2021-01-19
1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT
Sometimes we can keep coming up against a particular temptation that beats us every time. Satan is called ‘the tempter’, and he knows which temptations we’ll give in to most easily. But Paul wrote: ‘The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.’ Jesus was ‘tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin’ (Hebrews 4:15 NCV).
It can feel very discouraging when we keep falling for the same temptations, but God has made a way for us to turn temptation into triumph: ‘Now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself suffered and was tempted’ (Hebrews 2:18 NCV).
We might think that when we’re saved, we no longer have to face temptation. But the reality is that when we’re saved, we’ll probably face more, stronger temptation as Satan tries to turn us away from God. Temptation can hit us when we feel strongest, and knock us down and kick us when we feel weakest. That’s why the Bible says, ‘If you think you are strong, you should be careful not to fall…But you can trust God, who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand’ (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NCV).
This teaches us two things: First, we will be tempted, so we should prepare ourselves for it. Second, we won’t face a temptation that we can’t overcome. We might not think we have the strength by ourselves, but that’s when we need to lean on God and His strength to withstand the temptation we’re faced with. God is faithful, and He’ll answer the prayer ‘Do not cause us to be tempted, but save us from the Evil One’ (Matthew 6:13 NCV).
Isa 1-3; Matt 8:18-27; Ps 89:1-14; Prov 2:20
2021-01-18
Isaiah 50:7 NCV
When we come up against problems that seem too big for us to handle, when we don’t seem to be getting anywhere, when we’ve tried and failed, and when we feel like God’s not listening, often our first reaction is to give up. Throughout the Bible, we can find examples of people who also faced all kinds of discouragements and obstacles, but found the courage to persevere in their faith, their purpose, or in a task that God has assigned to them.
In the Old Testament, we read about Job, who suffered all kinds of afflictions and sorrows, but stayed faithful to God. Luke 18 begins with Jesus telling the story of a widow who asked a judge to grant the justice she deserved. He refused, but she kept asking persistently until he granted her request. Paul’s mission to spread the gospel was filled with obstacles and danger. He experienced hunger and thirst, he was shipwrecked, beaten, and thrown in prison (you can read about everything he faced in 2 Corinthians 11:23-33). But he showed great resilience throughout everything he went through, because he remained focused on Jesus and the promise of heaven.
We need to do the same. When we persevere, God will help us accomplish everything He’s laid out for us to do in His kingdom. If God’s promises to us don’t happen immediately, if we face obstacles, or if we fail at something, we mustn’t get discouraged. Instead, we should ‘look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect’ (Hebrews 12:2 NCV), and say: ‘The Lord GOD will help me, so I will not be ashamed. I will be determined, and I know I will not be disgraced.’
Exo 39-40; Matt 8:10-17; Ps 84; Prov 2:16-19
2021-01-17
Acts 3:19 NCV
Do you enjoy the feeling of turning over to a new page in your notebook or journal? There in front of you is a fresh, blank page, full of potential. It can also be a slightly nerve-wracking feeling if you’re worried about making a mistake and ruining that pristine page. We can feel the same way about our lives. Every day God gives us the chance and the choice to make a fresh start.
In Acts 3, after Paul had healed the man who couldn’t walk, the people who saw the miracle crowded round Peter and John. Peter said to them: ‘Brothers and sisters, I know you did those things to Jesus because neither you nor your leaders understood what you were doing…you must change your hearts and lives! Come back to God, and he will forgive your sins’ (Acts 3:17-19 NCV). These were the same people who had called for Jesus to be crucified, but God still invited them to turn to Him and make a fresh start with Him. And God extends the same invitation to us, regardless of the mistakes we’ve made before.
Each day is a fresh opportunity to draw close to Him and allow Him to change our hearts and minds, with fresh potential to explore as we align ourselves with His will. We’re not perfect, so it’s highly likely that we’ll still make mistakes or wander away from God in some way, but we know ‘he will forgive [our] sins’. So whatever the day ahead holds for us, let’s approach it with the same feeling of turning over to a fresh page. We can’t change our past, but with God, we can change our future.
