December 1
The Power Within
God's Spirit works in every believer. He does not limit Himself to pastors and missionaries. If you've received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, then residing within you is the same great power that raised Christ from the dead (Rom 8:11) The Holy Spirit pours His energy into creating godly character in all who follow the Lord.
The fruit of the Spirit is so named because it is the character and conduct that the Holy Spirit produces in believers. These are qualities that we can't generate consistently on our own. The most powerful message we can give isn't a testimony or sermon; it is the life we live when the pressure is on, temptation is tremendous, or we are buried under an avalanche of problems.
What the world most needs to see in this modern culture is godly families loving one another, business people working with integrity and frugality, and young men and women who choose moral purity. In a word, the world needs to be exposed to believers who are obedient.
By showing peace instead of anxiety or practicing patience rather than speaking a sharp word, a Christian bears witness to the beauty of the gospel. We attract unbelievers to Christ through our words and deeds. They may turn down a doctrine, but they cannot ignore a righteous life.
The strongest gospel message does not come from a pulpit. The most powerful witness for Jesus Christ where you work, where you live, and where you relax is you. Submit to the Holy Spirit's work, and He will produce a great harvest of spiritual fruit in your life.
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Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2019 All Rights Reserved.
December 2022November 202211/30/2022
The first chapter of Revelation gives a compact description of the Lord.
11/29/2022
Many Christians know they're saved, but they don't really know what to think about themselves. Let's take a little test.
11/28/2022
Anyone who thinks of himself as a pretty good person ought to take a look at God’s assessment of humanity. He says we all come into the world spiritually dead and are ruled by Satan, his world system, and our own sin nature, or flesh.
11/26/2022
Can you even imagine the cost of your salvation? The magnificent plan of the Father and the willing cooperation of the Son prove your tremendous value in God’s eyes.
11/25/2022
The Lord speaks to believers so that they will comprehend the truth, conform to the truth, and communicate the truth.
11/24/2022
11/23/2022
One day I posed a question to the waitress at my table: "If you could ask God for anything, what would your request be?" Her answer was immediate. "I want to feel at peace."
11/22/2022
11/21/2022
Christian lives are to testify that Jesus is the source of our peace. Does your life communicate this message?
11/19/2022
Satan works very hard at corrupting healthy desires. He abhors seeing people's appetites satisfied. What he wants is to watch a person lusting after a good thing until he or she is controlled by the impulse to have it.
11/18/2022
A grateful heart is most precious to God when, humanly speaking, our situations don't warrant giving thanks.
11/17/2022
Grace builds our confidence in the sovereign Lord.
11/16/2022
11/15/2022
11/14/2022
In a world filled with endless sources of information and opinions, believers need to develop a discerning spirit. Otherwise, how will we know what is true?
11/12/2022
11/11/2022
The Lord designed feelings of culpability and regret to serve as a reminder that a person has done wrong and needs to repent.
11/10/2022
A bitter and resentful spirit doesn't fit who we are in Christ.
11/09/2022
11/08/2022
Isaiah 66:1-2 teaches us how to experience the Father’s favor.
11/07/2022
God's plan for each one of us has our best interest in mind.
11/05/2022
Believers have no right to set their own limits; their one criterion for making decisions should be, What does God want me to do?
11/04/2022
11/03/2022
Can you find yourself on the spectrum between fear and devotion? It is my hope that you have committed to obeying God and that you are reading His Word daily to learn how to keep your promise.
11/02/2022
11/01/2022
October 202210/31/2022
A promise is valuable only if the one making it has trustworthy character and the ability to carry through.
10/29/2022
10/28/2022
There is no condemnation for those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior.
10/27/2022
10/26/2022
10/25/2022
The rich man in Luke 16 made the tragic choice of living for himself without regard for the Lord. He also made two other mistakes...
10/24/2022
God created you for specific tasks to further His kingdom.
10/22/2022
Salvation is the first stage of the Christian life.
10/21/2022
Scripture teaches us to tell others about Jesus Christ. And while sharing the gospel is awesome, it is simply not enough. We should continue to encourage and invest in new believers.
10/20/2022
10/19/2022
Obedience is sometimes hard, but the struggle and sacrifice are worth it.
