Pressuring Peers Part 2

Point of View:
So a lot of us want to look cool in our friends’ eyes (important to the sports team and cute/good looking around that special someone, right?). I think this is because we are driven by acceptance. We often let others opinions impact our life in such a big way that some of us even dress, act and talk more like those people just so that we will have a group to fit in with. I find that a lot of us are always wondering about how we are being viewed or what others think about us, when really… NONE of that even matters! How your friends and peers view you doesn’t, and shouldn’t, change who you are as a person! If they think your cool, guess what? Your God’s workmanship! And if they think that you’re dumb, guess what? Your still Gods workmanship!! You see, if you have faith that Jesus took upon your sins, died for them and three days later rose again, you’re already a part of a big group/family. A group that is viewed not through mans eyes but God’s - and to Him we are viewed as perfect through Christ’s blood. God has already prepared good works for you to do here (According to Ephesians 2:10) so go forth and do them. Remember, that no matter what people think about you, YOU are Gods workmanship! Now that’s what’s up! So…

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to understand! Understand that we are new creations in Christ, no longer defined by the past, but made new through Jesus, our Savior and Lord. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” So… Walk in them.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. As through Him we are viewed (not made) as perfect.
• Ask that you would truly be able to understand that you are new creations through Christ, created to do good works, which God has already prepared.
• Pray that you wouldn’t be defined by what people say or think about you but by Jesus! Through Him all things are possible!

The Word:

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
- Ephesians 2:10

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
- 2 Corinthians 5:17

Stepping Stones: On Your Life Journey, Unpacking is Necessary

December 21, 2011

Transformational Tip
Well Christmas is rapidly approaching, and for many that means a road trip, congested airports, weather delays, holding patterns, sleeping in odd beds, and rushing between relatives. One part of travel that I enjoy is packing. Quick, efficient, taking only what I really need. I am good with wearing the same clothes several consecutive days without problem. My girls are really efficient as well. Some other people, I won’t mention who she is, really have trouble getting rid of the excess baggage, no matter how short and simple the trip!

Extra baggage on a trip weighs us down but at least it isn’t harmful. But when it comes to our minds and hearts, it’s amazing how much extra toxic baggage we voluntarily choose to keep jammed in our hidden compartments. Try as I may, I find that the brokenness and sin of my past is like huge stone hanging around my neck. Carrying that stone brings guilt, shame and weakness. I know and believe I have been forgiven, but I struggle with laying that stone down and walking away from it.

Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive guilt and anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness and hope for a transforming future. Trusting God’s forgiveness is a big and difficult stretch for most, myself included. It takes time to receive God’s forgiveness … to absorb the full depth and power of it … allowing it to seep into those hidden compartments.

For me, I had to work up to this huge step of trust by practicing, implementing, and applying trust in much smaller areas of life and in my relationship with God. Trusting Him when … there is an illness … a flat tire … a change of plans … someone else is in charge … a deadline is moved … a random expense comes into the mix … protection for my children is needed … I don’t feel loved or valued. Like any skill, starting small, practicing, then stretching it, can lead to powerful skills. Trust is the same way. Trusting in His power of forgiveness is one of the richest skills you can develop. Unpack some baggage, but pull it out of your heart with the loving hand of Jesus Christ. This is why He came to earth, to set us free from our baggage and the stone of sin.

Today, leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into your invincible future with Him. Start by trusting Him, His agenda, promises, character, and instruction in 5 separate situations today. You already do this at times, but learn that it is trusting in God so you can grow this skill and finally be free from your past. WITHIN REACH is designed to specifically help you properly unpack your toxic baggage. Your decision, so choose well.

Prayer
Dear Father God, I can easily become paralyzed with shame, guilt, and fear over my past. I have hurt You … and I know I have hurt others. I am so thankful for Your promise of forgiveness – Thank You, Lord. I ask You, Father, to help me lay down this heavy stone of my past that I have been carrying. Let me remember and be accountable for my past brokenness and sin … but let it not keep me from moving toward You with freedom. I pray in the name of the One whom You sent to remove my toxic baggage, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say - AMEN!

The Truth
But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
Isaiah 52:12

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me.
Jeremiah 33:8

Pressuring Peers

Point of View:
Lets face it, we have all tried to fit into some type of group or “clique” before. Maybe it was to get close with a group of people, look/act more like them or to simply appear popular. We have all done it, but why? I think it’s because we all desire to be accepted. We want to feel as though we are a part of something, whether that’s a sports team, joining a band/choir or just having a tight group of friends, we all want to fit in somewhere. So as we spend time with those people we will generally become more like them, right? I mean you might feel the need to talk how they talk, do what they do or wear what they wear. This could be a good thing or a bad thing. Realizing that we are going to be influenced by our friends, let’s not be influenced in a negative way. We have to realize that if we want to overcome peer pressure, we are going to have to learn to say no! It’s time to choose friends that influence you in a positive way rather than in a negative way. Remember, If you have to do things you don’t want to do in order to fit in, you are still not fitting in, you are just acting like someone they’d like. So…

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to stand strong and not conform to the ways of this world! How can you do that? Learn to say no! If your friends want you to do something that your not comfortable doing (gossiping, partying or pushing you to get physical with someone), just say no! You can even memorize Romans 12:2 and recite it if they ask you why you wont do something you are not comfortable with. Tuesday we will be talking about whose approval we should be seeking, so… Part 2 comes next week.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for making you unique. We all have different skills, let’s use them to bring God glory.
• Ask for wisdom, as sometimes it’s hard to explain why we don’t want to do something, but hey, that’s what being a Christian is all about, “Swimming against the current”
• Pray that you would be surrounded with a crowd of encouraging friends that will ultimately glorify God.

The Word:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
- Romans 12:2

Wrapping it all up

Point of View:
So the last couple of weeks we dug into the wisdom that Peter shared with us in 2Peter chapter 1. If you did not get a chance to read all the devotionals, all the things that Peter tells us to add to our faith, it is listed bellow in verses 5-7. As we wrap up this study on adding to our faith I want to focus on verse 8 today. Verse 8 tells us that “if you possess these qualities (What Peter told us to add to our faith) in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”. So, if you want to grow in your relationship with God you would not want to be ineffective (not useful) or unproductive right? That would not help you grow in your relationship! That is why I wanted to dig into 2 Peter 1: 5-7. It shows us how if we add those qualities to our faith we can keep ourselves from being ineffective and unproductive. Now that’s the type of stuff we need to learn if we want to be used by God, right? So, if you’re ready to add those qualities to your faith, get ready, because according to verse 8, you will be a productive and effective tool for Christ! That’s what’s up!!! So…

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to “add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” Impact your friends, community and school in a positive way as God begins (or continues) to use you as a useful tool for Him! We all have different places and areas that people listen to us so… Find your portico! Spread the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ to the masses around you like Peter and John did in Acts 3-4:1

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for Peter and the God given wisdom he shares with us in 2 Peter 1:5-7
• Ask that God would reveal your portico to you. (Pray that you would realize where you can be effective and share the saving knowledge of Christ with those people)
• Pray for bravery, as being a useful tool for Christ is sometimes scary work.

The Word:

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
- 2 Peter 1: 5-11

Adding Love to Mutual Affection

Point of View:
So after adding mutual affection to godliness, Peter tells us to add love to mutual affection. Well, let’s dig a little deeper as we ask ourselves what love is, and how we can show it.

What is love?
In John 4:8, John says this about love; “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” God is love?! That sounds crazy right? Well, it’s true. We would not even know what love is if God did not demonstrate it to us. How does he do that? Well, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this way: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Now that is unconditional love! It is hard for us to love people when they are doing things that we dislike, but God loves us even though we sin, which is what He HATES! Feeling special yet? Haha

How can you show love to others?
We can show love by “Putting their needs above your own.” That sounds simple, but what about your enemies or people you dislike? Well, I’ll let Luke challenge you this week. so…

The Challenge:
27 “…Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. - Luke 6: 27-31

Prayer Points:
- Thank God for loving us even though we don’t deserve it.
- Ask for forgiveness as we constantly sin against God.
- Pray that you would be able to Add Love to mutual affection and Share Christ, Gods gift with everyone.

