Desire God

 

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God is the only worthy object of our desire. Nothing else is worthy because nothing else is inherently good. Everything that is good, beautiful, lovely, sweet or excellent has traits inasmuch as it resembles God. And the happiness it brings comes only when God grants an experience of his delightfulness through it (which is why sometimes our favorite things do not bring happiness at all.)

Think of what a marvelous truth it is that God is worthy of desire. To be worthy of desire, one must be capable of fulfilling that desire. God is worthy of all desire and nothing else is worthy of any desire because nothing else has the innate capability to satisfy the appetites of the soul. The presence of God always satisfies, no exceptions, ever.

~From Delight Yourself in God: A 20-Day Devotional on Four Surprising Attributes of God. Practical Steps For Drawing Near to God and Increasing Your Love For Him by D. Richard Ferguson

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Trust Jesus On Your Journey

 

Anyone who is honest will admit that he or she is ill-equipped to go through life alone. Our all-knowing God created us with a need for His guidance. In our own strength, knowledge, and reasoning power, we are simply not able to figure out how to make the wisest decisions. But the Lord’s assuring hand at our shoulder can lead us down right paths to good choices.

The Lord is willing and able to guide us, if we will let Him. It isn’t difficult to fall in step with Him. Acknowledge that you have wandered down paths of life that led to sin and disobedience. Choose to follow His lead instead by reading the Word of God and applying biblical principles to your life. And learn to pray through both large and small decisions as you seek the path He has set for you.

Just beyond our last heartbeat lies eternity. That’s where our Savior is pointing us. The path may not be clear to our eyes, but Jesus is leading us there with a steady and sure hand. Our part is to follow in obedience so that we may reach heaven and hear the Father say, “Well done.” 

~From Pastor Charles Stanley, Intouch.org

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Let No One Limit You

 

We spend energy trying to love others, care for others, and tell others about Jesus. But when that energy is met with closed hearts and open hostility, we walk away and keep going.

We keep sharing God’s love. We keep doing God’s work. We keep doing what’s good.

It’s okay to limit relationships that limit you. While we are challenged to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44), and go the extra mile for others, we’re also encouraged not to throw our pearls to pigs—meaning that we can’t spend all of our energy on those who won’t receive our love in the first place.

So, today, consider any relationships that you might need to deep clean. Then, spend time praying about how you can set some loving boundaries.

Pray: God, thank You for Your truth. Show me any relationships in my life where I need to set boundaries, and give me the wisdom to know what those boundaries are and the courage to stick to them. Help me become a better friend to those in my circle, and show me which relationships to invest my energy in. In Jesus’ name, amen.  

 

~From Deep Clean: Getting Rid Of Shame, Toxic Influences, And Unforgiveness Devotional on YouVersion

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Who Is Jesus To You

 

Who we decide Jesus is to us is a big question with big implications for our lives. But if we study the overwhelming and compelling evidence and then choose to believe that He is who He said He is—if we can take that leap of faith and ask, “Are You really there, and are You really good?”—it can be the start of an incredible journey and adventure. An adventure into life.

That’s why the offer He made two thousand years ago still stands for us today:

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. — Matthew 11:28
 

Even today, for you and me, right now — that invitation has the power to change everything. If we let Him, He seeks us, saves us, strengthens us, supports us, and shows us how to live every day.

 

~From Soul Fuel by Bear Grylls

For God So Loved The World

 

 

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.
Micah 5:2 NKJV

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14 NKJV

I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.'
Psalm 2:7 NKJV

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 NKJV

"Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth."
Jeremiah 23:5 NKJV

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
Galatians 4:4 NKJV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 NKJV

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:18 NKJV

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
Matthew 1:23 NKJV

“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.
Isaiah 42:1-4 NKJV

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Death And Life Are In The Power of Your Tongue

 

Because we serve a God who speaks and uses His words to bring life, we are reminded that our words really do matter. They matter in our marriage, our family, the workplace, our relationships, and our church. Our words really are an overflow of what is going on in our hearts (Luke 6:45), and they have the power to shape the hearts of those whom God has surrounded us with.