Gen 5:22-24; Heb 11:5; 2 Kings 2:1-12; Acts 1:9-11
2021-01-16
Romans 12:6 ESV
The Bible teaches that God gives each of us certain gifts, and the grace to use them. But when we’re not working in our area of giftedness, we can struggle. We need to keep that in mind when we see a great achiever, or become a great achiever ourselves. Paul spoke five languages and wrote a large part of the New Testament, but he constantly struggled with what he refers to as a ‘thorn in the flesh’. When he prayed and asked God to remove it, God said no. ‘My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you’ (2 Corinthians12:9 NCV). So we need grace in the areas of our gifting, and grace for the areas in which we’re not gifted at all.
We might be brilliant in one or more areas, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be brilliant at everything. We need to remember that when we’re dealing with other people. We shouldn’t get frustrated with someone just because they struggle with something, as God will have gifted them with other strengths. It’s even likely that they’re skilled in an area where we’re weak.
We need to work at developing patience and learn to appreciate each person for the unique part they fill in God’s kingdom. We also need to remember that if God won’t remove a barrier or grant us an ability that we want, we should accept His decision, and try to understand what God’s trying to teach us through the challenges. As long as we live, we’ll soar in some areas and struggle in others, but we’ll find that God’s grace is more than enough for any challenge we face.
Exo 36-38; Matt 8:1-9; Ps 81; Prov 2:11-15
2021-01-15
Matthew 6:34 NCV
When we’re worried about things, one of the Bible verses that people might remind us of is Matthew 6:34. At first glance, it doesn’t seem all that encouraging – ‘Don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries’ – it almost sounds like it’s reinforcing our fears of what the future holds. But let’s take a look at the previous verse: ‘Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well’ (Matthew 6:33 NCV).
When we’re pursuing God’s will, following His guidance, and living His way, He promises to provide the things we need. We tend to think about this in terms of material things, such as food, shelter, or money, but God will also provide us with things like wisdom to handle a difficult situation, or strength to face a challenge. God enables us to focus on seeking Him and living the way He wants us to live by taking care of everything else that we’re concerned about. Whether we’re anxious about what’s happening to us now, or what’s going to happen in the future, whether our worries are big or small, we can confidently hand every single one over to God and trust Him to help us through.
Peter puts it like this: ‘Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]’ (1 Peter 5:7 AMP). Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:34 are an encouragement to simply take one day at a time and remember that the loving God who’s taking care of us today will still be taking care of us tomorrow.
Exo 33-35; Matt 7:15-29; Ps 79; Prov 2:9-10
2021-01-14
Psalm 100:4 NIV
Whether you go to a big church, a small one, or an online one, Jesus, the head of the church, said, ‘Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them (Matthew 18:20 NIV). When we go to church, we need to recognise His presence, worship Him, and make Him our central focus. We all have the occasional off-day when we don’t really feel like going or we find it difficult to focus, but if that’s becoming a regular thing, it’s a good idea to talk to God about it and ask Him to help us regain our enthusiasm for church.
We also need to be aware of the reasons we’re going to church. If we find that things like the style of music, the people, or even the refreshments are a bigger draw than God’s presence, we need to readjust our focus. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong to enjoy these things, but they should help direct our focus on to God rather than being the focus themselves.
It can help to imagine seeing Jesus walk into our church. Would our attention be on the worship team, or on Jesus? Would we ignore Him to go and have a catch up with friends, or hang on His every word? Would we walk past Him to get a cup of coffee, or kneel before Him in praise and thanksgiving? The psalmist gives us a good guide for the attitude we should have when attending church: ‘Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations’ (Psalm 100:4-5 NIV).
Exo 30-32; Matt 7:1-14; Ps 74:12-23; Prov 2:7-8
