Daily Bible Reading for February 2023
316Judith
Posts: 11,666 Member
Bible Reading
Galatians 5:17-23
Thoughts Shared
The Nine-Part Fruit
The Spirit-fueled development of Christ-like character is liberating, because it brings us closer to being the people we were designed to be, the people our Spirit-renewed hearts want us to be. – Tim Keller
The Fruit of the Spirit is listed in Galatians 5—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities make up the Fruit.
There are not nine different fruits—it is a nine-part Fruit. The Fruit is like an orange, and inside the orange, there are numerous slices. So, imagine that each slice of the orange is one of the aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit.
The original Greek word for “Fruit” in Galatians 5 is karpos, and one definition means “a result of something.” When the Fruit of the Spirit is displayed in our lives, it is a sign, or result, that we are being led by the Spirit of God. Just like the branches of a grapevine have to be connected to the vine in order to bear grapes, the Fruit of the Spirit is evidence of being connected to Christ.
Why was the Fruit of the Spirit even mentioned? Because of the five verses preceding it. They mention sinful acts including sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, hatred, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, and drunkenness.
You see, we have this thing called the flesh, and it is all of our human desires. Our flesh wants things that prevent God’s Holy Spirit from leading us fully.
In fact, Galatians 5:17 says, “the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.”
Bottom line: you can be led by the flesh, or you can be led by the Spirit of God, but you can’t be led by both—they are in constant conflict.
Probably the most beautiful part of the passage in verse 23 is that we are told there is “no law against them.”
In fact, it would be true to say that we can exhibit the Fruit without any limits or restrictions.
We can never show too much love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Now, that’s a goal to strive for!
With each day of this Plan, we’ll go into greater detail about the nine parts of the Fruit, distinguish it from spiritual gifts, and learn how to fully live by the Spirit.
As we grow in our understanding, we’ll recognize how the Fruit is manifested in our lives and in the lives of others as well.
Reflect
Do you feel the war between your flesh and the Spirit? In what areas of your life do you feel it the most?
Galatians 5:17-23
Thoughts Shared
The Nine-Part Fruit
The Spirit-fueled development of Christ-like character is liberating, because it brings us closer to being the people we were designed to be, the people our Spirit-renewed hearts want us to be. – Tim Keller
The Fruit of the Spirit is listed in Galatians 5—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities make up the Fruit.
There are not nine different fruits—it is a nine-part Fruit. The Fruit is like an orange, and inside the orange, there are numerous slices. So, imagine that each slice of the orange is one of the aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit.
The original Greek word for “Fruit” in Galatians 5 is karpos, and one definition means “a result of something.” When the Fruit of the Spirit is displayed in our lives, it is a sign, or result, that we are being led by the Spirit of God. Just like the branches of a grapevine have to be connected to the vine in order to bear grapes, the Fruit of the Spirit is evidence of being connected to Christ.
Why was the Fruit of the Spirit even mentioned? Because of the five verses preceding it. They mention sinful acts including sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, hatred, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, and drunkenness.
You see, we have this thing called the flesh, and it is all of our human desires. Our flesh wants things that prevent God’s Holy Spirit from leading us fully.
In fact, Galatians 5:17 says, “the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.”
Bottom line: you can be led by the flesh, or you can be led by the Spirit of God, but you can’t be led by both—they are in constant conflict.
Probably the most beautiful part of the passage in verse 23 is that we are told there is “no law against them.”
In fact, it would be true to say that we can exhibit the Fruit without any limits or restrictions.
We can never show too much love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Now, that’s a goal to strive for!
With each day of this Plan, we’ll go into greater detail about the nine parts of the Fruit, distinguish it from spiritual gifts, and learn how to fully live by the Spirit.
As we grow in our understanding, we’ll recognize how the Fruit is manifested in our lives and in the lives of others as well.
Reflect
Do you feel the war between your flesh and the Spirit? In what areas of your life do you feel it the most?
1
Replies
-
Today I have begun a Study in Ephesians
Bible Readingv: Ephesians 1:1-6
Key Verse: For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. —Ephesians 1:4 (CSB)
This was my Study Today:
Engage with God’s Word:
(1) Ask God to help you understand, believe, and be transformed as you read his Word.
(2) Summarize the passage into one phrase or sentence.
