Living for God In A Deceitful World Can Be Difficult

Scripture: Psalms 12: 1-5

Save and help and rescue, Lord, for godly people cease to be,
For the faithful vanish from among the sons of men. They speak deceitful and worthless words to one another; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things [in boasting]; Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord and master over us?” “Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”

Scripture Commentary: Do not speak wicked and deceitful words

Living for God in a deceitful world can be a difficult and lonely battle. We may be tempted to believe that lies are harmless, even useful at times.

God does not overlook lies, flattery, deception, or boasting.

Each of these sins originates from a bad attitude that is eventually expressed in our speech. The tongue can be our greatest enemy because, though small, it can do great damage. Be careful how you use your tongue.

God loves and cares for the weak and needy.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Psalms Chapter 12

Meditate on God’s Word Day and Night

Scripture: Psalms 1: 1-2, 4-6

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (1-2) The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.(4-6)

Scripture Commentary: Meditate on God’s Word to Learn His Ways

Our friends and associates can have a profound influence on us, often in very subtle ways. If we insist on friendships with those who mock what God considers important, we might sin by becoming indifferent to God’s will.

The more we allow those who ridicule God to affect our thoughts and attitudes, the more we will begin to separate ourselves from our source of nourishment.

True friendships will help, not hinder, our walk with God.

Those who diligently try to obey God’s will are blessed. In contrast, those who don’t trust and obey God have meaningless lives. There are only two paths of life before us: God’s way of obedience or the way of rebellion and destruction.

Learn how to follow God. Meditate on His Word. We must know what He says in order to follow him more closely. The more we know the scope of God’s Word, the more resources we will have to guide us in our daily life decisions.

Be sure to choose God’s path because the path you choose will determine your eternity.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Psalms Chapter 1

Be a Reflection of the Light of Jesus

Scripture: Luke 11: 33-35

No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body is also full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.

Scripture Commentary: What type of light are you?

Today we have different types of light. We have colorful lights, black lights, halogen and fluorescent lights, just to name a few. If someone were to look at you what is the light that they would see? Would there be any light at all?

We all have a light that represents who we are. If we have Jesus Christ in our lives, then the light is bright. Living a life with Satan leaves no light, and we are dark. If we have nothing, then we are neither light nor dark. We are nothing.

Open the doors of your heart and let the light of Jesus Christ shine through

The last one might sound funny, but if you have nothing to show then you do not make any impression on anyone. There are plenty of people that we meet but remember nothing about. We might remember their name or their face, but we don’t remember their job, their hobbies, whether they are good or bad. We don’t remember if we liked them or not.

When you live a Christian life, people will see and know you for who and what you are. By spreading God’s word people will know what you have done. When you open the doors to your home they will know where to find you because your Christian light will be on!

Read the Entire Chapter
Luke Chapter 11

God’s Mercy Extends to Those Who Fear Him

Scripture: Luke 12: 4-5

And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Scripture Commentary: Fear him who has the authority to throw you into hell.

Jesus told his disciples to watch out for hypocrites who appear good, but their hearts are far from God. If you please our Lord Jesus Christ first, you may not please other people. If you fear opposition or ridicule, you weaken your witnessing for Christ. How can you cling to peace and comfort at the expense of your walk with God?

Do you set up finish lines for yourself? Maybe if you please this person, or acquire this object, or make a large amount of money, you will have it made? This is the path of someone who is lost.

God provides everything you need.

What have you given God in return? When your earthly life is over, you cannot ask God for another chance. God gives you another chance every day that you are alive!

Jesus reminds us to fear God.

God controls eternal, not merely temporal, consequences. Our true value is God’s estimate of our worth, not our peers’. People evaluate and categorize you according to how you perform, what you achieve, or how you look.

Jesus takes you for your love of Him, not for the people around you.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Luke Chapter 12

Believe on the Name of Jesus

Scripture: John 20: 24-25

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Did’-y-mus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Scripture Commentary: Through faith we believe.

There are many like Thomas in this world today; people who have to see before they believe. If you are a believer, then you do not need proof. Faith is believing in the things you cannot see, and as Christians we have faith in God. Through faith, we feel God’s presence.

Jesus told us he would go to his father, and He would send the Holy Spirit to us.

The Holy Spirit is already residing in you. If you have not accepted Christ, the Holy Spirit is still in you, but it is asleep.

Jesus tells Thomas in verse 29: “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

If you are skeptical, but not stubborn, then read the Bible. Study the Word of God.

Questions are good; they will guide you to answers and answers will give you the truth.

Read the Entire Chapter:
John Chapter 20

God Separates Light from Darkness, Good from Evil

Scripture: Luke 11: 34-36

Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Scripture Commentary: Turn on the light, and open your eyes to the life you are living!

What do you do when you enter a dark room? You find the light switch. You turn the lights on to see so that you don’t bump into things and risk hurting yourself. Satan is associated with darkness because with him you don’t know where you are or what you’re really doing. Evil desires and actions blur the light of Christ and make it hard to see the path of righteousness.

