It can happen in a matter of minutes. A beautiful sunshiny day can become overcast, gloomy, and dank. A wet fog rolls in and blankets everything. It clings to you as you strain to see beyond a few feet in front of you. You feel closed in, almost claustrophobic. Your hands are tempted to swoosh it away like you would debris when swimming in a river or lake. But it closes back in after a millisecond.

Life imitates nature, doesn’t it? I know there have been times my outlook was quite sunny. My world was just about perfect and I felt happy, accomplished, blessed. Then a situation or circumstance hit. Suddenly I felt as if I was encased in a fog. All sense of direction lost. I couldn’t see my way. My dreams and plans vanished in the thickness of the now.

Peter, John and James experienced this. I’d read the transfiguration story in the Gospels many, many times. But recently, Luke 9:34 leaped out at me. And God whispered a lesson to me. Because you see, I’ve been in a fog lately.

Jesus took these men up on the mountain to pray, as told in Luke 9:28-36. It must have been a gorgeous vista. Their Lord had gone up into the mountains to pray before, but always alone. Now He invited them. Not all of the twelve, just these three. Can you see their proud l struts, their smiles? What could be better?  Then they see Jesus’ countenance change into a dazzling white as the two most important, holy people in their tradition, Moses and Elijah, descended to be by his side. Wow. Talk about a Kodak moment! But they didn’t have that modern invention. No phones for selfies. So, Peter suggested they do what their patriarchs had done when encountering God breaking through to earth. Build an altar. Erect a tabernacle. Mark the moment.

“As he [Peter] said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.” (Luke 9:34).  In rolled the blinding fog. Their view of the holiest thing they’d ever witnessed blocked off. The moment gone. Their breaths stolen.

But God didn’t leave them there. “A voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’” (vs.35). Focus not on yourselves, but on Jesus. Erase your self-oriented thoughts. Let Him lead you. This isn’t about Jesus acknowledging you, it’s about you acknowledging my Son.

The good news is that God doesn’t leave us either. Even if we can’t see Him though the circumstances that are clouding our faith, He can still break through to comfort us, correct us, and lovingly guide us back to what we need to be focusing upon–Him. Just as He did for me as I read this passage in Scripture.

Fogs don’t last forever. The sun will break through again. But in the meantime perhaps we are supposed to stop and no longer rely on our own abilities. Instead, let us listen for God’s directive voice. Then when the sun does break through and we can see again, like Peter James and John in verse 36, let us continue to focus on Jesus alone.

By Julie Cosgrove
Used by Permission

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“Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, ‘Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?’ — ‘No, Lord,‘ she said. And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I. Go and sin no more.’” John 8:10-11 (NLT))

Condemnation – the preferred commodity of Satan. He will repeat the adulterous woman scenario as often as you permit him to do so, marching you through the city streets and dragging your name through the mud. He pushes you into the center of the crowd and megaphones your sin:

This person was caught in the act of immorality … stupidity … dishonesty … irresponsibility.

But he will not have the last word. Jesus has acted on your behalf.

He stooped. Low enough to sleep in a manger, work in a carpentry shop, sleep in a fishing boat. Low enough to rub shoulders with crooks and lepers. Low enough to be spat upon, slapped, nailed, and speared. Low. Low enough to be buried.

And then he stood. Up from the slab of death. Upright in Joseph’s tomb and right in Satan’s face. Tall. High. He stood up for the woman and silenced her accusers, and he does the same for you.

He “is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us” (Romans. 8:34 MSG). Let this sink in for a moment. In the presence of God, in defiance of Satan, Jesus Christ rises to your defense. He takes on the role of a priest. “Since we have a great priest over God’s house, let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, because we have been made free from a guilty conscience” (Hebrews. 10:21–22 NCV).

A clean conscience. A clean record. A clean heart. Free from accusation. Free from condemnation. Not just for our past mistakes but also for our future ones.

“Since he will live forever, he will always be there to remind God that he has paid for [our] sins with his blood” (Hebrews. 7:25 TLB). Christ offers unending intercession on your behalf.

Jesus trumps the devil’s guilt with words of GRACE.

By Max Lucado
Used by permission

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
https://maxlucado.com/about/

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“For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants” Philippians 2:13

We are all on a spiritual journey. Some of you have just begun to realize that there is a spiritual dimension to your lives, others are searching for the Truth, and still others have yielded their lives to the Lordship of Christ and are learning how to walk in the power and direction of the Holy Spirit.

When I was in my mid-thirties, I realized that I was not even close to experiencing the abundant Christian life that is offered to us. My mother had just passed away, and I knew she was now in heaven. However, even though I had received Christ into my life when I was twelve, I wasn’t sure I would go there if I should die.

