Daily Devotional Thursday December 1st

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives” 2 Peter 3:10-11 NIV

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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning

"And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this."
2 Chronicles 25:9

A very important question this seemed to be to the king of Judah, and possibly it is of even more weight with the tried and tempted O Christian. To lose money is at no times pleasant, and when principle involves it, the flesh is not always ready to make the sacrifice. "Why lose that which may be so usefully employed? May not the truth itself be bought too dear? What shall we do without it? Remember the children, and our small income!" All these things and a thousand more would tempt the Christian to put forth his hand to unrighteous gain, or stay himself from carrying out his conscientious convictions, when they involve serious loss. All men cannot view these matters in the light of faith; and even with the followers of Jesus, the doctrine of "we must live" has quite sufficient weight.

The Lord is able to give thee much more than this is a very satisfactory answer to the anxious question. Our Father holds the purse-strings, and what we lose for his sake he can repay a thousand-fold. It is ours to obey his will, and we may rest assured that he will provide for us. The Lord will be no man's debtor at the last. Saints know that a grain of heart's-ease is of more value than a ton of gold. He who wraps a threadbare coat about a good conscience has gained a spiritual wealth far more desirable than any he has lost. God's smile and a dungeon are enough for a true heart; his frown and a palace would be hell to a gracious spirit. Let the worst come to the worst, let all the talents go, we have not lost our treasure, for that is above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Meanwhile, even now, the Lord maketh the meek to inherit the earth, and no good thing doth he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Evening

"Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels."
Revelation 12:7

War always will rage between the two great sovereignties until one or other be crushed. Peace between good and evil is an impossibility; the very pretence of it would, in fact, be the triumph of the powers of darkness. Michael will always fight; his holy soul is vexed with sin, and will not endure it. Jesus will always be the dragon's foe, and that not in a quiet sense, but actively, vigorously, with full determination to exterminate evil. All his servants, whether angels in heaven or messengers on earth, will and must fight; they are born to be warriors--at the cross they enter into covenant never to make truce with evil; they are a warlike company, firm in defence and fierce in attack. The duty of every soldier in the army of the Lord is daily, with all his heart, and soul, and strength, to fight against the dragon.

The dragon and his angels will not decline the affray; they are incessant in their onslaughts, sparing no weapon, fair or foul. We are foolish to expect to serve God without opposition: the more zealous we are, the more sure are we to be assailed by the myrmidons of hell. The church may become slothful, but not so her great antagonist; his restless spirit never suffers the war to pause; he hates the woman's seed, and would fain devour the church if he could. The servants of Satan partake much of the old dragon's energy, and are usually an active race. War rages all around, and to dream of peace is dangerous and futile.

Glory be to God, we know the end of the war. The great dragon shall be cast out and forever destroyed, while Jesus and they who are with him shall receive the crown. Let us sharpen our swords tonight, and pray the Holy Spirit to nerve our arms for the conflict. Never battle so important, never crown so glorious. Every man to his post, ye warriors of the cross, and may the Lord tread Satan under your feet shortly!

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Today's reading: Ezekiel 37-39, 2 Peter 2 (NIV)

View today's reading on Bible Gateway

Today's Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 37-39

The Valley of Dry Bones

¹ The hand of the LORD was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. ² He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. ³ He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign LORD, you alone know.”

⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! ⁵ This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breathenter you, and you will come to life. ⁶ I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them....

...read the rest on Bible Gateway

Today's New Testament reading: 2 Peter 2

False Teachers and Their Destruction

¹ But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. ³ In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping....

...read the rest on Bible Gateway

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Seraiah [Sĕra ī'ah]—jehovah is prince, the lord is my prince, orsoldier of the lord.

1. One of king David’s scribes (2 Sam. 8:17; see 1 Chron. 18:16for Shavsha).
2. The son of Azariah and chief priest at Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar took it. This Seraiah, along with other renowned captives, was put to death at Riblah ( 2 Kings 25:18; 1 Chron. 6:14; Ezra 7:1;Jer. 52:24).
3. A son of Tanhumeth, from Netophah, whom Gedaliah advised to submit to the Chaldeans. He was one of “the captains of the forces” (2 Kings 25:23; Jer. 40:8).
4. The second son of Kenez, brother of Othniel and father of Joab (1 Chron. 4:13, 14).
5. A prince of Simeon, son of Asiel and grandfather of Jehu, who drove furiously (1 Chron. 4:35).
6. One of the twelve leaders, a priest who returned from exile with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:2; Neh. 10:2; 12:1, 12).
7. A priest, son of Hilkiah, dwelling in Jerusalem after the exile and called “ruler of the house of God” (Neh. 11:11;12:1).
8. A chief man, son of Aziel, and sent by Jehoiakim to apprehend Jeremiah and Baruch (Jer. 36:26).
9. A son of Neriah and brother of Baruch, a prince of Judah who went to Babylon with Zedekiah (Jer. 51:59, 61). For “quiet prince” the RV has “chief chamberlain.”

