Talk to God, Not Just About Him

 
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. (Psalm 23:4)
The form of this psalm is instructive.

In the first three verses David refers to God as “he”:

The Lord is my shepherd . . .
he makes me lie down . . .
he leads me . . .
he restores my soul.
Then in verses 4 and 5 David refers to God as “you”:

I will not fear, for you are with me;
your rod and staff comfort me;
you prepare a table before me;
you anoint my head with oil.
Then in verse 6 he switches back to the third person:

I shall dwell in the house of the Lord.
The lesson I have learned from this form is that it is good not to talk very long about God without talking to God.

Every Christian is at least an amateur theologian — that is, a person who tries to understand the character and ways of God and then put that into words. If we aren’t little theologians, then we won’t ever say anything to each other about God and will be of very little real help to each other’s faith.

But what I have learned from David in Psalm 23 and other psalms is that I should interweave my theology with prayer. I should frequently interrupt my talking about God by talking to God.

Not far behind the theological sentence, “God is generous,” should come the prayerful sentence, “Thank you, God.”

On the heels of, “God is glorious,” should come, “I adore your glory.”

What I have come to see is that this is the way it must be if we are feeling God’s reality in our hearts as well as describing it with our heads.

For more about John Piper’s ministry and writing, see DesiringGod.org.

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Who Can Stand? (Deuteronomy 9:1–6)
She stares down at us from the wide screen or up from the magazine or across the sanctuary. She’s the “perfect” woman. She’s tall. She’s willowy. She always knows just the right thing to say . . . and when to say it. She’s the perfect host. She is involved in every committee. She’s the picture of who the world says we should be. We feel like the Israelites felt about the Anakites: “Who can stand up against that?”

No doubt the Hebrew nation trembled in their sandals at the thought of facing the mighty Anakites. However, God promised to be more than an ally to his people. He didn’t just say, “I will go with you to conquer the enemy.” Instead, he promised to go ahead of them. He promised to lead the charge into battle. God would conquer and take the land on their behalf. Of course, God kept his word. The Anakites were destroyed.

As believers, we’re not really at war with “perfect” women. When you put yourself in their high-heeled sandals, you realize they have their own insecurities: Do people like me for me? Am I a slave to my looks? Opposition and uncertainties loom in every woman’s heart. Do we really have to squeeze into the culture’s mold to fit in? To be respected? To have the right career? To matter? So many times our internal struggles are the real giants we must conquer. Conquering the heart and mind are the front line of the battle of faith.

When uncertainties about who you are make you feel small, remember that God is more than just a friendly ally. He is a trusted warrior who will go out ahead and battle your giants. As you grow in your faith and in grace, he will conquer your insecurities about your looks and abilities as you grow to realize that you are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). He will conquer your lack of confidence in conversation by giving you the proper words to say through his Holy Spirit. He will fill you with security by giving you his righteousness. Then, when you’ve walked through the challenge, you’ll know it was God who won the war, and you can give him all the glory.

What personal battles are causing your stomach to tie up in knots? What giant challenges are stopping you dead in your tracks? Rest assured; God will go before you to devour your doubts.

Taken from NIV Women’s Devotional Bible

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There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. — Luke 15:7

Withering Faith: The Plant That Struggled by Miriam Drennan, Devotions from the Garden

There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. — Jesus in Luke 15:7

I can only imagine being a gardener in Eden, in that place of perfect seeds and soil and weather. What a different experience from, for instance, planting fifty pepper plants and having one begin to yellow and wilt within a couple days. When something like that happens, I check the soil, try to determine if it’s over-hydrated or dehydrated, add fertilizer, and look for evidence of pests as it continues to wither and turn brown. But then, suddenly, new leaves appear, and I am overjoyed to see tiny green buds protruding slightly from the shoot.

For reasons only the Master Gardener knows, the pepper plant begins to thrive. Why am I so thrilled about that once-sickly plant when I have so many healthy plants? One reason is that I had invested time and energy in that plant. When it came back from the brink of death, I couldn’t help but be joyful.

Jesus knows the far greater joy of having the one lost soul in a group of His followers return to Him. It’s not that He thinks less — or less often — of those followers who are strongly rooted in the faith; it’s that He wants all to be saved and able to spend eternity with Him. Those individuals who have declared their faith in Him are already safe in His care; the sinner whose soul remains lost is the person with the greater need.

As believers, we are to stand beside lost individuals, form a genuine relationship that encourages their growth, and allow them to rely on us for whatever support they need. As the Lord uses us to revive the withering plant — or, to mix metaphors, to search for the missing sheep — may we be mindful that those who are saved will be saved for reasons only the Master Gardener, only our good Shepherd, knows.

As He does His job, we will be doing ours by showing them the same love that people showed us when we were withering or lost.

Lord Jesus, I want to love with Your love those souls that are withering or lost. Enable me to remove any prejudices, judgments, and assumptions from my heart so that I may see them as You do: glorious and beloved children of the Father who have the opportunity for eternal life with Him. Remind me that You love them as much as You do me, and that at some point, You used someone to revive me as I withered and to bring me into Your flock when I was lost.

Excerpted with permission from Devotions from the Garden by Miriam Drennan, copyright Thomas Nelson 2015.

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Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible. – Matthew 19:26b

Self Control: I Could Never Give Up That!

by Lysa TerKeurst, Made to Crave Devotional

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23a

Thought for the Day:
By God’s power, we are empowered. Humanly speaking, this is impossible. But with God, everything is possible.