(3) Copy the key verses into your journal or notebook.
(4) Write down any thoughts, impressions, or questions you may have.
(5) Ask God to show you how this passage applies to your life today.
(6) Pray for faith to act on anything God might be asking you to do.0 -
Ephesians 1:7-14
Key Verses: He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ as a plan for the right time — to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him. —Ephesians 1:9-10 (CSB)
Engage with God’s Word:
(1) Ask God to help you understand, believe, and be transformed as you read his Word.
(2) Summarize the passage into one phrase or sentence.
(3) Copy the key verses into your journal or notebook.
(4) Write down any thoughts, impressions, or questions you may have.
(5) Ask God to show you how this passage applies to your life today.
(6) Pray for faith to act on anything God might be asking you to do.0 -
Bible Reading Today
Ephesians 1:15-19
Key Verses: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength. —Ephesians 1:18-19 (CSB)
Engage with God’s Word:
(1) Ask God to help you understand, believe, and be transformed as you read his Word.
(2) Summarize the passage into one phrase or sentence.
(3) Copy the key verses into your journal or notebook.
(4) Write down any thoughts, impressions, or questions you may have.
(5) Ask God to show you how this passage applies to your life today.
(6) Pray for faith to act on anything God might be asking you to do.1 -
Ephesians 1:20-23
Key Verses: He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens — far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. —Ephesians 1:20-21 (CSB)
Engage with God’s Word:
(1) Ask God to help you understand, believe, and be transformed as you read his Word.
(2) Summarize the passage into one phrase or sentence.
(3) Copy the key verses into your journal or notebook.
(4) Write down any thoughts, impressions, or questions you may have.
(5) Ask God to show you how this passage applies to your life today.
(6) Pray for faith to act on anything God might be asking you to do.0 -
Ephesians 2:1-10
Key Verses: But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! —Ephesians 2:4-5 (CSB)
Engage with God’s Word:
(1) Ask God to help you understand, believe, and be transformed as you read his Word.
(2) Summarize the passage into one phrase or sentence.
(3) Copy the key verses into your journal or notebook.
(4) Write down any thoughts, impressions, or questions you may have.
(5) Ask God to show you how this passage applies to your life today.
(6) Pray for faith to act on anything God might be asking you to do.0 -
It’s just 12am Midnight now, sorry I missed Wednesday but will post todays later! 🤗0
-
Bible Reading:
Ephesians 2:17-22
Key Verses: So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. —Ephesians 2:19-20 (CSB)
Engage with God’s Word:
(1) Ask God to help you understand, believe, and be transformed as you read his Word.
(2) Summarize the passage into one phrase or sentence.
(3) Copy the key verses into your journal or notebook.
(4) Write down any thoughts, impressions, or questions you may have.
(5) Ask God to show you how this passage applies to your life today.
(6) Pray for faith to act on anything God might be asking you to do.0 -
Bible Reading
Ephesians 3:1-7
Key Verse: The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. —Ephesians 3:6 (CSB)
Engage with God’s Word:
(1) Ask God to help you understand, believe, and be transformed as you read his Word.
(2) Summarize the passage into one phrase or sentence.
(3) Copy the key verses into your journal or notebook.
(4) Write down any thoughts, impressions, or questions you may have.
(5) Ask God to show you how this passage applies to your life today.
(6) Pray for faith to act on anything God might be asking you to do.0 -
Bible Reading:
Ephesians 3:8-13
Key Verse: In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him —Ephesians 3:12 (CSB)
Engage with God’s Word:
(1) Ask God to help you understand, believe, and be transformed as you read his Word.
(2) Summarize the passage into one phrase or sentence.
(3) Copy the key verses into your journal or notebook.
(4) Write down any thoughts, impressions, or questions you may have.
(5) Ask God to show you how this passage applies to your life today.
(6) Pray for faith to act on anything God might be asking you to do.0 -
Bible Reading:
Ephesians 3:8-13
Key Verse: In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him —Ephesians 3:12 (CSB)
Engage with God’s Word:
(1) Ask God to help you understand, believe, and be transformed as you read his Word.
(2) Summarize the passage into one phrase or sentence.
(3) Copy the key verses into your journal or notebook.
(4) Write down any thoughts, impressions, or questions you may have.
