“[God] gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
Isaiah 40:29 (NIV) When you believe in Jesus, you get God’s strength for daily living. I used to think this wasn’t a big deal. But I’ve realized that for most people, the number one problem in life isn’t worry or fear or guilt or bitterness. Their number one problem is weariness. People tell me all the time, “I’m just so tired all the time. I can’t get it all done. I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” The reason why you’re tired all the time is you have a power shortage. And the reason you have a power shortage is because you’re not plugged in to God’s power. You’re trying to live your life on your power alone. There’s no way you can fulfill your purpose in life without being plugged in to God’s power. An unplugged toaster is worthless. An unplugged blender is worthless. A vacuum cleaner has no purpose if it’s not plugged in to the power source. Isaiah 40:29 says, “[God] gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (NIV). You need God’s power in more ways than you realize. Paul says it like this: “I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me” (Philippians 4:13 GNT). This is not a positive mental attitude. This is not self-help psychology. This is not pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps thinking. No—this is supernatural power! What are the “all conditions”? With God’s help, you have the power to handle loneliness when you’re lonely. The power to handle stress when you’re under pressure. The power to handle guilt and fear and boredom and bitterness and rejection. The power to handle financial disaster. The power to handle health crises. The power to handle a relational predicament. Where does that power come from? It comes from God in you—the Holy Spirit. You receive that power when you believe in Jesus Christ to save you. And it’s available to you every moment of every day, no matter what you’re facing.
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“Jonah immediately tried to run away from the LORD by going to Tarshish.”
Jonah 1:3 (GW) God gives every one of us a unique mission—and he gives us a choice as to whether or not we fulfill that mission. God gave Jonah a mission: to warn the people of Nineveh that judgment was coming. But “Jonah immediately tried to run away from the LORD by going to Tarshish” (Jonah 1:3 GW). Jonah faced consequences for his decision, the same kind of consequences you may encounter if you run away from God’s mission for your life. The Bible says that when Jonah boarded a ship to get away from his mission, God sent a powerful wind to push the boat back (Jonah 1:4). Why did God do that? Because he loved Jonah and wanted him to make a good decision that would give him a life of purpose and fulfillment. God sends opposition our way to encourage us to make better decisions. Jonah’s disobedience also threatened the lives of everyone on the boat to Tarshish. When you run away from God, innocent people—including those you care about—can get hurt. Maybe it’s your spouse, your kids, your grandkids, or your friends. Sometimes it’s people you don’t even know. People can get hurt because of your disobedience. Jonah shows that when you run from God, your life starts a downward trajectory. Your disobedience will cost you financially, physically, and relationally. Nineveh was more than 550 miles away, but Jonah tried running to Tarshish, which was 2,500 miles in the opposite direction. The truth is, you can’t run from God for the rest of your life. He’s everywhere and he knows everything. But he gives you choices because he wants you to love him and follow him voluntarily. Since God has your best interest at heart, why run from him? “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) You may not realize it, but you’re in a battle. You may not wear a military uniform, and you may not dodge physical bullets. But you’re in a battle—an invisible one. It’s called spiritual warfare. You’ll be in the battle from the moment you’re born until the moment you die. The Bible tells us that you have three mortal enemies out to destroy your life and everything God wants to do through it:
The victory for the battle you’re in won’t come through bullets or tactics. The Bible teaches us that, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV). In this battle, all that matters is Jesus. He has to be the general of your life, the one in charge of the battle plan. You may be a believer, but that’s not enough for this war within you. Jesus has to be your Lord, too. Many people believe in Jesus. But to find victory over the world, the flesh, and the Devil, Jesus has to be more than just someone you believe in. Romans 7:24-25 says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (NIV) The answer to the all-consuming battle you’re in isn’t a self-help seminar, a new book, or a conference. It’s Jesus. Make him your boss. Paul, who wrote the book of Romans, makes it clear he can’t win the battle on his own. His only hope is “Jesus Christ our Lord.” And that’s your only hope, too. Jesus, the Lord, who will deliver you. “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!”
