Daily Devotional

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (Ephesians 3:20 The Message).

We know that setting goals is important because the Bible tells us that Jesus set goals. In fact, he often announced publicly what his goal was for the next phase of his ministry.

So why should you set goals? Today we’re going to talk about three reasons to set goals, and tomorrow we’ll talk about three more.

You need to set goals because it is a spiritual responsibility.
If you don’t have goals for your life, you have already decided to let other people run your life. When you don’t decide in advance what’s important, you’re letting other people decide. You end up wasting your life, because you haven’t clarified how you want to grow as a follower of Christ.

The Bible says that to be spiritually mature, you have to set your goals and move toward them as you keep your eyes focused on them.

“I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize . . . I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. All of us who are mature should think in this same way” (Philippians 3:12, 14-15 CEV).

You need to set goals because they are statements of faith.
If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ and you set a goal, you’re saying, “I believe that God wants me to accomplish this by this time. This is what I believe God is going to do in my life.”

Goals aren’t just a statement of faith. They stretch your faith. The bigger your goal, the more your faith will be stretched. And that pleases God.

Ephesians 3:20 says, “God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (The Message).

You need to set goals because they focus your energy.
Focus is the key to an effective life. If you spread your energy out and diffuse it over a whole bunch of things, you’ll make no impact at all. But if you focus your life, it’s going to be powerful, and it will change the world.

You don’t have time to do everything. But here’s the good news: God doesn’t expect you to do everything! The key to being effective in life as a follower of Jesus is to do what matters most and forget everything else. Goals help you maintain that kind of focus.

“I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air” (1 Corinthians 9:26 NCV).

Talk About It

How do your goals reflect what you believe about God?
Does your family set goals together? Why is it important to do this as a family?
What things do you spend your time and energy on that may not really matter?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (Ephesians 3:20 The Message).

We know that setting goals is important because the Bible tells us that Jesus set goals. In fact, he often announced publicly what his goal was for the next phase of his ministry.

So why should you set goals? Today we’re going to talk about three reasons to set goals, and tomorrow we’ll talk about three more.

You need to set goals because it is a spiritual responsibility.
If you don’t have goals for your life, you have already decided to let other people run your life. When you don’t decide in advance what’s important, you’re letting other people decide. You end up wasting your life, because you haven’t clarified how you want to grow as a follower of Christ.

The Bible says that to be spiritually mature, you have to set your goals and move toward them as you keep your eyes focused on them.

“I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize . . . I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. All of us who are mature should think in this same way” (Philippians 3:12, 14-15 CEV).

You need to set goals because they are statements of faith.
If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ and you set a goal, you’re saying, “I believe that God wants me to accomplish this by this time. This is what I believe God is going to do in my life.”

Goals aren’t just a statement of faith. They stretch your faith. The bigger your goal, the more your faith will be stretched. And that pleases God.

Ephesians 3:20 says, “God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (The Message).

You need to set goals because they focus your energy.
Focus is the key to an effective life. If you spread your energy out and diffuse it over a whole bunch of things, you’ll make no impact at all. But if you focus your life, it’s going to be powerful, and it will change the world.

You don’t have time to do everything. But here’s the good news: God doesn’t expect you to do everything! The key to being effective in life as a follower of Jesus is to do what matters most and forget everything else. Goals help you maintain that kind of focus.

“I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air” (1 Corinthians 9:26 NCV).

Talk About It

How do your goals reflect what you believe about God?
Does your family set goals together? Why is it important to do this as a family?
What things do you spend your time and energy on that may not really matter?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. (NIV)

Thoughts
When I was taking my basic scuba training many years ago at Arizona State University (Yea, Sun Devils!), my dive buddy (dive partner) answered a question incorrectly in class. For several minutes the instructor, Coach Grier, and my buddy were locked in a spirited discussion of the question and the correct-versus-incorrect answer. During the whole discussion, because of his pride, my buddy was trying to validate his answer and prove himself correct. Finally, Coach Grier looked at my buddy and said to stop. Coach Grier then explained to my buddy that my buddy could try to justify his answer all night, but in the end, when he was forty-five feet deep in the ocean, he would realize his error and accept the correct answer--right before he died!

