Matthew 26:41
Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Personal Challenge…
There is no opportunity for us to claim, “The devil made me do it!” We are responsible for our choices to sin. If we want to avoid and/or defeat temptations in our lives we must be diligent and on the guard against them. Once again, the Christian life is not a lackadaisical life, but a life of diligence, waiting, and prayer.
1 Peter 3:13-17
And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
Personal Challenge…
As followers of Christ we will be asked what we are putting out hope in and why. Sometimes this will come from genuinely interested people who desire the same peace that we have. Sometimes it will come from those who want to drive us away from our Lord. In all cases we are to be prepared to give a response in meekness and fear, yet truthful and informed. In order to do this we must spend time with our Lord, studying His teachings and preparing ourselves to give a good answer. We will also encounter times when those around us will want to persecute us for our beliefs and our hope. We still must be prepared to give a good response from a position of meekness and fear so that our accusers will be ashamed because there is not wrong found in our lives. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Luke 6:32-36
But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
Personal Challenge…
Living the Christian life is not for the faint of heart. We are called to be merciful and loving…to everyone. We are called to be giving…to everyone and expecting nothing in return. We are called to be merciful as our Father is merciful. There is no room for judgment and legalism in our Christian lives, just as our God is not judgmental and legalistic with us. This is part of the reason that we practice traditions like Great Lent and fasting…to develop the habit of giving up of ourselves so that we can give to others. It is a discipline to help us to become more like our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord have mercy! Lord have mercy! Lord have mercy!
Leviticus 18:1-3
Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am the Lord your God. According to the way of life in the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the way of life in the land of Canaan, where I bring you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.’”
Personal Challenge…
When we give our lives to Christ and choose to follow Him as a member of His body He plucks us out of this world and puts us into His world, His kingdom. These verses are an image of how we are to live our lives. We are not to go back to the old ways that we lived before, but are to live as new creations under His new covenant. That old life is now the Egypt that He has rescued us from and that we are to leave behind. And since His new kingdom still exists in the midst of the temporal world as it is today, Canaan typifies the physical world around us that we are living in now while being members of His royal family. We are commanded to not take on the practices and beliefs of this world, this Canaan, as well. We are called to be set aside, set apart, living our lives for Him and for His kingdom. If we as individuals, or collectively as churches and bodies of fellowship, do not act and look any different than the world around us (Canaan), then we are not living for Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Nehemiah 6:16
And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.
Personal Challenge…
When people look at my life do they become disheartened in their own eyes? Why? Just as in the day of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall, God is active in our lives. He is performing miracles and great things in and through us. He has granted us eternal life. He has filled us with the Holy Spirit and bestowed upon us both the fruit of the Spirit as well as our own unique spiritual gifts. Am I living my life (rebuilding the wall) in a way that when people look at my life they only see the mighty hand of God at work and become disheartened because they don’t see Him doing the same in their lives? Oh, how I pray for the ability to live my life this way, to manifest Him in everything that I do and say, to become nothing so that He can become everything. Is this not His desire for us as well? Glory be to God!
1 Chronicles 28:9
“And now, my son Solomon, know the God of your fathers, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing soul; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you forever.”
Personal Challenge…
David reminds us here that a Christian life, a godly life, is a life of action. We are to serve God completely and fully. We are to seek Him aggressively and purposefully if we expect to find Him. He expects us to be active in our relationship wit Him and therefore with those around us.
Jeremiah 30:16-17 (37:13-14 LXX)
Therefore, all who devour you shall be consumed, for all your enemies shall devour themselves. Your sins multiplied because of the abundance of your wrongdoings, thus they did these things to you. But those who tore you to pieces shall be as prey, and I will give all who plundered you as plunder. For I will bring about your healing from a painful wound. I will heal you,’ says the Lord. ‘For you were called Dispersed, for they said, “She is your prey, because no one seeks her.”‘
Encouraging Words…
Sometimes God allows the consequences of our sinful behavior to overtake us so that through it we can be refined and turn back to Him. This is never pleasant, but it it serves to return our hearts and our minds to Him it is worthwhile. Better yet, to not stray from Him and have to be corrected. In all cases we are His precious children and He does what is necessary to keep us on the right path, His path. Glory be to God.
Psalm 25:4-5 (24:4-5 LXX)
Make known Your ways to me, O Lord,
And teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation,
And on You I wait all the day.
Personal Challenge…
Oh, what an easy prayer to say, yet so difficult to practice. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Matthew 13:44
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
Personal Challenge…
Do I treat the great and glorious gift of salvation as something so special that I sell all that I have, give up all that is important to me, so that I can have it? How often do I sell my Lord short for my own desires? What a precious gift we have in Christ. A gift that is worth abandoning all for. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Verse of the Day 