2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NLT) You are never a failure until you quit, and it’s always too soon to quit. God uses tough times to test your persistence. The difference between faithful people and unfaithful people is that unfaithful people give up at the first sign of difficulty. Faithful people keep on keeping on. Faithful people are determined. Faithful people are diligent. Faithful people are persistent. Faithful people don’t know how to quit. You know how a little acorn becomes an oak tree? An oak tree is just an acorn that refused to give up. If you’re going through tough times right now, then this verse is for you: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17 NLT). God is more interested in what you’re becoming than what’s happening to you. He often allows trials, troubles, tribulations, and problems in your life to teach you diligence, determination, and character. What about the problems you’re going through right now? They’re a test of your faithfulness. Will you continue to serve God even when life stinks? “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 NIV). “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105 (NIV) Every day, we make one decision after another, and it can be hard to know how to make those decisions. But here’s a simple principle: If you want to make good decisions, listen to God. The Bible says, “If you want better insight and discernment . . . learn the importance of reverence for the Lord and of trusting him . . . He shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decision every time” (Proverbs 2:3, 5, 9 TLB). So how do you listen to God? One major way God speaks is through his Word. So when you’re making a decision, ask yourself: “Is my decision in harmony with God’s Word?” When you’re making a decision, you’re choosing what’s going to be your ultimate authority in life. It really boils down to this choice: God’s Word or the world. Are you going to base your decisions on what God says or what other people say? If you base your life on popular opinion, you’re always going to be out of date because popular opinion changes every day. What was “in” yesterday is “out” today, and what’s “in” today will be “out” tomorrow. If you base your life on popular culture or opinion polls, you will struggle because you’re building on a shifting foundation! On the other hand, if you base your life on God’s Word, the truth never changes. Truth is always true. So if God says something was wrong 10,000 years ago, it was also wrong 500 years ago, it’s wrong today, and it will be wrong 1,000 years from today. I don’t care what the culture says or what is popular at the time. If God says it’s wrong, it’s wrong. And if God says it’s right, it will always be right. That is a solid foundation! God has set up the universe with certain laws—physical, moral, and spiritual. God built the universe around these laws because they’re all for your benefit. When you cooperate with the principles in this universe, you’re more likely to succeed. If you reject, disobey, ignore, and rebel against God’s principles, you may get hurt. When you keep all this in mind, you can be confident about the decisions you make. If God says it’s okay, then you do it. If God says no, then you don’t do it. As you learn to make decisions based on God’s Word, you’ll find this to be true: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105 NIV). “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV) If you’ve been a Christian for long or visited a church a few times, you’ve probably heard about a “quiet time.” It’s a time that you set aside every day to spend time with God—and it’s essential if you want to grow as a Christian. There are different ways you can go about having a quiet time, but the most important thing is that you start with the right attitude. In God’s eyes, why you do something is far more important than what you do. It’s possible to do the right thing but with the wrong attitude! God told Samuel, “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV). When you come to meet with God in a quiet time, you should have these attitudes: Expectancy. When you meet with God, it should be with eager anticipation, like you might have when you meet with a close friend. Expect that you’re going to have good fellowship and that you’ll receive a blessing from your time together. That was what David expected: “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you” (Psalm 63:1 ESV). Reverence. Don’t rush into God’s presence. Instead, prepare your heart by being still before him as you begin your time together. The prophet Habakkuk said, “The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” (Habakkuk 2:20 NIV). Starting with quiet reverence helps clear away any thoughts that might be distracting you. Alertness. Don’t start your time with God sleepy and exhausted. Instead, get wide-awake first. The best preparation for a morning quiet time begins the night before. Go to bed early so you’re rested and alert and ready to meet God in the morning. He deserves your full attention! Willingness to obey. You come to a quiet time expecting to hear from God, and you should decide beforehand that you’re going to obey what he says. Jesus says, “Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own” (John 7:17 NIV). Come to meet God having already chosen to do his will—no matter what. Come to your quiet time with expectancy, reverence, alertness, and a willingness to obey. And get ready to see God work through your time together! “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Matthew 7:24 (NIV) Did you know studying the Bible can be dangerous? In fact, the results of Bible study could be disastrous! Sounds strange, I know. But God intended for us to apply the Bible to our lives—not just read it. So when you read God’s Word but don’t apply it, the foundation of your life may crumble. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24 NIV). That wise man’s house stayed strong through the storm. But then Jesus spoke about someone else: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand” (Matthew 7:26 NIV). You probably know how the story goes: The foolish person’s house collapses during the storm. God has given you the Bible for transformation, not just information. When you apply it, you’re building a firm foundation for your life. Here are three more reasons it’s important that you apply God’s Word to your life: 1. Knowledge produces pride if you don’t apply truth to your life. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 8:1, “Knowledge puffs up while love builds up” (NIV). Christians can be the most cantankerous, evil, mean-spirited, critical, judgmental people the world has known—if we never take the extra step and apply the Bible to our lives. That’s because knowledge on its own produces pride. Instead, God wants you to apply that knowledge in love. 2. Knowledge requires action. James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (NIV). What a person knows should be reflected in what that person does. You can’t grow spiritually just by taking notes on a Bible study. God expects you to follow his commands—they’re not optional! 3. Knowledge increases responsibility. The Bible says, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (James 4:17 NLT). When you study the Bible, God will show you areas of your life that need to be changed. And once he shows you those areas, he’ll hold you responsible for what he’s shown you. A deeper knowledge of Scripture equals a greater responsibility to follow it. As you study and apply God’s Word, you’ll be building a strong foundation that will keep you steady during life’s storms. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