This verse is saying the same thing about us as humans. We want to have things our way, to control our own destiny, particularly when it comes to spiritual matters. Look at Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They had it all, but wanted more. They wanted self-control and self-determination. Like Adam and Eve, if we insist on dictating to God how we will come to Him, in the end we will realize that our self-centered ways are incorrect and that Jesus is the Savior--right before we die for all eternity. A good friend put it well: There are two kinds of people in this world. There are those that will say, "God, have it your way;" and there are those to whom God will say, "OK, have it your way."

Praise God that He loved us enough to show us the truth and the real way to Him!
(Cliff S)

Action Point
God has revealed Himself to us in many ways. God is revealed in creation, in His Word, and in the lives of other believers. Don't trust in your own self-centered way to God. It won't work.

Take God at His word; accept Jesus as your Savior and say, "God, have it your way!"

Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
When you're wrong, don't let your pride get in the way of correction. In the out of doors it just might mean the difference between life and death.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verses
Luke 8:15; 8:18
"But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him." (NASB)


Thoughts
Have you ever noticed how important positioning is? For example: If you are going to set up a portable tree stand, it is important to be downwind from the trail over which you are hunting. You have to find the right tree that will give you stability as well as the right location. Mount the stand to the tree at just the right angle for you to shoot over your left or right shoulders.

There are certainly no guarantees in hunting, so even with a good set-up, you have to be prepared to reposition yourself in the stand to get a good shot off. You don't want the "big one" standing in front of you and then discover that you didn't have the right angle. Too much movement to get into the right position to shoot will potentially ruin the hunt.
(Dave M)

Action Point
The Christian life is not always an easy one. I know it seems as though I have to keep on repositioning myself daily for God's service. It's not that I purposely try to put myself in the wrong position. It's just that I live in an imperfect world that bumps into me every day; and if I'm not careful to keep a short account with God, I will soon find myself totally out of position for His service.

We need go to God, to seek Him, every day; and not count on what we've done the previous day or week. God can use us daily; but we need to make sure our hearts are with Him today.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest” (Exodus 34:21 NIV).

The Bible is filled with instructions about rest and recreation. In fact, it’s so important that God put it in the Ten Commandments—right up there with “Don’t commit adultery” and “Don’t murder.” He says that every seventh day, you have to take a day off. That’s how important a Sabbath is in your life.

Jesus said in Mark 2:27, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (NIV). In other words, God created this idea of you taking a day off every seven days for rest, recreation, worship, and restoration. It’s his idea, and it’s for your own benefit so you don’t burn out.

Yet in our modern society, people aren’t doing that. Even on their day off, they’re working. And even those who attend a church service go home afterward and go right back to work, trying to get all the stuff done that they didn’t get accomplished during their workweek. That’s not a Sabbath!

This is what it means to have a Sabbath: “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest” (Exodus 34:21 NIV).

Even in your busiest season, there is no excuse not to rest. You may be a tax accountant, but you still have to take a day off in April. You may work in retail, but you still have to take a day off during the Christmas season. Even a farmer must take a day off in harvest or planting season.

What are you supposed to do on your Sabbath?

Rest your body. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is to take a nap.
Refocus your spirit. That means you worship.
Recharge your emotions. Do something that restores and re-energizes you, like a hobby or a sport.
It doesn’t really matter which day is your Sabbath. It does matter that you are obedient. You may not rest when your spouse tells you to or even when your boss tells you to take a break. But you must rest because God commands it—and so you can give him your best.

Talk About It

What kind of difference does it make in your day when you get a full night’s rest compared to when you don’t get enough sleep?
What activities or responsibilities keep you from resting well?
How can you change the way you do your Sabbath so that you are honoring God with your rest?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 RSV).