Then someone invited us to attend a conference hosted by Campus Crusade for Christ International. There I learned a wonderful spiritual principle that changed my life. As the above verse states, I learned that I (and you) can’t live the Christian life. It is impossible. And I learned that’s precisely why we need Christ in us! Christ died for our sins, rose again (exercising power over death), and then He sent His Holy Spirit. The Spirit comes into our lives when we accept Christ and is always available to give us the power we need to follow Him.

What a liberating truth! God not only asks me to live like Jesus, but He gives me everything I need to do so. I just have to admit my helplessness (many times a day) and ask Him to help me want to (love my enemy, be bold in witnessing, be patient, etc.), and then He changes me from the inside. It is not about me; it is all about Him.

I tried out this concept shortly after the conference. I was not a morning person — I tended to be grumpy. The Holy Spirit pointed out to me that I was having a terrible influence on my family before they left for work and school. He also showed me that His power is not limited to after ten in the morning. I prayed, “Lord, You have made me and know everything about me. You know I am a grouch in the morning; please change me to a cheerful person.”

After a few months, my husband said to me, “Katherine, I sure appreciate your cheerfulness in the mornings.” Wow! The Lord changed me. And He continues to — whenever I admit that I need Him and ask Him to change me.

How about you? Why don’t you try it? You will like it.

By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission

If  you don’t have a relationship with Jesus, you can learn how to start one at this link:
https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws

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“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV)

Today, as God’s people, we need to be believers who know what we believe, stand upon what we believe, and act upon what we believe. We are called to know the truth and believe the truth. The truth is the eternal rock upon which our lives are built. It is the anchor point of our faith that keeps us from drifting or being pulled away by the strong currents of doubt and unbelief.

Believing comes from the very depths of who we are. Believing is not rooted in what we know in our heads or how we feel in our emotions, but in what we have embraced with our hearts.

In 2 Corinthians 4:13 we read, “I have believed, and therefore have I spoken.” That should be true of each of us. It is important for us to know what we believe in our hearts and to confess what we believe with our voices.

Too often we hear others speaking what they doubt rather than what they believe. As believers, we stand upon the truth of God and declare it to be so in our lives—we whisper it in the secret places of our hearts, and with our voices we shout it out upon the rooftops with confidence, clarity, and conviction.

Doubt questions; belief affirms.
Doubt says, “I’m not sure”; belief says, “I know and am persuaded”.
Doubt struggles with misgivings; belief is blessed with assurance.
Doubt hesitates and holds back; belief confidently moves ahead.
Doubt is suspicious; belief fully trusts.
Doubt pulls us away from the heart of God; belief draws us near.
Doubt struggles; belief overcomes.
Doubt holds back; belief surrenders.
Doubt lives in the shadows; belief steps into the light.
Doubt makes us shaky; belief puts us on solid ground.
Doubt leaves us as spiritual paupers; belief brings us into our spiritual riches in Christ.

by Roy Lessin
Used by Permission

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“But, dearly loved friends, if our consciences are clear, we can come to the Lord with perfect assurance and trust, and get whatever we ask for because we are obeying Him and doing the things that please Him” 1 John 3:21,22.

What a marvelous promise – unfortunately, a promise which few Christians are able to claim. Why? Because they do not have a clear conscience in regard to their sin and when they come to God, they cannot come with confidence that He will hear and answer them. As God’s Word reminds us in Psalm 66:18, if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. How wonderful to know that whatever sins have been committed, the shedding of Christ’s blood and His death on the cross have paid the penalty for them all. If we confess our sin of pride, lust, jealousy, gossip, dishonesty, greed, whatever it may be, we can by faith claim His forgiveness. Remember that if we agree with God concerning our sin, if we recognize Christ’s death on the cross has indeed paid the penalty for that sin, and if we repent or change our attitude, which results in a change of our action, we can know that we are forgiven. However, if there is no change of attitude and action, obviously there has been no true confession and therefore no forgiveness and cleansing.

If you have truly confessed your sins, you can come now into the presence of God with great joy and a clear conscience and have perfect assurance and trust that whatever you ask for, you will receive because you are praying according to the will and the Word of God.

Bible Reading: I John 3:18-24

One of the qualifications for supernatural living is a clear conscience. Therefore, by God’s grace I will keep my heart and motives pure through the practice of spiritual breathing knowing that when I breathe spiritually (exhale – confess, inhale – appropriate promise), I can come into God’s presence with a clear conscience and expect to receive answers to my prayers.

By Dr. Bill Bright
Used by Permission

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“But God said to Jonah, ‘Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?’ ‘It is,’ he said. ‘And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.’” Jonah 4:9

Anger is a silent killer. Not only can it fester in our hearts and cause our blood pressure to rise — it also discolours how we see things. It tightens our jaws so we grind our teeth. It tenses our lower back muscles and disturbs our sleep. So why do we hang onto it so often?