Proverbs 21:5 (ESV) Having a quiet time is like many other activities you might do in life, in at least one respect: To be successful, it helps to have a plan. The Bible says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5 ESV). If you’ve never had a quiet time before, you may not have a good, simple plan for doing one. Simplicity is important with any plan you develop. If you make it complicated, you’re more likely to get off track. All you really need for an effective quiet time is a Bible and a notebook. So what does a daily quiet time look like? Be quiet before the Lord. The Bible calls it “waiting on God.” You start by simply sitting down and being quiet. Pray briefly. Start off with prayer. Ask God to give you clarity and focus and discernment as you read his Word. Read a portion of Scripture slowly. This is where your conversation with God begins. He starts speaking to you through his Word, and then you speak back to him through prayer. Read the Bible slowly. Don’t try to read too quickly or too much. The more slowly you read Scripture, the more you’re forced to think about what you’re reading. Meditate on the Word. Spend some time chewing on what God is saying. Chew on the Word like cows chew on cud. Ponder and wrestle with it in your mind. There are a lot of great methods for meditating on the Word. Write down what you discover. When God speaks to you through his Word, care enough about what he is saying to write it down. Recording your discoveries will help you remember what God has said. Pray again. Stay focused. Thank God for what he has shown you in his Word. Talk to God about what he has said to you. Tell him what you’re thinking about what he is saying. Talk to him about anything else that’s on your mind. There’s not just one way to have a quiet time. But start with a plan similar to this one, and you’ll soon find, as Proverbs 21 promises, that your diligent plans lead to a life of abundance! “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.”
Colossians 3:16 (NLT) To study the Bible in a way that changes your life, you don’t need commentaries or Bible study software. In fact, if you were stuck on a desert island with just a Bible, you could simply use the method you’ll learn about in this devotional to learn and grow. Here’s a method you can use to meditate on God’s Word in a way that’ll please God. It's called the “pronounce it” method of biblical meditation. It’s an easy way to meditate on Scripture and get every ounce of spiritual nutrition you can out of it. You start with a verse and read it over and over again. Each time you read the verse, you emphasize a different word. And each time you emphasize a different word, you get a different perspective. Take Colossians 3:16 for example: “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives” (NLT). The first time you read the verse, emphasize the word “let.” To “let” means to give permission. You have to choose to let the Word of God dwell in you richly. Then read the verse again, and emphasize “word.” “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” That means you need to get God’s Word in your mind. Then, emphasize the third major word of the verse, “Christ.” You’re not dwelling on what some philosopher, guru, or talk show host has to say. You’re dwelling on the words of Christ! Then you focus on the word “dwell.” Don’t rush through Bible study so you can get on with the rest of your day. To let the Word of Christ dwell in you is to let it take root in you. Then you stop and emphasize the word “in.” God’s Word won’t change your life until you let it in your life. Then focus on the word “you.” The Bible isn’t just God’s Word for your pastor or a seminary student; it’s God’s Word for you! The Bible is instruction for every single believer. Finally, emphasize the word “richly.” God doesn’t want his Word to be a poor substitute in your life. He wants it to create beauty in your life. See all the great jewels you can discover in one short passage just by focusing on one word at a time? You don’t need a seminary degree or a great library of reference tools. Whoever and wherever you are, you can do this! “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT) The best translation of the bible? When you translate it into your life. That’s what Bible study is all about. If you’re not translating God’s Word into your life, you’re not studying the Bible the way God intended. God gave us the Bible to transform us, not simply to inform us. It should give us a bigger heart, not a bigger head. In the book of James, we’re told, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22 NIV). In other words, God wants your beliefs turned into behavior. God makes his purpose for the Bible even more explicit in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (NLT). The purpose of the Bible is more than just showing us what is wrong in our lives or how we should live. God gave us his Word to radically transform our lives. The Bible describes itself in different ways. For example, it calls itself a hammer, a sword, and a scalpel. All of those are tools designed to make radical changes. God intends for the Bible to dramatically change your life. The Bible also describes God’s truth as milk, water, bread, and meat. What do all those things have in common? If you don’t eat or drink regularly, then you’ll die. In the same way, you were never meant to live without the Bible. The Bible is essential to our lives because it gives us life. We call the Bible “God’s Word,” but the Bible also talks about Jesus as the Word of God. John 1:14 says, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son” (NLT). God gave you the Living Word, Jesus, to be the Author and Finisher of your faith. And he gave you the written Word, the Bible, to prepare you to live out your faith. The Bible can transform your life today—but you have to open it up and start reading! |
AuthorTaken from Daily Hope by Rick Warren. Categories
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