(5) Ask God to show you how this passage applies to your life today.
(6) Pray for faith to act on anything God might be asking you to do.0 -
Bible Reading:
Ephesians 3:14-21
Key Verses: I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 19 and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. —Ephesians 3:17-19 (CSB)
Engage with God’s Word:
(1) Ask God to help you understand, believe, and be transformed as you read his Word.
(2) Summarize the passage into one phrase or sentence.
(3) Copy the key verses into your journal or notebook.
(4) Write down any thoughts, impressions, or questions you may have.
(5) Ask God to show you how this passage applies to your life today.
(6) Pray for faith to act on anything God might be asking you to do.1 -
Bible Reading
Ephesians 4:1-6
Key Verse: Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to live worthy of the calling you have received, — Ephesians 4:1 (CSB)
Engage with God’s Word:
(1) Ask God to help you understand, believe, and be transformed as you read his Word.
(2) Summarize the passage into one phrase or sentence.
(3) Copy the key verses into your journal or notebook.
(4) Write down any thoughts, impressions, or questions you may have.
(5) Ask God to show you how this passage applies to your life today.
(6) Pray for faith to act on anything God might be asking you to do.0 -
I Will Not Fear The Destruction
You will not be afraid of the destruction that lays waste at noon. –Psalm 91:6b
This fourth category of evil is destruction. Destruction takes in the evils over which mankind has no control—those things that the world ignorantly calls acts of God: tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, fire… God very plainly tells us that we are not to fear destruction. These natural disasters are not coming from God.
In Mark 4:39, Jesus rebuked the storm and it became perfectly calm, demonstrating that God is not the author of such things—otherwise, Jesus would never have contradicted His Father by rebuking something sent by Him.
There is no place in the physical world where you can go and be safe from every destruction—every natural disaster. We can never anticipate what might come when we least expect it. But no matter where you are in the world, God says to run to His shelter where you will not be afraid of the destruction…it will not approach you!
God lets us know in Psalm 91, “You will not be afraid of terror, arrows, pestilence or destruction because I have said in My Word that it will not approach you—if you are obedient to verses one and two to dwell in My shelter and abide in My shadow.” And, of course, we cannot dwell and abide in Him apart from Jesus. But, praise God—because of the shed Blood of the Cross, it has now been made possible.
We can receive anything that God has already provided. The secret is knowing that everything for which God has made provision is clearly spelled out and defined in the Word of God. If you can find where God has offered it—you can have it! It is never God holding it back. His provision is already there—waiting to be received.
Faith is the means by which we accept what God has already made available. Our goal needs to be the renewal of our minds so we have more faith in God's Word than in what we see.
Pray Out Loud.
Lord, I am renewing my mind to the promises of protection You’ve provided. My trust is in You, and I have more faith in Your Word than what I may see with my natural eyes. In the name of Jesus. Amen1 -
Bible Reading:
Psalm 91
Key Verse: verse 7
Though A Thousand Fall
A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not approach you. –Psalm 91:7
Do we have the courage to trust God’s Word enough to believe that He means this literally?
And, is it possible for it to be true, and yet still miss out on these promises?
Jesus answers the last question in Luke 4:27, “There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elijah, but none of them was cleansed.”
Only Naaman, the Syrian, was healed when he obeyed in faith.
Not everyone will receive the benefits of this promise in Psalm 91.
Only those who believe God and hold fast to His promises will profit; nevertheless, it is available.
And to the measure we trust Him, we will in the same measure reap the benefits of that trust.
God knew there would be times when we would hear so many negative reports, see so many needs and encounter so much danger around us that we would feel overwhelmed. That is why He warned us ahead of time.
We have a choice to make.
We can either choose to run to His shelter in faith and it will not approach us, or we can passively live our lives the way the world does, not realizing there is something we can do about it.
Psalm 91 is the preventive measure that God has given to His children against every evil known to mankind.
No place else in the Word are all the protection promises (including help from angels, as well as promises ensuring our authority) accumulated in one covenant to offer such a total package for living in this world.
Many see Psalm 91 as a beautiful promise that they file with all their other good reading material and it makes them feel comforted when they read it.
I do not want anyone to read this and fail to see the significance to these promises.
These are not written for our inspiration, but for our protection.
