Author: David Short

Galatians 3:26-27

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Encouraging Words

When we were baptized into Christ, we put on Christ as our garments of son-ship and daughter-ship. Through Christ and His work, we have been grafted into the family of God and are now His sons and daughters. It is all about Him and the work that He has done to redeem us from this fallen world. Glory be to God!

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Personal Challenge

We have the opportunity, and the privilege, to be made into new creations by the work of Christ. Are we willing to accept that change and like our lives for Him? We must be willing to follow in His footsteps and crucify our temporal selves, our wills and desires, to Him so that we no longer live in the flesh, but Christ lives in us. By doing this we can live by faith in Him trusting that He will lead our lives to His glory, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Galatians 1:10

For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Personal Challenge

Today’s challenge is tough, especially in this modern age where we have social media and a climate of self-service. In all things that I do, I must ask myself the question, “Am I doing what I am doing to please men or to please God?” Sometimes there will be a fine line between the two with this question. Do I have something that is real important to me? Something that I don’t want to let go of? If I am pushing that forward and it is not for God’s glory and the edification of my neighbor, then I am serving myself. Is there something that I know that I should be doing, or asking those under my authority, to do, but I am choosing to not do it because the backlash will be unpleasant and a hurdle to overcome? If it is the right thing to do in the eyes of God and it is for the good of my neighbor and I choose not to do it, then I am serving or pleasing men and not God. God expects us to serve Him. He wants us to please Him. If we cannot do this regularly then we need to question if we are truly His bondservants. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Genesis 50:19-20

So Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for I belong to God. But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

Personal Challenge

Do we really believe this in our daily walk with our Lord? Do we believe that everything that has transpired in our life, whether good or bad, every trial and Tribulation, every victory and loss, everything, will be used by God for our good? Do we live our lives this way or do we live like everyone else around us, beaten down by the world and devastated by the conse­quences of our choices? Whether we want to admit it or not, believe it or not, God is still in control of the whole of creation, of time itself and because of His love for us, all of us, He is constantly trying to make everything that happens in our lives be for our good. Are we willing to receive that? Are we willing to make His job easier by choosing His path to follow. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and forgive me of my stiff necked way of behaving.

2 Corinthians 9:7-8

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Encouraging Words

God operates within an economy that defies all of the ways of doing things here on earth. He asks us to give out of our abundance cheerfully and not grudgingly or of a feeling of compulsion. He promises to poor out His grace upon us, cheerfully, expecting nothing in return from us. This grace poured out upon us will always give us, in abundance, whatever we need to do His good work. We are blessed, so why would we not bless others? Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Genesis 45:4-8

But Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now therefore, do not be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to save life. For this is the second year of famine in the land, and five years still remain in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. For God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth, and to sustain you as a great remnant. So now, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Encouraging Words

This story reminds us that God has a greater plan for all of His creation and us as part of that creation. He also has the view across all eternity; past, present, and 
future, so He knows how things will all work out for us. The real question is whether or not we are willing to submit to Him and recognize that all that happens has a reason and will be used by God for our good. Glory be to God!

2 Corinthians 9:6

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Personal Challenge

What does it mean to sow and reap in today’s world. Most of us no longer live in an agricul­tural setting where we have to sow seed for our crops and reap the results. Sowing and reaping applies to all aspects of our lives. If I sow truth, truth will be reaped. If I sow it sparingly, then I will reap it sparingly. If bountifully, then bountifully. I can choose to sow truth, love, compassion, mercy, grace, and any other righteous gift. I can sow from my financial blessings or my gifts and talents or my time. By sowing all of these abundantly, I will see abundant crops being reaped. But I can also sow lies, disparity, dissension, anger, contempt, selfishness, and many other unrighteous actions and beliefs. The same principle applies. If I sow these negative things, then I must be ready to reap in kind. It is so sad to see how much of the focus of our society and even many of our churches have chosen the unrighteous things to sow. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy as we reap what we have sown!