I don’t know what burden you’re carrying. I don’t know what’s weighing you down. But I do know the answer to your trouble.

Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 RSV).

For many years I never understood that Scripture, because I didn’t know what a yoke was. When Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you,” it sounded to me like he was going to give me something else to deal with. My burden is heavy enough already, Lord! I don’t need to take your problems on me!

Then I learned that a yoke is actually a board with two arches in it that you put over two cattle so they can pull a cart.

The value of a yoke is that it halves the load. Without a yoke, one cow’s got to pull that entire load by itself. But if you yoke up the cow with another cow, then the two animals pull the load together, and the load is half as heavy.

When Jesus says to take his yoke upon you, he’s not saying he’s going to give you his problems. Jesus doesn’t have any problems! He’s saying he’s going to share your problems. He’s going to share your load. He’s going to take your stress on himself and bear it with you.

Wow!

He uses three notable verbs in this Scripture: come, learn, and take. Jesus says, “Come to me. Team up with me. Then, learn how I do it. Take on a lighter load. This is going to reduce your stress. This is going to make it easier for you to navigate.”

When you’re yoked with Christ, you move together with him. You move in the same direction and at the same speed. And you move in the right direction and at the right speed.

Talk About It

Why is it sometimes difficult to accept help from someone who wants to share your burdens and make it easier on you?
Do you have people in your life who are willing to do that for you? How are you offering yourself to others to help reduce their stress?
Jesus already knows all about your stress. Are you ready to take on his yoke? If not, what is holding you back?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV)


Thoughts
A few years ago my life was a very scheduled event. I was working and going to school fulltime while trying to balance family time. Many days were hectic and the only time I got to spend with my sons was taking an evening stroll.

We lived in a city of 600,000 at the edge of the mountains and would take our dog Nala out for a walk. We observed just about every animal in the Rocky Mountains inside the city limits during those walks. It was then that we prayed, discussed their day, the future, the past, and, of course, the animals we saw.
(Marshall M)

Action Point
Jesus understood what it was like to be busy with the demands of responsibility. He took time to pray and seek counsel from his Heavenly Father. This relationship Jesus had with His Dad was his highest priority.

God wants us to seek His kingdom first. Make it our highest priority, and the rest of life's responsibilities will be handled by Him.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (Ephesians 3:20 The Message).

We know that setting goals is important because the Bible tells us that Jesus set goals. In fact, he often announced publicly what his goal was for the next phase of his ministry.

So why should you set goals? Today we’re going to talk about three reasons to set goals, and tomorrow we’ll talk about three more.

You need to set goals because it is a spiritual responsibility.
If you don’t have goals for your life, you have already decided to let other people run your life. When you don’t decide in advance what’s important, you’re letting other people decide. You end up wasting your life, because you haven’t clarified how you want to grow as a follower of Christ.

The Bible says that to be spiritually mature, you have to set your goals and move toward them as you keep your eyes focused on them.

“I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize . . . I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. All of us who are mature should think in this same way” (Philippians 3:12, 14-15 CEV).

You need to set goals because they are statements of faith.
If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ and you set a goal, you’re saying, “I believe that God wants me to accomplish this by this time. This is what I believe God is going to do in my life.”

Goals aren’t just a statement of faith. They stretch your faith. The bigger your goal, the more your faith will be stretched. And that pleases God.

Ephesians 3:20 says, “God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (The Message).

You need to set goals because they focus your energy.
Focus is the key to an effective life. If you spread your energy out and diffuse it over a whole bunch of things, you’ll make no impact at all. But if you focus your life, it’s going to be powerful, and it will change the world.

You don’t have time to do everything. But here’s the good news: God doesn’t expect you to do everything! The key to being effective in life as a follower of Jesus is to do what matters most and forget everything else. Goals help you maintain that kind of focus.

