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18/09/2024

Want a Clean Heart?

King David made some great decisions, but he also made some terrible ones. He had an affair with a woman named Bathsheba, for example, and attempted to conceal the secret by arranging the murder of her husband.

For someone who was considered “a man after God’s own heart,” David really messed up. And yet, we know from Scripture that David confessed his sin against the Lord (2 Samuel‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬) and can read about how he prayed for mercy in Psalm 51:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭51‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

If you’ve ever messed up, you’re in good company. Paul, the author behind much of the New Testament, writes in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Paul wasn't always a man who followed God's own heart, either—in fact, early in his life, he killed people who followed Jesus.

God did not abandon Paul. He did not exclude David. And He will not forsake you, either! God does not leave us to ourselves or our pasts, nor does He give us what we fully deserve. Instead, He put on skin and took our place. Jesus became the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for our sin—once and for all. He loves us, despite what we may have done!

If you’re longing for a second chance or craving a relationship with the one true God, but aren’t sure where to start, try borrowing some of David’s words. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

When we seek God, we realize that He’s already been seeking us.

God is faithful. He is who He says He is and He will do what He says He’ll do. He is your merciful Savior, He forgives your sins, and He not only makes your heart clean, but He also makes you a brand new creation.

03/09/2024

What Really Matters

God designed our hearts and our brains—our emotions and our intellect—to work together.

For example, when we love someone, we’re compelled to know them on a deeper level. And as we uncover their passions and their heartaches and what makes them tick, we are often compelled into an even deeper kind of love.

When the apostle Paul was writing to the believers in Philippi (a city in Greece) he gave them this charge:

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

No one wants to waste their time, their energy, or their one precious life. But when we understand what’s important—knowing and loving God, knowing and loving people—we can choose to spend our lives on what matters most.

So what did Paul want for the Philippians?

Paul longed for their love to be evident while their knowledge continued to grow; for a life of love to be cultivated while understanding continued to flourish.

The Bible teaches that knowledge of God is true understanding (Proverbs 9:10) and that the most important commandment is to love God and love people (Matthew 22:37-40). And we gain insights about God’s character by studying His Word, learning from His creation, and living with love.

As we love God with our hearts and minds, lean into knowledge and faith, and embrace truth and grace, we can experience a more complete picture of God’s beautiful plan.

We can shine light into an increasingly dark world. We can add vision, clarity, and meaning to whatever circles we frequent. We can be known for loving our Creator and loving the people around us. We can live God-honoring lives until the day we meet our Savior face to face.

28/08/2024

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26/07/2024

Be Strong and Courageous

When Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthian church, he was writing to believers experiencing intense division. Power and politics within the church community were causing Christians to stray from Jesus’ teachings and compete with each other. And because of this, the poor were suffering, people were confused about theology, and immorality was being tolerated.

So after calling out their mistakes, and showing them how to live Spirit-filled lives, Paul summarizes his desire for the Corinthians with these words:

"Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love."
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NLT

Be on guard…
Paul uses this phrase to remind his friends to keep watch over their lives, their community, and their choices. He knew that if they didn’t stay aware, then they wouldn’t notice the lies, tricks, or deceptions the devil was using to infiltrate their community.

Stand firm…
Immorality was a major issue in the Corinthian church. But instead of addressing this problem, Corinthian Christians tolerated it. So Paul reminded them that they were one body. If one person was allowed to disrespect God, then they were all part of the problem. They needed to learn how to stand firm in their faith so that their ultimate desire would be to please God, not people.

Be courageous. Be strong…
In order to resist spiritual attacks, the Corinthians needed to stand strong together. They needed to courageously use their gifts and talents to strengthen their church community and help it grow—even when it seemed counter-cultural and uncomfortable.

…And do everything in love.
In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul writes that even if he could be perfect, do everything right, never sin, and always keep God’s commands—if he didn’t have love, it would mean nothing. Strength, courage, and commitment—none of it matters if God’s love isn’t at the center of everything we think and do.