These are words of deliverance from affliction.
Pray Out Loud.
Lord, thank You for the promises available to me in Psalm 91. I desire for my mind to be so renewed so that I consistently appropriate these promises for living victoriously and free from fear in this world. In the name of Jesus. Amen0 -
Psalm 91
Key Verse: Verse 10
No Plague Comes Near My Family
No evil will befall you, nor will any plague or calamity come near your dwelling. —Psalm 91:10
Are you worried about your family? This part of Psalm 91 addresses that very concern. After God repeats our part of the condition in verse nine, He then re-emphasizes the promise in verse ten: “…nor will it come near your dwelling place (your household).” It is at this point in the psalm that the Bible makes this covenant more comprehensive than just being about ourselves!
God has just added a new dimension to the promise: the opportunity to exercise faith, not only for ourselves but also for the protection of our entire household. If these promises were only available to us as individuals, it would not be very comforting. Because God has created within us both an instinct to be protected and a need to protect those who belong to us, He has assured us here that these promises are for you and your household.
It appears that the Old Testament leaders had a better understanding of this concept than we who are under the New Covenant. That is why Joshua chose for himself and for his household.
If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, then choose for yourselves today whom you will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. –Joshua 24:15
As Joshua made the decision that his household would serve God with him, he was influencing their destiny and declaring their protection at the same time.
When our hearts are steadfast, and we are trusting in His faithfulness to fulfill His promises. We’ll not be constantly afraid that something bad is going to happen to one of our family members.
Negative expectations will begin to pass away, and we will start expecting good reports.
Pray Out Loud.
Lord, Thank You for making Your covenant of protection available to me and my entire household. As for me and my house, we will gladly serve the Lord. My heart is steadfast, trusting in You. I will not fear evil reports. In the name of Jesus. Amen0 -
Bible Reading:
Psalm 91
Key Verse:
Verses 11-12
Angels Watching Over Me
For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone. –Psalm 91:11-12
Most Christians read past this promise with very little thought about the magnitude of what is being said. Only after we get to Heaven will we realize all the things from which we were spared because of the intervention of God’s angels on our behalf.
I am sure you have read stories about missionaries whose lives were spared because would-be murderers saw large bodyguards protecting them—when, in fact, there was no one there in the natural. And we can all recall close calls where we escaped a tragedy, and there was no explanation in the natural. It is possible “to entertain angels without knowing it” as it says in Hebrews 13:2, but sadly, I believe most Christians tend to disregard the ministry of angels altogether.
Verse 11 says, “For He will give His angels charge concerning you!” What does that mean? When you take charge of something, you put yourself in a place of leadership. You begin telling everyone what to do and how to do it. If angels are taking charge of the things that concern us, God has given the angels, not the circumstances, the authority to act on our behalf. That same truth is repeated in Hebrews.
Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? –Hebrews 1:14
When we look to God as the source of our protection and provision, the angels are constantly rendering us aid and taking charge of our affairs. Psalm 103:20 says, “His angels mighty in strength…obey the voice of His Word.” As we proclaim God’s Word, the angels hasten to carry it out. Faith is what releases this promise to work on our behalf.
Angelic protection is just another one of the unique ways in which God has provided protection. He charged angels to guard us in all our ways.
Pray Out Loud.
Lord, as I proclaim Your Word in faith, these heavenly guards —your angels— have been given charge over me. Thank You for this added protection! In the name of Jesus. Amen0 -
Psalm 91
Because I Love Him
Because he has loved Me, therefore I will... –Psalm 91:14a
The author of the Psalm changes from talking in third person about God’s promises to God speaking to us personally from His secret place and announcing promises in the first person. It is a dramatic shift in tone as it moves to God speaking prophetically to each one of us directly, denoting significantly more depth in the relationship. This passage challenges the reader to set his love upon God. When he does, the promises come into effect, and God is indulgent with His promises to the one who loves Him.
Love is the cohesiveness that binds man to God, and God will be faithful to His beloved. Love always requires presence and nearness. Some people acknowledge that there is a God; others know Him. Neither maturity, nor education, nor family heritage, nor even a lifetime as a nominal Christian can make a person “know” Him. Only an encounter with the Lord and time spent with Him will cause one to lay hold of the promises in these verses of Psalm 91.