“I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air” (1 Corinthians 9:26 NCV).

Talk About It

How do your goals reflect what you believe about God?
Does your family set goals together? Why is it important to do this as a family?
What things do you spend your time and energy on that may not really matter?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Joel 2:13
So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm. (NKJV)

Thoughts
Like many who spend a lot of time outdoors, I make deliberate choices in the type of clothing I wear. The terrain I enjoy is also a factor in how I choose certain outdoor equipment. But it seems that no matter how hard I try to prevent damage, I always get rips or tears or punctures.

Thorns are the worst, like those long spikes on honey locusts. I've even had my four-wheeler tires impaled by these things! Thorns can rip apart a nice flannel shirt when you're walking through a thicket.

Denim jeans are durable enough, except when crossing a barbed wire fence. There's nothing like ripping out the seat of your pants on a cold day in the field. So I try to wear thorn-proof coveralls, clear my tent site of sharp objects, and protect my sleeping mat from lumpy or sharp projections (often in the middle of night when I wish I had thought of it earlier).

My clothes get ripped and torn; then I mourn, sometimes a great deal depending on the value of the item. In the Old Testament, it was just the reverse. To express grief or repentance, people would purposely tear their clothing as an outward sign of this inward conviction. For some, however, the practice became an insincere act, a traditional response that displayed no evidence of a changed heart. Through Joel, God extends an invitation to make a real change, a change of the heart, not the clothes.
(Don H)

Action Point
Beginning a new year is a traditional time to make a change in one's life. New Year's resolutions are made; and after while, many are routinely ignored. A new year and a new day can begin for anyone who makes a sincere effort to change his heart. Bad habits can be turned over to Jesus; sin can be laid at the Cross. Don't wait until New Year's Day to do it. Rend your heart now and enjoy a refreshing of the Holy Spirit like you've never before experienced; for our Heavenly Father is gracious and merciful, loving and kind.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verses
I Corinthians 3:5-8
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe-as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.

Thoughts
It was a new stand. We had just stood it up on the pipeline the previous day; yet, there I sat, wondering if it would be a good spot. An hour later, I was admiring a small buck that I had just taken.

On the way back to get the four-wheeler, I saw a huge scrape that I had not seen before then. It was fresh, and its size told me that a good-sized buck had been tending it. I was leaving for the weekend, so I told my dad about the scrape and urged him to go sit in that stand. In the rain the next morning, he shot a huge nine-point.

Sometimes you just have to set someone else up to succeed in order to accomplish a common goal. In our case, it was fresh deer tenderloin and a mount to go in the game room. His reward was a filled tag. My reward was having helped him to succeed.
(Brian H)

Action Point
Our society puts too much emphasis on having the spotlight firmly on ourselves. But God's ways are not like our ways. In the passage above, Paul and Apollos were working hand-in-hand for a common goal, to see people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Sometimes Paul would preach and then Apollos would go talk to the people one-on-one and they would be saved.

Basically, Paul says, "I don't care who gets to lead them to the Lord as long as they get saved!" Sometimes we're called to plant a seed. Sometimes we're called to water it. Other times, we get to harvest. But don't forget that we do exactly what God calls us to do--and nobody harvests unless God makes our efforts grow.

The spotlight is not on us. We're in the shadows. The spotlight is right where it belongs--on our great and glorious God!

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (Proverbs 4:23 GNT).

God is far more interested in changing your mind than changing your circumstances.

We want God to take away all of the problems, pain, sorrow, suffering, sickness, and sadness. But God wants to work on you first, because transformation won’t happen in your life until you renew your mind, until your thoughts begin to change.

Why is it so important that you learn how to manage your mind? Let me give you three reasons.

Manage your mind because your thoughts control your life.
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts” (GNT). Your thoughts have tremendous ability to shape your life for good or for bad. For example, maybe you accept a thought someone told you when you were growing up: “You’re worthless. You don’t matter.” If you accepted that thought, even though it was wrong, it has shaped your life. You must choose what thoughts you will let affect you for good or for bad.