In Proverb 10:21, the writer said, “The lips of the righteous nourish many.” With our words, we bring life, health, and good things to those we encounter. We make others better by what rolls off our tongue. With our lips, we are to avoid gossip, slander, malice, and idle talk, which steal life instead of nourishing it.

We can nourish those around us with words of encouragement. Speaking truth in love. Sharing our appreciation. Building others up with the truth and promises of God’s Word. We nourish others when we speak with gentleness and compassion. We bring life when we choose not to speak words that could easily be used as weapons. 

How are you using your words? Do your words bring nourishment to those around you? Take a moment and prayerfully consider how your words are bringing life or death to those you are closest to. Let’s pursue the righteousness described in Proverbs — being one who uses her words to nourish not just some, but many!

Lord, You are a God who speaks. As I reflect who You are to those around me, help me use my words wisely. Give me grace to “nourish many” with my lips. I confess that my words are not always used in a way that honors You. Forgive me and teach me to love and serve those around me with the words You give me. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

 

~From Settle My Soul by Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk

 

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Put On Your Shoes of Peace

 

 

The devil is not really after your car or your job or your house. No, not really. He’s after your peace, your joy, your hope, and your faith. He wants to spoil the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control—in your life by tempting you to walk in the flesh.

Decide each day to put on your shoes of peace. Make a decision that nothing is going to steal the peace Jesus gave you. Choose to stay peaceful when the enemy is hitting you with his best shot. Seek peace with everyone around you, even when they are striving against you. Hold your peace!

 

 ~From 101 Tactics for Spiritual Warfare by Jennifer LeClaire 

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God Is Faithful

 

 

When you doubt God’s trustworthiness, that unbelief becomes a gap in your spiritual armor, and you can be sure that’s exactly where Satan will attack you. You’ll begin to doubt even more about God’s character, such as His goodness—and that distrust will become a heavy load of baggage you’ll needlessly drag through every area of your life. You might feel that you do not have enough faith to obey, but the Lord isn’t asking you to have faith in favorable circumstances. He’s asking you to trust that He is who He says He is.

Do you believe that God is a liar? It’s really that simple: either He is truthful or He’s not. But if you believe that faithfulness is His character, then you can do anything He requires. You’ll be strengthened by your dependence on Him—whether a deluge or trials or a flood of blessing comes.

It’s actually when life gets rough and rugged that the sweetness of God’s faithfulness makes itself real in your heart. As you walk through those storms in complete reliance on His strength, your trust in His character becomes part of who you are and strengthens from within.

 

~From Pastor Charles Stanley, Intouch.org

 

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Ask Jesus For Help With Your Unbelief

 

 

 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”

Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”

He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Mark 9:14-24 NKJV

Truthfully, there’s such humility in this man’s response. He has faith in Jesus. He’s likely heard of the great miracles, feedings, healings, resurrections, and the casting out of demons in others. He had likely heard the rumblings that this Jesus could in fact be the long-awaited Savior of the world. It's clear that he believed Jesus was his best chance to see his son healed and whole. So, he puts his trust in Jesus, but humbly admits his faith is not as strong as it should be. And could you blame him? This oppression has consumed his life and destroyed whatever grand hopes and dreams he had for his boy. He has faith; he believes if anyone can help, it would be Jesus . . . but after years of failed attempts to save his son, hopelessness is threatening to overtake him.

I think we can all sympathize with this man whose belief wavered in the face of seemingly hopeless circumstances. And when we experience moments like this—and we will—we shouldn’t condemn ourselves or be filled with guilt at how terrible a Christian we are. No! We must do like this man did and humbly ask the giver of everything good and perfect to give us the gift of faith in greater measure! We can say to our Savior: Jesus, I believe, but I'm weak and often struggle to see beyond my circumstances and experiences, so please help me overcome the areas of unbelief!