 
Self-control is hard. We don’t like to deny ourselves. We don’t think it’s necessary. We make excuses and declare, “That’s nice for someone else, but I could never give up __________________!” (fill in the blank: soda, sugar, cupcakes, alcohol, smoking, etc.)

 
If we’re relying on ourselves, that excuse may be true. But there’s another level to self-control that too few of us find. Jesus says,

 
Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven… it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. – Matthew 19:23-24

 
In other words, Jesus was saying that it’s hard for someone who is satisfied with the things of this world to deny themselves. It’s hard for someone who is rich with excess to deny themselves and be humble enough to admit, “I must give this up.” When the disciples heard this teaching, they were confused until Jesus clarified,

 
Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible. – Matthew 19:26b

 
We tend to think of this verse as saying, “With God, all good things are possible! With God, all lavish things are possible!” But if you study this verse in context, it actually means, “With human effort alone, it can seem impossible to deny yourself. With human effort alone, it can seem impossible to make sacrifices. With human effort alone, it can seem impossible to have self-control. But with God, all sacrificial things are possible. With God, all self-control is possible.”

 
I believe this one vital shift in our thinking can help us shift from feeling deprived to feeling empowered. Try this little exercise at home today: Open up your fridge or your pantry and look at all the options. Say to yourself, “I’m not deprived of an unhealthy option. I’m empowered to make a healthy choice.”

 
By God’s power, we are empowered. Humanly speaking, this is impossible. But with God, everything is possible.

 
Rather than giving in to the foods we crave, we can have God’s self-control to make completely different decisions — decisions for health, decisions for renewed energy, decisions for confidence and peace. Most importantly, decisions that honor both our bodies and God!

 
Dear Lord, I don’t want to be caught making the statement, “I could never give up that!” Instead, I want to believe that self-control is possible because of Your strength. I want each of my decisions today to be made from a heart full of confidence and peace in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 
Excerpted with permission from the Made to Crave Devotional by Lysa TerKeurst, copyright Zondervan.

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Make Satan Know His Defeat
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
The more real Satan appears in our day, the more precious the victory of Christ will become to those who believe him.

The New Testament teaches that when Christ died and rose again Satan was defeated. A time of limited freedom is granted to him, but his power against God’s people is broken and his destruction is sure.

“The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)
“Christ took on human nature that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Hebrews 2:14) *“God disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:15)
In other words the decisive blow was struck at Calvary. And one day, when Satan’s time of limited freedom is over, Revelation 20:10 says, “The devil . . . [will be] thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone . . . and will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

What does this mean for those of us who follow Jesus Christ?

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies!” (Romans 8:33)
“Neither angels nor principalities nor powers nor anything else shall separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ.” (Romans 8:38)
“He who is in us is stronger than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
“We conquer him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.” (Revelation 12:11)
Therefore, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!” He has been defeated, and we have been given victory. Our task now is to live in that victory and make Satan know his defeat.

For more about John Piper’s ministry and writing, see DesiringGod.org.

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Push Pride Aside (Proverbs 11:2)

Pride is difficult to manage in a family. For example, you want your child to be proud of the excellent grades he or she is achieving, but you don’t want them to flaunt their intelligence in the classroom. Keeping a balance between healthy self-confidence and arrogance is challenging.

One of the best ways to teach your children this balance is to always remind them of how their talents and abilities come from God. Praises can easily go to a teenager’s head. Help them remember that they need to keep their feet firmly planted in that knowledge to mature in this area.

Another key for parents is to believe in your children but don’t “over believe” in them. What? I’m talking about how many parents tell their children they are or can be unbelievably good at everything. It’s usually unrealistic, and all that does is set them up for a big fall when they get out in the real world.

It’s good for anyone to be confident in who they are, and it’s good to instill this confidence in your children. But you should never forget that, apart from Christ, you can do nothing. With him, you can do all things he would have you do, but then you need to give him the glory.

Parenting Principle

Pride builds unhealthy arrogance while confidence builds healthy self-esteem.

Points to Ponder

• Where do you see pride in your family life?
• How have you seen pride affect other families?
• Do your children have a healthy self-confidence? Why or why not?

Taken from Once a Day Nurturing Great Kids

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What It Means to Pray for Your Enemy
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
Prayer for your enemies is one of the deepest forms of love, because it means that you have to really want that something good happen to them.

You might do nice things for your enemy without any genuine desire that things go well with them. But prayer for them is in the presence of God who knows your heart, and prayer is interceding with God on their behalf.

It may be for their conversion. It may be for their repentance. It may be that they would be awakened to the enmity in their hearts. It may be that they will be stopped in their downward spiral of sin, even if it takes disease or calamity to do it. But the prayer Jesus has in mind here is always for their good.

This is what Jesus did as he hung on the cross:

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
And it’s what Stephen did as he was being stoned:

Falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60)
Jesus is calling us not just to do good things for our enemy, like greeting them and helping supply their needs; he is also calling us to want their best, and to express those wants in prayers when the enemy is nowhere around.

Our hearts should want their salvation and want their presence in heaven and want their eternal happiness. So we pray like the apostle Paul for the Jewish people, many of whom made life very hard for Paul,

My heart’s desire and prayer to God is for their salvation. (Romans 10:1)
For more about John Piper’s ministry and writing, see DesiringGod.org.

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