Do unbelievers know God? “There is a rebellion in the human heart that creates ignorance of the true and living God.”
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“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” —Psalm 62:8
I'd rather be dropkicked by Truth than kissed on the lips by lies.
God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. - 1 Thessalonians 4:7 NLT #verseoftheday
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He will reign forever and ever.
Revelation 11:15
Revelation 11:15
Get into a church that gets into the Bible.
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Whatever you’re carrying, God can handle it. Lay it all at His feet.
Saving faith is more than just agreeing with facts about God.
Even the demons believe and tremble (James 2:19).
Saving faith is a repentance from sin and a sincere dependence on Jesus alone for salvation.
Even the demons believe and tremble (James 2:19).
Saving faith is a repentance from sin and a sincere dependence on Jesus alone for salvation.
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April 23: The Art of Confession
#Devotional
Joshua 10:16–11:23; 2 Corinthians 11:1–6; Psalm 51:1–19
Confession is a lost art. Most Christian communities today have little outlet for doing so, and the systems for confessing that we do have are often tainted by a lack of honesty and trust.
This isn’t helped by the fact that none of us like to admit wrong. Yet God calls us to confession. In revealing sin in our lives, we have an opportunity to change (Jas 5:16). When a sin is revealed, the strength of temptation wanes.
This is not to suggest that we should openly confess our sins to all people, for unsafe and abusive people certainly exist. Rather, in close friendship with other Christians, we should be honest about our failures. Most importantly, we must confess these things to God.
We need to overcome the fatal assumption that because we are saved by Christ’s dying and rising for our sins, we no longer need to confess them. In admitting our sins to God, we move toward overcoming them and into an honest relationship with Him. God already knows who we are and what we’ve done, so there is no reason to fear being honest with Him. And perhaps in learning to be honest with Him we can also learn to be honest with others.
For many of us, the difficulty of praying about our sins is what prevents us from telling God what we need and what we’ve done. God has an answer to this, though: the psalms.
For example, in Psa 51, the psalmist says, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and from my sin cleanse me. For I, myself, know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (Psa 51:2–3). He goes on to say, “Create a clean heart for me, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and with a willing spirit sustain me” (Psa 51:10–12).
When we confess our sins to God and to others, He is faithful to help us overcome temptations. We have been given the great gift of Christ Jesus, who purifies us from all our wrongs against Him and others. And so we must seek His presence and live in it; in doing so, we can overcome the power of sin. In light of God’s power, sin is nothing; it deserves no stronghold.
Are you currently confessing your sins to God and others? How can you create a safe system to confess your sins in a way that honors God?
#Devotional
Joshua 10:16–11:23; 2 Corinthians 11:1–6; Psalm 51:1–19
Confession is a lost art. Most Christian communities today have little outlet for doing so, and the systems for confessing that we do have are often tainted by a lack of honesty and trust.
This isn’t helped by the fact that none of us like to admit wrong. Yet God calls us to confession. In revealing sin in our lives, we have an opportunity to change (Jas 5:16). When a sin is revealed, the strength of temptation wanes.
This is not to suggest that we should openly confess our sins to all people, for unsafe and abusive people certainly exist. Rather, in close friendship with other Christians, we should be honest about our failures. Most importantly, we must confess these things to God.
We need to overcome the fatal assumption that because we are saved by Christ’s dying and rising for our sins, we no longer need to confess them. In admitting our sins to God, we move toward overcoming them and into an honest relationship with Him. God already knows who we are and what we’ve done, so there is no reason to fear being honest with Him. And perhaps in learning to be honest with Him we can also learn to be honest with others.
For many of us, the difficulty of praying about our sins is what prevents us from telling God what we need and what we’ve done. God has an answer to this, though: the psalms.
For example, in Psa 51, the psalmist says, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and from my sin cleanse me. For I, myself, know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (Psa 51:2–3). He goes on to say, “Create a clean heart for me, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and with a willing spirit sustain me” (Psa 51:10–12).
When we confess our sins to God and to others, He is faithful to help us overcome temptations. We have been given the great gift of Christ Jesus, who purifies us from all our wrongs against Him and others. And so we must seek His presence and live in it; in doing so, we can overcome the power of sin. In light of God’s power, sin is nothing; it deserves no stronghold.
Are you currently confessing your sins to God and others? How can you create a safe system to confess your sins in a way that honors God?
