10/3/2019 0 Comments The Sword: Part IOne of the reasons we sometimes avoid reading the Bible is that its truths are pointed like a sword. It can be painful to read a passage and see a mirror into your deepest heart, even when you know that cutting away some of your most rotten bits is the very thing you need most. Thank God that the One wielding the sword of the Word loves us more than any human – loves us better than we love ourselves! – and any temporary pain it causes will bring us closer to Him.
1. To use the “Christian-speak” term, have you ever found yourself convicted of your own need to change when reading the Bible? 2. Have you ever avoided reading the Bible because you know something you are doing is wrong and you don’t want to have the Word work too hard on you? Challenge: Think of one area where you need the Word to challenge your old sinful nature, and purposefully look up passages that deal directly with that topic.
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10/2/2019 0 Comments Tightening the ChinstrapGrace is free. Salvation is free. Living under the protection of salvation and grace, however, should inspire us to action. Reading the Word gives us a starting point to behave every day as though Jesus really were standing right beside us, leading us in the way that leads to life. We can’t just drink in the Bible like chocolate milk and be happy; we have to let it energize us to do and share what is right.
1. Do you find yourself passively imbibing your daily Bible reading and not letting it motivate you to act? 2. When was the last time you found a direct relationship between a Bible verse or passage and an action you took? Challenge: For part of your day, imagine Jesus walking beside you, not to criticize your every move but to encourage you to think of His Way … the Way that leads to truth and life. Invite His presence into your life more often. 10/1/2019 0 Comments Putting on the HelmetMost people don’t get a direct revelation from God, so even when the Holy Spirit boosts our reliance on God for help, we still need another way to hear God’s guidance in order to rely on His salvation for protection. Immersing ourselves in God’s Word hardens our helmets because we become surer of that salvation every time we read.
1. How often do you read the Bible each week? 2. What routines would make it even easier for you to read the Word? Challenge: Find that routine that makes it more likely for you to read the Word. Are you a night person? A morning person? Do you like to read the Bible on your phone or as a book? Even if all you have time for every week is reading the Soul Provider, make an extra effort to look up each verse when you read this devotion. |
AuthorThis devotional is written every week by Hillcrest members. Archives
April 2024
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