Jonah was angry — at the people of Nineveh, at God, at everything. Even the withering of a plant that had shaded him from the sun. His disposition had soured his whole outlook on life, and God called him on it. Was it right for him to be angry?

Throughout Scripture, God is said to be compassionate and slow to anger. The two go hand in hand. When compassion flows in, anger is squeezed out. The focus shifts from our feelings to the other person’s. It is no longer about who hurt us or did us an injustice. Instead, God’s love encourages us to see the “why?” behind the act.

Yes, there is such a thing as righteous anger. The Bible states that God can become angry, but not swiftly. Feelings are not factored in. No jealousy, no revenge, no hurt. Instead, the anger spurs a call to action to right a wrong, to turn a negative into a positive.

Paul warned in Ephesians 4:26,

“In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry…”

Anger is not the sin. Letting it cloud our compassion for others can be.

Dear Lord, help me to release any feelings of anger in my heart. Do not let them shackle me and keep me from seeing others with compassion as you see them. Amen.

By Julie Cosgrove
Used by Permission

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The post Unresolved Anger appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17

Thoughts on today’s verse:

How do you view God? Is he someone looking for a way to condemn you? Is he an out-of-touch old man who doesn’t really know what it’s like in our modern world? Is he too holy to soil himself with the concerns of mere mortals and has left it up to us to work everything out for ourselves? No. NO. NO! God chose to enter our world and experience it from the side of mortality. God chose to enter our world, not to condemn us, or it, but to redeem it. Jesus is the great reminder that God longs to save us, not judge us. Thank God for God! Thank God for Jesus who was God with us.

Prayer:
Holy and Heavenly God, thank you that you live with those who are contrite and repentant and who long for your presence. You know we are only mortal, but you love us. You know that we are flawed, but you redeemed us. You know that we are not perfect, but you sent Jesus as the perfect sacrifice to save us. Thank you. Through my Savior I offer my sincerest gratitude and praise. Amen.

By Phil Ware
used by permission

You can also follow Phil’s daily devotionals on https://www.verseoftheday.com

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“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

It’s crazy how easily we can talk ourselves into wanting to be more, have more, and do more. And for me, it happens most when I let the world creep in where Jesus should reside.

Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Taking delight in the Lord means that our hearts truly find peace and fulfillment in Him. If we truly find satisfaction and worth in Christ, Scripture says He will give us the longings of our hearts. The idea behind this verse and others like it is that, when we truly rejoice or “delight” in the eternal things of God, our desires will begin to parallel His, and we will never go unfulfilled.

Many delight in wealth, status, material possessions, and other temporary things of this world, but they are never satisfied. They never truly get what they want, which is why they are always wanting more.

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 which seeks pleasure. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

We will never be deeply fulfilled or “happy” with the things this world has to offer. But if we place our joy and hope in God first, He will meet all of our needs.

Have you trusted God first in your life? If not, do so today and receive the desires of your heart.

THOUGHT: What gives you pleasure in life? Does it come from the world or from Jesus?

PRAYER: Father God, help me to keep my eyes fixed on you and look to you and to you alone for true delight and pleasure in life.

By John Grant
Used by Permission
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

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There are places and times when we feel we need extra wisdom, insight, guidance and strength. We long for understanding in situations that seem confusing. We need revelation when truth is being hidden or skewed.

God provides all these things to His children through the Holy Spirit. Paul the apostle, prayed for believers to receive the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so they could know God better. This prayer is still for us today. It reflects what is available to believers… to you and me.

Why do we allow ourselves to live in confusion and even chaos when we can be equipped by the Holy Spirit of God. Do we miss the wisdom and revelation we can have from God because we drown out that quiet voice of the Spirit by our busy lives? In so doing we are actually choosing the chaos and confusion. Think about it. This is not God’s plan for you. Know He wants to equip you to walk in wisdom, revelation, strength and power right where you are. He wants you to know Him better.

Heavenly Father, Thank you that Your Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. Thank you that Your Spirit will lead me to know You better. Fill my spirit afresh today with the wisdom and revelation, the strength and comfort I need to walk in the areas that perplex me. Quiet my heart to hear Your Spirit specifically in (name your own perplexing circumstance) . Thank you that You equip me by Your Spirit. I pray these things in the name of Jesus, amen.

Thought: Think of one area where you are experiencing perplexity, confusion or chaos and invite God right now to begin to show You His wisdom in this situation.

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…”  Ephesians 1:17-20

By Gail Rodgers
Used by Permission

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“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8).

Where do you get your standard for living?

On what do you base your value system?

Do you go to the Bible to weigh your decisions?

