Some people want the benefits of the Kingdom without having to worship the King.
❤1
The gospel is a full body scan diagnostics. It addresses and corrects the entire personality, not a certain single error. The sinner must know what they truly are, before they understand who they truly need. Christ comes into a person the change them entirely and wholesomly, not to heal a particular sin.
🙏3
If you're a follower of Jesus...
No matter how difficult today seems, you still win in the end.
No matter how difficult today seems, you still win in the end.
💘4🙏1
It's Wednesday.
You don't need motivation. You need faithfulness.
Open your Bible.
Pray like it matters.
Then go live like Christ is Lord over every hour of your day.
Rejoice! This is the day that the Lord has made!
You don't need motivation. You need faithfulness.
Open your Bible.
Pray like it matters.
Then go live like Christ is Lord over every hour of your day.
Rejoice! This is the day that the Lord has made!
❤2
In the Bible, when God’s people compromised on sin, He didn’t commend them for being loving, compassionate, or tolerant.
He confronted them. Often, judging them more severely, calling them idolatrous and rebellious.
To condone someone else’s sin is to reject God yourself.
He confronted them. Often, judging them more severely, calling them idolatrous and rebellious.
To condone someone else’s sin is to reject God yourself.
❤3
The resurrection didn’t just change history — it CHANGES MARRIAGES! 🕊️
It brings HOPE where there was despair, UNITY where there was division, LIFE where there was dryness! 🌱 Rom 6:4 ❤️
How has the resurrection power shown up in your marriage this season? #StrongMarriage #Easter
It brings HOPE where there was despair, UNITY where there was division, LIFE where there was dryness! 🌱 Rom 6:4 ❤️
How has the resurrection power shown up in your marriage this season? #StrongMarriage #Easter
❤3
"God will never give you more than you can handle" is a lie.
You were never meant to handle everything by your own power. You're created to trust in the God who can handle everything through you.
Sometimes, He does give you more than you handle, so that you'll rely on Him.
You were never meant to handle everything by your own power. You're created to trust in the God who can handle everything through you.
Sometimes, He does give you more than you handle, so that you'll rely on Him.
❤4
The biggest threat to Christianity isn't atheism. It's fake Christianity.
A gospel with no repentance.
A faith with no obedience.
A church with no truth.
A gospel with no repentance.
A faith with no obedience.
A church with no truth.
👍1
"Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city."
- Proverbs 16:32
Brothers and sisters, control your anger and your emotions. Submit to the Holy Spirit. One of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control (Galatians 5:23).
- Proverbs 16:32
Brothers and sisters, control your anger and your emotions. Submit to the Holy Spirit. One of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control (Galatians 5:23).
Christians, your citizenship is in Heaven.
Don't get too comfortable in a world that's passing away.
Don't get too comfortable in a world that's passing away.
❤4
April 9: The Global Reset Button
#Devotional
Deuteronomy 15:1–17:20; 2 Corinthians 4:7–18; Psalm 37:1–22
When I was a kid, I loved playing Super Nintendo—especially Donkey Kong. Despite my love for it, it would just make me angry at times. When I couldn’t handle the way the game was panning out, I would slam down the controller and hit the reset button. I would start fresh. It’s more than a little sad that my entertainment made me act like a caveman. Yet those moments of resetting the entire system felt like another chance at life (albeit a virtual one).
With the state of the global economy, it often feels like the world needs a reset. It’s tempting to say something as radical as, “Let’s forgive all debts and start again.” Though this couldn’t happen—and it would be highly problematic since the statement depends on good will, free economy, and general care for one another—it doesn’t stop us from hoping.
God actually created a system for this audacious idea: in the Year of Jubilee, or the Sabbatical Year, slaves were freed and debts were forgiven (Deut 15), people were celebrated as equals (Deut 16), and the land was given a rest to prevent famine. (Famine was often caused by overworking the land.) It was a reset button.
The global economy is complex. I’m not suggesting that it’s time for a Year of Jubilee, but maybe it is time for an economic evaluation of our lives. Who is God calling you to forgive? Whose life could be better if you lifted their debts? Who needs your generosity right now? Who could you make an equal by changing something about your work or friendship? How can you celebrate with those who feel like lesser people in this world?
The economy proves the point that we are all interdependent. It also makes the case that doing something for those at the bottom of the economic ladder can have a massive impact—not just on them, but on others. Those that are forgiven are likely to forgive.
Whose life can you make better today? Who can you bring jubilee (celebration) to?
#Devotional
Deuteronomy 15:1–17:20; 2 Corinthians 4:7–18; Psalm 37:1–22
When I was a kid, I loved playing Super Nintendo—especially Donkey Kong. Despite my love for it, it would just make me angry at times. When I couldn’t handle the way the game was panning out, I would slam down the controller and hit the reset button. I would start fresh. It’s more than a little sad that my entertainment made me act like a caveman. Yet those moments of resetting the entire system felt like another chance at life (albeit a virtual one).
With the state of the global economy, it often feels like the world needs a reset. It’s tempting to say something as radical as, “Let’s forgive all debts and start again.” Though this couldn’t happen—and it would be highly problematic since the statement depends on good will, free economy, and general care for one another—it doesn’t stop us from hoping.