The Word:

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. -2 Peter 1: 5-7

8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. - 1 John 4:8

Adding Mutual Affection to Godliness

Point of View:
So after adding perseverance to godliness, Peter tells us to add godliness to mutual affection. What does that mean? Well let’s take a look at the definition. Mutual affection is simply defined as; “Whatever affects one person in a relationship, affects the other as well”. So, if we are supposed to let what affects Jesus affect us, our heart should break at what breaks His, smile at what makes Him smile and have the passion to pursue ministry as Jesus did. This reminds me of the song by Hillsong United called Hosanna. In it, the song says, ”Break my heart for what breaks yours, everything I am for your kingdoms cause”. My question to you now is, can you sing those lyrics to God and mean them? It is easy to say them, but I pray that this generation will mean it. On that note, lets move into…

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to live your life as Christ would! If you have talents/gifts, use them to glorify God. If you see someone hurting, reach out and offer help to them. If you know the gospel, share your faith. Befriend the lonely, help pay for a buddy’s meal if he is short on cash, there are many more examples in the Bible, but I challenge you to find them. Dig in!

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for whatever gifts, friends, possessions and knowledge you have. He has given us so much, lets use what He’s given us to glorify Him.
• Ask for boldness, as it isn’t always easy living the way Christ did. It wasn’t easy then and its not easy now.
• Pray that you would be able to use everything you have to glorify our Father in heaven, and bring others to know Him.

The Word:

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection
-2 Peter 1: 5-7

15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written:
“Be holy, because I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:15-16

Adding Godliness to Perseverance

Point of View:
If you want to grow in your knowledge of something or get better at a skill, you have to study and train right? For instance, if you want to be a professional sports player, you have to train daily, study the plays and run the drills that will make the team successful. So, if you want to be a Boxer, it would be of no use to devote your time to making flower arrangements. That would not do you much good and would not be very valuable to the coach. Well, just as professional sports players need proper training, we as Christians do as well. As soldiers of Christ, it would not make much sense to watch TV all of the time right? If we want to be useful, tools for Christ, we have to be studying the Bible, praying and sharing Christ’s name with others. My only question now is… are you?

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to take a look at what your spending your time doing. Is God a priority in your life? Are you staying in the Bible and walking daily with Christ, or are your X-Box and/or good friends more important? I think we both know the right answer to that question. So, as you wake up, I want to challenge you to dedicate each day to glorifying God. Try your best to live for God, and if things get tough… Persevere! You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for His grace. As He graciously forgives us time and time again.
• Ask for a never ending passion for reading the Bible.
• Pray that you will become submissive to His will. No matter the cost.

The Word:

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness… - 2 Peter 1:5-6

8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise
for both the present life and the life to come. - 1 Timothy 4:8

Adding Perseverance to Self-Control

Point of View:
So after adding self-control to knowledge, Peter tells us to add perseverance to self-control. To better understand what exactly that means, let’s take a look at the definition. Perseverance is defined as: “A continued effort to accomplish a goal regardless of difficulties, obstacles, or set backs. So, being a Christian isn’t always easy, right? People sometimes make fun of you, try to prove you wrong and disrespect the fact that you are trying to glorify God. As you continue to grow in your relationship with Christ, you will realize that some of those things let up, but some get harder. That is why Peter tells us to add perseverance to our self-control. We have to remember to stay cool and persevere through all the hard times and keep on glorifying God. How can you do that? Equip the Armor of God, and keep on growing in your relationship with the Father! Keep reading the Bible, praying and sharing His name and you will see that you can persevere through any hard time. You “can do all this through him who gives” you “strength.” - Philippians 4:13 So…

The Challenge:
Pursue God at all costs! It is time to persevere through the difficulties, being made fun of, pain and other obstacles and keep on following God. Keep your cool and continue to grow closer to God! Know this, your perseverance will not go unnoted. (James 1:12) Fix your eyes on God and hop over any obstacle that comes your way.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for giving us what we need to stand strong against the Devil; the Armor of God. (If we can stand strong against the Devil, than we can stand strong against anyone here on earth)
• Ask for patience as persevering through trials is tough, and sometimes long.
• Pray for those who are hardest to love! Sometime the ones who are hardest to love need love the most. Show them Christ! (The ultimate gift of love)

The Word:
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance...-2 Peter 1:5-6

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. (Don’t quit) Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles (through perseverance) are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. - James 1:12

Adding Self-Control to Knowledge

Point of View:
So after adding knowledge to goodness, Peter tells us to add self-control to knowledge. What does that mean? Well to start out, Self-Control is defined as: “the ability to control oneself, in particular one's emotions and desires or the expression of them in one's behavior, esp. in difficult situations”. So why would we need to add self control to knowledge? Well, let’s face it, its easy to learn about God when life is going well and we are happy, but what about when life is not going so well? When we are angry and/or upset, it’s often hard to retain that knowledge or have the desire to learn more about God. This is why we need self-control. We need to learn how to control our emotions and desires so that when the difficult situations come, we can express and behave ourselves in an honoring way. So, how do we do that? Well…

The Challenge:
Be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry”. (-James 1:19) Now that’s self-control at its finest! If we can learn to not only practice this knowledge when we are angry, but also daily, then we will find ourselves not growing angry as often. This will result in God being given the glory that he both deserves and desires.
So, if you’re ready to glorify God and add self-control to knowledge, be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry”!

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for giving us James 1:19, as it is an awesome display of what self control looks like.
• Ask that you would be able to add self-control to your knowledge. Even when times are tough, control your emotions and desires and God will be glorified.
• Pray that we would be disciplined enough to follow through with being quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.

The Word:
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control - 2 Peter 1:5-6

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. - James 1:19-20

Adding Knowledge to Goodness

Point of View:
So after adding goodness to our faith, Peter tells us to add knowledge to goodness. What does that mean? Well to start off, knowledge is defined as: “Facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education”. So, if knowledge is learning and experiencing something, if we want to grow in our knowledge of the Bible, what would we have to do? Learn and experience the Bible, right? Well that sounds easy, but if it is so easy, then why don’t too many believers know a lot about the Bible? Well I think that it’s because there is more than just trying to learn about God. We have to be living a glorifying life outside the Church, Bible Study or Classroom. That is hard to do though, right? We all have certain things in our life that hold us back and distract us from pursuing God. Things like worrying what others might think, fearing you might lose your friends, having relationships that don’t glorify God, using drugs and alcohol, and so many more.
The examples listed above are just a couple of the stumbling blocks that could hold you back from pursuing God, but there are many more, So…

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to identify what specifically, is holding you back from pursuing God. Take a minute to do so. How can you go about cutting free the things that hold you back from learning and experiencing God? In my life, I had to stop hanging out with the crowd I was chilling with, why? Because a lot of them desired to drink, party, smoke weed and curse. I no longer desired that lifestyle. My new desire was to learn more about God and experience what living according to His will looked like. It was a big thing to cut away, but it has been about 3 years now and I don’t regret it one bit! God is worth it. Pursue Him at all cost and don’t let anyone hold you back from that.

Prayer Points:
- Thank God for giving us the strength we need to make the hard moves as we pursue Him.
- Ask for wisdom. The Bible says that if we ask for Wisdom, it will be given to us.
- Pray that nobody would be able to hold you back from what God’s will for your life is.

The Word:
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge - 2 Peter 1: 5

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. – James 1:5

Adding Goodness to Your Faith

Point of View:
So in 2 Peter 1:5, Peter tells us to add goodness to our faith. Reading that, have you ever really asked yourself what exactly goodness is, and how you would add it to your faith? Well, goodness really consists of two things: kindness and generosity. For example, if you do something “out of the goodness of your heart”, you are being generously kind to someone. Let’s break that down a little more. We probably all know that kindness means to be friendly or nice, but what does generosity mean? Well, generosity is defined as: “showing a readiness to give more than what’s necessary or expected”. This reminds me of Jesus, He did not have to die, but died so that we could be viewed as perfect and have a relationship with our Father in Heaven, God. Now that’s doing more than what is necessary! Understanding that, let us move on to the challenge…

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to add goodness to your faith. How can you do that? Well, there are two steps in this process. First up, you have to have faith in Jesus Christ. If you believe that Jesus took upon your sins, died for them, and three days later rose again, The Bible says that you “should not perish but have eternal life”. (John 3:16) The second part of adding goodness to your faith is; declaring that your ready to give it all for the One (Jesus) who gave it all. I challenge you to give more than what your parents, friends and teachers expect from you. Are you ready to do that? If so, Lets Go! Now is the time to start!