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April 23 - Jesus on Vows and Oaths
#LifeOfChrist
“‘Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, “You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.” But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black’” (Matthew 5:33–36).
In the regular business of life, people use vows and oaths—at marriage ceremonies, in the courtroom, executive oaths of office. Because human nature is prone to lying and distrust, God has provided for proper use of oaths (cf. Heb. 6:16). In describing who may enter God’s presence, the psalmist says one requirement is that the person be one who
“swears to his own hurt and does not change” (Ps. 15:4b; cf. vv. 2–3
). Such a person’s word is more important than his or her welfare.
God Himself has issued oaths in the past (Gen. 22:16–17; cf. Pss. 89:3, 49; 110:4; Jer. 11:5; Luke 1:73). He did so to impress upon people the special importance or urgency of a promise. As Hebrews notes, “Since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself” (6:13). Christ often used the expression “truly” or “truly, truly” (e.g., Matt. 5:18, 26; 6:2, 5, 16; John 1:51; 3:3, 5; 5:19, 24). As with the Father’s oaths, the Son’s use of “truly” did not make those statements any more trustworthy than any other pronouncements. The “truly” teachings underscored the importance of certain teachings. Jesus even used an oath before the high priest Caiaphas that He was indeed God’s Son (Matt. 26:63–64).
In view of the special nature of divine oaths, we should
“make no oath[s] at all”
—in other words, no frivolous ones that would compromise our truthfulness and integrity (cf. Pss. 119:29, 163; 120:2).
Ask Yourself
Could your conversation be improved with less embellishment and exaggeration? Can your word stand on its own two feet?
#LifeOfChrist
“‘Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, “You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.” But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black’” (Matthew 5:33–36).
In the regular business of life, people use vows and oaths—at marriage ceremonies, in the courtroom, executive oaths of office. Because human nature is prone to lying and distrust, God has provided for proper use of oaths (cf. Heb. 6:16). In describing who may enter God’s presence, the psalmist says one requirement is that the person be one who
“swears to his own hurt and does not change” (Ps. 15:4b; cf. vv. 2–3
). Such a person’s word is more important than his or her welfare.
God Himself has issued oaths in the past (Gen. 22:16–17; cf. Pss. 89:3, 49; 110:4; Jer. 11:5; Luke 1:73). He did so to impress upon people the special importance or urgency of a promise. As Hebrews notes, “Since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself” (6:13). Christ often used the expression “truly” or “truly, truly” (e.g., Matt. 5:18, 26; 6:2, 5, 16; John 1:51; 3:3, 5; 5:19, 24). As with the Father’s oaths, the Son’s use of “truly” did not make those statements any more trustworthy than any other pronouncements. The “truly” teachings underscored the importance of certain teachings. Jesus even used an oath before the high priest Caiaphas that He was indeed God’s Son (Matt. 26:63–64).
In view of the special nature of divine oaths, we should
“make no oath[s] at all”
—in other words, no frivolous ones that would compromise our truthfulness and integrity (cf. Pss. 119:29, 163; 120:2).
Ask Yourself
Could your conversation be improved with less embellishment and exaggeration? Can your word stand on its own two feet?
DAY 23: Why does God make use of leaders who display such obvious weaknesses?
https://telegra.ph/DAILY-BIBLE-04-23
https://telegra.ph/DAILY-BIBLE-04-23
Telegraph
DAILY BIBLE
Reading for Today: Judges 11:1–12:15 Psalm 50:7-15 Proverbs 14:28 Luke 17:1-19 Notes: Judges 11:31 I will offer it. Some interpreters reason that Jephthah offered his daughter as a living sacrifice in perpetual virginity. With this idea, v. 31 is made to…
The gospel is exciting, disturbing, sensational news. To speak of it nonchalantly is to give the lie to the message.
Thielicke
Thielicke
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The Christian life is all about the simple things:
• Study the Bible
• Pray without ceasing
• Fight your sin
• Be active in your local church
• Love your neighbor
• Study the Bible
• Pray without ceasing
• Fight your sin
• Be active in your local church
• Love your neighbor
“By a Carpenter mankind was made, and only by that Carpenter can mankind be remade.” —Desiderius Erasmus
God is sovereign over all things, He is in complete control, no one else....
By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. - Hebrews 10:20 NLT #verseoftheday
Jesus is better than anything the world has to offer.