God actually created a system for this audacious idea: in the Year of Jubilee, or the Sabbatical Year, slaves were freed and debts were forgiven (Deut 15), people were celebrated as equals (Deut 16), and the land was given a rest to prevent famine. (Famine was often caused by overworking the land.) It was a reset button.
The global economy is complex. I’m not suggesting that it’s time for a Year of Jubilee, but maybe it is time for an economic evaluation of our lives. Who is God calling you to forgive? Whose life could be better if you lifted their debts? Who needs your generosity right now? Who could you make an equal by changing something about your work or friendship? How can you celebrate with those who feel like lesser people in this world?
The economy proves the point that we are all interdependent. It also makes the case that doing something for those at the bottom of the economic ladder can have a massive impact—not just on them, but on others. Those that are forgiven are likely to forgive.
Whose life can you make better today? Who can you bring jubilee (celebration) to?
April 9 - Warning against External Righteousness
#LifeOfChrist
“‘For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:20).
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were entirely concerned with a mere external observance of God’s law, giving almost no consideration to motives or attitude. In Matthew 23:25, Jesus gives a descriptive view of such useless religion: “You are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Because of that terrible condition, our Lord labeled the scribes and Pharisees as “hypocrites.” They thought God would judge them only for what they did, not for what they thought.
But Jesus considers this sort of righteousness to be of the worst kind. Anybody who practices such “religion” is guilty of a large array of vile sins (Matt. 23:25–31). At another time Jesus warned the Pharisees, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).
Christ’s next teachings in this sermon would declare that God’s first concern is with people’s hearts. He condemns attitudes of anger, hatred, and lust, not merely their outward manifestations in murder and adultery (Matt. 5:22, 27–28). Similarly, anyone’s deeds of righteousness, such as prayer, giving, or fasting—if not done with a humble, loving attitude—are worthless (cf. 6:5–18). Hypocrisy and externalism cannot substitute for genuine righteousness.
Ask Yourself
Where has hypocrisy slipped into your life? Confess every example of it today—not the temptation itself, but rather every time you have gone on to mask pride and impurity with self-righteous appearances. Deal directly with these and repent, experiencing again the freedom of living whole, genuine lives of faith.
#LifeOfChrist
“‘For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:20).
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were entirely concerned with a mere external observance of God’s law, giving almost no consideration to motives or attitude. In Matthew 23:25, Jesus gives a descriptive view of such useless religion: “You are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Because of that terrible condition, our Lord labeled the scribes and Pharisees as “hypocrites.” They thought God would judge them only for what they did, not for what they thought.
But Jesus considers this sort of righteousness to be of the worst kind. Anybody who practices such “religion” is guilty of a large array of vile sins (Matt. 23:25–31). At another time Jesus warned the Pharisees, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).
Christ’s next teachings in this sermon would declare that God’s first concern is with people’s hearts. He condemns attitudes of anger, hatred, and lust, not merely their outward manifestations in murder and adultery (Matt. 5:22, 27–28). Similarly, anyone’s deeds of righteousness, such as prayer, giving, or fasting—if not done with a humble, loving attitude—are worthless (cf. 6:5–18). Hypocrisy and externalism cannot substitute for genuine righteousness.
Ask Yourself
Where has hypocrisy slipped into your life? Confess every example of it today—not the temptation itself, but rather every time you have gone on to mask pride and impurity with self-righteous appearances. Deal directly with these and repent, experiencing again the freedom of living whole, genuine lives of faith.
DAY 9: How should we respond to all forms of religious persecution?
https://telegra.ph/DAILY-BIBLE-04-09
https://telegra.ph/DAILY-BIBLE-04-09
Telegraph
DAILY BIBLE
Reading for Today: Joshua 7:1–8:35 Psalm 43:1-5 Proverbs 13:22-23 Luke 9:37-62 Notes: Joshua 7:9 what will You do for Your great name? The main issue is the glory and honor of God (see Daniel’s prayer in Dan. 9:16–19). Psalm 43:3 Your light and Your truth!…
There are not many paths that lead to God, there is only One. His name is Jesus.
❤6
We don't read the Bible solely to gain information. We read it to experience transformation by the Holy Spirit. Let the Word change how you think and act today.
❤11
As a new believer, lignorantly believed:
large church=God is there
small church=God isn't
In Bible College, lignorantly believed:
small church=God is there
large church=God isn't
The older I get, the more I believe every Bible-believing church matters, because God is there.
large church=God is there
small church=God isn't
In Bible College, lignorantly believed:
small church=God is there
large church=God isn't
The older I get, the more I believe every Bible-believing church matters, because God is there.
❤3
Christians, this world is not our home. We are pilgrims, longing for the city whose builder and maker is God. Our hope is in heaven.
Yes, we have a job to do in this world, but we don't put down roots here. We live with open hands, fixed on eternity, serving faithfully while we wait for our true home.
Yes, we have a job to do in this world, but we don't put down roots here. We live with open hands, fixed on eternity, serving faithfully while we wait for our true home.
❤3
Don't mistake God's patience for the lie that He is okay with your sin.