Are you usually open, honest, and transparent or do you tend to hide who you are? Before you answer, think about the different relationships, social situations, and environments in which you find yourself.
The truth is many of us rather than being transparent are overly concerned about what people think of us. We’re concerned about first impressions. We struggle with thoughts like, “If people really knew me, they wouldn’t want to be my friend (co-worker, employer, etc.)” This plays out in dating relationships, in families, in the workplace, with our friends, with strangers, inside the church, and even with God.
What is it that makes us want to hide or try to be what others expect us to be? And why is it so important that we learn to be appropriately open and transparent with God and with people?
Some passages in the Bible are easy to understand, including many basic truths about God and the gospel. Others are harder and must be understood in light of other Scripture and God’s character. Today’s Old Testament passage is one of those. And while it might be easier to avoid giving difficult passages like this one much thought, we could miss truths that are important to our own lives. In this case, whether there are things we need to place on the altar and not hold so closely.
While we’re not of this world, we are to live in it. But are there are times when we need to remove ourselves and our families from certain environments, whether that is a workplace, a school system, a circle of friends, or a city? If so, how do we stay strong enough in the Lord to be salt and light, yet discerning enough to know when it’s time to go?
Also, read about what Jesus said about respect for authority, His Mercy in our weakness, and the importance of allowing God’s Word to control our inner attitudes, as well as, our outward actions.
Jesus gave a pretty serious warning in Matthew 7 when He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven …” There are people, sitting in church every Sunday, who believe they are headed for heaven when they’re really in danger of hearing the words, “I never knew you, depart from me …” In today’s post, you’ll find out what does and doesn’t save you so you’ll never hear those words.
Also, read about the importance of making sure we see clearly before we can be of any help to others and what it really means to build your house on the Rock. Finally, from our Old Testament reading, we’ll talk about how some sins like homosexuality cry out for God’s judgment and what God expects of us in the meantime.
In our Old Testament reading, we’ll continue through the book of Genesis with Abram as the central character. Even through he is called the Father of Faith, we’ll see the struggle he had to take God at His Word when circumstances didn’t make sense. And in the New Testament, we’ll continue reading through “The Sermon on the Mount” and talk about what we treasure and what Jesus had to say about worry.
Do you ever feel inadequate or frustrated with your prayer life? If so, you’re not alone. It appears even the disciples wanted more when they said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” In our New Testament reading, we’ll talk about Jesus’ outline for prayer and how we can use it during our devotional time, along with another help that can lead to a more consistent, satisfying prayer life. We’ll also talk about our motives for praying and other things we do.
From our Old Testament reading check out “How Do You Evaluate Opportunities?” See how not to make decisions and some ways to evaluate opportunities.
Also, today, “The Joy of Spiritual Prosperity,” “The Fear of God,” and “The Importance of Forgiveness.”
Do you need to perform some radical surgery before something in your life causes you to sin? Do you need to take a scalpel to some habit or attitude or set some boundaries to protect your marriage or someone else’s? And on the subject of marriage, what does the Bible say about divorce? Is it ever allowable? What if you’re just not happy or you have fallen out of love? What does God say about these very real issues? Jesus addressed all these things in the “Sermon on the Mount” in today’s New Testament reading.
Are you struggling with any of these questions and concerns or do you know someone else who is? The Bible encourages us to seek help and godly counsel when necessary. So, is it possible a biblical counselor could help? Find out more about what biblical counselors do and how it could be just what you or someone else needs.
In today’s readings, we will once again look at Noah and his family. God called Noah a righteous man, yet we’ll see that he was barely off the ark before he sinned. The result was shame and loss of respect within his own family.
And when it comes to God, shame can cause us to avoid prayer, Bible reading, and going to church in a foolish attempt to run from God. But there is a better way!
We’ll, also, talk about being made in the image of God, the quality of our “salt,” the danger of dishonoring our parents, and responding to the sins of others.
Today we’ll look at Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness and how He responded because the same principle can help us when we are fighting temptation or spiritual attacks. We will, also, look at how memorizing Scripture fits into all this and how the devil can, actually, use Scripture against us.
Also, did you know that every major civilization has a “flood story” as part of its oral or written history? What does the biblical account of the flood teach us about God, His character, and His sovereign control of world events? And why should this be so comforting to us in the sometimes dangerous time in which we’re living?
I don’t have to tell most of you that life can get messy. Much of that messiness is the result of our own choices. Those messes and the consequences are often what God uses to get our attention. As a result, we experience sorrow and regret. But is sorrow or regret what God requires? Rather than regret, He calls us to repentance. But what exactly is that? Is sorrow, depression, or something more?
And on a wider scale, have you taken some time to think about your plan to grow spiritually this year? We are never standing still with God. We are either growing or slipping backward. Let’s always be growing.