If God’s love doesn’t define us, standing firm can become self-righteousness, strength can turn into stubbornness, and courage can become arrogance. God invited us to a better way.

Today, what steps will you take to stand firm in what you believe with strength and courage? As you determine what choices you need to make, remember that God fights for you, and His Spirit is with you. He can empower you to receive and boldly share His love.

24/07/2024

17/07/2024

True Beauty

In God’s infinite wisdom and creativity, He has crafted magnificent things: stunning sunsets, awe-inspiring mountains, turquoise oceans, and beautiful people.

Proverbs 31 is a well-known chapter in the Bible about a God-fearing, hard-working, generosity-driven woman.

Interestingly, Proverbs 31 was written by a man—specifically, King Lemuel, although it’s technically advice from his mother that he shared when he was king.

Something that’s not obvious in non-Hebrew languages is that verses 10-31 actually make up an acrostic poem—each verse beginning with one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, successively working their way from aleph to tau (from beginning to end).

Toward the climax of the poem, the author writes:

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭31:30‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Deep down we know this to be true, don’t we?

No matter how charming or beautiful a woman is, we know that beauty is fleeting. We know that charm will not last. We know that the aging process will eventually run its course.

In this passage, there’s barely any mention of this woman’s physical beauty. Instead, the focus is on her character—on this woman who fears the Lord.

An earlier Proverb explains that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10)—the humble realization that anything good and wise and pure and true must have come from Him.

So if you know a woman like that—one who loves and respects God, one who honors and cares for people, one who invests wisely and lives purposefully—you might take a moment to thank God for her life. You might even consider how you can be more like her … as she aims to be more like Him.

11/07/2024

Love Like Him

From friendships to family, relationships can be tough to navigate sometimes. But if there’s one thing that can set your relationships apart, it’s understanding real love.

In Paul’s first letter to the believers in Corinth, Greece, he explains that even if you have all the faith, all the knowledge, or all the generosity in the world, or if you can speak in tongues, or if you have the gift of prophecy—none of it means anything without love. He continues:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬-8 ‭NIV

Chances are, you want to be a patient person. You intend to be a kind human. You desire to be a content and humble individual. But, sometimes you get in a hurry. Sometimes you get annoyed. Sometimes you can be rude, selfish, jealous, unthoughtful, or arrogant.

Sometimes, it’s hard being human. But God knows that and He wants to help you.

In the same letter, Paul goes on to say that love keeps no record of wrongs and rejoices in the truth. It always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Most notably, love never fails.

But why does love seem to fail at times? After all, divorce rates are high, estranged families are commonplace, and the brokenness of this world is evident on just about every news broadcast or social media feed.

And that’s exactly why Jesus came! He offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for the redemption of the world. And that’s what real love looks like—to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13). He is love, and His love never fails.

So, now that redemption has begun to break through—first, through Jesus and, now, through His Spirit inside of us—we can love others well by looking to Him, leaning on Him, trusting in Him, listening to Him, and following His lead.

God has given you everything you need to love others like He loves you. What step will you take today to show someone else this love?

08/07/2024

Don't Give Up

Can you think of a time recently where something was so hard that you just wanted to give up, but you didn't? Where did you draw strength from? What kept you going?

One of the most incredible parts of being a Christ-follower is that our own strength is only part of the equation. God's strength wells up in us. Psalm 46:1 says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." How incredible that it doesn't say, "A sometimes present help." He is "a very present help."

In 2 Chronicles 15, we see that Asa, King of Judah, was up against major challenges—he had been trying to refocus the nation of Judah on God after years of idolatry and war. He was facing a huge challenge! Through the prophet Azariah, God spoke this encouragement to him to build him up:

"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded."
2 Chronicles 15:7 NIV

God knew what Asa faced. He knew every detail of the burden, and all that was at stake. God also knew the strength He could provide to someone willing to rely on Him. He didn't say, "Good luck out there, that looks rough so don't blow it." He said, "But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded."