He can make miracles out of our mustard seeds. He can take our little faith, and our areas of unbelief, and bring healing, rescue, and help as He nurtures, develops, and grows our faith.

Pray: Father, I believe in You. I believe in Your Son. I know You are who You say You are, and You are faithful, powerful, good, and loving. I believe, and ask You to help me overcome my unbelief in the areas where I still struggle, where I’m still fearful, where I have doubt, and where I feel hopeless. Amen.  

 

~From The Study of Mark Devotional on YouVersion 

 

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Study, Then Act On God's Word

 

No shortage of Bible studies fills book stores and web sites, offering up unique topics and teachings about God’s Word. You are reading one right now. God wants us to read and hear His message of grace and truth. But He wants us to do more than that: He expects us to act upon what we’ve learned.

This passage opens with a warning still repeated—and needed—in modern culture: “Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.(James 1:19)” Anger, James says, does not produce godly righteousness. Listening, with patience and perseverance, allows us to receive “with meekness” the word of God. We find the source of abundant life in the scriptures, not in our own impulsive, selfish emotions.

James is writing to religious people. They know God’s law. But James keeps pushing them, and us, to take the next step. Don’t just hear it—do it! Don’t just reject the immorality of the culture around you, but also be careful about your own anger and pride. Let your faith show up in your actions.

Do you think of religion as a good thing or not? Do you think your colleagues consider religion a good thing? A lot of people these days consider themselves “spiritual but not religious.” To them, religion seems narrow, restrictive, maybe even hateful toward people outside the religion. But when believers behave according to the Bible’s teaching, we look for opportunities to care for those people around us, especially those in the most need.

And beyond that, are you careful about what you say? Maybe you consider yourself religious, too. Maybe you have been a Christian for some time now. You have this faith thing figured out. But James keeps pushing us to put feet to our words, to live what we say we believe.

Do we listen more than we speak?
Do we keep our anger in check?
Are we careful about what we say?
Do we put into practice what we hear in God’s Word?
Do we let God’s implanted Word grow within us?
So what is the next step for you? What issue is James calling you to confront?  

~From The Book of James With Francis Chan: A 12-Day Video Bible Study on YouVersion

 

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Scriptural Affirmations - Healing

 

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
Galatians 3:13 NKJV

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Romans 8:11 NKJV

Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 1:31 NKJV

And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 16:19 NKJV

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
1 Peter 2:24 NKJV

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”
Matthew 8:17 NKJV

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise.
Jeremiah 17:14 NKJV

O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.
Psalm 30:2 NKJV

 

Repeat after me:

 

Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law. Therefore, I forbid any sickness or disease to come upon this body. Every disease germ and every virus that touches this body dies instantly in the name of Jesus. Every organ and every tissue of this body functions in the perfection to which God created it to function, and I forbid any malfunction in this body, in the name of Jesus. 

 

For more affirmations, check out God's Creative Power Will Work For You by Charles Capps

 

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It's Not About Your Feelings

 

 

It’s not about feelings. How we feel is not an indication of how things actually are. It’s not as if God doesn’t love us if we don’t feel loved. He does. He always has, and always will. The real truth and meaning of life doesn’t change based on how we feel. Have faith in this. Give thanks and be grateful, because we have an amazing gift—the gift of God. Remember—be aware. Never forget the real truths are always true. Our feelings don’t change that.

 

 

~From The Nature of God: 50 Christian Devotions About God’s Love and Acceptance (God’s Love Book 1) by Mona M. Hanna

 

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Your Inner Is More Important

 

 

The Lord calls us to be people of inner substance, not just outward appearance. We are to demonstrate the reality of His presence in us by an attitude of humility. “He who is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11).

In living for Jesus, our content is far more important than our cover. We are here for more than show. — David McCasland

Let my will be lost in God’s will,
Ask no question; seek no place;
Render humblest duties gladly,
Showing forth His truth and grace. — Anon.

