Latest Thoughts of the Day

Galatians 6:9a

1/25/2015

The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction;

It is not that one day there will be consequences for our evil behavior. The consequences are now, and the sin itself is already destroying us. We are becoming the kind of person hat will face the open wrath of God. We are developing habits that will overcome our lives and plunge us to final destruction. We are growing insensitive to sin, calloused to guilt, addicted to uncleanness, accustomed to compromising. Destruction comes from ourselves, from the wickedness that is in us by nature. Lust when conceived brings forth sin, and sin when complete brings for the death. Lord, help us to see the subtle changes that sin is making in our persons, and help us flee to Christ for deliverance. Death threatens from our very nature. Draw near, Lord Jesus, to help.

2 Corinthians 9:1

1/24/2015

There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the saints.

Service to the saints is a part of what God writes on the heart when He saves a person. The one who loves God loves him who is begotten of God. The Corinthians’ hearts were in the right place, but Paul needs to exhort them about a promise that had fallen through the cracks. They had spoken of a gift to the saints in Jerusalem, but it had never actually been collected. Paul brings up the subject to nudge their remembrance. Lord, do we have things we promised to do for You that we haven’t done? Would you nudge our remembrance today? We want to be faithful to our word. We want to follow through on our commitments. You followed through on Yours to us, and we thank You, Lord Jesus.

I Corinthians 15:1

1/23/2015

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.

Paul spoke to established, committed, and dedicated Christians, to remind them of the gospel he had preached to them. It is possible for the best of us to let the gospel slip. We can take for granted God’s free acceptance of us in Christ, and we can begin to admire our own accomplishments. We can try to help others in aspects of obedience and lose the gospel in legalism. We can be personally offended by people’s behavior and forget that Jesus came for sinners. Lord, help us not to take for granted the gospel and focus on something other than Christ. Help us remember the historical events, and feel our own indebtedness. Empower our labors for you and get all the glory.

Romans 7:25

1/22/2015

Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

The victory over sin is accomplished through our Lord Jesus Christ, and we rejoice in the victory that is ours through Him. But we still have a problem. As long as we live in this flesh, we carry about with us a tendency to sin that keeps making its demands. Paul has called it “this body of death”, as if it is a dead body I drag around with me, longing to be released from the burden. Release is instantaneous as to my relationship with God, but it is yet fully to come in my walk with Him. Lord Jesus, help us this day to triumph more over sin and self, trusting in You.

Acts 12:2

1/21/2015

He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.

When Herod tries this with Peter, God sends an angel to rescue Peter, and soon Herod himself drops down dead. God has wonderful power to rescue and to defend His people. But He did not do so with John, and He does not tell us why. Along with John, his brother and Peter, James had been one of the “special three” who had witnessed special revelations of Jesus. James’ brother, John was Jesus’ favorite disciple. Why was James just taken out of the way? Part of our submission to Jesus as Lord involves a surrender of such questions. If it seems good to God to do such things, that is enough for us. Our own lives may be cut short for God’s glory or sustained and used for God’s glory. We are content, Lord Jesus.

John 9:25

1/20/2015

He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

Unbelievers trained to win arguments can make a person feel foolish when he tries to speak up for Christ. But the believer holds the trump card. He has an experience of knowing Jesus Christ in a personal way that is not based on any argument at all. He has come to know Christ by believing the testimony declared in the Scriptures, and his experience is self-confirming. It may be frustrating for him not to e able to refute unbelief, but his faith is not shaken, and he is able to stand. Whereas once he was blind, now he sees. Lord, draw near to us by Your reassuring Spirit and make us bold to testify for You. We know You, Lord. We praise Your Name.

Luke 11:23

1/19/2015

He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.

We either draw people to Jesus or we push them away. Many would be quick to tell people that they are Christians whose lives so poorly reflect Jesus that people lose interest in God. “If that is what a Christian is like, I don’t want to be one!” If this is spoken because of our hypocrisy, hatred, or disagreeableness we are sorry for our testimony of Christ. We have pushed people away. Our joy will be to be an instrument to draw people to Jesus. Help us today, Lord, to live in such a way that men, women, boys and girls will be drawn to You. We want to gather with You this day. May we speak of Your love and live in Your presence. Keep us with you today.

Mark 9:29

1/18/2015

Jesus replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."

The disciples had been stymied in their attempt to drive out a particular evil spirit, and they ask Jesus why. Jesus speaks of a kind of prayer they do not know as yet. They had experienced the flashier kind of power that works some wonders in the Name of Jesus, but there are depths of intercession they have yet to learn. Jesus will always be deeper than we have yet attained. Lord, work in us to make us more like You. May the deep things of God be our element. May we know the kind of quiet power in prayer that can do wonders in the spiritual realm. We have no record of Jesus deeper kind of prayer—He only refers to it here. Lord, make it our experience as we seek to serve You in this world today.