The Daily Dose

Put away the past

But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.”  Galatians 1:23

Have you ever had thoughts that you were not qualified to be in ministry?  Maybe that you don’t have the training or the perfect attitude?  Maybe you feel unqualifies because of something you have done in the past?  In today scripture we see the Apostle Paul struggling with this very thing.  He goes through a long list of activity that happened after his conversion on the Damascus Road.  He gives his testimony here of how he was on the path of being trained for the priesthood.  He was excelling in his training above most of those he was training with.  Because of the drive in him to excel, he began to persecute the new believers in Christ Jesus.  Then he talks about how God separated him from that, but after God called him, he didn’t go directly into ministry.  He spent time growing in his faith and renewing his mind in walking by the directions of the Holy Spirit.  Certainly, he knew God’s ways. He had spent his entire life being trained in the scriptures and the laws of the priesthood.  However, it wasn’t until he met God personally that he realized God had more for him.

All through Paul’s writings, we can see that he did not dwell in the fact that he was on a serious track against God’s plan.  He didn’t let his past stop him from completing the assignment God had on his life.  He did take some time to grow, but then he got on track and ran his race fervently and zealously. By the time he started his ministry, his testimony was “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy” (Gal.1:23)

Today I want to encourage you to not let your past stop you from accomplishing all God has for you here in this world.  Let Him use the things in your past to reach others.  Whatever it is, good or bad, God can use it.  Paul had good in that he was studying the scripture, but he also had the bad in that he persecuted the church.  God used both.  He will do the same for you.  Your part is to surrender it all to Him and say.  Father God, here is my life, good and bad. Take it and make something out of it that will glorify You for all eternity.  He will lead you to the perfect path of life where you will live fully satisfied and complete.

Today’s scripture reading:  Galatians 1:11-24

Distractions

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel.  Galatians 1:6

Yesterday I talked about the grace and peace that Paul offered to the body of believers in Galatia in his letter to them.  We talked about how there are many different greetings and that he offered grace and peace because that was where they needed to turn the attention.  Today’s verse sheds a little bit of light on that.  Paul is marveling at how soon they have turned away from the grace of their salvation in Christ Jesus.  In this passage he goes on to talk about how they are following after twisted gospels.  In essence, they are being distracted by teachings other than Christ Jesus and Him crucified. These ideas were distraction that lured them away from the faith they had when they first believed.

Distraction and twisted gospels are still among us today.  If you don’t purpose to keep your faith strong, you will be easily turned to look in the direction of the noise of the world.  Whether its work, media or activity, life today can pull you away from the thing that you once held in the highest esteem.  Even though the distractions of life where not exactly what the Galatians were up against, the message is the same.  Our focus and main priority needs to remain on our walk and relationship with our Heavenly Father through Jesus our Savior.  His grace is what empowers us to be successful in our faith walk.

The Apostle Paul goes on in this letter to talk about how he separated himself from the former life he had.  He went away to take some time to prepare for the ministry God had called him to.  He put away the distractions of life so that he could focus on growing in in the grace God had put into his life. This is the same thing we can do today.  Although we may not be able to move away from the life we have now, we can pull away from some of the distractions and spend more time with our Father.  Even if we don’t know right now the plans and purposes He has for us, as we turn our attention to Him more each day, He will begin to reveal these things to us and give us a starting point.

Today I want to encourage you to pull away from the distractions of the life.  Set special time aside each day to spend with your Heavenly Father.  Establish an appointed time that you dedicate completely to communing with Him and then make that appointment your most important commitment each day.  Ask the LORD to reveal His plans for your life and then begin to follow the steps He gives to take you there.  Grow in the grace and peace He offers today and complete down to the last detail all the assignments He has for your life.