If God controls you on the inside, you’ll be genuine on the outside. 

 

~From Our Daily Bread Devotional by David McCasland on YouVersion

Study God's Word to Enrich Your Life

 

 

God’s Word is a deep mine of treasures waiting to be discovered by those who are willing to search and careful in their application. That takes wisdom and understanding, as well as time to listen to the Lord. Sometimes believers avoid Scripture because they don’t know what it means for them. But if you read the Bible seeking to know what God is saying and how He would have you apply it, Scripture becomes rich and meaningful—and a powerhouse for getting you through all of life’s challenging times.

 

~From Pastor Charles Stanley, Intouch.org 

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Stand on God's Promises

 

 

 

Without question, God wants us to hope in the promises He has made regarding temporal blessings here and now. He has promised to provide for our temporal needs, to comfort and shepherd us in the valley of the shadow of death, to satisfy and delight our souls, to guide us, to protect us, to show us fatherly compassion, to listen to our cries, and to bless us with his presence in general. If God did not want us to place hope in those promises, he would not have revealed them to us.

 

~From Delight Yourself in God: A 20-Day Devotional on Four Surprising Attributes of God. Practical Steps for Drawing Near to God and Increasing Your Love For Him by D. Richard Ferguson

 

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Don't Give Up Your Dream, Stand In Faith

 

 

Whatever dream God has put in your heart, stand in faith, believing He can bring it to pass. Each day, as you pursue the promise He has given you, make it a habit to say, "God is working!" You may not know all the details of how it is going to work out, but that's okay.

God knows everything from the beginning to the end (see Isaiah 46:9-10). He is in control, and He can bring it to pass!

Resist the trap of falling into a passive attitude that says, "Well, we'll just see what happens." You weren't created to be a passive "we'll see what happens" kind of person. Instead, you can be spiritually active, even when you feel you are in a season of waiting on God.

When we pray, believe, make faith-filled declarations, and seek God for direction, these are all actions steps. And these action steps offer great reward.

David said in Psalm 37:13 (AMP), I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

True waiting on God is never a passive place where you're doing absolutely nothing. You may be waiting physically, but you can stay spiritually active, seeking God's direction and putting your belief and trust in Him, actively recalling to mind your dream on a daily basis.

~From "The Growth of a Dream," Enjoying Everyday Life Magazine by Joyce Meyer  

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You Need The Holy Spirit

 

The Spirit is absolutely essential for fulfilling the mission we have been given. . . . So great is our need for the Spirit that we are commanded to walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16), be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18), pray in the Spirit (Jude v. 20), and put sin to death by the Spirit (Rom. 8:13), among other things.

 

~From The Francis Chan Collection: Crazy Love, Forgotten God, Erasing, and Multiply by Francis Chan, Preston M. Sprinkle, Mark Beuving

 

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Joy In Christ

 

Too often we are taught a small, human-centered gospel. Women are pelted with Christian messages about how special we are, how beautiful we are, and how happy Jesus wants us to be. This message is all over the place in books, blogs, and Instagram posts. After a while these messages begin to distort the gospel communicating the idea that Christ died mostly to help us like ourselves. These popular messages are thinly veiled self-help words whose greatest ideal is high self-esteem. “Joy in Christ” is about enjoying the lives we have, and not a whole lot more.

God doesn’t give us joy to hoard and keep at home. He wants us to take it to the world. 

 

~From Defiant Joy: A Study On Philippians Devotional on YouVersion

 

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What Spiritual Means In The Bible

 

 

In the Bible, the word spiritual isn’t a generic word used to refer to the nonphysical world or to a “religious” person. Rather, spiritual means specifically something that is related to the work of the Holy Spirit. For example, the Bible refers to people who make up the church as “a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5) since the Spirit dwells in the church (1 Corinthians 3:16), salvation is a “spiritual blessing” (Romans 15:27) because a person is born again by the Holy Spirit (John 3:6-8), and one can sing “spiritual songs” as they are “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18-19 ESV). Again, spiritual simply means having to do with the work of the Holy Spirit.