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for sending his Son Jesus to die on the cross for your sins. (We do this a lot, but really… we can not do it enough)
• Ask for endurance. It might be easy to do more than others expect for a while, but I promise you it will get hard.
• Pray that God would be glorified in our actions. May we not “go the extra mile” to look good, but to bring glory to God.

The Word:
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness…
- 2 Peter 1:5

39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
- Mathew 5: 39-42

Wisdom from Peter

Point of View:
As many of you have probably already realized, this world is full of corruption. I mean, there are people asking others to do horrible things all the time. For example, teens and young adults all over the world are being asked to go to school, do their homework and read boring books everyday. Is that not terrible? This world is messed up! Haha! I am just kidding about those examples and hope they do not offend anyone, but on a more serious note, corruption is defiantly present in this world. Noticing this, I want to dig into 2 Peter 1: 5-9 big time over the next couple weeks. Why? Because I believe that a lot of us desire to be useful, glorifying followers of God, but keep getting caught in the evil desires of the flesh. That’s why 2 Peter 1: 5-9 is awesome, because Peter tells us what we have to do in order to escape the corruption of this life. If you live your life as Peter tells us, adding what he says, you will limit the struggles and problems you bring upon yourself, and you will be able to continue to grow deeper and deeper in love with God and learn more about our Savior Jesus Christ.

The Challenge:
Read 2 Peter 1:3-9. We will break it down over the next couple weeks, but to best understand it read it all together.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for sending Peter and giving him the knowledge we need to escape the corruption of this life.
• Ask that you would be able to understand the scripture and apply it to your life.
• Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ as they do the same.

The Word:

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a Godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 4 Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. - 2 Peter 1:3-9

Finish with Prayer

Point of View:
So immediately after Paul lists the Armor of God, he tells us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” He also says; “With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people”. (Ephesians 6:18) Although is was not a part of the armor Paul listed, in verse 18 prayer acts as the thread that ties it altogether. Pursuing God through prayer is what allows us to put on the armor and combine the pieces together. If you are a believer in Christ, prayer is how you can stay in touch with God. Prayer helps us to better understand who God is, what He can do and how gracious and loving He really is. So now that we know what all the pieces are, let us spend some time in prayer today. Let’s fully equip the Armor of God and stand strong.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for being such a loving and gracious Father who is always willing to listen.
• Strap The Belt of Truth around your waist. Commit yourself to making Jesus alone, the foundation of your life. Stand strong and know that you can resist the foundations of this world.
• Place The Breastplate of Righteousness over your heart. Declare that Jesus is your righteous Savior and through Him you will be able to fight any battle and stand victorious against the enemy. (Satan)
• Slide the Shoes Ready to Preach the Gospel on. Ask God for boldness as we share the gospel with our friends and family. God’s word is “a light unto our path” so ask that you would be able to walk by faith and not question His will.
• Take up The Shield of Faith. Thank God for giving us what we need in order to defend ourselves from the flaming arrows of the Devil. Rely on God’s Power.
• Place The Helmet of Salvation upon your head. Thank God for sending His Son, Jesus to die on the Cross for your sins. For through faith in Him, we can be saved.
• Take up The Sword of The Spirit. Thank God for writing His 66 book love letter (the Bible) to us. Pray for wisdom as you apply God’s Word to your life’s situations and daily temptations.
• Pray for all the Lord’s People. Ask that God would bless us with a never ceasing passion to read His word.

The Word:
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. - Ephesians 6:18

Sword of the Spirit

Point of View:
So the sword was the last piece of armor Paul listed. It was viewed as a very deadly and powerful weapon and had a two-edged blade that inflicted way more damage then any other sword from that time. That alone gave them an offensive advantage over all the army’s of that day and made them very hard to defend against. As soldiers of Christ fighting in life’s spiritual battle, we have a weapon far more effective than any piece of steel could ever be. What is this weapon? It’s the sword of the spirit, God’s Word aka the Bible. Did you know Jesus Himself used God’s Word to defend Himself against the devil? Satan tempted Jesus three times in the wilderness (Mathew 4:1-11) and all three times Jesus quoted scripture and stood strong against Satan’s schemes. How awesome is that?! God’s Word is such a powerful weapon and I want to challenge you to arm yourself with it.

The Challenge:
God gave us His Word aka the Sword of the Spirit because as believers, we are His soldiers, fighting against the schemes of the devil. I want to challenge you to equip this precious and unique weapon. If we speak God's word according to His plan, there is no power in the universe that can withstand it! That is because God has ultimate authority in this universe. Which makes sense right? After all, God spoke the universe into existence and is the creator of all things. There is power in God’s Word! It’s time to commit yourself to knowing, understanding and applying God’s Word to your life. Now the only question is... are you willing?

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for giving us the Sword of the Spirit. (Bible)
• Ask for wisdom in applying Gods Word to your life.
• Pray that you would grow a never-ending passion for reading His Word.

The Word:
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
- Ephesians 6: 17

The Helmet of Salvation

Point of View:
The Roman soldiers had some of the best gear in the ancient world, especially their helmets. Most helmets of that time where made of cloth wrappings, animal hide and bone. However, the Roman soldiers wore a bronze helmet that was cast to their troops. It was lined with leather for comfort and also had a visor, chinstrap and a piece of bronze that came down over the backside of their neck. A great helmet protects the wearer from all different directions of blows and attacks. To put it simply: if you protect the brain, you protect the mind, and the greatest battlefield is our mind. The Devil wants to attack this area the most and wants to damage our assurance in salvation. He will do whatever it takes to try to deceive you into glorifying him and to not trust in God.

The Challenge:
Put on the “Helmet of Salvation”! How do you do that? Well to start, Paul gives us some great advice in Philippians 4: 8, It is listed below and I encourage you to read it right now as it tells us what we should be thinking about. (Read verse 4: 8) We must be mindful of our thoughts, because as Casting Crowns says, “it’s a slow fade”. The Devil is subtle in his attacks and can easily blind us if we are careless. Lastly, I challenge you to flood yourself in God’s Word and constantly talk with your Father, God through prayer. He blesses us with wisdom so let us apply this as we think about praiseworthy things.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for giving you this helmet, as it is what you need to defend yourselves from the Devils attacks.
• Ask for wisdom; for knowledge is knowing the truth, but wisdom is applying it.
• Pray that you would be able to recall Paul’s wisdom and think about praiseworthy things.

The Word:
Take the helmet of salvation… - Ephesians 6: 17

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. - Philippians 4:8

Stepping Stones: Life Abundant: Pain Relief and Healing

Transformational Thought

I cut my finger the other day, but I didn’t give it the care it needed at the time. Just threw a bandage on it to stop the bleeding so it wouldn’t mess up anything. A couple days later, an infection set in and the injury got my attention. I went to buy an antibiotic ointment to aid the healing and found a leading brand ointment that had an interesting claim; “Healing and pain relief.” The cut was creating some discomfort for me, so I chose the product that offered more than just healing. I wanted pain relief as well.

Holy Scripture tells us that Christ’s mission in coming to earth was to forgive and to save … to provide “eternity” for us. He came to deliver oh so much more than just our redemption. He brought us eternal freedom, fulfillment, peace and joy. Healing is now available for us.

You see, often times, we have a hard time believing the healing He brings is actually available for us here on earth. I know that not all our physical and psychological illnesses will be made whole now. But even though we struggle, His peace and comfort can melt away pain and renew our mind in powerful ways. Our biggest illness is spiritual, so connecting with Him and maximally absorbing Him will have a powerful impact on our other ills.