Today’s scripture reading:  Galatians 1:6-10

Grace and Peace

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, Galatians 1:3

This scripture is the greeting that the Apostle Paul used in his letter to the people of the church at Galatia.  It’s an interesting greeting in that he starts by giving grace to them  He says “I’m sending grace and peace to your from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ”.  How can he write this message?  Did He get permission from God and Jesus to offer grace and peace to those in Galatia?  The answer is yes!  Grace and peace are for all God’s people, and necessary to live life and complete each assignment.  Again, Paul doesn’t qualify this offer with, if it is God’s will. He knows it is God’s will for all the members of the body of Christ to have grace and peace?  He knows that God freely gave them to him at his conversion and also gives them to all believer that receive the Lord Jesus as Savior.

This may sound like a simple concept, but why did he choose these to aspects of salvation as his greeting?  Grace and peace.  We read a couple days ago that the Apostle John offered prosperity and health in his letter. So there are many different ways that the letters were addressed.  The reason, I believe is because that is what they needed.  Paul starts his letter by letting the Galatians know that grace and peace are available and this is what he wants to draw their attention to.  God’s unlimited grace and excessive peace.  As we read through this book of Galatians, notice the trouble the people at Galatia are having, then decide if the solution is indeed grace and peace for all their trouble.

Secondly, although this offer of grace and peace was sent to the Galatians hundreds of years ago, it is still available today for you and me.  Glory to God.  God’s unlimited grace and excessive peace are still here for us to walk in each day.  Not only that, but we can give them to others just as the Apostle Paul did.  We can greet each other with words of encouragement and remember that, Hey, grace is available to get you through the day and peace is there to calm the storm you are facing.  Instead of getting down in the dumps with those who are already down, give a word of truth that will remind them they are a child of God and more than a conqueror. The best part about this is that you already know that grace and peace are God’s will in every situation!

Today I want to encourage you to remember that grace and peace belong to you.  As a born again child of God, you don’t have to be knocked off course and have your world rocked every time a new problem comes along.  The storms will not stop, but you always have a way through by riding on the grace and goodness of God’s love and peace!  Take that with you and then share it as you have the opportunity.  Also, Help others to navigate their storms by remembering that grace and peace are theirs to carry them through.

Today’s scripture reading:  Galatians 1:1-5

Prosper your soul part 2

Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers. 3 John 1:5

As I wrote yesterday about steps to take to prosper your inner person, I consider that there is more to this than just your “input”.  I talked about the way you eat food to strengthen your physical body and compared it to what we take in through our other senses to feed our soul.  As I thought about this some more, it occurred to me that exercising is another aspect of prospering your soul.  We do physical exercise to build our body’s muscles to become healthier, stronger and more energetic.  Likewise, we can exercise what is put into our soul to reinforce the prospering of the elements that are being “put into” it. 

Let me explain.  Today’s verse talks about how this fellow believer was serving others.  In that way he was displaying the “prosperity” of his soul or what was on the inside of his heart.  He was showing his love for others in his acts of kindness and service.  It was an outward expression of what was on the inside of him.  He was “exercising” his soulish muscles by loving on others.

This is a practical step to take in your walk with the LORD and other believers.  As you grow in your faith and plant yourself in the house of the LORD (church building) some of your first steps can be serving in the church building.  As you continue to grow, you will begin to recognize opportunities to serve beyond the walls and ministry will begin to grow in your heart.  Connect with other believers that can help you to learn and understand the direction the Holy Spirit may be leading and determine to complete the assignments that God has put on your life to impact the world around you.  Stop sitting around “binge” feeding your soul on the spiritual junk food of world controversies and social media.  Instead, feed your inner person on the things of God that will last forever.

Today I want to encourage you to take next steps beyond what you are feeding your soul through looking, watching and listening.  Begin to step out and exercise the prospering that is going on inside of you.  Start looking for opportunities to serve others and show the love of God.  Ask the LORD to lead you to those who may need a helping hand or some encouraging words.  Don’t let your soul be weighted down by the poverty of the world’s input, prosper your soul by sharing the richness of His love everywhere you are.