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November 30, 2011 She's All Mine Mary Southerland Today's Truth For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demon, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39, NIV). Friend to Friend I have personally discovered that it is downright frustrating and completely impossible to live the Christian life when you are not a Christian. I tried. For years, I desperately struggled to trust God with only head knowledge of who He is and wants to be in my life. When that trust settled into my heart and life - well, life became a different journey altogether. I grew up in a Christian home, attending church every time the doors were open. I sang all the right songs, spoke all the right words and did all the right things in front of all the right people. I fervently prayed that my works would validate my faith and desperately hoped that by following the rules, I would please the Ruler. It was not until middle school that the spiritual integrity of a dynamic youth pastor made me hunger and thirst for something more. I wanted to know God and experience His unconditional love. One Sunday, I sat in my usual spot, clutching the back of the pew in front of me while wrestling with God over the condition of my soul and my eternal security. After all, I was a very active church member, a soloist and pianist for our worship services, and even directed a children's choir. How embarrassing to walk down that aisle, admitting to everyone that I'd been living a lie. My mind argued that I knew all about God - and then the deeper truth of that argument hit me. Yes, I knew about Him but I didn't know Him. That night, I met Jesus. My problems did not disappear but much of my stress did as I began to trust God, I mean really trust Him. Over the years, I have been taught by some incredible men and women of faith, but none more precious or more powerful than our grandchildren. My grandchildren call me Mimi ... and words are pitifully inadequate when trying to express just how much I love being a grandmother. I have experienced a new and deeper level of love with the birth of each grandchild. Watching one of my grandchildren is kind of like watching my heart walk around on the outside of my body. I have a good friend, Lisa, who is a teacher at the school where my four-year-old grandson, Jaydan, attends pre-school classes three mornings each week. One day, Lisa happened to be on the playground when Jaydan's class came out to play. She teasingly asked, "Jaydan, I don't have a Mimi. Can I have yours?" Jaydan immediately whirled around, placed his hands on his hips and firmly responded, "No way!" Lisa smiled and said, "But Jaydan, don't you want to share your Mimi with me?" Jaydan adamantly replied, "I can't! She's mine ... all mine!" Wow! As I listened to Lisa tell me this story, I have to admit my heart doubled in size. And then I immediately thought about the way God loves me ... and the way He loves you. God's love for us is unconditional, boundless and fierce. 1 John 4: 8-10 (The Message) "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his one and only Son into the world so that we could have life through him. This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God's love for us in sending his Son to be the way to take away our sins." Trusting God begins and ends with the fierce love of God. Trusting God really is all about wrapping our hearts and minds and lives around the reality of God's love. He loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins so we can have an abundant life - now and eternally. You may find yourself in a frightening place filled with darkness and doubt. Your fragile heart may be wondering if God knows where you are of if He even cares. He does. You think that because you cannot see the hand of God or sense His presence it means He is not working. Nothing could be further from the truth, girlfriend. We may not understand or even like His process but let me assure you that God is always at work in our lives. He will always love you. He will come through for you and you really can trust Him. Let's Pray Father, I want to know You and trust You with my whole heart and life. Thank You for loving me even when I doubt Your love. I praise You for being faithful even when my faith is small. Teach me how to walk by faith and not by sight. In Jesus' name, Amen. Now It's Your Turn Read the following verses of Scripture and answer the questions listed below. Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." How does this verse emphasize the fact that you and I were created in response to God's plan, not as an afterthought or as an accident? Psalm 8:3-5 "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor." How do these verses line up with the way you see yourself right now? What one immediate change do you need to make in order to see yourself the way God sees you? Read and memorize Isaiah 43:4 and make it one of your life verses. "You are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you." More from the Girlfriends Can you believe 2012 is just ahead, like a clean slate filled with new beginnings and fresh starts? However, what did we learn in 2011 that will make a difference in 2012? As the holiday season winds down, I pray your heart and mind will look ahead to all that this year holds. Guard your heart and mind against darkness. Stand firm in God's power and presence. He is faithful and He is sufficient for whatever tomorrow brings. Need help getting the Word of God into your life? Check out Mary's Weekly Online Bible Study, Light for the Journey. And be sure to get your copy of our new 12-week devotion book,Trusting God. This is the perfect book for individual study or for gathering a group of friends in what we call GiG Groups. With impactful devotions, study questions, journal pages, free on-line video intros, and an index of trust-building Scriptures...this book is a resource you'll refer to time-and-time again. Seeking God? Click here to find out more about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Girlfriends in God P.O. Box 725 Matthews, NC 28106 info@girlfriendsingod.com www.girlfriendsingod.com