Jesus can bring you out of darkness if you let him. If you wish to remain in darkness, then you choose Satan over Christ. Without Jesus as your savior, you stumble in life and remain lost. God won the battle over Satan when Jesus rose from the dead.

Why be on the side that already lost?

Come out of the darkness and enter the light of Christ. Feel his love and warmth. He promises to meet all your needs and desires.

Is the Holy Spirit leading you or is Satan working in you?

Read the Entire Chapter:
Luke Chapter 11

Other Scripture Commentaries on the Book of Luke:
Save Yourself Through Belief; Save Others Through Discipleship
I Once Was Lost but Now I’m Found
Lord, Remember Me When You Come Into Your Kingdom

Spiritual Gifts Are Given for the Good of All

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12: 1, 4-7,14, 20-25

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. (1) There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (4-7)

Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.(14)

As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. (20-25)

Scripture Commentary: Bring as many souls to Christ as your gifts allow.

We are of one body in Christ. As one body we work for one goal. We serve our Lord and bring as many souls to him as our gifts allows. If you bring one and another brings a hundred, we are to rejoice for all.

Rejoice when a Christian is honored, weep when one suffers; we are one. Christians exist in the world together. There is no such thing as private or individualistic Christianity.

No one gift is greater than another.

Paul tells us that we all have gifts given from God, and no one gift is greater than another. Your spiritual gift is not for your own self-advancement. Its purpose is enhancing the spiritual growth of the body of believers.

Spiritual gifts build God’s church.

We, the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, include many types of people from a variety of backgrounds with a multitude of gifts and abilities. All spiritual gifts are from the Holy Spirit and their purpose is to build up Christ, the church.

Read the Entire Chapter
1 Corinthians Chapter 12

For More on Spiritual Gifts
What Are the Different Spiritual Gifts?

What You Do in the Dark Eventually Comes to Light

Scripture: Ezekiel 8: 11-12

And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Ja-az-a-ni’-ah the son of Sha’-phan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up. Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth.

Scripture Commentary: God sees all the dirty deeds we do in the dark.

Why do people do in the dark what they conceal from the light? People hide their actions in shame of their wrongdoing. There is no hiding from God. What we do in the light or dark, good or bad, God sees.

Those who recognize their error but continue practicing it embrace idolatry and wickedness. Are you allowing sin to control you?

Identify your weakness and turn to God for strength.

In this chapter, God reveals to Ezekiel the extent to which people embraced idolatry and wickedness. Look at yourself and see where you went wrong. Let God’s spirit work in you to reveal the sin lurking in your life. Learn from the Bible, identify your weakness and turn to God for strength.

The Bible continues telling us how people lost their way and how God, in mercy, accepted them again.

It is not too late to repent.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ezekiel Chapter 8

The Lord Will Answer You

Scripture: Ezekiel 14: 6-7

Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me; I the Lord will answer him by myself…

Scripture Commentary: Go to God with a pure heart for the Lord will answer you.

People today behave in a manner similar to the Israelites in the Bible. We go to the Lord for things instead of worship. Sometimes we seek advice from ministers, but we have ulterior motives. Of this, God says, “I the Lord will answer him by myself.” He tells us to repent and turn from our idols.

If you do not go to God with a pure heart, you are placing idols between you and God. Do not go to God until you repent and ask for his mercy and forgiveness. Humble yourself before him, be sincere.

You can’t fool God.

God knows what is in your heart, so you cannot fool him at all. You can’t have idols in your heart when you pursue God. Things like reputation, acceptance, wealth, and sensual pleasure are held in our hearts with the intensity and commitment that should be reserved for serving God.

We are weak and have the potential to fall into idolatry.

Let God replace your sinful wants. He will be your pillar of strength. You are responsible for your own relationship with God.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Ezekiel Chapter 14

What Is the Evidence of Your Faith?

Scripture: Hebrews 11: 1,3,6

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.(1) Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.(3) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.(6)

Scripture Commentary: Faith is the evidence of our relationship with Christ

Believing in God is only the beginning. Faith is the foundation and the evidence of our relationship with Christ and our eternal life with God in Heaven. God will not settle for mere acknowledgment of his existence. He wants a personal and dynamic relationship with you. He wants to transform your life.

The first step to faith is believing in God’s character; he is who he says he is. The endpoint is believing in God’s promises; he will do what he says. Believing in God’s promises demonstrates true faith.

Faith allows you to carry the power of God within you.

How many times have you asked for God’s help and received a solution? God’s word has awesome power, and faith allows you to carry that power within you. Through faith, God is always with you, giving you the strength you need to serve him.

God rewards those who seek him with his intimate presence. Faith is trusting God regardless of the circumstances or consequences. In times of pain, persecution, or suffering we should trust confidently in God.

Read the Entire Chapter:
Hebrews Chapter 11