“Today I will walk in faith thankful that I do not have to be perfect to do God’s will. Thank You, Lord, that You can still use me with all my imperfections and blind spots.”
Promise #263
If you help the poor, your light will shine like the dawn.
Isaiah 58:7-8 (WEB)
7 Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then your light shall break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth speedily; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Yahweh shall be your rear guard.
God’s heart is for the underdog. He protects the widow and the orphan and has chosen the poor of this world to inherit His kingdom. In today’s Scripture promise, God tells us that if we feed the hungry, give the poor shelter and clothe the naked, then His favor and His blessings will shine on all that we do.
The NLT version of Isaiah 58:8 says… “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.”
What a glorious promise! If we look after those who can’t look after themselves, then God will look after us in every way possible. Our wounds will quickly heal, the light of our godliness will lead us forward and the glory of the Lord will protect our backs! God’s heart is for the underdog.
In every way, we too are underdogs that God protects and provides for. May we see the world through our Father’s eyes today and see the many opportunities that He presents to us so that we can be a blessing to others.
Lord help us today to see the needs around us and be a manifestation of your love, life and provision to those who are in need. Thank you that as we help others, your love and your glory will keep us safe too.
FINDING REST
Questions Without Answers
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Hope When Trusting God is Hard BINU SAMUEL |
Listen to this devotion“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP)
My friend and I can laugh about it now, but it wasn’t very funny years ago, when it all went down.
I was in my last year of college, tired from a busy day and getting ready for bed when it hit me … I have clinical rotations in the morning and forgot to wash my lab coat! Thankfully, my best friend, Shyni, who was also my next-door neighbor, was planning to do her laundry that evening. She was more than happy to add my dirty coat to her load.
What a relief! Now I could rest … or not.
Unfortunately, the “I like to be in control” side of me got the best of me that evening. I couldn’t help but periodically check in with my friend. Was my lab coat in the washer? Dryer? Rinse cycle? Spin cycle?
Umm … none of the above.
My lab coat hadn’t even made its way down to the basement laundry room!
“Don’t worry, I’ll get it done,” my friend reassured me. But with no immediate action behind her words of reassurance, I wasn’t feeling very reassured.
Before I knew it, I was back in her apartment, and these words were coming out of my mouth: “Can I please have my lab coat back? I think I’ll wash it myself.”
Needless to say, she was annoyed by my lack of confidence in her — and I was annoyed by her lack of urgency.
Talk about tension. It was no longer a lab coat issue; it was now a trust issue. After all, isn’t that what most relationships are all about?
Trust.
Throughout the Bible, God asks His children, in so many words, Do you trust Me?
Do you trust me, O Israel, to only collect a day’s worth of manna? (Exodus 16:15-20)
Do you trust me, Achan, to not collect the spoils of the land of Jericho? (Joshua 6:18)
Do you trust me, Gideon, to stop hiding in the wine press? (Judges 6:11)
Do you trust me, Joseph, to marry the woman with child, conceived by the Holy Spirit? (Matthew 1:18-25)
It’s easy to say we trust God as we lay our cares at the altar on Sunday, only to begin pacing the floors on Monday. Then, by Tuesday, we’re asking for our “dirty lab coats” back — which can represent any number of burdens — and the weight of those cares is once again on our shoulders.
1 Peter 5:7a tells us to begin “casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” The word “cast” refers to intentionally relocating an object. God wants us to hand Him anything that weighs us down. But we have to be willing to hand it over … and then let Him handle it.
Shyni and I had been friends since we were 5 years old. If there was any friend I could trust, it was Shyni. Our way of doing things might have been different, but in the end, she always got the job done.
The Bible tells us God’s ways are also different than ours. His ways are higher. That’s just one of the ways He offers hope when trusting Him is so hard.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV).
Friends, if anyone can handle our stuff — our cares, our fears and even our dirty laundry — it’s God, our heavenly Father.
Cast your cares on Him, and leave them with Him.