10/18/2022
10/17/2022
Time is a gift from God, and He has allotted each of us a measure in which to live and accomplish His purposes.
10/15/2022
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever (Ps. 138:8). The key to David's victorious attitude was his strong faith in the Lord.
10/14/2022
The heavenly Father calls us to repent and offers us forgiveness when we turn away from our self-centered ways and move toward godliness (1 John 1:9).
10/13/2022
10/12/2022
Let's look at God's three goals for communicating with believers...
10/11/2022
10/10/2022
The Holy Spirit, unlike human companions, is perfectly adequate to meet our every need.
10/08/2022
Remember that when He doesn't answer a prayer as you wished, it is for a reason.
10/07/2022
The Lord knows what we really desire--and more importantly, what we need--even when cloudy judgment leads us astray
10/06/2022
10/05/2022
10/04/2022
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (1 John 5:14). When do I pray? Is it only during emergencies or when I need something?
10/03/2022
What would you like to see the Lord do within you?
10/01/2022
No one can have intimacy with Christ without daily communication.
September 202209/30/2022
09/29/2022
09/28/2022
God isn't looking for impressive people; He wants willing ones who will bow the knee in humble submission.
09/27/2022
Our Father may ask us to do something that seems illogical, but press forward regardless of how impractical the request may appear.
09/26/2022
Our styles and opportunities vary, but we're each responsible to develop a lifelong habit of bringing others to Jesus.
09/24/2022
God doesn't require our lives to be perfect in order to finish strong.
09/23/2022
At the moment of salvation, we are transferred from the reign of darkness to the bright authority of Jesus.
09/22/2022
09/21/2022
09/20/2022
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that helps us center our attention on the Lord and discover His will so we may act according to it.
09/19/2022
We all can benefit from someone who is able to say what we need to hear without making us feel threatened.
09/17/2022
A godly accountability partner can help you enjoy privilege without abusing it.
09/16/2022
09/15/2022
The Christian life is not easy, but there is great reward for living righteously when facing temptation or hardship.
09/14/2022
09/13/2022
No matter how much money you have, if you're a believer in Jesus, you're extremely wealthy!
09/12/2022
Perhaps this seems like a contradiction: Believers will not be judged but will stand before Christ's judgment seat.
09/10/2022
09/09/2022
09/08/2022
Daniel and his friends faced the same dilemma we do - how to live a holy life in a godless culture.
09/07/2022
09/06/2022
A believer's relationship with the Lord is one of complete unity.
09/05/2022
Do my children sense a hunger in my heart for God's direction, counsel, and sustenance?
09/03/2022
When God calls you to a task beyond your abilities, instead of giving in to your feelings, choose to rely on what you know about Him and His promises.
09/02/2022
09/01/2022
August 202208/31/2022
08/30/2022
The Father promises that following Him leads to hope and an established future.
08/29/2022
Our most powerful tool for shaping the world and lives around us is always available.
08/27/2022
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (Rom. 12:12). Most individuals are not satisfied with their prayer life.
08/26/2022
The Lord has a plan for your life. Be wise and ask Him for directions.
08/25/2022
That individual is set apart as a child of God, with a sacred purpose
08/24/2022
Rather than a spiritual "plateau," faith is actually a process that involves increasing degrees of trust throughout life.
08/23/2022
No matter what challenges you face, God can help.
08/22/2022
The sovereign ruler of this universe is in control of your life. Don't make the mistake of thinking He isn't simply because He does not operate according to your will and schedule.
08/20/2022
08/19/2022
As Christians, we know that fear should have no place in our lives, but how can we ignore what's going on around us?
08/18/2022
Do not abuse His patience with callous disregard for His statutes.
08/17/2022
The Father reveals His treasures to us so that we can share them with others.
08/16/2022
08/15/2022
We, like David, can expect to be blessed when we wait upon the Lord.
08/13/2022
Job was a man who certainly knew trouble and temptation.
08/12/2022
08/11/2022
Metaphors often communicate on a level that words cannot. Baptism is a powerful picture of our salvation experience.
08/10/2022
08/09/2022
Focusing on Christ is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one.
08/08/2022
To thwart God's purposes, Satan sprinkles obstacles in our path.
