Daily Devotions
Copyright © A New Walk Inc. 2009
March 8
March 10
March 11
March 12
March 13
Give Up Ownership
"For we are each responsible for our own conduct."
Galatians 6:5 NLT
Do you sometimes feel as though your life centers around the problems of someone you care about?
It is vital for us to give up ownership of our loved ones. We should continue to pray and to care, but not make their problems ours. It is important that we don't take away their personal responsibility. They must understand that their choices bring consequences. Although the Bible encourages us to help each other, it also makes the fact clear that each person is responsible for his or her own actions.
Take steps to remove yourself from the control your loved one has over you. Stop building your life around their dysfunctional lifestyle. Don't let them control your walk with God, your relationship with other family and friends, church attendance, employment performance, or any other part of your life.
Consider this
The Bible tells us to put God at the center of our lives. Keep an active prayer life. Get involved in a Bible-believing church. Participate in a Christ-centered support group where you can receive love and friendship.
Keep the communication lines open with cards, notes, letters and calls to let your loved one know you are there to help them find help. But they must make the decision to change.
Facing the consequences of their actions and seeing you model God's love will help them learn to build a healthy relationship with God, themselves and others.
Prayer
Father, I have been feeling so frustrated and stressed from trying to fix my loved one's problems. Thank you for this reminder that we are all responsible for our own actions. Help me to love and encourage without trying to control.
In Jesus' name
Equipped To Do Good Works
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.
It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
God's Word teaches us right from wrong, helps us develop godly character and helps us know God better and develop a deeper relationship with Him. It also equips us to reach out to others and do good works.
Contrary to the world's mandate to do your own thing and "look out for #1," God wants us to reach out with His love and do good works. Sometimes we might feel as though we are too busy, too shy, too involved with our own circumstances, don't want to get involved … but God's Word teaches and equips us to do good works.
Consider this …
Are you putting God's Word into action by doing good works? If you are not already doing so, begin praying each day that God will bring someone into your path to bless. And then be ready to follow through when He gives you the opportunity!
God may call you to do good works through your church or another ministry, for a neighbor, a friend or even a stranger. Sometimes it might be as simple as helping a neighbor carry in groceries or being kind to a harassed server in a restaurant. Other times you might be helping in a much more involved way. As you continue to spend time with Him in prayer and in His Word, you will be equipped to do all God calls you to do. You will be equipped to do every good work.
Prayer
Father, help me follow Jesus' example and reach out to others with your love, doing every good work. Help me not to be so involved in myself and my circumstances that I fail to be sensitive to others and to help them. I thank you that your Word equips me to do these good works. Help me to be faithful to do all you are calling me to do. In Jesus' name …
When Right Becomes Wrong
"Then the devil said to Him, If You are the Son of God, order this stone to turn into a loaf [of bread]. And Jesus replied to him, It is written, Man shall not live and be sustained by (on) bread alone [but by every word and expression of God."
Luke 4:3-4 AMP (suggested reading for this week: Luke 4:1-15)
The Holy Spirit led Jesus to the desert, where he was fasting for 40 days. And the Bible says, the devil tempted him for the duration of that 40 days.
The first temptation Jesus faced in this wilderness experience involved hunger, physical need. Is eating to satisfy our hunger wrong? Of course not. But Jesus had been led by the Spirit and had made a commitment to fast during this time period. To break the fast by putting his desire for food above his commitment to the Father would have been sin.
There are many desires we experience day to day that are normal and good. To succeed on a job. To dress nicely. To engage in a hobby. To prosper financially. To enjoy shopping. To commit to a relationship. To spend time on the computer. Participating in a ministry. And the list goes on. These things are not wrong in themselves, but they are wrong if they become more important to us than our relationship with the Lord. God's plan and God's leading must always come first.
Consider this …
Jesus responded to the temptation by quoting Scripture. "Man shall not live and be sustained by (on) bread alone [but by every word and expression of God." In other words, spiritual matters and faithfulness to God are more important than physical needs.
Take a moment to think about your life. Is there an area that is taking control? That is causing you to slide in your relationship with God? That is tempting you to make wrong choices? If so, now is the time to get back on track. To turn to God's Word. To say no to the temptation.
Prayer …
Father, I realize that there is an area in my life that is causing me to slide in my relationship with you. I am looking to the Scriptures for guidance. Please help me get back on track. In Jesus' name …
Taking a Shortcut
"The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, 'I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.' Jesus answered, 'It is written: Worship the Lord your God and serve him only."
Luke 4:5-8 NIV (suggested reading for this week: Luke 4:1-15)
The second temptation consisted of Satan promising Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would worship him.
Both Jesus and his tempter knew that Jesus would eventually gain these kingdoms anyway (see Psalm 110:1). So Satan was tempting Jesus to take something that is rightfully his but by wrong means. To avoid pain and suffering by gaining the kingdoms that are rightfully his—but without going to the cross. And in the process, Jesus would have to bow down and worship the devil.