Heavenly Father, even when it feels like there’s a delay, help me to never doubt You have my best interest in mind. Give me divine wisdom in handling whatever situations are weighing me down, and help me release my cares to You. Thank You for Your unconditional love. I love You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY: 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (NIV)
Psalm 33:4, “For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does.” (NLT)
Psalm 55:22, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (NIV)
RELATED RESOURCES: Schedules. Routines. Plans. Alarm clocks. Life can feel a little crazy in the fall! Shop our fall sale, and find products designed to help you relax and refocus on God during the busyness of the season. Shop the sale!
CONNECT: Want to see even more daily encouragement from Proverbs 31 Ministries? Connect with us on Facebook today!
REFLECT AND RESPOND: Is there something that’s been weighing you down? Whether you’re in your car, getting ready for your day, or about to go to bed, verbalize those cares out loud to God and release your cares to Him.
When are you most prone to struggle with trusting God? How do you cope with that? What are your go-to Scripture verses? Let us know your thoughts in today’s comments section!
© 2019 by Binu Samuel. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
630 Team Rd., Suite 100
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
Shaping and Sharpening
In the same way that iron sharpens iron, a person sharpens the character of his friend. (Proverbs 27:17 The Voice)
There is a good chance that in all relationships there will come a time where differences of opinion will occur. The good news is that God can use these times to bring about our sharpening. Did you know that when iron is rubbed against another piece of iron, it shapes and sharpens it? And just like iron sharpens iron, relationships can be shaped and sharpened too.
God longs for us to show more empathy to one another, to listen more intently to each other, and to live out His love in tangible ways. God wants us to access these avenues of action, concern, empathy, and listening to shape each other as we give Him access to do so through us each day. God is always shaping and sharpening us to be more like Him. To use a metaphor: the “rubbing process” at times may not “feel” so good during the time of “shaping” and “sharpening”… but the outcome – becoming an image-bearer of Christ – is priceless and worth it all!
Tangible Takeaway:
Based off our devotional verse today, you influence those you come in contact with each day either in a positive or negative way. Spend some quality time with Jesus by reading through this prayer:
God, I praise Your name first and foremost for who You are. I am in great need of Your confidence in me to do what only You can do. I pray that as iron sharpens iron, You will sharpen me, and that in turn You will speak through another to me and that I will hear through Your ears. Teach me, Jesus, what You would have me learn. I love You. Thank You for loving me.
This is an excerpt from We’re Still in This by Susan Goss. If you are enjoying this series, consider purchasing a copy of this new book to bless someone that could use tangible words of encouragement. Shop all DaySpring Books and Devotionals.
10 Inspiring Indications of a Born-Again Christian
When I read the prayer of salvation on the back of a tract in 1989, I expected something to happen, maybe a voice speaking to me from heaven, a gust of wind—something. But it didn’t. My father bought my first Bible in December 1989. I started reading it and, again, expected something spectacular to happen, but it didn’t. I started attending church. Nothing happened. My life remained the same after I read the tract as it was before reading the tract—except I was reading my Bible, attending church sporadically, and praying whenever I needed something.
And then in August 1997, I started attending the church that would change my life. From the moment I walked through the doors of that church and listened to the sermon, something finally shifted in my life. I grew hungry for God. And that’s when I knew I was saved.
Growing hungry for God is just one of many indications of a born-again Christian (1 Peter 2:2). There are many more indications. Let’s take a look at a few of them here:
Photo Credit: Getty Images
1. A Desire for God
“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God.” (Psalm 42:1-2)
Although I was already praying and studying the Bible, I couldn’t get enough of God. I stopped reading the Bible just for knowledge and started reading the Bible to grow closer to God. I couldn’t get enough of Him and His presence. I woke up in the morning thinking about God. I thought about Him on my commute to work and all day while I was at work and on my commute back home. When I was home, I was reading my Bible. He was the last thought before I drifted off to sleep. As I look back over that time in my life, I see my hunger for God was one of the first real indications that I was a born-again Christian.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Aaron Amat
2. A Desire for Church Fellowship
“Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25)
The more I desired God, the more I wanted to go to church. I loved being around other people who felt about God the way I did. I loved listening to sermons, and Sunday school, and Bible study lessons. My family and friends were confused by my desire to want to always be in church. It wasn’t that I “had” to go, I “wanted” to go. I loved the atmosphere. I loved the people. I loved the love and acceptance I felt in the church. The more I attended church, the more I wanted to attend church. This too is an indication of a born-again Christian.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Digital Skillet
3. A Desire for the Word of God
“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)
Another indication of a born-again Christian is the desire to hear and study the word of God. Christians around the world find comfort, hope, and encouragement through the scriptures. Regardless of what we face in life, there’s a scripture in the Bible on which we can stand. Christians love reading the Bible and will sometimes have Bibles in their car, on their desks at work, and in multiple locations in their homes, if they are fortunate to have multiple copies of Scripture. Christians will also take their bibles on vacation with them, or wherever they travel. And in this technologically advanced era, we have the convenience of Bible apps on our mobile devices. If you have a new-found desire to study the word of God, you may be a Christian!