08/06/2022
08/05/2022
08/04/2022
Friend, if you think that you've come far enough in your journey with Christ, you have made a terrible mistake.
08/03/2022
08/02/2022
We tend to categorize sins, rating some as small and inconsequential, but others as huge and far-reaching in the damage they cause. In reality, no one sins in isolation.
08/01/2022
Getting older doesn't mean maturity in God's eyes.
July 202207/30/2022
07/29/2022
When the Enemy sifts believers today, his goal is for us to become shelved and ineffective for God's kingdom. That's why he goes after our strengths.
07/28/2022
Our natural reaction to pain is to run in the opposite direction, and as fast as possible. However...
07/27/2022
07/26/2022
A trustworthy conscience is programmed with scriptural teaching.
07/25/2022
Once the story of Joseph's life was written in full, it was clear that everyone who harmed or neglected the young man contributed to God's plan.
07/23/2022
In addition, our commitment to the Lord will be revealed through a passion to obey, a spirit of humility, and a servant's heart.
07/22/2022
Since spiritual discernment is the ability to see life from God's perspective, it requires that we know how He thinks and acts.
07/21/2022
Every challenging call to obedience is a fork in the road of our lives.
07/20/2022
If we believe that God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised, why do so many of us habitually waver in our prayers?
07/19/2022
07/18/2022
07/16/2022
Every day we choose whether to row or drift. As for me, I choose to vigorously pursue God.
07/15/2022
07/14/2022
If Bible reading is neglected, a prayer life has usually faded as well.
07/13/2022
07/12/2022
The Word of God assures us that our Father hears our cries and responds.
07/11/2022
Trials can be God's greatest means of building faith... or an avenue to discouragement and self-pity. It depends on your response.
07/09/2022
Discouragement can rob peace, joy, and contentment. But I have great news if you feel disheartened: You’re not stuck!
07/08/2022
07/07/2022
A faith barrier is made up of attitudes that short-circuit our trust and prevent us from obeying the Lord's will.
07/06/2022
07/04/2022
We cringe at news of vandalism on church buildings. But many of us don't have the same qualms when it comes to harming the temple of the Holy Spirit.
07/02/2022
God has a purpose for your life. If that weren't true, He'd have taken you home to heaven at the moment of salvation.
07/01/2022
June 202206/30/2022
Growing in Christ involves far more than just attending church, tithing, and listening to a sermon.
06/29/2022
06/28/2022
Waiting on God is an important spiritual discipline in our walk of faith.
06/27/2022
It's easy to think our problems are unimportant in the eyes of God, but He doesn't feel that way at all.
06/25/2022
In reading through the Scriptures, we see that every time one of God's saints gains a victory, he or she is waiting and trusting in the Lord.
06/24/2022
In His Word, God commands us to serve one another.
06/23/2022
06/22/2022
06/21/2022
Followers of Christ should seek a godly response to disappointments they face.
06/18/2022
God has gifted each of us in unique ways with a purpose in mind. His plan involves using these talents to serve Him for the good of others. Satan would like us to believe otherwise.
06/17/2022
Jesus commanded that we serve one another, but obeying this mandate in humility is not natural for us.
06/16/2022
06/15/2022
06/14/2022
06/13/2022
I want to challenge you this week, when something threatens to steal your contentment, choose to draw from God.
06/11/2022
Does it surprise you that Paul wrote about "the secret of being content" when he was in prison, unsure of his future?
06/10/2022
When Jesus left His home in heaven, He didn't come to earth to be a superstar. He came to serve.
06/09/2022
06/08/2022
06/07/2022
06/06/2022
By using weak, inadequate people, God demonstrates what great things He can do.
06/04/2022
Feeling inadequate is not a sin, but using it as an excuse is.
06/03/2022
What three goals would you set for your life if you knew that you could achieve them?
06/02/2022
06/01/2022
May 202205/31/2022
05/30/2022
How do you respond when someone compliments you?
05/28/2022
No one likes criticism, but encountering some is inevitable, so we need to learn how to respond in a godly way.
05/27/2022
05/26/2022
05/25/2022
05/24/2022
The United States of America was founded on biblical principles with the intent to guarantee freedom of worship.