The prophet Isaiah tells us the Messiah will come to bind up and heal, to release and set free (while we are here on earth). Jesus Himself referenced this passage as captured in Luke 4:17. Think about this: Christ came not only to forgive you, but to restore and release you. This is the central passage in the entire Bible about Jesus. He fulfilled every prophesy, testifying to the truth and then dying for us, bringing ultimate healing and shalom to our lives and His relationship with us.

Today, take Jesus Christ at his word … as the healer of all the broken pieces within you … Who unites them into one whole and healed heart. Think what life would be like if you believed that promise. What keeps you from believing His promise? What do you believe in more strongly than His promise and the incredible body of evidence He has compiled? Why do you believe something else? It’s your decision regarding what you will believe: Jesus’ promises and teachings, or your own theory. Choose well. Your life depends on it.

Prayer
Dear Father God, I pray and ask You to release me from all bondage and captivity, as You promised to do. Take all my broken pieces and give me an all-receiving heart … make me whole. I know, Father, that You will not do this at a distance, so I desire to be as close to You as I possibly can be … show me the way to You, my Lord, and Savior. I pray in the name of the one You sent to forgive me, save me, and heal me, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say - AMEN!

The Truth
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Isaiah 61:1

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10

The Shield of Faith

Point of View:
So the Roman Soldiers had many pieces of armor, but the biggest piece of armor that they carried was their shield. They would carry it with them almost all times and would use it to defend themselves from airborne attacks, which included flaming arrows and spears. Many times a group of soldiers would draw close together and hold their shields over their heads and circle around so that other soldiers could run underneath and be shielded from the deadly attacks of their opponents. It is easy to see how if the shield is used correctly it can be a trustworthy piece of equipment that can keep you from the “flaming arrows” of your opponent. How does this relate to your life? Let me tell you, the Devil is constantly launching “flaming arrows” your way. Those “flaming arrows” come in all forms; friends, money, drugs, relationships, there are so many different “flaming arrows” that the Devil can use to keep you occupied. The Devil tries to keep you feeling as though you do not need a Savior, but if you have your shield (Faith in Jesus Christ) equipped, you can defend yourself from the attacks of the Devil and continue to press on.

The Challenge:
Trust in Jesus alone as your shield. If you have faith in Jesus Christ, believing that he took your sins upon himself, dying for them on the cross and has risen from the dead, then as Acts 31 says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”. Relying on your own abilities will get you nowhere in this battle against the Devil. Equip the shield if you have not already, or learn how to hold it above your head and defend against the Devil's “flaming arrows”. Continue to defend yourself and remain faithful to Christ. Do not let the little things distract you from God's will for your life. Hold your shield up high and continue pressing on and standing strong.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for giving us Jesus, His Son because through Him we can equip the “Shield of Faith”.
• Ask for knowledge, as it is easy to get wrapped up in life’s different schemes. Remain faithful to God.
• Pray that those who do not have faith in Christ will be able to have that opportunity before it is to late. Be bold and share the Word.

The Word:
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. - Ephesians 6:16

30…what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved… - Acts 16:30-31

Shoes Ready to Preach the Gospel of Peace

Point of View:
So the Roman soldiers where very effective for many reasons. They were extremely well trained, given some of the best equipment know to man (at the time) and had leaders that where top notch! One way the Roman soldiers had an advantage on the battlefield was because they were equipped with spiked footwear. Having these spikes on the soul of their shoes provided them with a strong stance and great balance on all terrains. They also allowed them to go toe to toe with any opponent on almost any terrain. Spiritually, the “Shoes of Preparation of the Gospel of Peace” do the same for us in defending ourselves from our opponent, the devil. Often, the devil will try to lure you onto the uneven, rocky terrain of life and attack us when we are unstable and vulnerable to stumble. That’s why I want to challenge you to put on the “Shoes of Preparation”.

The Challenge:
Often, the devil will try to lure you onto the uneven, rocky terrain of life and attack us when we are unstable and vulnerable to stumble. That’s why I want to challenge you to put on the “Shoes of Preparation”! How do you put them on? By knowing and believing the Gospel is true! ”6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. -John 14:6” If you believe that Jesus took your sins upon the cross, died for them, and three days later rose again, then take a knee and strap the “Shoes of Preparation” up my friend because truth in the Gospel is what allows us to equip this useful piece. Are you still Hesitant to put them on? Know that if you do, you are eternally God’s through your faith in Christ as your savior. Therefore, the war is won. Remember that preparation gives confidence to be bold and attack by witnessing the gospel to others. Lace up!

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for giving us the gift of the ‘Shoes of Preparation’ because through them, we can stand strong!
• Ask for boldness as you witness to others and share the good news of the gospel.
• Knowing it and applying it are two different things so pray for wisdom in applying the parts of the armor of God.

The Word:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. - Ephesians 6:14-15

The Breastplate of Righteousness

Point of View:
So once the belt was fastened, the Roman soldier would then equip the breastplate. A Soldier's breastplate would protect his chest and other vital organs, but most importantly, it protected his heart. This is important because the heart’s primary duty is to send blood throughout your body and, to put it plainly, it’s what keeps us alive. So it’s very easy to see why you would need to protect it, right? If a soldier’s sword were to puncture your heart, you would most likely die on the spot, or shortly after. Why do I mention this? Because spiritually, our lives can deaden if our hearts are not right with God! The devil is constantly attacking us and making plans to weaken and destroy. He wants to be glorified as if he were God, and will do almost anything to keep God from getting our glory and praise. Mathew 26:41 tells us that our flesh (Ourselves without God) is weak. On our own, we cannot defend ourselves from the devil, but if we walk in the righteousness of God, we will put on the breastplate of righteousness, and be able to defend all of Satan’s blows and stand strong!

The Challenge:
Gods already done the hard part! He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for your sins, and if you believe that, you are viewed as righteous through Christ’s blood. I want to challenge you to walk in the righteousness of God and equip the Breastplate. How do you do that? You equip the breastplate by making right choices and keeping your thoughts pure and glorifying. Continue to glorify God even through the little problems, setbacks, and irritations. It will be hard, but as you continue to obey God’s True and Precious Word, He will keep you out of sin’s luring ways, and keep the Holy Spirit on the throne of your life and the main source of the decisions you make.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for sending His Son, Jesus to take your sins away.
• Ask for the wisdom to stay pure. Not only in action but in thought as well.
• Pray that you will be able to stand strong, even when it hurts. Endure through the suffering.

The Word:
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mathew 26:41

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place. Ephesians 6:14

The Belt of Truth

Point of View:
So back in the day, the belt was the piece of Roman armor that held all the other pieces together. It’s how the soldiers would carry almost all of their equipment. They would tie the belt in multiple places to make sure that nothing could slide around and that their weapons were easily accessible. If the belt wasn’t on straight or knotted incorrectly, a soldier could not always access his sword and that alone might cost him his life. The belt was the first piece of armor a soldier would put on because it held everything he needed to defend himself. Christ is the starting point of your faith, so this series starts with the belt of truth. If you want to glorify God and stand strong against the devil’s blows, you must commit yourself to Christ as the Truth. Otherwise, defending yourself from wickedness will be nearly impossible. The belt holds almost everything right where it needs to be. Spiritually, the Truth of who God is does the same for us. If Christ doesn’t secure you, than being protected by anything else will be very difficult and your equipment might be out of reach.

The Challenge:
Put on The Belt of Truth! It’s the Truth that keeps us from giving into the world’s beliefs and the Truth that we should know, believe and act on. It’s time to “Secure anything that will cause us to stumble or fall when moving quickly in the daily battle we face as Christians”. I want to challenge you to compare your beliefs and actions to the Word of God. What does the Bible say about what’s going on in your life? Are your actions glorifying God? How about your thoughts and speech? Do these areas reflect Christ? I challenge you to dig into the Word of God as you strive to be Holy! So, keep your belt strapped on tightly because it is the foundation to living a life that glorifies God.