Manage your mind because the mind is the battleground for sin.
All temptation happens in the mind. Paul says in Romans 7:22-23, “I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin” (TLB).

One reason you get mentally fatigued is because there’s a battle in your brain 24 hours a day. It’s debilitating because it’s intense, and it’s intense because your mind is your greatest asset. Satan wants your greatest asset!

Manage your mind because it’s the key to peace and happiness.
An unmanaged mind leads to tension. A managed mind leads to tranquility. An unmanaged mind leads to conflict. A managed mind leads to confidence. When you don’t try to control your mind and the way you direct your thoughts, you will experience an enormous amount of stress in your life. But a managed mind leads to strength and security and serenity.

“Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” (Romans 8:6 NLT).

Talk About It

What do you fill your mind with that pleases God? What do you fill your mind with that disappoints God?
How can you practice managing your mind?
What role does Scripture play in managing your mind?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 ESV).

Loss is a common source of stress. You can lose your job, your health, your money, your reputation, or a loved one.

When people go through loss, you see two common reactions: One is fear, and the other is grief. Grief is good. Grief is the way we get through the transitions of life. In fact, if you don’t grieve, you get stuck! Grief will not kill you if you let it out.

On the other hand, fear is a bad thing. Not once does the Bible say, “Grieve not,” “Mourn not,” “Weep not,” or “Cry not.” What it does say is, “Fear not.” And it says that 365 times! Grief doesn’t paralyze, but fear does.

David says in Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (ESV).

Shepherds always carried a rod and a staff to protect their sheep. David knew that in the same way, God has the tools to protect him, and he trusted God, even in the darkest valleys.

You might be going through the valley of the shadow right now—maybe the valley of the shadow of death. It may be the valley of the shadow of debt. It may be the valley of the shadow of conflict. It may be the valley of the shadow of depression. It may be the valley of the shadow of discouragement.

Shadows are scary. Remember being afraid of shadows when you were lying in bed as a kid? I’ve learned a few things about shadows.

First, shadows can’t hurt you.

Second, shadows are always bigger than the source.

And here’s more good news: Wherever there’s a shadow, there has to be a light. You can’t have a shadow without light. So the key when you’re going through the valley of the shadow is to turn your back on the shadow and look at the light. Because as long as you keep your eyes on the light—Jesus, the light of the world—the shadow won’t scare you.

That’s how you go through the valley of the shadow of death. That’s how you lower your stress. You trust God in the dark valleys, just like David, who prayed, “When I am ready to give up, he knows what I should do” (Psalm 142:3 GNT).

Talk About It

What shadows have you recently been facing? Why are they so daunting to you?
How does memorizing Scripture help you face the fears in your life?
Why does fear stress people out? How does it paralyze you and keep you from doing what God has called you to do?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 NLT).

If you want a healthy mind, you must feed your mind with truth.

We all know the importance of nutrition. Good food and good calories make you stronger and healthier and give you more energy. Bad calories and junk food harm your body. The same is true in your thought life. You must feed your mind not with junk or poison but with truth.

One time I had the privilege of lecturing at Oxford University, and while I was there, I was invited to go to a meeting of Oxford Analytica. This is a group you’ve likely never heard of that has enormous influence in the world. Every day around 6 a.m., the leading scholars of Oxford gather in a room to get reports from all around the world about what’s happened in the last 24 hours, from crop prices rising in China to more unrest in the Middle East. Then they make the decision about what needs to be said about it. By 11 a.m. a report has been given to groups that pay big bucks for this information, such as the CIA and major corporations.

Oxford Analytica is founded on the idea that the best leaders make the best decisions when they have the best information. Even if you are a good leader, if you don’t have the best information, you’re going to make a bad decision.

You need the best information to live the best life that God wants you to live. That information is right there in the Word of God.