Today’s scripture reading: 3 John 5-12

Prosper your soul

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.  3 John 1:2

Here we are in 3^rd John.  It starts out with a greeting to a fellow believer who is faithful and generous.  In verse 2 the Apostle John says, he is praying for his friend to prosper and be in health.  Notice he doesn’t qualify this prayer with “if it is God’s will”.  No, he is quite confident that God wants His people to be successful in what they are called to and to be in good health to get the job done.  The qualification seems to be on the part of the person receiving this blessing.  John tells him to prosper and be in health in the same way that he is prospering and healthy on the inside.  In his soul.

So, the question today is: How does a person prosper and have a healthy soul?  The soul part of a person is their mind, will and emotions.  It is what is on the inside of an individual.  If a person is overly emotional and loses control easily whether in anger or disappointment, we generally consider that individual to be weak in spirit/soul.  Usually  those with strength on the inside will project that on the outside in their daily disciplines. However, the scripture seems to give the impression of the soul growing or continually strengthening.  The key is in what you are feeding your soul.  What you take inside of your heart through your eyes and ears are what is feeding your soul.  Just as you put food into your mouth to feed your body, you are putting things continually into your soul through your other senses.  Jesus talks about this in Matthew 6:22 & 23.  He said your eyes are the lamp of your body, so if you are looking at “healthy” things (such as God’s Word, praise and worship) your whole body will be full of the light of God’s love and goodness.

Because life happens, we cannot always control what we see and hear, but on the occasions that we can control it, make a conscience effort to feed your soul with the things of God and life.  Limit your intake of news and other sources of world media.  Instead, focus on the good things God wants to lead you too and is doing in your life and the life of those around you.  If you feel like your external circumstances are controlling your life, this is a good indicator that your soul is not prospering.

Today I want to encourage you to prosper and be in health at the same rate that your soul (inner person) is prospering and being healthy.  If you do not like the results you are seeing on the outside of your life, consider what you are allowing to get on the inside.  Your inside person is controlling your outside circumstances, so decide today to prosper your soul by letting God direct what you are feeding your soul.

Today’s scripture reading: 3 John

Look at yourselves

Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.  2 John 1:8

This is good advice and something we each should be doing daily.  A self-examination.  Looking inside your heart each day to make sure you are on the course that has been plotted out for you. 

Today’s scripture is an admonishing to look out that you don’t lose the things you have worked for.  This is not your salvation, because there are no works great enough to obtain salvation.  Eternal salvation is only through the sacrificial blood of Jesus.  Salvation is the starting ground and we all start at the same place when we become a new believer.  (After that,)Now the choice is ours to move forward in our walk with Him or stop there and never grow up in the things of God.  This is why we need to look at our spiritual walk continually.  Are we spending time each day with Him and learning more about Him each day?  Do you talk with Him and focus on Him and His plan for your life or are you distracted with the things that you want to accomplish each day?

The scripture says that our eternal rewards are based on how we have lived here in this world and the works we have done that will stand through fire and judgement.  So, what are these works?   They are our works of love toward others.  The previous book of 1 John is all about our love walk.  The way we love others is truly what God is looking at.  He has been our example in the life of Jesus and desires for us to follow that pattern.  Truly loving others from the heart is what brings completeness into our life.  Giving words and act of kindness/goodness from a sincere heart without ulterior motive or grudgingly is what will last forever.  Galatians 6 tells us that we will reap what we have sown.  Sow the love of God today to ensure you receive your full reward.

Today I want to encourage you to look inside your heart and motives for doing things.  Don’t lose the things you have worked for by being puffed up with pride. Humbly ask God today where and how to show His love to others.  As you go through your day, busy with what needs to be done, watch for those people that come along who need an encouraging word or kind gesture.  Walk in the love of God each day and you will, without a doubt receive your full reward.

