Hold On to What’s True
Reading Scripture is vital to our intimacy with God. God’s Word is our weapon. It’s alive, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. And when we hide Scripture in our heart, it helps us battle with the forces of evil. We have an enemy, and the last thing he wants us to do is trust God and His Word.
Our spiritual enemy wants to keep us in a place of doubt and insecurity. But when we know who we are, we can confidently demolish every lie that distracts us. Like Jesus did when He fasted in the wilderness for 40 days, we can use Scripture to tell ourselves the truth and fight back against the devil’s schemes.
Below are some common lies we’ve all believed, and the truth we need to remember to overcome them:
Lie We Believe — I’m a failure, and I can’t do anything right.
God’s Truth — I may struggle, but I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13).
Lie We Believe — If God cared, why would He let these hardships happen to me?
God’s Truth — I know that God causes everything to work together for His glory and my good (Romans 8:28). God’s grace is sufficient for me, and His power is perfected through my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Lie We Believe — I’ll always be this way.
God’s Truth — I can change because I belong to Christ. The old me has gone and the new me is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Think through the lies you’ve believed. It’s easier to entertain lies when we allow them to become a part of us. But once you recognize the lies you’ve internalized, you’re halfway to victory. God gave us His Word so that we could know the truth … and it’s His truth that sets us free.
Let’s start living more like the conquerors we are, and apply the life-giving, hope-delivering, and devil-kicking power provided to us through God’s Word.
Remembering God
Have you ever been awestruck by a sunset? Or left speechless by the meticulous details of the living cell, the human eye, the mysterious ocean, or the vast universe? How often do you think about what God has made, or the ways that He has worked?
The psalmist Asaph, wrote:
“I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy, What god is great like our God?"
Psalm 77:12-13 ESV
One of the best things we can do is remember God—how He gives good gifts, writes the best stories, and is constantly making beauty from ashes. He created us, pursued us, and even gave His own life for us.
But remembering God takes intentionality.
Remembering God doesn't happen on accident, which is why we have to intentionally commit to reflecting on Him each day. Purposefully remembering God’s bigness helps us recognize our smallness. Deliberately recalling His goodness helps us understand our deep need for Him.
Pondering God’s work and meditating on ...
“And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el. And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said unto him, ...
The Mission of God
All of our lives are spent on something. Most people spend their days focused on growing a family, building their career, or amassing possessions.
While none of those things are necessarily wrong, they can become distractions from our ultimate goal in life.
In the book of Acts, we see Paul’s transformation in Christ. As a result of meeting Jesus and being changed by His grace, Paul spends the rest of his life preaching the good news of Jesus.
For Paul, God’s grace and salvation are so great that nothing on this earth is as important as God’s work.
Paul says that nothing in His life matters as much as telling others about God’s grace. His goal in life was to finish his own race well by faithfully accomplishing as much of the mission of God as possible:
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."
Acts 20:24 NIV
The mission ...