Prayer Points:
•Thank God for giving us Himself, the belt of truth and God’s holy and precious Word.
•Ask for wisdom as you start to apply the truths of the Bible to your life.
•Pray that you would understand the truths of the Bible and act on them.

The Word:
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, - Ephesians 6:14

“Be holy, because I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:16

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

Let’s Recall Wisdom From Paul

Point of View:
So we talked about the Armor of God briefly in a previous devotional, but in the next couple devotionals, I want to dig deeper into what each piece does and how to apply it. Each piece of the armor plays a specific role in standing strong against our opponent the devil, and his attacks. Without this armor, we are weak and vulnerable to the devil’s schemes to keep God from being glorified. Satan wants to be praised as if he was God. That’s why Paul, the writer of Ephesians, lists the 7 pieces of the armor of God. He is showing us how to resist the devil, and glorify God. So if you want to stand strong and glorify God, you have to be equipped! I mean that makes sense, right? A warrior doesn’t wake up in the morning and go to war in his pajamas. Neither does a football player walk on to the field ready to play with just jeans and a hoody on. They both put on their equipment, so when they take the powerful hits of their opponents, they can stand strong and get right back up if they stumble.

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to read Ephesians 6: 10-20 all the way through. We will be breaking it down into smaller sections in the devotionals to come, but to best understand it, read how God, through Paul, explains it in full.

Prayer Points:
• Pray that as we go through the pieces of the armor of God, We would understand what they are and stand strong and Glorify God as we apply them.
• Ask for wisdom, as some of us might have read through this before but don’t know exactly how to apply it.
• Thank God that He has given us the tools we need to stand strong against the Devil.

The Word:
(10) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (11) Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (12) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (13) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (14) Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, (15) and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (16) In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (17) Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (18) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (19) Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, (20) for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. - Ephesians 6:10-20

You Don’t Deserve It

Point of View:
So maybe you’ve read the poem “transformed” and you’re saying, “that couldn’t be me, I’ve done to much or I’m not that bad.” That’s okay, I remember thinking thoughts very similar to those and want to remind you that through God’s grace, you are forgiven and can be transformed. Grace is simply defined as: getting something you don’t deserve. You didn’t do anything to deserve the gift of transformation, but through God’s grace, you may receive it. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done wrong in the past; whether that be stealing a candy bar, gossiping, drinking at a party, smoking, relapsing or even overdosing. Remember, our God is gracious and willing to forgive your selfish acts.

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you with this question, are you truly sorry for what you’ve done? Or are you just tired of the guilt and just want to be set free from it? If you are true in your repentance, temptation can knock on the door and get in your face. With God’s armor, you can stand your ground and have the strength to not give in. So, be true in your repentance, make it legit! Admit that you’ve done wrong and start walking towards your Father; into God’s loving and freeing arms, realizing that through his gracious gift you’re set free.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for His Grace.
• Thank God for sending His gracious gift of Jesus Christ and allowing us to be transformed through him.
• Understanding that not everyone is currently struggling, ask God to use you as a tool of grace in the lives of others.

The Word:
1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? - Romans 6:1-2

13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground… - Ephesians 6:13 (Verses 10-18 of chapter 6 go in to detail. I want to challenge you to read them)

Transformed

Point of View:
While sitting down last night, I wrote the poem bellow entitled “Transformed”. I wanted to include this poem it in today’s devotional because I think it will give you the chance to look into my past. I hope you will understand that just as I have been transformed, you, all your friends and ultimately everyone can be as well. So without further adieu;

Transformed:
So we talked about love, and then had valentines,
So here’s a little poem to better understand my past times,
And although this is new, I want you all to hear it,
I been blessed in many ways by the Holy Spirit,
He took my old life and He made me new,
Took all my sin, upon His Son He threw,
My Savior Jesus hung, for what He didn’t do,
So I look righteous cause through His blood I’m viewed,
Reborn, yes, I’m one big baby,
Cause God sent His Son and through Him He forgave me,
And just like that, through faith I’m forgiven,
He’s the only reason why I’m sitting here livin’,
Now I'm just in the world, I'm no longer of it,
Even used to hate the Bible but now… I love it,
Cause It’s what gives us the Word like a telephone cord,
And I still wonder why you forgave me Lord,
Cause without you I’d be dead, or probably full of lead,
Because a man cant live with wickedness in his head,
But instead of that, You gave me new life In You,
Now my days of disobeying and drugs are through,
I even quit the game and dropped my crew,
And now I know that what I’m reading has got to be true,
Yes I’m living for Him know cause I answered the call,
And a life without the Lord is no life at all.

Don’t give up on yourself, your friends or the kid that everybody ignores. There is hope through Jesus Christ. We can, and will be made into new creations if we accept Jesus as our Savior.

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to not give up! It’s never to late to accept Christ and be transformed into a new creation. That being said, I want share 2 different challenges, choose the one that best applies to you.

Challenge 1: Maybe you are struggling right now, I want you to reach out to somebody who cares. That could be a parent, counselor or good friend. (For me, it was my youth pastor.) I want you to get in contact with them and ask for help. If you don’t know where to turn, and you are ready to receive help, whether that be getting into counseling or drug rehab, give me a call at 1-877-562—2565 ext.104 and I would be more than happy to help you receive help that’s specific to your needs.

Challenge 2: If you know somebody who is struggling, maybe a friend at school, member in your family or somebody at work, offer them help! How can you do this? Give them some of your time, take them out to eat, listen to their story, invite them to hangout, invite them to church or pray for/with them.

No matter which challenge you pick, know there is hope through Jesus Christ.

Prayer Points:
• Pray for patience as you meet with these people, sometimes all we need is someone to listen so… listen or open up.
• Ask for wisdom as you either offer advice or apply what is being said to your circumstances.
• Thank God for second chances!

The Word:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. - 2 Corinthians 5:17

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. - Romans 15:13

Love is so much more than a word, Actions speak louder than anything heard

Point of View:
I think a lot of us throw the phrase “I love you” around way too often. We say it to our families, that special someone and even our friends. We say things like: “I love that song”, “I love that car” or “did you like that movie? Like it!? Hah! I loved it!” all the time. The words “I love you” are very easy to say and are over used. What do I mean? We like to say we love people all the time, but how often do you show those people that you love them? Love is simply defined as: to put someone else’s needs above your own. So in that context, how often do you show others that you love them through your actions?

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to love through your actions! Look at the people that you say you love and start to show them love instead of just saying it. If you find this difficult, I want to ask you a hard question: “do you really love those people, or are you just misleading them?” It’s time to take charge! If you have a friend that has nothing to do on a Friday, invite them into your plans! We’ve all got time on our hands, so let’s share it!

Prayer Points:
• Pray that God would reveal specific people to love and remember, “Sometimes the ones that are hardest to love, need that love the most.”
• Ask for patience, as loving someone isn’t always easy; but don’t stop, because you wouldn’t want someone to quit on you.
• Thank God for sending His only Son, Jesus Christ, who put our need for a savior ahead of His own comfort.

The Word:
(18) Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18

(3) If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (4) Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant (5) or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; (6) it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. (7) Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (8) Love never fails... - 1 Corinthians 13: 3-8

He Is The Vine, I Am The Branches

Point of View:
When I was young, I remember picking grapes from my neighbor’s yard. We would lean over the fence and grab as many as our arms could reach. One day, we took a bottle full of them to our base in the woods, to eat later. We came back in a week, and to our surprise they where all mushy and fermented. We learned that day that grapes were no good when disconnected from the vine for an extended period of time.

I tell this goofy story because John 15:5-8 reminds me of this childhood memory. In Verse 5, Jesus tells us: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Stick with Jesus and fruit will grow. Just like when a branch is connected to the vine that feeds it, fruit grows. But what good is a branch if it is disconnected and not producing anymore? Burning… right? Dried Wood + A Spark = Fire. Let’s be honest, none of us want to be in the fire.

The Challenge:
So my question to you is this: do you want to be a branch connected to the Vine, full of life and used by the Lord, or a branch that is disconnected and only good for the fire? The choice is yours. I want to challenge you to stay connected to the Vine. Let the Lord continue to feed you with knowledge, and through that bond, you will produce fruit (gifts) that will bring Him attention and glory.

