Depend on God in Your Weakness

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12: 7-9

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Scripture Commentary: God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness when I depend on him

Do you let your thorns, your weakness, rest with the Lord? Or do you try to remove them yourself?

Paul tells us he asked our Lord to remove his, but God did not. God gave him the strength to do His works. God was showing Paul that with God by his side he could do all things.

We need this weakness in ourselves in order to feel the power of Christ at work inside of us. When we are strong in abilities and resources, we are tempted to do God’s work on our own. This leads to pride.

When we are weak we allow God to fill us with His power. We become stronger than we could ever be on our own. God doesn’t intend for us to seek weakness and ineffectiveness. Life provides enough obstacles without us creating them. He expects us to depend on him when those obstacles come into play.

Dependence on God lets us know He is the powerful one, not us.

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2 Corinthians Chapter 12

The Promise of His Coming

Scripture: 2 Peter 3: 3-4, 8

Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, And saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the father fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” (3, 4) But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day.(8)

Scripture Commentary: We have the promise of His coming

What are you afraid of? If this world was to end today, this second, why would you be afraid? Only those who do not know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will have fear. Be assured of his coming. Those who have Christ in their life, who live for Him, have no fear.

Neither Man nor woman know God’s timetable, only He knows. We are to live for God everyday of our lives, and do His work everyday while we are here on earth.

When the day comes that you are not here, or can not do the work of our Lord, that can be your last day. What will you say when He asks, “What have you done in my name?”

Do not fall asleep without working to spread his Word to others. These are our last days, and this is the time between Christ’s first and second coming. Thus we, like Peter, are living in the last days. Be ready to meet our Lord Jesus Christ anytime, even today. If you serve Him, you will meet Him.

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2 Peter Chapter 3

Live By the Faith of the God Who Loves You

Scripture: Galatians 2: 19-21

For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Scripture Commentary: Live by the faith of the Son of God, not by your own efforts

Obedience to God’s laws alone cannot save you. Sin is an everlasting epidemic. It plagues us all and prevents anyone from keeping God’s laws perfectly. You must “live by the faith of the Son of God,” as it says in Galatians 2: 20.

God has provided a way of salvation that depends on Jesus Christ, not on your own efforts. Accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior brings salvation in his crucifixion. In such salvation you will rise from the dead and be freed from sin.

This new life gives you the power to fight sin. You must guard against the temptation of using service, good deeds, charitable giving, and any other earthly effort as a substitute for faith. You cannot earn God’s favor. Believing in your own ability means you don’t fully trust in what Christ did on the cross.

By struggling to appropriate God’s power to change you (sanctification), you are not resting in God’s power to save you (justification). If deeds were the key to salvation, Jesus’ crucifixion would not have been unnecessary. He died on the cross to save you from yourself and gift to you salvation.

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Galatians Chapter 2

Worship the Creator, The One True God

Scripture: Romans 1: 21-22,25

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him, not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.(21-22) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.(25)

Scripture Commentary: Creator vs. Creature: Who are you worshipping?

Are you worshipping God, our creator, or idols of your own making? Do you make up your own ideas of what your god should be and do; so your greed, hatred, envy, gossip and strife can manifest in your mind? This manifestation will grow to a point where you hate God and encourage others to follow your example.

God does not cause this steady decline toward evil. He gives you a choice. God permits you to experience the natural consequences of your sin. In worshipping the god you make, you are misrepresenting the One True God.

The True God is the first in your life. He will not lie or mislead you. We sinners must trust Christ alone to put us on the right path. When we worship the creature instead of the creator, we lose sight of our identity as followers of Jesus Christ, Our Creator.

Does life without God look like freedom to you? Freedom is having our Lord Jesus Christ in your life every step of the way.

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Romans Chapter 1

God is the Foundation

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3: 1, 9, 11, 16

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.(1) For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.(9) For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.(11) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?(16)

Scripture Commentary: The Gospel of Christ is the foundation leading to the promise of eternal life

The beginning of our Christian life was infantile. We quarreled like children and acted immature. We are still that immature child. If you have not accepted God fully in your life, to the point that Jesus is your way of living, then you are a child in God’s eye.

Jesus is the foundation. Accept his watering Spirit and you will feel your spirit grow in His love for you. Everything we are and do must fit into the pattern provided by God. The Gospel is the foundation. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the promise of eternal life.