Just as Asa heard these words and took courage, we can take courage, too. We are not alone. We can rely on God's strength. The reward is coming. Don't give up.

03/07/2024

Following the Way of Jesus

Discipleship is at the center of the Christian life. To be a disciple means to be a learner. It means following after Jesus, and patterning our life after His.

Jesus tells us that the starting point of following Him is to deny ourselves. Denying ourselves means we choose to put Jesus’ desires above our own. This means that we must come to recognize that we do not have all the answers, or know the right way to go through life.

Discipleship is not something we do once or twice. It is a lifestyle that must be lived out each and every day. We will spend our entire lives becoming more like Jesus.

The way of life Jesus modeled was to suffer on the cross. When we deny ourselves, we choose to humbly follow Jesus. And as we become more like Jesus, we will also need to take up our cross. We will also suffer for doing good, and for denying things that seem enticing in the moment, but ultimately keep us from God. When we bear our suffering, we represent Christ to those around us.

The paradox of following Jesus is that when we give up our life for His sake, we receive eternal life in return. When we hold onto our life and keep it from Jesus, we don’t get to experience the abundant life that He promises.

Take some time today to consider how you’re living a life of discipleship. Take inventory on the ways you are denying yourself and living for Christ, or living selfishly for your own pleasure and gain. Commit to following Jesus no matter how hard the path gets. And pray for strength and endurance as you follow Him.

02/07/2024

The Power of Life and Death

Think of a time you said something you regret, or were the target of someone's hurtful words. Now, reflect on a situation where you encouraged a friend who was hurting, or felt the life-giving effects of someone speaking kindly to you.

Words matter. Your words matter. And, God has given you the freedom to choose how you use them.

Are you using your words to tear down or build up? To provoke destruction or initiate restoration? Do your words stir up drama or encourage peace?

“What you say flows from what is in your heart,” Jesus explained in Luke 6:45.

Fruit reveals the health of a tree, just as a tongue reveals what is happening in the heart.

Most of us want to use our words for good and not for harm … we don’t want to be unkind or critical. But, James 3 tells us that the tongue is unstable and cannot seem to be tamed.

So, what can we do? Is there a way to control it?

Self-control is a fruit the Holy Spirit produces in us, which means we can’t get there on our own. We cannot, in our own power, control our tongues. But, we do have a part to play in the process: we need to stick close to Jesus.

When we read His Word, seek His face, and walk in His ways (no matter how many times we mess up and have to begin again), love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control begin to grow in our lives. The biblical term is abiding: staying, continuing, or remaining in Jesus’ presence.

As we abide with Jesus, the Holy Spirit begins to guide the way we speak and change the way we act. When that happens, our words start to bring life and hope to the people around us.

Today, how will you use your words to bring healing and hope to people? How will you stick close to Jesus so that His power can equip you to speak life?

28/06/2024

A Shepherd and His Flock

The 23rd Psalm is a powerful declaration of trust and dependence on God. Today, we’ll look at how the first few words reveal a core belief that to accept God as our shepherd, we acknowledge that He is the One who provides for our every need. He is the ultimate source of comfort, guidance, and protection.

Just as a shepherd cares for his flock, tending to their every need and leading them to safe pastures, God also cares for us, His children.

The psalmist goes on to describe how God cares for His sheep. He makes us "lie down in green pastures," a metaphor for providing rest and security. He leads us "beside quiet waters," quenching our thirst and offering us peace. He "refreshes our soul," restoring our inner strength and well-being.

One of the most comforting promises in Psalm 23 is that God "guides me along the right paths for his name's sake." Even when you are unsure of the way, you can trust that God will lead you in the right way (John 14:6). He will not allow you to wander into harm's way, for His name's sake.

How can knowing the Lord as your shepherd provide you with contentment when facing challenges? Repeat these words until they sink deep into your soul: The Lord is my shepherd, He will never leave me or forsake me. He will always provide for my needs and guide me on the right path.