We need to ask ourselves, "Do I really love Him?" Jesus asked this of Peter, a disciple, “Peter, do you love Me (John 21:15)?” Can you imagine how Peter must have felt when Jesus questioned him three times? Even so, we need to question ourselves because these promises are made only to those who have genuinely set their love on Him. These seven promises are reserved for those who return His Love.
The Lord said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will obey Me!” Our obedience is a reliable sign that shows us that we really love Him. Do you love Him? If you do, these promises are for you!
Pray Out Loud.
Today and from this day forth, I set my love upon You, Lord. This seems so simple, yet it’s easy not to do. I choose to obey You as a sign of my love. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me. In the name of Jesus. Amen0 -
God Is My Deliverer
Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him…—Psalm 91:14a
A promise of deliverance is the first of the seven promises made to the one who loves God. Make it personal! For instance, I quote it like this: “Because I love You, Lord, I thank You that You have promised to deliver me.”
When I was young, I personally needed deliverance. I almost destroyed my marriage, my family, and my reputation because I was tormented with fear. One incident opened the door. I can remember the very instant my happy life changed into a nightmare that lasted eight years. And, one verse walked me out of this living mental hell: “All who call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered (Joel 2:32).”
Many of you desperately need God’s promise of deliverance. The Word worked for me, and it will work for you.
There are also other types of deliverances. There is the internal and the external. Ask yourself, “From what is He going to deliver me?”
God will deliver us from all of the following:
· Lion problems (life-threatening attacks)
· Young lion problems (constant harassment)
· Cobra problems (sneaky attacks which seem to come out of nowhere)
· Dragon problems (imaginary fears, past fears, vain imaginations)
· Terror by night (evils that come through man—war, terror, violence)
· Arrows that fly by day (enemy assignments sent to wound)
· Pestilence (plagues, deadly diseases, fatal epidemics)
· Destruction (evils over which man has no control)
In other words, God wants to deliver us from every evil known to mankind. What a promise! I thank God that He is the God of deliverance.
Pray Out Loud.
Lord, thank You for being my Deliverer and for providing a means of escape from all the threats of violence and harassment, the sneaky problems and evil schemes of the enemy. I am so grateful for Your Word and the authority You have given to me as a believer. In the name of Jesus. Amen
1 -
Hope you all are enjoying reading through Psalm 91!
I Am Seated With Him On High
Because he has loved Me… I will set him securely on high because he has known My Name. –Psalm 91:14b
To be set securely on high is the second promise to those who love the Lord and know Him by Name. What all is there to know about a name?
When God wanted to show the people something important about Himself or about His promises in the Old Testament, He would make it known by revealing another one of His covenant Names.
His Name revealed Himself: Jehovah Jireh is above lack, Jehovah Rapha is higher than sickness, Jehovah Shalom is above a restless mind. We see this theme of His Name above all other names also in Ephesians 1:20-21; 2:6 …which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come… and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.
God pulls us up to where He is! Our vantage point is greatly improved when we are seated with Him on high.
Notice that this verse Psalm 91:14 uses the word “known.” Do you know Him by Name? These promises come out of a “knowing” relationship.
This is not an “impersonal” God with whom you don’t interact.
This promise is connected to knowing His Name.
In the first two sentences of Psalm 91, the psalmist refers to God by four different names. God is The Most High, revealing that He is the highest that exists. God is called The Almighty, denoting that He is the most powerful. He is referred to as The Lord, revealing ownership.
Then the writer calls Him My God, making it personal. This promise of being seated securely on high is reserved for the one who experiences God intimately, then God says that the promises are ours.
Pray Out Loud.
Lord, I’m so thankful I know You, and I’m learning more about You and Your names. I am so grateful that You have given me Your authority and seated me on high with You. In the Name of Jesus. Amen1 -
Read Psalm 91
Key Verse is Verse 15
God Answers My Call
He will call on Me, and I will answer him… –Psalm 91:15a
God makes a third promise here in verse fifteen that He will answer those who truly love Him and call on His Name. Are we aware of what a wonderful promise God is making to us here?
This is the confidence we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. –I John 5:14-15
Nothing gives me more comfort than to realize that every time I pray in line with God’s Word, He hears me. And, if He hears me, I know I have the request for which I asked. This one promise keeps me continually searching His Word in order to understand His will and His promises so that I can know how to pray more effectively.