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November 30, 2011 Completely Full, Yet Totally Empty Samantha Reed "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."John 1:1, 14 (ESV) How are you? I'm posed this question many times a day, but haven't delved into the truth lately. 'Cause truth is, there are only a few I want to be that honest with. And those I generally share the depths with are wading through extenuating circumstances. Filled to capacity, they've needed a place to pour out. Cupped hands catch their words, worries, wants. Until my hands are heavy. I'm weary from taking in and not pouring myself out in return. I understand; they don't have it to give right now. Yet, hour upon hour of listening... I'm not sure I have it to give right now either. Irony is, my very name means "Listener." Double irony is my life verse from last year: "Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed" (Proverbs 11:25b NIV). But I can not take any more words into a soul cram-full. And I can not pour out refreshment that is not there. I'm completely full, yet totally empty. And so I selfishly check out in the name of self-preservation; retreat into myself, away from their words weighted with pain and trouble and questions. Distance my being from all words. Until the Word beckons me with cupped hands large enough to hold my needy soul, friend's worn circumstances, the thin world. I pour into the Word, a measureless crevice in which my words rest. He asks three words my parched soul thirsts for, "How are you?" I'm weary. "I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10b (NIV) I feel alone. "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20b (NIV) I can't take much more. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28b (NIV) I pour out, He pours in. An ebb and flow more natural than the ocean's tides. My needy soul needs His words; needs Him: the Word. Community is God-given. But friend's and family's ability to be leaned on will ebb and flow. Hence our soul's deepest need: friendship with the Lord. {Inhale deeply that delight: we're friends with God.} Friends with the unchanging nature of the Word, Jesus. Will you take His cupped hand, reaching out to hold you, your cares, your friends and family members? Take His hand and take a walk through Him, the Word. Pour your truthful answers into Him and pour yourself into the fields of Scripture. Refreshment awaits. He's asking, "How are you?" Dear Lord, thank You for never changing. Thank You for listening and hearing. Thank You for Your faithful friendship. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Related Resources: Pour yourself into the Word through one of these Bibles. A Confident Heart by Renee Swope has helped thousands of women overcome the emptiness of insecurity, hurt, loneliness and doubt by learning to live in the fullness of God's promises. Here's what some are saying: "I feel like someone finally jumped in my head and my heart and painted over my insecurities with God's Word." "If you are looking for a practical way to apply God's Word to the areas of your deepest insecurities, as well as an enjoyable and personable read, this book is for you." Visit Samantha's blog where she's creating an online community to encourage one another. Click here to visit and leave a comment letting us know how you are. Then leave a comment with a prayer for the person who commented before you. Application Steps: Pour into the Word. Memorize one of the scriptures listed above and talk to the Lord about your needs. Ask Jesus, "Are my hands cupped, open to receiving friends' words? Or have I poured out onto others more than I've poured into them?" Reflections: "Sometimes the girl who's always been there for everyone else, needs someone to be there for her." Author Unknown Power Verses: Malachi 3:6, "I the LORD do not change." (NIV) John 15:15b, "Instead, I have called you friends..." (NIV) © 2011 by Samantha Reed. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 Ministries 616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road Matthews, NC 28105 www.Proverbs31.org