This definition of spiritual implies that to be Spirit-filled is not the same as being emotional. Certainly, the Spirit may be experienced in a way that stirs the emotions and leads a person to exclaim, “God is really among you!” (1 Corinthians 14:25). Nevertheless, when the Bible mentions experiencing the Spirit, it rarely discusses what the experience was like or the emotions it might have aroused. Instead, the focus is placed on the life-changing results of the experience.

Biblical spirituality refers first and foremost to the ways in which the Spirit shapes us to become more like Jesus Christ.

After the Spirit descended upon Jesus at His baptism, Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 4:1), even “without limit” (John 3:34). As a result, Jesus cast out demons “by the Spirit of God” (Matthew 12:28), and He engaged in all kinds of ministry “in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14).

All Jesus was and did when He walked on earth, then, indicates what it means to be spiritual. 

~From Simply Spirit-Filled by Andrew Gabriel

God Will Work On You

 

 

Arriving at this flourishing finish isn’t a passive thing. God is doing this great work in us, and He has promised to keep at it. But will we keep at it too? Will we learn to appreciate the work in progress, to listen to how He is calling us to grow, to pursue Him in the midst of the in-between? We are all becoming more like Him, and we have the privilege of joining Him in that work.  

 

~From Philippians: Living For What Really Matters by Teresa Swanstrom Anderson on YouVersion 

 

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Worship Christ And Overcome Sin

 

 

Christians’ actions confirm their salvation.

Since they have been confirmed by Christ in the past, they are submitting to Him in the present. People doing battle with sin evidence that they belong to Christ. These are Christ’s people.

Whoever says ‘I know Him’ but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked. — 1 John 2:4-6

How can we know that we are saved? If we are obeying God. If we are fighting sin.

Why is fighting sin important? Because by it we confirm our salvation. Notice that the text does not say, “in him truly the love of God is perfect,” but “in him truly the love of God is perfected.” It is a process. Those who truly know Jesus keep His commands. The fact of the former produces the latter. The existence of the latter gives proof to the former.

We do not work at killing sin and obeying God so that we might earn our salvation. We go through the hard fight because we know that Jesus has already purchased the ticket. It is a joyful confirmation that comes out of the knowledge of a fully paid fare. And we can’t wait to get where we are going.

Sin kills.

The wages of sin is death. — Romans 6:23

The pursuit of sin ends in your death. But this is not a quick death (Genesis 3:16-19). Sin kills you slowly and painfully. Sin is not something you enjoy now and pay for later. Sin is painful now and deadly later, no matter what lies it has told you to the contrary (Romans 7:11).

Jesus took the penalty of death brought about by sin (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18). This is a reality as real as the irrevocable “not guilty” sentence passed by a judge in a court of law. However, Jesus does not just want to forgive the penalty of death in our lives. Jesus wants us to experience the healing power of removing death from our lives. He came to give us a full life, where sin and self-salvation had only brought death and destruction (John 10:10).

We fight sin to be made well. We will be perfectly healed when Jesus returns (1 John 3:2). But now every step we take toward Christ and away from sin is a step out of sickness and into health. Each step toward a healthier life confirms the guarantee Christ gave us in His resurrection, provides a greater joy in life now, and enflames our hearts to worship God.

When we look to the cross, we see that Jesus has decidedly killed sin in our lives — so we worship. Our worshipful response to our sin’s death results in the worshipful activity of putting our sin to death. But here is the unexpected truth of the gospel-motivated fight with sin. In worshiping God we become like Him. The deception of the tree is made true by the gospel. We are being made into the image of the one we worship (2 Corinthians 3:18). In worshiping God through the gospel, we receive freely what self-salvation could never provide us, despite all our work. Killing sin is from worship and for worship. Glory to God! He is making us like himself.


~From Rewire Your Heart by David Bowden 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!