Sometimes we have no power to rescue ourselves, and we have to rely solely on His faithfulness.
There is no end to God’s ways and means of providing protection for those who trust His Word.
You can be delivered from destruction. God is always there.
Pray Out Loud.
Lord, thank You for answering my call; I have confidence You hear me. Thank You for being there for me and for providing protection when I have no power to rescue myself. The more I learn about You, the more I am in awe of Your goodness. In the name of Jesus. Amen1 -
God Rescues Me From Trouble
...I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him… –Psalm 91:15
The fourth promise—to rescue from trouble those who love the Lord—is found in the middle of verse 15. It is a well-known fact that human nature cries out to God when faced with trouble.
We’ve all known men in prison, soldiers in war, and people in accidents… who call out to God when their lives get into a crisis.
Even atheists are known to call on the God they don’t acknowledge when they are extremely afraid.
A lot of criticism has been given to those kinds of court of the last resort prayers.
However, in defense of this kind of praying, we must remember that when one is in pain, he usually runs to the one he loves the most and the one he trusts.
The alternative is not calling out at all, so this verse acknowledges that calling out to God when we are in trouble is a good place to start.
If a person has never felt danger, he never thinks about needing protection. It is the one that knows he is in imminent danger who will appreciate and take the words of this psalm to heart.
God has a great deal of variety in His plentiful means of protection and modes of rescue from trouble.
God answers our prayers and rescues us in so many ways. I am so thankful that He is creative and not limited by our seemingly impossible situations.
But we have to ask in faith and not confine Him to our limited resources.
God says, “If you love Me, I will be with you when you find yourself in trouble, and I will rescue you.”
But we have to trust Him to do it His way.
Pray Out Loud
Lord, I am so grateful that You will be with me in trouble and rescue me when I call to You. I love You, and I continually put my trust in Your Word.
In the name of Jesus. Amen0 -
You Are an Heir of God
Let’s talk about your inheritance for a minute. For indeed, you have been promised one. You are a child of God. You have everything you need to be everything God desires. Divine resources have been deposited in you.
Need more patience? It’s yours. Need more joy? Ask for it. Running low on wisdom? God has plenty. Put in your order. Your father is rich! As Paul writes, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT).
Your imagination is too timid to understand God’s dream for you. He stands with you on the eastern side of the Jordan River. He gestures at the expanse of Canaan. And He tells you what He told Joshua: “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6), because this is your inheritance.
All Joshua and the people had to do was trust God’s promise. And Joshua trusted . . . but they didn’t. It was a bad decision with a forty-year probation penalty. God left His people to wander in the wilderness for a generation. Upon Moses’ death, Joshua then became the leader of that generation. God reissued the promised land offer to Joshua.
We typically think of Joshua as taking the land. It’s more precise to think of Joshua as taking God at His word. Joshua took the land, for sure. But he did so because he trusted God’s promise. The great accomplishment of the Hebrew people was this: they lived out of their inheritance. In fact, the story ends with this declaration: “Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance” (Joshua 24:28).
What if you did the same? What if you choose your inheritance rather than cower to your fears and circumstances? Will all your challenges disappear? They didn’t for Joshua. But he knew more victory than defeat. So can you.
You share in the same inheritance as Christ! Your portion isn’t a pittance. Your portion is Jesus’ portion! Whatever He has, you have! People of the promise believe in the abundance of supernatural resources. And don’t we need them? Are we not prone to depletions?
How often do you find yourself thinking, “I’m out of solutions,” or, “there’s no way this will work,” or, “I can’t fix this”? Understand your place in the family. You come to God not as a stranger but as an heir to the promise. You approach God’s throne not as an interloper but as a child in whom the Spirit of God dwells. You are an heir with Christ of God’s estate. He will provide what you need to face the challenges of life.
So trust God’s great promises. Choose hope, not despair. You are a new person . . . live like one!
Respond
What circumstances in your life make it difficult for you to see yourself as a child of God? What choices do you need to make to change your perspective?
How would you describe Joshua’s faith? What have you learned from his example that encourages you to trust God’s promises?
How can prayer help you to better rely on God’s resources to live out your inheritance?0