but your blessings go far beyond our problems. Father, you are the Creator of all things. You desire none to perish and invite us through Jesus to be fully forgiven as your children. That is the grandest blessing of all. We thank you, Lord. We praise you, Lord. Hallowed be thy name. Amen.
Friday
Control & Domination
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God (Romans 8:5-8 NLT).
What are you letting control your life? What is getting in between you and God? The sin of idolatry is a huge culprit. Also, sexual immorality is destroying lives along with many other sins.
Folks, we are what we let control us. If we live in unrepentant sin, we become sin incarnate. The Devil is a tricky, sneaky liar. He is wreaking havoc on our world.
My point is we need to obey God and follow Jesus. If you have a question about what sin is in your life, compare what the world says versus what God says. We should always choose God's Word over the world every time.
Lord, help us give you complete control of our lives. Help us denounce Satan, take up our crosses, and follow you. Father God, thank you for loving us. We pray in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
Saturday
Never Extinguished
“The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it” (John 1:5 NLT).
No matter how this broken world tries to silence God, His Word and Christ as the Light of the World will not be extinguished!
Almighty God, let your Light shine! Brightly! Amen.
Sunday
Living in This World
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful (Colossians 3:15 NLT).
Just look around if you are feeling sorry for yourself. I bet it won't take you long to find someone in a lot worse situation in life than yours.
We must live in this broken world. This world brings us many trials and tribulations to endure. It is part of life. Remember today is the first day of the rest of your life so use it to praise God. Today, demonstrate to the world how to live a good, Christ-following life.
Dear Father, lead us to the realization that no matter what we are going through, you are with us and will never leave us. Remind us of how blessed we are, no matter the situation we might be going through. Teach us how to pray for the lost and those who are struggling. I pray in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus. Amen.
(Editor's Note: "God Has a Gift for You" is the good news that restores the broken relationship we have with God because of our sin.)