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Domesticating Jesus Luke 4:16-30 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me...to proclaim good news to the poor. ...to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (vv. 18-19). Even those who have not formally studied the doctrine of Christ have constructed some kind of Christology. Many Americans think Jesus came to give them a "better life" in the here and now and to help them make friends and win influence. Others say Jesus would join movements to protect and conserve the earth's resources or engage in other "environmentally-friendly" practices. Innumerable people understand Jesus to be the supreme ethical teacher who is concerned with accepting all into His kingdom even if they never repent of sin. Friendship, the stewardship of creation, and the love of others are all praised in Scripture (Gen. 1:28; Prov. 17:17; 1 John 3:16); however, reducing the purpose and teaching of our Lord to any of these things ends up domesticating Him. A domesticated Jesus embraces the culture's values without challenging them; He is a "safe" Jesus who is no threat to the established way of doing things. Yet Christ did not come into the world to be "nice" or "safe," and the Jesus we find in the Gospels cannot be domesticated. He brings a salvation that turns our values upside-down. Instead of the proud and arrogant, He exalts those of humble estate ( Luke 1:52). Christ's coming produces peace among His people, but it also sets the fallen world against His own (4:16-30). The scandal of the cross brings with it the promise of a final, cosmic redemption that will include all who believe. At the same time it becomes a stumbling block to unrepentant Jews and foolishness to hardened Gentiles (1 Cor. 1:18-31). Though we know these truths, we also run the risk of domesticating Jesus, albeit in a different way. Often we limit His work to giving us a clean heart so that we may live forever in heaven. Certainly, our Savior is concerned with individual redemption, and only individuals who put their faith in Christ alone will be saved, But individual redemption is only part of His intent to redeem all creation. Our Lord's full purpose is to bring a new heavens and earth in which we will dwell with Him forever (Isa. 65:17-25; 2 Peter 3:13 ). A Christology that does not take into account the reality of future, resurrected life and the renewal of all things is one that is severely lacking. Coram deo: Living before the face of God The Christian faith does not believe in an ethereal kind of salvation that only encompasses a world we cannot see. Instead, because God created everything good and because He purposes to redeem His creation, we know that the final redemption He brings will encompass all things. We are therefore concerned to be good stewards of the earth, not because we worship nature, but because they are gifts of God that will one day be restored to their fullness. For further study: Isaiah 25 The Bible in a year: Daniel 3-4 INTO the WORD daily Bible studies from TableTalk Magazine, Matthew Studies. Copyright © 2008 by Ligonier Ministries. Subscribe to Tabletalk magazine and receive daily Bible studies & in depth articles from world class scholars for only $23 per per year! That's only $1.92 per month. And you can try it out for three months absolutely free! Bringing the best in biblical scholarship together with down-to-earth writing, Tabletalk helps you understand the Bible and apply it to daily living. ADVERTISEMENT

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Domesticating Jesus The Christian faith does not believe in an ethereal kind of salvation that only encompasses a world we cannot see. Instead, because God created everything good and because He purposes to redeem His creation, we know that the final redemption He brings will encompass all things. We are therefore concerned to be good stewards of the earth, not because we worship nature, but because they are gifts of God that will one day be restored to their fullness. For further study: Isaiah 25 The Bible in a year: Daniel 3-4 Coram Deo from TableTalk Magazine, Matthew Studies. Copyright © 2008 by Ligonier Ministries. Subscribe to Tabletalk magazine and receive daily Bible studies & in depth articles from world class scholars for only $23 per per year! That's only $1.92 per month. And you can try it out for three months absolutely free! Bringing the best in biblical scholarship together with down-to-earth writing, Tabletalk helps you understand the Bible and apply it to daily living. ADVERTISEMENT

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	The Middle East is on fire. Popular uprisings are toppling once powerful regimes across the region. In the short term, these changes pose grave risks to Israel. Among the first to be deposed were leaders who had been living in peace with Israel. Meanwhile, those tyrants most dedicated to destroying the Jewish State have maintained their hold on power. Even here at home, Israel is facing increasing enmity. In cities across America, a concerted effort is being made to boycott and delegitimize Israel. Make no mistake about it, these activists do not seek to change any particular Israeli policy; they seek to challenge Israel's very existence. And they are focusing the bulk of their efforts on our college campuses. As the threats to Israel continue to mount, you need not sit by with silent regret. There is something you can do—learn more about Israel and the Middle East so that you can stand up for Israel in her time of need. As the challenges to Israel mount, silence is not an option.