Today’s scripture reading: John 2

The great conspiracy

We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.  1 John 5:19

This is a disturbing phrase.  It reminds me of movies where only a few people know what is actually going on in the world and the rest of the people are oblivious.  It is actually true.  The whole world is in oblivion to the deception of the wicked one, Satan.  Whether it’s by fame, fortune or fun, the people around us are completely wrapped up in living for the now. Blinded by this short life and living only for the short pleasures this world can offer.  The only future they consider is to accumulate enough money, so they don’t have to go to a job every day, their “retirement” plan.  It is beyond me that even though we see people die everyday somewhere in the world, there never seems to be any preparation for what is after this life.  It’s like people don’t even believe there is an afterlife, life.

Thank goodness for the first part of today’s verse that says: We know we belong to God.  There are a few people in the world that know the truth.  The truth that Christ Jesus came into the world to set us free from the power of sin and darkness.  That we have been bought back from the sway of the evil one, and now we are God’s secret agents.  We are the ones that go back out there to take the blind people aside and show them the light.  We are the ones that our Heavenly Father has called on to help those who have no hope and are lost in hopelessness and despair.  We are the ones that are on a secret mission to lead all those deceived ones to the unconditional love of God so they can experience it in their everyday life.

That is our mission, purpose and reason we get up each day, to help other prepare for their future, their eternal future.  To tell of the good news that there is something more.  Something beyond this world and this short life.  When you finish here in this world, you don’t just go to sleep and never exist again. No, you will live for all eternity in one of two places.  With your Heavenly Father who gives life, peace and comfort or in a place separated from God in a dark eternal pit of torment.  The choice seems pretty obvious.

Today I want to encourage you to be “of God”.  Become His secret agent and get your mission to rescue the perishing.  Get your assignment and let God deploy you into the field of your training and expertise.  Start by spending quiet time with God each morning.  Talk to Him about the plans He has for you today.  Ask Him to make plain and clear the lives you are to expose the darkness in and be ready to be called upon at a moments notice.  Then put aside the attitude of “I don’t want to do that” anytime you sense a nudging or idea in a certain direction of a person. Be willing to take the step of faith to change a life forever.

Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 7:13-23

Keep yourself from sin

We know that whoever is born of God does not continue in sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.  1 John 5:18

Wow!  What a great promise!  When you keep yourself from continual sin, the wicked one cannot touch you.  That doesn’t mean he will never try.  Storms are inevitable and even Jesus said that because you are in this sinful world, you will have troubles (John 16:33).  Thank goodness He didn’t stop there.  He said we are to be glad about it because He overcame the world and gave us the victory.  Just like we read back in verse 4 of this same chapter in 1 John, anyone born of God overcomes this world and we do it  with our faith!  Glory to God! 

Let’s stop and talk a minute about storms.  Have you ever been in a storm?  I’m talking about a physical rain, snow or some other kind of weather storm.  Even though there are various kinds of inclement weather that we may encounter in a lifetime, there is one thing that all storms have in common. . . they all come to an end.  Think about it, every storm that ever came on the face of the earth has ended.  There is no eternal weather storm going on in this world.  Even the great flood that Noah went through had an end to it.  It is the same way with our life’s storms.  Whatever kind of struggle, turmoil or trouble the evil one brings your way, it will come to an end.  According to this scripture, it can always be a good end.  It does come back to your faith, however.  It is not an automatic thing.  Faith is the victory that overcomes this world (1 John 5:4).

Today I want to encourage you if you are going through a storm, it will have an end.  Take this time to press into your Heavenly Father by faith and follow Him to the other side.  Whatever you are going through, your Father is bigger and will get you through.  Believe Him, trust Him and follow the direction He gives until the struggle is over.  If you are not in a storm right now, prepare for coming storms by learning to hear and follow the inner voice of God’s Holy Spirit.  Then stay close to your Heavenly Father as you walk through each day.  Then when trouble does come, you will be close and can call on Him for direction.  In this world there will always be trouble, but be of good cheer!  He has overcome it all!