Prayer Points:
• Pray that the Lord will continue to show you ways that can bring Him glory/attention.
• Ask for wisdom and the boldness to share what the Lord is teaching you.
• Thank the Lord for giving you second chances, for transforming you from a withered branch, to one connected Him and full of life.


The Word:
(5) “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (6) If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. (7) If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (8) This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. - John 15:5-8

Living As Children Of Light

Point of View:
Thursday we talked about starting to live our lives in a way that is glorifying to the Lord. I understand that trying to live this lifestyle is tough; you might be the only one you know trying to do it. Realizing that, I want to talk about how to start. These two verses have challenged me to glorify God with my life. The first one, Ephesians 5:8 tells us to live as children of Light. The second one 2 Cor. 5:17 tells us that we are new creations, no longer defined by our past but transformed through Christ. Being transformed we are introduced to a new way of living. Before, we wanted to draw attention to ourselves, but now, we should desire to bring attention to Christ.

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to live like you are truly reborn! Realize that you are a new creation and it is time to bring attention to our Father and not ourselves. How can you do that? We all have gifts and talents that bring attention to ourselves. For example: sports, instruments and singing. I want you to think about what would it take for you to pass that attention on to God. It’s time to let people know and come to grips with who’s most important.

Prayer Points:
• Pray that God would reveal the areas of your life that can bring Him fame.
• Ask God for the humility to put Him in the spotlight.
• Thank God for new life in Christ.

The Word:
(8) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (9) (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) (10) and find out what pleases the Lord. - Ephesians 5: 8-10

(17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Wake Up and Break Up

Point of View:
Wake up! We have been sleepwalking in this state that is “numb” to sin long enough! We keep feeding the always-hungry evil one and growing in our relationship with wickedness. It’s time to wake up and break up. What do I mean? We need to wake up from our daily slavery to sin, and break up with the overwhelming evil one! Let’s stop feeding the evil one with our dark deeds (sin), and put on the armor of light.

The Challenge:
The verse below says to “clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ”. Let’s do that! I want to challenge us to stop focusing on pleasing our worldly desires and ourselves. It’s time to start pleasing our Savior and Lord! We are only here on this earth for a short time; let’s start living for God, the giver of Life itself and forget about our wants and selfish desires. It’s time to “Wake up and Break up!”

Prayer Points:
•Pray that the Lord would give you the strength to break through the strongholds the devil has on your life.
•Ask God to give you what you need to live a life glorifying to Him. (For example: friends with good council, a passion for reading the Bible or wisdom in applying the knowledge you already have.)
•Thank God for providing you with the armor/clothing of Jesus Christ, your
perfect Savior. For through Him, all things are possible.

The Word:
(11) And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. (12) The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (13) Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. (14) Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. - Romans 13:11-14

Friend to The End

Point of View:
So we have been talking a lot about friends the past couple devotionals, mostly about the friends you have and who you are choosing to befriend. Well, today I want to flip it around on you with this question: what kind of friend are you? We focus so much on having good friends that at times, I think we forget to be good friends ourselves. We get lost in this “its all about me” mentality and selfishness slowly consumes us.

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to reach out and offer your time and gifts to the friends you already have. Let’s slow down and realize we don’t need to keep on making more friends, but to start sharpening the relationships we already have. When we start to focus on Christ in our friendships we grow closer to God and to each other.

Prayer Points:
• Pray for knowledge and wisdom, as our friends will need some wise counselors in their lives.
• Ask for boldness as it’s going to be tough sometimes to speak up and tell our friends where they are weak.
• Pray for patience to endure through any trial that would normally split relationships.


The Word:
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” * Proverbs 27:17

No Need to Slip, Time to Equip

Point of View:
So I have to ask, have you been making time to read your Bible these past couple weeks? I hope so. For those who are struggling, I want to encourage you to not give up, and to continue to make whatever sacrifices it takes to read daily. I specifically would like you to start reading before school. Now, before you stop reading because you think that’s crazy, here is why. Each day, we enter a battlefield. The devil constantly battling with us and is always trying to tempt us into sinning. This shouldn’t surprise you! I mean the devil even tried to tempt Jesus! Do you know how Jesus responded? He quoted scripture! Having the Word of God in our lives daily is what prepares us for the battle ahead. It makes sense to put your armor on when you first enter the battlefield, right? Without it, we are leaving ourselves exposed and will probably slip up or stumble. We can’t be doing that!! It’s time to get equipped and stand strong.

The Challenge:
Lets try to read our Bibles everyday before we leave the house.

Prayer Points:
• Ask God for the energy to wake up early and get into His Word.
• Pray that you would understand the verses you read, and that the Lord would continue to speak to your heart.

The Word:
(11) Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. – Ephesians 6:11-17 (Paul goes on to list the equipment we need to put on daily to stand strong against the devil. I encourage you to equip yourself with the listed gear.)

(10) Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” – Mathew 4: 1-11 (Verses 1-10 tells us how the devil tried to tempt Jesus. I encourage you to read these verses, as it is awesome to see how Jesus deals with the devils schemes.)

No Guidance, We Fall, Through Wisdom Stand Tall

Point of View:
Whether you are going to a new high school this year, off to college, or just getting a new schedule at school, we have to make smart decisions as we choose who our friends will be. As we learned on Tuesday, our friends greatly impact us. So it would be a good idea to make friends who impact us in a positive way, right? We need to make friends who will guide us down the right paths, speak truth into our lives and not be afraid to tell us when we are doing wrong. If our friends are doing this, in a way, they are counseling us. Now you are probably asking yourself, “How is my 16-25 year old friend counseling me, they’re too young.” Well counsel is defined “to give advice or help guide somebody who is seeking wisdom.” So looking at it that way, our friends should be wise counselors.

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to examine who your friends really are. Are they willing to help you, guide you and speak truth in your life? We all need to have these kinds of friends. I mean after all, Proverbs 11:14 tells us that if we have many counselors (wise friends), there is safety. But if we have foolish friends, we will continue to fall and leave ourselves exposed to the devil’s schemes.

Prayer Points:
• Pray that God would reveal to us who our “real” friends are.
• If you are going into a new school or college this year, ask that God would provide wise counselors and good friends.
• Thank God for the good friends He has already given you.

The Word:
“Where there is no guidance, people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
Proverbs 11:14

Temptation Is Wrong, It’s Time to Stand Strong

Point of view:
I heard this a thousand times from my parents and I bet you’ve heard it from your parents too, “Who you hang out with is who you’ll become.” I remember thinking this was just what my parents would say because they didn’t like my friends. But as I went through high school I realized that this is very true. Some of the people I hung out with were not good influences. They would often be telling crazy stories about drugs and would curse a lot, making it very tempting, as I wanted to fit in with them and be a part of the gang. I learned that lesson the hard way. I got caught up in all sorts of trouble with drugs and relationships. I did almost anything to fit in so I’d have a story to tell. I wish I’d known Proverbs 1:10 back then.

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to stand strong against temptation. Our parents aren’t the only ones warning us against our friends’ tempting ways. It’s Solomon as well. Let’s try not to give in when friends or schoolmates tempt us, but instead stand strong in the Lord.

Prayer Points:
- Thank the Lord for our friends.
- Pray that God would give us the strength we need to get through the day and avoid temptation.
- Ask that God would be working in their hearts and that they would be open to hearing you out.

The Word:
My son, if bad company tempts you, do not give in to them. – Proverbs 1:10

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. – 1 Corinthians 16:13

Don't Shove, Show Love

Point of View:
As we begin to submit to God and start reading our Bibles daily, the people around us (schoolmates, friends and family for example) will start to notice change in our lives. And I can promise you one thing: with change come questions! When I started to live my life for the Lord I remember being asked all the time, “Why are you acting different?,” “You’re a Christian!,” and “You actually believe in that stuff?” Some of these questions got me upset because the crowd I rolled with at the time liked to crack jokes, call names and bust on me a lot for being a follower of Christ. It was tough to be gentle towards them while they where making fun of my Savior. And to be honest, at times I’ve slipped up. Trust me though, Proverbs 15:1 (listed below) is the truth, and we have to learn to show peace to our friends and family as Roman’s 12:18 commands us to do.

