If the devil quoted Scripture to deceive Jesus (see Luke 4:9-11), we're foolish to think that just because someone quotes the Bible that what they're saying is true.

We must strive to know the Word well so we can test the spirits (1 John 4:1).

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all true wisdom.

You can't understand the world correctly until you know Who's in charge of it.

Believers, we're called to be in the world but not of the world. Our values and our goals should look very different from our neighbors.

Don't let the world squeeze you into its mold, saints.

Believers, don't be discouraged by the trials you're facing today. God is using them for your good and his glory.

He's working behind the scenes in ways you can't even imagine.

The Bible doesn't forbid loving money more than God.

It forbids loving money at all. Full stop. (1 Tim. 6:10, Heb. 13:5, etc.).

Too many focus on verses about the issues that often come with being rich, but forget about how even a homeless man loving a $1 bill is a sin.

“Darwinian evolution is an embellished fantasy that sparked from the fertile imagination of one man.” —Ray Comfort

March reality check:
Strong marriages are not accident-proof — they are attack-proof.
Daily armor. Daily prayer. Daily unity.
The enemy hates a home that looks like heaven.
Eph 6:11–12
What piece of spiritual armor did you put on together this morning?
#StrongMarriage #March

Christians, we must be careful not to love the gifts more than the Giver. Everything we have comes from his hand.

Keep your eyes fixed on the one who provides everything you need.

The apostle Paul was a persecutor of Christians, yet God had chosen him even while he was still a sinner.

Believers, check your heart for these warning signs:

• A lack of desire for prayer
• Being bored with the Bible
• Harboring bitterness toward others
• Finding joy in sin

Confess your sins to God, then to others, then flee to Jesus.

People's biggest problem isn't that they need a better life. They need a new heart.

Only Jesus can give the world what they truly need.

The Bible is clear: your sin won't stay hidden forever. God will bring it to light one day, whether in this life or the life to come.

Repent today and find mercy at the foot of the cross.

March 18: Is This “Bad” from God?

#Devotional

Numbers 20–21; 1 Corinthians 3:1–4:21; Psalm 18:31–50

God has granted us incredible grace in the salvation that Jesus’ death and resurrection offers, but that very grace is often used as a theological excuse. It’s dangerous to say that bad things come from God, but there are times when they actually do. What makes them good is how He uses them to help us grow. The great grace God offers doesn’t mean our sins go unpunished.

We see God directly issue what seems “bad” in Num 21:5–7. First we’re told: “The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us from Egypt to die in the desert? There is no food and no water, and our hearts detest this miserable food’ ” (Num 21:5). Then, Yahweh sends poisonous snakes that bite the people, causing them to die (Num 21:6). Why would a good God do such a horrific thing?

In Numbers 21:1–4, the people had experienced a miraculous victory against the Canaanites living in Arad—a people they were losing to, and should have lost to, until Yahweh intervened. Yahweh showed Himself to be loyal and true; yet, the people still rebelled.

When Yahweh punishes the people with the snakes, it’s not because He wants to; it’s because He needs to. And the result is worth it. The people say to Moses, “We have sinned because we have spoken against Yahweh and against you. Pray to Yahweh and let him remove the snakes from among us” (Num 21:7). In their response, they show faith in Yahweh and His ability to change the situation. They also show faith in the leader He appointed to them: Moses.

God sent this “bad” thing because He knew it would be a good thing (compare 1 Cor 11:30–32). This knowledge should make us boldly proclaim, as the psalmist does, “For who is God apart from Yahweh and who is a rock except our God?” (Psa 18:31).

What currently seems “bad” that is really a result of God responding to your disobedience?#FeelAtJesusFeet

❤Keep sharing ❤️ @StudyBibleFam ❤️

March 18 - Anticipating Physical Persecution

#LifeOfChrist

“‘Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:10).

The Greek word that is translated “persecuted” and “persecute” in Matthew 5:10–12 has the basic meaning of chasing, driving away, or pursuing. From that meaning developed the connotations of physical persecution, harassment, abuse, and other unjust treatment.

The believer who possesses the qualities described in the first seven beatitudes will be willing to face persecution “for the sake of righteousness.” He will have an attitude of self-sacrifice for the sake of Christ. He is exemplified by a lack of fear and shame and the presence of courage and boldness. The tense of the Greek verb indicates that the believer has a continuous willingness to endure persecution if it is the price of godly living.

Under the demands of this beatitude many Christians break down in their obedience to the Lord; here is where the genuineness of their response to the other beatitudes is most strongly tested. It is where we are most tempted to compromise the righteousness we have hungered and thirsted for. It is here where we find it convenient to lower God’s standards to accommodate the world and thereby avoid conflicts and problems we know obedience will bring.

But God does not want His gospel altered under pretense of its being less demanding, less righteous, or less truthful than it is. He does not want witnesses who lead the unsaved into thinking that the Christian life costs nothing.

Do a spiritual inventory and make sure you are willing to pay the cost for the sake of righteousness.

Ask Yourself

What causes us to wish that Christian faith weren’t so costly? When our hearts lead us to compromise in order to avoid detection and possible derision, what lies are we really telling ourselves? And why doesn’t the secretive safety provided by these actions leave us feeling satisfied?

DAY 18: What are some general, time-tested principles that will help rightly interpret Proverbs?

https://telegra.ph/DAILY-BIBLE-03-18

The world hates the truth of the Bible because it loves its sin.

We shouldn't be surprised when they turn against us for following Jesus. He told us this would happen, but take heart: he also told us he has overcome the world.

Christian, don't let the weight of your past sins crush you. Jesus paid for every single one of them on the cross.

Three words Satan doesn't want any believer to grasp: you're fully forgiven!

Believers, test every teaching by these standards:

• Does it line up with the Bible?
• Does it bring glory to God, or ourselves?
• Does it encourage holiness, or worldliness?

Believers, protect your mind by focusing on these:

• The promises found in the Bible
• The hope of our salvation
• The greatness of our God
• "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just" (Phil. 4:8)