Today’s scripture reading: 1 John 5:18-21

            Prayer changes things

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14&15

So, a few weeks ago, I had a dream.  It wasn’t a good dream either.  It was a dream about many of the most important people in my life.  In my dream each person’s life was very different than in reality.  Bad circumstances, bad surroundings and bad behavior.  When I woke up, I felt sick and saddened until the realization came that it was only a dream.  My next thoughts were maybe something bad was going to happen in the future, but then a sense of knowing hit me.  As if to say, “Prayer changes things.”  It was like instantly I could see that the people I have been praying for would have gone some different direction if I hadn’t been lifting them up and trusting their lives to God each day.  It completely impacted me and even “woke me up” to the fact, that prayer does indeed change things.  If you are a praying person, you really have no idea just how much your prayers are impacting those around you, but rest assured, they are making a world of difference.

I think most of us know and believe this, but if that is the case, why don’t we do more of it?  I’m talking about spending more time interceding, not only for our loved ones, but even those we work with and events happening around the world.  Do we really believe our prayers are that effective?  Today’s key verse is proof that we can know that we have the petitions we bring before God.  The things that He lays on our heart to pray for are the things He wants to accomplish through your prayers.  They are His will to be done as we pray them out of the heavenly realm into this earth.

Jesus taught us this in His instruction for prayer.  He told us to pray for God’s will to be done in this world just like it is in heaven.  If it was going to happen without us praying for it, why would He tell us we need to pray this way and in this manner.  In essence, Jesus taught us that when we pray God’s plans to be done here in this world, we are opening up the doorway from heaven to release His plan into this world.  Otherwise, He wouldn’t need us to pray for it.  The fact is that praying does change things.  I know it and I’ve seen it.  Now I want to live by it.  I hope you will too.  God knows it and that’s the way He set things up.  Calling on God opens the door to bring His will from heaven to earth.

Today I want to encourage you to consider if you really do believe that prayer changes things.  Next, consider how much time do you actually spend praying God’s plans into this world.  Whether it’s for your family, your friends or missions around the world, take inventory of your prayer life today.  Lastly, consider cutting out some unimportant activity each day that can be replaced with additional time interceding for those you love and God’s plans to come.  I would also ask that you pray for our country and the election coming up.  Tune into God’s agenda and let His will be done on earth just like it is in heaven.

Today’s scripture reading: 1 John 5:14-17

            Know you have eternal life

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.  1 John 5:13

Do you have a salvation verse?  It’s a verse that you have selected to remind yourself that your salvation in Christ Jesus is steadfast and eternal.  1 John 5:13 is mine.  It is a passage that my father taught me when I was a young believer.  He especially pointed out the word know in this scripture.  He wanted me to understand that God wants us to know that our eternity is secure in the salvation plan that He offers.  He doesn’t want us to receive Jesus into our lives one day and then the next day wonder if He is still there? 

It was a good lesson to learn for sure!  One that I want to share with others.  Especially if you are a new believer, the enemy often brings questions that can cause us to wonder if something really did happen when we received salvation.  The fact is, because salvation is an act of faith, it can actually take some time for it to feel like a reality in your life.  However, as you begin to turn your habits and activities toward God’s way, you will soon feel secure in His love for you.  That doesn’t mean doubts will never come again.  Inevitably, you will make a mistake and miss it from time to time.  That’s when you will need to remember your salvation scripture.  It doesn’t have to be this particular scripture, you can choose whatever speaks to your heart.  You can even ask the LORD to direct you to just the perfect scripture for you to solidify your salvation in.  He will, then you can learn it and review it often.  Then when the enemy comes along and tries to throw some doubt and unbelief your way, you can pull that passage out and throw it right back at him.

Today I want to encourage you to start looking for and asking for a salvation assurance verse.  If you already have one, review it often and remember that great love that your Heavenly Father has for you.  Your salvation in the LORD Jesus is eternal, and He wants to be sure that you know it and never forget it!

Today’s scripture reading: 1 John 5:9-13