The Challenge:
When the tough questions start coming in as the Lord transforms you, answer them gently and “turn away wrath”. It’s easy to just lose our cool. But if possible, let’s try to live at peace with the people we come in contact with daily. Remember, God’s forgiven us and kept His cool with us. We can at least do the same for those around us.

Prayer Points:
- Thank God for keeping His cool with us, even though we don’t deserve it.
- Ask the Lord for wisdom and patience to be gentle with others when they ask
hurtful or tough questions.
- Pray that as we continue to read our Bibles daily and dig in, nobody would
be able to hold us back from becoming the new creations God is making of us.

The Word:
Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Submit Don't Quit

Point of View:
Life is full of crazy ups and downs. Sometimes we will be faced with trials that seem overwhelming and you might feel as if you can't go on, or that you don't have the strength. Well good news, you can't! Now you're probably asking yourself, "I thought you said there was 'good news?'" Well, there is. You can't, but God can! There will be things in our lives that we don't understand but God has a reason for everything. Remember, He will never leave us; He is always there.

The Challenge
I want to challenge you to submit to God and trust with ALL your heart! His plan is better than ours. If we do this, the Bible tells us that the Lord will make our paths straight. He is ready with the steamroller of life ready to make our crazy paths straight. The only question is, "Will you let Him?"

Prayer Points:
Points to remember in prayer:
* Thank the Lord for always being there to "make our paths straight" when life's full of twists and turns.
* Ask God to help you as you choose to submit to Him.
* Pray that you won't need to know why God is doing something and that your trust in Him will be your comfort. He is always with us.

The Word:
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

Go Dig In

Point of View:
We make five to ten thousand decisions every day. Five to ten thousand! How our life plays out has a lot to do with the decisions we make. We can choose to make wise decisions, or to make spur of the moment ones that might seem fun at the time, but have consequences later. I think Solomon knew this as he was writing the words above to his son. He tells his son to look for wisdom as if it were rare silver, to listen to it, and then to apply it to his heart. Solomon is saying that wisdom is something that we should seek. Will you search for it?

The Challenge:
Just as treasure is hard to find, wisdom may be hard to find as well. But when we know that there is treasure somewhere, we probably won’t give up searching for it until we find it. Treasure, like wisdom, is something that is of worth. And here’s good news: there is a ton of wisdom to be found in the Bible! I want to challenge you to search for wisdom in the scriptures, and when you find it, apply it to your heart. For after all, verse five tells us that if we search for it, we will find it. Go dig in!

Prayer Points:
Points to remember in prayer:
- Thank God for giving us the Bible and the wisdom to change ourselves into His holy Image.
- Ask for a never-ending passion to search for wisdom and the truths of the Bible.
- Pray that as you apply it to your life, you will have the boldness to share it with others.

The Word:
“My son, if you accept my word and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.” - Proverbs 2:1-5

The Challenge To Change - September 1, 2011

Point of View:
Have you ever been at church (or camp or concert) and heard a great, challenging message that inspired you to change? I know I have. Here is a tougher question for you; have you ever heard a great, challenging message that encouraged you to change… and you ignored it and didn’t change? Maybe you felt inspired to change or quit doing something but after a couple hours or days of ignoring those feelings, you just forgot all about them and moved on. It is easy to do that if you have never read James 1: 22-25 before. Verse 22 says: “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” This verse clearly states that we should not just be hearing the word but doing it! James even goes on to say that “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” You see, James is trying to make a strong point here. In today’s terms, I think that James is pretty much putting it this way: “Just as you don’t forget what you look like when you walk away from the mirror, don’t forget who you should be living for and how you should be living. Strive to be like Christ and do what the Bible says.” If you feel like you are tired of just looking in that mirror and then moving on with your life, or if you need the extra boost to make that next step take a look at the challenge below…

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to be doers of the word! Stop making excuses and walking away and ignoring the Word of God, embrace it! Don’t let anything stand in your way, do what the Word says!

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for the constant forgiveness that He shows us.
• Ask that you would be able to take a stand and be a doer of the Word, not just a hearer.
• Pray for those who sometimes don’t even want to hear the Word. May God work in there hearts and create a never-ending passion for the Word.

The Word:
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. - James 1: 22-25

Embracing Struggles - August 30, 2011

Point of View:
I want to start today’s devotional with a quote that has really changed my perspective on how I overcome the things holding me back from living a life glorifying to God. So, here it is: “Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.” This simple quote really got me thinking. So many times we focus way too much on wanting to overcome what we are struggling with (The mountain), that the size of the struggle crushes us underneath it. We are saying we want to quit or overcome something but we are leaving all these pebbles in our life. We are tripping up and falling down instead of Moving on up and overcoming our struggles. What’s up with that? Lets try to change our process of how we overcome struggles. Lets change this I’ll tackle the beast mindset, and start thinking about strategic little moves that will eventually have us concurring the struggles we are dealing with, and start glorifying God through our actions and thoughts. So…

The Challenge:
What are the mountains your trying to overcome right now? (Mountains = Things you struggle with that are keeping you from glorifying God.) That’s the first thing I want us all to identify. Once you have done that, the second thing I want us to think about is what are the pebbles in our path? (Pebbles = the little things causing you to participate in that sin.) Lastly, I want you to identify your map! (Map = the thing or things that are going to help you avoid the slip up’s, fall downs and pebbles.) I want you to try overcoming your struggles in this way and remember that through Jesus, you can be victorious!

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for giving us the strength, knowledge and wisdom to overcome the pebbles and mountains in our life.
• Ask for guidance, as avoiding the pebbles is tough, but possible through Christ.
• Pray that you would be able to identify the pebbles, overcome them, and guide others around them as well. Through Christ, You can be victorious!

The Word:
I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. 26 Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend (team up and conquer) together; State your case, that you may be acquitted (set free from your charges). – Isaiah 43:25-26

His Will or You’re Will - August 25, 2011

Point of View:
So, I’m sure that you have probably planned out a fun event or weekend before, right? Maybe it was a vacation, seeing a movie with some friends, going to the beach, or even something big like what college to go to. All these things take planning. When we start making plans, we normally start checking with people to make sure it's okay and check what their availability is, right? However, we often forget one big person important to our plans though; God! We ignorantly make plans, thinking that we are guaranteed tomorrow! What’s up with that? I think James was asking himself the same question when he was writing verses 13-17 in chapter 4. James 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.” James makes a good point here; we don’t know what will happen tomorrow! We should be making our plans this way: “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” We aren’t guaranteed our next step, breath, or thought. We are graciously given all these things by our Father in Heaven, God. Don’t take for granted God’s gracious gift of life. Everyday, the Lord gives us opportunities to glorify Him, whether on a vacation or at home, He is worthy of our praise. So…

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to make plans that are not centered on you, but centered on God. Instead of ignorantly making plans, let’s stop and pray. Ask for God’s will to be played out instead of our own. Remember this: Everyday is a good day to praise God. So, no matter what place or time, center your life, plans, and friends around Christ.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for giving us life today. May we glorify Him today and always.
• Ask for guidance as you make plans. It’s easy to be selfish when you’re the only one planning, so tag team!
• Pray for understanding. It's time to understand that we shouldn't try to put God into our plans but realize that we are in His.

The Word:

13 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.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
- James 4:13-17

Being Doers of the Word - August 23, 2011

Point of View:
Have you ever been at church and heard a great, challenging message that inspired you to change? I know I have. Here is a tougher question for you; have you ever heard a great, challenging message that encouraged you to change… and you ignored it and didn’t change? Maybe you felt inspired to change or quit doing something but after a couple hours or days of ignoring those feelings, you just forgot all about them and moved on. It is easy to do that if you have never read James 1: 22-25 before. Verse 22 says: “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” This verse clearly states that we should not just be hearing the word but doing it! James even goes on to say that “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” You see, James is trying to make a strong point here. In today’s terms, I think that James is pretty much putting it this way: “Just as you don’t forget what you look like when you walk away from the mirror, don’t forget who you should be living for and how you should be living. Strive to be like Christ and do what the Bible says.” If you feel like you are tired of just looking in that mirror and then moving on with your life, or if you need the extra boost to make that next step take a look at the challenge below…

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to be doers of the word! Stop making excuses and walking away and ignoring the Word of God, embrace it! Don’t let anything stand in your way, do what the Word says!