Once again, Jesus refused to give in to the temptation. And again, he quoted the Scriptures, revealing the root of the temptation by showing the right form of worship.
Consider this …
We live in a time of instant gratification. Our fast-paced world and never-ending flow of instant responses via cell phones, Internet, etc. have molded us to want and expect instant gratification. We want it NOW if not yesterday.
Sometimes we may know in our hearts that God has a plan to take care of a situation, but we don't want to wait. We want the solution now. And so, instead of waiting for God's plan to unfold, we manipulate and make it happen now. Our way. And in rejecting God's plan, we are bowing down to Satan.
We have all experienced this temptation in some area of our lives. Let us learn from the example Jesus has set for us. Let us choose God's way, God's timing—always the best way and the best timing.
Prayer …
Father, forgive me for the times I have not been willing to wait and do things the right way, but have taken a shortcut. Help me be willing to wait. Teach me to trust you more and to choose your way and your time. In Jesus' name …
The Scriptures Say ...
"Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, 'If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, He will order his angels to protect and guard you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.' Jesus responded, 'The Scriptures also say, You must not test the Lord your God.'" Luke 4:9-12 NLT (suggested reading for this week: Luke 4:1-15)
The third temptation: Satan used Scripture to tempt Jesus to leap from the temple and land safely.
Again, Jesus could have done it, and it would have been the job of the angelic host to protect him. It was not a temptation to do an overt sin, but it was a test of the Father's care. It was a call to have the Father prove his care for Jesus.
Jesus responded by quoting other Scriptures that balanced out the context of what Satan had quoted out of context.
Consider this …
We learn from Jesus' response that we should trust God and his promises, and not test his reliability. He promises to take care of us, but we shouldn't step in front of a speeding car to see what he will do. He has promised to meet our needs, but we shouldn't spend money recklessly.
In all these temptations, Jesus relied on the Scriptures to give him a proper understanding of what he was to do, and he quoted it in times of temptation. He did not take isolated verses out of context but balanced Scripture with an understanding of the true meaning of the verses.
Having experienced temptation, Jesus understands our condition. He is sympathetic, but he is also the perfect standard. Yield to the will of God. Memorize Scripture. Quote it and live it. Make a specific plan of how to do this more consistently as the Lord enables you.
Prayer …
Father, help me better prepare to resist temptation by spending more time in your Word. Teach me to live the Scripture, and bring the right Scripture to my mind when I am facing a temptation. In Jesus' name …
Right Choices
"… Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires."
Romans 13:14 NLT
The sin of proximity involves occasions for sin that we consciously or unconsciously bring upon ourselves. These usually occur because we have not completely cut our relationship with our chronic sin habits. (There are other occasions for sin that are totally beyond our control and seem to come out of nowhere. Although we can't prevent these occaions, we need to be mentally and spiritually prepared to resist the temptations when they do occur.)
Consider this …
Cutting our relationship with sinful habits requires serious choices. Today's Scripture warns us not to let ourselves think about ways to indulge our evil impulses. When we find ourselves thinking about how to gratify our sinful natures, we are setting ourselves up for an occasion to sin. This thinking process can be very subtle and deceptive. We may go into a bookstore telling ourselves we are looking for a science fiction book, but, once in the store, gravitate toward the pornography section.
Let us ask God to help us be honest with ourselves and to make the right choices.
Prayer
Father, help me to be honest with myself when I make these serious choices. Help me to make choices that will keep me away from any occasion for sin. Help me to honestly avoid the things and situations I know would be enticing. In Jesus' name …
March 9
March 14
The Sin Of Proximity: Run!
"Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does.
For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body."
1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT
This week we have discussed the fact that when it is in our power to change a situation that will likely cause us to sin and we choose not to act to change it, we are guilty of the sin of proximity—sometimes called the sin before the sin.
The sin before the sin involves the little decisions we make that set us up for temptation and sin. If we are to overcome the strongholds in our lives that constantly pull us in the wrong direction, we have to come to a place of radical obedience and do everything possible to eliminate those occasions for sin that are in our control.
Failing to take appropriate actions to eliminate the stumbling blocks that lead us to sin is a serious issue for many of us. Sexual temptation has presented itself to most of us at some time in our lives. Today's Scripture advises us to run from sexual sin.
Consider this …
With sexual sin, the longer we are in the presence of temptation, the less likely we are to escape without sinning. It is so much better to avoid the sin before the sin. To run from the sin of proximity.
Stay in fellowship with Jesus. Turn to him for the strength you need. With him, you can do all things.
Prayer
Lord, help me to run from all temptation to be involved in sexual sin. Help me to run from the sin and run to you. In Jesus' name …