The Bible says in Matthew 4:4, “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (NLT).

God wants you to make the best decisions and receive his best for your life. You do that by feeding on the Word of God throughout your day, every day.

Talk About It

What is the most important part of your morning routine? Where does studying God’s Word fall in your routine?
How can you incorporate learning and memorizing God’s Word into your workday?
What are some ways you can feed on God’s Word together with your family?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“I have made up my mind to obey your laws forever, no matter what” (Psalm 119:112 CEV).

The reason why most people are ineffective in life is that they’ve never learned how to fight the battle of the mind.

If you want to learn to manage your mind, you have to be delivered from destructive thoughts. That isn’t easy, because there are three enemies that keep you from fulfilling all your good intentions of changing your life.

The first enemy is your old nature.
Paul says in Romans 7:23, “There is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me” (NLT).

Do you ever find yourself doing things that you don’t really want to do? That’s the battle in your brain between your old, sinful nature and your good intentions.

The second enemy is Satan.
Satan cannot force you to do anything, but he can make suggestions, and those suggestions are incredibly powerful. He is constantly planting negative thoughts in your mind. He’ll use other people or he’ll use the TV or he’ll just throw a thought in your mind.

The third enemy is the world’s value system.
Does anything in our society encourage self-discipline? Not much. Advertisements tell us, “You deserve a break today. Have it your way. We do it all for you.”

The Bible says in 1 John 2:16, “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world” (NIV).

With enemies like that, no wonder we struggle with discouragement and despair and failure!

So how do you fight this battle? Look at what 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says: “Though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (NIV).

You have a choice. Your mind has to listen to you. God didn’t give you just a mind. He gave you a will! The best time to win the battle with temptation is before it begins.

“I have made up my mind to obey your laws forever, no matter what” (Psalm 119:112 CEV).

Talk About It

Do you believe that following God’s rules and instructions brings freedom and helps you enjoy your life? Why or why not?
What does Satan use in your life specifically and personally to keep you focused on destructive thoughts and behaviors?
What steps can you take to memorize Scripture so that you can more effectively battle temptation?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up” (1 Corinthians 13:7 GW).

The same love that God gives to you, you are to offer to everybody else that you come in contact with. It’s not an option or a suggestion. It’s a command: “Now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other” (John 13:34 NLT).

If you are a follower of Christ, you must love everybody—whether you like them or not—in the same way that Christ loves you. That means you are to accept them completely, love them unconditionally, forgive them totally, and consider them extremely valuable.

Loving others in this way will transform your relationships!

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:7, “Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up” (GW).

This is how God loves you. God never stops being patient with you. God never stops believing in you. God never stops hoping for the best in your life. God never gives up on you. That’s what God expects you to do with everybody else.

“Love never stops being patient.” That means love extends grace. You can offer grace to others.

“Love never stops believing.” That means it expresses faith. You tell someone, “Even though we’re having a tough time, I will never stop believing in you.”

“Love never stops hoping.” That means love expects the best. Are you expecting the best in your marriage, or have you settled for less than the best?

“Love never gives up.” That means love endures the worst. It means you can look at the other person and say, “You can throw everything at me, but I’m going to keep loving you, no matter what.”

If you want to start transforming your relationships today, I invite you to say this prayer to God: “Dear God, I admit that I have made a mess in my relationships. They’re complicated and broken, and I’ve often settled for less than the best. They need a transformation! I want you to begin by changing me. Deliver me from my fears, because I can see how they make me distant and defensive and even demanding. Today and every day from now on, I want to surrender my heart to you. I want to learn to live my life in your love and be filled with your love.

“Help me to accept others, just as you’ve accepted me. Help me to love others unconditionally, just as you have loved me. Help me to forgive others totally, just as you’ve forgiven me. And help me to value others as much as you value me. Help me to extend grace to and express faith in the people around me. Help me to expect the best in others, and when the worst happens, help me to endure it. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.