Prayer Points:
- Thank God for the constant forgiveness that He shows us.
- Ask that you would be able to take a stand and be a doer of the Word, not just a listener.
- Pray for those who sometimes don’t even want to hear the Word. May God work in the hearts and create a never-ending passion for the Word!

The Word:
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. - James 1: 22-25

Doubting Your Salvation August 18th, 2011

Point of View:
So I am sure that allot of us could say that we have doubted our salvation/faith at one time or another, right? We might have even asked God to “come into our hearts”, “save us” or “Express that we put our faith in Jesus” more than one time. Now as humans, we tend to do this allot. We doubt if people are telling the truth, doubt people’s workmanship and even doubt the reasoning behind what’s going on in our lives. Naturally… we’re doubters! Now does that mean that we should except that we doubt things and just merely move on? No! We should be studying up on the things we doubt so that we can get a better understanding on those topics and come to doubt those things no longer. So, lets take a look at salvation and try to better understand just how much God loves us, and is committed to having a relationship with us. 2 Timothy 2:13 always amazes me, it says that even if we are faithless, He remains faithful. Now that really is unconditional love at its finest! You see, He loves us even though we have sinned, currently do sin, and will continue to sin. He is faithful through it all, and loves us no matter what. So, that being said, why should we doubt promises to forgive us, and love us unconditionally? That’s just it, we shouldn’t! So…

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to take a good look at the areas/things that you currently doubt right now. Be in prayer as you look to understand those areas, and seek wisdom and understanding from your Father in Heaven, God. Seek scripture, be in prayer, and ask dependable people questions. For It's better to look dumb and know the answers, then look smart and know nothing. For what good is appearance? You see, the mind is a powerful tool! And if submissive to God the Father, can wield great power and discernment. We just have to learn to quit doubting, and seek wisdom from the giver of life, God.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for sending His loving sacrifice Jesus Christ to come down and die for our sins.
• Ask that you would be able to wrap your mind around just how much God loves you, and all that he has done for you. Remember that He doesn’t have to love us, but chooses to.
• Pray for wisdom and discernment as you look to conquer your doubts. Remember that He will never quit on you and will always remain faithful.

The Word:

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
- 2 Timothy 2:13

16"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
– John 3:16-17


But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
– Romans 5:8

Doubting Your Significance in Christ - August 16th, 2011

Point of View:
You can be used by Christ! Did you know that? It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from or what you’ve did… God can use you! That’s awesome, isn’t it? Now I’m sure that you’ve all heard something similar to that before, but what did you do about it once you heard that? Did you just simply agree and think; “oh, that’s great” and then not work towards being an effective tool for Christ? Or do you pray, asking God to reveal where he wants you, educate yourself, and then take the steps it takes to get there? It seems like allot of the time we just want to hear that we can be used by Christ, but doubt that it is possible for it to actually happen. So…

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to be in prayer. We need to take action and be what we where meant to be, glorifying vessels. So, without stalling, lets take some time to spend some real time with God.

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for using us, sinners, to glorify His name. May we be submissive to His will, and not let anything hold us back from God and His plans.
• Ask that He would revile where He wants you to be, and what He wants you to do. Spend some time just pouring out your heart to Him, asking how you can be useful. If you’re willing, you will be used.
• Pray that God would expose any area that He is not being glorified, and ask that you would have the strength, accountability and bravery to conquer your present struggles, and give God the glory.

The Word:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
- 2 Corinthians 5:17

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, - 2 Timothy 1:9

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. – 1 Corinthians 1 26:27

Doubting God’s Love August 11th, 2011

Point of View:
“Actions speak louder than words." I remember hearing this so many times growing up that I think I became rather numb to it. LOL! If I said I was going to do a chore, make my bed or get better grades this semester, “actions speak louder than words” was normally said shortly after. This was usually said to encourage me not to just say what sounds good, but to push me to take initiative, and prove my motivation through my actions. Now why do I tell you this? I tell you this because, as Humans, I think actions do mean more to us than any amount of words that can be read off of a page, or said. Realizing this, that is how I plan on showing you God's love for us, through action! (Even though the word love appears more than 500 times in the Bible.) So, let's start out by looking at some scripture. John 3:16 says; For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Now you might know this verse already, but I bring it up because it is “the action”. Because of our sin we deserve to be eternally separated from God in a place called Hell. But God loved us so much, He took action! He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who came down from Heaven to Earth and died on the Cross for our sins. Not because He had to (John 3:17), but because He wants to have a relationship with us, and took action. Now that’s Love! God gave what he didn’t have to (Jesus), Jesus died for what He didn’t do (Sin) and rose again to prove what he shouldn’t have had to prove (That He was God in the flesh). So there’s action for you… let it speak loud!

The Challenge:
I want to challenge you to take a good look at the verses below. They are very “action” oriented, and I hope that they will express how much God loves you, and wants to have a relationship with you. If you already have a relationship with Jesus, Share that knowledge with others, so that they may come to know Jesus as their personal savior. God took action to have a relationship with you, now will you take action and share His name with them? Choice is yours…

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for sending His loving sacrifice Jesus Christ to come down and die for our sins.
• Ask that you would be able to wrap your mind around just how much God loves you, and all that he has done for you.
• Pray that you would be brave enough to share the saving knowledge of Jesus with others.

The Word:

16"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
– John 3:16-17

38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
– Romans 8:38-39

17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing
–Zephaniah 3:17

Doubting God’s Forgiveness - August 9th, 2011

Point of View:
This topic right here was one that I struggled with allot when I first got saved. I thought that there was no way that all the things I’ve done wrong could be forgiven, maybe some of them, but not all of them. Well, I was wrong! Lol. He can, and did! So, maybe your asking yourself “does He forgive us” and “if so, how can He”? Well, lets turn to the Bible for the answers. 1 John 1:9 says ” If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” So according to this verse right here, if we want to be forgiven, all we have to do is admit that we have messed up, and ask for forgiveness, that’s it. If we do that, “He will forgive us of our sins.” That’s awesome! So that’s how we can be forgiven, but check this out; Isaiah 43:25-26 tells us that He blots out our sin, and not only does He do that, but He doesn’t not remember our sins. Why? Because “Love keeps no record of wrong” -1 Cor. 13:5. So when we are forgiven, We aren’t viewed as somebody who has done all this wrong, but we are viewed through Christ perfect blood that was shed for us, and we are viewed as righteous (which is defined Perfectly Wonderful). So, Don’t let your past describe who you are, but let Jesus, our Savior and Lord define who you are! So…..

The Challenge:
Isaiah 43, verse 26 says; “Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend (team up and conquer) together; State your case, that you may be acquitted (set free from your charges).” So if your not hype right now, maybe you don’t get that, let me break this down! Jesus is saying He wont remember your wrong doings, just remember Him. He’s saying yo, lets team up and conquer the things your struggling with. With me you will be victorious! All He asks is that you “state your case” or spill your guts as I would say, and when you do, you will be ”acquitted” for, which broken down means: set free from your charges/sin. So, I challenge you to spill your guts and team up. You can be victorious!!!!

Prayer Points:
• Thank God for giving us Jesus who is blotting out our sins, and choosing not to remember them and our old sinful ways, but looking forward and offering us a partnership that will push on and conquer.
• Ask that once forgiven, you could forgive yourself. Remember that we are not defined by the bad things we have done, but by Christ, and we are new creations in Him.
• Pray that God would expose any area that He is not being glorified, and ask that you would have the strength, accountability and bravery to conquer your present struggles, and give God the glory.

The Word:
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. – 1John 1:9

I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. 26 Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend (team up and conquer) together; State your case, that you may be acquitted (set free from your charges). – Isaiah 43:25-26

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! – 2 Corinthians 5:17