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Priscilla DuPreez
4. A Desire to Grow Spiritually
“As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects unto Him who is the head, even Christ.” (Ephesians 4:14-15)
One of the side-effects of studying the Bible, attending church, and drawing closer to God is spiritual growth. Born-again Christians desire to grow in the things of God. They want to get better, be better, and serve better. Christians want to be more like Jesus. They want to be transformed into the image of Christ instead of conforming to the ways of the world.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Priscilla DuPreez
5. Fruit of the Spirit is Evidenced
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”(Galatians 5:22-23)
As born-again Christians begin to grow spiritually, they begin to display the fruit of the Spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control begin to manifest instead of works of the flesh (see Galatians 5:19-21). The fruit of the Spirit are real indicators of a renewed life, a life chasing after Christ.
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6. Changing from Pessimism to Optimism
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Born-again Christians should be the most optimistic people. Our outlook on life should be positive. We should not be pessimists, seeing negative in everything and everybody. Indeed, born-again Believers stand on Romans 8:28 knowing in their hearts that everything is going to work together for their good because they love God and are called according to His purpose.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
7. A Change in Entertainment
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
Another indication of a born-again Christian is a change in entertainment. I used to be a huge fan of rap music, and to be honest, I still enjoy R&B and old-school hip-hop music. However, there’s nothing like an uplifting Gospel or inspirational Christian song. Life becomes about worship, and worship is expressed in all areas of believers’ lives. Music particularly draws many closer to God and helps born-again Believers gain a greater appreciation for the Lord. Also, certain movies, books, and magazines will no longer appeal to born-again believers. Instead of finding joy in carnal things, the new Christian finds joy in spiritual matters.
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8. A Desire to Share the Gospel
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)
Another indication of a born-again Christian is the desire to share the Gospel. Christians love Jesus and want their families and friends to love Him too. Born-again Christians will share the Gospel, as well as information about their church services. They want to persuade people to accept Jesus Christ because they understand the consequences of rejecting Christ.
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9. A Desire for Ministry
“For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established.” (Romans 1:11)
When I started attending the church in 1997, I didn’t know anything about spiritual gifts. And when I started learning about them, I didn’t think I had one. I got involved in ministries without knowing whether I had a gift or not. I just wanted to be involved in the church. Within a year or two of joining that church, I was taught through Bible study and the singles ministry, preached my first sermon, sang in the choir, participated in morning prayer, and witnessed with the evangelism team. Ministry takes all kinds of forms of serving and blessing Christ’s church as well as the surrounding community. This desire to serve is an indication of a born-again Christian.
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10. Sin-less
“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1)
Everyone sins, Christians, and non-Christians alike. However, one of the indications of born-again Christians is that we should be moving further and further away from habits of sin after accepting Christ. Sin shouldn’t have the control over our lives that it had before salvation. Blatant, presumptuous sin should never be named among Christians. The things we used to do should make us uncomfortable. We should feel conviction from the Holy Spirit when we sin against God. Thus, born-again Christians sin less as they are renewed day by day into new creations (2 Corinthians 4:16).
These are just ten indications of a born-again Christian. These aren’t the only ten. I encourage you to grow in Christ, establish and nurture a relationship with Him. You’re on a beautiful journey that gets better every day. Press into the Lord, love Him, and let Him reveal more of Himself to you. You will never regret choosing to follow Christ.
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Dose of Devotion 