05/23/2022
Repentance simply means changing your mind and going in a different direction--toward God instead of away from Him.
05/21/2022
Prayer is the lifeblood of an intimate relationship with the Father. But believers often have questions about its power and effectiveness.
05/20/2022
05/19/2022
05/18/2022
05/16/2022
Life is full of options. Many decisions involve a choice between following God's way or our own.
05/14/2022
The most precious thing we can pass down to children is our faith.
05/13/2022
05/12/2022
05/11/2022
05/10/2022
05/09/2022
Motherhood is a great honor and privilege, yet it is also synonymous with servanthood.
05/07/2022
People who scurry about flaunting religiosity are missing out on the deeply satisfying and joyous intimacy between a believer and the Lord.
05/06/2022
05/05/2022
05/04/2022
To serve others before serving yourself is to practice authentic Christianity.
05/03/2022
05/02/2022
We can understand why those without Christ are unable to comprehend biblical concepts, but why do those who know Him struggle?
April 202204/30/2022
The Bible clearly defines the following as ministries of the church: worshiping the living God, instructing and edifying believers, making disciples of all nations, and serving the needy.
04/29/2022
04/28/2022
Jesus made it clear that we would endure hardship in this life.
04/27/2022
04/26/2022
04/25/2022
Think of patience as a muscle that you have to use in order to see it build.
04/23/2022
If we truly desire to walk in the center of God's perfect will, we must become willing to cooperate with His time frame.
04/22/2022
04/21/2022
Failure is an excellent learning tool, as Peter could certainly attest.
04/20/2022
04/19/2022
04/18/2022
God's grace is not a license to sin; instead, it's a reason to pursue righteousness.
04/16/2022
04/15/2022
04/14/2022
What do you live for each day?
04/13/2022
04/12/2022
04/11/2022
Paul was single-minded in the message he preached. The cross was not only his primary subject; it was also his motivation for living.
04/09/2022
It had appeared to be such a wonderful day for them—and it was, but for different reasons than they realized.
04/08/2022
04/07/2022
04/06/2022
The crucifixion was the only way to rescue lost humanity.
04/05/2022
04/04/2022
It’s so easy to get up each morning, do our work, enjoy some relaxation or entertainment, and fall into bed each night without giving any thought to God’s involvement in our lives.
04/02/2022
Nobody wore a miniature cross around the neck or displayed one in a place of worship in Christ's day. The cross was a torturous means of execution, and the mere thought of it was repulsive.
04/01/2022
March 202203/31/2022
The cross is a place of brokenness, but it's necessary because there's no other way we'll ever bear fruit. But those who willingly die to themselves will produce an abundance of spiritual fruit.
03/30/2022
03/29/2022
Great faith begins with little steps.
03/28/2022
03/26/2022
We may have many acquaintances, but we all have a deep need to feel truly known by those we love most. This is because we were created in God's image--He also desires to be intimately understood and loved by us.
03/25/2022
03/24/2022
03/23/2022
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender (Prov. 22:7). Every dollar you borrow costs you a measure of freedom.
03/22/2022
Service is no substitute for an intimate relationship, but modern believers continue to fall into this subtle trap.
03/21/2022
03/19/2022
We will be encouraged and strengthened in our faith when we recognize the ways in which God is operating.
03/18/2022
We can rest confidently knowing that the unchanging God of all creation is taking care of us.
03/17/2022
03/16/2022
03/15/2022
Glorifying the Lord is not limited to worshipping in church; praise ought to permeate the believer's life.
03/14/2022
His presence within us isn't something we have to earn or acquire. Rather, it is a marvelous privilege.
03/12/2022
03/11/2022
03/10/2022
Human appetites, in themselves, are not sinful. In fact, they're God-given. However, because of our fleshly weaknesses, they need to be controlled.
03/09/2022
03/08/2022
Having the right view of the Lord will allow us to approach Him with absolute confidence
03/07/2022
03/05/2022
Are you letting the Lord use His character-shaping tools in your life?
03/04/2022
03/03/2022
03/02/2022
When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? (Matt. 25:39). Stop for a moment and consider the purpose of your life. Are you living to pursue your own interests or success?
03/01/2022
People are saved when they trust Jesus Christ as Savior and choose to follow Him.
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