We are not victims of nonbelievers who fear death. We hold no terrors because Christ has conquered all fears. We must do what God tells us to do in the Bible and through his Holy Spirit each and every day. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior then you have no fear in your life.

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1 Corinthians Chapter 3

You Cannot Please God Without Faith

Scripture: Hebrews 11: 1, 6

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.(1) 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)

Hebrews 11: 1,6

Commentary: Faith means trusting God for what he will do for you … without faith it is impossible to please him

Faith, belief; trust; confidence; and conviction are words, that are meaningless if what you say and do are not in God’s way of living. Believing in the existence of God is only the beginning.

Noah and Abraham’s life were filled with faith in God. At God’s command they obeyed what he told them to do without any questions. Do you listen when God tells you to do something?

God wants a personal, dynamic, responsive, relationship with you that will transform your life. Faith means resting in what Christ has done for you in the past. It also means trusting him for what he will do for you in both the present and future.

Acts 17:29 says, “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.”

Remember God is the creator of all of us, not the creation. God is sovereign and in control, and having faith in him is trusting in him.

God has faith in you. Accept his salvation. Have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Hebrews Chapter 11
Acts Chapter 17

The Tongue Can Defile The Whole Body

Scripture: James 3: 5-8

Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Scripture Commentary: The uncontrolled tongue does terrible things

We all say and do things we regret. Control your tongue. Words, once spoken, can never be unsaid.

When Jesus Christ was crucified, immediately following his death the people wished they had not done it. Satan uses the words from our mouth to divide people and pit them against one another. Our words can wreak horrible results!

You may say we are human, and our flesh is weak, so why bother trying? It’s always worth trying to be better. Jesus gave us the way of life, the way to treat one another. Even if we may not achieve perfect control, we should always ask Jesus to strengthen us. We should always strive to reduce the damage our words can do.

Remember that we are not fighting the tongue’s fire in our strength. Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit will give us increasing power to monitor and control what we say and do. Careful, winsome speech and wise, loving words are the seeds of God.

Before you speak, remember that words are like fire. You can neither control nor reverse the damage they can do.

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James Chapter 3

Sow to Please God, and Reap Joy and Everlasting Life

Scripture: Galatians 6: 7-9

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows of the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Scripture Commentary: Sow for God Today

The Lord our God woke us up this morning. What are you going to do today? Will you first acknowledge Him, thank Him for another day? Or, will you go on your own way, not giving thanks where thanks is due?

We sometimes forget that God made us, keeps us from harm, and loves us every day. What are you doing for Him today? Thank Him, for waking you up and keeping you from harm’s way. Talk to Him and about Him. He listens when we talk to Him and He hears when we talk about Him.

God has set us free. We are not prisoners to our pasts. Tell everyone you meet how Jesus set you free and propels you forward with every gifted day. Do this because you love Him, to bring praise to Him.

If you plant to please your own desires you will reap a crop of sorrow. If you plant to please God, you will reap joy and everlasting life.

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Galatians Chapter 6

Be Humble – Do Not Judge

Scripture: James 4: 10-12

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Scripture Commentary:

Can we look in the mirror at ourselves, humbled, and ask God to forgive us for our sins? Can we be honest with ourselves and still judge others? If we ask God to forgive us, we are asking the Almighty to judge us. God is the only judge. He is the one who will make the final judgement.

When we go around judging others we are saying, “God, I have the right to play you, to play god.” There is only one God, the God who made us. He is our judge. Only because of his grace and his mercy are we here.

Examine your attitude and actions toward others. Humble yourself and you will recognize that you are here – we are all here – because God loves us. Humble yourself so God can work through you, guide you, and empower to do His work.

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James Chapter 4

We Are Branches Grafted onto the Tree of Life

Scripture: Romans 11: 16-18

For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches are broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, Do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Scripture Commentary: We are all branches of God’s tree

Has anyone ever boasted to you about how great they are? About their connections and knowledge? Have you ever asked yourself what kind of person does this?

The old saying, “The apple does not fall far from the tree,” is true. God has grafted us onto His tree of life. In return, we shall produce fruit that is acceptable to Him. We thrive on His Word.

If we boast, we boast about God. How God has taken us out of the sinful life we were living and gave us a fruitful life with Him. God is the source of all things. He is the power that sustains and rules the world we live in. He governs the universe and our lives in perfect wisdom, justice, and love.

We are Gentile that he grafted onto his tree. He is our root. He feeds us. With Him we can branch out to form more branches.

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Romans Chapter 11