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Each Wednesday in Advent, we read a passage from the Gospels and consider what early church writers had to say about it. Opening prayer God is peace, the principle of all kinds of communion. Let us extol peace with songs of peaceful praise. It is God-who-is-Peace who brings all things into unity, who is the cause of every agreement, who is the author of all harmony. --Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite Gospel reading: Matthew 24:36-44 (read on Bible Gateway) But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Reflections from the church fathers Whether the Son Knows the Day (Hilary of Poitiers): When Christ taught us that no one knows the day on which the end of time will come, not the angels and not even himself, he removed from us any need to be concerned about its date. O immeasurable mercy of divine goodness! On Matthew 26:4 They Did Not Know Until the Flood Came (Origen): All who listen to the depths of the Gospel and live it so completely that none of it remains veiled from them care very little about whether the end of the world will come suddenly and all at once or gradually and little by little. Instead, they bear in mind only that each individual's end or death will arrive on a day and hour unknown to him and that "upon each one of us the day will come like a thief." Commentary on Matthew 26 In the Field, At the Mill (Chrysostom): From both employees and employers some will be taken and some will be left. Among those who are at ease and those who labor, some will be taken, some left. Rank or station will not matter... he seems to indicate that the advent will come at night, like a thief, as Luke also indicates. It is amazing how fully he knows all things. The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 77.2 Living in Expecation (Anonymous): Why is the date of an individual's death hidden from him? Clearly it is so that he might always do good, since he can expect to die at any moment. The date of Christ's second advent is withheld from the world for the same reason, namely, so that every generation might live in the expectation of Christ's return. This is why, when his disciples asked him, "Lord, will you restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?" Jesus replied, "It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father has established by his authority." Incomplete Work on Matthew, Homily 51 Closing prayer Therefore, we ask that we may know what we love, since we ask nothing other than that you give us yourself. For you are our all: our life, our light, our salvation, our food and our drink, our God. Inspire our hearts, I ask you, Jesus, with that breath of your Spirit. --Columbanus Today's Advent reading is from Ancient Christian Devotional, edited by Oden and Crosby. ADVERTISEMENT Today's Advent reading is taken from: Ancient Christian Devotional Edited by Oden, Crosby Bite-sized bits of profound wisdom from the patristic era that coincide with the Scripture readings in cycle A of the Revised Common Lectionary.

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Limits of the Law: The law serves a good purpose-up to a point Today's reading: Romans 7 Romans 7:18 For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. One issue surfaces in virtually every one of Paul's letters: What good is the law? To most of Paul's audience, the word law stands for the huge collection of rules and rituals detailed in the Old Testament. Whenever he starts talking about "the new covenant" or "freedom in Christ," his Jewish listeners want to know what he thinks about Moses' Law. Does God still require obedience? Thanks to his years as a Pharisee, Paul knows Moses' Law well. This chapter, the most personal and autobiographical in Romans, discloses exactly what Paul thinks about this issue. When the Law Is Helpful Paul never recommends discarding the law. He sees that it reveals a basic code of morality, an expression of behavior that pleases God. The law is good for one thing: exposing sin. "Indeed I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law" (Romans 7:7). To Paul, rules such as the Ten Commandments are helpful, healthful and good. When the Law Is Helpless The law has one major problem: After proving how bad you are, it doesn't make you any better. As a carryover from his days of legalism, Paul has a very sensitive conscience. Yet, as he poignantly recounts, it mainly makes him feel guilty. The law that bares his weaknesses cannot provide the power needed to overcome them. The law, or any set of rules, leads ultimately to a dead end. Outside Help A strict disciplinarian like Paul has little trouble keeping most of the Ten Commandments. Outward actions such as swearing, murder, adultery, stealing and lying can be measured and controlled. But an internal, invisible sin, such as coveting, proves far more bedeviling. As Jesus made clear in the Sermon on the Mount, invisible sins like coveting, lust and anger can have the same toxic effects as the more outward manifestations of stealing, adultery and murder. Romans 7 gives a striking illustration of the struggle that ensues when an imperfect person commits himself or herself to a perfect God. Any Christian who wonders, "How can I ever get rid of my nagging sins?" will find comfort in Paul's frank confession. In the face of God's standards, all of us feel helpless, and that is precisely Paul's point. No set of rules can break the terrible cycle of guilt and failure. We need outside help to "serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code" (Romans 7:6). Chapter 8 celebrates that help. Life Question What personal struggle makes you feel most helpless? Where do you turn? ADVERTISEMENT Today's reading is from the NIV Student Bible by Zondervan A proven, common sense approach to studying the Scriptures appeals to high school and college readers (and students of all ages).

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At Issue - Success Today's reading: Joshua 1:7–8 To succeed at any task, you must have the proper tools. Success in changing a tire requires such things as a tire iron and a jack. Success in quilting requires needles and fabric. Without the right equipment, you’re left empty-handed and guessing. These verses tell us that success in life requires one important tool—God’s Word. It’s not enough to own a copy of God’s Word. You have to use it—read it, meditate on it, talk about it and obey it. God has given you all you need to succeed in life—if you’ll use the tools he’s given you. ADVERTISEMENT True Identity: The Bible for Women by Zondervan The Bible that helps you see yourself as God sees you! Find your true identity in Christ through your relationship with him.

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