When I was in my early 30s I made the decision to serve and follow the Lord wholeheartedly, He, through the power of the Holy Spirit, began to change my life. I began to have an insatiable craving for the Word of God. I couldn’t get enough of it. My spiritual life had been starving and now I was being fed. I began to soak up the wonderful promises of God and also became aware of the commands (not suggestions) of God.

Before that, I had always attended church; although, over the years I tended to choose what parts of the Bible I would believe and what parts I would ignore. If someone had asked me, I would have said that I believed the whole Bible as the authority of God, but I wasn’t living that way (what you do is the fruit of what you believe). I sure didn’t read the Bible everyday, nor did I ask God to direct my daily decisions and actions.

But that changed. One day, while making dinner, I was listening to a message by Dr. Henry Brandt, a Christian psychologist who gave lectures at some of the conferences we attended. He mentioned that at a point in his life he had to make the decision about what he was going to use as his standard for making decisions and giving advice. He chose the Bible.

I had never made that decision. That afternoon, in my kitchen, I made the decision that from that moment on, the Bible would become my standard for life. Anything I read or heard that was contrary to what the Bible taught, I would reject. And with that decision, I had a stability that hadn’t been there before.

Of course, in order to make decisions based on the Word of God, you have to know what is in the Bible. You have to know God’s directions. I began to study the Bible. I started by working through a series of Bible Study books, called Ten Basic Steps to Christian Maturity https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/10-basic-steps.html  About the same time, I began to read through the Bible every year.

My mind was (and still is) being renewed.

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

As my mind was being renewed, my values and standards began to line up with God’s will.

How about you? Is your life – your value system – based on the Bible? Are you sure? Have you ever consciously made a decision to make the Bible your authority for life? If not, why not do it today – right now.

Father, I need You. I recognize I have allowed the world to conform me into its mold. I have been deceived. From this day forward, I will use the Bible as my standard for life. I will read the Bible each day so my mind (and life) can be renewed by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Thank you that You are delighted with my decision, because You want the best for me. Amen.

By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

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“Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.” Mark 2:3-4

The paralyzed man had four great friends who were willing to not only carry him but, with tenacity and great effort, make a way for him to meet Jesus. Did the paralyzed man ask them to do all of this? Mark doesn’t tell us. But the next verse says that when Jesus saw the faith of his friends, he told the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven.

Wait. What? Jesus didn’t say, “Take up your mat and walk” first, which is what everyone probably expected, including the four friends. Jesus saw that something else needed to be healed first — the man’s soul. Then he healed his legs. Both acts astonished even the skeptics in the crowd. But only the latter miracle was visible.

What does this story tell us? Sometimes it takes more than one person to free someone from a life of darkness and sin. Our prayers carry people to the feet of Jesus. However, we must be willing to allow Jesus to heal in the way he deems best. That may mean taking care of something we haven’t detected in our friend or family member. Until it is removed, the person is unable to move on and accept Jesus as Savior. They are paralyzed.

Don’t ever give up on the people for whom you are praying. The Holy Spirit will help you find creative ways to bring them to Jesus. But then, you have to let the Savior do what he needs to do and trust his timing.

Lord, I often cannot see you moving in someone else’s life or see them moving towards a life with you. Keep my faith and trust strong, because you came to earth and died so that everyone might believe in you and thus be saved. Help me to see new ways to help that person see you face to face, and also to realize it is not my job alone, but may take several others, and you, Lord, acting as well. Amen.

By Julie Cosgrove
Used by Permission

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Read: Hebrews 11:23-29

As human beings, we often have a difficult time perceiving what the Lord is doing in our life.

We are limited by the passage of time, the confusion of present circumstances, and a lack of understanding regarding God’s goals and His means of accomplishing them. That’s why studying the lives of men and women in Scripture helps us see how the Lord worked in previous generations. God’s relationships with the faithful in earlier times are helpful examples for us today.

When we face uncertainty, we can look to Moses’ example. His life was unpredictable and full of hardship, yet he “endured, as seeing Him who is unseen” (Hebrews 11:27). In Greek, the root word for “endurance” refers to the capacity to bear up under difficulty. Moses successfully persevered under pressure by keeping his focus on God rather than on the events surrounding him.

From Moses’ example, we learn that this is what the Lord desires for us as well. Although we may want out of a difficult situation as soon as possible, this may not be God’s aim. It is not His goal to make us as comfortable as can be but, rather, to transform us into the image of His Son. And endurance helps us get there.

If God calls us to endure pain, hardship, or uncertainty, we can find encouragement in knowing we’re never alone. Part of “seeing Him who is unseen” is realizing that God’s grace and comfort carry us through every situation. The Lord doesn’t want us to simply grit our teeth and bear hardship; He desires that we trust Him and bring glory to His name through our dependence.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

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